TENCHI WAKUSEI, BOOK ONE: "NO DREAMS FOR TENCHI"

By Joe Meadows (gpabn@yahoo.com) 

NOTA BENE: This novel (comprising 24 chapters, a Prologue, and an 
Epilogue) is a sequel to the "Tenchi Muyo Television Series" 
("Tenchi Universe"), with some "Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-Ohki!" original 
OAV series characters and elements included where--in the author's 
opinion--they don't conflict with "Tenchi Universe."  For example, 
in order to flesh out a family background for Ayeka and Sasami, 
rather than create new characters, I used the existing parental 
figures of King Asuza and Queen Misaki from the OAVs.  In order to 
bring the Galaxy Police more into the story, I re-instated the Grand 
Marshall as Mihoshi's grandfather and used an existing character from 
the Tenchi Muyo mangas, Chief Tor Bodai.  And so on. 

AIC and Pioneer LDC, whose kind indulgence I am counting on, own the 
copyrights on the original Tenchi Muyo characters.  The character of 
Chief Tor Bodai was created by Hitoshi Okuda for the Tenchi Muyo manga 
series and is also copyrighted by AIC and Pioneer LDC.  All truly new 
characters are my creation.   Those characters and the actual story 
are copyright 2002 by yours truly.  The lyrics for both versions of 
the theme song for "Speed Racer," the Beatles' "Abbey Road" album, 
the Beach Boys' "Surfing USA," the theme to "The Brady Bunch," and 
"Amore" are copyrighted by their various owners.  The events that 
comprise the "Tenchi Universe" series are discussed in this novel; 
consequently, spoilers lurk within.  Be warned.  Please check out the
"Chapter Notes" at the end of some of the chapters.  Feedback is very 
welcome!  I can be reached at gpabn@yahoo.com and thanks for taking 
the time to read this novel.  

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CHAPTER THIRTEEN
No Need For A Job
_________________


Hardly had Kiyone made this pronouncement when Tenchi reappeared at 
the table.  With him, clinging to his arm, was a wan and pale but 
smiling Ayeka.  Little Sasami trailed behind them, looking worried 
and proud.

"I thought that since we're making plans to fight this thing, Ayeka 
should be in on it," Tenchi explained, leading the Princess to the 
table and helping her take her place on her tatami mat.  He looked up 
then at Lord Yosho.  "Right, Grandfather?"

Yosho looked as proud as Sasami.  "Right, Grandson."  Tenchi had taken 
the initiative and had made a significant decision on his own and 
acted on it.  It was proof, yet again, how the former high school boy 
had grown into a young man.

Of course, Lord Yosho had great reservations about having the Princess 
present during their deliberations.  Although it was not her fault, 
she was a liability.  The intruder was doubtlessly able to read her 
mind when he came to her and that meant all their discussions would be 
known to their enemy.  On the other hand, this enemy had shown he 
could well be overconfident.  Since their discussions and plans for 
now would be nothing the enemy was not already anticipating, it might 
do no real harm to include Princess Ayeka.  And it could make them 
seem so foolish, the enemy may become even more overconfident.  
Besides--his grandson had made his decision, and Lord Yosho would back 
him to the hilt.

"I am so sorry," Ayeka murmured, eyes cast down, "to be the cause of 
all this stress and bother.  You must not disarrange your lives on 
account of my problem."

"It's all our problem, Princess," Ryoko told her.  "And we're all 
going to work together to solve it.  That's that."  Ryoko noticed 
that Tenchi had a hand still gently holding Ayeka's elbow.  She 
decided to ignore it.  She could not begrudge the Princess a little 
comfort at this time.  As long as it didn't become a habit.

"That's right, Ayeka."  Tenchi gently touched Ayeka's chin and eased 
her face up.  "We're all with you.  We'll fight this thing--and win!"

Ayeka's lovely ruby eyes glinted.  "Thank you, Lord Tenchi.  Thank 
you all," she said quietly.

"Perhaps we'd better bring Ayeka--and Tenchi--up to speed on our 
discoveries," Washuu suggested.

"Yes, indeed, Professor Washuu." Lord Yosho agreed.  He then proceeded 
to fill Princess Ayeka and Tenchi in.

When he finished, Ayeka looked thunderstruck.  "I find it so hard to 
believe.  That kind and soft-spoken gentleman, Professor Klove.  He 
was so distinguished and learned.  All of us children loved him, 
really.  It is a hard thing, very hard, to look upon him as...well, as 
a predator."

"But you must, Princess," Lord Yosho said gently.  "He is almost 
certainly responsible for the terrible dreams you have suffered both 
as a child and now.  And he is likely responsible for...rearranging 
the furniture."  Yosho softened the import of his words with a smile.  

Ayeka smiled in reponse, wanly.  "I understand, Lord Yosho.  But my 
feelings and my memories of the Professor are so warm...so good."

"Ayeka," Tris interjected.  "Again, I'm no expert.  But I have read 
that the subjects of hypnosis often have very fond feelings toward 
their hypnotist, even after a betrayal has occurred."

"I see."  Ayeka looked troubled.  "I do recall that we would take 
short naps in the afternoon, all of us children.  The Professor said 
such naps allowed us to function with all our facilities during long 
evening engagements.  That does seem an absurd notion now."

"How did you take these naps?" Washuu asked.

"Oh, we had little cots set up and the Professor would read to us a 
wonderful story.  There would be lovely music playing...it was very 
restful."

"Standard hypnotic technique," Washuu said, who had been frantically 
studying Earth records on the subject.  "Right, Tris?"

He nodded.  "I understand that's the way to do it, especially with 
children."

"And children are very susceptible to hypnosis," Washuu added.  
"That's probably why he really opened up that Lyceum joint in the 
first place--to have easy access to children for experimental 
purposes without raising suspicions."

"I think that's so mean--treating sweet little children like that.  
He needs to be arrested!" Mihoshi said, with real ire in her voice.  
"I mean...arrested again."

"It is very distressing to learn such things," Ayeka said.  "When the 
school closed, we were told simply that the Professor had fallen 
suddenly ill...suffered a breakdown.  That was all that was said on 
the subject."

"Yes, Ayeka, but the nightmares did end then, didn't they?" Kiyone 
asked pointedly.

"That is correct, Kiyone.  I was certainly grateful they ended but I 
placed no connection between that and the closing of the Lyceum."

"You were meant not to, of course," Lord Yosho said.  "The King and 
your mother, Queen Misaki, would see that you were sheltered from all 
scandal and upset.  Perhaps they should have informed you later, when 
you were older.  But parents often dread making such revelations to 
their children.  They no doubt allowed the matter to drop entirely.  
They could not have known, of course, that it would rise to the 
surface again."

"Grandfather, shouldn't we inform them of what's happening here?" 
Tenchi asked.  "We could enlist their help."

"I am tempted to," Lord Yosho admitted.

"Please do not!" Ayeka said anxiously.  "They—-Papa especially—-would 
descend upon us with great force and majesty.  Papa would take Sasami 
and me away for good.  And he may decide some of you are blameworthy, 
although you certainly are not.  Ever since he has been obliged to 
return to the throne from retirement after Prince Kagato was defeated, 
he has rather irascible, I fear.  Papa is the King of Jurai.  He can 
do just about anything he wishes, and the laws of the Galactic Union 
do not apply here.  If Papa's wrath is provoked..." 

"Ayeka is right," Sasami added somberly.  "I fear what Papa might do."

Tenchi nodded his head.  He agreed completely.  Having met the King, 
he feared what the old sourpuss would do, too.  King Asuza already 
didn't like the situation with his daughters and the Masakis.  Give 
him an excuse...it wouldn't be pretty, at the very least.

"Yes, and that is why I decided not to involve him or the rest of the 
royal family," Yosho agreed.  "At least, not until we have defeated 
this enemy."

"I get it.  Sort of like that old Mafia saying--I'd rather explain it 
to twelve than be carried by six, right?"  Tris tried to lighten the 
mood.  He was not successful.  Tenchi and Lord Yosho smiled their 
understanding, but the others looked confused.

"It's okay to contribute, Tris," Kiyone told him.  "But try to keep 
it intelligent, please."

"Yes, Officer."  He dropped it.

Ayeka was visibly relieved by Lord Yosho's words.  "Thank you, Lord 
Yosho.  That settles my mind.  I do not want to bring trouble to all 
of you."

"That trouble's already here--and demanding the penthouse suite, 
Ayeka," Washuu told her.

Ayeka shook her head.  "I do not understand, Miss Washuu.  If 
Professor Klove has been released or escaped from custody and he is 
using some device to torment me for the purpose of revenge--surely 
that affects only myself.  I am sorry that Lord Tenchi and Tristram 
had to perform so much labor this afternoon in our shared bedroom."  
While still resting in Lord Yosho's bed, Ayeka had listened with 
amusement and fondness to the two young men as they sweated and swore 
and struggled to return the wardrobes to their proper upright 
positions in the women's bedroom.  Even emptied out, the large wooden 
wardrobes had proved amazingly stubborn.     

"That's all right, Ayeka."  Tenchi grinned.

"Quite all right," Tris added.  "I don't need that old second 
vertebrae anyway—-ow!"  He looked with high dudgeon at a glaring 
Kiyone.  "Guess I don't need that kidney, either," he muttered.

"You need to hush up," she told him.

"So you think that's all there is to it, Princess?  This Klove guy 
just wants to give you a few sleepless nights and then he'll feel all 
better about being tossed in the clink?" Ryoko asked Ayeka 
skeptically.

"That does sound a little wussy, Ayeka," Washuu agreed, "for someone 
who has gone to all this time and trouble."

"I certainly would not trivialize it as Ryoko just did."  Ayeka was 
clearly getting her old spirit back.  "I know it is serious.  But at 
least it is not a general attack on all of us.  And when you do locate 
the professor and stop him, that should end it.  Should it not?"

"Well..." Kiyone pondered.  "I suppose so.  It seems he only poses a 
threat to Ayeka right now.  I mean, she can't be hypnotically 
compelled to attack us, right, Washuu?"

"Right," Washuu said.  "A hypnotized subject can't be made to go 
against their basic nature.  That's in all this planet's writings on 
the subject, and in what's left in the Royal Science Academy's 
archives."  She looked at Tris.

"I was told to hush up," Tris said.

"Tris..." Tenchi began.  He did not need to finish.  His expression 
was eloquent enough.  Tris answered Washuu with dispatch.

"Okay.  Yeah, you're right, from what little I've studied, Washuu.  
Of course, folks have done things under hypnosis that were against 
their inclinations, though."

"How?" Washuu asked, surprised.

"Well, for example..."  Tris glanced at Kiyone.  "No, I'm not going 
to use that example."

"Yes, you are," Kiyone told him.  "Start talking, buster." 

Tris grinned.  "As you wish.  Let's say a certain Galaxy Police 
officer is very, very uptight and wouldn't dream of taking off all her 
clothes in a crowded shopping mall.  It'd embarrass her no end and 
besides, she thinks her thighs are too fat.  Shall I go on?"

Kiyone gritted her teeth, but she nodded.

"Well, then, a clever hypnotist puts her under and tells her that she 
is actually all alone in her bedroom.  He then tells her the room is 
quite steamy and hot and she would be so much more comfortable taking 
a nap in the altogether.  So, she undresses and lays on her bed.  
Only, she's actually laying on the floor of the shopping mall without 
a stitch on...and, yes, her thighs are too fat."

Mihoshi and Sasami suddenly clamped their hands over their mouths to 
keep from giggling.  Neither was entirely successful.

"Watch it, clown!"

"But Officer, this is just a hypothetical situation," Tris said 
innocently.  "Any similarity between actual persons is purely 
coincidental.  Void where prohibited by law."

"I'll void you!" Kiyone snarled.

"Say!" Washuu exclaimed.  "You may have something there, Tris." 

"He's going to have something, somewhere," Kiyone promised darkly.

"But Tris," Tenchi protested.  "You can't mean that Ayeka would ever 
attack and injure us.  I don't care how fogged the situation is made 
to seem in her mind.  I don't believe it."

"Thank you, Lord Tenchi."  Ayeka looked at him fondly.

