Dark Energy Trilogy
By William Benjamin Grilliette (evilpii@juno.com) and Jeff Williams (angelbane@geocities.com)

All material of or relating to *Tenchi Muyo!* are copyrighted by Pioneer LD and AIC.
All material of or relating to *Men in Black* are copyrighted by Marvel/Malibu Comics and Columbia/Tristar Pictures.
All material of or relating to "Evil Pii" or "Nerti Ro" is property of William Benjamin Grilliette.
All material of or relating to "Angelbane duSoleil", "Cassandra duSoleil", or "Katiara duSoleil" is property of Jeffrey Williams.
More information about cast, plot, and story is available at http://evilpii.dorm4.org/.

Part 3:  Tenchi Muyo! / Men in Black: Inheritance
By William Benjamin Grilliette  (evilpii@juno.com) and Jeff Williams (angelbane@geocities.com)

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Act 5

Scene 1

{The Masaki home seems quiet and peaceful with all its tenants currently away in the United
States.  The house built from the love of two truly star-crossed lovers is silent save the
ringing of the windchime hanging on the porch.  Even the storage door that opens into Washu's lab
is closed with no sound emitting from its wooden frame when it swings open allowing three GP
officers and two MiB agents enter the corridor, each carring a hardcover case in their hands.
The first GP to the front door is Kiyone, followed by Mihoshi and Mitsuki, and she turns the
door's handle and pushes it open while her two fellow GP as well as the two MiB, J and L, to exit
the home into the Japanese dusk.  Tenchi's voice enters over the sounds of the five leaving the
modest home.}

Tenchi:  The plan was made.  The energy of the five Fudo Temples would be harnessed just like
	before to replicate the Jurai Power, just like in Mom's time.  Kiyone, Mihoshi, Mitsuki, J,
	and L have already been briefed on each unit's operation and sent out to plant them.

{Fade from the officers and agents to the a clearing behind the Triborough building that holds
MiB HQ at a moonlit night.  Here, a dimensional cannon stood, half-assembled with MiB technicians
digging amongst the wires and integrated circuit boards to almost reengineer the device.  Sitting
in the firing chair, Washu creates her phantom laptop and taps the keys, bringing up displays of
charts and graphs.  These measurement analyses are labeled with such phrases as "Current
Configuration's Energy Output" or "Next Stage Juraian Interlink".  Washu touches the monitor
display and slides her finger to change the diagrams before her, thus changing the graphs.  She
nods and continues when an agent comes to her side wearing a white lab coat and holding a green
and gold circuit board.  She points to the current diagram before her while the agent nods and
examines the diagram closer.}

Tenchi:  Washu had the MiB technicians working into the night to make sure the cannon would be
	operational by zero hour, when the mass of dark energy would reach Earth.  According to her
	projections, the cannon would be finished with plenty of time before it would be needed to
	fire.  Of course, knowing Washu, that could be anywhere from hours to seconds.

{Fade from Washu and her associates to the docking bay of MiB HQ, where Yagami and Mitsuki's
patrolship are held alongside the Roswells' Saucer.  Both patrolships have since had their
dimensional drives removed while new forward cannons and panels, all black, have been added to
fight the dark power and protect the vital areas of the ship.  The Roswells' Saucer has been
almost completely redesigned.  While it retains its disc-like design, the composition is
completely of the black metal used to shield the vital areas of the patrolships.  Also, it has
been equipped with two forward beam cannons and two sets of paired under-deck projectile
launchers.  Behind the craft, a thrust system has been assembled to give it a top speed equal to
the two patrolships while maintaining high agility.  Not too far away, Pii's Pentinon Z-10
fighter "Caroki" rests in mint condition, seemingly unaltered by the combat that brought it back
to Earth.  Nearby, Pii and Nerti continue to work adjustments on two large, clawed devices while
Cassandra and Katiara look over blueprints.  Cassandra and Katiara talk amongst themselves while
Pii turns fixed bolts with Nerti watching a small, palm-top monitor displaying statistical graphs
of the adjustments Pii makes.}

Tenchi:  The upgrades to the four main ships were finished about an hour ago, but Will and Nerti
	both are still working hard into the night.  Lady Cassandra and Katiara are helping them
	finish the final adjustments on talons they all helped design for Katiara to wear in the
	battle to give her some weapons to injure the enemy like the other ships.

