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 EIGHTEEN
No Need For A Seven-Percent Solution
_________________


"Tris..." Tenchi began, exasperated.  He was ready either to sock the 
American for a badly timed joke--or to put him to bed for finally 
having flipped.

"It was rather a three-pipe problem, Watson," Tris commented.  "But 
the game is afoot and I believe we have finally struck the right 
trail."

"Huh?" said Ryoko.  "What's with him?"

"His name isn't Watson, Tris," Mihoshi said, trying to be helpful to 
poor Tris.  "His name is Tenchi.  Don't you remember?"

"He remembers!"  Kiyone scowled at Tris.  "Idiot!  What are you up 
to?"

"Ah, beautiful Kiyone," Tris said.  "To me you will always be...The 
Woman."

"What?" Ryoko asked again.  "Is he nuts?"

"Tristram, your behavior is..."  Ayeka couldn't quite express what 
his behavior was, but it was at best highly inappropriate to the 
occasion.

"Is Tris upset or something?" Sasami whispered to her big sister.

"I do not know, dear," Ayeka whispered back.  "He seems to be 
suffering under a delusion of some kind."

Lord Yosho, strangely enough, seemed to regard the sudden strange 
behavior of the young American with quiet amusement.  Nobuyuki looked 
nonplussed, however.

Washuu grinned.  She understood exactly what Tris was playing at.  
"Sherlock Holmes, huh?"

"Yes, my dear lady," Tris replied.

"Who's Sherlock Holmes?" Ryoko asked.  "Another goofball?"

"If you'd watch something besides cartoons and soap opera programs, 
Ryoko, you would know that Sherlock Holmes is a fictional detective, 
and is very popular in the literature here," Washuu told her.(1)  

"Big deal," Ryoko said,  "Some made-up guy."

"Tris, look, this isn't funny," Tenchi told him, irritably.

"You bet it isn't—-Tris!" Kiyone agreed, folding her arms over her 
chest in that dangerous gesture Tris had come to know so well.  
"You're not Sherlock Holmes...and stop pretending to smoke a pipe!"

Mihoshi laughed.  "Oh, is that what he's pretending to do?"

"Looked like he was just sucking on his thumb," Ryoko said, laughing 
too.

"But maybe Tris is doing this for a reason," Sasami ventured.

"Yeah--he's nuts," Ryoko said.

"Ah...but there's method in my madness," Tris said.  He seemed 
entirely unconcerned by the tempest he had raised.  He pretended to 
knock the bowl of his imaginary pipe out on the edge of the table.  
Then he pretended to tuck it away in his (imaginary) waistcoat pocket.  
"I'm out of my favorite black shag tobacco, anyway," he said mildly.  
"Sasami, will you fetch my Persian slipper?"

"What?" Sasami asked.

Washuu stared at him.  "Hey, darned if I don't think he's got 
something in mind...besides playing the fool, I mean."

Now Lord Yosho cleared this throat.  Pointedly.

"Tristram," he said.  "I agree with Sasami and Professor Washuu that 
you likely have a reason for your...antics.  Perhaps you'll enlighten 
us now."

"Like right now, buster!" Kiyone said. 

"Very well."  Tris grinned.  "Like the Great Detective, I couldn't 
resist putting on a show."

"Show's over, you," Kiyone informed him.  "Now, let's hear it."

"All right."  Tris looked around the table.  "I'm really not going 
barmy, as my Brit friends say.  I know that Sherlock Holes is a 
fictional character.  I read the stories and the novels years ago.  
But Holmes is more than just good reading.  His methods of 
investigation as well as his principles of solving a case still hold 
up.  He's still required reading for Scotland Yard trainees, I 
believe."

"Scotland Yard?" Ryoko queried.

"English police," Kiyone answered tersely.

"Oh, great...more cops!"

"Anyway," Tris went on, "there is one position Holmes always took on 
a difficult case that I think applies here.  It was his primary 
principle of solving a baffling mystery."

"Why didn't you just say so, clown?" Kiyone asked.

"Because that way it isn't as much fun," Tris told her.

"You--!"  Kiyone contained herself.  Wait until she got him alone!  
She'd put something in his "pipe" and make him smoke it!

Tenchi smiled.  "Okay, Tris, I see where you're coming from now.  
Maybe we did need a break from all the seriousness.  So what's the 
principle?"

"I know what it is."  Washuu grinned at Tris.  "You cutie...it might 
help us figure this out, at that."

"Tris?" Tenchi prodded.

"Elementary, my dear Watson.  Holmes never said that, by the way, but 
he did say something like this: When you have eliminated the 
impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth."

Washuu nodded.  "Exactly."

Lord Yosho nodded, too.  

"So what does that mean?" Ryoko demanded.

"It means we need to stop hunting shadows," Washuu said.  "We've just 
been chasing our own tails so far.  Let's get real.  A Klove disciple 
who escaped two intense searches and somehow has all of Klove's notes 
and gear—-hogwash!  Some guy who just stumbled over Klove's hidden 
stash and now wants to carry out his revenge—-baloney!"

"Is it baloney...really?" Mihoshi asked timidly.

Washuu smiled at the blonde Galaxy Police officer.  Her regard for 
Mihoshi had risen considerably since that comm call.  "Yes, Mihoshi.  
It was a good theory and you deserve credit for helping come up with 
it.  But, as I've just demonstrated, it doesn't hold water.  We've 
been trying to get that theory to do just that and we've failed.  
So we need to drop it."

"Never fit the facts to the theory, as Holmes also said," Tris 
agreed.

"Okay, then...what's the answer, Washuu?" Tenchi asked.

"Perhaps I can help answer that," Lord Yosho intervened.  "I believe 
that Professor Washuu is saying that we should not be building up 
phantom accomplices when we have the most likely culprit in our 
sights already."

"That's it, Grandpa," Washuu said.  "The most likely person to be 
carrying out Klove's revenge campaign and to be attacking our 
Princess is...Klove himself."

"But that's impossible, Washuu!" Ryoko said, not at all pleased to 
see what she considered to be her theory abandoned so soon.  "Period!"

"No, you have that wrong, Ryoko.  Remember Sherlock Holmes, now—-
what's impossible is the accomplice theory.  What's improbable is 
Klove himself doing the dirty work.  We need to abandon the impossible 
and look hard at the improbable. "  Washuu grinned at Tris.  "You 
don't mind me donning your deerstalker, do you?"

"Not at all, Washuu," Tris told her, relief evident in his voice.  
"Please do.  I shot my bolt with that Holmes quotation, anyway."

"Deerstalker?" Mihoshi wondered.

"It's a hat, Mihoshi," Tris explained.

"What does a hat have to do with all this?" Ryoko demanded.  "I think 
you're both going nuts."

"Not yet, Ryoko," Washuu told her.  "Actually, we're finally acting 
pretty sane about all this.  We're focusing on the only person who 
could be doing the deed."

"I follow you, Washuu," Kiyone said.  "But I'd sure like to know how 
Klove could be doing anything while rotting away, totally comatose, on 
Souiis.  That's one hell of a magic act."

"Well, let's go back over what we know, this time throwing the doors 
wide open," Washuu suggested.  "Normally, I hate to go into that kind 
of conjecture, but this may be the only way to figure out what really 
might be going on.  Now...back to when the GP raided Klove's home.  
What did they find, again, Kiyone?"

"Like I said...no apparatus and a bunch of erased record disks."

"So he got rid of the evidence.  Big deal."  Ryoko shrugged.

"But why would he?" Washuu asked.  "Could he have known about the raid 
in advance?"

"No!"  Kiyone stiffened with realization.  "The records indicated that 
King Azusa complained directly to the then-High Commissioner and then-
Grand Marshall of the GP.  He demanded instant action.  And that's 
what he got.  Believe me!"

"I believe you, Kiyone," Ayeka said, with a small, wistful smile.  
"Knowing Papa."  Sasami nodded in somber agreement.

"A lightning raid," Mihoshi said.  "We've been involved with those.  
We always catch the people unaware."

"So, if he didn't know he was about to be visited by the friendly 
neighborhood constabulary, why else would he have done away with all 
his hard-won research and any apparatus he used?" Washuu asked.  

Tenchi looked thoughtful.  "I have to say, Washuu, that I really 
don't know.  Trying to cover his tracks from the GP seems the only 
reason."

"It is the only reason, sweetums," Ryoko told him.  "Don't let Washuu 
get you off track, too."

"You're wrong, Ryoko.  There is another reason."  Washuu settled 
herself in for another lecture.  Everyone, even Tris now, could read 
the signs.  

"The reason you all don't understand is that you're not scientists.  
You don't know the feeling of making a great discovery and how you're 
inclined to react to it.  Well, of course, I do know because I've made 
some simply spectacular discoveries in my time, as you well know..."

Suddenly the two Washuu-puppets appeared on Washuu's shoulders.  
Taken by surprise, the others shrank back a bit.

Puppet A:  "That is without doubt.  Yet, even "spectacular" is not an 
adequate word for the universe-shaking discoveries of the great 
Professor Washuu.  Fantastic, colossal, overwhelming--those are far 
better words!"

Puppet B:  "True!  And even those puny words do not suffice to 
describe the awe and wonder of Professor Washuu's contributions to 
science.  New words will have to be invented!"

Puppet A and Puppet B:  "Hooray for the great Washuu!"

With that, the two puppets disappeared from view.

"Not those damned puppets again!  Washuu!" Ryoko moaned.

"Yes, Miss Washuu," Ayeka said, more than a little irritated by the 
impromptu display.  "I had rather hoped we had seen the last of 
those...things."

"Sorry."  Washuu smiled sheepishly.  "I kinda forgot about them.  
Won't happen again."

"It better not," Ryoko muttered.

"Anyway, Washuu...you were saying?" Tenchi asked.

"Oh, yeah.  Well, when you make a great discovery, you at first want 
to tell the world about it.  Broadcast it everywhere.  Share it with 
everyone.  Like I tried to do with that fabulous new formula for an 
explosive and those nitwits at the Science Academy tossed me out 
again, the ingrates—-"

"Stick to the subject, Washuu!" Ryoko snapped.

"Oops.  Sorry.  Anyway, that's the first reaction.  Then, a certain 
type of scientist has another reaction...they want to keep their 
discovery to themselves.  They want the glory of making that great 
leap forward all to themselves.  So, to prevent anyone from following 
their footsteps and making the same discoveries, they either deeply 
bury, or, better yet, destroy their notes and records and even their 
special apparatus and keep their discovery in the safest place 
possible."  Washuu tapped her forehead with a finger.  "Up here."

"Gosh."  Mihoshi appeared startled.  "Get rid of all their hard work?  
Would anyone really do that?"

"Of course they would, Mihoshi...if it would keep their discovery safe 
from other scientists stealing their glory," Washuu explained.  "After 
all, research is a means to an end only.  It's only useful in reaching 
the discovery.  Once the discovery is made, the research record is 
valueless, unless you want to share your discovery or have your 
colleagues validate it."

"That's right!" Kiyone said sharply as she comprehended Washuu's point.  
"That explains all the erased disks the investigators found.  If Klove 
was covering up his tracks from the police, he would have destroyed 
the disks entirely.  But he didn't fear possible arrest--just the 
possible stealing of his discovery by another scientist who might come 
snooping.  He'd want to re-use those disks later.  They cost money, 
you know."  

"Bullseye," Washuu said.

"Ummmm..." Sasami ventured.  "Then why would he also get rid of all 
his machinery?  Wouldn't he need that, at least?"

"That's a good question, Sasami," Washuu admitted.  "And I think 
Nobie here knows the answer...don't you, Nobie?"

Washuu looked at Nobuyuki with warm affection.  He smiled uncertainly 
at her with equal affection.

