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. ------------------------------------------------------ CHAPTER SIXTEEN No Need For a Suspect _____________________ Mihoshi woke up in her tiny apartment at the Compound. Despite her long slumber, she felt groggy and somewhat disoriented. It never became very bright during the day on Vestra, but the dimness outside her apartment's portieres told her it was late in the afternoon. Late afternoon...wasn't she supposed to-- Gosh! She fairly leaped from her bed. Standing, she groaned as her feet protested at her...and her left side, too. She should not have gone to bed still wearing her uniform, especially her regulation boots and her shoulder holster and sidearm. Now she ached in those places. But she had been so sleepy, so overwhelmingly sleepy, that once she had entered her bedroom to undress, all she could do was stretch out on the bed and sack out. Now she felt kind of grungy in her uniform and her mouth tasted funny. She had not eaten either. She was achy, hungry, and grungy. Oh, gosh... But Mihoshi also remembered that she was supposed to contact her and Kiyone's landlady, that Mrs. Uleana, about sub-leasing their apartments. And she needed to do it while Mrs. Uleana was still in the office she maintained in a nearby building she also owned. Otherwise, Mihoshi would have to call the woman at home, which was a bad idea--Mrs. Uleana had yelled at her once for doing so. Mihoshi hated to be yelled at. So, although Mihoshi dearly wanted to undress and take a bath and put on something comfortable and pretty, she knew she should contact Mrs. Uleana first. Sighing, the blonde Galaxy Police officer sat on her bed and slipped off her boots. Her feet were a little happier now. She also un-slung her shoulder holster and deposited it and the heavy blaster pistol on a tiny chair beside her dressing table. The chair had a pink cushion, and the dressing table was cream white with little pink flowers. Mihoshi just loved pink. She also loved the people whose pictures adorned that dressing table: her father, her three brothers...and Tenchi. Actually, that last picture was originally of Tenchi flanked by Princess Ayeka and Ryoko (both of them had insisted in getting in the picture, too). Mihoshi simply had the Princess and the space pirate cropped from the picture afterward. She loved them both, but she didn't particularly want to have them on her dressing table. Besides, some visitor might have recognized Ryoko, and, anyway, their expressions as they had looked at her taking the picture had been kind of funny. Looking at those she loved most particularly always boosted Mihoshi's spirits. Now she would need to add Tris's picture to the table. She would have to find a way. But Kiyone, her best friend, wasn't like Ayeka and Ryoko. Kiyone would let her take a picture of Tris by himself. Kiyone understood...well, mostly. Mihoshi couldn't help but feel a pang as she stared at Tenchi's picture. She had been obliged to give up any notion of being Tenchi's girlfriend long ago and just be his good friend, which had been hard, because she loved him. Now, although she loved Tris in much the same way, she would also have to treat him like another friend. It seemed so unfair, but Mihoshi knew it was nobody's fault. Kiyone told her often that someday she would fall in love with a boy and he would be all hers. In the meantime, she could still be close to Tenchi and now Tris, and that was something, anyway. She suddenly wished she had brought Trissy to her apartment...she wanted to hug her plush pooch, very much. Now she smiled happily as she looked at the pictures of her Daddy and her three big brothers. They were so handsome! She was so proud of them all. It was kind of odd, she supposed, what with her Grandfather being Grand Marshall of the GP, that neither her Daddy nor her brothers were in the GP. But they were fiercely independent, real men, and Mihoshi sure understood that. Daddy (actually, he was a Lord, but Mihoshi never used those silly titles) was Counselor to her planet's ruling tribunal, and her brothers also held high positions in the tribunal's bureaucracy. Being of their planet's landed aristocracy, they could have all just lived off their wealth, but her men would never had done that. Two of her brothers were married and her youngest brother, Mezim, was engaged to be married. Her eldest brother, Takei, and his wife were expecting a child shortly. Soon Mihoshi would be an aunt! She loved the idea. Nieces and nephews to love and spoil...it would be wonderful! Of course, she wanted her own babies, eventually, but that would come in time. Spoiled. Mihoshi remembered how Ryoko had accused her of being spoiled by her Daddy and her brothers. Although Mihoshi had denied the charge, privately she had to admit...maybe it was true. After her Mommy died, Daddy and her brothers had closed ranks around her. They had tried to give her the love and support they imagined she missed from not having Mommy around anymore. They could not replace Mommy, but they sure tried hard! Mihoshi recalled how, because she was kind of slow in school, the older boys teased her and pushed her on the ground a lot. She never told on them, but, somehow, her brothers had found out and the mean boys had let her alone. Trouble was, all the boys left her alone after that, even boys she had liked and had wished would walk her home from school and take her to parties. The girls her age had also treated her differently, because of her brothers and the fact she had that silly title. She'd had only a few close girlfriends, not many, and the friendships hadn't lasted. Mihoshi believed it had been her fault. She always forced herself to be happy around people, even when she wasn't happy inside, so they'd like her. It was an ingrained habit now. Maybe her childhood friends hadn't liked that about her. Maybe she had not seemed very sincere to them. Mihoshi still didn't know and it hurt to think about it. At any rate, when she had left planet Kawaiidan with its lovely warm sun and lush greenery (Mihoshi had been a sun-worshipper and had acquired a permanent tan as a result) to attend the Galaxy Police Academy, the only ones to see her off were Daddy and her brothers. It had been so sad, but at least she had had her four men...and still did. Now she had lots of real friends—-Sasami and, of course, Kiyone and even Ryoko and Ayeka and Washuu. She felt very close to Tenchi's Daddy and Tenchi's wonderful wise grandfather and Juraian Prince, Lord Yosho. And there were Tenchi and Tris. They liked her a lot, she knew, and that was kind of wonderful. Mihoshi smiled at her reflection in the mirror of her dressing table. And it all happened because she and Kiyone had fought and she had angrily and weepily left her partner to go chase that most-wanted space pirate, Ryoko...chase her all the way to a real noplace called Earth. Gosh! She had to contact the landlady! Mihoshi hurried to her living room (it took about four steps in that tiny place) and stood before her front door security panel. She checked the visitor indicator. No, no one had stopped by. It was silly, but she had kind of hoped Tris would have, although that would have been strictly against Kiyone's orders and foolish besides. But Tris could be a foolish boy sometimes--which made him so endearing to Mihoshi. She sighed and tapped a few touchpads on the panel. The security panel suddenly began serving its other function, as a comm device. The viewscreen now no longer showed the hallway outside Mihoshi's front door. It was filled with the fat, dumpy gray face of Mrs. Uleana. The Vertran landlady did not appear happy to see Mihoshi. "Yes, girl, what do you want?" Mrs. Uleana asked. Mihoshi couldn't help but feel a tiny bit of irritation. She was a Galaxy Police officer and a grown woman--yet Mrs. Uleana treated her like some errant schoolgirl. But she smiled her brightest smile and said, "I'm sorry to bother you, ma'am. Kiyone and I just came in—-" "Yes, yes, I know. Security told me. Not fired yet, eh? Good. Now, what do you want?" It was hard to keep smiling. There was no getting around about it. Mrs. Uleana was kind of mean. "Kiyone and I...we'd like to sublease our apartments, please." Mrs. Uleana laughed, snorting. "So that pushy little friend of yours finally sees reality, eh? About time!" It was awful how the Vestrans knew everything that went on in GP Headquarters, Mihoshi reflected. The Vestrans seemed to have no respect for the people they lived off of...only contempt. "Look, why don't you silly girls just give up the apartments, eh? I'll cancel the lease right now. Lots of people with real jobs at the Headquarters need a place to stay and don't want to chance the insecurity of subleasing. How about it?" Mihoshi hesitated. Mean as she might be, Mrs. Uleana was talking sense now. It was foolish to keep apartments they had no use for. Even if this Klove case got them their rank back, there was no guarantee that they would be reassigned to Headquarters. There were plenty of Sergeant jobs that would send them all over the galaxy. Although Mihoshi respected Kiyone terribly, she knew that her partner was living a kind of pipe dream, really. Certainly, judging from the way that mean Sergeant Katzaar acted, hardly anyone at Headquarters wanted them back. Yet...Mihoshi knew how much the hope of returning to Headquarters meant to Kiyone. There was no way Mihoshi would spoil that hope. "No, ma'am, not right now. Maybe later. But we'd sure like to sublease now." Mrs. Uleana looked at her disbelievingly though the viewscreen. "You let yourself be guided by that big-mouthed partner of yours. Why not just give up your lease and let her go hang? You ought to, girl. With your grandfather, you have some standing around here and you could end up being re-assigned here. I'll find you a place to stay, never fear, if you are. But that partner of yours...I hear a lot and she's headed for the scrap heap. Mark my words, girl. She's poison to herself and anyone around her." Tears formed in Mihoshi's eyes. The awful gossip! All the Vestrans did was gossip about folks in the GP, it seemed...and now they gossiped about Kiyone. She resolutely blinked her tears away. It was vital—-absolutely vital—-that they sublease their apartments. Tenchi's father needed the money, awfully. Hotly defending Kiyone, no matter how she ached to do it, would just antagonize Mrs. Uleana and the landlady would just terminate the connection. So, with a supreme effort, Mihoshi only said: "I'll...I'll mark your words, ma'am. Thank you. But I'm with Kiyone still, so for the time being we'd still like to sublease." "Very well. Just don't say I didn't warn you. As it happens, two newly arrived officers need a place to stay and can't be picky about the lease terms. You two be out of your apartments by day after tomorrow and I'll move them in. You want your stuff put in storage?" "Yes, ma'am. Thank you, ma'am." "And you're willing to sublease just for the amount of your lease?" "Yes ma'am." Mrs. Uleana snorted. "So foolish! I could squeeze a few more Jurais out of them if you'd be willing to wait." "I know, ma'am. But we can't wait." "Broke, are you?" "Ummmm...things are a little tight, ma'am." Mihoshi thought it best to be upfront with the landlady. Besides, Mrs. Uleana probably knew their financial situation anyway. She had access to credit reports on both her and Kiyone. "That partner of yours! Poison! And here you are, Lady Mihoshi of Kawaiidan." Mrs. Uleana always found out everything she could about her tenants. She would have been a superb GP officer. "Does your father, Lord Botaki, know about your situation? I won't even ask whether your poor grandfather knows." There went Mrs. Uleana again, treating her like a baby! "That really is my business, ma'am. Thank you for subleasing our apartments. Will you have our allotments stopped, please?" "Yes, yes. Well, I tried to help you. You remember that, girl. Out." Mrs. Uleana's unattractive face vanished from the viewscreen. Mihoshi took a moment, and allowed the hurtful and angry tears to flow down her cheeks. She sobbed a little...just a little. Poor Kiyone! Her name was mud now. Mihoshi knew her grandfather would favor her breaking off from Kiyone. He had hinted as much after the demotion. But Mihoshi had insisted she be teamed with Kiyone still. But now, if even Mrs. Uleana was spreading dirt about Kiyone, it wouldn't be long until Grandfather would insist that she have a new partner. It would break Mihoshi's heart but it would also salvage her GP career and that was an unassailable fact. It was also a nasty, mean fact. Mihoshi thrust it aside. She and Kiyone would