"I don't believe it either, old buddy," Tris said.  "To compel our 
Ayeka to hurt the ones she loves and love her—-forget about it!  
Ayeka, you might be tricked into hurting or embarrassing yourself.  
But as far as hurting another person...revulsion at the very idea 
would immediately set in and that would end it.  That's according to 
the experts."

"Thank you, too, Tristram."  Ayeka smiled at him.

"Then why did you go on with all that drivel?" Kiyone asked him.

"Because you told me to, Officer," Tris replied with a grin.

Ryoko laughed.  "Hooked her and reeled her in!  That's classic!"

Kiyone glowered at Tris.  He just kept grinning at her...and scooted a 
foot or two away from her.

Washuu said, "Well, that answers that, maybe.  I could be persuaded to 
think this guy just wants to make the Princess suffer and pull some 
tricks on us, like those wardrobes.  I really don't know what else he 
can do with what he has in his backpack right now."

Lord Yosho shook his head.  "I do sense that this runs much deeper 
than that.  But I can offer no more concrete facts or information 
than what you all have uncovered.  I could certainly be mistaken."

Tenchi spoke up.  "None of us think you're mistaken, Grandfather.  So, 
the plan is for Kiyone and Mihoshi to travel to Galaxy Police 
Headquarters, gather all the information about Professor Klove and 
the Lyceum case, and bring it all back.  Hopefully, we can start a 
manhunt for this Klove with a few good leads.  In the meantime, we 
don't leave Ayeka unmonitored for a second."  Tenchi stated all this 
with a natural air of authority and leadership.  He did glance at his 
grandfather when he finished, though.

"That is a good plan...the best plan I think we have available to 
us," Lord Yosho said approvingly.  He looked inquiringly at Washuu. 

"It's a plan."  She shrugged.  "Meanwhile, I'll keep pulling in all 
the information I can find.  There's a few more data repositories 
that I haven't drilled that deeply into.  Might find something more.  
And I'll keep working on that blocking device, too."

"Very good, Professor Washuu.  Does anyone have anything else to add?"

No one did.  Kiyone rose.  Mihoshi did likewise.  "I think we should 
leave for our Headquarters right away, Lord Yosho."

"Let's leave after dinner," Mihoshi pleaded.  "Please?"

"We have food stores on Yogami, Mihoshi."

"Please?"

"Well..."  Kiyone looked at Tris and her look was not as frosty as he 
would have expected.  Something besides a pay-back was percolating in 
her brain.  "Okay."

"Can you leave your patrol area to go to Headquarters that easily?"  
Tenchi asked.

"I'm pretty certain we can, Tenchi," Kiyone replied.  "We're allowed 
what's called personal time, or PT, to attend to personal matters.  
It's not counted against our annual leave.  Ever since the...problems 
we had, we've used very little of it.  We only have to request it and 
the nearest patrol team will monitor our sector as well as their own.  
You know what little action we have in our sector--teenaged kids 
notwithstanding."  She gave an ironic smile.  "I'll put in the request 
now.  I'm sure it will be approved."

"What reason will you give for needing this PT?" Washuu asked.

"Oh, Mihoshi and I still have our apartments at the Compound, you 
know, from when we were assigned to Headquarters.  I'll say we need 
to check them out, talk to the landlady.  It's a legitimate reason."

"That's right," Mihoshi said.  "We were sub-letting our apartments 
and the people were re-assigned and moved out a while ago.  We should 
have gone back to check up on our places long before this, only..."  
Mihoshi glanced at Kiyone and stopped.

"It's okay, Mihoshi.  The fact is, I just plain didn't want to go 
back there," Kiyone admitted.  "We'll leave after dinner, then.  
We'll bring back the information we all need, never fear."

Washuu regarded Kiyone knowingly.  "Quite a coup for you two--solving 
this case.  Promotions may result."

"If they do, you two will deserve them," Tenchi said.

"Thank you, Tenchi!"  Mihoshi smiled.  Kiyone smiled her appreciation 
as well.

"You Detectives have everything under control, I see," Lord Yosho 
said.  "Now, I think we've all finished lunch."

"Yes, Lord Yosho," Ayeka said.  She rose slowly.  "Sasami, I'll help 
you clear the table."

"Do you think you should, big sister?" Sasami asked, concerned.

"Of course, dear.  I am quire recovered.  A bit of work will do me 
good."

That ended a rather extended luncheon.  Everyone else rose.  Lord 
Yosho departed to return to the temple.  Tenchi grabbed Tris to 
perform their outdoor chores (they were sadly behind in their work, 
due to circumstances quite beyond their control).  Tris was glad to 
scoot away from Kiyone...that thighs crack boded ill for his physical 
well-being.  Ryoko actually helped Ayeka and Sasami pick up dishes 
and cups, while Washuu left for her lab and another long session of 
spelunking through information archives all over the galaxy.

Kiyone took Mihoshi's arm and led her outside.  They talked for a 
little while and each glanced occasionally at Tris while he weeded 
another stone pathway with his trusty trowel and garden shears.  He 
noticed them looking at him as they conferred.  He had a feeling that 
something was on the boil with those two and that it somehow involved 
him.  

In addition to the rather marked attention suddenly being paid him by 
the two Galaxy Police officers, something else bugged Tris as he 
scissored grass growing through stone walk cracks and it wasn't 
chiggers.

"Hey, Tenchi," Tris called from his pathway when he saw the former 
walk by, dragging the lawn mower.  Tenchi was putting the lawn mower 
away in preparation for doing some work in the vegetable garden.  Tris 
could tell that because Ryo-Ohki was dogging—-that is, cabbiting—-
Tenchi's footsteps.

"Meow-er," Ryo-Ohki said amiably to Tris.  She bounded over to him for 
a head pat.

"Yeah?" Tenchi responded.

"It's kind of an awkward question, but..."  Tris twiddled Ryo-Ohki's 
floppy ears, which the cabbit loved.  Now Tris gently rolled Ryo-Ohki 
on her back and gave her his patented rub-a-tummy.  The cabbit was 
ecstatic.  No doubt about it.  The young American had stolen another 
feminine heart.

"That's never stopped you before.  What is it?"

"Tell me the truth. You were thinking of asking me to beat it once 
this trouble began...weren't you?"

Tenchi only hesitated with his answer a moment.  "Yeah, I was."

"I thought so.  You thought I couldn't help and you didn't want my 
handsome corpus delicious on your conscious, huh?"  Rub-a-tummy 
completed, Ryo-Ohki was back on her paws, being petted in the 
conventional manner by the adored being.

"Something like that," Tenchi admitted.

"So what changed your mind, buddy?"

Tenchi abandoned the lawn mower.  He walked over to where Tris 
squatted and squatted beside him.  He petted Ryo-Ohki also, inspiring 
the happy cabbit to do her version of a purr.

"I was going to tell you, anyway," he said.  "You need to know."

"Know what?"

"Well, first of all, Grandfather feels—-and I think you know how 
accurate his feelings are--that you'll be of some help in fighting 
this enemy, Professor Klove."

"Yeah, me and my knowledge of Psychology 101 with a minor—-very 
minor—-in hypnotism," Tris said sardonically.

Tenchi shrugged.  "Grandfather feels it's more than that.  We'll see.  
Besides, Tris...I'd like to have you around, you know?"

Tris smiled at his friend.  "Thanks, Tenchi.  That's about the nicest 
thing I've been told in a long time.  And I've got to admit--I'd hate 
to leave the theater before the fat lady sings.  Just an expression, 
of course."

"Of course--an expression you'd better keep to yourself," Tenchi 
advised him, amused.  "And then...well, this next part isn't so 
good."

"What?"

"Grandfather's pointed out that this Klove can read Ayeka's mind, 
which means by now he knows about you and your knowledge of what he's 
up to.  Do you think he'd let you live with that knowledge, no matter 
how far away you ran?"

Tris felt a coldness in the pit of his stomach.  It was quite a thing 
to realize that an evil and powerful alien being personally had it in 
for you.

"No, he wouldn't...he couldn't.  He'd want to eliminate all witnesses, 
of course--even an unimportant Earthling," Tris agreed without 
enthusiasm.  Somehow, Ryo-Ohki seemed to know what they were 
discussing.  She rubbed against Tris now, and "meow-er"-ed 
sympathetically.

"Yeah, that's it."  Tenchi looked at Tris.  "Now aren't you glad you 
accepted my invitation to come visit us for a few days during Spring 
Break?"  His smile was more than a little rueful.

"Sure I am.  What a deal--spend a few weeks in a beautiful setting, 
meet a nice girl, make new friends--and maybe get toasted by an alien 
criminal.  Hell, I recommend it!"



When Kiyone and Mihoshi returned to the house following their 
conference, Sasami walked up to Kiyone and asked her if they could 
talk privately for a moment.

Kiyone was surprised, but told Mihoshi to go upstairs and to start 
packing their bags for their trip to GP Headquarters.  Mihoshi, a 
little surprised herself, nonetheless complied and went upstairs.  
Kiyone followed Sasami to the kitchen.

"Kiyone," Sasami said, once they were both in the kitchen, "I just 
happened to see you and Tris outside earlier.  I wasn't prying, 
really I wasn't, but you two were pretty loud."

Kiyone smiled at Sasami.  "You little dickens.  You saw it all, eh?"

"Uh-huh.  I saw you stick your tongue out at him."  Sasami tried to 
stifle a giggle at the memory.  She did not entirely succeed.

But the Galaxy Police officer took no offense.  "Well, I'd prefer that 
part didn't get around.  I just saw that goofball's face and I 
couldn't resist."  She smiled at the memory. 

Sasami regarded Kiyone with admiration.  "I thought it was very sweet 
in a way.  I like the way you and Tris tussle together...you both seem 
to enjoy it so much.  You two are a real couple, not like the make-
believe couples in the silly romances I used to read."

"Well, that's very sweet of you to say that Sasami.  You know, I read 
a few romances like those you're talking about when I was your age.  
But I never thought I'd get involved with a guy like Tris--not in a 
million years!"   

"Uh-huh."  Sasami nodded.  "It's sure made me think twice about, well, 
the boy I'll end up with and all.  That's why I wanted to ask you, 
Kiyone..."

"Yes?"

"How did you know how to keep Tris's car from working?"

"You're pretty sharp, Sasami."  It was Kiyone's turn to regard the 
little Princess with admiration.  "Nothing much gets past you, I 
think.  Well...I'll tell you, but you have to promise you won't tell 
anyone else."

"I promise!"

"Okay."  Kiyone smiled at the little girl's eagerness.  "A while ago, 
I visited Washuu in her lab and asked her to pull up some schematics 
of Tris's car.  She got them from that Internet data network they have 
here.  I studied them.  Those cars are easy to figure out.  They're 
pretty crude, actually."

"I know, although I like the way some of them look, like Tris's car," 
Sasami agreed.  "But...why did you do that?  Did you feel you might 
need to do something to his car someday?"

"Oh, no, Sasami, of course not.  But it's smart to be prepared!  In 
fact, it's always a good idea to be prepared for anything, with life 
in general as well as with boys.  You might want to remember that."  

"I will, Kiyone," Sasami promised solemnly.  Kiyone had just entered 
the ranks of Sasami's personal heroines.  "I sure will!"



"Tenchi," Tris said now, as the other prepared to rise to his feet and 
leave, "I have a million things I'm always meaning to ask you--here's 
one that I actually remembered while you're around to ask."

"What is it?"

"Well, you told me how Ryoko helped you all fight that bad dude, 
Kagato.  So how come she'd still wanted by the space cops?"

Tenchi hesitated.  Suddenly he looked more than a little doleful.  
"It's due to short-sightedness, I guess...although that probably does 
us too much credit.  We just screwed up, and so did Ryoko."

"Hey, I have to hear this!"

"Okay, but it's gonna be quick.  I haven't weeded that garden for 
days.  Anyway, right after Kagato and I fought and I won, by the skin 
of my teeth, we all discussed Ryoko.  I told you she took off before 
the final battle actually began, but she did get me and Azaka and 
Kamidake to Jurai.  I didn't know it then, but she was badly wounded 
at the time.  Anyway, then she took off.  She was really upset with 
me."

"Uh-huh.  And?"