"Well, I'll take a stab at it, Washuu.  Could it be because, due to 
his discovery, he didn't need that machinery anymore?" 

"Excellent, Nobie!"  Washuu squeezed his arm.  "I knew you had a brain 
in you.  Like father, like son."

Tenchi watched the interplay between the great scientist and his 
father with bemusement.  He had put off that talk with his Dad.  But 
the next opportunity he got...

"In other words--of course, these are all assumptions," Lord Yosho 
interposed.  "In other words, Professor Klove discovered a way to 
accomplish his designs without using a device.  If I might go further, 
he found a way to do it with the power of his mind alone."

"Right and right, Grandpa.  My, what a brainy family!"  Washuu was in 
fine fettle now.   

"But, Miss Washuu, what did he discover?  The power of his mind alone, 
Lord Yosho?  It is not clear to me at all," Ayeka said.

"Well, as to that..." Washuu began.

"Say--something's just come back to me," Tenchi said.  He turned to 
Tris.  "Tris, didn't you learn in school something about how little 
of our brain potential that we actually use?  Some small percentage, 
I remember."

"That's right," Tris affirmed.  "I remember that.  Something like only 
fifteen percent?"

"Even less in the case of some people," Ryoko muttered.

"Yeah."  Tenchi nodded, taking a moment to give Ryoko that special 
look.  "Something like that.  Is that right, Washuu?"

"Close enough.  It's just an estimate anyway, Tenchi," she answered.  

"I know you're making a point, sweetums," Ryoko said.  "Would you 
tell us what it is?"

"Glad to, Ryoko," Tenchi replied.  "It's this—-we know what the mind 
can do by using so little of the brain's potential.  Now, imagine what 
the mind would be able to do if it could somehow harness all that 
brain capacity.  It would be...well, incredible.  Incredible power."

"Yeah, incredible," Tris said.  "Even monstrous."

"That is well put, Tristram," Lord Yosho said.  "That is what I have 
sensed night after night...something evil and something monstrous."  

"And something directed at Ayeka," Tenchi added somberly, looking at 
the Princess.

Ayeka looked down so that no one would see the fear that flashed on 
her face.  Under the table, Sasami clutched her big sister's hand 
tightly.

"That's it.  That's how Klove is attacking Ayeka," Washuu confirmed.  
"It's the only way he could do it and it's consistent with the area of 
research we know he was involved in."

"Well, damn," Ryoko said wonderingly.  "So that's the answer!  
Finally!  Well, Washuu, I have to admit...you solved it."

"We all solved it, Ryoko," Washuu said.  "But thanks."

"Wait, though," Kiyone said.  "Okay, this Klove may be sending out 
some sort of mind force out to attack Ayeka.  But that would take 
rational thought, right?  In fact, it would have to take intense 
rational thought and concentration.  Yet the brain scans show that 
Klove has no rational thoughts at all...just a random spurt of brain 
activity from time to time."

Washuu slowly nodded.  "Hmmmm...very good, Kiyone.  You're right.  
That beats my pair of Jacks for the moment."

"Damn it, Kiyone," Ryoko complained.  "Every time we get a handle on 
this thing, someone like you messes it up.  We'll never solve it."

"No, no, Ryoko, we must be certain," Ayeka told her.  "Every 
objection must be answered satisfactorily.  We are venturing into an 
unknown country, I believe."

"Yes, we are, Princess," Washuu said.  "You stated it perfectly...an 
unknown country...and we have to tread damned carefully."

"You know, buddy," Tris said to Tenchi, "now that you brought up stuff 
from school, I'm remembering some material from those psych classes at 
Mizzou.  Particularly about the division of the conscious and 
subconscious minds.  Remember anything about that?"

"Vaguely," Tenchi said.  "High school stuff, of course.  We all have a 
conscious mind that governs what we do, mostly.  But there's some sort 
of deep, dark subconscious mind that we aren't consciously aware of, 
but that just labors away and sometimes intrudes when we don't expect 
it to.  Is that right, Washuu?"

"Right enough.  Of course, it's all theory.  Even the mentalists don't 
know squat about the subconscious mind, not really."

"But it's been uncovered, a little, under hypnosis," Tris said.  
"Folks have revealed a bottomless pit of information and desires and 
urges and experiences from the subconscious.  It's a little scary, 
in fact."

"Okay, so this subconscious mind thing exists, maybe.  So what?" 
Ryoko demanded.

"So, brain wave activity that's considered normal covers only the 
conscious mind when awake or the conscious mind that is at rest, even 
when dreaming.  Right, Washuu?" Tris asked.

"Sure.  That's what they scan for to assess the mental condition of 
the subject."

"And they still aren't finding any of the normal brain activity they 
should find if Klove was thinking rationally or even thinking at all," 
Kiyone interjected.  She seemed to share Ryoko's impatience now.  
"Tris, we're talking in circles."

Tris hesitated.  He only had a hunch—-a hunch that was really far out.  
So far out that he didn't dare mention it.  It would need to come from 
a far more respected source.  He looked at Washuu.  "Quantum leap 
time," he said to her.  "Great discovery time."

Washuu nodded slowly.  Her face glowed with revelation.  "Got you, 
cutie!"

"Well, we ain't got it!" Ryoko all but yelled.  "Talk sense!"

"Glad to," Washuu said.  She cleared her throat significantly.

"Klove's great discovery isn't the full utilization of the brain for 
rational, conscious thought.  That's chicken feed," Washuu said.  
"Klove, instead, went far beyond that.  He found a way to control his 
subconscious mind...to control it, live in it, use it to control his 
body, and to power it with the full potential of the brain.  And 
since it's all taking place in his subconscious, it looks like random 
brain waves to a scan.  That's it, folks.  That's how Klove has been 
able to send out those mind-probes or whatever they are and still 
appear to be comatose.  He's been doing it and laughing at the whole 
Galactic Union all these years."

"But..." Ryoko said.

"And," Washuu plunged right on, "that explains Klove's apparent 
"collapse" during his trial.  He knew damned well he was going to get 
the max...with King Asuza after his butt, life imprisonment was the 
best he could hope for.  That's life imprisonment, remember, with 
constant interrogation to try to discover his secrets.  Not too lovely 
a prospect, you'll agree.  Moreover, for Klove to engage his full 
brain potential, he had to expend all his mental faculties anyway.  
Ergo, he transformed himself into a comatose mental patient.  Slick!"

Washuu smiled grimly.  "So Klove, in effect, has escaped from prison--
he escaped into his mind.  This is one case where four walls truly do 
not a prison make.  Through his mind, he escapes from his little cell 
at will, roams through the galaxy, and threatens our Princess.  Even 
though he's locked up in that mental institution, he's still a 
fugitive criminal--and it's up to us to stop him."

The great scientist now smiled triumphantly at her astounded 
listeners. 

"Excellent!" Lord Yosho said.  "Bravo, Professor Washuu.  You have 
brought to light something that has eluded the authorities for a long 
time.  You have hit on the solution.  I am certain of it."

"Thanks, Grandpa.  But what else would you expect from the greatest 
scientist in the galaxy?"  Washuu's expression denoted a becoming 
immodesty.  Then she indicated Tris.  "But don't forget the cutie 
here.  He pointed the way."

Lord Yosho nodded and looked at Tris.  Yes, his initial sensing upon 
their first meeting had been entirely correct.  The aura around the 
young American now glowed brightly.  Tristram Coffin indeed was fated 
to join them at a critical time, and did have something vital to 
contribute.  Still an unlikely vessel for such an important role?  
Perhaps.  But it had proved a sturdy vessel, nonetheless.  "I am not 
forgetting Tristram's contribution.  My praise is equally directed 
at him."

"Aw, shucks," Tris said.  But a slight reddening was visible on his 
cheeks.  Visible, at least, to those who cared for him most--such as 
Kiyone.  But Kiyone, as happy as she felt at Tris's vindication, was 
a police detective first, last, and always.  And there was still a 
vital point to clear up.

"Look, I'm satisfied with this solution, mostly," she said.  "But 
there's one big discrepancy.  In fact, it's the timing issue you 
brought up yourself, Tris, back on Vestra.  The issue, now revised, 
is...why did it take so wretchedly long for Klove to finally get at 
Ayeka?  He's spent so much time in that mental institution, in that 
comatose state.  Why wait until now to make his move?"

Ryoko gave Kiyone an exasperated look.  But she had to admit--it was 
a question that needed answering.

"Kiyone," Washuu said, "I don't know what they pay you, but they 
ought to double it—-triple it!  That's a damned good point.  It's a 
loose end we have to tie up before we go any further."

Kiyone smiled at the great scientist's praise.

"Kiyone ought to be a Sergeant, you know," Mihoshi declared loyally.  
"In fact, she'd be eligible for a below-the-zone promotion to 
Lieutenant right now, if she wasn't in this trouble with me.  She's 
the best!"  

"Mihoshi," Kiyone murmured.  "You shouldn't bring that up now."  Her 
face glowed nontheless.

Tenchi saw that Kiyone was too embarrassed—-and heart-full--to 
continue for the moment.  "Well, Washuu, what could be the answer to 
Kiyone's question?" he asked.

"Well...first of all, Klove would have to work on his mental powers 
so that he would do what he wanted to do--mentally create a sort of 
mind power projection--let's call it a mind probe--that could reach 
across cities, across continents, and, ultimately, across planets.  
That had to take a whale of a long time.  It was the first time he 
pushed his discovery so far.  He'd have to go slow, to avoid 
registering too much brain activity and making the folks monitoring 
him suspicious."

Kiyone, now quite recovered, nodded briskly.  "Okay, Washuu, we'll 
accept that as taking up some of the time.  What about the rest of the 
time?"

"Well, of course, to carry out his revenge he needed to find Ayeka.  
To do that, he had to send his mind probe out into trackless space," 
Washuu replied.

"Yes, but Ayeka is not exactly hard to find," Kiyone pointed out.  
"Besides--"

Suddenly Sasami giggled.

Kiyone—-and everyone else—-turned their heads and stared at her.  
Sasami looked contrite.

"Oh, I'm sorry!  But I know why that Klove person had such a hard 
time finding Ayeka...and you know too, don't you, big sister?"

"Well..." Ayeka began.

"Sure you do!  Just before the beginning of your stay here, you were 
heading back home after another meeting about your wedding to that 
Prince Seiryou.  Then you received Mihoshi's distress signal from 
Earth.  You came down to investigate and...well, you didn't go home, 
big sister, not for a long time.  Right?"

Ayeka smiled fondly at her clever little sister.  "Quite right, 
dear."

"Of course!" Kiyone said.  "In fact, your family didn't really know 
where you were at first.  That's why that old pick-up order was 
issued for you--"

"Ah, yes...Kiyone," Ayeka interjected.  "You did quash that old order, 
did you not?"

"Ummm..."  Kiyone looked embarrassed.  "No, Ayeka.  But I will, I 
promise.  Right after we're done here."

"Very well, Kiyone.  Please continue."

"Yes, well..."  Kiyone needed a moment to collect herself after that 
embarrassment.  "So the first place this Klove would send his mind 
probe would be to Jurai.  Only, you weren't there.  And no one at the 
time knew where you were.  So he had to check planet after planet, 
looking for you."

"Which had to take up a lot of time," Tenchi said.

"Right," Kiyone agreed.  "Until he finally located Ayeka on Earth."

"And there's more," Washuu added.  "Remember, Ayeka did leave here.  
She ended up back at Jurai at the conclusion of that Kagato business.  
No doubt, Klove finally learned of this and sent his mind probe back 
to Jurai...and then guess what?"  She grinned.

Lord Yosho enjoyed one of his rare hearty laughs.  "Of course!  The 
Princess had, in turn, come back to us here on Earth.  So Professor 
Klove, due to circumstances, was led a merry old chase.  That is 
excellent."  He laughed again, and the others joined in.