make an arrest in that Klove case--they would--and that would lead to their vindication. So there! Now it was time for that nice bath. As the tanned, blue-eyed, blonde-haired GP officer undressed, she perked up enough to hum a little tune. It was the tune to "The Brady Bunch" of all things. Mihoshi smiled as she thought of how the little girl with the pigtails in that show kind of resembled Sasami. If she had known then what Kiyone had discovered in the Records Depository at GP Headquarters, Mihoshi would not have hummed at all. In fact, she may not have even bothered to get out of bed. "So your father's taking those people to a real quality joint, huh?" Ryoko asked Tenchi. The two of them were sitting on a couch in the living room, watching television after dinner. At least, Tenchi was trying to watch television. The program on the tube was "Chibi Maruko-chan," an anime that was a ratings smash according to Video Research (Japan's equivalent of the Nielsen ratings) on Fuji TV. Everyone talked about it. Tenchi thought the storyline--about an irritating little girl who bedeviled her poor grandfather and lived a selfishly riotous life with her cronies--was pretty hard going. Ryoko thought it was cute, but Tenchi was cuter. Tenchi gave up on "Maruki"—-he hit the "mute" button on the remote control. "Yeah. It's a really nice restaurant. Dad and Grandfather will be meeting Mr. Horibuchi and Mrs. Takanawa there. I hope they like Dad's idea. He needs both of them to get the new business off the ground." "Oh, with your Grandfather there, your Dad'll do fine. A few homey platitudes from Lord Yosho and he'll have those Earthlings eating from his hand. You know that." "I don't know that, Ryoko, and I'm an Earthling too...remember?" "Oh, but you're special. You're Lord Tenchi, from Jurai." Ryoko snuggled against him. "And you're the sweetest boy around." "I'm Lord Tenchi by happenstance. I'm not from Jurai. Anyway, Mr. Horibuchi and Mrs. Takanawa are very nice people. If they throw in with Dad, we're lucky." "Okay, okay. But they will. It's a good deal for them. Hey, let's watch wrestling...what do you say?" "I say--you have a nerve, Ryoko!" It wasn't Tenchi speaking, but Ayeka, who had just stepped into the room. "Great. Here come the sermon," Ryoko muttered. "I turn my back for five minutes to help Sasami in the kitchen...and you have poor Lord Tenchi watching rubbish on television and now you want him to watch worse rubbish!" Ayeka seemed to be working herself up into a good scold. "Um...Ayeka, I picked this show," Tenchi told the Princess gently. "Yeah! So nuts to you!" Ryoko added ungently. "But...Lord Tenchi, really. Anime! That is what I expect Sasami and Mihoshi to watch." Ayeka realized her flub but decided to hold her ground. Lord Tenchi would have to learn to watch programs that did not demean him. "Not all anime is "Pokemon," Ayeka. Some of it is for adults," Tenchi said. "Lord Tenchi!" Ayeka looked shocked. "Oh, I didn't mean that!" Ryoko laughed. This was better than wrestling! "I just meant that the storylines and plots in anime reflect real life sometimes, even if the backgrounds are fantastic." Tenchi knew Ayeka meant well, but she was narrow-minded at times, and she should not try to impose her values on him. It was not the first time she had tried to do just that. He was not a high school kid anymore and he neither required nor wanted Ayeka's monitoring, even if her intentions were good. "As you say, Lord Tenchi." Ayeka retreated in her usual diffident manner. In doing so, she gave the distinct impression that she was sacrificing the truth to keep the peace. Tenchi had always found that pose irritating. Tonight he found it especially irritating. "Ayeka, if you agree with me, that's fine. But if you don't, say so. I won't get mad and frankly I'd like it better." Tenchi tried to keep his voice even, but a little of his irritation came through. "I..." Ayeka seemed at a loss. "I suppose I had better go see if Sasami still needs help in the kitchen." Just as the Princess turned, Sasami walked into the living room. "I don't need help, Ayeka. The dishes are all done. Thanks, anyway. What are you all watching? Oohhhh, it's anime! Is it good, Tenchi?" "Some of us think so," Ryoko said, looking at Ayeka. "And some of us don't." "She didn't ask you, Ryoko," Tenchi told her. "Yes, sweetums." "In fact, it's very highly rated." Tenchi pushed the "mute" button. The television responded with sound. "Why don't you watch it with Ryoko? You deserve a break, Sasami." "Can I? Great!" Sasami walked over and sat on the couch with Tenchi and Ryoko. Ayeka looked at them with a helpless expression. She turned her back to them, so they couldn't see her face. It was a typical move on her part. "Ryoko," Tenchi said. "Will you stay here and watch TV with Sasami?" "Yeah, sure, sweetums. You know I like the Junior Princess." "Thanks, Ryoko," Sasami said happily. An aggravated noise issued from Ayeka, but no spoken words. Her back was still turned to them. "Okay, I'll hold you to it." Tenchi stood up. "Ayeka. Let's go outside for a moment. Okay?" Ayeka quivered, almost imperceptibly. But she answered, "Yes, Lord Tenchi." Tenchi walked to the front door and opened it. He waited for the Princess. Ayeka silently walked to the genkan, removed her house slippers, slipped into her sandals, and stepped into the gloom of evening. Tenchi followed suit, sliding the door closed behind them. "What's up? Where are they going?" Sasami asked worriedly. "Awww...Tenchi's going to tell your big sister a thing or two. She was being a pain. Again." "Oh," Sasami said. "I understand." "I know you do. That's why I like you, kiddo." "I'm glad you do, Ryoko. If I tell you something...you won't get mad at me, will you?" Now Ryoko punched the "mute" button. "Naw, I can take it--from you, anyway. Fire away." "Ryoko, I think Ayeka is still awfully embarrassed and humiliated over all that business with Professor Klove. He made her look real vulnerable, you know? I think she thinks Tenchi sees her as maybe being...well, unstable. Meanwhile, you've been just fine, Ryoko. I think Ayeka feels she's on the verge of losing Tenchi forever and, well...you shouldn't be so hard on her." "Hard on her? She gives as good as she gets!" "Does she, Ryoko? Lately?" "Well..." Ryoko mulled over Sasami's words. It wasn't in her best interest to ease up on the Princess. But Ayeka had been made to look pretty marginal lately and it wasn't her fault. Maybe she should cut the Princess some slack, just a little, until this Klove business was finished. Then the gloves could come off again. That was only fighting fair...and Tenchi would appreciate it, Ryoko knew. "No, she's been pretty swamped, I guess. Okay, Sasami. I'll keep what you said in mind." "I'm glad." Sasami sounded relieved. "Hey...this little Maruki chick is something else! Look at her tear into those dumb guys. Reminds me of me when I was growing up." Ryoko punched the "mute" button again and they both could hear the show now as well as view it. Sasami watched the TV screen. "Uh-huh. But she should treat her grandfather nicer. Poor man." "Awww, Junior Princess. You think everybody should treat everybody nice." "Yes, I do," Sasami said seriously. Many light years away, Tris didn't have the option of watching what passed for television in the Galactic Union. But the reading material he had brought proved to be a more than acceptable alternative. He had finished "Horror-Wood," and was trying to plow thorough "Popular-ongaku Kenkyu" magazine, an annual journal that covered Japanese pop music, a topic that interested him. His reading skills in Japanese were still not very advanced and he found himself re-reading segments repeatedly to ensure he had grasped their meaning. It didn't help that the prose was the usual academic Japanese—-example: "The unique beauties of poetry and music respectively make for a successful marriage, and create a new aesthetic value, and an original poetic beauty for the song"—-the song was one composed by Prevert, for goodness sake! Suddenly Tris again heard the tones that informed him that the front door panel was being pressed outside. He rose from the couch and walked over to the front door security panel. He peered into the viewscreen. Kiyone stood there in the hallway. What? She was back already? He grinned. He pressed a touchpad that Kiyone had foolishly shown him earlier. The tone sounded again...and again. Outside, Kiyone was getting damned impatient. She didn't want to just walk in on Tris, but she would if he didn't open the damned door. Tris didn't open the damned door. Kiyone growled to herself. She pressed her hand fully on the panel...that would open the door. But it didn't. Then Kiyone understood. She had showed Tris the lockout tab that would prevent anyone, except the landlady, from opening the door. It was a little-used security enhancement--and Tris had used it. "Tris!" Kiyone said. "Open the door." Her voice carried clearly into her apartment via the security panel, thanks to the outside audio inputs. "Forget it, Detective Split Ends," Tris said into the panel, which broadcast his voice into the hallway. "You're too mean." "Arrrrgghhh—-" "See?" "Tris!" "Okay...but say the password first." "What password? Listen, you—-" "Hey, my girlfriend told me how important security is. She thinks everybody is out to get her. So you may be a Kiyone look-alike, a spy trying to see if Kiyone makes her bed or something. So you have to say the password." "I'm in no mood for this!" "Nope. That's not the password." "Okay. I'm gonna count to ten...and if you don't open that door, I'll knock you silly—-even sillier than you are—-" "Gee, you sure sound like Kiyone, I'll admit that. Hey, I know! Smile." "Huh?" "Smile for me, strange lady. My Kiyone has the prettiest and nicest smile in the galaxy. That's because she's wonderful, even though she does get mad awful easy." Standing outside the door, Kiyone fumed for a second or two. Then she gave up. Besides, Tris did say something really sweet. It did kind of perk her up and she needed perking up in the worst way. She smiled. "Ahhh, that's my Kiyone all right. No faking that smile." The door slid open. Still smiling, Kiyone walked in. Tris stood there. She jabbed him in the chest. "Ow!" "When I say open the door—-open it!" "Uh-huh...you just gave me plenty of incentive to do that," Tris told her. "Sure I'll open the door next time." Kiyone turned and punched the security panel touchpad to close the door. As the door slid shut, her eyes fell on the indicator. "Hey, we had a visitor. Who was it?" "Not sure." Rubbing his chest tenderly, Tris briefly sketched out a description of the visitor. "She sort of looked like that Mitsuki, from what you've told me about her." "Mitsuki!" Kiyone stopped smiling. "Sure it was her—-that bitch! Checking up on me!" "You think so? She could send someone else to do that. Why be so obvious about it?" "Well..." Kiyone had to admit that Mitsuki would hardly check up on her personally. That was a job for a flunky. "Then why did she come by—-and it was her, no doubt. There's no one else on the GP staff who looks like her." "No other ravishing redheads, huh?" "Ravishing?" Kiyone eyed him narrowly. "You found her attractive?" "She's a doll." "Hah! Then go date her!" "Can't. My jealous girlfriend holds me prisoner in her apartment." "You—-!" Kiyone began to swing at him, but Tris dodged. Then she laughed. "You big dummy!" "No, that's when I'm outside this apartment. Remember?" Kiyone grinned. Her anger and irritation had vanished. "Okay, Tris, you got me good and maybe I kind of deserved it. But, seriously--why do you think Mitsuki came by?" "You're asking me?" "Of course I'm asking you, clown! There's no one else here." Kiyone was becoming nettled again. "Well, gosh, pretty lady, since you value my opinion all that much..." "Just answer the question!" "Okay. But you're going to think I'm crazy." "I already think you're crazy. Spill it." "Maybe she wanted to...just talk," Tris ventured hesitantly. "Talk? To me? You're dreaming." "Huh-uh. If I was dreaming, we wouldn't be standing here talking, boy." Tris waggled his eyebrows at her. "Get your mind back on the subject! Talk about what?" "Talk about what she did to you and Mihoshi...and maybe how to make things right without deep-sixing her own career." Tris looked at Kiyone meaningfully. "That's a laugh! Tris, you're like Mihoshi sometimes. You think people are willing to do the right thing. I'm a cop and I know they aren't. You have to force them." Kiyone's expression was dour. "And Mitsuki would need a blaster put to her head to tell the truth. She has too much to lose now." "Well, maybe