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 all my worldly possesions. 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. I know I'm kinda late in posting this- I've been extremely busy, and because of the confounded educational system here, I'm gonna have to repeat my junior year. All this time I've just been trying to undo what can be undone. Anyway, since I've been so preoccupied, the story may seem slightly "out of joint". So, sorry about that, and I hope that next time I write a fanfic my school life will be a little more in order. -TENCHI IN KOREA!- Episode III "Scorched Earth" (Tenchi's voice is heard as scenes from "Morning Calm" play. "In our last episode, we went to Seoul, where General Saito briefed us on the worsening situation with the Japanese Self-Defense Forces aircraft. Washuu also surmised that Kagato had something to do with the "ghosts". Then we went to Kunsan, where Lt. Yi's sister outfitted us with uniforms. Now we're on our way to Puktong Airstrip, on the front lines, where Major Iwakura is on rotation to, from his main base at Kunsan. We'll try to get to the bottom of this, somehow...") CHAPTER 1 2007 hours Puk-tong Airstrip Just within South Korean territory Major Iwakura led his guests away from the scorched, cratered ground, to the runway, and then to the off-runway area where his detachment's F-15Js, as well as Ichiko's F-2A, were housed, under tents and camouflage netting. A young lieutenant snapped to attention as soon as he saw the major approach. "Sir, Lieutenant Yasuura reporting. The ghosts..." Iwakura stared. "Well?" "Sir, you have to see it yourself. Look at my plane." Iwakura looked at the plane that was behind Yasuura. Black scorch marks covered it from nose to tail. Tenchi cursed audibly. Washuu stared, as if rapt in an ancient memory. Sakuya tapped her on the shoulder. "Uhhhh, Washuu?" "Kagato..." she murmured. She'd seen damage like this before. Only Kagato's and her weapons were capable of such scorch marks. Since she most certainly hadn't done it, and considering that Kagato owed most of his knowledge to Washuu, it couldn't be anyone BUT him. "What?" "Major Iwakura, I know who did this. And it sure as Azaka and Kamidake wasn't the ghosts of Admiral Yi Sun-shin's sailors." "Who?" "Kagato. A scientist even more mad than me." --------------------- Twenty minutes later... "All set, Ichiko?" "All set, Miss Washuu." Ichiko gave her the universally-acknowledged "thumbs-up" sign. (Washuu understood it, so it must be universal then, right???) The canopy moaned down. Ichiko swiveled the flight controls up, then down, then up again. She wired herself into the flight computer and "told" the jet, in what can, if computers can be put into social classes, be called "peasant language": The plane complied. The engine began to roar. Ichiko contacted the tower. "Good evening, Puktong Tower, Sashimi Four-six, requesting takeoff permission." "Uhhhh, rroger Sashimi Four-six, you're cleared for immediate takeoff. Winds are at two-seven knots". "Copy. Sashimi Four-six rolling. Over." The F-2 suddenly went to full afterburner and leapt into the darkening sky. Washuu's plan was in motion. Chapter 2 2100 hours High over P'yongyang NORTH KOREA Tenchi was heaving and huffing and puffing every time Ichiko put the F-2 into a tight turn, dive, or climb. "OK back there?" "Yes, 'Anko', yes." Anko was Ichiko's callsign. "Fine. We're gonna do another Immelman." "Copy that." Ichiko rammed the throttle to full forward and lit the afterburners, climbing sharply upward. Tenchi gasped as the earth fell away beneath him and he was surrounded by the limitless embrace of the empty darkening sky of North Korea. Suddenly it happened. In a flash, Tenchi spun around, and saw another one of the "ghosts" standing on the wing, trying to rip the port side ailerons off. "Anko, we have contact!" "Copy. Let's hope Miss Washuu's modification works." Ichiko veered sharply to port, and went into an inverted dive. She also punched a small button that had been welded to the side of her cockpit. Blue sparks flew all around the plane, illuminating it to every single half-starved NKPA (North Korean People's Army) antiaircraft gunner below. Suddenly SA-2 "Guideline" and SA-10 "Grumble" SAMs started shooting up from the North Korean capital, far below. She continued sharply rolling and banking. Punching the button again, the blue glow increased greatly. Tenchi looked back. The ghost writhed in agony and exploded, leaving green residue all