"You know, Ayeka, that raises a point," Washuu said when the laughter 
died down.  "Had you remained on Jurai and not come back here the 
second time, Klove would have caught up with you there.  And without 
us around you to get involved..."  She didn't finish the sentence.  
She didn't need to.

Ayeka looked at Washuu...and then at all the others, one by one, in 
turn, including Ryoko.  Her ruby eyes glistened.  "Yes, Miss Washuu.  
It is all very clear.  Coming back here may well have saved me from 
serious harm, perhaps from even worse.  I am where I belong...where I 
was meant to be all along.  Thank you, Miss Washuu."

"You're welcome, Ayeka."

Mihoshi smiled at the Princess, as did the others.  She was glad, of 
course, that her being with them had protected Ayeka.  But it wasn't 
surprising to Mihoshi.  After all, who would protect you better than 
your friends?  Then she frowned.  A question had been raised in her 
mind by what someone had said.

"What is it, Mihoshi?" Kiyone asked, noticing the expression on her 
partner's face.

"I'm just wondering something..."

"Spill it, partner."

"Okay.  How would Professor Klove be able to get information with his 
mind probe?  I understand that he can enter the minds of the people 
he hypnotized.  But when he was searching for Ayeka from planet to 
planet...whom could he get information from?"

"Well, no doubt, he got it from the other kids he hypnotized along 
with Ayeka in that Lyceum place," Washuu answered.  "They're all 
grown now, like Ayeka, and probably scattered to the four winds, and 
he could just check in with them and—-"

Washuu's explanation was cut off by Lord Yosho.  He suddenly stood up 
from the table.  His normally placid face now registered deep 
emotion--shock and horror.

"No..." he murmured.  "What kind of beast...what kind of monster?  No.  
It cannot be...not even Klove..."

Lord Yosho's agitation was real and palpable.  It galvanized everyone 
watching him, for Lord Yosho was always composed and serene, even in 
the face of severe crisis.  But not now.

"Grandfather," Tenchi said, unable to comprehend what had shaken his 
iron-willed grandfather so visibly.  "What is it?"

"Yes, father-in-law," Nobuyuki urged.  "Please tell us."

Lord Yosho looked at them.

"I would not wish to tell you until I am certain.  If I am wrong--
then thank all the goodness that exists in the galaxy.  It is not 
worth bringing up, then.  If I am right...well, the facts will speak 
for themselves."

"What facts, Lord Yosho?" Ayeka asked.  

Yosho did not answer her.  Instead, he now looked at Kiyone.  
"Detective, when you were doing your research, did you by chance 
check on the fates of the children, other than Princess Ayeka, who 
were likewise victimized by Professor Klove?"

Kiyone considered.  "No, Lord Yosho, not really.  After all, they had 
been mesmerized by Klove not to answer in-depth questions about their 
experiences, and so they would not be suitable for a re-interview—-"

"I quite understand, Detective," Yosho said.  "Please forgive my 
brusqueness.  This is not a rebuke and no explanations are necessary.  
What is necessary is that you determine the fates of all the children 
who attended the Lyceum with Princess Ayeka--and that you do it now."

Kiyone knew an order when she heard it--an order from a Prince of 
Jurai, no less.  She sprang to her feet.  "Yes, Lord Yosho."

"Do you have a list of their names, Detective?"

"I do."

"Very good, Detective.  Professor Washuu, will you assist her by 
accessing the data module in her ship from your laboratory?  It will 
save time."

Washuu stood up.  "Will do, Grandpa."

"Thank you both."

Without another word, both Kiyone and Washuu left the dining room.

Lord Yosho clasped his hands behind his back.  He walked out of the 
dining room as well, apparently lost in thought. 

Tenchi and his father looked after him.  Tenchi started to rise, but 
his father's hand stayed him.  Nobuyuki leaned close to his son.

"Tenchi," he said in a low voice.  "I have not seen your Grandfather 
so upset...not since your mother died, son.  Something is dreadfully 
wrong, or could be wrong. You'd best leave him to himself."

"Yes, Dad," Tenchi said quietly.  He looked down, no doubt thinking 
about his grandfather.  For an instant he was again the little boy 
Nobuyuki used to carry on his shoulders and chase in games of tag.  
Such games had made the little lad laugh happily.  That long-ago 
laughter filled Nobuyuki's ears.  He reached out and squeezed his 
son's shoulder.  Then Tenchi raised his head and smiled at his 
father...and he was the wonderful young man Nobuyuki had prayed for.  
Tenchi's mother would have been so proud of him.  The middle-aged 
man's heart was full.  He felt a soft hand touch his shoulder.  He 
looked up.  It was Sasami, looking down at him.

"Sir?" she asked somberly.  "Shall I make some tea?  It is close to 
dinnertime.  Perhaps I should hold off until dinner?"

"Let's wait and see, Sasami," Nobuyuki answered, returning to the 
here and now.  "We may need some bracing tea."

"Yes, sir."  Sasami left.

Tris popped Tenchi on the shoulder with a fist.  "Well, never a dull 
moment, huh?"

Tenchi grinned and popped Tris back.  "Nope.  Never a dull moment."

Nobuyuki knew that was the two young men's way of reassuring each 
other.  It was good to see.  It was good to know that Tenchi had a 
real friend.

Further down the table, the women were having a discussion...a rather 
pointed one.

"What did you say that set Lord Yosho off?" Ryoko whispered angrily 
to Mihoshi.

"Nothing."  Mihoshi was tearful.  "I didn't mean to say anything bad.  
Did I say something bad?"

"No, you did not, Mihoshi," Ayeka said firmly.

"Yes, you did too, Mihoshi," Ryoko countered.

"Ryoko--" Ayeka began.

"Well you saw for yourself, Princess...old Mihoshi-mouth here blabs 
some damn fool question and Lord Yosho is hopping like he sat on a 
blowfish!  You tell me what set him off, then."

"Well, obviously, it was Mihoshi's question and Miss Washuu's answer.  
But it is unfair in the extreme to blame either Mihoshi or Miss 
Washuu.  Even you must see that, Ryoko."

"Aw..."  Ryoko looked at Mihoshi.  Of course, she was spilling tears 
already.  What a baby!  Couldn't take a little constructive criticism.  
At least her partner would fight back and give as good as she got, 
which Ryoko respected.  But, damn it...she knew Mihoshi, had known her 
all these years and Mihoshi was just Mihoshi.  A big baby who cried if 
you looked at her wrong.  But she was their big baby, after all.  
"Okay, you're right, Princess.  I don't blame you, Mihoshi.  Now stop 
crying already, will you?"

"Yes, Ryoko," Mihoshi said, smiling through her tears.  She was 
searching her pockets for a handkerchief...as usual, she didn't have 
one.  Inwardly, Ryoko groaned.  She knew what was required of her.

"If I lend you my handkerchief, do you promise not to blow your nose 
in it?" Ryoko asked Mihoshi.  "I mean, it's watered silk and all.  You 
can dry your eyes with it, but that's it, girl."

"I...I promise."  Mihoshi smiled, tearful and happy.

"Okay."  Ryoko handed Mihoshi her embroidered silk handkerchief, one 
that she had actually paid for herself.  Mihoshi took it, looked at 
it...then burst into happy tears again because Ryoko was showing her 
such a kindness.

"Jeeze!" Ryoko muttered to Ayeka.  "What are we going to do with her?"

"Just be patient with her," Ayeka murmured softly, so that only Ryoko 
could hear her.  Aloud, she said, "Of course, you raise a good point, 
Ryoko.  What was it in Mihoshi's question and Miss Washuu's answer 
that caused Lord Yosho such distress?"

Mihoshi, dabbing at her eyes, responded with alert interest at 
Ayeka's question, which had been the Princess's intention, of course.  

"Hell if I know," Ryoko said crossly.  "Just something about old Klove 
tapping into those other kid's minds.  You know, those other stuck-ups 
at that academy for snobs you attended, Princess."

"It was no such thing," Ayeka insisted.  "Don't be so tiresome, Ryoko.  
At any rate, I do not see how that could be a cause for concern.  
After all, Professor Klove has doubtless intruded into my mind a 
number of times, and..."

But further speculation ended as both Washuu and Kiyone hustled back 
into the dining room.  Silently, they took their places at the table.  
Kiyone took a brief moment to grasp Tris's hand tightly.  Then she 
released his hand.  He looked at her.  Her expression was grim.  And 
so was Washuu's.  Sasami walked in from the kitchen slowly, looking at 
the two women as if she could feel the weight of whatever Washuu and 
Kiyone were carrying.  She sat down next to her sister.

As if he had sensed their return, Lord Yosho walked back into the 
dining room.  He looked at Kiyone and Washuu.  "So.  It is the worst," 
he said.

Both nodded.

Lord Yosho took a deep, long breath.  He expelled it slowly.  Then, 
briskly, he returned to his place at the table and sank down.  "Very 
well.  It is our duty and our honor to meet this evil and defeat it.  
It will be a fight to the finish.  Please understand that, everyone, 
before we go further."

Lord Yosho stopped.  He looked at Sasami.  "Sasami, would you please 
brew us all some tea?  And please do not hurry on our account."

Sasami stood up.  Her eyes were wide.  "Yes, Lord Yosho."  She left 
for the kitchen.

"She must be told—-but only the overall situation.  We must try to 
spare her the details," Yosho said.  He looked at Ayeka.

"Yes, Lord Yosho.  I quite understand," she said.  "And thank you."

Ryoko was burning to ask, what damned details?  But this time she 
kept still.  Something told her she would know soon enough--and that 
she would wish she didn't know.

"Well...Detective...Professor...which of you shall inform us of what 
you found?" Lord Yosho asked.

For once, Washuu did not seem anxious to inform the others.  She 
seemed rather loath to, in fact.  She confirmed it by looking at 
Kiyone and telling her, "You're the cop."

"Yes," Kiyone said.  "I'm the cop."  She took a quiet moment.  Then 
she spoke in a flat, hard voice.

"Besides Princess Ayeka, there were two dozen young children from 
high-caste families who attended the Lyceum.  Of that two dozen, 
half, or twelve, precisely, are grown up and living on different 
planets...and are quite unharmed."  Kiyone's eyes rose to catch Lord 
Yosho's gaze.  "There is that much on the credit side anyway, Lord 
Yosho."

"I am grateful for that," Lord Yosho said quietly.  "But the rest...?"

"Yes, sir.  The rest.  Well...the rest are dead.  Unlike the 
prosecutor or the judges or others from Klove's past, these former 
students did not die natural deaths.  In fact, they died rather 
unnatural deaths."

Kiyone heard Mihoshi catch her breath.  She knew that her partner 
would be devastated by what else she had to report.  But Kiyone could 
not help that.  All she could do was report and hope that something 
could be done about what she and Washuu had discovered.

"I know now that the Galaxy Police has been covering up these deaths, 
because it cannot explain them.  Washuu took a chance and hacked into 
the main secure database at GP Headquarters when I was denied access 
to the records of some of the former students from Yogami's data 
module.  I hope she was not detected and traced.  But we both felt 
the risk was worth it."

"Yes, it was, Detective," Lord Yosho affirmed.

"Thank you."  Kiyone visibly squared her shoulders as she continued.

"All twelve of the remaining students were found dead at their homes.  
Those homes were completely flattened, demolished, as if by a giant 
hand.  All the relatives staying with the former students were also
killed.  Those relatives were rendered almost unrecognizable--their 
bodies were found either dismembered or burned terribly.  Many of the 
victinm's faces were frozen into expressions of horror.  Some of them 
were children...sons and daughters of the former students."

Mihoshi gasped.  Then she began to sob into Ryoko's handkerchief.