a blaster at her head beats what's going on inside her now. Do the words "guilt" and "remorse" mean anything to you, Officer?" "Yes they do, Tris. But I don't think they mean much to Mitsuki." "All the same, perhaps you two should try to talk." "Forget it," Kiyone said firmly. "Somehow, the truth will come out and that bitch will get hung up to dry. That's what I'm looking forward to." Kiyone saw Tris's expression and relented. "Well...I'm not looking forward to that, exactly. Just vindication, and my rank back." "This Klove case ought to accomplish that, right?" "No, it won't." Kiyone's voice and expression were grim. "That hope is dashed, Tris. That's why I'm home so soon. Just one record check and a few comm calls and the whole thing fell apart." "Really? What happened, Blue Eyes?" Tris's voice was soft and sympathetic and he had used his pet name for her. Kiyone felt she was unraveling from being bound up too tightly. She slipped her arms around Tris and held him close. Tris slipped his arms around her. She pressed her face against his shoulder "Hoo-boy...!" Kiyone's voice was muffled from his shoulder. "What a rotten day! First, I get the cold shoulder from nearly everyone at Headquarters. Then I read the record on the Klove case. I couldn't believe it, Tris. The investigation is hopeless at this end and probably hopeless, period. We may not be able to help Ayeka at all." "What did the record say?" Tris asked quietly. "Is it okay if I wait until Mihoshi comes with the food? I don't want to have to say it twice. Once will be bad enough!" "It's okay. I'm sorry you had such a tough time." Kiyone raised her head from his shoulder. "You're a darling. You haven't kissed me yet, you know." "You're right." Tris remedied that. Kiyone clung to him and kissed him back, long and deep. "Tris," she murmured when they came up for air. "Let me slip out of this uniform and into something a little less starchy. I'll be back in two shakes, okay?" "Okay. Need any help?" Kiyone laughed. "No, you clown!" Still smiling—-the goofball had made her feel a little better, already—-Kiyone walked to her bedroom...and firmly closed the door behind her. It was the most lovely of spring evenings outside the Masaki home. The sun had set, so that eventide's deep purple fell, not only over sleepy garden walls, but all over the landscape as well. The air was warm and pleasant and perfumed with emerging flowers. It was rather as if a gentle and thoughtful Keeper had covered the birdcage called Earth with a dark veil, allowing all the fluttering and chirping--- and bird-brained--beings in the cage a chance for a night's sweet repose. Except that the insects weren't cooperating. Led by the cicadas, they had set up their usual evening's combination aerial display, light show, and concert. Standing sturdily at their posts beside the gate and observing the Princess standing outside the house with Lord Tenchi, Azaka II and Kamidake II both blinked with interest, but otherwise continued their sotto-voce discussion as to why cicadas buzzed so darned much. Tenchi and Ayeka had walked just beyond the house and then had stopped, with the Princess in the lead. Tenchi now looked at Ayeka's back. He noticed the rather large bow she tied off the sash of her robed gown with. It was formal and pretty...like Ayeka. He decided to start the conversation. "Ayeka. I want to apologize." "Apologize?" Ayeka was surprised. She was prepared for a dressing- down for being a scold, not for being apologized to...not by Lord Tenchi. She turned to face him. "Whatever for, Lord Tenchi?" "I was too abrupt with you in there, Ayeka. I did mean what I said. But I could have said it...well, nicer I guess. I know you were brought up a certain way and that you have been raised to avoid quarreling and making scenes." "Yes. It is the way I am...and I cannot change." Tenchi stepped closer to her. "You can change a little, Ayeka. You have, you know, since you first came here." "Have I, Lord Tenchi?" "I think you have. You don't fight quite so often with Ryoko and when you do, it's low-key--if not low-volume!" "I am quite ashamed of my past behavior with that woman, Lord Tenchi. It was unseemly. I have made that clear, I hope." Ayeka did not like being reminded of her firefights with the space pirate. It was humiliating now to think of how she must have seemed to Lord Tenchi and Lord Yosho and all the rest--using her scared Juraian powers to try to restrain that Ryoko. Even little Sasami, no matter how provoked, would never had done such things. It was Ayeka's love for Lord Tenchi that had caused her to go a bit...wild...back then. But that was no excuse. "Ayeka, I'm not dredging up the past. I'm just saying you've changed and you can keep changing, a little. You've really taken us under your wing. You're the mistress of our home, without a doubt. You and Sasami clean, cook our meals, and look after us. Those aren't the things a stuck-up, snooty Princess would do, despite what Ryoko says sometimes. We all know that. I know that." "Oh, Lord Tenchi. Do you feel that way...truly?" Ayeka stared up at Tenchi, her expression hopeful but uncertain. "Yes, I do. And if you can change the way you have, you can learn to assert yourself with me. Really, I don't mean let's argue, but if you don't agree with me, let's discuss it. Don't carry the conversation up to a certain point, and then just retreat into politeness. I might be wrong about what we're talking about, you know. If so, you need to set me straight." "I think I understand. I suppose it is better to settle something rather than to leave it unsettled." "Sure it is. Like tonight. If you had sat down and watched that program with us and afterwards you still thought it was unsuitable viewing for grownups, then you could have said so, and at least you would have watched it first. Do you see?" Ayeka smiled ruefully. "Yes, indeed, I do see, Lord Tenchi. I wonder why that did not occur to me." Tenchi touched Ayeka's arm gently. "Don't dwell on that. Just let it occur to you the next time." Ayeka colored at Tenchi's touch. "Is that...all you wished to discuss with me?" "Sure. What else?" "Ohhhh--I am so glad!" Ayeka burst out. She turned her head. "Ayeka..." Tenchi gently touched her face and turned it toward him. Ayeka was crying. "Whoa, now! You didn't think I was...Ayeka!" "Well, I have been so...infirm, lately...and not very nice to be around. I thought you might ask me to..." "Not a chance." Tenchi was firm. "You don't get away that easy!" Ayeka smiled tentatively through her tears. She had no intention of getting away...not now. "I'll make my choice as I've promised you two and then we'll see," Tenchi told her firmly. "You'll always be part of our family, Ayeka. You remember that, okay?" "Yes...I mean, okay, Lord Tenchi." "And if you think this problem with that Professor Klove has lowered you in my eyes, you're just plain wrong. You were a helpless little girl back then and he victimized you. But nothing he or anyone else can do can defeat you, Ayeka. You've proven that. You've helped Dad bounce back and gave us all hope for the future. You did that, Ayeka, even after you were attacked. No matter how things end up...you'll always be First Princess to me." In response, Ayeka's ruby eyes shimmered and more tears flowed. But they were tears of joy. Tenchi took out his handkerchief and gently wiped away her tears. Ayeka sighed, suddenly happy and contented. "I guess we'd better go back inside," Tenchi said, taking Ayeka by the hand. "No doubt Ryoko's switched the channel to wrestling by now." "If she has done that, with Sasami there—-!" Ayeka began angrily. Then she looked at Tenchi. She laughed, and he joined her. "Well, we can find something more suitable to watch, can we not?" "Sure," said Tenchi. "Maybe that violent cop show where they crash half a dozen cars every episode." "Ohhhh! Lord Tenchi, what shall I do with you?" It was purely a rhetorical question, of course. Ayeka knew exactly what she would do with Lord Tenchi. She would love him to the day she died. Azaka II and Kamidake II watched the Princess and Lord Tenchi walk, hand-in-hand, back to the house. "I wish Lord Tenchi would hurry up and marry the Princess," Azaka II commented. "I would not mind staying on this planet...even despite all these cicadas." "It is incomprehensible why humans do not attend to such matters with more dispatch," Kamidake II replied. "But they do seem to take some enjoyment in the process itself. It is no matter, though. The Princess is safe and she is happy." "Indeed." Tris had just sat down on the couch after packing his magazines back into his overnight bag when the door of Kiyone's bedroom opened, and Kiyone stepped out. Tris dropped the overnight bag. He stood up and stared at her. It was quite a change from Kiyone's stiff and formal uniform look. She was wearing a soft lavender short-sleeved v-neck sweater, tight pants of some glossy navy-blue material, and she was barefoot. To the proper and formal-minded Kiyone, the height of kicking back and relaxing was being able to take off shoes or boots and go barefoot. It was an indication of her deep regard for Tris that she did so in his presence. "I just put on my lay-around clothes," Kiyone told him, although she certainly appreciated the way he looked at her. She had also quickly brushed her long, glossy teal hair so that it hung softly down her shoulders and she had added a smidgen of lip gloss to her lips. That was all, but that was enough. "I like the way you lay around, then," Tris said. "Clown! Let's sit down on the couch." Tris sat down with dispatch. Kiyone sat down next to him, so that not even an air molecule separated them. She slipped her arms around his neck and pulled him down to her, so that she was resting her head against the bolster on the couch's padded arm. It was a most comfortable and convenient position for some serious necking, which was what Kiyone intended. She kissed Tris's silly, cute nose and then kissed his cheeks softly. She whispered, "I don't know about you...but I think we ought to get caught up on all the kissing we were cheated out of by all those interruptions back on Earth. What do you think?" "I think," Tris murmured, "that's one darned fine idea." "Good boy..." They kissed, slowly, exploringly...then they began to melt against each other...their lips meshed together, again and again. Kiyone held Tris closer. Their kiss deepened. It took a long time to conclude that kiss, and when they did, they plunged right in again. Tris and Kiyone kissed slowly and dreamily. They really were making up for lost time. Kissing Kiyone was absolutely intoxicating to Tris. He couldn't recall ever having a woman so warm and soft, so sweet and giving, press against him and merge with him, somehow. It wasn't just desire, he knew, although there was certainly plenty of that smoldering around. Suddenly, Tris felt Kiyone's mouth press more insistently against his...he felt her lips part against his...then...he felt her tongue, very timidly, slip into his mouth. His tongue met hers. Now his head was really spinning. They both moaned a little. Their tongues intermingled softly, in their fused mouths. Tris was woozy when they broke off what had become a pretty torrid French kiss. "Oh, Tris...I hope you don't think that I'm...kind of wanton," Kiyone whispered. "I don't. I didn't know the people from your world--you know-- French-kissed." "Well, we don't call it that. But we do kiss that way...if we feel very deeply about whom we're kissing." "Feeling deeply is right," Tris said. "Wow!" "I've wanted to kiss you like that for a while now," Kiyone told him. "I just didn't have the nerve...until now." Tris softly stroked Kiyone's silken teal hair. "Why now...not that I'm complaining." "Everything just seemed to crash and burn today. You're one thing that's good in my life, Tris. I just wanted to show you how I feel." "You have lots of good things in your life, Kiyone." "You think so? I don't." "I know so. Even if this Klove thing is a washout, there'll be other cases. Your chance will come again. Just don't go postal or anything, and it'll be all right. Really." "Maybe you're right. I feel awfully good now, I'll admit." Kiyone began to kiss Tris's face again, lingering on his nose. "I can't stop kissing you. I don't want to stop kissing you. Let's just stay like this and Mihoshi can have our dinner." "Hey...aren't you hungry?" "Yes, I am." Kiyone's lips now found his ear. She whispered, "But it's not food I'm hungry for, darling. You know what I mean...don't you?" Tris had a hell of a good idea what Kiyone meant. "Kiyone! Yow! Don't tease a guy like that--!" "I'm not teasing," Kiyone