DISCLAIMER: "Tenchi Muyo" and all related names are the property of Pioneer and AIC, and I realize that they're doing me a great favor by letting me freely use these names without selling my very soul itself. However, the characters of Shingen Iwakura, Takeo Harada, Ichiko Nishimura, Yi Jyi-suk, Seiji Yasuura, Kenji Ishikawa, Shoji Inagaki, and Lisa Hall are my own copyrighted property. By the way, in case no one has noticed, this story has absolutely NO continuity with ANY Tenchi Muyo series, movie, or manga of any sort. You can laugh at me all you want, but please wait until after you finish reading the story. EPISODE II -MORNING CALM- (Announcer's voice: "When we last left our heroes, they were trapped in a nose-diving SH-60J high over the Sea of Japan. Tenchi stood to face what seemed to be one of the attacking specters. Is he too late? Will the occupants of the helicopter plunge senslessly to their deaths? Or will Tenchi (or someone else) save the day? Stay tuned to find out on "Morning Calm", Episode 2 of "Tenchi in Korea!") CHAPTER 1 1034 hours 5,000 feet and rapidly falling Sea of Japan 136 miles due E N E from Kangnung (Fade in to the last scene in the helicopter. No time lapse) Kiyone fast-drew her pistol and aimed at the "ghost". Tenchi struck it with a heavy central blow typical to kendo, and the ghost colapsed, and fell out the open hatch. Kiyone shouted "Ichiko! What's going on?" Ichiko shouted, "It's no use! Once a helicopter goes out of control it's nearly impossible to regain c-" A loud shriek and shimmering blue light filled the helicopter and the six occupants went quietly into an endless abyss... ______________ The Koku-Shudan SH-60J landed on the ramp at Kangnung AB. Or more correctly, was thrown onto the ramp with a sickening thud. Tenchi and Kiyone were the first to get up. They fell headfirst out the hatch and onto the tarmac of Kangnung. A familiar figure bent over them. "wa-Washuu!" "Easy, Tenchi. Easy." "How did you..." "I was bored, so I watched your flight. When I saw the "ghosts", I used my teleporter to transport you safely to Kangnung, then I came here myself. Although I think that Kagato has something to do with those ghosts...And the ghosts don't seem to be ghosts at all. They look familiar..." "Kagato??!??" "Not sure. Then again, after what he did to Ryouko, I think that anything's possible. Maybe even his alliance with this 'North Korea' that Captain Nishimura was talking about." "ungggg..." Sakuya groaned. By now, curious ground crewmen were coming toward the SH-60J. A petite, lightly-built woman ran to the chopper. She wore the ROKAF forest green uniform with a dark green "boonie" hat. "Outta my way, outta my way!" "Who are you?" "First Lieutenant Yi Jyi-Suk, Seventeenth Combined Fighter Squadron, Republic of Korea Air Force, Yang-yang Airbase. This is Major Iwakura's helicopter?" Washuu hesitated. "Ummm, yes..." "There's no time to lose. The Chinese have just declared war on the Combined Forces. In fact they've seceded from the UN and they say that they will fight any nation that attacks them. And to make matters worse, the Russians are committing more ground troops to the front." "Oh my God," Tenchi murmured, as he slowly worked his way up with the help of Washuu. "We're in one heck of a mess." -CHAPTER 2- The same day 1500 hours Yongsan Army Barracks SEOUL General Isamu Saito, commanding officer of all Japanese forces deployed in Korea, pointed to the map of Korea next to him. "To date, there have been sixty sightings, on the places denoted here on the map. All, of course, concerned a JASDF, JGSDF, or JMSDF/AF aircraft of some sort. But I am curious about this situation that you had. You say that this 'ghost' had cohesion, that it fell to the floor of the helicopter. And that it fell out of the hatch. This would imply that Captain Nishimura's theory about the beings was right- they are aliens. Because, as we all know, there are no such things as ghosts." Tenchi rolled his eyes at General Saito. He thought to himself, "General, if you've been in space as much as I have, you tend to never quite rule out the bizarre and unexplainable..." Major Iwakura's executive officer, Capt. Takeo Harada, spoke up, "Taisho ("General"), the other 2 pilots in our detachment, Lieutenants Yasuura and Ishikawa have had attacks on their planes in the last 24 hours." "Why wasn't I informed earlier?" "Because our