"After the battle and while we were being wined and dined on Jurai, 
we all talked about letting the GP and the Jurai royal family in on 
Ryoko's actions.  But we felt it might rebound against Kiyone and 
Mihoshi for sort of shielding her before.  The GP seemed willing to 
forgive and forget about us having the most-wanted space pirate in 
our little group while we were fugitives, but how would they react if 
they knew she'd been with us--with Kiyone and Mihoshi--long before 
that?  Anyway, Ayeka volunteered to wait until things had cooled down 
a bit and then mention Ryoko's help to her father, the King, with 
Azaka and Kamidake backing her up.  With the King's help, she could 
then try to get the warrants against Ryoko quashed and have her 
pardoned."

"But it didn't work out that way."

Tenchi shook his head.  "No, and here's where Ryoko really put her 
foot in it.  Before Ayeka felt the time was ready to act, Ryoko went 
on a small binge of piracy.  Nothing really serious, no one was hurt, 
but she robbed some Jurai bigwigs—-not any royal family members, but 
high enough folks to cause an uproar."  Tenchi gave a small grin.  
"That's how she probably got that ring you used to re-hypnotize 
Mihoshi!  Anyway, after that, Ryoko didn't have a prayer for clemency 
and Ayeka had to drop the whole thing.  It's really a nasty mess and 
I still feel rotten about it, if you want to know."  He was not 
grinning anymore.

"Yeah, I can understand.  I guess Ryoko kinda thought she'd lost to 
Ayeka over you and got back at the Princess by robbing some Jurai fat 
cats, huh?"

"That's it.  Ryoko told me that after she came back here.  Boy, was 
she one sick space pirate when she found out how close she had been 
to a full pardon...and freedom and respectability.  That was the worst 
part.  She didn't get over it for a while."

"She's over it now?"

"Naw, I don't think so, not really."  Tenchi reflectively stroked 
Ryo-Ohki's head.  "She pretends she loves the wild criminal life, but 
she doesn't, not anymore.  Perhaps if we can stop this Klove guy—-I 
mean, when we stop this Klove guy--we can work again on getting her 
pardoned."

"I'd like to see that, buddy," Tris said.  "I like that wild child."

"Me too...a whole lot...more than I even realize sometimes, I think," 
Tenchi said quietly, staring out into space.  Now Ryo-ohki rubbed 
against him.  She really did seem to know what folks talked about.

"By the way, Tris," Tenchi added somberly.  "If you want to ask any 
of the others about the Kagato episode, that's okay...except, please 
don't ask Ayeka about it."

Tris's eyebrows raised in silent interrogation.

Tenchi hesitated.  Then he realized that Tris pretty much had the 
Kagato story in bits and pieces.  There was no real reason not to let 
him know the rest of it.  He certainly should understand why the 
episode was such a sensitive one with Ayeka.

"Okay, I'll tell you, buddy.  But this is just between us, right?"

"Right."

Tenchi thought a moment.  "Like I told you before, when Ayeka 
detected Mihoshi's distress signal and came to Earth, she was on her 
way back to Jurai from a marriage negotiation session.  King Asuza 
had gotten tired of the thankless job of ruling Jurai and propping up 
the Galactic Union and announced his retirement.  So the plan was that 
Ayeka would marry a suitable nobleman who would become her Prince 
Consort and then she would assume the throne as Queen of Jurai."

Tris grinned.  "Instead, of course, Ayeka ended up on Earth and 
decided to stay.  We won't go into the reason why..."

"No, we won't!"  Tenchi grinned back.  "But the King had already 
retired.  He and the Queen had already left on a long trip to one of 
the pleasure planets as far away from Jurai as they could manage.  
In the supposedly short interim, the day-to-day government functions 
of Jurai were assumed by a Regency Council, made up of the Lord High 
Chamberlain and other high-ranking Juraian nobles."

"That sounds like government standard," Tris said.  "Only, the interim 
wasn't short, of course."

"Nope.  Not short.  The Regency Council eventually contacted the King 
to request that he re-assume the throne until Ayeka returned, but the 
King insisted that his oldest daughter would soon get over her 
infatuation."  Tenchi grimaced slightly.  "When Ayeka still did not 
return, Kagato, who had already come back to Jurai, saw his chance to 
strike.  He posed as Grandfather and convinced the Regency Council 
that Ayeka was plotting not only to assume the throne but also to 
install her own retainers, kicking them out in the cold.  Kagato was 
crowned as ruler of Jurai--he took the title of Emperor.  And then 
the fat was on the fire!  The arrest warrants went out for Ayeka, we 
had to all flee the Galaxy Police and the Juraian military...just 
loads of fun," Tenchi finished, his voice sardonic.  The fight with 
Kagato had been deadly serious and could have cost them all their 
lives.  Fun it hadn't been.

"But what about the King and Queen during that time?" Tris asked.

"Oh, Kagato had them put under house arrest on that pleasure planet," 
Tenchi shrugged.  "Anyway, you can see why Ayeka prefers not to have 
all that dredged up." 

"Yeah, I get it," Tris said.  "Ayeka feels that if she had attended to 
her duty and continued her marriage negotiations and returned to 
Jurai, Kagato wouldn't have gotten to first base with the Regency 
Council."

"Right," Tenchi affirmed.  "That's exactly how she feels.  It's a real 
guilt trip with her."

"Well, Tenchi—-there is something to that."

"No there isn't, Tris," Tenchi insisted.  "Ayeka couldn't have known 
about Kagato...she didn't even know about Grandfather and me being 
Juraian royalty until just before the showdown with Kagato.  Besides, 
if Ayeka had taken the throne, Kagato would have found a way to have 
her removed or killed.  He was determined to rule Jurai and the 
galaxy.  In fact, it was lucky Ayeka was with us.  She was safe from 
assassination and we had a free hand to intervene.  Otherwise, Kagato 
would be ruling Jurai right now.  And God help us all if that 
happened!"

Tenchi spoke so forcefully that Tris was taken aback a bit.  His 
buddy really felt passionately about Ayeka's innocence regarding the 
Kagato coup d'etat.  Tris did not probe further.  Possibly, Tenchi 
felt a bit guilty about it himself, since he was the reason behind 
Ayeka's prolonged stay on Earth.  At any rate, it was doubtlessly 
almost as sore a topic for Tenchi as it was for the Princess.  It was 
best to leave it be.

"Yeah, you're right," Tris said.  

"Of course I'm right," Tenchi said shortly.

Tris understood a few more things now.  Poor Ayeka!  The Princess 
carried a heavy burden of guilt, it seemed.  It also seemed that 
Ayeka's father, the King, was not a bit happy about ruling far-off 
Jurai again.  At any moment, the Princess could be commanded to 
return to Jurai and that would be that.  And poor Sasami would have 
to accompany her back.  Tris knew that Sasami would be crushed if 
that happened...or, better stated, when that happened.  It was 
probably only a matter of time. 

That opened up another area of speculation.  Maybe Tenchi had already 
made his choice...and that choice was Ryoko.  Rather than devastate 
Ayeka by picking Ryoko over her,  Tenchi could play a waiting game--
not making any choice until royal pressure forced Ayeka to leave Earth 
and Tenchi forever to assume the Juraian throne.  Accordingly, Tenchi 
would then naturally choose Ryoko and it would all look like mere 
happenstance...

Quickly, Tris rejected that notion.  No way!  Tenchi was not built 
like that.  Such manuvering would be patently unfair to both Ayeka 
and Ryoko.  They deserved an openly spoken decision and a final 
resolution, and Tenchi would give them that.  Tenchi was the 
straightest guy Tris had ever known, period.      

Ryo-Ohki evidently agreed.  She keep rubbing against Tenchi.  It 
restored Tenchi's usual good humor.  He gave the cabbit a final pat 
and rose.  "Time to get back to work, slacker!" he told Tris.

"Yes, Massa," Tris replied.



"I do not need a baby-sitter," Ayeka insisted.

"Yes, you do, Princess," Ryoko insisted right back.

In the kitchen, Sasami, Ayeka, and Ryoko discussed (at Ryoko's 
insistence) the import of Tenchi's comment that the Princess should 
not be left alone during the present crisis.

"But that is silly, Ryoko...you and Sasami mounting a 24-hour watch 
on me," Ayeka protested.  "I promise I shall not wander off on my 
own, so someone is sure to be around me all the time."

"Ah, but you can't be sure of that, Princess," Ryoko said.  "Sasami 
has her chores to do and..."

"Unlike some people around here," Ayeka observed pointedly.

Ryoko ignore the jibe—-to her it was just more welcome proof that her 
rival in romance was back to her fighting trim, which was how Ryoko 
preferred her.  To tell the truth, she had found the spectacle of the 
Princess being so ill and exhausted quite worrying.  Her present 
spiritedness was loads better.  "The point is, Princess, that unless 
someone's assigned particularly to watch you, you could find yourself 
alone because everyone assumed everyone else was watching you.  We've 
got to watch you in the baths as well, so we can't involve the men, 
and Kiyone and Mihoshi are about to take off and Washuu has her own 
work, you know.  So that leaves the Junior Princess and yours truly."

"Ryoko," Ayeka said firmly.  "My little sister's name is Sasami, or 
Princess Sasami, or just Princess in her own right.  She is not a 
Junior Princess and I find that nickname you have conjured up for her 
quite disagreeable, as I have told you a number of times."

"But it's just a nickname, Ayeka," Sasami intervened.  "It's a 
friendly one.  I know Ryoko doesn't mean anything bad by it.  Do you 
Ryoko?"

"Of course not.  If I have something bad to say about a person, I say 
it!"

"There is no doubt of that, Ryoko, but--" Ayeka began.

"Tris calls Sasami "kitten"—-how do you like that nickname, Princess?  
He might was well call her a cabbit!"

"I think Tristram is an admirable young man in some ways, but he still 
is rather imprudent in other ways," Ayeka said diplomatically (she 
would never use the word "goofball," even if it fit).  "I plan to talk 
to him about that as well."

"But I think "kitten" is a very nice thing for a boy to call a girl," 
Sasami said.

"Of course it is," Ryoko asserted.  "I just wish Tenchi would call me 
something like that, instead of yelling, "Ryoko!  Ryoko!" all the 
time."  Ryoko grinned at Sasami.  "You're sweet on Tris aren't you?"

Sasami blushed.

Ayeka rolled her eyes heavenward in silent supplication.  Then she 
confronted her naïve little sister.

"That nickname is demeaning, dear, even if Tristram does not mean it 
that way," Ayeka explained patiently.  "You are a Princess of the 
Jurai royal household, and you must begin insisting that you are 
treated with the proper respect.  Someday, you will be formally 
crowned and taught the great secrets of our family, such as how to 
channel the power we both were born with into a weapon to defend our 
throne.  Then you will not be a little girl whom others feel free to 
refer to by vulgar nicknames.  You will be a crowned Princess.  You 
will as powerful as I and Papa."

"Yeah, you'll be snooty and overbearing, just like them," Ryoko 
muttered.

"No, I won't, Ryoko!  Never!" Sasami cried.  Then she held her hand 
over her mouth, her eyes wide, as she looked at her big sister.  "Oh, 
I didn't mean anything by that, Ayeka...really, I didn't."

Ayeka had her eyes closed.  Her lips slowly compressed into a flat 
line.  Then she opened her eyes and said, "Ryoko...none of this 
concerns you."

"Hey, I know that.  You changed the subject, Princess," Ryoko pointed 
out.

"That is because you used that ridiculous nickname again and--"

"Yeah, yeah.  Look, Princess, before you sidetrack us into talking 
about your stuck-up family again, we need to settle this.  Sasami 
is going to watch you during the day, from eight a.m. to eight p.m.  
I'll take the night shift."

"My family is dignified--not stuck-up!  And I do not want anyone 
watching me!  I absolutely refuse to permit it!"

"Okay."  Ryoko shrugged.  She began to rise in the air.  "I'll just go 
tell Tenchi that little thing..."

She floated away, toward the hallway.  Sasami looked at Ayeka.  As she 
expected, her big sister waited until the space pirate was almost out 
of earshot before she said, "Oh, come back, Ryoko."

Ryoko floated back.  "Since you asked so nicely, Princess..."  She 
settled down to the floor.

"All right.  You two win.  You can both baby-sit me if that will 
please you." 