"The massacres must have taken place very suddenly, because none of 
the families attacked ever got a distress message out," Kiyone went 
on.  "Another very odd thing about the massacres...the students 
themselves were completely untouched.  Their bodies were unmarked in 
any way--no wounds, no blood, nothing.  They were quite dead, but were 
without a scratch.  It was almost as if they died in their sleep."

Lord Yosho, not unexpectedly, was the first to break the shocked 
silence that followed Kiyone's report.  "Thank you, Detective.  Thank 
you for a job well done...and you as well, Professor Washuu," Lord 
Yosho said.  

Both Kiyone and Washuu nodded.

"Mihoshi..."  Lord Yosho's voice was gentle.  "Please do compose 
yourself.  We cannot do anything for the murdered innocents.  But we 
can do something, very definitely, to the murderer."

Mihoshi nodded.  "Yes, Lord Yosho," she said weakly.  She lifted 
Ryoko's silk handkerchief.

Ryoko watched as Mihoshi brought the exquisite silk handkerchief to 
her face.  No, no, Mihoshi, Ryoko cried out silently.  No--don't blow 
your nose--not into my nice silk handkerchief—-

Mihoshi dabbed her eyes with the handkerchief.  Then...she blew her 
nose, loudly, into it.

Ryoko closed her eyes.  She groaned.  Scratch another handkerchief!

Tenchi spoke now, slowly, stunned by the revelation.  "How did you 
know, Grandfather?"

"I did not know, Tenchi...not for certain.  I simply felt that this 
evil, the evil that I perceived originally, must go beyond torturing 
Princess Ayeka with bad dreams.  I came to the conclusion that such 
evil must be after bigger game than that.  We talked of this earlier, 
but I think perhaps some of you discounted it over time...quite 
understandably.  I did not.  And when Professor Washuu mentioned the 
other young victims of Klove...I felt for a moment that I could hear 
the cries...the screams."  Lord Yosho's features expressed his 
bottomless sorrow.  

"But why?" Kiyone demanded angrily.  "Is he such a fiend then?  Only 
Ayeka's family got him into trouble!  Why massacre so many innocent 
people—-and children.  Why, for God's sake?"

"He is a fiend, Detective.  The worst of fiends--a brilliant and 
accomplished man frustrated and bitter over learning that the rules 
of civilized society apply to him as well, despite his brilliance.  
As to why...well, Professor Washuu mentioned he needed time to 
perfect his mind probing across vast distances.  I think it is 
obvious that he needed also to perfect his method of revenging 
himself on the House of Jurai.  On us.  And to do so..."  Lord Yosho 
did not continue.  

"God in Heaven," Tris said, shocked beyond measure.  "You mean that 
Klove needed...to practice."

"And he got his damned practice--twelve times--the rat bastard!"  
Ryoko snarled.  

"He murdered all those innocent people—-those children, too—-just for 
practice?"  Ayeka's voice quivered with shock.  "Dear heavens.  I...I 
do not think I can take this.  My former schoolmates..."  She lowered 
her face into her hands.  Her shoulders shook.

Silence hung heavily in the dining room...the same dining room where 
they had partied so festively only a few hours before.  The latest 
revelations had horrified the group gathered around the low chabudai 
table.  And, not a few of them were feeling a tad guilty.  Lord Yosho 
was correct.  Most of them had down-played the threat of Professor 
Klove, at least in their own minds.

Ryoko felt that Lord Yosho's words were directed especially at her.  
She thus was doubly enraged about the carnage caused by Professor 
Klove.  It had always been a point of pride with Ryoko that no 
innocent person was killed even in her wildest pirating days.  Now a 
killer, a lousy baby killer, was stalking them, huh?  Well, that was 
all right with her!  She'd teach that bastard the difference between 
taking on babies and taking on Ryoko!   

"The worst part of it, aside from the horrible killings themselves, 
is," Nobuyuki was saying, "that we don't know how this Klove 
accomplished these things.  How did he smash homes?  How did he kill 
so many people?  How?  With what?  He could only get into the minds 
of the former students, isn't that right?"  

"That's right, Dad," Tenchi said.  "So it's really puzzling.  I can't 
imagine how he could have done those terrible things to all those 
poor people."

"Yes, it is puzzling," Lord Yosho agreed.  "Obviously, this Klove 
is able to generate some terrific force to carry out his designs.  
The question is, how?  And how can it be defeated?"  He looked at 
Washuu.  He wasn't the only one.  

Washuu shook her head.  "Now, as to that...I'm fresh out of ideas."  
Her expression was apologetic.  "There's a big, big difference 
between being able to project your mind and thoughts, to create a 
sort of mind probe, and mess with people's heads, and creating 
something that can cause that sort of devastation.  I don't see any 
possible connection between the two.  You need to have a hook to hang 
your hat on, you know.  I don't see the hook."

"Hats again!" Ryoko muttered.

"But maybe there is a hook.  Even though they were killed, the former 
students were unscathed," Tenchi pointed out.  "But their relatives 
were...damaged.  That has to be significant, Washuu.  That has to mean 
something." 

"I agree, Tenchi," Washuu said.  "But what it means, I'm not certain.  
Yet."

"It'll come, Washuu," Nobuyuki said, smiling at her.  "This is pretty 
new material.  You just need to absorb it a little while."

Washuu smiled, almost girlishly.  She sighed and leaned against 
Nobuyuki.  "Finally!  A man who understands me..."

"I--I must protest, everyone," Ayeka suddenly said.  "You all know 
very well what all this signifies.  It will accomplish nothing to 
ignore what is plainly evident, simply to spare my feelings."

"Ayeka," Kiyone said, "no one thinks--"

"Do they not?  Then...perhaps they should.  Let us bring this into the 
open."  Ayeka spoke resolutely.  Her ruby eyes were clear and revealed 
only the slightest hint of sadness.

"There's nothing to bring into the open, Princess," Ryoko told her.  
"Heck, we know you wouldn't attack us.  Washuu said so.  Right, 
Washuu?"

"I..."  Washuu found herself in the rare situation of being a tad 
uncertain.  "Well, from what I've been able to learn about hypnosis, 
no, Ayeka can't be compelled to do anything against her nature.  
We've already discussed that."

"That's right," Mihoshi chimed in.  "Ayeka wouldn't do anything bad 
to us."

"Again, I appreciate your kindness," Ayeka told them.  "But have we 
not decided that Professor Klove has made a quantum leap in his 
discoveries?  Perhaps what he has discovered and put into practice 
transcends the normal rules of hypnotism.  Is that not possible?  And 
were not the former students found untouched while their relatives 
were ravaged?  Does that not suggest the former students were the 
culprits?"

Ayeka looked searchingly at Washuu, then at Kiyone.  Both dropped 
their eyes.  She looked at Tenchi, who returned her gaze fully, with 
so much simple trust that she quivered within.  However, that was not 
enough, she knew.  If she was a potential threat to them...

Then, by chance, she looked at Tris.  And--she marveled--he winked 
at her!

"I think," Tris said, "that we need to consult Mr. Holmes again."

"Oh, no--not that guy again!" Ryoko grumbled.

"If you pull out that stupid make-believe pipe again—-!" Kiyone 
warned him, glowering.

"Okay, okay.  Sheesh, what a tough crowd!"  Tris smiled at Ayeka.  
"Don't worry, Ayeka.  You're not going to become a robot monster—-
that was a rotten movie by the way, avoid it at all costs.(2)  None of 
the former students of Professor Klove could have committed those 
masscres.  Simple deductive reasoning will prove what I say." 

"Simple is right," Ryoko muttered.  But she was intrigued in spite of 
herself.

"Tris, if you have something..." Tenchi said hopefully.

"I think I would like to hear from Mr. Holmes again," Lord Yosho said 
with a smile.  "He has served us well so far."

"So would I."  Nobuyuki grinned.  "It's a shame we can't generate some 
good old London fog and, perhaps, a Hansom cab as well."

"A handsome cab?" Mihoshi queried, wondering what in the world that 
could be.

"Never mind, Mihoshi," Kiyone said, eyeing Tris narrowly.

Tris knew that look.  He'd better come through—-or else.  

"Not to go into gory detail, since I have a sensitive tummy even if 
you all don't," Tris began, which prompted a giggle from Mihoshi, 
"let's consider the scene of the crimes.  Homes smashed, people 
ravaged, and so on.  Now, let's suppose that Klove can command one of 
his former students to override their consciences and kill their 
loved ones.  With me so far?"

"Right with you, buddy," Tenchi said, anxious for Tris to prove that 
Ayeka was not a threat to them.

"Okay.  Place yourself in the position of one of the former student's 
relatives.  There are screams.  You awaken.  The former student is 
running around causing bloody murder.  What do you do?"

"You stop them!" Mihoshi said brightly.

"Excellent, Watson!  You are, indeed, a conductor of light."

"Really?"  Mihoshi visibly basked in Tris's praise.  "Like a star, 
right?  You know, don't you, Tris...I was so flattered when I found 
out...my name in this language means Beautiful Star."  Mihoshi lowered 
her eyelashes and blushed rosily.  "Isn't that nice?"

Ryoko and Ayeka stared at Mihoshi with disbelief.  Kiyone gritted her 
teeth.  That Mihoshi!  She was still trying to flirt with Tris!  In 
the middle of this discussion!  And after she promised to stop that 
stuff!  

"Yes, you are a Beautiful Star, Mihoshi--the radiant star that has 
cast light into the darkness."  Tris, oblivious as usual to Mihoshi's 
flirting, was beginning to rhapsodize, even babble--but a sharp pinch 
from Kiyone brought him back abruptly from communing with his Muses.  
"Ow!"

"Continue, Sherlock," Kiyone grated.

"Okay, okay.  So, yes, if you were in that situation, no matter how 
closely you were related to the former Klove student, you would 
defend yourself.  None of these students possessed extraordinary 
powers, did they...I mean like Ayeka and Ryoko?"  Tris looked at 
Kiyone.

"No."  Kiyone's answer was terse.  She was still ticked at him, 
obviously.

"Thank you, Lestrade, for that full and complete answer," Tris 
replied, scooting a few inches away from Kiyone as a precaution.  
"So, at least in one case out of a dozen, the other family members 
would have been able to restrain the rampaging former student.  
Doesn't that make sense?"

"Sure!" Tenchi said, a bit too quickly.

"But if the family members were asleep...and the former students were 
quiet and crafty, as Professor Klove would no doubt command them to 
be..."  Ayeka shook her head.  "After all, the victims were not even 
able to get a distress call out."

"Ah, you are an exacting client, Madam," Tris told her.  "Very well.  
The clincher.  Even if in all one dozen cases, the former students 
managed to dispatch the other household members, there would have been 
resistance--self-defensive blows by the victims--and the former 
students would have borne the signs of that.  Yet, recall if you will, 
that none of those former students bore a single mark of violence--not 
even the prerequisite blood splatters.  Am I correct, Lestrade?"

"You're correct," Kiyone replied curtly.  No doubt about it, Scotland 
Yard was still not amused.  But she had to admit to herself that Tris 
had nailed that one good. 

Tenchi grinned with relief.
  
"Viola!  Are you convinced now, Madam?" Tris asked Ayeka.

In response, the First Princess of Jurai smiled, freely and without 
reservation.  It was a dazzling smile.  "Yes, dear Mr. Holmes.  I am 
convinced.  You are a true friend.  Thank you, so very much."

"You are welcome, dear lady.  Quick, Watson—-the needle!"(3)

"I'll needle you in about five minutes!" Kiyone promised him.  

Ryoko looked at Tris with rare respect.  "I think that Sherlock Holmes 
stuff is goofy, you goofball.  But you did something pretty neat 
there, Tris.  You really showed me something again."

"My blushes, Watson!"  Tris grinned at her.