over the two-tone blue camouflage of the F-2. "Anko, that sure as hell wasn't a ghost!" "Copy that!" she shouted, and spun the plane sharply around back to Puk-tong. Tenchi's eyes went as wide as dinner plates as he heard Kagato's dreaded organ music. He felt for Tenchi-ken in the cockpit next to him, as he phased out of the cockpit of Ichiko Nishimura's F-2 and into the dark realm where he knew Kagato awaited him... ------------------------------------------- Tenchi was still wearing his borrowed flight gear when he materialized in the dark netherworld. He raised tenchi-ken and prepared himself. "HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" "Kagato..." "Yes, who'd you expect, the tooth fairy? Hahahahahahahahahaha!" "SHUT UP!" "OK, if you want it that way, CATCH!" Two bright and lethal energy balls flew toward Tenchi. He swiftly swiped his sword left and right and destroyed them. "Well then, Mr. Smarty-sword, try me on for size." Kagato appeared before him. Tenchi felt the strength of his sword, a weapon he still didn't completely understand, course through him. "Think fast, Kagato!" He swung the sword around, left and right, then finally brought it down on Kagato's head. He missed. The mad scientist fired an energy discharge at Tenchi, nearly frying him. On the verge of being cooked to death, Tenchi remembered the strategies of his grandfather's favorite strategist, Miyamoto Musashi. Attempting a "ken no sen", he let his mind and body relax. Kagato eased up in front of him and began to approach. Suddenly, with a "fire spirit", Tenchi quickly raised his sword and brought it down full force , straight at Kagato's chest, while shouting the kiai of Nitoryu, Musashi's "Two swords, one school" branch of Kendo- "EIII!" He withdrew his sword as Kagato fell to the ground and the surrounding area was filled with a white light that seemed to plaster the inside of Tenchi's skull with its brightness and luminosity. Again Tenchi gripped his sword tightly, despite the fact that he was nearly dead, as he phased out and back into the real world. -------------------------- Chapter 3 2300 hours Puk-tong Airstrip SOUTH KOREA Tenchi fell from about six feet out of the air, onto the rough concrete of Puk-tong Airstrip. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!" THUD! "owwww!!!!!!!!!!!" A South Korean Army military policeman rushed over to him. "Get...Major...Iwakura..." Tenchi said, in his best Korean. Tenchi rolled over onto his knees and started to get up, as the major and another pilot came rushing over. "Masaki-san! We thought that we had lost you for good. Capt. Nishimura radioed that she had heard some organ music and then you disappeared, but I guess that it all had to do with that Kagato fellow that Miss Washuu mentioned." He helped Tenchi up. "Yes. It was Kagato. Major Iwakura, sir, you don't need to worry anymore, he won't be bothering any JSDF planes anytime soon." Iwakura turned to the other pilot. "Lt. Inagaki, is Capt. Nishimura back yet?" "No sir. She should arrive at any minute, though." "Good. Masaki-san, I believe that this about wraps it up. You have, very quickly, I might add, solved our problem." "It was nothing, Major. Really, it was nothing." EPILOGUE 0650 hours Masaki Family Shrine Okayama Prefecture JAPAN Tenchi sat meditating in seiza position on the small rise on the east side of the family shrine. He had done his job in Korea and had come home safely. His country's fighting aircraft were safe and available again to fight against the North Koreans, Chinese, and Russians. Tenchi's life was still chock-full of fun and adventures, but somehow it felt cold and empty. The cool predawn air swirled around him. Despite his problems, he felt at peace. Suddenly he felt a presence next to him. Sakuya had followed him all the way up to the shrine! She sat down next to Tenchi and looked deeply into his eyes. Slowly, Tenchi felt the emptiness inside him begin to get filled up. A gentle warmth crept over him. Sakuya sat in seiza and took his hand in hers. Their spirits flowed together as the morning came, and they were embraced by the rising sun... (play short bit of Tokugawa-era flute and taiko music here, and fade out to a black screen, then show the word "END" in English and Kanji.) --------- Author's note: Questions? Comments? Corrections? Email me, the Shogun himself, at patriot014@hotmail.com! "Vell, zat about does it. Anyone vanna lick ze shpoon?" -Oscar the Polish Caterer (from "VeggieTunes") Sayonara! _________