Sasami smiled, relieved.  She had been awfully worried that her big 
sister would pridefully resist any notion of being monitored.  That 
would mean that horrible mind-controller could take possession of her 
again without anyone around to raise the alarm...and the next time 
there might be something really bad in the offing.

"Hey Princess, I ain't doing this for pleasure.  For pleasure, I'd 
baby-sit Tenchi.  This is a mission, like Kiyone would say."

"Oh, yes?"  Ayeka eyed Ryoko skeptically.  "It does seem rather 
convenient that this so-called mission entitles you to sleep during 
the day when we do chores and to be awake at night when there is no 
work to do."

Ryoko shrugged.  "You wound me, Princess."

"Don't tempt me!"

"Hey, if I pull the day watch, who's gonna cook our meals?  You?"

Sasami dearly loved and respected her older sister, of course, but 
there were times she had to laugh, at least inwardly, when the wily 
Ryoko got the better of Ayeka.  This was such a time, and Sasami 
turned away so Ayeka couldn't see the merriment in her face.

Ayeka's own lovely patrician face was a study in frustration.  But 
she was penned in, tight.  She would not disobey her beloved Lord 
Tenchi.  And Sasami was needed most particularly during the daytime 
hours.

"I said, all right!  It is just like you to take advantage though, 
Ryoko."

Ryoko cocked her head toward the Princess.  "Excuse me?  Take 
advantage?  If I wanted to take advantage of this setup, Princess, 
I would've appointed myself as Tenchi's 24-hour bodyguard so I could 
protect my sweetums against another one of your goofy binges."  Ryoko 
made a pretense of looking thoughtful.  "In fact, maybe I ought to 
suggest that to him right now--24-hour protection from Princesses 
who re-arrange furniture in the middle of the night."

Ayeka glared at her.  "That is a laugh!  Go right ahead.  He will 
tell you what to you can do with your 24-hour protection!"

"Please," Sasami said.  "Don't argue, please!  Ryoko is going to 
watch you at night and you and I will be together all day, Ayeka.  
It won't be that bad."

"Not for you, dear.  But I am afraid Ryoko will be dreadfully bored 
unless we can find more of those smutty hentai books to keep her 
amused whilst she watches me sleep."

Ryoko gawped at the Princess, caught off guard by that remark.  
"Huh?"

"Well, whom do you think takes that telescoping mop and dusts off 
those rafters up there?  You?"  Ayeka smiled as she got a little of 
her own back.  "I knocked down two of those filthy books the other 
day.  I was surprised.  I thought I had tossed them into the garbage 
days ago.  But no garbage is safe from a certain person, I have 
learned."

"So that's where they got to," Ryoko muttered.

Again, Sasami had to turn away from the pair to hide her amusement.



Nobuyuki's cramped little closet of an office in Okayama City 
overflowed with a small metal desk, a junior-sized drafting table, 
and a groaning filing cabinet (with electric tea pot perched 
precariously on top).  Every surface seemed covered with a fine 
dusting of maps, architectural schematics, drafts, blueprints, and 
the ceaseless paperwork that still plagues the so-called Electronic 
Age.  At that moment, Nobuyuki was finishing a phone call with his 
father-in-law.  His coat was off, but his tie was still firmly 
knotted and his top shirt button affixed despite the unseasonable 
heat.  His firm was very traditional-minded about personal decorum. 

"So everything is still quiet?" he said into the receiver.

"Yes, Nobuyuki," Lord Yosho replied from the telephone in his own 
office at the temple.  "We've determined—-I hope, correctly—-that 
this Professor Klove cannot force the Princess into committing mayhem 
against any of us."

"Thank heavens for that!  But it still leaves the property at risk.  
I hate to bring it up, but..."

"Not at all, Nobuyuki.  We cannot afford another unexplained wrecking 
of our home.  Remember, I was with you when we talked to the insurance 
people the last time."

"Yes, and those nice sharks jacked up our premium to the stratosphere!  
Oh, well."  Nobuyuki chuckled.  "We still have that old orange tent!"

Lord Yosho chuckled, too.  "Yes, we do--although Tenchi and Tristram 
were not overly enthusiastic about its charms!"

"Kids, today...they don't have the grit we had at their age.  Anyway, 
no news is good news, I suppose.  Do you think with the information 
Kiyone and Mihoshi and Washuu will dig up, we can stop this Klove 
person?"

"Yes, if he is indeed no longer in custody.  If we can't find him 
ourselves with that information, our Detectives can call upon the 
Galaxy Police proper...and even, if need be, we can alert the Royal 
Yeoman."

The Royal Yeomen were a select group of Juraian knights specially 
trained in the latest investigative techniques.  They served as 
troubleshooters for the House of Jurai, much to the consternation and 
professional jealousy of the Galaxy Police.  The original Azaka and 
Kamidake were members of the elite group now.  If Klove was anywhere 
in the galaxy, the Yeomen would find him and make short work of him.  
The problem with calling them in was twofold.  First, the Yeomen would 
have to notify the King and that would likely end Ayeka's and Sasami's 
sojourn on Earth.  Second, the Galaxy Police would hold it very much 
against the Masakis and could come snooping, which would uncover a 
hornet's nest that poor Kiyone's and Mihoshi's careers would never 
survive--not to mention Ryoko and perhaps Washuu being forced into 
taking it on the lam again.  But Klove had to be stopped before he 
caused any more damage or possibly threatened Princess Ayeka's life.  
The Royal Yeomen were an option that could not be dismissed.

"Hmmm..."  Nobuyuki considered this.  "That's not something we want to 
do, from what you've told me."

"No, but we may be forced to.  So let us hope we can accomplish this 
task with our own resources.  After all, our resources are quite 
considerable."

"Yes, they sure are," Nobuyuki agreed.  "I want to help, what little 
I can do."

"Your help is needed, Nobuyuki," Lord Yosho said.  "And it is not 
little to us."

"Thank you.  I'll be home in time for dinner, hopefully..."

Father-in-law and son-in-law talked just a little while longer, then 
rang off.  

As he put down the receiver, Nobuyuki looked up.  Seji Horibuchi, 
another senior architect, stood in the doorway.  He was short, 
plumpish, and sweated easily, largely because he was trying to raise 
a family of three daughters on a senior architect's salary.  He was a 
good friend.  He face mirrored concern.

"Trouble at home?" Seji asked sympathetically.

"Oh, a little.  Nothing we can't handle."

Seji nodded.  "Good.  Look, Nobuyuki, I saw the boss walk by your 
office.  He's not happy about any personal calls made during business 
hours...you know that."

"Yes," Nobuyuki said.  "I know that."

"Well, his face was like thunder, friend.  He may come in here 
roaring.  If you'll take my advice, you'll just give him your best 
humble look and let him rant.  He's waved a whole file full of resumes 
at me before, and his meaning was pretty clear...you know?"

"I know."  Nobuyuki sighed.  "I know."

"Good luck, my friend."  Seji ducked out.  

Then the intercom on Nobuyuki's desk buzzed.  The voice of Reiko, the 
firm's executive secretary, came through.  "Nobuyuki...the boss wants 
to see you."  Her voice was full of sympathy.  That meant the worst.

Nobuyuki pressed the intercom button.  "Thank you, Reiko.  I'll be 
there directly."

He rose, slipped on his suit jacket (the boss insisted on this 
formality when visiting him), and squared his shoulders.  He recalled 
what Yosho said about being a warrior in everyday life.  He also 
thought about the possibly dire situation his extended family faced 
against a powerful and evil enemy.  And, as always, he spared a moment 
to think of his late wife.

Well...perhaps it was time to put Yosho's words into practice.



When Sasami called out the front door that dinner was ready, Tris 
heard her and gratefully rose from his stoop labor.  He deposited his 
tools in the shed.  Then he walked out past the lake to the vegetable 
garden.  Tenchi was still hoeing weeds there, with Ryo-Ohki getting an 
occasional carrot when Tenchi took a break from sod busting.  Tris 
told him dinner was being served.  Both Tenchi and the cabbit grinned 
(each in their own way) and went to join Tris.

Tris bent over and picked up Ryo-Ohki.  He cradled the cabbit in his 
arms as he and Tenchi, who now carried the hoe over his shoulder, 
walked toward the house.  The cabbit did not mind a bit being carried 
by the being who was so adept at rub-a-tummy.



In the house, Kiyone and Mihoshi both stood at the living room picture 
window, watching Tenchi and Tris.  Both women wore their Galaxy Police 
uniforms, complete with shoulder holsters and sidearms.  Behind them, 
Ayeka and Ryoko were sitting on one of the couches (they were still 
discussing Ryoko's reading habits).

"Look at those two," Mihoshi said, smiling.  "Like brothers, aren't 
they?"

"Hah!" said Ryoko from the couch.  "Maybe if Tris was adopted from a 
traveling carnival or something."  She laughed.

"You hush," Ayeka said.  "If anyone around here resembles a refugee 
from a sideshow..."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Ryoko said crossly.  She'd had enough of Ayeka's 
lectures.  Ryoko was not entirely certain whom her mother was, but it 
sure wasn't Ayeka.  She rose from the couch and floated over to the 
picture window.  Now, along with Kiyone and Mihoshi, Ryoko watched the 
two slim young men approach the house. 

"Well...maybe if Tenchi had to have a brother, he could have done 
worse than Tris," Ryoko admitted.  "Not a lot worse, of course."

"Tris would be a nice brother for anyone," Mihoshi told her.  "I have 
three older brothers, you know, and they would like Tris a lot, 
Ryoko."

"Those the brothers who spoiled you rotten?" Ryoko asked her, 
grinning.

"They did not spoil me!" Mihoshi protested.  "They helped raise me, 
though, along with Daddy.  I love them more than anything.  That's 
not being spoiled, is it?"

"No, of course not, Mihoshi," Ayeka said.  She now rose from the couch 
and walked over to them.

"Raised by four men...if that isn't being spoiled, I don't know what 
is," Ryoko muttered.

Kiyone, who was quietly watching Tenchi and Tris with great fondness, 
suddenly said, "Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn."

"Huh?  What?" Ryoko demanded.

"Two young scamps who got in a lot of trouble back in America many 
years ago...fictional characters."  That came from Washuu.  The great 
scientist had now joined them in the living room.  "Three novels in 
all(1).  Considered quite good by the intelligentsia here, or what 
passes for it."  Washuu had made Earth's primitive culture a special 
study and her arcane knowledge was nothing short of amazing.  "Where 
did you hear those names, Kiyone?"

"Oh, I heard Tenchi's father refer to Tenchi and Tris by those names 
once.  He was talking to Lord Yosho.  Both of them seemed to know what 
the names meant."

"Huh."  Washuu walked to the picture window and peered out.  She noted 
Tenchi still carrying the hoe—-it could have been a bamboo fishing 
rod—-and Tris carrying the cabbit—-it could have been a dead cat all 
ready to toss in a grave at midnight.  "Appropriate," she pronounced.

"This Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn--they weren't really brothers, were 
they?" Ryoko asked.

"No," Washuu replied.  "They were more than that...they were 
comrades."

"Huh?"

Washuu shook her head.  "For a gal that's been around the galaxy a 
time or two, you don't know jack about men, Ryoko," she said.



"Jeeze," Tris said, as he and Tenchi approached the house.  "The girls 
are all watching us...even Washuu."

"I noticed," Tenchi said dryly.

"Think we're done something?"

"I don't know...probably."

"Sheesh."

"Well, Kiyone and Mihoshi are planning to take off after dinner," 
Tenchi said.  "Maybe that's all it is.  See--they're in their 
uniforms."

"Yeah.  I still say those are the cutest cop uniforms on the cutest 
cops I've even seen," Tris marveled.  Mihoshi had even put on the 
brimless GP hat with the single white pom.  Cute was the word, all 
right!

"You won't get an argument from me."

Ryo-Ohki "meow-er"-ed in Tris's arms.  No argument from her, either.



"What do you suppose the boys are talking about?" Ayeka mused, now 
also watching them through the window.

"Probably about being gawked at," Washuu said.  She turned from the 
window.  "I think I heard someone mention dinner."

"I did," Sasami said, walking into the living room.  "Lord Yosho is 
already in the dining room.  The food is going to get cold."