{Pii stops and wipes his forehead as Nerti looks up to him and smiles quietly.  Pii's visor flips
up, showing his kind gaze back at her as the two have a moment of silence within each other's
warm smiles.}

Tenchi:  However, the work doesn't seem to have affected either of them.

{A distance away, Zed stands on a scaffold watching the actions below him as Pii and Nerti return
to their work.  He focuses mainly on them when another agent comes up from behind him.  Zed turns
around to the youth and the two enter into conversation.}

Tenchi:  Likewise, Zed's decided to keep tabs on the final preparations as well.  I swear the man
	doesn't sleep.  He's also impatient with Washu's redesign of the Jurai Cannon and the
	schedule of the over all attack.  I think he's just worried like the rest of us.

{Fade from Zed's conversation with the young agent to a guest quarters for dignitaries where
several extra beds have been added to the usual compliment of the room.  Here, Yosho, Azaka,
Nobuyuki, and Angelbane are bedded down in different cots sleeping quietly.  Azaka's staff lays
next to his bed while Angelbane's gear is set aside near his resting place.  On Nobuyuki's cot,
Ryo-Ohki and Ken-Ohki are curled up together without a sound, joining the men in their momentary
rest.}

Tenchi:  But, most are just trying to get some rest before the storm tomorrow.

{Pan over to another cot where Kamidake sits with his staff across his lap while he looks forward
in thought.  His arms are folded over his staff while his body is arced forward, and his face
contorted in comtemplation.}

Tenchi:  However, there are some, including me, who are having trouble sleeping tonight...

{Kamidake stands and lays his staff down next to his cot before he walks towards the door.  As he
goes, the black mark across the side of his face fades away as does the white uniform he wears,
leaving him a young man wearing an old variant of the high-ranking Juraian military attire.  Fade
to Nagi sitting on the edge of the roof of the Triborough Building looking out into the distance
in thought when her voice quietly breaks the picturesque cityscape.  Her cape is wrapped tightly
around her but still whips some in the chilling winds atop the concrete structure.}

Nagi:  "She has not only the blood of the Jurai, but the birthright of the Darkness as well"...

{Nagi's eyes angle down slowly and watch the occcasional car drive past while she lets those
words sink into her mind.}

Nagi:  Could Hotsuma have been right...?  Could I be the one spoken of in the Holy Chronicle...?

{She then sighs and closes her eyes with a shake of her head.}

Nagi:  One of the Six Warriors... the one to unite them all...  I could never...

{A male voice enters from behind her.}

Man:  You might surprise yourself.

{Startled, Nagi lays her hand on her sword's hilt and spins around, partially drawing the blade
to see this reverted Kamidake standing aloof behind her.  She blinks and calms down while pushing
her sword back into place as he walks to her side and sits down beside her, facing the opposite
direction.  Nagi watches the motionless horizon while Kamidake stares into the distance, both
people in thought.}

Nagi:  What do you mean "surprise" myself?

{Kamidake scoffs and smiles to himself.}

Kamidake:  I find it odd for someone born of both the Darkness and Light to find "surprise" all
	that unusual.

{Nagi lifts her gaze some and speaks quietly to the knight.}

Nagi:  I was raised to believe in the holy writings...

{She smiles a little as she remembers.}

Nagi:  Father used to read me the story of the Six Warriors as my bedtime story...

{Her eyes angle down as she continues somewhat melancholically.}

Nagi:  However, that was before I was taken from him...  You could say that I lost my faith then,
	if it even existed.  They were only fantasy, nothing more.  There were no heros left.

{Kamidake nods.}

Kamidake:  You have had a difficult life, Lady Nagi...

{Nagi interrupts him gently.}

Nagi:  Do not call me "Lady"... please...

{Kamidake glances over towards Nagi and sees her forcing herself not to look at Kamidake, and
even her hands trembling as they grip her knees tightly trying to keep herself together.  He
starts to put his hand on her shoulder when she shakes her head, halting his motion.}

Nagi:  I do not need your sympathy, either...

{Kamidake closes his eyes and pulls his hand back.}

Kamidake:  I am sorry... Nagi...

{Nagi's red eyes watch the sky in silence for a moment as Kamidake faces away from her again.
Her voice catches his attention again.}

Nagi:  It... Do not concern yourself...  I just have a lot on my mind right now...

{Kamidake nods and opens his eyes.}

Kamidake:  If... I am making you uncomfortable...