"Goofball!  Terminal goofball!"  Ryoko grinned back.

"Now that we have established that—-and thank you, indeed, Tristram--
we can move on."  Lord Yosho saw a shadow move outside the dining 
room.  "Sasami, please do join us."

"Yes, Lord Yosho."

Sasami came in, carrying a teapot and teacups.  She smiled happily, 
glad to be included again.  She set down the tea things and sat 
beside her older sister.  The others helped themselves to tea.

"Sasami," Lord Yosho said.  "We have determined that Professor Klove 
has murdered some of his former students and their families with a 
terrible power, a power we cannot discern as yet.  His threat is now 
both real and eminent.  And we have also determined that your sister 
will be no threat to us when the crisis comes."

"Golly..."  Sasami's eyes were wide.  "I thought maybe he wasn't so 
much of a threat.  But since he is, I will do whatever I can to help.  
I want to help.  Can I?  Please?"

"Yes, Sasami.  Your help will be needed."

"Thank you, Lord Yosho."  Sasami's smile was almost as dazzling as 
Ayeka's had been.  "I know you've all put my big sister's mind at 
rest.  Thank you!  But I always knew she would never harm us."

"Oh you did, did you?" Ayeka said, smiling, gently straightening one 
of Sasami's pigtails.

"Sure I did," Sasami said complacently.

"Okay.  We've eliminated one possible way Klove is able to cause all 
that death and destruction," Kiyone said.  "But we still need to try 
to figure out how he's doing it--if we want to try to come up with a 
defense, that is."

"That's spot on, Detective," Washuu said approvingly.  "So, let's 
begin by—-"

"Defense?" Ryoko shook her platinum head.  "Defense?  Balls!"

"Ryoko!" Tenchi reproved her.

"I love you to death, sweetums, but please let me talk," Ryoko said 
firmly.  "I need to remind you all of a few things."

Tenchi subsided.  When Ryoko spoke like that to him, she was quite 
serious.

"Listen up, everyone," Ryoko said.  "Only losers talk about defense.  
Defense, my ass!  We're not going to defend against this Klove 
bastard--we're going to wait for him to come and then we're going to 
roast him!"

"Ryoko, your language!" Ayeka objected.  "Besides, he may be too 
powerful just to..."

"Princess, you need to look around you--all of you do!  Now..."  Ryoko 
began to count off on her fingers.  "First of all, you have me.  No 
one can defeat me and my powers!  No one!"

"Not even Kagato?" Tenchi asked her.

"Well, okay, sweetums, he was the exception.  But this Klove creep is 
no Juraian knight!  Right?  And I have Ryo-Ohki.  In starship mode, 
she can attack without me at the helm and she fights like the 
dickens--you know that!  So there's two of us giving that Klove hell 
when he comes."

Ryoko looked at the others  with her golden eyes--and those eyes 
flashed, brilliant with excitement and anticipation of the fight.  
She had a terrible beauty, poised like that, as if ready for the 
kill.

"Right.  Now, Kiyone and Mihoshi have Yogami...no match for Ryo-Ohki, 
of course."  Both Kiyone and Mihoshi frowned in disagreement.  "But 
their cop ship packs some mean firepower!  Those two can use their 
ship to help kick Klove's butt, too."  Ryoko grinned excitedly--she 
was on a roll.  "That's three—-count' em, three—-widow-makers making 
that Klove one sorry sucker.  And then my sweetums comes riding in 
with Sword Tenchi and Klove goes bye-bye for good."

Ryoko's face was flushed, just as if she had returned from such a 
battle.  "So that's that, you all!  Let that sucker come.  He's dead 
already, he just doesn't know it!  I almost feel sorry for that 
loser.  He can maybe kill babies and old people, but now he's up 
against me--and Tenchi--and the rest of us."

Ryoko's golden eyes again surveyed the others.  "Lord Yosho, you can 
handle Sword Tenchi, too.  Washuu, you can invent something to help.  
Princess, well, you can get in a few licks, I guess, if you're not too 
busy re-arranging the furniture or something.  Junior Princess, well, 
you're too young, don't have your powers, yet.  Tris, you'll be pretty 
useless, but at least you can applaud or something."  Ryoko thought 
Nobuyuki would be pretty useless, too, in a fight, but since he was 
going to be her father-in-law, discretion held her tongue for once.

Tris just laughed with admiration and shook his head.  That Ryoko!  
No way he could take offense--and what a scrapper!  Ryoko smiled at 
him, pleased by his reaction.

Ayeka was not so charitable.  "I shall not be re-arranging furniture!  
And you will please, once and for all, stop referring to Sasami as 
Junior Princess!  She is a Princess, period!  And once Sasami is 
formally crowned, she will learn how to channel and employ the Jurai 
power, which she already possesses!  Please stop displaying your 
ignorance, Ryoko."

"Oh, yeah?  Well, she's not crowned yet, is she?  No offense, Sasami, 
by the way."

"None taken," Sasami responded with a smile, amused by Ryoko's 
fighting stance.

"Anyway, she won't be in the fight.  That's all I saying.  Some of you 
will have to sit it out, but I can promise you one hell of a show!  So 
forget all this defense stuff.  We just need to keep our eyes peeled 
and when he comes--wham!"  Ryoko now smiled sassily at the others.  
"Questions?" 

"Yeah, I have one, Ryoko," Washuu spoke up.  "What's wrong with trying 
to figure out what we might be fighting?  It'll only help, you know."

"Oh, that's okay, I guess, as long as we stop talking about defending 
against this creep.  We're going to jump down his throat!"

"Well, I am certain we are all gratified that you now approve of this 
discussion, Ryoko," Ayeka said dryly.  "I know you are very powerful, 
and we all know the abilities of Lord Tenchi and Lord Yosho, as well 
as of Kiyone and Mihoshi.  And I am not without my own defensive 
powers, and there are also my Guardians.  But you might consider that 
since it is certain that Professor Klove has access to my mind"--here, 
the Princess couldn't suppress a grimace--"then he knows all of that 
as well.  If he is still set upon attacking us, he must have something 
quite powerful to use against us...something so powerful that it might 
just surprise you, Ryoko, and the rest of us as well."

"Good point, Ayeka," Washuu said and glanced at Ryoko.  The space 
pirate just shrugged.

"You talk as if you may have an idea of what we're facing, Ayeka," 
Tenchi said.

"I do not, Lord Tenchi.  I merely sense that our enemy is very 
powerful and knows our capabilities and is still not afraid.  We 
must not get overconfident!  That I know as surely as I know 
anything."

"You are correct, of course, Princess," Lord Yosho said.  "We should 
not be cowed by what we have heard of Professor Klove's crimes.  We 
are strong, uniquely strong, and we are united.  There is one more 
aspect...we fight for the right things.  We fight for life and peace 
and the elimination of evil.  I know that sounds very old-fashioned 
today.  Yet, I cannot help but believe that this gives us a special 
advantage, one that evil beings, no matter how powerful, cannot 
match."

"That was proven to me, Grandfather," Tenchi said.  "I saw it.  
Kagato was ultimately defeated because the good side of the Jurai 
power is the stronger.  I only succeeded when I concentrated on 
protecting Ayeka and not merely on defeating Kagato."

Lord Yosho smiled at his grandson.  "Yes, and that was a lesson well 
learned, Tenchi.  Yet, we must moderate our confidence with caution, 
as Princess Ayeka has said.  We are facing a powerful enemy and he 
does not play by any rules, not does he possess even a dark warrior's 
scruples, such as Kagato had.  We must balance confidence with caution 
and any intelligence we can generate on our enemy will be beneficial.  
Yes, Sasami?"

"Lord Yosho," said Sasami, standing up.  "I'm going to fix dinner now.  
Perhaps everyone would enjoy a short break before we eat?"

"Good idea!  I know I'm tired of talking," Lord Yosho said jovially.  
"Let's do break and stretch our legs and perhaps even enjoy a bit of 
what I am told is a beautiful day outdoors...everyone?"

That suggestion won immediate endorsement.  Slowly, the group rose 
from the table.  

Kiyone took Mihoshi firmly by the arm and lead her away.  The blonde 
Galaxy Police officer was already looking penitent by the time they 
disappeared from the dining room.  Ayeka and Ryoko watched them go.

"I hope Kiyone gives her hell," Ryoko said.  "That ditz!  Bad enough 
she blows her big nose in my silk handkerchief after I told not 
to, but to make cow eyes at Tris!  She needs a boot in the butt!" 

"Oh, your handkerchief will be fine after a cleaning," Ayeka told her 
dismissively.  "And I hope Kiyone only talks to her.  I will never 
forget seeing Kiyone slap her, back in their old apartment.  We 
laughed it off at the time, but I thought Mihoshi would curl up and 
die, the poor thing.  After all, she is forgetful and she can't help 
being infatuated with Tristram...any more than she could help being 
infatuated with Lord Tenchi in the past."

"Yeah, well, that's my point.  We stopped her from mooning after 
Tenchi by making it clear we'd clean her clock if she did.  Kiyone 
needs to do the same thing."  Ryoko agreed partially with Ayeka, but 
she also believed Mihoshi required a firm hand.  Not a hand that 
slapped or hit, necessarily.

"But they are partners--and police officers.  Kiyone cannot treat her 
as if she were a child," Ayeka objected.  "Besides, you made those 
threats to Mihoshi, Ryoko, not I."

"So?  You were happy I did.  Don't tell me you weren't."

"I am happy that Mihoshi acts responsibly about Lord Tenchi now.  I 
am not happy about your making threats to her about it.  I have told 
you this before, Ryoko."

"Yeah, yeah."  Ryoko shrugged.  It was easy for the Princess to take 
the high ground, now that Mihoshi had been effectively warned off 
Tenchi.  "Anyway, we accomplished what we set out to do.  If Kiyone 
doesn't rein in that twit, there's gonna be problems with those two 
and Tris.  Count on it."

Ayeka was about to reply when she and Ryoko suddenly caught sight of 
Nobuyuki and Washuu strolling by.

"Hey, Nobie," Washuu was saying.  "Let's go to your office for a 
moment.  I want to do some hugging and smooching.  I'm getting tired 
of just holding hands...aren't you?"

Both Ayeka's and Ryoko's mouths dropped open.

Nobuyuki smiled.  "Yes, I am.  Besides, I want to show you some plans 
for an addition to a warehouse I've designed.  It's energy efficient 
and—-"

"Oh...so you want to take me upstairs and show me your etchings, huh? 
Washuu asked.  "Well, let's go!"

Nobuyuki laughed and took Washuu's arm.  They left the dining room.

Tenchi walked up.  He looked dumfounded.  "Did I really hear...what I 
just heard?" he asked.

"You sure did, sweetums," Ryoko said somberly.  "You'd better start 
calling Washuu "Mom" from now on."

"Ryoko!" Ayeka remonstrated.

"Well, do you think they're just going to shack up and not get 
married?"

"Of course not!  Stop talking like that--you are speaking of Lord 
Tenchi's father, Ryoko!"

"Oh, that's all right, Ayeka."  Tenchi shook his head.  "It's just 
that the very last one of your girls besides Kiyone I ever expected 
to have a romance was Washuu...and with Dad!"  Tenchi looked slightly 
dazed.  "I guess all that "Little Washuu" business made me forget that 
she's no kid."

"No, she is not," Ayeka agreed.  "With her new look, she does appear 
more mature."

Tenchi nodded.  "But still...it's hard to believe."

"Hey, at least your new Mom will be a whiz at helping you with your 
homework," Ryoko told him slyly.

"Ryoko!" Ayeka snapped.  "It is not a joking matter!"

Tenchi didn't seem to hear.  "Washuu and Dad...and it's serious.  Good 
grief!"

A small distance behind them, both Tris and Lord Yosho stood watching 
the scene.