"We'll be there in a moment, Sasami," Kiyone told her.  "The boys are 
just coming in now."

"Okay."  Sasami departed for the dining room.

Suddenly, Ayeka, as she watched the others interact, had a powerful 
premonition.  She looked around the room.  Everyone—-nearly 
everyone—-was there or very close by.  Sasami and Lord Yosho in the 
dining room...Tenchi and Tristram coming in...Ryoko, Kiyone, Mihoshi, 
and herself in the living room.  She sensed this was a special moment, 
a moment that nostalgia would lock in her memory forever.  Years and 
years later, she would think of this moment, when they were all 
together, as a family, ready to eat dinner.  She would hug it to 
herself like a favorite pillow...because it would soon all end and she 
would never be in such a warm and loving place again.  Sadness filled 
her.

"What's wrong with you, Princess?" Ryoko asked.  "Gas pains again?"

Not knowing it, Ryoko had done a wonderful thing.  She had broken up 
Ayeka's reverie and chased away the pangs.

"None of your business!  Gas pains--how dare you...!"



Tenchi and Tris were about to enter the house when they heard a voice 
call behind them.  Both turned.  They saw Nobuyuki striding up to 
them, very quickly.

"Dad!"  Tenchi was pleased.  "Home early for once, huh?  Good.  Dinner 
is on the table and...Dad?"

Tris took one look at Nobuyuki's face and said, "See you inside, 
Tenchi."  He walked through the front door that Mihoshi had just slid 
open for him.  He still carried Ryo-Ohki.

"What's wrong, Tris?" Mihoshi asked him.  She took Ryo-Ohki from him 
with her white-gloved hands and gently set the cabbit on the floor.  
Tris didn't answer right away.  Mihoshi looked at him, sensing 
something was very wrong, indeed.

Now Kiyone walked up to Tris and softly touched his cheek.  She wore 
the fingerless, perforated gloves she affected when she was going to 
pilot the Yogami.  She also wore her red headband.  "Hey, something is 
wrong.  What is it, Tris?" she asked.

"Tenchi's Dad is home from work.  Early.  I saw his expression.  I've 
got a bad feeling," Tris told her and Mihoshi.  

"Oh no..." Kiyone whispered.  It was pretty obvious to her now what 
was wrong.  She slipped her hand into Tris's and held it tight.

Mihoshi looked confused a moment.  Then tears sparkled in her wide 
blue eyes as realization came to her.  "Oh, gosh...that poor man."

"Hey, what's up?"  Ryoko asked, walking over to them.  Ayeka 
followed.

"Can't you guess?" Washuu asked, also walking over to the group.  
"Haven't you paid any attention at all to what Tenchi's poor father 
has been going through these past few months?  And what it means when 
he comes home early and everyone's not happy?"  

"Huh?"  Ryoko was still lost.

"Oh, no," Ayeka murmured.  Her face was tense with shock.  "Oh, good 
heavens.  How could they do that to him?"

"Because this is Earth, Princess," Washuu said, grimly.  "And they do 
things like that here...all the time."

"You mean--they canned Tenchi's Dad?" Ryoko guessed.

"Brilliant," Washuu muttered.

"But, but he was working so hard--working so late!"  Ryoko was 
instantly angry.  "Those dirty bastards!"

"That's just the point, Ryoko.  They worked him so hard to try to get 
him to quit so they wouldn't have to give him severance pay and, 
eventually, a pension.  When that didn't work, they probably used some 
baloney excuse to fire him.  Probably no severance pay now and 
definitely no pension.  I kind of saw it coming...but I hoped I was 
wrong."  Washuu sighed.  "God, I hate this damned backward planet 
sometimes."

Ryoko was furious.  "Who fired him?  Who?  I'll put a fireball—-two—-
up his butt!  Just lead me to him!"

"That would be quite satisfying, Ryoko, and I thank you.  But it 
would hardly be productive."  It was Lord Yosho who spoke.  He had 
just entered the living room.  Sasami stood behind him, looking 
worried.

"Sir...I could be wrong," Tris said.

"No, Tristram.  I am afraid you are right."  Lord Yosho walked deeper 
into the living room.  "Would you all please retire to the dining 
room?  Please don't let Sasami's good food get cold.  Tenchi and I 
will talk to my son-in-law.  We'll join you shortly."



"A personal call on company time!" Nobuyuki all but shouted.  "Almost 
seventeen years with that damned firm...and that's why they fired me!  
The preening, sanctimonious bastard who actually fired me spends 
hours on his phone with his mistress.  I call to see if I still have 
a house standing and a family alive to live in it and I get the axe!"  
The middle-aged man seethed with bitterness.

He was sitting in the desk chair in his tiny home office and bedroom.  
Tenchi and Lord Yosho stood quietly, listening to him.

"My friend Seji knew.  He wouldn't say, but he tried to help.  So did 
Reiko, the secretary...all a waste of time."  Nobuyuki shook his head 
with frustration.  "What a damned fool I was.  Thinking that the 
bosses were being truthful, that they were just trying to get more 
work out of me to avoid hiring more people.  The fact was, they wanted 
to make me quit so I would receive no severance benefits.  They've 
already hired my replacement.  Reiko let me know that afterwards."  
Nobuyuki laughed bitterly.  "But I was too dumb to quit!  So they just 
looked for a reason to fire me."

"No benefits, Dad?" Tenchi asked softly.

"None.  Fired for cause.  That's how it will read on my file.  That's 
going to really help me find another job, you can bet!"  Nobuyuki ran 
his fingers through his hair.  "A damned recession on...caused by 
arrogant fools who thought they could play free market games abroad 
and still keep markets closed here.  Well, the Americans showed them 
up, all right, and folks like us are paying the price.  There's 
already too many architects for what little building is going on here.  
It could be months before I start earning a paycheck again."

"What about unemployment insurance, Dad?" 

"It's a pittance!  Besides, when you are fired for cause, the company 
can contest your receiving unemployment--and that bastard told me he 
would contest it--the last thing he said to me.  Someone packed up my 
stuff and the guard was waiting outside the bastard's office door.  I 
was given the bum's rush!  Reiko was in tears, bless her, but she kept 
quiet until we got outside because God knows she needs her job with 
that worthless husband of hers."  Nobuyuki realized he was straying 
off the subject.  He stopped and swallowed.  The worst was yet to 
come.

Tenchi slowly shook his head.  He felt as if he had fallen from a 
great height and crashed to the ground.  His Dad no longer employed.  
The prospect chilled him.  Not just for the economic effect, but also 
the psychological effect on his hard-working father.

But Nobuyuki could still joke, a little.  "I guess we'll have to 
postpone that fishing lake."

Lord Yosho smiled at him.  "No hurry, son-in-law."

Nobuyuki looked at his son.  "Tenchi, I'm afraid this is it.  The 
women and Tristram have to go." 

Tenchi just stared uncomprehendingly at his father.  "Dad?"

"You heard me, son.  It's going to get tight around here just feeding 
ourselves.  You know that Kiyone and Mihoshi should have been in 
their own place all along.  It's not as if they aren't paid."

Tenchi could not believe what he was hearing.  His Dad must have been 
terribly upset by the firing to be talking like that.

"That's not fair, Dad.  They tried so hard the last time--they nearly 
starved themselves.  They just can't make it on what pay they have 
after all the deductions.  And there's the danger of them being caught 
by their superiors if they try part-time jobs again.  They do pay 
something to us each month."

"Another pittance.  Their deductions are big because that Kiyone won't 
give up her other apartment that she apparently also won't sublet 
again, either.  And Mihoshi just follows her lead.  That's just plain 
foolishness that we can't subsidize anymore.  I can't worry about 
their careers under these circumstances.  We'll do better without them 
and their so-called payment--especially that Mihoshi and her appetite.  
Good lord!"

"Dad!"

"I mean it, son.  Ayeka and Sasami are wealthy beyond measure.  I saw 
that palace they call home.  They need to be back in it.  Washuu can 
set herself up anywhere and do fine but I can't board her anymore.  
Same goes for Ryoko.  I hope she doesn't go back to piracy, but that's 
her business.  It's not our business anymore, Tenchi.  We just can't 
afford to keep boarding them, son.  If you ever reach a decision about 
Ryoko and Ayeka, that's fine.  But they can't stay here anymore  
waiting for it."

Tenchi didn't say anything.

"Tristram is well off, too.  He told you his parents' combined 
insurance and estate was a quarter of a million dollars.  I know he, 
at least, will understand...and I don't want any charity from him.  
He's a typical big-hearted American.  He will offer it.  You know we 
can't be indebted to a foreigner.  I know I raised you better than 
that."  Nobuyuki was all but babbling out years and years of hard 
work, mistreatment, and frustration now.

"A foreigner, son-in-law?" Lord Yosho reproved gently.  "What am I, 
then?"

"A citizen of this country, father-in-law, not a runaway kid from 
America who can't get along with his own family and has caused more 
upheaval in this house than we've suffered for over a year.  I want 
him gone."  Nobuyuki stopped.  He looked a bit contrite now.  "I don't 
mean that.  He's a fine young man and your good friend, Tenchi.  He's 
also an invited guest.  He can stay if you wish, son, until school 
starts again.  But the women must leave.  We'll have to tell Kiyone 
and Mihoshi to please make other arrangements when they return from 
their trip.  They are not to come back to stay.  Then the other women 
must leave within the month." 

Tenchi's face was ashen.  He turned on his heel and walked to the 
door.  He quietly opened the door and left. 

Silence fell heavily in the room.

Nobuyuki shook his head sadly.  "I hated to tell him that.  But we 
can't pussyfoot around.  You know how low our savings are, father-in-
law.  That Ayeka and Ryoko have cost us years of savings from having 
to shore up the house, thanks to their battles.  We've never made it 
up.  Now we have to get by on the tiny remaining savings we have.  
They won't last long and I can't be certain I'll be earning anything 
even by then."

Lord Yosho walked to the door and closed it.

"Nobuyuki," he said, "I know you are very upset...understandably.  It 
is a hard blow.  But I told you that you had to anticipate it, didn't 
I?"

"Yes, you did.  And I'm now trying to keep us from going into 
bankruptcy."

Lord Yosho sat in a chair beside his son-in-law.  "Let's talk, 
Nobuyuki."

"I don't think I want to talk anymore, father-in-law.  Not for a 
while, anyway.  I just want to sleep.  Forget about dinner.  I'm 
absolutely blasted...I mean it."

"I'm sorry, Nobuyuki.  Nonetheless, we must talk.  More than money is 
at stake, you must remember.  Our very lives may very well be at risk.  
You must listen to me now."

Nobuyuki took a deep breath.  He felt himself stop shaking internally.  
He was calmer now.  And regret at his angry words was beginning to set 
in.

"All right, father-in-law," he said.  "I'll listen."



"But how could they do that to him?" Ryoko demanded to know.

She and the others all sat around the dining room table.  Sasami had 
prepared an excellent meal, as always.  But very little of it was 
being eaten.  Mihoshi had put her bowl down.  She sat quietly, tears 
streaming down her cheeks.  She knew the humiliation of being fired--
and this was no silly part-time job.  This job was everything to 
Nobuyuki.  She felt so badly for Tenchi's nice father.

"They did it.  That's it," Washuu answered.  She made a pretense of 
eating, then set her bowl down, too.  "That's life for the folks 
around here, Ryoko."

"But he's a great architect!"  Ryoko waved her hand around the room.  
"Look at this place.  It's a damned palace!"  She glanced at Ayeka.  
"Well, at least to some of us."

Ayeka merely nodded.  "This is a wonderful house and I love it.  Mr. 
Masaki is a very gifted architect."

"He sure is!"  Sasami was close to crying just like Mihoshi.  "He's 
so talented and he works so hard."

"Makes no difference," Washuu told them.  "There's lots of great 
architects out there--too many.  That's the problem.  Companies now 
can and do get the cheapest price for that talent.  They can hire 
some young kid fresh from college to do the work a lot cheaper than a 
senior guy who has gotten a lot of pay raises over the years.  It's 
all a matter of money."

"But someone right out of school isn't going to have the smarts and 
experience that Tenchi's Dad has," Ryoko objected.  "They can't do 
as good a job."