whispered in his ear. "Now, I'll call Mihoshi and tell her to stay at her place and then we'll--" It was not to be. The familiar tones sounded, indicating a visitor at the door. "Damn it!" Kiyone cried. "Oh, damn it, Mihoshi. You would come now!" "It may not be Mihoshi," Tris reminded her. "Yipes!" Kiyone sprang from the couch and sprinted to the foyer. She stared at the security panel's viewscreen. "Phew! Yes, it's our ding-dong. Thank goodness! She's carrying a bag...probably with our food. Hey, she's also carrying her travel bag. What the hell?" "You better let her in and then find out what the hell," Tris said. He groaned to himself. Boy...to get all hot and bothered, and then--! "You don't mind?" Kiyone looked at him solicitously. "Sure I do. But we can wait. Mihoshi's stomach can't." The door's tones sounded again. "You're right." Kiyone gave him an ardent and apologetic look. "I guess we're having dinner after all." When Nobuyuki and Lord Yosho returned home from their own dinner with Seji and Reiko, both were all smiles. "Success, right?" Tenchi guessed, grinning. "That's right, son. Success!" "It was a most productive dinner...and tasty as well," Lord Yosho added. "All right!" Ryoko said. "Now you're in business." "Just about. A few details still to work out," Nobuyuki said. He and his father-in-law moved deeper into the living room, away from the genkan. Nobuyuki wore a business suit, as expected...and Lord Yosho had exchanged his Shinto priest robes on this one occasion for a suit as well. Lord Yosho had worn the suit to ensure his son-in- law's prospective business partners would be entirely at their ease around him. He looked quite distinguished in a Cambridge gray suit and red silk foulard tie. Ayeka, in particular, seemed to find him rather fascinating, dressed in that fashion. "But they agreed--didn't they, sir?" Sasami asked. "Yes, Sasami. They agreed. It's all set," Nobuyuki assured the little Princess. "And they know they have financing?" Ayeka queried. "They do. They don't know where from, but they're happy to have a business loan already approved." Nobuyuki smiled at Ayeka. Yosho chuckled. "That's well said, son-in-law." "Thanks, father-in-law. Where's Washuu?" "In her lab. Go get her, Ryoko," Tenchi said. "Okay." Ryoko began to turn around--and almost bumped into the great scientist herself. "No one has to get me...I'm here," Washuu said unnecessarily. "I heard you all come in." She walked to Nobuyuki. "You pulled it off, didn't you, Nobie?" "Father-in-law and I did, Washuu." "Oh, I just ate and listened," Yosho insisted. "My son-in-law got their enthusiasm high, built up their egos, and sold them on the venture. Quite a performance." "It doesn't surprise me a bit...Nobie." Washuu smiled up at Nobuyuki. "I told you that you had the right stuff in you." Tenchi noted that his father and Washuu were gazing into each other's eyes. Uh-oh. He'd have to have a long talk with his Dad about that sometime real soon... "So the Mach Five didn't poop out on you, huh?" he asked his father and grandfather, referring to the family's ancient Subaru wagon. Nobuyuki chuckled. "I doubt if Tristram would have approved of the car's performance tonight. But the old girl got us to the train station and back." Neither he nor Yosho had wanted to take the bus to the train this time around. "That is a faithful old car," Yosho commented. "It's rather like Tristram's car, in that respect." Nobuyuki grinned. "Imagine, father-in-law--if we had shown up at the restaurant in Tristram's wonderful old car! Would we have impressed them, or what?" Lord Yosho smiled. "At the very least, we would have surprised them." "Say!" Sasami interjected. "I know we've all eaten. But doesn't a cup of tea sound good?" "It sure does, Sasami," Nobuyuki said. "Then we can sit at the dining table and father-in-law and I can tell you all about it." "That's a deal, Dad," Tenchi said. All of them—-Lord Yosho, Nobuyuki, Tenchi, Washuu, Ayeka, Ryoko, and Sasami—-walked to the dining room, talking and laughing, as if they had all achieved a triumph that evening. And, in a way, they had. Dinner at Kiyone's apartment on the planet Vestra found its three participants feeling less than triumphant, however...especially after Kiyone told Mihoshi and Tris what the Galaxy Police's "close-hold" records about the Klove affair had revealed. "Gosh...no suspect...no case...gosh, Kiyone." Sitting at Kiyone's tiny dining table, Mihoshi was blinking back tears. Not for herself, but for her partner. She remembered what mean old Mrs. Uleana had said. They needed a good case like that to crack, and soon or Mihoshi might be reassigned to another partner. And Kiyone might then be pressured to resign. So upset was Mihoshi that most of her food remained on her plate. It was a shame. She had shopped at the corner store so carefully for yummy things she felt certain Tris and Kiyone would like. Now no one really had any appetite. "Please don't cry, Mihoshi," Kiyone said sadly. "Or I might start crying, too." Tris looked down at the translucent dinner dish that contained several yellow globs that actually smelled appetizing. He poked at them with some chopsticks that Mihoshi had brought from her private collection at her apartment. He was certainly upset with what he had heard...and puzzled too. He knew he had to do something to try to dispel all the doom and gloom that seemed to shroud Kiyone and Mihoshi. He had an idea how to do it. But it was risky. It could backfire on him, big time. "Hmmmm," he said. "Kiyone, please let me try to summarize all this so I can get it straight. It might help. Okay?" "Okay, Tris." He felt one of her bare feet gently press on his foot beneath the table. Kiyone appreciated his trying to help although it was unlikely he could. "Let's see. First of all, this King Asuza of Jurai got upset over little Ayeka's bad dreams. He was smart enough to connect it to this Professor Klove's Lyceum. So, he raised hell and the GP raided the Lyceum. And they found?" "Nothing!" Kiyone said. "Just a nice building with nice furnishings. There were classrooms and auditoriums. The place was set up for audio broadcasts and the lighting was very intricate and designed for single-user operation. That proved to be significant later on." "Uh-huh. So, they raided his house. And again found?" "Nothing—-damn it!" Kiyone said sourly. "Some research of the kind that Washuu found in that old Royal Science Academy database was laying around...the association of brain wave patterns to the quality of dreams, that stuff...but nothing else. There were a lot of record disks, but they had all been wiped clean. No amount of recovery software used by the GP could reclaim the data." "Kind of suggestive, but really nothing, I guess. So, they rounded up the Lyceum staff. And, once more with feeling, the GP found?" "Nothing again! The staff were just local folks, either maintenance drones or accredited teachers...not a scientist in the bunch. They knew nothing of any experiments by Professor Klove. They just knew that Klove sometimes took over the classes and sent the teachers off to have a break." "Now, are we sure they were telling the truth?" Tris probed. Kiyone looked at him grimly. "Tris, I told you. Those were local folks from Jurai. As soon as the GP released them, the King's Royal Yeomen, those secret police types, went to work on them. Believe me, they didn't use very nice methods of interrogation on those poor people. There was nothing like your Bill of Rights on Jurai back then or even the Galactic Union Charter. Even so, the Yeoman couldn't find anything. The people Klove hired were just stooges. Besides, they're all dead now, so they can't be part of any revenge scheme." "All dead?" "All dead." "Damned convenient!" Tris said meaningfully. "Maybe so...but it's not evidence." "Yeah. Okay, so the GP finally got a clue and had some qualified mentalists—-what I would call psychiatrists—-examine all the kids, including little Ayeka. That's where the truth came out." "Right—-and don't pick on the GP, you—-they did their best!" Kiyone snapped at him. It was bad enough reciting the hopeless case without Tris disparaging her service. "Anyway, the kids resisted interrogation, which was pretty strange. So the mentalists really went to town and found the children were resisting due to what you called a post-hypnotic suggestion. The mentalists couldn't break it, but they gathered enough information from the staff's description of school activities--including the mandatory nap time--to piece together a theory about what had happened." "Which was: The children were hypnotized, given various suggestions, went home and had bad dreams, and Klove recorded their brain wave patterns somehow with some device, which your GP never found." Tris again seemed to be coming down on the Galaxy Police. Kiyone bristled. "How come they never found that device, Kiyone?" Mihoshi asked, sounding puzzled. "Professor Klove didn't know he was going to be raided, did he?" "No, of course not, Mihoshi. You know how we operate." "Like storm troopers, it sounds like," Tris commented dryly. "Thank God for the Founding Fathers and the Constitution. I haven't felt this patriotic in ages." "We have the Galactic Union Charter now! We have rights!" Kiyone told him crossly. "Too bad those poor school staff people in Jurai didn't have it back then. Maybe they died under interrogation--you ever think of that?" Tris was not holding back his contempt now. "They did not. It was probably rough for them, I'll grant you. But they died years later, and in their beds. I checked thoroughly." Kiyone was clarly getting steamed at Tris. "In their beds, huh? Maybe that's significant." "Maybe...but again, it's not evidence, Tris. Will you please stick to the subject?" "I thought I was. And Mihoshi asked a hell of a good question just now." Tris pointed out. "I did?" Mihoshi smiled. "You sure did, Mihoshi. Just how come your GP couldn't find the alleged brain wave recording device?" "It wasn't alleged!" Kiyone tossed her head angrily. "Its presence fits in with the research that Klove was doing. He had to have such a device to do what he did to those children. I don't know why it never turned up. It just never did." "But it should have," Tris insisted. "Well, it didn't," Kiyone replied. "That's that." "But that's not that, Kiyone," Mihoshi said. "It might mean something." "Like what?" "I don't know. But something." Mihoshi poked at her food. She still wasn't hungry. She wasn't aware of it, of course, but she had just repeated the frustrated words uttered by a king long ago. "Well, when you find out you tell me." Kiyone glared at her partner. "Don't bug me about this hopeless case, Mihoshi." Tris fortunately moved on. "So, okay, no device. They arrested this Klove and investigated his background. It turned out he was a real loner. He had no living relatives. His mother and father were killed in a fire that consumed them and their home but not Klove himself, somehow, back when Klove was a teenager. Right?" "Right." Kiyone had taken a deep breath and repressed her irritation. "And that's all the information you have on that orphan-making fire, huh?" "That's all." "Real convenient again. This case is chock full of convenient deaths, ain't it?" "So? It is. If there was more to those deaths it would have been in the files I checked," Kiyone insisted. "Uh-huh. So Klove somehow got over the trauma of losing his parents." Tris smiled ironically. "Maybe he joined a support group! Anyway, he went to your higher educational institutions, proved himself a genius in psychiatric research, wrote some papers on dreams and brain waves, was accepted by your Royal Science Academy, got a whopping big reputation--and opened the Lyceum on Jurai. We know nearly all of his research papers have all but vanished into thin air. Washuu already established that. No leads there, then." "No. No leads there." Kiyone was feeling she may have been too snappish with Tris...and Mihoshi. They were just as crestfallen at the information about Klove as she was. She resolved to be hold her temper. "And Klove himself didn't talk," Tris went on. "Not a damned word, that bastard," Kiyone said grumpily. "At least, not under interrogation, except to deny all the charges. His counselor—-what you call a lawyer, Tris—-advised him to keep mum and I think Klove was inclined to do that anyway. As you said, the evidence against him was suggestive, but not conclusive." "So he should have gotten off Scott-free," Tris pointed out. "No one could prove the kids were hypnotized and without the device, the theory that Klove was experimenting with the kids was just that, a theory. Right?" "Well..." Kiyone