Tenchi walked up the side of the hill, heading towards the clearing that Mihoshi has suggested they meet. He brushed past low hanging branches and pushed through tall grass, thinking about the questions he would ask her. 'I wonder why she asked me to meet her in the woods,' he thought was he watched the afternoon sun approaching the hills to the West. 'We'll miss dinner if we talk for too long.' Behind Tenchi the two robotic Guardians followed, finding it easy to hide with their brown, bark-like bodies among the trees of the darkening forest. "Do you think this version of history will fit our files?" inquired Azaka, as it moved around a somewhat large rock. "With Mihoshi telling it?" commented Katsuhito. Tenchi found the clearing and Mihoshi. She was sitting on a red and white blanket, with a small meal spread out on it. He stared and realized that she was going to feed him. "Well, at least we won't miss dinner..." Tenchi suddenly realized something else. She thought he had asked her out on a date. To ask her about galactic history directly now might upset her, making her understand her mistake. Tenchi sighed, "Well, it can't be any worse than having dinner with Ayeka and Ryoko." Mihoshi watched Tenchi enter the clearing and wave as her. She smiled and adjusted her tank top. "I see you're wearing the tank top you bought during our last shopping spree," said Tenchi, blushing. "Oh yes," said Mihoshi with a grin, as she prepared a plate of scrambled tofu with spring onions. "I won't be able to wear it soon, as it is getting colder." "Yes," remarked Tenchi as he knelt down, accepting the plate, "fall is in the air and winter is just around the corner." Mihoshi smiled at Tenchi and added, "I'll have to break out my uniform soon. It's very warm, made for space travel." Tenchi nodded and asked, "Mihoshi, when did you decide to join the Galaxy Police anyway?" "Oh," giggled Mihoshi, "I was a very young girl..." ****************************************************************************** **************************************************************************Loca tion: Astronomy Station D-34, High Orbit of Seniwa. Time: 10,863 GU. Mihoshi glazed up in wonder, like the others of her science class, as the teacher pointed out the viewing window. "See," said Mr. Glish, "the newest of the Galaxy Police Ships. Fresh from the shipyards in orbit about Sanctus. Five new Thunder-Class Frigates, only five out of twenty new battleships designed by both Feles scientists and Juraian engineers. As you can see, class, it has the latest in hyperspace engines, missile launchers, first class sensors and a heavier hull than most ships." Mihoshi's eyes seemed to glow, as the five ships, in perfect formation, passed by the tiny space station. Her didn't need to hear the words of the teacher. The vision of the white ships moving slowly by were enough for her to recognize their power, their grace. The golden symbol of the Galaxy Police seemed to blaze out from the hull, like some kind of banner made from living flames. As the ships disappeared slowly into the night of space, Mihoshi promised herself she would one day join them. ****************************************************************************** ************************************************************************** Tenchi gaped at Mihoshi as she finished her story. 'How old IS she?' he wondered as she poured him some tea. Mihoshi noticed Tenchi's confusion and asked, "Are you OK?" "Sure," stated Tenchi, rubbing the back of his neck, "just wondering how Sanctus joined the Galactic Union and started building Galaxy Police ships." "Oh, they never joined it," stated Mihoshi with a giggle. "They didn't?" "No," continued Mihoshi. "They were kind of with it at the beginning. You see..." ****************************************************************************** *************************************************************************Locat ion: Hazel, Capital Planet of the Trade Combine. Time: 5 BGU. "I see no other choice," commented Coordinator Marnum at the head of the table, as a servant refilled his mug with warm mead. "We have many choices," demanded one of the Combine's many Magistrates. "Yes," said a second as he brushed some lint from his fur coat, "we can fight the Kingdom of Jurai. We out number them easily. Our armies can flood their planets with our troops." "Outnumber them, yes," commented a third, "but can we outfight them? I don't think our fleets, no matter how numerous they may be, are fit to fight against REAL battleships. They are use to fighting pirates and running down smugglers." He snapped his longish fangs and slammed a furry paw onto the table. "Then what do you suggest?" demanded the first Magistrate, as he played with one of his rings, "that we just let them take OUR planets one by one also?" Magistrate Varro listened silently to the Magistrates of the Trade Combine as they debated with and insulted each other. Each and every one of them were merchants, Princes of vast wealth and owners of huge shipping lines. He rubbed his tiny wet nose and sipped his cup of watered down wine, as two of the members started to debate bribing the current King of Jurai, as if he was just another businessman. "My dear fellows," cut in Coordinator Marnum, "our only choice, our only hope is to allow the Kingdom to join the Combine, like any other planet. We could defuse