"Who said they want to do a good job?" Washuu asked.  "They want to 
do a job, period, and do it cheaper so they get more jobs...more 
contracts.  Tenchi's Dad calls it "sharpening the pencil."  Well, 
they just sharpened that pencil again--and Dad got the dirty end of 
it.  If you girls would watch something on the TV here besides soap 
operas and cartoons, you might learn what folks like the Masakis have 
to put up with."

The other women fell silent.  Washuu had simply spoken the truth...a 
bit bluntly, perhaps, but she was right on target.  None of them, 
except for Kiyone and Mihoshi, had any idea of the real day-to-day 
struggles of the Earthlings they lived amongst--and Kiyone and 
Mihoshi had learned that only by happenstance. 

Kiyone sat and brooded.  She did not even look at Tris.  The hard 
fact was, she acknowledged to herself, that she and her partner hadn't 
been able to cut it on the outside.  That was why they shared a single 
room with the other women now, sponging off the Masakis, paying them a 
tiny amount to assuage their consciences.  And now the Masakis were 
facing the same financial straits she and Mihoshi had faced...which 
meant she and Mihoshi would be even a bigger burden to them. 

The great adventure back to GP Headquarters and her special plans for 
Tris were cold ashes now with the horrible news of Tenchi's father's 
sudden unemployment. 

Sitting so close beside her, Tris sensed Kiyone's upset.  He looked 
at her, the pretty but sad-looking young woman in her Galaxy Police 
uniform.  He slipped a hand under the table and gently grasped one of 
Kiyone's hands.  He squeezed her hand.  When she turned to look at 
him, he smiled sympathetically at her.

Then he winked at her.

Staring at Tris now, Kiyone felt a sudden flood of warmth fill her.  
She smiled tenderly back at him.  God, it was so nice to have someone 
who could make her feel so good again, so quickly.  She squeezed his 
hand back and then released it.  She absently touched the gold ID 
bracelet she wore now all the time, even in uniform.

Kiyone picked up her bowl and chopsticks.  She began, slowly, to eat.  
She needed food in her stomach for the mission ahead.  Mihoshi, seeing 
Kiyone eating, followed suit.  She continued to sniffle occasionally, 
however, as she ate. 

"Dry your eyes, Mihoshi," Kiyone said.  "You're in uniform now, 
remember."

"Yes, Kiyone," Mihoshi replied.  She put down her bowl and took the 
handkerchief Tris offered her with a smile.  She dabbed at her eyes.  
"I'm sorry, Kiyone.  I'm just so sad about it, it's hard not to cry."

"I know.  Try your best, though."

"Okay."  Mihoshi blew her nose into Tris's handkerchief, loudly.  
Ryoko, Ayeka, and Washuu looked at her with annoyance.  Kiyone closed 
her eyes with embarrassment.  Mihoshi, oblivious to all this, tried 
to hand Tris back his handkerchief.

"Um...you keep it, Mihoshi," Tris told her.

"Thanks!"  Mihoshi smiled.  Another present from Tris!

Suddenly Tris noticed movement from the dining room entrance.  He 
blinked, and looked again.  It was Tenchi.  He had appeared briefly, 
looking at Tris, and jerked his head.  Then he disappeared.

The American had a pretty shrewd idea what Tenchi wanted to see him 
about and why he wanted to do it out of earshot of the women.  He 
swiftly rose.  "Be back in a minute," he murmured to Kiyone.

"Okay," she said.  "But be sure to.  We need to talk about something."

"Huh?  Oh...okay."

As Tris walked out of the dining room, he head Washuu resume the 
conversation.  "Hey, I didn't mean to hurt everyone's feelings.  The 
important thing is you all start paying attention..."

Tris walked into the living room.  Tenchi stood there.  Tris stopped.  
He had never seen Tenchi so upset and so discouraged-looking.

Without a word, Tenchi walked on to the genkan entryway, slipped on 
his street shoes, and opened the door.  He stepped outside.  Tris did 
the same, wondering why Tenchi seemed so devastated.  It was mighty 
hard news, but not the end of the world.  Yet, Tenchi sure acted as if 
it was.



"But...if this evil character is after Ayeka only, surely she'd be 
better off with her royal family to protect her," Nobuyuki was saying 
to his father-in-law upstairs.  Lord Yosho had managed to convince his 
son-in-law to reconsider his position on their extended family.  Now 
they were discussing what to do about the threat of Professor Klove.

"Yes, if they really take the threat seriously.  But I don't believe 
they will.  The King will likely send the Yeoman after Professor 
Klove.  If Professor Klove reads Princess Ayeka's mind and knows that 
is happening, he will make his move.  It could mean the Princess's 
death at the very least.  While she is here, I am convinced our enemy 
is complacent about any threat from us.  That may well be our only 
advantage over him at this stage."

Staring down at his slippered feet, Nobuyuki slowly nodded.  "Yes, 
that makes sense.  I wish no harm to come to that young woman.  If we 
must keep her here to protect her, so be it."

Yosho smiled.  "I knew that would be your attitude, Nobuyuki.  But 
make no mistake.  I believe the threat extends to all of us.  A more 
compete revenge would be gained by destroying Tenchi and myself...two 
more scions of the Jurai royal family.  And you and the rest of the 
women--and Tristram--would have to be destroyed to hide our enemy's 
tracks."

"That's a nice, comforting thought!"  Nobuyuki smiled mirthlessly.  
"But are you certain about the threat to Tristram?  I'll admit that I 
would feel better if we could send him back to the University and away 
from any danger.  It's not fair to expose him to this threat, him not 
being part of our family...even of our extended family."

"I am certain, Nobuyuki.  He is versed in our enemy's powers, he knows 
exactly what is going on, and he would certainly tell any investigator 
from the Galaxy Police or from the Palace what he knows.  Thus, he 
must be eliminated as well."

"When you put it like that, it's logical," Nobuyuki admitted.  
"Logical in an awful way...but logical."

"You also make a mistake about Tristram.  He is part of our family 
now--with what he knows, what he has gone through already with us, 
and what he must go through with us now.  That homeless boy has found 
a home with us, Nobuyuki.  We might as well face it."

Nobuyuki looked thoughtful.  Then he nodded.  "Yes, I suppose...an 
American, though!  Well, at least Tenchi has what he's needed--another 
young man to share things with.  A friend."

"Speaking of Tenchi...he is likely still upset over what was said 
earlier," Lord Yosho prompted.

"You're right, father-in-law.  I'll go talk to him now."  Nobuyuki 
looked rueful.  "I kind of dread it after acting like such an ass and 
lashing out at people he cares so much about.  He must really hate 
me now."

"Never!" Lord Yosho exclaimed.  "He may be upset, but he could never 
hate his father.  Not our boy."



"You know, I almost hated Dad for a second when he said the things he 
said about the girls," Tenchi said flatly.

"Aw, com'on."

"I almost did, Tris!  But then I realized the terrible strain he's 
under...poor Dad!  He carries all of us on his shoulders."  Tenchi 
looked downcast.

Tenchi and Tris were sitting in the latter's Mustang, which was still 
parked just outside the open gate.  Tenchi had wanted to make as 
certain as he could that even a swooping (and snooping) Ryoko could 
not hear what he wanted to talk over with his buddy.  Thus, the old 
car's canvas convertible top was up, the car windows cranked firmly 
shut.  It wasn't a perfect protection against the space pirate, since 
she could just pass, dematerialized, into the car.  But it was the 
best he could come up with on the spur of the moment.

"Well, they're pretty broad shoulders, Tenchi."

"Not broad enough!  Wanting to send the girls away, right now...just 
imagine me telling Kiyone and Mihoshi, "Thanks for risking your 
careers again to help and, oh, by the way, you'll need to find 
someplace else to sleep"!  I know Dad was kind of spouting off, 
because he's just about floored about being fired and finding he was 
being suckered for so long.  But that's low, Tris.  You can't say it 
isn't."

Tris was silent.  Tenchi really was on his father's side, Tris knew.  
But the prospect of having to send the girls packing shook him to the 
very depths. 

"Well, I know people say things when something terrible happens to 
them that they really don't mean.  Your Dad took back what he said 
about me, and I have been kind of a pestilence to him since I've been 
here.  I nearly broke his back for him, remember?"

The ghost of Tenchi's usual broad grin appeared.  "Yeah, you bonehead!  
I kind of understood that when he ranted about you."

"Well, if he's willing to back down when he's pretty much right, he's 
probably going to relent about the girls."  Tris tried a joke.  "Of 
course, if we could get Mihoshi down to only seconds at dinner instead 
of thirds--that might help!"

It worked...sort of.  Tenchi could not help chuckling briefly at his 
father's consternation over the blonde Galaxy Police officer's locust-
like appetite.  "Yeah.  I remember Dad's face when Mihoshi first came 
to us in that hardsuit and nearly wrecked the house.  Dad was so nice 
to her—-well, she is pretty—-and when he served her dinner, his eyes 
bugged out as she almost ate everything in sight!"  Then Tenchi's 
expression darkened.  "And now you tell me she was crying for him 
through dinner while he was upstairs dissing her."

Tris nodded.  He understood how hard it was for Tenchi to witness his 
Dad in such an uncharitable temper.  "Well, you know how he'll feel 
when he finds out about that.  He did say he didn't want to send the 
women away...just that he wouldn't keep afford to keep boarding them.  
Right?"

Tenchi played dispiritedly with the Mustang's air conditioning vents 
on the dashboard.  "Yeah."

"Well, is that the truth?"

"Oh, I guess so.  Without Dad's paycheck, we will have to dip into 
the savings--and those savings aren't large, I can tell you that."

"And you don't want to go into your savings unless it's an absolute 
emergency.  My Mom and Dad always told me that."

"They were right!"

"What about your grandfather and the shrine?"

"The temple and shrine are all public institutions and are supported 
locally.  Those won't be affected.  The actual grounds our family 
owns are all paid for, of course, years ago.  But we have to pay 
taxes on the land and the house, and, of course, insurance, and the 
premiums are high, thanks mostly to Ryoko and Ayeka.  That's what's 
going to pinch us, along with just the cost of food and everyday 
items."

"So your Dad has a really good point, doesn't he?"

Tenchi looked at Tris.  He appeared annoyed.  "I'm not saying he 
doesn't, just that I don't think you ought to start kicking people 
out right off the bat."

"Uh-huh.  And that's where I think your Dad was really just venting.  
You know, letting out all that rotten pressure he's been under for so 
long.  Don't you think so?"

Tenchi looked out the passenger door window.  "Well...yeah."

"Then maybe you ought to forgive him for slipping up and acting human 
in front of you.  You know?"

Tenchi didn't say anything for a while.  Then he nodded slowly.  
"You're righter than even you know, Tris," he said.  "After the girls 
thought they had Dad pegged as some sort of letch, they all—-except 
for Mihoshi and Sasami—-kind of looked down on Dad.  He's tried 
awfully hard to be some kind of paragon, I guess, to win my respect 
back, although he didn't need to do it."

"Yes, he did, Tenchi," Tris said.  "Because he probably felt he didn't 
have all your respect.  For my Dad, it was easy to have my esteem--he 
was a fighter jock, he was happily married to my Mom who was a 
knockout, really--I was Dad's number one fan.  But I guess that's all 
a lot harder to do when your Dad works at an unglamorous job and has 
to get by without a wife...well, you know."

Tenchi mulled that over.  "Tris," he said finally, "you're not always 
a bonehead and that's a fact.  I've been a bonehead myself.  It's just 
that the very idea of having everyone leave really shook me up.  You 
don't know.  After the first time we were all together and then 
everyone scattered, I thought it would be great to have a peaceful 
life again.  Wrong!  I really missed all of them.  So much so that I 
kept visiting the places where we all had so much fun.  I even visited 
Kiyone and Mihoshi's old apartment in Okayama City.  It is a real 
dump, by the way.  I just wanted them all back, crazy as it seemed.  
Now I just want them all to stay, always.  I know that's impossible.  
But at least they should leave of their own accord and not be kicked 
out because of finances."

"Maybe they won't have to leave, Tenchi," Tris ventured.

"How?  The fact is, Dad's right.  We can't afford to keep such a big 
household anymore with him unemployed."