frowned. "Yeah, that's right." "But the almighty King of Jurai was involved, was making threatening noises, and no jury in your Galactic Union back then was willing to tick off the King. So Klove was convicted...correct?" Tris's tone was more challenging than interrogatory. "Correct," Kiyone gritted. Her resolve to ease up had vanished. "You don't have much respect for our legal process, do you?" "Nope." "Tris!" Mihoshi cried. "Sorry, Mihoshi. But I call 'em as I see 'em." Tris was now using a favorite phrase of Ryoko's. That didn't sweeten Kiyone's already aroused temper. "What's so great about your legal system, buster? Killers getting off with a slap on the wrist--burglars pulling the same sentence as armed robbers! God, and that O. J. Simpson case! That's your legal system at work. Remember, I told you I watched your Court TV." "Our system isn't perfect," Tris said. "But we don't have a King browbeating a jury in their deliberations, at least. We don't have a royal family that's so powerful, everyone kowtows to them...even the cops. Klove deserved prison, but not to be railroaded into it. No one deserves that." "That's true, Kiyone," Mihoshi said sadly. "I know it's true...but it's over and done with. We have the system we have. Damn it, Tris!" Kiyone blazed. "The Juraian royals—-the exalted beings like King Asuza and Ayeka—-are immensely powerful! They also have the Jurian military as well. We're just damned lucky that they not only uphold the Union Charter, but they helped write it, as well--" "Sure they follow the rules," Tris interrupted her brusquely. "Except when they don't want to go along with your Charter...then they just do as they please and you cops have to clean up afterwards, right?" Kiyone looked at him murderously. "It's not like that any more!" "But it was--that's obvious--and that's really what screwed up that Klove case. The King made you cops move in when you should have investigated first and gotten the goods on Klove. Isn't that right?" "Yes--damn you!" Mihoshi began to quaver. "Kiyone--Tris--please don't--" "Mihoshi—-shut up! And, Tris—-!" Kiyone's furious expression spoke louder than any words could have. She rose. "Mihoshi, take this jerk back to your place. I don't want to see or hear him until—-" She fumbled at her wrist to remove the gold ID bracelet. "No, Kiyone!" Tears streamed down Mihoshi's cheeks. "Damn it, Mihoshi, you do what I say--for once!" "Okay." Tris stood up. He folded his arms across his chest. "Now you're good and mad. Fine! You're not just sitting back and taking it anymore. Now what? You can sock me, say something else mean to Mihoshi--or use that anger to plunge right back in this damned case and solve it. So...what's your pleasure, Blue Eyes?" And Tris smiled at her. Ohhhh—! Kiyone was boiling inside. She wanted to kick Tris, wanted to tell Mihoshi to knock off that bawling-- --but most of all...she wanted to solve this bloody damned case. God help her...she did. Even if it seemed unsolvable. She realized now that Tris had deliberately inflamed her to get her to shake off her moroseness and get fighting mad—-so she could and would fight. Damn him, anyway! Then Kiyone felt her rage evaporate. A new feeling of determination replaced it. So what if the case did seem impossible. Then by God she'd do the impossible! She was back--back to thinking like a police officer and not some hapless victim. Ayeka and the others back on Earth were counting on her. So were Mihoshi--and Tris. She hesitated a moment. Then her fingers re-affixed the ID bracelet to her wrist. "Think you're pretty smart...don't you?" Kiyone's voice had moderated greatly. Slowly, she resumed her seat. "Nope. I think you're pretty smart...and pretty." Tris sat back down, too. "There's a solution and you'll find it--you and Mihoshi-- if you stick to your guns." Tris unfolded his arms. "I'm sure of it, Kiyone. There's just too much unanswered about this case, and you know it. You may need Washuu and Lord Yosho and Tenchi and everyone else to assist, but that's okay. It's still your case and you'll solve it. Right?" "Right...you big clown." Kiyone stared at him wonderingly. "You know, I was about to either knock you into next Tuesday or never speak to you again, Tris. You took a big chance your little tactic would work." "I know. But better you get mad at me than just feel defeated and hopeless about this case. You have a lot of good reasons to, I'll admit, but there has to be an answer to whatever attacked Ayeka and a way to stop it. You agree?" "I agree. We're going to find that answer, whatever it is." Kiyone gave Tris a deceptively sweet look. "And we're going to have a nice long talk about your little tactics, buster...oh, yes, indeed we are." Tris winced in anticipation of that talk. Mihoshi beamed through her tears. Gosh...now everything was hopeful. And Kiyone was smiling again. Mihoshi wanted to hug Tris for what he had done. "So let's go through the rest of it, shall we?" Tris said. "Let's," Kiyone agreed. Beneath the table, her foot pressed against his again, briefly but significantly. "So anyway, the court convicted Professor Klove," Tris continued. "Suddenly he got real vocal." "He sure did," Kiyone confirmed. "At his sentencing, he started making speeches about the need to sacrifice for the good of science and about the power we all have inside us...just the most awful kind of gobbledygook." Kiyone grimaced. "You can imagine how that went over with the sentencing magistrate—-like a lead balloon. He got life imprisonment." "Only, sentence wasn't exactly carried out...was it?" "No it wasn't," Kiyone said ruefully. "And that's why we're stymied. Professor Klove suddenly collapsed in his cell. He was rushed to an aid station. He was alive but completely comatose. He couldn't hear anything said to him and didn't respond to touch, sound, smell, or anything...and I can imagine they weren't exactly gentle with him. His motor functions worked—-he breathed and his heart beat. But he was in a profoundly deep coma. He was brain scanned and--" Kiyone didn't like to say it. It was the worst part of all. "And he was brain dead," Tris said flatly. "Gosh." Mihoshi was still deeply moved by the revelation, even though she had heard that bit before. "Well, nearly brain dead. The brain scans found some brain wave activity. But it was completely chaotic...no patterns, so it wasn't thought or any rational process. Just the brain functioning without direction or control, kind of spinning its wheels, that's all. Brain dead is close enough, I guess," Kiyone explained without enthusiasm. "Yeah, close enough. He was brain scanned regularly, you said?" "Yes, for a long time. It was no use. The condition persisted. So he was bundled to a mental institution for criminals on a planet called Souiis--our favorite planet, right?" Kiyone grinned acidly. "Wrong," Mihoshi said. "That's where those awful boys and girls live--they called me Mop Head!" "I didn't mean...oh, never mind, Mihoshi." Kiyone shrugged. "Anyway, they have him there still, after all these years. They have to feed him with a tube, he has no control over his bodily functions--" "Oh, yuck," said Mihoshi. "Do we have to talk about that?" "No, we don't. Sorry, Mihoshi. The point is, once again, that he is in no condition to do anything--anything at all. Even if he was mentally alert, he has no access to any machinery or people outside the institution. The guards are rotated every three of Souiis's months and so are the attending physicians and nurses. All the support staff are contracted and the contract changes regularly. They make damned certain there's no chance any patient, even if alert, can form a relationship with any of the staff." "That's smart of them. So..." Tris mulled over the information. "We have only one possible suspect--and that suspect couldn't possibly do anything to anybody." "That's exactly it, Tris Coffin." Kiyone looked at him a bit peevishly. "Okay, you knocked me out of my funk--thank you for that-- but we still have this damned wall we're hitting. Solve this case? There's nothing to solve. We're like those cadets at Headquarters, guarding ships that can't be stolen." "Listen, Kiyone Makibi, something was messing with Ayeka in your bedroom. I still have the pulled muscles from having to move those damned wardrobes upright, you know. So you do have a case. Someone is interfering with our Princess--or was, at least." "Maybe Professor Klove had a confederate back then after all," Mihoshi speculated. "One that's doing bad things for him even now. Maybe Professor Klove wasn't the loner they say he was." "No. I just don't think so, Mihoshi," Kiyone said. "I told you most of the people involved with him are dead now. Even his lawyer and the presiding and sentencing magistrates, the prosecutor, all the jury--now, don't you give me that look, Tris Coffin! I know it smells to high heaven. But all their deaths were due to natural causes." "Yeah. They also died in their sleep too, no doubt," Tris said ironically. "They did, at that. Anyway, that's why I really doubt there's a confederate involved. Even if Klove had a distant disciple back then, there'd be some record of it somewhere. There is none. It was a long time ago, and the idea that someone could have remain hidden from all the ongoing investigations and yet have Klove's secret research and hidden machinery and then resume operations now...it's really far- fetched." "I guess so," Mihoshi said. "So it's probably someone new, someone who's doing Professor Klove's dirty work for some reason." Kiyone smiled at her partner. She was pleased that Mihoshi was taking an active part in their discussions. "Could be. But there's a timing problem with all this," Tris pointed out. Kiyone nodded. "Exactly. Why wait until now to attack Ayeka? Why let so many years go by? What is so special about now?" "Maybe..." Mihoshi's forehead was furrowed with thought. "I think maybe it's because Ayeka is on Earth now and living with us...with Lord Yosho and Tenchi...so she's really under their protection, right? And if something really awful happens to her, won't the King and the royals on Jurai kind of blame Lord Yosho and Tenchi?" Mihoshi looked at Kiyone and Tris, her expression hopeful. Now both Tris and Kiyone smiled at her. "That's a really good point, Mihoshi," Kiyone told her. "That's one very strong motive all right." "Really?" Mihoshi asked. "I mean...sure it is. Lord Yosho and Tenchi would be in deep trouble with the King if Ayeka were hurt. Gosh, I hate to think what would happen then!" "Yeah, me too. But," Kiyone added, "I have to put a snag in your theory, Mihoshi. This is Ayeka's second visit to Earth, you know. If harming Lord Yosho and Tenchi as well as Ayeka was the culprit's motive, why wait until now? Why didn't he make his move the first time Ayeka was living on Earth with the Masakis? He couldn't have known that Ayeka would return to Earth again. Even Ayeka didn't know that. Her split from Tenchi was supposed to be permanent." "Oh, yeah, that's right. Golly, I forgot, Kiyone." Mihoshi frowned and furrowed her brow again. "Then...maybe the culprit got hold of Professor Klove's notes and stuff only just recently. Maybe that's why he's attacking Ayeka only now and not earlier." "That's a possibility, Mihoshi," Kiyone admitted. "But that's pre- supposing this culprit sympathizes with Professor Klove or has a real strong gripe himself against the Jurai royal family." "Doesn't everybody?" Tris grinned. "No, they don't!" Then Kiyone grinned. too. "Oh, no you don't-- you're not getting me going again!" "I told you that you were smart," Tris said. "Anyway, you're right. This new player theory is pretty shaky. We can't dismiss it, though. It's really all we have to go on." "That's right. That was good thinking, Mihoshi," Kiyone said. "It's a working hypothesis, anyway. It's more than we had before." "Thanks!" Mihoshi smiled happily. She picked up her chopsticks and attacked her food now. "Gosh, I'm hungry!" Kiyone and Tris looked at each other and smiled. They watched Mihoshi eat with gusto while they both managed to eat a little, too. When they finished, Mihoshi helped Kiyone clean up what few dishes there were, while Tris watched them. The two of them were bent over the tiny kitchen counter, talking about Mihoshi's success with subleasing their apartments. For a moment, they seemed like sisters to Tris, not two strangers thrown together by profession. Kiyone was smiling at Mihoshi and making it clear she was proud of her partner for getting them off the hook financially for their expensive residences on planet Vestra. Kiyone's approval made Mihoshi radiant with happiness. Finished with the