their aggression with our own laws. Our constitution will limit-" He, himself, was cut off as one of the feline-like members laughed and said, "Defuse them? They have advanced weapons, better defenses and stronger hulls. Their living ships might not be as fast as our Quantum computers, but they're a hell of a lot smarter and tougher. Our advances in subspace radio and hyperspace engines might help us with keeping deadlines and getting fresh information from the interstellar markets, but they don't do SHIT in defending our planets!" "Now, now, please, calm yourselves," stated Marnum, as the table of magistrates, representing the human or humanoid races of the Trade Combine, started to verbal fight each other. "May I say something?" stated the Sanctus's representative to the Combine's Assembly, as he placed his tiny cup down on the table. The table became quiet, as each of the Magistrates and the Coordinator stared at Varro. For the Magistrate from Sanctus to say anything was very rare and when a Feles, of any position or bloodline, said something EVERYBODY listened. "As I see the problem," stated the tiny official as he stood up on the books that were in his chair, which allowed him to be level with the table, "our big problem is NOT that the Kingdom will become the biggest political party within the Combine. Many of you will just join up to counter their power on the Assembly's floor. The biggest is that they will continue to expand their space, at the cost of members of this Trade Union." Many of the members looked at each other, as they counted the number of planets ruled by the Jurai Royal House inside their heads. "How many in the Assembly will they have?" asked a furry Magistrate out loud, as they others waved him to silence, wishing to hear Varro clearly. Varro smiled, as he adjusted the heavy gold necklace about his neck and smoothed out the white fur. "What if we were to design a force to counter their military forces?" ****************************************************************************** ************************************************************************** "The Feles suggested WHAT?" gasped Tenchi, almost spilling his drink. ****************************************************************************** ************************************************************************** Location: Royal Palace of Jurai. Time: 5 BGU. "They've done what?" asked King Aritomo the Third, as Commander of the Royal Body Guard looked nervous. "Sire," stated Iou, "they have changed the deal slightly. We will not just join them as another member of the Trade Combine. We will join them, each side keeping their rights, but equal to the other in a Galactic Union. Also, when formed, they will found a Galaxy Police force which our people, if they wish it, may also enlist into." "Galaxy Police Force?" said the King as he leaned back in his throne. "Interesting. And?" "Yes, sire," continued the sweating Commander. "The force will be given rights, by both the Union and our Kingdom, to protect member planets and nonmember planets." "So," said the King, "they would isolate us within the Union. They plan to stop our growth and keep us from defending our colonies. We will see. Commander, call the members of the Holy Council to my chambers." ****************************************************************************** ************************************************************************** "So," said Tenchi as he sipped his tea, watching the sun get closer to the top of the hill, "they joined the Trade Combine, making it the Galactic Union, but as an imperial power within the Union." "Oh yes," stated Mihoshi as she enjoyed her tofu. "The Galaxy Police became a great power within the Union. No longer were planets left to defend themselves with their tiny fleets and armies. Now there was a force to protect the former Trade planets, from outsides and themselves. As the Jurai Royal House's lawyers tried to find loopholes the Princes and rich families among the Trade planets joined together to keep the peace. Now their resources could be used to help develop their planets and make the new Union stronger." Tenchi blinked, amazed at Mihoshi's knowledge of both the events and the sometimes selfish motivation behind them. Having a Grandfather who was the Marshal of the Galaxy Police no doubt helped. "The Jurai Royal House has found some loopholes," pointed out Tenchi. "This planet for example. It is called Colonial Planet 0-315." "One day the Jurai plan to bring their people here," stated Mihoshi. "It was delayed by the Assembly's actions." Tenchi stared up at the sky which was turning reddish and would soon be star filled. Beyond his sight, beyond the nearest stars, there were ships, waiting. Colony ships and warships who, with a word from the King of Jurai, would sweep down onto the planet and turn his Earth into another colony of an unfeeling, uncaring bureaucracy. Mihoshi sighed, glancing at her cup of tea and added, "The power struggle between the Union Assembly and the Royal House continues even now. Even now they plot against each other, trying to undermine each other's authority." "I see," said Tenchi, as he thought about the day he had met King Azusa. The King had seemed cold and very grim, only smiling when Ryo-Ohki had done a little dance for him. A King, from a long line of Kings, rulers who had been both ruthless