{Kamidake starts to stand when he feels a grip on his shoulder, stopping him.  He glances over to
see Nagi's hand firmly gripping the epulets of his uniform while her voice speaks to him, even
though she still does not face him.}

Nagi:  You knew Princess Achi, did you not...?

{Kamidake is a little confused, but nods.}

Kamidake:  Yes, I did...

{Nagi slowly looks back to Kamidake and locks eyes with him, allowing him to see her red eyes
wanting to listen to him.}

Nagi:  Tell me about her...

{Kamidake nods and then seats himself again next to Nagi who releases his uniform, but now she
listens to him as he speaks.}

Kamidake:  She was a kind young girl.  When Azaka and I were still living in antiquity, her age
	was only that of Princess Sasami's.

{Kamidake smiles.}

Kamidake:  I can still see her running through Jurai's fields with all that life she had.

{Nagi looks slightly away and towards the ground far below.}

Nagi:  Seems you knew her quite well...

{Kamidake nods and follows Nagi's gaze what he can.}

Kamidake:  She was like a little sister to me, even though she was of the kingly line.

{Nagi sighs hard.}

Nagi:  Then how did she come up with this prophecy?

{Kamidake's expression becomes more serious as he looks over towards Nagi directly, causing her
to look up into his eyes also.}

Kamidake:  After Lord Angelbane saved her from Liaens's grasp, she was never completely the same.
	In some respects, I am glad I was not there to see her detrioration, but I also wish I
	could have been there as someone to her confide in, to help her anyway I could.

Nagi:  So, the entire prophecy could have been the rantings of a madwoman...?

{Kamidake interrupts her.}

Kamidake:  No, nothing so simple.

{Nagi remains silent as Kamidake continues, listening to his every word.}

Kamidake:  After Azaka and I were brought back, I did extensive research on those I cared about
	in our old era.

{Nagi is struck while watching Kamidake to see tears starting to form at the edges of the
knight's eyes.  He closes his eyes and faces away from her as he continues.}

Kamidake:  It is difficult...

{He clears his throat and resettles himself before he opens his eyes.}

Kamidake:  Princess Achi was examined by the priests when she started writing the Angelfire
	prophecy, and they found that her aura and Jurai Power had somehow increased since she was
	kidnapped.

{Nagi becomes confused.}

Nagi:  How could that be?  Only the highest royals and priests have access to the First Tree
	to...

{Kamidake shakes his head.}

Kamidake:  I have no real idea how, Nagi.

{He looks over and faces her bewildered expression with a most serious one.}

Kamidake:  But, all that has happened and has been said about Princess Sasami mirrors Princess
	Achi.

{Nagi is taken aback.}

Kamidake:  And, the priests eventually heralded Princess Achi as a saint and oracle when her
	early visions were proven true.  I have little doubt of the Angelfire prophecy's truth...
	or of Princess Sasami's succession of Princess Achi.

{Nagi becomes quiet and looks down to the street below in silence while Kamidake watches her
expression before cracking a confident smile.}

Kamidake:  Do not worry.

{Nagi glances towards Kamidake.}

Kamidake:  As I swore before Lord Tensho, I will watch over you and help fulfill the prophecy as
	Princess Achi wrote it.

{Nagi shakes her head and looks back to the street.}

Nagi:  Your oath to my father was over when Liaens was killed.  I am no longer your
	responsibility.

{Kamidake shakes his head.}

Kamidake:  No, it was not.  You were wounded in that conflict because of my neglegence.  I wish
	to make amends for that.

{Nagi begins to show some frustration with the young knight.}

Nagi:  That was not because of your neglegence.  It was my recklessness.

{Kamidake smiles to himself.}

Kamidake:  Either way, I will make sure you live through this incident.

{Nagi looks back to Kamidake's smile as he gazes into the black distance of the starfilled sky.
She sighs and shakes her head as the scene fades to Tenchi laying on a bed in a guest quarters of
MiB HQ.  He is fully dressed while the bed is disheaveled from his tossing and turning, as are
his clothes and hair to a degree.  He stares at the ceiling, allowing his mind to wander about
various subjects, whispering to himself.}

Tenchi:  I should get some sleep...  It's just under a day before the NVO planet arrives...

{He rolls over on his side and looks at the barren wall with the worry starting to show in his
expression.}

Tenchi:  Can we really pull this off...?  I mean it was different when it was just me risking my
	life with the Light Hawk Sword...