dishes, Mihoshi walked up to Tris. "Tris?" she asked, somewhat shyly. "Would it be okay if I took your picture?" Kiyone shook her head and rolled her eyes heavenward. But she kept silent. "Uh...sure, Mihoshi. If you don't mind risking your camera or whatever it is you use." "What? Oh...you silly." Mihoshi laughed softly. "You take that picture when we get back on Earth, Mihoshi," Kiyone told her. "I don't want this dump in anybody's picture." "Okay. But your place is not a dump, Kiyone." "Hah!" Kiyone now yawned, hugely. "Oh...God! I'm sorry. I'm just so sleepy all of a sudden." "That's because you hardly got any sleep on your ship and none here," Tris said. "It's beddy-bye for you, my girl." "Yeah," Kiyone agreed. "Bed sounds awfully good. First, I'll get you some blankets and a pillow or two for the couch, Tris." "Thanks." Rats! So much for their enchanted evening together! Oh, well... "Mihoshi, you go on home now, and--" Kiyone began. She stopped. Mihoshi was looking down at the floor. "Kiyone..." Mihoshi said. "What?" "Can I...stay with you and Tris tonight?" "What!" "Please?" "Mihoshi!" Mihoshi continued to inspect the floor. Tris thought he understood. For a long time now, Mihoshi had been sleeping in a room with four other women...well, three women and a little girl. She hated to be alone and she felt secure and safe with others around her. Kiyone looked at her partner with a peeved but hopeless expression. So that was why Mihoshi had arrived with her travel bag. She had intended to stay with them, the scheming little ding-dong! Couldn't stand to be alone one night, the big baby! And Kiyone had wanted to have a little more time alone with Tris...well, that was shot to hell now. Mihoshi would make a big weepy fuss if Kiyone tried to make her go and Tris was such a big-hearted goof that he'd take Mihoshi's side even though he wanted to be alone with Kiyone, too. Well, hell--might as well not fight the inevitable. Tris shrugged at Kiyone. "I can sleep in the tub, I guess." "You will not! You'll sleep on the couch. I have a futon that came with the apartment, as Mihoshi well knows. She'll sleep on that...in my bedroom, of course." Kiyone shook her head, resignedly. "I...I can stay?" Mihoshi raised her blonde head. "Yay!" "Yeah," said Kiyone flatly. "Yay." "It'll be fun!" Mihoshi clapped her hands. "Like a slumber party!" "A slumber party?" Kiyone exclaimed in disbelief. "Now you listen here, Mihoshi Kuramitsu--" "Gosh, we can put on our pajamas, and tell scary stories, and eat the rest of those komakai yummy sweets I brought, and talk about--" "And talk about boys?" Kiyone finished for her. "What do you think Tris here is? Your maiden aunt? Get a grip! Besides, I want to get some sleep!" "Aw...just one scary story?" "I don't know any scary stories. And you don't either. I know you're dying to tell Tris that dumb story of yours about us capturing that wacko woman who kidnapped that guy. It's a bunch of hooey, the way you tell it." "It is not, Kiyone!" "It is, too. Before I found you again, you told Tenchi and the others that I was killed in that raid. Do I look dead to you?" "But they just misunderstood me. I thought at first you were killed, Kiyone...until you made it back to Headquarters. Besides, you were almost killed." "I was not! You knocked me into that reactor and I got burned a little--that's all! And you captured that crazy woman only because she was laughing at you too hard to escape. That's sure something to tell everybody you meet!" "I don't remember it like that at all, Kiyone," Mihoshi demurred. "Of course you don't. You had your eyes closed half the time, you were so scared." "I did not!" "You did too!" "Did not!" "Did too! That's why you bumped into me and I got those nice first- degree burns on my...well, never mind that!" Kiyone glanced at Tris. "It was one of our first cases together, don't you remember? Your knees were knocking and your teeth were chattering, and I don't know what else. You've gotten better since then, I'll admit. Anyway, you promised me you wouldn't tell that story again. I know you want to tell it to Tris, but you promised." "Oh...okay..." Mihoshi was downcast. She was glad Kiyone said she had improved a lot. But she was also hurt that Kiyone didn't see that early case as a triumph for them.(1) Tris looked at Kiyone's exasperated face and Mihoshi's sad face. He decided to do something to lighten up the mood. "Look," he said. "I've got an idea." "What?" Kiyone asked. Mihoshi raised her head and looked at him hopefully. "You two girls get into your 'jamies...and Uncle Tris will tell you a real scary story. Okay?" "Okay!" Mihoshi beamed. Kiyone glowered at Tris. "Like fun we will! Listen here, Uncle Tris—-!" "Oh, com'on. One story. Then we can all get some shuteye," Tris said. "Well..." Kiyone relented. "Okay. But keep it short, you!" "I will." "Oh, goodie!" Mihoshi clapped her hands happily. "We're going to have a slumber party after all!" Kiyone groaned inwardly. Those two! They were going to kill her...or drive her into that mental institution on Souiis. She'd probably end up in a cell next to that Professor Klove. "Okay, Mihoshi. Let's go get into our...'jamies." Kiyone grimaced at the word. "And let Uncle Tris here get into his." "Okay!" Mihoshi fairly leapt for Kiyone's bedroom, carrying her travel bag. "She always gets her way--always!" Kiyone looked at Tris. "And you aren't much help--Uncle Tris!" "Now, now. Be a good little girl and Mihoshi might save you a komakai yummy sweet," Tris told her mildly. He dodged just in time. Back on Earth, the Masaki family was seeking the solace of sleep following an eventful day. Except for Ryoko, who had to pull her Princess-sitting shift again. At that moment, in the women's "dormitory," Ryoko, tiny brush in one hand, nail polish bottle in the other, was just getting the last bit of her left big toenail painted when: "What in the world are you doing, Ryoko?" It was Princess Ayeka, who was supposed to be asleep. "Huh?" The voice startled the space pirate so much, she not only painted the toenail but half of her big toe as well. Arrrrgghhh! "What does it look like I'm doing, Princess?" Ryoko said crossly. Putting down the bottle, she used some cotton wool to try to wipe nail polish off the part of her big toe she didn't want colored Passion Pink. "It looks like you are painting your toenails like a common strumpet," Ayeka said. She was sitting up on her futon, regarding Ryoko, who was sitting on her own futon. "I think it's pretty," Sasami's voice chimed in. "Sasami--go to sleep!" "Awww...okay." Ryoko heard Sasami settle back into her futon. There was silence for a little while, until Sasami was breathing slowly and regularly, eyes closed. Then: "Well, Ryoko?" "Well, what? What's wrong with painting your toenails?" "You never have before," the Princess pointed out. "You've always shown good taste in that regard." "Well...maybe I'm feeling a little frisky," Ryoko said. "Frisky? Bbout what, pray?" "Just frisky." Ryoko succeeded with the cotton wool. She then proceeded to begin painting her other big toenail. She hoped the Princess would go back to sleep. No such luck, though. "Ryoko. We had that talk about your reading that disgusting hentai—-" "Oh, I don't mean that! I mean, I always feel that way. But right now it's just that I'd like to try something new, something a tad daring." "I have always thought you rather daring already," Ayeka said dryly. "And what do you mean you always feel that way?" "I mean I'm a woman and I have...you know! Urges!" "Ryoko!" "Oh, you have them too, Princess." "I..." Ayeka hesitated. She could scarcely deny she had womanly inclinations. "I have...well, not urges! I have romantic feelings, yes, but--" "They're urges, Princess. We get hot to trot sometimes, and we can't do anything about it, and so—-" "Good heavens!" Ayeka was scandalized. "Hot to trot! That is just crude! You are still a barbarian--after all this time." "And you're still a stuck-up prude!" Ryoko put down the nail polish bottle and brush. "I admit how I feel and you won't and you get ticked at me for it. Same old story. Why don't you do something daring, huh? And admit you really want Tenchi, not for some hearts and flowers stuff, but because you want him." "Why...of course I want him." Ayeka paused to glance at Sasami. Her little sister's eyes were still closed. Thank goodness for that! "Lower your voice, Ryoko. We don't want Sasami to hear this." "Why not? She's heard plenty already in this house. She's gotten a real education already, just by watching Kiyone and Tris." "That is an awful thing to say!" Ayeka snapped. "Kiyone and Tristram have never done anything questionable around Sasami--and you know it!" "I'm not talking about that. I mean she's seen the way they look at each other...the way they sit so close together. She's sharp, Princess. She can infer the rest." "Infer what? What are you driving at, Ryoko?" "Awww, figure it out for yourself." Ryoko made it clear she had her fill of Ayeka for one evening. She concentrated on her toenail painting, ignoring the Princess. Ayeka stared at Ryoko's back now. She felt frustrated and angry--but at herself, not Ryoko. She had risen to say something appreciative to Ryoko and then she had criticized her right off the bat. It was almost inevitable, it seemed. Ryoko just set her off, somehow. But that was no excuse, she knew. "Ryoko..." "What now? What's the use of me staying up if you're going to yak all night and not go to sleep, huh?" "You are...quite right, Ryoko." "Huh?" Ryoko turned around and looked at the Princess. She seemed flabbergasted. "What did you say?" "I said that you are quite right." "Me? I'm right?" "Yes." "Huh." Ryoko digested this. "You feeling okay?" "Of course I am feeling okay." "Oh." "I did not mean to argue with you. I apologize for what I said. I really had meant to...to thank you, Ryoko." It had been hard to say-- but Ayeka had said it, finally. And she felt immensely better for it. "Really?" Ryoko looked bewildered. "What for, Princess?" "For looking after me during the night. Just as you are doing now." "You're thanking me for that? I thought you said I did it just to get out of housework and to impress Tenchi." "Well, no doubt those were compelling reasons, Ryoko." Ayeka couldn't resist the small dig. Ryoko just grinned at her. "But I know now that you are also doing it because you truly are concerned about me. And I will also tell you this...I do sleep better knowing you are watching over me." Ryoko stared at Ayeka. She had been rendered speechless for the moment. The Princess's genuine gratitude and appreciation had come out of left field. Sure, the Princess had earlier said she was proud of Ryoko for helping Nobuyuki over that resignation letter thingy, but that was just Ryoko using her powers. This was different. The Princess was being appreciative to her over a decision Ryoko had made and carried out. It was...unexpected...and kind of pleasing to Ryoko. Which was also unexpected. "Well, Princess." Ryoko didn't quite know how to frame her reply. "I'm glad you feel that way. I mean, I wouldn't want anything to happen to you, you know? We've got too much history together, right?" "That is right, Ryoko," Ayeka said softly. "We do have a great deal of history together, you and I." Quite a bit of history, Ayeka thought. A history that extended back into their childhoods. Although both she and Ryoko didn't agree on the details—-that was putting it mildly!