AWACS plane was attacked. It took five flights of F-15Ds from the American Air Force to calm the pilot down enough for him to communicate intelligibly." General Saito cursed quietly under his breath. "Mr. Masaki, I hope that you have a solution to our problem." "Yes, sir. If anything, I won't even NEED to find exactly where it is. The "problem" usually has a habit of coming and finding ME." "Miss Washuu, I understand you have quite a large array of devices, umm, shall we say, developmentally far beyond any of our highest technology equipment, even in all the Combined Forces put together." Washuu laughed. Good thing that Ichiko had agreed to her coming along! She lived for adventure like this... "General, I can take a piece of garbage aircraft from the JASDF junkyard in Hokkaido and make it DANCE." The general stared. "Sumimasen ga?" "Sir, I, heh heh, I'm the reason why Major Iwakura, Capt. Nishimura, Tenchi, Ryouko, Kiyone, and Sakuya aren't all fish food right now." "Well then. Major Iwakura, please take our guests down to Kunsan and get them ready for the trip up to the front lines at Puk-tong." "Hai, taisho!" They stood up. The officers saluted General Saito, and exited with their companions from Okayama and Jurai. ______________________ 1807 hours Ops Bulding KUNSAN AIRBASE The combined US-Japanese-ROK base at Kunsan was a big bustle of activity. Constant supply flights in, constant MEDEVAC and combat sorties out, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Our "heroes" were met by a woman who looked similar to Lt. Yi. Major Iwakura spoke up. "Everyone, this is Captain Lisa A. Hall of the United States Marine Corps, Marine Attack Squadron Five-Thirteen. She'll be our US Armed Forces liaison for the duration of this mission." "You look like Lt. Yi" said Ryouko. "Ummm," Capt. Hall said, blushing, "that's because we're sisters." Tenchi looked at Ryouko, shooting her a glare which meant, "Get down to business, PLEASE!!!!" "Right. OK." "Well, we better head for the quartermaster's depot. You guys are all getting basic BDUs (Battlefield Dress Uniforms)." "WHAT?" Ryouko yelped. Lisa looked at Ryouko's bright blue and white clothing. "Miss, let me tell you something. I know this because I've seen it happen with my own two eyes. The NKPA (North Korean People's Army) is more ferocious than ever. They even shoot animals that cross their lines, as well as any bright colors that may appear near them. Now I suggest that you wear a BDU if you want to return to Okayama Prefecture without bullet holes through your skull." Ryouko sighed. Sakuya piped up, "I'm OK with it. Besides, I look good in green!" "That's the spirit!" Capt. Hall exclaimed. ____________ Twenty minutes later... Tenchi, Washuu, Sakuya, Kiyone, and Ryouko all stood shoulder-to-shoulder right outside the quartermaster's depot. They were ready as ever. But there were some minor problems... Ryouko's jacket was too tight, so she wore it hanging open. Washuu's was too big, so she wore it buttoned up and with the sleeves rolled up. Tenchi seemed lost in his hat. Only Sakuya had a perfect fit. "This is great! I never knew how comfortable a military uniform could be!" Ryouko and Washuu both simultaneously said "OH SHUT UP!", in an unprecedented show of mother-daughter unity. Sakuya glared at them. "Hmph!" Major Iwakura glanced at his watch. "Captain Hall, we must be going." "Yes, sir. Besides, I have to suit up for a close air support mission. See you all when you come back." A chorus of "bye!"s resounded across the room. "All hands" present then left the building, and across the long hot tarmac, toward the waiting helicopter... (Fade out. Show "To Be Continued", again in English and Kanji) (Fade in on teaser. Tenchi speaks as scenes play. "In our next episode, we get to go way up to Puk-tong Airstrip on the front lines to try and figure out what's going on. I have a feeling that I won't have to look far. Like I said to General Saito, "The problem usually has a way of finding me first..." Looks like we won't be home anytime soon...) -COMING SOON- Episode III- "Scorched Earth" --------- Author's note: Questions? Comments? Death threats? Contracts? Email me, the Shogun himself, at patriot014@hotmail.com! As "Professor" Peter Schickele of PDQ Bach says, "Just remember, it don't mean a thing if it ain't got that certain je ne sais quoi..." Until next time, kii o tsukete. _________