and cunning. "Still," added Mihoshi, "the Trade Combine's fears were really unfounded. The Jurai military could have won the war, but they would have never been able to occupy so many planets. The Combine had at least five times the worlds and ten times the population. Juraian worlds were ruled by and still are ruled by a class of nobles, who run their people by a feudal system of old traditions and strict legal codes. Everything from ship building to birth is controlled by the checks and balances put in place and run by the Royal House, the military and the planetary nobility." Mihoshi started to pack up the leftovers and the dirty dishes as she continued, "The planets of the Trade Combine and, now, the Galactic Union are part of a greater whole but are still run by local governments, with all their cultural values and ideals still intact. The huge middle class really rules the Union and they believe strongly in a planet's right to judge its own and in the individual's right to freedom of choice." Mihoshi smiled at Tenchi and asked, "Ready to go?" As Mihoshi and Tenchi, walked back to the house, hand in hand, the Guardians slowly followed. "That seems to fit the history files," commented Azaka. "The history files that they have deemed fit to program into us," corrected Kamidake. "We need to request more data from Prince Yosho," stated Azaka. Epilogue: "So," said Katsuhito as the two Guardians crowded into the Shrine's office, "you wish to know why certain information was not included in your programming?" "That is correct your Highness," replied Kamidake. "We have noticed a pattern to the missing information," added Azaka, as it moved up next to Kamidake. "Oh?" remarked Katsuhito has he placed the papers he had been working on down, looking up at the two robots. "The information linked the race of Feles to certain events," stated Kamidake, "many of which are of great importance." "If this new data is correct," continued Azaka, "this would suggest the planet of Sanctus and its colonies have been manipulating the future of the Kingdom of Jurai. That makes them a danger to you and the Royal House." "This suggests that our builders were either very lax in their duty," Kamidake pointed out, "or traitors to the House of Jurai." "Your builders did not have the information available to them," corrected Katsuhito, as he carefully filed the papers away into his office's filing cabinet. "Much of the information is spread out, in so many sources, that no Juraian Historian would have access to it. It is too dangerous for anybody to have." "If it is TRUE," complained Azaka, "then the House is in danger from the remaining members of the Yueh Clan who are being sheltered by members of the Sanctus School of Sovereigns. We must send this data to Jurai at-" "NO." The two Guardians became silent. "They were just helping the Yueh Clan," remarked the old man, calmly, as he took off his glasses to clean them. "They wanted to help them and their followers to return to their homeland. Yes, they like to control events, but they hate war and wished only to help others." "You have been in contact with them," said Azaka. "They felt I could be trusted," explained Katsuhito, "as I was only half-Juraian. They felt I would not be so swift to seek vengeance after all these centuries." The prince sat down in front of the door, as the sky slowly became darker, the two Guardians moving behind him, as if to watch the stars with him. "The Feles worked to slightly change the Yueh's DNA," said Katsuhito as the stars came out, one by one. "With the knowledge given to them by Washu," added Kamidake. "Right," smiled Katsuhito. "The Yueh were planted on a small planet near the Kingdom's border, but in the Trade Combine's space. When the Galactic Union was formed these descendants of the Yueh, and their allies, asked for citizenship with the Kingdom of Jurai." "Of course, their DNA was checked," remarked Azaka, "and was found to be within Jurai norm." "Yes," chuckled Katsuhito, "and their planet become part of the Kingdom. Official, the Jurai government decided that the planet must have been colonized by a lost colony ship, one of the many lost during the first wave of expansion shortly after the Royal House of Jurai was founded." "There could be millions of them within the Kingdom," commented Kamidake. "Of yes," added Katsuhito, "at least that many." "To report it now," stated Azaka, "could bring about a Civil War." "Maybe," murmured Katsuhito with a not-so-helpful nod of his head. "That would not help the Jurai House," Kamidake exclaimed, sounding a tad stressed out. Katsuhito and the two Guardians sat on the steps of the office, watching the night sky fill itself with red, blue and green diamonds. The two Guardians were silent for a few moments, then Azaka asked, "Did they ever find out if they were byproducts of visiting aliens?" Katsuhito shook his head and said, "They won't ever know." "How sad," said Kamidake. Silence, like the night, fell upon the hillside. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ -------------------- Tenchi Muyo! and related characters are owned by AIC and Pioneer. 'Azusa' and 'Seniwa' are borrowed from the Techi Novels (as I could not find a source in the OVA that told me the King's name or where Mihoshi came from). I was getting sick of calling the King of Jurai the 'King of Jurai', or the 'King' or 'hey you'.