--they both acknowledged they had first met as children. Ayeka knew her continuing frustrations with Ryoko stemmed from those early days. Little Ryoko, the foundling who had amazed family court officials on the Juraian territorial protectorate, planet Urekia, with her incredible powers, had left the state orphanage repeatedly to strike out on her own. She became a well-known street urchin both on Urekia and on planet Jurai, one who lived by her wits and wasn't above breaking the law to survive. Ayeka had heard gossip about Ryoko, of course, so when she first beheld the infamous urchin—-she seemed to be just another little girl, albeit a very pretty one—-the Princess had been prepared to despise her. And she had despised her. Ryoko had been shameless and immoral and destructive. But Ayeka had also secretly envied the pretty little girl--how she twisted male authority figures around her little finger, and how free and independent she seemed. Ryoko would sell items in the streets for money (items she no doubt had stolen) and use that money to buy lovely candy and then maybe see a funny entertainment. Whereas Ayeka was constantly monitored and tutored, rarely permitted outside the Palace and even more rarely allowed to indulge in common amusements. Little Princess Ayeka didn't have much fun growing up and every so often she would glimpse little Ryoko, so smart and sassy, having the time of her life. Ayeka had actually confronted Ryoko a few times back then. Those confrontations had always ended up in name-calling and fighting, which had scandalized her poor parents, the King and Queen. That had led to her and Ryoko's lifelong mutual antagonism. And that situation was certainly not all Ryoko's fault, Ayeka had to admit. In fact, Ayeka herself had eventuslly stolen a page from Ryoko's book, abandoning her responsibilities and running off to romance an Earth boy named Tenchi. That smacked of something Ryoko, the street urchin turned space pirate, would do—-not the First Princess of Jurai. Yet, Ayeka had done it. And, what was more, she had done it twice. And she didn't regret her actions for a moment. Ayeka frowned thoughtfully. Could they ever have been friends back then...if Ryoko hadn't been so wild and lawless and she, Ayeka, not so penned-in and envious? Ayeka wasn't certain. But it could have happened...perhaps it was what should have happened. It might well have prevented Ryoko turning to piracy to survive. Yet, Lord Tenchi had been in the offing, and that would have eventually torn asunder any possible friendship between the Princess and the space pirate. Ayeka suddenly felt a bit sad over what had happened between her and Ryoko. "Yeah. We've known each other a long time," Ryoko was saying. "Not that we remember those times quite the same way, Princess!" "Well...perhaps we both allowed ourselves to color our memories. Just a trifle." Ayeka smiled. "I guess maybe we did." Ryoko smiled back. "Anyway, I don't want you bugging out before this thing is settled...about Tenchi. I mean what I told you. It's got to be fair and square or it won't be any good winning." "Yes, I believe you do mean that, Ryoko...and you are quite right. Neither of us will feel right about things unless Lord Tenchi makes a true choice. I should give you more credit for feeling that way, Ryoko." "Awwww, Princess..." Ryoko was feeling a bit embarrassed. The fact was, she herself should give the Princess a bit more credit. After all, if Ayeka really thought she was a crude and hopeless barbarian, she would not bother to lecture her. Ryoko didn't care to be lectured at (it reminded her too much of how she was treated in that lame orphanage), but she could appreciate the Princess's earnest motive behind it. After all, the Princess, even if she was a pain in the patoot, had good stuff in her. Look how she had helped Tenchi's Dad, and Kiyone and Mihoshi back when those two brat girls from Souiis had come. "A promise is a promise, right? Anyway, you'd better get some sleep." "Yes, I shall. It is nice to sleep without those dreadful dreams. In fact, I do not dream at all these nights," Ayeka said. She settled back on her futon. "You cannot understand, Ryoko, just how terrible it is--to know someone or something has control of you." "Balls," Ryoko said. "That creep has shot his bolt, Princess. So he maybe made you re-arrange some furniture in your sleep. Big deal. Just like Tris had Mihoshi make like a cabbit. So what? Mihoshi is still Mihoshi--darn it." Ryoko grinned. "And you're still you." "Darn it?" Ayeka smiled, resting her head on her pillow. "Well...maybe not. Guess I'm too used to you like you are. Anyway, you just go to sleep. If you want, you can dream about how I'm going to give that creep that's been bugging you a nice toasting when Kiyone and Mihoshi bring back the dope on him." "Yes, that sounds like a most pleasant dream. Good night, Ryoko." "Good night, Princess." Unnoticed by them, Sasami smiled, her eyes still closed. She turned over in her futon. Now she could go to sleep, too. Back on planet Vestra, three individuals were in their pajamas...but sleep was not on the agenda. "Are we all settled in, nice and snug?" Tris asked his audience. "Do we have our 'jamies on? Do we have our yummy treats?" "We sure do, Uncle Tris!" Mihoshi said, looking all happy and snuggly in her pink bunny-print pajamas. "Knock it off, Uncle Tris," Kiyone said. She wore her Bullwinkle academic pajama nightshirt but she didn't feel particularly happy or snuggly. The three of them sat the living room rug, at Mihoshi's insistence. The lights were turned down low, also at Mihoshi's insistence. Tris's allotted time to tell his scary story was fifteen minutes...at Kiyone's insistence. Like the two women, Tris was in his pajamas (the oversized Mizzou sweater). The tiny living room rather forced the three of them together at very close quarters; they huddled together on the floor, beside the couch. That couch was now fitted with a blanket and pillows, courtesy of Kiyone. Mihoshi liked the close quarters. She liked pressing against Tris, too. Kiyone had given her a look, though, which told Mihoshi not to press her luck...press her luck! She had made a joke. She giggled. "What's so funny, Mihoshi?" Kiyone asked her. "Besides Uncle Tris here, I mean." "Oh..." Mihoshi decided Kiyone wouldn't appreciate the joke. "Just something I thought about, Kiyone." "Hmmm." Kiyone looked hard at Mihoshi. Then she scooted over a bit, so that she was pressing even closer again Tris. She rested her head on Tris's shoulder. "Well, come on. Let's hear this so-called scary story, Uncle Tris." Tris smiled in his most avuncular manner. "So, little girls...you want old Uncle Tris to tell you a real scary story, eh?" "Oh, yes, please, Uncle Tris!" Mihoshi said eagerly. "We want you to finish up this clown act so we can get to sleep," Kiyone said. "Oh, Kiyone, don't spoil the fun," Mihoshi protested. "Fun?" Kiyone relented and snuggled against Tris warmly. Actually, this wasn't so bad...in a retarded kind of way. "Okay. So tell us a story already, Uncle Tris." "All right. First we'll start with a poem." "A poem? What the hell?" Kiyone snapped. "It's a scary poem," Tris told her. "You reciting poetry...now that's scary," Kiyone told him. "I want to hear it, Kiyone," Mihoshi said. "Well, okay. But it better be good." "It is," Tris said. "It's a classic, really, from a gentleman named James Whitcomb Riley. Mom used to recite it to me before I went trick or treating on Halloween. The poem is called "Little Orphan Annie."" "Hey!" Mihoshi said. "I think I saw her movie. She has red hair--and a doggie!" "This is a different Orphan Annie, Mihoshi," Tris said. "The original."(2) "Just say it and get it over with," Kiyone muttered. She felt so warm and comfortable resting snug again Tris, she might just fall asleep right there. "Right-o. Here it is: "Little Orphan Annie's come to my house to stay. To wash the cups and saucers up and brush the crumbs away. To shoo the chickens from the porch and dust the hearth and sweep, and make the fire and bake the bread to earn her board and keep. While all us other children, when the supper things is done, we sit around the kitchen fire and has the mostest fun, a-listening to the witch tales that Annie tells about and the goblins will get ya if ya don't watch out!" "Goblins!" Mihoshi cried. She seemed scared already. She grabbed Tris's arm. "There's no such thing, Mihoshi," Kiyone muttered. "Think so?" Tris said. "Well, listen some more: "Once there was a little boy who wouldn't say his prayers, and when he went to bed at night away up stairs, his mammy heard him holler and his daddy heard him bawl, and when they turned the covers down, he wasn't there at all! They searched him in the attic room and cubby hole and press and even up the chimney flu and every wheres, I guess, but all they ever found of him was just his pants and round-abouts and the goblins will get ya if ya don't watch out!" "Oooohhh!" Mihoshi whimpered. She liked being scared like this. Now she snuggled against Tris, too. Kiyone, half dozing against Tris on his other side, didn't notice. Uncle Tris continued: "Once there was a little girl who always laughed and grinned and made fun of everyone, of all her blood and kin, and once when there was company and old folks was there, she mocked them and she shocked them and said, she didn't care. And just as she turned on her heels and to go and run and hide, there was two great big black things a-standing by her side. They snatched her through the ceiling fore she knew what shes about, and the goblins will get ya if ya don't watch out!!" Kiyone's eyes fully opened. Hey, that was kind of scary, she thought. When she was a little girl, she had always feared dark places. She never told her parents or big brother...they would have scoffed at her. She pressed closer against Tris. Mihoshi was trembling against him now. Uncle Tris concluded the poem: "When the night is dark and scary, and the moon is full and creatures are a flying and the wind goes Whoooooooooo, you better mind your parents and your teachers fond and dear, and cherish them that loves ya, and dry the orphan's tears, and help the poor and needy ones that cluster all about, or the goblins will get ya if ya don't watch out!!!" "Gosh!" Mihoshi shakily crammed yummy sweets in her mouth, which helped when she was scared. "The End," said Tris. "Well...okay, Uncle Tris," Kiyone told him, raising her head from his shoulder. "I'll admit that was a tiny bit scary. Not too bad, actually." "I thought it was real scary!" Mihoshi said. "Don't talk with your mouth full, Mihoshi," Kiyone said. "Oh...okay." Mihoshi chewed and shivered against Tris. Big black things! Goblins! She glanced fearfully around the darkened room. "We saw a ghost, once...kind of," Kiyone recalled. "When we were involved in that Kagato business. We got stuck in the Sargasso--the spaceship graveyard. We boarded this deserted ship, looking for Sasami. Remember, Mihoshi?" "Uh-huh! It was so scary, Tris! Two ghosties came out of a mirror at us!" "Really?" Tris asked. "Really," Kiyone said. "I'll admit...it froze my blood. I was never so relieved as when we left that ship." She laid her head on Tris's shoulder again. "Funny how I forgot about that." "I never forgot about that!" Mihoshi told her. "I never will forget about it." "I suppose I won't, either." Kiyone slipped her arm around Tris--and suddenly encountered something that wasn't Tris. "Mihoshi!" "Ohhh...okay," Mihoshi muttered, abashed. She scooted away from Tris, perhaps a few millimeters. "All right, so that poem didn't bite," Kiyone said. "Now I want a scary story, Uncle Tris." "Huh?" Tris said, surprised. "Really, Kiyone?" Mihoshi asked, likewise surprised. "Sure I do. I kinda like this now." Kiyone sighed and cuddled against her boyfriend. Her arm slipped around him again and this time didn't encounter Mihoshi. The whole tableau was corny and childish, but she rather fancied it, somehow. It was nice, she realized, to have a guy to hold and be close to. It was even nice to have Mihoshi there, too. No doubt about it, she was cracking up. "Bring it on." "All right...but this is pretty scary," Tris warned. "Good!" Mihoshi was looking forward to more goose pimples. She grabbed some yummy sweets to be prepared. "This story is about a teenaged girl and her boyfriend," Tris began. "They lived in this little town. At one time, the local kids would gather in their cars at night by the old abandoned rock quarry. It was a kind of a Lover's Lane. The kids used to all drive there to look at the stars and do some necking." "Necking?" Mihoshi asked. "Is that like kissing?" "Exactly like kissing, Mihoshi," Kiyone told her. "So they didn't have a drive-in, Tris?" "Nope. Just this abandoned quarry. It hadn't been used for decades and it was all overgrown with weeds and stuff. But it served the purpose. That is, until a car was found there one night. It was empty. The boy and girl who had been in it were gone. They were never seen again. All the police ever found was a length of rope, badly frayed...and something else..." "What?" Mihoshi shivered. "A squashed bit of fleshy matter. It was determined to be a...human eyeball." "Gosh!" Mihoshi began cramming in the yummy sweets. "A rope...an eyeball..." Kiyone thought a moment. "Hey--" "Well, don't ruin it for Mihoshi." "Okay. You're right." "Anyway, as you can imagine, that quarry was off limits for the local neckers and everyone else. Years passed. Then this teenaged boy and girl, who had gotten very close, were even thinking of getting married, decided they wanted to be alone. Really alone. So they drove out to that old rock quarry. They parked near the old quarry, under a tree, and turned off the headlights." "Oh, no..." Mihoshi whimpered softly. She huddled against Tris again. Kiyone seemed about to say something, but didn't. "They were alone, all