"None of my business, sir," Tris said.  "But...Tenchi's Dad...and 
Washuu?"

"Why not, Tristram?  My son-in-law is a healthy man, not out of his 
prime and, despite appearances, Professor Washuu is certainly a woman, 
with a woman's needs and wants.  There is certainly nothing strange in 
that."

"Then you...ummm...approve, sir?"

Lord Yosho smiled.  "I neither approve nor disapprove.  My son-in-law 
is a grown man.  He must make his own choices.  I will say this...it 
is not good to travel through life alone, Tristram.  There is no 
greater personal wealth than love and companionship.  They are not 
free, but they are well worth the effort to earn them.  Perhaps you'll 
remember that, Tristram.  I hope you do."  He inclined his head toward 
the dining room exit.  "Perhaps you should see about our two 
Detectives now, Tristram."

"Right...sure, sir."  Still shaking his head at the spectacle of 
Tenchi's Dad and Washuu together, Tris started to leave.  Then 
something occurred to him and he headed for the kitchen.  



Outside the house, Kiyone and Mihoshi were standing on the front 
lawn, facing each other.  They were engaged in a private discussion.  
That discussion was reaching its climax.

"I should strangle you!  Flirting with my boyfriend!  With Ayeka and 
Ryoko watching!" Kiyone fumed.

"I...I know, Kiyone," Mihoshi faltered.  "I'm so sorry.  It was just 
an impulse."

"Impulse!  I'll show you an impulse, Mihoshi!"  Kiyone stepped toward 
her partner.  

Mihoshi just stood there and closed her eyes tightly.  

Kiyone stopped.  She looked at Mihoshi's scared face, her flushed 
complexion, her eyes screwed shut.  She seemed like a puppy about to 
be hit by its owner.  Slowly, Kiyone felt the anger seep from her.  
Because suddenly, unbidden, a memory flickered in her mind.

                             * * *

The memory took Kiyone back to the Galaxy Police Academy, early in 
her matriculation there.

She and Mitsuki had lingered after class to talk to Chief Instructor 
Bodai and tease him for another extra-credit assignment...the old 
softie would usually cave in.  When he did, she and Mitsuki, laughing 
and talking trash and generally feeling wonderful, had walked to the 
canteen, for it was time for the midday meal.  Just before they 
reached the canteen, Mitsuki had remembered a volume she had left in 
the classroom.  She scooted back to get it.  Kiyone had waited for her 
near the entrance to the canteen.

As she had waited, she had noticed a tall, well-built blonde female 
cadet with the softest blue eyes she had ever seen standing at the 
entrance to the canteen.  The girl's uniform had been so severely 
starched that it looked as if she were wearing fiberboard rather than 
clothing.  It had amused Kiyone.  She had known whom the cadet was.  
It was Mihoshi Kuramitsu, the girl known to be the Grand Marshall's 
own granddaughter.  This Mihoshi had been standing by the entrance to 
the canteen as if she were waiting for someone.  Yet, as groups of 
cadets had approached the entrance to the canteen, she had smiled 
brightly at them—-and they had just ignored her and went in.  This 
happened again and again.  Each time it did, Kiyone had seen the 
saddest look on Mihoshi's face.  But then Mihoshi had pasted on her 
smile again as she espied another group of cadets approaching the 
canteen—-who, in turn, had ignored her.  On and on it Kiyone had 
suddenly realized that Mihoshi didn't want to eat alone, that she 
desperately wanted some company, and was trying to attach herself to a 
group of cadets...and having no luck.

Watchung Mihoshi, Kiyone had been pretty sure she knew why.  With the 
Grand Marshall for a grandfather, all the other cadets, including 
Kiyone, had assumed Mihoshi would be a prima donna and get special 
favors and treatment.  In addition, it had been known that Mihoshi was 
of her planet's petit nobility--her correct title was Lady Mihoshi.  
Those had been two strikes against her as far as the other cadets were 
concerned.  In addition, it had been a running joke around the Academy 
campus what a marginal cadet she was...only by performing extra duties 
and re-taking tests had the tanned blonde cadet managed to avoid being 
expelled.  She was clumsy and slow to grasp some principles and didn't 
seem entirely grown-up, somehow.  That had been strike three for 
Mihoshi with her fellow cadets.  As a result, she had become rather a 
pariah that no one wanted to hang around with.  

Yet, as she had observed Mihoshi's hapless attempt to make friends or 
at least lunch acquaintances, Kiyone had suddenly realized that she 
and the other cadets were wrong about Mihoshi.  The blonde cadet was 
not a stuck-up snob.  In fact, Mihoshi was willing to bear a little 
humiliation to make friends—-she had been rebuffed by at least a dozen 
groups of cadets already and she still hadn't given up.  And Mihoshi 
sure hadn't been getting any special treatment because of her 
grandfather—-just the opposite.  The reason Mihoshi's uniform had been 
so severely starched was because that old witch, Inspector Maki, had it 
in for Mihoshi because of her family connections and inspected her at 
every opportunity for demerits.  Finally, Mihoshi was certainly no 
outstanding student--but she was no quitter, either.  And neither was 
Kiyone herself.

At that moment, Cadet Kiyone Makibi had seen Cadet Mihoshi Kuramitsu 
as she really was--a scared, lonely, warm-hearted, terminally immature 
young woman in a hostile environment who suffered small cruelties 
daily, but would never respond with cruelty herself.  That insight had 
prompted Kiyone to walk forward and ask Mihoshi to join her and 
Mitsuki for lunch.  Mihoshi had looked at her with an expression of 
overwhelming warmth and gratitude and she had almost cried, even.  
When Mitsuki had returned, she hadn't been happy to have Mihoshi with 
them, but she hadn't kick up a fuss, either--for which Mihoshi had 
been clearly grateful.

                              * * *

That had been the beginning.  And now...she and Mihoshi were still 
together and Mitsuki was her implacable enemy.  How the hell did all 
that happen?  Kiyone didn't know.  She did know, and knew with crystal 
clarity now, that Mihoshi would, in a way, always be standing at that 
canteen entrance, waiting for her friend to come.  And that friend 
would always be Kiyone.

Kiyone regarded her partner, her best friend, standing there before 
her, eyes closed, expecting a blow.

"Oh, open your eyes, ding-dong.  I'm not going to hit you," Kiyone 
said crossly.

Mihoshi slowly opened one eye.  She saw that Kiyone's face was not 
all angry and red anymore.  She opened the other eye.  She smiled 
gratefully.

"Just tell me...why, Mihoshi?  After you promised!"

"Well..."  Mihoshi lowered her blonde head.  She studied the tops of 
her pretty blue canvas boat shoes with the flowery embroidery.  She 
had bought the shoes in the village during a quick trip there with 
Kiyone.  Tenchi had driven them to the village with Sasami, so he and 
Sasami could restock the kitchen larder.  They had ridden in the funny 
old car that made awful noises when it moved.  It was a reminder of 
happier times, before Professor Klove.  

"Mihoshi!"

"Oh."  Mihoshi looked up.  "I'm sorry, Kiyone."

"Don't "sorry" me—-answer me!"

Mihoshi thought a moment.  "Well, sometimes Tris makes me laugh when 
I kind of need to laugh.  It makes me feel...warm inside, Kiyone.  
I'm sorry.  He's so cute sometimes!  Don't you think so?"

"Of course, I think so--ding-dong!  Why do you think I go out with 
him?"

"Um...but you don't go out, Kiyone.  You two only had that one date."

"You know what I mean!"

"Okay."  Mihoshi didn't want to argue about it.  The fact was, 
though, she had gone on as many real dates with Tris as Kiyone had.

"Look, Mihoshi, I know you can't help your feelings.  God, do I know 
that!  But if we're still going to remain partners, you have to 
observe the limits.  Tris is off-limits, girl!  You can hug him once 
in a while if you really need to.  But no kissing, no little touches 
and caresses, and no flirting!  That's it!  Now, can you do that?  Do 
you promise?  Because I am dead serious about this, Mihoshi." 

"Yes, Kiyone."  Mihoshi suddenly felt miserable, but she resolved not 
to cry.  She felt guilty and crushed because for a moment it seemed as 
if Kiyone was going to hit her.  Up to now, Mihoshi had been very good 
about Tris...just as she had been very good about Tenchi.  She knew 
Kiyone really meant it this time.  She could not risk losing Kiyone as 
a friend.

"Promise me!" Kiyone demanded.

"I promise...I really do!" Mihoshi replied with a sob in her voice.

Kiyone studied her partner.  The latter's lower lip trembled.  But 
Mihoshi somehow refrained from bawling.  Suddenly Kiyone had the crazy 
impulse to hug Mihoshi--damn it!  This was no time to get soft and 
sappy.  Anyway, this time her words would sink in deep--for a while. 

"Okay, partner.  I'll hold you to that promise.  Don't forget it."

"I won't, Kiyone!"

Kiyone relaxed.  She realized her anger and frustration were only 
partially due to Mihoshi's amorous gaffe.  The horrible revelations 
of Professor Klove's wanton butchery had shook her up more than she 
cared to admit.  As a police officer, Kiyone felt rage at the fact 
that this man could have committed such atrocities without legal 
retribution.  As a private person...as a woman...she mourned the 
innocent people who had died at the whim of a truly heartless fiend.

But there was more.  Kiyone was professionally shocked and saddened 
to discover that her own service, the Galaxy Police, was covering up 
Klove's crimes from the citizens of the Galactic Union.  The GP 
leadership hadn't meant to when the killings started, Kiyone was 
certain.  But, as time had passed, and the murders had continued, 
unabated, with no solution in sight...the GP leadership, the former 
High Commissioner and the former Grand Marshall, hadn't wanted to 
publicly acknowledge they had a string of ghastly murders on their 
hands they couldn't solve.  So they put the case files into close-hold 
security and doubtlessly assigned a squad—-a covert squad—-to do the 
investigating.  When the current High Commissioner and current Grand 
Marshall—-Mihoshi's grandfather—-had taken over, they had been stuck 
with continuing the cover-up.  Obviously, they could not reveal what 
had been happening without risking their own political necks.

That GP covert squad would have quickly discerned the connection 
between the victims and Professor Klove.  But since he seemed to be a 
human vegetable lying comatose in a mental institution, the squad 
would have looked—-probably still was looking--for another culprit.  
The ghoulish irony of it didn't escape Kiyone: Some undercover GP team 
was no doubt chasing the same phantom suspect that she and the others 
had been "chasing" briefly, until the truth finally had emerged for 
them.  But the truth might never emerge for that team--

Wait a minute!  That meant that she and Mihoshi were on the verge of 
cracking a case that even the best and the brightest of the GP could 
not solve.  Kiyone tingled with the old excitement.  This could prove 
to be a terrific coup for her and Mihoshi.  It could even mean getting 
their rank back!  

"Kiyone?  Is something the matter?"  Mihoshi was staring at her 
partner with concern in her eyes.

Kiyone snapped back to the here and now.  "No, Mihoshi.  I was only 
thinking."

"Thinking about what, Kiyone?"

"Oh, I'll tell you later.  Now, let's-—"

Then they both heard a voice exclaim, "Hot dog!  Just what I was 
looking for--two pretty women!  This is my lucky day."  

Both Kiyone and Mihoshi turned.  They saw Tris walking toward them.  
Both women smiled fondly at him.  Grinning, Tris reached them.  

"Why were you looking for two pretty women, you clown?" Kiyone asked, 
deciding to humor Tris.  Actually, she wanted to do more than humor 
him but not with Mihoshi present.

"Well, I just happen to have a special mission to perform and the op 
orders call for two pretty women who know their chocolate from their 
vanilla."

"Huh?" Mihoshi asked.