"Well, here's probably a dumb idea.  You told me Ayeka and Sasami's 
personal wealth makes Bill Gates look like he needs food stamps--"

Tenchi shook his head.  "That is a dumb idea, Tris, although it's only 
because you don't know enough about those two.  Ayeka and Sasami have 
tried and tried to contribute financially, but their wealth is really 
all in things...big things...like whole planets.  There's a Galaxy 
Depository where they both have personal accounts, but it deals in 
credits that don't translate to yen or dollars.  So with all their 
riches, the two of them couldn't buy a newspaper here on Earth."

"Yeah?  Then how did Kiyone and Mihoshi convert their salaries to yen 
to pay their rent and buy food the first time they were here?" Tris 
asked.

"Because they're paid in regular Galactic Union currency.  It's called 
Jurais.  There are currency exchanges in the Union that buy and sell 
all kinds of currency, even our currency here on Earth.  They don't 
give the best exchange rates, either, and they're kind of shady, but 
Kiyone and Mihoshi have to use them."

"That must be pretty tough on them," Tris commiserated.

"Tough on Ayeka and Sasami, too, if you think about it," Tenchi added.  
"That's why they participated in the food and drink sale to buy their 
swim suits.  That's also why they both work so hard around here, 
trying to contribute the best they can."   

"Yeah, I see," Tris said.  "That's really something, too.  I mean, how 
many guys can say they have a royal princess who washes their delicate 
undies...and another one who cooks their meals?"

Now Tenchi chuckled with his old spirit.  "That's right!  It's pretty 
darn selfish of me, but I'd hate to see all that end.  You have any 
brilliant ideas how we can keep everyone from scattering again?  And 
don't even think about offering to toss some of your money in--I'll 
clobber you if you do."

Tris shook his head.  "Well, with that in mind...I don't have even an 
unbrilliant idea."  He looked past Tenchi's head out of the passenger 
side window of his classic old car.  "Hey, buddy, your dad and 
grandfather are outside, looking at us.  I think maybe your dad wants 
to talk to you...and you two need to have a talk."

"We sure do."  Tenchi opened his door and Tris followed suit.  They 
stepped out of the car, shut its doors, and walked back to the house.  
Tris nodded at Lord Yosho and Nobuyuki, who both nodded amiably back 
at him.  He stepped inside the house and closed the door behind him.  
Tenchi stayed.

Lord Yosho walked a little closer to the house, not leaving the scene 
exactly, but leaving the stage, so to speak, to his son-in-law and 
grandson.

Nobuyuki was finding it hard to say anything to his son.  Tenchi just 
looked at his father, his face expressionless.

"Tenchi," Nobuyuki finally said.  "Your father isn't a young man 
anymore, and he sure isn't the man he once was.  I suppose I proved 
that to you tonight."

"No, Dad," Tenchi said.  "I know why you're so upset.  It's pretty 
upsetting stuff.  Tris and I talked it over and it keeps coming back 
to the fact that...well, you're right.  I was really hurt by what you 
said about the girls and Tris.  But I can't dodge the bullet any more 
than you can.  You're right, ultimately."

Nobuyuki shook his head.  "No, son, ultimately I'm quite wrong."

Tenchi was startled.  "Why--what do you mean, Dad?"

"You know, Tenchi, my friend at work--my former work--Seji, doesn't 
realize it, maybe.  But he'll be the next to get the axe.  He's 
almost as senior as I was.  So, when he's fired and not earning a 
paycheck, is he going to say to his three little girls, "Sorry, but 
you'll have to find a new home, I can't afford to feed you anymore"?  
Somehow I doubt that!"  

"But his daughters are family.  Of course he's not going to abandon 
them, Dad."

"Yes, and the women here are family, too.  The fact is, they're as 
much a part of my family—-our family—-as if I had filed papers in a 
courtroom to adopt them.  You don't just run out on family, or dump 
them, when there's a crisis.  Your grandfather made me realize that."

"No, you realized it all the time, son-in-law," Yosho said from where 
he stood.  "You just forgot it for a very little while."

"Thank you, father-in-law," Nobuyuki said.  "You know, Tenchi, when 
Kiyone and Mihoshi were struggling to make ends meet in their little 
apartment, I think I worried about them as much as if they were my own 
daughters.  I really did.  I was glad when they decided to stop 
killing themselves over trying to be independent.  They were more than 
welcome here.  And when we all had to face up to that Kagato, they 
helped us--even when they could have just abandoned us and gone back 
to their superiors and turned us in.  Career-wise, that would have 
been the smart thing for them to do at the time.  Certainly, they have 
been taking an awful chance all this time in not turning Ryoko in.  
But you don't betray family.  Period.  And you don't abandon them, 
either."

Tenchi smiled affectionately at his father.  "No, Dad.  I guess you 
don't."

"And you don't always choose your family," Nobuyuki added with a trace 
of iront.  "Sometimes, they just...happen."

"Ours sure just happened," Tenchi agreed.

"And now we have Tristram."

Tenchi smiled again at his father.  "Yeah, Dad.  I guess we do."

Nobuyuki shook his head.  "I must have said a thousand times that this 
isn't the life or type of home I wanted for you, son.  You should have 
had a mother who lived longer, perhaps a brother or sister.  Of 
course, that's all useless wool-gathering.  We have the family we 
have."

"It's not such a bad family...is it, Dad?"

"No, I suppose not.  At least, with all the bickering and fighting and 
mishaps, it's a real family.  Anyway, since it is our family, we're 
going to face this thing as a family.  I don't know how just yet, but 
I'm determined we'll stay together."

Impulsively, Tenchi walked up to his father.  He embraced him.  It 
had been a long time since Tenchi had last hugged his Dad.  Too long.

In the background, Lord Yosho smiled.

When father and son parted, Nobuyuki said, "Well!  I suppose we should 
finally go in to dinner.  Believe it or not, I'm hungry.  I wonder if 
the food isn't too cold now."

"Only one way to find out, Dad."



As it turned out, Sasami, that thoughtful little sweetheart, had put 
the remainder of the meal in the oven on low heat.  Tenchi, his 
father, and his grandfather were able to sit down to warm food, 
lovingly prepared.  Which is something money cannot buy.

Everyone, including Washuu, continued to sit at the table and provide 
a forced jovial spirit to enhance the three men's meal.  Finally, 
Nobuyuki set down his bowl and chopsticks.

"Everyone," he said.  "Of course, you know I was fired from my job.  
I won't sugar-coat the situation.  I respect you all too much for 
that.  It may be a while before I'm working again, and things will be 
tighter than ever.  But we'll find a way to get through this.  The 
most important thing is that we get through this together.  If anyone 
is thinking about acting noble and ducking out of here...well, forget 
it!  You'll have to get past me first."

"And me."  Tenchi grinned.

"And I as well," Lord Yosho said genially.

Tris swallowed hard and stared down at his rice bowl.  The women, who 
had no foolish notions about hiding their feelings, smiled at Nobuyuki 
with tears in their eyes...even Washuu had to wipe away a tear.  
Mihoshi cried openly, she was so happy, and no one shushed her this 
time.



After dinner finally concluded for all of them, the group broke up 
slowly.  Kiyone and Mihoshi were all business, though.  Tris hadn't 
even stepped out of the dining room when they both grabbed him and 
hustled him over to Tenchi's and his bedroom.

"What's the charge, Officers?" Tris asked, a bit irritably.

Mihoshi giggled.

"Be quiet, you," Kiyone told him.  By now they all had reached the 
door of his and Tenchi's bedroom.  They stopped.

"I know this family needs another bombshell like it needs the flu, 
but you'd still better go tell them what's up with us, Mihoshi," 
Kiyone instructed her partner.  "Meanwhile, I'll tell goofy here 
about it in the one-syllable words he understands."

"Okay, Kiyone."  Mihoshi grinned at the two of them.  "Kiss him once 
for me, okay?"

"Mihoshi!"

The blonde young woman laughed and walked away.

"Now, what--" Tris began.

"Inside, you."  Kiyone slid open the bedroom door.

"I want to call my lawyer."

"You'll be calling your doctor if you don't get in there."

Tris got in there.

Once inside, Kiyone slid the door shut.  Then she walked to Tenchi's 
bed and sat down.  She looked at Tris and patted a space beside her.

"Well."  Tris grinned.  "If that's what you want...you didn't have to 
drag me to it, you know.  Ummm, do you think we really have time for 
that before you leave...?"

"Tris!"  Kiyone pronounced his name rather like she pronounced 
Mihoshi's name in stressful situations.

"Okay, okay.  Sheesh."  Tris went to the bed and sat beside her.

"Tris, I--"  Kiyone stopped.  She seemed at a momentary loss for 
words.

Suddenly, Tris felt a stab of dread.  This had to be it--the Big 
Dump.

After all, Kiyone was leaving for her Headquarters...likely she meant 
to leave for good, despite Nobuyuki's request that everyone stay.  
Tris knew she felt rotten enough about living off the Masakis, and 
now with Nobuyuki's sudden unemployment, the situation had worsened.  
She and Mihoshi could work and live at their apartments by their 
Headquarters, even if it mean a long, long commute to their patrol 
area.

Tris, feeling worse than he would have thought possible over losing a 
girlfriend, decided to help Kiyone out.  After all, she had more 
important things than him to worry about.

"Don't sweat it, Blue Eyes," Tris said quietly.  "I'll guess I'll have 
to stop calling you that, huh?  Anyway, I understand.  Let's not make 
a production number out of this, okay?  Everyone will miss you two, 
but they'll understand why."

Kiyone trained her blue eyes on her him.  "What the hell are you 
babbling about?"

"About what you're going to say."

"How do you know what I'm going to say?"

"Well...it's kind of obvious."

"Not from what you're running on about."  Kiyone looked at him 
closely.  "Maybe we shouldn't take you with us, at that."

Tris jumped up from the bed.  "What?"

"I said, take you with us...all words of one syllable."

"I heard you!  I just can't believe it.  Are you crazy?"

"No, I'm not crazy!" Kiyone snapped.

"You must be.  Even I know you have regulations and stuff about 
carrying unauthorized people in cop vehicles--and I'm about as 
unauthorized as you can get, brother!"

"Mihoshi and I are willing to take that risk," Kiyone said.

"But, jeeze, I don't want to get you two fired.  It's too damned big a 
risk!"

"Watch your language, damn it!"

"Watch yours!"

Kiyone and Tris stared at each other narrowly.  Then Kiyone patted 
the place beside her on the bed again.  "Sit down and listen to what 
I have to say, will you?"

Tris shrugged.  He again sat down beside her.  "Say what you want.  
I'm not going."

"I thought you cared for me."

"I do care for you.  That's why I'm not going," Tris told her.

"You just don't want to go!"

"Of course, I want to go.  Flying through outer space in a real 
starship--that's every red-blooded kid's dream, Kiyone.  My Dad and 
Mom would have given up their pensions for a chance like that.  I'm 
no different from them."

Kiyone's expression and voice softened.  "Then you're really just 
worried about getting me in trouble?"

"I said so, didn't I?"

"Oh..."  Kiyone's eyes glowed.  "Just for that, you're going to kiss 
me right now, your sweet idiot.  I won't take no for an answer."

"Who's saying no?"  Tris leaned toward her.

They kissed, long and slow.  It settled them both down, somewhat.  
Tris marveled at Kiyone as they broke off their kiss.  And here he 
had been expecting the axe!

"Now, will you listen to me?" she asked.

"Okay."

"Tris, I don't know if what we have now is going to go anywhere--no, 
keep your mouth shut!  You don't know either, idiot.  But I do know 
we have nothing if you don't get to know who I really am and the world 
I really live in.  By that, I mean the galaxy I live in.  I know all 
about your world but you don't know squat about mine.  And my world is 
pretty big and pretty intimidating to someone like you.  Tris, I said 
shut—-"

"Look, I understand all that stuff.  I watched "Star Trek"—-ouch!"

Kiyone lowered her fist.  "Are you going to shut up until I finish?  
This is hard enough to say, damn it!"

"All right!"

"Okay..."



Princess Ayeka stood outside Tenchi and Tris's bedroom door.  Her 
arms were folded, and one foot was softly tapping the floor.  The 
sound of it alerted Ryoko, who had been pressing an ear to that door.  
Ryoko jerked her head from the door, startled.  She gave Ayeka a 
half-guilty grin.