right. Or so they thought. They were getting pretty...well, intimate. And then they heard a noise." Mihoshi chewed anxiously. The yummy sweets were almost all gone now. She wished she had Trissy with her, right now! "It was a scraping sound," Tris continued. "Then...something bumped against the boy's car." Even Kiyone felt a chill. She took Tris's hand. "So, the boy decided to investigate. But he told his girlfriend that she must lock the doors after he left. And that she must close her eyes and not look...no matter what she might hear..." Mihoshi tried closing her eyes. It didn't help. She opened them again. "The boy opened the car door and slipped out. The car door closed. The girl locked the car door...then she locked all the doors. She sat in the car, all alone. Her eyes were tightly closed. Suddenly she heard a brief commotion outside. Then nothing...no sound...for a long time." Mihoshi trembled against Tris. She was so scared. And now she was out of yummy sweets, too. "And then she heard a thump...a soft thump...from the roof of the car." Kiyone held her breath a moment. She suspected what that thump meant. But she kept quiet. "The thump came back...and then came back again. There was a constant thump...thump...thump...from the car's roof. It terrified the girl. But she kept her eyes closed. The noise didn't stop. All night long there was the thump...thump...thump. She sat there, in blackness. She kept hearing that noise...thump...thump...thump..." Tris fell silent. "What--what happened?" Mihoshi cried. "The next morning, the police found the car. They called to the girl sitting inside. She was white with fright. Her eyes were screwed tightly shut. Finally, the police convinced her she was safe now. They told her to unlock the car door and step outside. And they told her to look straight ahead and walk to the police car. They told her to not look back...not for any reason." Kiyone felt certain she knew the reason. Even so, she still dreaded what Tris would say next. This was one hell of a story! She held onto Tris tightly. She looked over at Mihoshi. Her partner was now wide-eyed with dreadful anticipation. "Then...then what?" Mihoshi quavered. "Well, the girl almost made it. She was at the open door of the police car. But...she couldn't resist. She looked back. And then she saw the reason for the thumping sound." Tris paused. "Do you two really want to hear the rest?" "Yes!" Kiyone and Mihoshi chorused. "Very well. She saw that her boyfriend was hanging by the neck from a rope tied to a tree limb. Dead. The brutal hanging had caused both his eyes to pop from their sockets. And the slight wind was making his dead body sway...so that his heels gently thumped the roof of the car..." "Ooohhhhh!" Mihoshi shrank back. "Nooooooooo!" "They never caught the killer. They never have yet. And that rock quarry is still off limits...until the next foolish boy and girl come..." "Gosh!" Mihoshi grabbed Tris's arm. "That's horrible--oh, Tris!" "And it's pretty scary, too, right?" Kiyone asked Mihoshi. "It sure is! I can imagine myself in the car—-ooohhhhh!" Mihoshi had a good, long shiver. "Now that really was a scary story, Uncle Tris," Kiyone said approvingly. "Well done." "Thanks," Tris said, smiling. He took stock for a moment. Imagine...sitting on the floor of an apartment on an alien planet with two alien women, telling scary stories. Incredible. It couldn't be real. But there was Kiyone cuddled up against him. And Mihoshi gripping his arm. It was real enough for him. "It makes me kinda think about our case," Mihoshi said. "I wonder...if what happening to Ayeka is supernatural. That would explain a lot, you know." "No, partner," Kiyone said. "It's not a ghost...or a goblin. Whatever's going on will have a rational explanation. And we're going to find it, partner! Right?" "Right!" Mihoshi agreed. "And we're going to get our rank back...and the truth about that sneaking, rotten back-stabber of a Mitsuki will come out! And if she does marry that Lieutenant Zay're, she can spend her day washing his underwear because she won't be in the GP anymore! Right?" "Ummmm..." Mihoshi remembered what Kiyone had told her about Mitsuki coming by that day. Maybe Mitsuki really felt bad about what she did and wanted to try to make it right. At least, that was what Mihoshi preferred to think. She didn't want to see anyone get fired or anything. "Right?" Kiyone prodded her. "Well, getting our rank back—-right!" "I don't believe it." Kiyone shook her head. "Mitsuki had nothing but nasty things to say about you, Mihoshi, even before you and I became partners. You ought to want to see her get what's coming to her." "I'm sure she'll be punished, Kiyone. Only, I don't like to think she'll lose her job." "Why not? She deserves to!" "But what will she do then?" "Who cares?" "Well..." Mihoshi didn't want to rile her partner any more than she had. But the fact was...Mihoshi cared. Tris smiled at the blonde young woman. Mihoshi had a big heart and she wore it right on her sleeve, for everyone to see. Even though she was a cop, and no matter how much she was hurt, she would never stop liking people and thinking the best of them. There was simply no one quite like her. "Mihoshi's right, Kiyone," Tris said. "The best revenge is getting your rank back and getting your career kick-started again. Once you're Generalissimo Makibi, or whatever, you'll have forgotten about Mitsuki and her dweeb pals. That's the truth." Kiyone looked at him and grinned. She tweaked his nose. "Generalissimo? You big goof!" "Kiyone wants to be Grand Marshall of the GP," Mihoshi said. "After Grandfather retires." "Yeah, right. That'll be the day." But Kiyone didn't seem too skeptical about the notion. "Hey, that'd be great. Someone to fix my speeding tickets when I'm zooming around the galaxy in my Mustang Space Cruiser." Tris said. Mihoshi giggled. Kiyone went to tweak his nose again but she kissed it, instead. "Goofball. You'll be on Earth, tripping around on your walker with a poor nurse trying to get you to take your nap, and your planet will still be trying to send a manned mission to Mars. It'll be a long, long time before you'll be meeting me at the galactic malt shop." "But he doesn't have to have a starship, Kiyone," Mihoshi protested. "We can visit him and Tenchi and everyone in Yogami—-can't we?" "If we have time...which we won't once we're Sergeants again." The conversation was taking a downward turn. Kiyone didn't want to dwell on that aspect of the future. Tris felt warm and wonderful pressing against her and she just wanted to be with him as long as she could. Her career took priority, of course, but it didn't interfere right now and Kiyone wanted to get back to right now. "Well, I'm probably wrong about that. There's always time for the important things." "That's right, Kiyone," Mihoshi said softly. Tris gave an exaggerated yawn. "If we're going to pull out of here at the crack of dawn, or whatever you call it around here, guess we'd better wrap this up. That couch of yours is looking pretty good, Kiyone." "Right." Kiyone stood up. "Mihoshi, to bed. Let's go." Tris and Mihoshi stood up now, too. "Okay..." Mihoshi hesitated a moment. Then she gave Tris a quick hug—-and scooted to Kiyone's bedroom, laughing. The door shut behind her. Kiyone looked after her with a helpless expression. "She's just incorrigible! It's like taking your kid sister to work with you." "I always wanted a kid sister," Tris said. "Yeah, so did I...and boy, did I get one!" Kiyone motioned Tris to come to her. When he did, she slipped into his arms and kissed him, softly. "Tris...what I said when we were so close...I'm sorry. I got kind of carried away. I mean, I want to...sometime...but not now. We need to know more about each other, and maybe have a better idea what's going to happen to us. Do you understand?" Tris groaned inwardly. Man, had he heard that line before...! But Kiyone was right. For her, it wasn't the time or the place. And that was that. He shrugged and released her. "I understand. You better go to bed. Good night." Kiyone just looked at him. "You're not mad? I know you're disappointed, but...you're not mad?" "Yeah, I am mad." "Oh...?" Kiyone's blue eyes widened. "Yeah. Mad about you, Blue Eyes." He grinned at her, one dimple and all. Kiyone laughed and pushed him onto the couch. When he was supine, she climbed on top of him and began kissing him happily. "I'll show you who's mad," she told him between kisses. "I'll show you who's insane." She kissed and kissed him, all over his face. "Maybe I'll just stay here and kiss you silly," she said. "Who needs sleep, anyway?" "Kiyone! What's going on?" Mihoshi's voice issued from behind the closed bedroom door. "We gotta go to sleep. We gotta get up early." "Arrrrgghhh!" Kiyone grimaced. "All right!" She rose from Tris. She smiled, staring down at him. "Well, I'm not finished with you, buster...and sometimes I think I never will be." She tweaked his stupid nose. "Now, you go to sleep--and you'd better dream about me. I'll find out if you don't!" "Oh, yeah?" Tris said. "You gonna have Washuu tell you?" Kiyone grabbed a pillow from the couch and clobbered Tris with it. Next she gave him one more lingering kiss. Then she walked, tall and straight, to her bedroom and opened the door. She stepped in and closed the door firmly behind her. Staring after her, Tris felt the usual sensations of unfulfilled wants. But that was nothing new. All of it clarified one thing, at least...he had been a dope to think Kiyone was seeking a commitment from him. Kiyone wasn't sure about him still, and anything like the m-word was far from her mind. She had been totally honest from the start of this trip. She had wanted him to see the world--the worlds—-she lived and worked in, the life she lead, and the many commitments she already had and would never break. She had meant it to be educational and sobering for him and it had been. And, yeah, she had wanted to show off a little. Why not? She had a lot to show off to an Earth guy—-in fact, to any guy. Tris rested his head against the pillows. Dream, Kiyone had said. That was the last thing he wanted to do. He'd already had plenty of dreaming in his young life. What he wanted was some reality. Well, Kiyone said maybe someday. He yawned. He was awfully sleepy. By this time tomorrow, he would be back on Earth. It was so incredible-- and tiring, too. Tris closed his eyes. "Was it nice?" Mihoshi asked timidly in the darkness that cloaked Kiyone's bedroom a little while later. "What?" Kiyone asked sleepily. "Was it nice...saying good-night to Tris?" "Yeah, yeah. Now go to sleep." "Maybe...you had plans for him. I'm sorry, Kiyone." Mihoshi's voice in the dark was contrite. "Now's a good time to think of that!" "I'm sorry," Mihoshi repeated softly. "Oh, don't be. He's a big boy and I'm a big girl. We'll get over it." "Uh-huh. Kiyone?" "What now?" "Have you ever?" "Have I ever...what?" "Have you ever...you know...with a boy?" "Mihoshi!" Kiyone sat up in her bed. "In about five minutes, I'm getting out of this bed. And you won't like it, believe me! Now go to sleep!" "Okay." Kiyone muttered to herself and reclined on her bed again. Mihoshi was quiet, at least for a few minutes. But then, in a tiny voice, she added: "I haven't, either." "Arrrrgghhh!" Kiyone turned over on her stomach and jammed the pillow over her head. Mihoshi smiled wistfully, lying on her futon. Like herself, her partner was a young woman...and there was her young man in the next room. And he would stay in the next room. It seemed so silly. But life was silly, sometimes. And yet, kinda fun. And kinda yummy. And, if you were real lucky, kinda snuggly and warm. Gosh. She really should have brought Trissy with her. She wanted something to hug. So she hugged her pillow. Sleep finally came to Lady Mihoshi Kuramitsu. She began to snore. It was the only sound in the tiny apartment now. Kiyone was asleep too, as was Tris. That was good. All three would need their rest for what lay ahead for them and their friends. ____________________________________________ CHAPTER NOTES (1) Yes, that's the "Mihoshi Special" storyline, with a few edits by yours truly. I couldn't resist using it. (2) Many folks are surprised to find out that "Little Orphan Annie" was a newspaper comic strip long before it evolved into a Broadway musical and a movie. They'd be even more surprised that the strip was likely inspired by the poen, "Little Orphan Annie," penned by James Whitcomb Riley in 1885. Mr. Riley, "The Hoosier Poet," really did grow up with an orphan girl who performed chores around the Riley home. She was actually called "Allie," not "Annie," by the Riley family.