"That Sasami!" Tris exclaimed.  "Instead of just warming up the food 
left over from the coming-home party, she's resolved to cook us all a 
wonderful supper from scratch.  She told me it would take around 
twenty minutes or so."

"That long?" Mihoshi asked, dismayed.  "Gosh, I'm hungry right now." 

"You're always hungry," Kiyone told her.

"Kiyone!  I am not!"

"Well, it's going to take that long, anyway," Tris interjected 
hastily.  "So I told Sasami that she was a perfect sweetheart and I 
asked her what she wanted for dessert that she couldn't make herself.  
Can you guess what she picked?"

"Ice cream!"  Mihoshi smiled with delight.  "She wanted ice cream!"

"You're right, Mihoshi."  Tris smiled back at her.

"Um...Kiyone, what did you think she wanted?" Mihoshi asked, realizing 
that she had left her partner out of the guessing game.

"Oh, ice cream, naturally," Kiyone said, but without rancor.  "So why 
do you need two pretty women, goofy?  You still haven't answered my 
question."

"Because I plan to drive to the village, to our favorite—-should I 
say, "flavorite"?--confectionary store.  But I'm just terrible about 
buying ice cream.  Ask Tenchi.  I need two pretty women who know 
their beans about the frozen stuff."

Kiyone smiled at Tris.  The wonderful goofball was striking again.  He 
knew everyone was badly shaken by the revelations about Professor 
Klove's crimes.  And he knew that she and Mihoshi had been seriously 
at odds.  So he was going to try to lighten up the mood with something 
that would certainly be a treat for everyone, especially Sasami-—who 
was herself trying to make everyone feel better with a nice hot meal.  
And Tris was going to let her and Mihoshi share in the fun.  Mihoshi 
had said this was a reason that she was attracted to Tris...

Suddenly Kiyone felt strange.  Strangely good...strangely calm...and 
strangely tranquil.  It was if she was seeing everything for the first 
time...and she was.  She no longer had doubts.  Everything was clear 
now.  She should have realized it before.  It was quite a realization.  
It should have perturbed her.  But it didn't.  It filled her with 
happiness and joy.

What Kiyone experienced that moment was the strange and wonderful 
flash of clear insight known as an epiphany.  It rocked her and awed 
her...and then enraptured her.  Because she knew.  She knew.  Finally, 
she knew.  And it was wonderful.

"You all right, Blue Eyes?" Tris asked.

"She's been acting kinda funny," Mihoshi said.  Her concern for her 
partner was obvious.  "Kiyone?"

"What?  Oh..."  Kiyone shook her head.  Then she looked at Tris and 
smiled again.  "Well clown, if you're looking for two pretty women to 
pick out just the right combination of ice cream flavors--we're your 
team!  Right, Mihoshi?"

"Right!"  Mihoshi was transported with happiness.  "We're a team!  
We're going to ride in Tris's car!  We're going to get ice cream!"  
She threw up her arms with joy.  "Oh, yay!  Yay!"

Tris grinned at her.  "That's right, Mihoshi.  Yay!"  He looked at 
Kiyone.  "Life can be sweet sometimes, you know...like ice cream."

"Even sweeter," Kiyone told him.  



Although he was Chief of Patrol for four regions and held the rank of 
Commander, Chief Bodai considered his office to be pretty small--just 
a bit bigger than his old office at the Galaxy Police Academy, back 
when he had been Chief Instructor.  It seemed even smaller now, filled 
with himself...and Lieutenant Zay're, Sergeant Katzaar, and Sergeant 
Mitsuki Sakakibara.

The three had invaded his office, unannounced, at about the time a 
call had beeped in to him from ComSec (Communications Security) 
branch.  Just as the face of a ComSec officer filled the Chief's 
viewscreen on his desk console, he was suddenly joined by the other 
three officers in the flesh.  Truly, the Chief's cup had runneth over.  
He could have done without it.

He held a hand up to the three GP officers, indicating that he needed 
to take the comm call first.  They stopped before his desk and waited.  
Sergeant Katzaar shut the door behind him.  Each of them, the slim, 
attractive redheaded Mitsuki, the tall, thin, ascetic Zay're, and the 
short, squat, beetle-browed Katzaar, seemed bursting with news, Chief 
Bodai noted, as he punched the touchpads to begin talking to the on-
line ComSec officer.

"Chief Bodai?"  The speaker was a pale, moon-faced Lieutenant, whose 
most prominent feature was his huge, fan-like ears that seemed almost 
like wings extending from his bullet-shaped cranium.  It was the 
unmistakable sign of a denizen of the planet Soyuzaka.  For some 
reason, officers from there almost always ended up as ComSec officers 
or Crypto officers—-"code heads" was the popular term for them.  
Perhaps it was because they were exceedingly un-humorous, literal-
minded beings, who, if they enjoyed anything at all, enjoyed tracking 
down stray transmissions and encoding stronger and stronger firewall 
protection for secure communications and data access.  

"That's right.  And you are?"

"Lieutenant Ignitzu, Region Gamma ComSec.  One of your regions, 
Chief."

"I know that," Chief Bodai said and immediately regretted it.  
Impatience with the literal-minded Soyuzakans was a waste of time--
and wouldn't look very good to the three officers now observing him 
as they stood before his desk.  "What's up, Lieutenant?"

"We detected a hack into the Records Archive from outside the 
firewall, Chief.  The hack was a get-sum type, probing specific 
records.  These were highly confidential records, Chief, close-hold 
in fact.  It was a very well executed hack.  The probe constantly 
changed protocols and redirected itself, and used spoofing, and..."

"Yes, yes," Chief Bodai said.  He didn't feel like listening to a 
lecture on ComSec issues and practices, which was what this dutiful 
Lieutenant Ignitzu would surely deliver if not halted.  "That is very 
informative, Lieutenant.  But did you get a fix on the hack?"

"I am glad to report that we did, Chief.  We are very proud of that 
since it involved our newest sniffer—-"

"And you should be very proud.  I assume the hack was traced to 
somewhere within Region Gamma?"

"Yes, Chief."

"Yes."  Chief Bodai again curbed his impatience.  "And where was it 
traced to...specifically?"

"That is the odd thing, Chief.  We traced it to a geographical 
location on a minor planet.  This planet is not a member of the Union.  
It's not even above Level Four in technological development.  The name 
of this planet is Earth."

Earth!  Immediately Chief Bodai guessed it all...why the three 
officers were in his office, what it might bode for Kiyone and 
Mihoshi.  He fought hard to keep his face expressionless and his tone 
neutral.  "I see.  Have you sent us the coordinates of the hack trace?  
And the names of the confidential records that were accessed?"

"Yes, Chief."

"I have them, Chief," Sergeant Katzaar now spoke up.

Chief Bodai nodded at Katzaar.  "Thank you, Lieutenant," he said to 
the face on the viewscreen.  "We will follow this up."

"You are welcome, Chief.  We apologize that the geographical 
coordinates are so wide.  We were lucky to have latched onto that 
hack at all.  It was brilliantly executed and--"

"Yes, I'm certain it was.  Thank you again for your splendid work.  
Chief Bodai out."  He punched a touchpad and the image of the 
Lieutenant faded out.  That was one good thing about being superior 
in rank; one had the privilege to terminate a communications session 
first.

Now he looked up at his three visitors.  "That no doubt explains why 
you are here, Lieutenant, and you too, Sergeant Katzaar."  Lieutenant 
Zay're was the Provost for Region Gamma, and Sergeant Katzaar was his 
Regional Executive Officer.  Of the two, only Lieutenant Zay're 
reported to Chief Bodai directly.  "I can't understand why you are 
here, Sergeant Sakakibara.  This is not a logistics issue, is it?"

"No, sir," Mitsuki confirmed.  She seemed strangely subdued.  
"Lieutenant Zay're asked me to join in this meeting since I know one 
of the officers involved in this situation so well."

Chief Bodai nodded, his manner still ostensibly neutral.  Inside, he 
was boiling.  Lieutenant Zay're was already trying to establish that 
some sort of serious breach had been committed by Kiyone and Mihoshi 
over this hack attempt—-this successful hack attempt.  It had 
certainly occurred in the two officers's patrol sector and they would 
be tapped to investigate the incident, of course, but that was all.  
It was a typical "staff officer shuffle" to artificially raise the 
seriousness of a situation by ushering in this impromptu meeting.  
Lieutenant Zay're was a master at such maneuvering. 

"I don't want to misunderstand you," Chief Bodai told them.  "Are you 
alleging that the two officers who patrol that sector may have 
something to do with the hacking of these confidential records?"

"We do not know for certain, Chief," Lieutenant Zay're replied in his 
usual officious manner.  "However, the hack was traced to an island 
nation on planet Earth, where the two officers have chosen to home-
base themselves.  The island nation is called Japan."

"Yes, I am familiar with that Earth nation-state, Lieutenant," Chief 
Bodai said, managing to suppress any indication of the sinking feeling 
that gripped his stomach.  "That is also where Princesses Ayeka Jurai 
and Sasami Jurai are...visiting...as well as the location of the 
Juraian Princes Yosho and Tenchi."

He noted that Sergeant Katzaar's usually sour expression had soured 
even more.  "Something to say, Sergeant?"

"No, Chief...except that the First Princess's alleged "visit" to that 
backwater planet has been interminable.  As she is so friendly with 
those two officers, I would have thought it their duty to convince her 
to return—-"

"That is a personal friendship, I believe, Sergeant, and their duties 
do not include shepherding members of the Jurai royal family.  
Correct?"

Sergeant Katzaar stirred uneasily.  Clearly, he knew he had put his 
foot in it.  His antipathy toward Kiyone and Mihoshi had prompted his 
unwise outburst.  Lieutenant Zay're glared at him.  

"Yes, Chief," Katzaar replied.

"This visit is due to concern on your part that the hack originated 
in the same Earth nation-state that Detectives Makibi and Kuramitsu 
are home-based...is that correct?"  Chief Bodai returned to the 
subject at hand.

"That is correct, Chief," Lieutenant Zay're said.

"Well, that is a heavily populated nation as I recall...many 
millions of inhabitants.  The evidence hardly points a finger at 
anyone in particular."

"There is more to consider than just population numbers in this case, 
Chief," Lieutenant Zay're persisted.

"Such as?"  Chief Bodai still kept his tone carefully neutral. He 
knew that any show of impatience or partiality would find its way to 
very influential people.  It was a rotten situation to be in, having 
to watch his tongue and his manner around his supposed subordinates, 
but there was nothing he could do about it...yet.

"I made a small study of Earth after the Kagato Rebellion was quashed 
and the whereabouts of certain renegade Jurai royal family members 
were disclosed...that is, of course, they are no longer considered 
renegades," Lieutenant Zay're added hastily.  In his personal opinion, 
Lord Yosho was a renegade and a traitor to the Union to boot, for 
abandoning his royal responsibilities.  Princess Ayeka was behaving no 
better in that regard, but of course he would never say that publicly.

"Yes, yes," Chief Bodai waved a deprecating hand.  "There was a lot of 
media coverage and news features on Earth back then.  There was even 
an "Earth fad" as I recall for a short time."  That fad had only 
amounted to the adoption of Earth fashions and food amongst the trendy 
set in the galaxy.  It had quickly died to make place for the next 
fad.

"Yes, Chief.  Well, I just checked the research I did back then."  
Lieutenant Zay're refused to admit he had participated in the "Earth 
fad," although that was exactly what he had done, along with his 
high-caste friends.  "As that ComSec officer stated, Earth is a low-
development planet, incapable of manned interplanetary flight, 
incapable of transmitting media packets outside their atmosphere 
except as broadband or amplified light, unsuitable for membership in 
the Union for the forseeable future, and..."

"I know all that, Lieutenant."  Chief Bodai tapped his desk, his 
first overt show of impatience.  "What is your point?"