"I thought something was up when you disappeared so quickly after 
Mihoshi gave us the news," Ayeka whispered, her soft voice dripping 
with censure.  "I should have known.  Do you not respect anyone's 
privacy, Ryoko?"

"To hell with privacy," Ryoko whispered back.  "This is pretty hot 
stuff."

"What do you mean, hot stuff?"  Suddenly, the Princess stiffened with 
shock.  "You do not mean to say that they are...they are...?"

"Oh, get your mind out of the gutter, Princess.  That's not what I 
meant at all."

"Gutter?  I am not the one listening at keyholes!"  Ayeka still 
managed to keep her voice at a whisper.

"What keyholes?" Ryoko murmured.  She pressed her ear against the 
bedroom door again.

"Ryoko!"  Ayeka's voice was a sharp whisper.

"Shush.  I'm listening."

Ayeka struggled against her natural curiosity.  She lost.

"Well, if they are not doing...that...what is so hot, then?" she asked 
impatiently.

"Kiyone's trying to get Tris to go with her on Yogami," Ryoko, 
listening at the door intently, whispered back her report.  "He keeps 
saying no, the nut."

"Why?"

"Aw, he doesn't want to get her in Dutch with the GP."

"But that is very sweet of him."

"That's very nuts of him."  Ryoko listened some more.  She grinned.  
"Hah...Kiyone just kissed him.  That'll fix him.  He'll go, whether 
he wants to or not."

Ayeka suddenly realized that she was aiding and abetting Ryoko in 
eavesdropping.  It galled her.

"And we are going now, too!  You have heard enough," she whispered 
sharply.

"Aw..."

"Come on, now.  Or shall I go get Lord Tenchi?"

That convinced Ryoko it was time to leave.  "You're one big party 
pooper, Princess," she muttered with disgust.

"And proud of it!  Now, come on--before they hear us in there."  
Ayeka cast a glance at the closed door. 

"Okay, okay...rats!  And just when things were really getting good, 
too."

Ryoko followed Ayeka down the hallway, away from Tenchi and Tris's 
bedroom door.



Fortunately, Tris and Kiyone were too engrossed in their own 
conversation to have heard any whispering outside the door.

"I really don't think you understand where I come from and what I do, 
Tris," Kiyone told him.

"You're a space cop and you eat donuts at galaxy convenience stores," 
Tris cracked. 

"See?  That's what I mean.  You see everything in Earth terms.  Even 
though you've seen Mihoshi and me in our police uniforms and you've 
even seen Yogami, we're really just a couple of Earth-type girls to 
you...no different than other Earth girls.  Well, mostly, we aren't 
any different.  But we are different in some pretty important ways.  
We don't think of counties, we think of planets.  We don't drive to 
the country, we rocket to a pleasure planet.  Do you see what I 
mean?"

"Well...yeah."  Tris had to acknowledge the truth in what Kiyone was 
saying, although he still didn't see the significance of it.  He was 
quite aware, uncomfortably so, that as far as Kiyone was concerned, 
their relationship was a lot more than something they would more or 
less terminate—-or at least, put on hold—-when he went back to school 
with Tenchi.  Now, that was something he really had to think about.

"You just see me as just another girl, living in Tenchi's home.  
Nothing exotic or different."

"You're exotic and different.  You're outstanding!  And that's what 
I like about you."

Kiyone smiled.  "Thank you.  But you still see me just as a girl, 
nice to look at, maybe, nice to hold, nice to kiss.  But I'm a lot 
more than that.  I have a very responsible position in a galaxy that 
makes your Earth look like a grain of sand on that beach we visited.  
You can't possibly envision what I'm saying unless you get to see at 
least a part of it.  That's why I want you to come with us to GP 
Headquarters and see at least a little of my world.  I want to know 
if you can take the huge difference in technology and lifestyle...or 
whether you're willing to take it."

"Why should I have to take anything?" Tris demanded testily.

"Because, buster, if you're going to keep hanging around me, you're 
going to have to spend some time in my world...or, I should say, 
worlds.  I'll tell you now, Tris Coffin, I'm not about to live my 
whole life on this planet.  I'm willing to spend some of my time here, 
but I must live where I grew up and where I have an important job and 
a good future.  If you want to be with me, you'll have to spend time 
there, too.  After seeing it, you may not want to, frankly."

"Why not?  It sounds like a real sci-fi thrill ride."

"Because you're going to feel like a caveman, first of all, among the 
people there, and that's kind of how they'll see you."  Kiyone gave 
him a sympathetic look.  "We're so technologically advanced compared 
to Earth, it will make your head swim.  Also, lots of different beings 
are members of the Union.  Your planet's silly prejudices between 
people who are the same, really, just with different skin color, will 
seem like nothing compared to having to be around beings who will 
appear like monsters to you."

"Like Rodan?"  Tris had to chuckle, recalling his comment to Tenchi 
before the shopping trip.

"Huh?"

"Never mind."

"Tris, I don't think you're taking this seriously!"  Kiyone had that 
dangerous look in her eyes.  

"I am, too!"

"You are not!"

"Look, I get you.  Feel like a Neanderthal, check.  Get treated like 
I drag my knuckles when I walk, check.  Blow my little mind at the 
sight of funny-looking people, check.  Go postal at the concept of 
something more technologically advanced than The Clapper, check."

"The Clapper?"  Kiyone looked confused.

"You clap it and the lights go out," Tris explained.  "It's great for 
blind dates."

Kiyone grabbed the lapels of Tris's polo shirt.  Her blue eyes blazed.  
"Tris Coffin, I'm going to kill you!"

"Now that's a nice, advanced, civilized attitude.  Sounds like I'll 
feel right at home in your Galactic Union."

Kiyone glared at him for several heartbeats.  Then...she laughed, 
helplessly.  Still holding onto Tris's shirt lapels, she pulled him to 
her and kissed him.  When she released him, she had lost her furious 
expression.

"Listen, you idiot.  I know you're not terribly impressed by my words.  
You need to see what I'm talking about.  If you really care for me, 
you'll do it.  Just for that reason, if no other."

Tris smiled at the beautiful, exotic alien woman.  He leaned forward 
and kissed her back.

"Hey, Blue Eyes, for that reason I'd even put on a white hood and walk 
backwards through East St. Louis.  Besides, like I said, it's the 
thrill of a lifetime to really go star-trekking in outer space."

"Is that a yes?" Kiyone demanded.  

"Ten-four," Tris said.  

"Okay.  But I want you to really drink in what you see and think real 
hard whether or not you can stand being a part of it...or even want to 
be a part of it."

"Right-o."

"Now, one more thing."  Kiyone pushed her pretty face to within a few 
inches of Tris's.  "I want your word, because Tris Coffin has proved 
to everyone that his word is good."

"Word on what?  Good thing you didn't eat onions for supper, by the 
way...ouch!"

Kiyone had affectionately twisted that stupid-looking nose of his.

"All kidding aside, buster.  All joking aside.  As you say, Mihoshi 
and I are taking a big risk taking you along.  We've already taken 
some risks what with Ryoko and all, but this is one risk we're taking 
right to Galaxy Police Headquarters.  So when I give you an order 
during the trip—-you obey!  Instantly!  No back talk, no jokes, no 
hesitation...just obey!  Can you do that?  Will you do that?"

"Can and will."

"You promise?  Seriously?"

"I promise.  Seriously."

Kiyone leaned back.  "Good.  I have your word, then.  Another thing.  
On this trip, Mihoshi is Detective First Class Kuramitsu, not the 
funny little blonde ditz you think you know.  She has a badge and a 
gun and she is authorized to use deadly force when she has to.  But 
she has a problem giving orders.  So, if she asks you to do anything—-
anything—-it's a command.  You obey it!  Got that?"

"Got it." 

"Okay, then."

Kiyone finally relaxed.  What a hardhead Tris was!  She would have to 
work on him a lot, she could see.  But the truth the trip would reveal 
about him was worth the effort.  She was certain of that now.

For his part, Tris wasn't certain of anything.  Sure, the space trip 
would be a real thrill, something so terrifically unique that the 
only Earthlings who had experienced it were Tenchi and his father.  
Taking the trip with Mihoshi and Kiyone would make it all the better.

But the whole thing seemed suspiciously akin to being taken home to 
meet a girl's parents.  Earlier, he had been crushed at the thought of 
ending things with Kiyone.  Now he was feeling a bit antsy about what 
it might mean to keep things going with her.  But his gut said: Go.  
So, he'd go.

"Now give me another kiss, you old piker," Kiyone told Tris.

They kissed.  Kiyone held him very tight and they kissed for a very 
long time.  It was more than just a kiss and they both knew it.

"Who's a piker?" Tris asked, a bit woozily, after they parted.

"You are!  All this time we've been together and I haven't been taken 
on that second date yet."

"Oh, yeah."  Tris chuckled.

"It's not funny!  I'm supposed to be your girlfriend but I've only 
gotten one measly lunch out of you.  That's being a piker!"

"No, that's just being smart and thrifty," Tris corrected her.

Kiyone sighed.  She clenched her right fist and studied her knuckles.  
"Oh, you'll smart all right...and we'll be thrifty with bandages.  One 
bed sheet ought to do..."

"Okay, okay!  Second date coming up."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

"All right--then where are you taking me?"

Tris knew he had to come up with something darned good.

"Um...this place in Okayama City, a restaurant."

"What?  Some burger joint?"  Kiyone looked skeptical.

"Nope.  This place cost so much that for once you won't order the most 
expesnive thing on the menu--because if you do, we'll end up washing 
dishes there to pay off the bill."

"Goodie!"  Kiyone stood up.  "I know just the place you mean.  I've 
always wanted to eat there.  It's a date, then.  Now I'll help you 
pack, Tris.  Just a few items."  She grinned.  "Like your jockey 
shorts!"

"Huh?" Tris asked.

Now, it was Kiyone's turn to say, "Never mind."  She savored his 
confused expression.



Hundreds of light years away, in the blindingly white, coldly 
antiseptic room, the silent and still figure laying on the bed didn't 
as much as twitch a facial muscle.  Yet, inside, the controller was 
laughing like hell.

He had scanned the subject's memory the Earth-night before.  He knew 
of the sudden realization of the victims that they were under 
threat--the fools!  They realized nothing!  Their confusion and 
consternation...that was delicious.  And their continuing failure to 
appreciate the genius, the protean genius that would soon rend them 
into bloody pieces.  That was like a wet dream to him.

It was just what he wanted...the victims running around, trying to 
figure out the doom that faced them, making all the wrong moves, 
finding all the wrong answers, so that they would be crushed by their 
failure.  So let them scurry around for a while, like frightened 
mice.  It would be a pleasure to observe them doing so, through the 
royal whelp's mind.

And then he would strike, titanically, mercilessly, and devastatingly.  
They would die slowly, especially that runaway Juraian prince and that 
snot-nosed grandson of his--Kagato, indeed!  A flesh-and-blood enemy, 
despite his dark powers.  They would learn what it was to fight an 
entity from beyond their very universe, beyond their very conception.

That was the best part, truly.  He was happy there were so many women 
involved this time  They squealed particularly nicely when their limbs 
were pulled from their bodies.  And having that overrated Professor 
Washuu amongst them--wonderful!  He would toy with that one...a slow 
squeeze perhaps, just an experiment, mind you, to see how soon her 
ribs would crack and her eyes would explode from their sockets...

The silent, still figure feasted on such anticipated glory while his 
body lay unmoving.

It was good that he no longer sent out the full power of his mind 
probe--just a low-power probe now to read the royal whelp's mind.  He 
could relax and gauge how things were going with his prey.  And when 
the time was ripe, he would unleash the horror.  It would be the final 
revenge, a revenge that would embroil the very galaxy itself.  Then, 
and only then, he would allow himself to shut off the motor functions 
and finally die.

Truthfully, he sought the sweet black oblivion...sought it like a 
lover...but only when his revenge was complete.  



_________________________________________

CHAPTER NOTES

(1) Yes, three: "Tom Sawyer," "The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn," 
and "Tom Sawyer, Detective."  A fourth novel, tentatively entitled 
"Tom And Huck Among The Indians," was never completed.