"My point, Chief, is that no one on Earth--no Earth native--could 
possibly send even a non-directed teleband transmission to our 
Headquarters.  Much less direct it to our records...even much less so 
adroitly dodge our firewall defenses.  Such an achievement is far 
beyond current Earth technology."  Sergeant Katzaar nodded vigorously.  
Sergeant Sakakibara did not nod.  She just stood there, quiet and 
demure.  Chief Bodai wondered about that.  First, however, he had to 
deal with Lieutenant Zay're's accurate and quite appropriate 
observation.

"I think you're right about that, Lieutenant.  However, we cannot know 
that for certain on a planet that contains billions of beings, where 
some scientific research is certainly being conducted outside of even 
our purview.  It's highly unlikely, of course, in fact, all but 
impossible...but not impossible.  Remember the Earth's little SETI 
program?  Had the Union not begun scrambling all transmissions 
reaching Earth to look like meaningless garbage, folks on that planet 
might now watching the latest episode of "The Goriron Show.""  Chief 
Bodai was referring to the most popular program on galactic video, 
according to the rating services.

In fact, Chief Bodai knew, the Union had been obliged to do some 
adroit programming with the comm barrier reef it had deployed around 
the solar system.  The reef's scrambling and quenching functions had 
to be tweaked to allow the Earth's so-called Deep Space Network to 
continue to broadcast to and receive transmissions from that planet's 
unmanned vessels and radio astronomy and telemetry efforts.  
Otherwise, the Earthlings might have become suspicious.  Well, that 
was neither here nor there.  It was interesting, though.(4)

"Yes, Chief.  But that was just passive transmission reception, 
requiring nothing but the crudest of receptors.  To hack our records 
as well as this intruder did would require a level of technology that 
some of our Union planets don't even possess.  Sergeant Katzaar has 
the full report from ComSec, if you would like to glance at it—-"

"Later."  Chief Bodai felt himself being ensnared in Zay're's trap.  
He now wriggled out of it.  "All right, so perhaps impossible is the 
right word for an Earthling to be the hacker.  So what is your 
suggestion?"

"The most likely suspects are the only inhabitants of that backward 
planet who are conversant with our technology.  Specifically, Chief, 
that means Detectives Makibi and Kuramitsu."

"Oh?  What about Princess Ayeka Jurai...and, for that matter, her 
sister, Sasami Jurai?"

"Chief, those royals have no interest in technology...they don't live 
on the same plane as we do," Lieutenant Zay're said flatly.  "Besides, 
if they did want any information that our records possess, all they 
would need to do is go through their envoy, the Juraian GP liaison 
officer, and they would get that information, no matter how close-
hold.  They certainly would not dirty their hands with a hacking 
attempt."

Chief Bodai nodded neutrally.  But inwardly he groaned.  That last 
statement was so true, it hurt.  In no way could the Princesses Ayeka 
and Sasami be suspected of hacking records.  And, aside from them, 
the only technologically capable persons known to be on Earth were 
indeed the two GP officers assigned to that sector.  The now 
disgraced Professor Washuu Hakubi had lived on Earth, but that was 
before the Kagato rebellion.  After her condemnation by the Royal 
Science Academy, she had disappeared.  Her whereabouts were still 
unknown.  Too bad!  She would have been a prime suspect.

Of course, any Union citizen could have possibly wormed their way 
through the security-programmed nav buoys--those young techie geeks 
from Souiis had certainly accomplished that--and landed on Earth to 
carry out a hacking attempt.  But chances of that were pretty remote, 
Chief Bodai knew. 

Now both Lieutenant Zay're and Sergeant Katzaar were looking at him 
with a faint trace of triumph on their faces.  Sergeant Sakakibara 
just looked at him stonily.  Rather than reply to Zay're, Chief Bodai 
now said to Mitsuki, "You're awfully quiet, Sergeant.  What do you 
say about all this?"

Mitsuki blinked.  "I am just here to answer any questions I can about 
Detective First Class Makibi, Chief.  I don't really have an opinion."

The Chief's eyebrows raised.  Mitsuki was clearly distancing herself 
from her own allies.  She obviously didn't want to be here.  Both 
Zay're and Katzaar shot her irritated looks.  Hmmmm.  This was 
interesting...

"I see, Sergeant.  Do you have an explanation for any of this?"

"No, Chief.  I do not."  That earned her another aggravated glance 
from Lieutenant Zay're.  Those two certainly didn't appear to be a 
loving engaged couple.  The situation was becoming even more 
interesting to Chief Bodai.

"Perhaps Sergeant Sakakibara has a misplaced sense of loyalty to 
Detective Makibi, her former friend," Lieutenant Zay're said.  "I 
think that is understandable.  However, the most likely suspects in 
this hacking offense--indeed, the only suspects--are Detectives Makibi 
and Kuramitsu.  They have made a habit of bypassing proper procedure, 
Chief.  That is well known.  They lost their Sergeant's rank over a 
similar breach."

That was, at least, the common perception of the pair around 
Headquarters...and they did have those reprimands in their official 
records and the loss of rank.  Chief Bodai didn't bother to quibble 
about Zay're's overly negative phrasing.  

"I see where you're coming from now, Lieutenant," he said.  "But there 
is one obvious question...why would those two hack into a records 
database that they already have full and lawful access to?"

Chief Bodai's excellent counter-move did not faze Lieutenant Zay're a 
bit.  In fact, the lieutenant appeared to welcome the question.

"One reason, Chief, is that the only way for those two to get that 
information--which is close-hold, remember—-would be to take more PT 
or get special permission and travel back here to Headquarters.  As 
you know, close-hold records cannot be accessed outside Headquarters, 
thanks to the new Security Directive.  Therefore, Detectives Makibi 
and Kuramitsu could not get that information from the data module in 
that old Avatar-class ship of theirs, the Yogami.  They would have to 
come here.  To avoid that, they did the hack.  Cutting corners to get 
around regulations is quite consistent with their past records."

It took a real struggle not to register dismay.  But Chief Bodai 
maintained his poker face, somehow.  Yet he knew Lieutenant Zay're's 
scenario held water.  Could this be the suspected trap for Kiyone and 
Mihoshi that he and Lieutenant Ketquaraz had discussed?  If so, those 
two seemed to have fallen into it!  And he could do nothing for them—-
nothing at all—-if they had.  

"I don't agree with your assessment of these two officers, 
Lieutenant," Chief Bodai said, stalling a little.

"We know you don't, Chief.  We respect that.  But there is more."  
Lieutenant Zay're now looked quite pleased with himself.

"More?"  Damn it!

"Yes, Chief.  When Detective Makibi arrived here on PT a few days 
ago, she visited the Headquarters.  Specifically, she went to the 
Records Depository and looked up one record in particular.  It was a 
particularly sensitive close-hold record and it required flagging if 
accessed.  It seems that the Records Officer, Lieutenant Ketquaraz, 
somehow mishandled the required flagging."  Lieutenant Zay're's 
expression registered his low opinion of Lieutenant Ketquaraz.  "I 
was not able to determine what record it was until just now.  The 
confidential case Detective Makibi looked up was one involving some 
abuse of children at a deportment school that once existed on Jurai.  
The culprit was a Professor Tchaka Klove, who operated the school.  
He's now incarcerated in an institution on Souiis."

"Yes.  I seem to recall that case."  Actually, the Chief had meant to 
look it up after his conversation with Zuun, but he simply hadn't had 
time.  Now he was glad he hadn't.  Otherwise, his own perusal would 
have been flagged, too.

"Indeed, Chief?  Well, it's an old case, basically solved, with the 
culprit institutionalized.  Not a case worth researching, I would 
think.  Anyway, I have seen the list of files that were hacked by our 
intruder.  They are the close-hold case files on the former students 
of this Professor Klove at that school on Jurai.  In other words--
additional files stemming from the very case Detective Makibi had 
been researching just recently."   

Chief Bodai sat quietly for a moment.  He looked at Lieutenant 
Zay're...and at the now almost beaming Sergeant Katzaar...and at the 
stone-faced Sergeant Sakakibara.  His own face didn't register a 
flicker of emotion.  But he could envision the trap closing, firmly, 
around the hapless Kiyone and Mihoshi.  They were through.  They would 
be lucky to escape without a formal charge against them to go with 
their dismissal from the service.

But Chief Bodai would not give these three staff weenies the 
satisfaction of hearing him admit that.  Instead, he said, "Despite 
what seems somewhat persuasive information, Detectives Makibi and 
Kuramitsu are the officers assigned to that sector.  They must be 
allowed to at least conduct an investigation.  Your information may 
be misleading, Lieutenant, and they may come up with a culprit."

Lieutenant Zay're nodded slowly, thoughtfully.  "Of course, Chief.  
That is proper procedure.  Sergeant Katzaar here will issue the 
appropriate orders to them.  How long will you allow them to, um, 
investigate, Chief?"  The lieutenant's tone of voice made it clear 
that he felt such an investigation was a farce, but a farce that must 
be played out.

"I'll make that decision after I review the facts you just presented 
to me," Chief Bodai said tersely.  He would at least reserve that 
decison to himself.  As it was, some higher GP official would likely 
question his allowing Kiyone and Mihoshi to investigate this case at 
all, since they were so clearly the chief suspects.

"Very well, Chief.  The orders will be issued.  Thank you for your 
time, and--" Lieutenant Zay're stopped.    

The door of Chief Bodai's office had just slid open.

Captain Tookal stood there.  The executive officer to the Grand 
Marshall.  The same officer who never left his office, except on very 
singular occasions.  The expression on the Captain's saucer-eyed face 
made it clear that this was such an occasion.  Whatever he wished to 
impart was too sensitive to entrust to the comm system.

"All of you," he said tersely.  "Himself wants to see you.  Now."

All four officers simply stared at Captain Tookal, even Chief Bodai.  
A direct summons to the Grand Marshall's office--such as thing rarely 
happened—-at least, to officers in their pay grade.

"Come on," Captain Tookal said.  His saucer-shaped eyes were hard.  
"Don't keep Himself waiting.  He is in a foul enough mood already."  
Without another word, he turned on his heel and left.

Chief Bodai rose from his chair.  "Let's go.  When the Grand Marshall 
says now, he means now."

Silently, Lieutenant Zay're, Sergeant Katzaar, and Sergeant 
Sakakibara filed out the open door.  Mitsuki's face had gone pale, 
Chief Bodai noticed.  He again wondered about the red-haired officer 
who seemed so diffident lately.  Perhaps...just perhaps...it was time 
to have another frank talk with her.

Then, sighing, he followed the three out the door.  His second 
contact with the Grand Marshall in as many days.  He knew it boded 
ill.  He also knew that in a very short time, Kiyone Makibi and 
Mihoshi Kuramitsu would likely cease to be Galaxy Police officers.  
And who knew?  He might end up joining them in the unemployment line.  

With those gloomy thoughts, Chief Bodai followed the others on their 
trek to visit the Grand Marshall.



_________________________________________

CHAPTER NOTES

(1)  Indeed.  Sherlock Holmes is almost as popular in Japan as he is 
in Europe and the Americas.

(2)  "Robot Monster," one of the worst films of all time, features a 
space alien composed of a guy in a gorrila suit wearing a diving 
helmet who theatens Earth with, among other horrors, a bubble-blowing 
machine.  Take Tris's advice--avoid it at all costs.

(3)  This is the final spoken line in the classic Sherlock Holmes 
film, "The Hound Of The Baskervilles" (1939).  It is a surprisingly 
frank reference to Holmes' use of cocaine...a seven-percent solution.

(4)  The SETI project and the Deep Space Network are real, of course, 
and continue to operate with full vigor.  If you've every wondered 
why the SETI project has returned such dismal results...well, maybe 
this provides an explanation.