{Tenchi places his hands on his face and rub them down over his neck with a greatly concerned
sigh.}

Tenchi:  Now, everyone is guarantied to be in danger, one way or another...  Just seven ships...
	five with weapons to hurt the enemy...

{He closes his eyes.}

Tenchi:  Ryoko and Nagi...  they'll be the two with the least protection...

{Tenchi rolls back onto his back and looks into the contoured ceiling.}

Tenchi:  Ayeka will be commanding from Yagami...  in the lead ship...

{He sighs again.}

Tenchi:  I know that Ayeka, Grandpa, and Angelbane thought up this strategy... but... it all
	sounds risky...  But then, we can't eliminate any risks...  not this time...

{A knock comes to his door, ripping Tenchi from his thoughts and making him sit up on the bed,
facing the door.  He quiets and becomes curious when he realizes who it is.}

Tenchi:  Ryoko...?

{The door slides open to show Ryoko already wearing her red and black combat uniform.  As he
looks at her face, he blinks in surprise to see that she has painted a black mark across the left
side of face, a variant of the Juraian Mark of Rage reaching from around her eye and hairline
down to her chin.  He stands from his bed and starts for Ryoko when she raises her hand to stop
him.  She lifts her golden eyes quietly and gravely to the young prince as she starts to speak.}

Ryoko:  I have something to say, Tenchi...  Please hear me out...

{Tenchi stops and then starts to worry when he notices her hand shaking as it lowers to her
side.}

Ryoko:  We might not come back from this one, Tenchi...  There's a lot I've promised to tell
	you...  I wanted to fulfill that while I could...

{Tenchi nods and smiles a bit, causing Ryoko to smile some herself, remembering what she sees in
him.  She steps closer and continues, holding her arms.}

Ryoko:  You remember when we first met, when I was hung over and crashed near your grandfather's
	shrine?

{Tenchi nods while Ryoko's eyes close as she angles her head back some in memory.}

Ryoko:  I can still remember you kneeling over me... concerned for this mystery woman...

{Ryoko nods her head forward and to the side as she opens her eyes to look at Tenchi kindly.}

Ryoko:  You didn't care if I was the innocent girl I pretended to be... or the real pirate's
	daughter I was...  Just that I was someone hurt and in danger... that's all that seemed to
	matter...

{She stops a few steps before Tenchi and faces him directly.}

Ryoko:  Then there was that night.  It came down to me in all my power against you with a simple
	wooden handled hoe...  You didn't know about the Jurai Power you held then, or I would have
	been the one in danger.

{Ryoko smiles wryly, as does Tenchi, but before Ryoko can go on, Tenchi speaks to her.}

Tenchi:  But, you still didn't attack...

{Ryoko's smile slowly melts away as she looks slightly away from Tenchi's face and sighs.}

Ryoko:  Yeah... I didn't...

{Ryoko then smiles and points at Tenchi's nose with her finger.}

Ryoko:  Had I known you were crown prince of Jurai, I might have gone ahead, though!

{Tenchi just shakes his head.}

Tenchi:  No, you wouldn't.

{Ryoko sighs again and nods with a slight smile.}

Ryoko:  Yeah...

{She clears her throat and tries to force herself to be serious again.}

Ryoko:  Well... Yeah...  Then, there was that whole thing with Kagato...

{Tenchi now also becomes grave while looking slightly away from her.}

Tenchi:  And, you almost died...

{Ryoko spins back to him surprised.}

Ryoko:  Wa... wait a sec!  You knew?!

{Tenchi nods as he looks into the distance, not looking directly at Ryoko.}

Tenchi:  How could I not?  That man had defeated Grandpa with no wounds to show for it.  I know
	you're very strong Ryoko, especially after the time we've trained each other, but neither
	you nor Ayeka were a match against Kagato then.  I barely killed him when I got there...

{Ryoko blinks some as she looks down and then away from Tenchi as he goes on.}

Tenchi:  You weren't there...  He stood over me with that dark sword pulled back to kill...  that
	mad, obsessed look in his eyes...  Even when we faced Liaens, I've never seen someone look
	that possessed...

{Ryoko raises her head and glances in the corner of her eye to Tenchi's expression in his
remembrance.  He no longer looks like the young boy who gave her water that day in autumn 1995.
He seems more like a man who has seen hell itself within another man's soul.}

Tenchi:  But, that wasn't the worst...  Ayeka wouldn't let Kagato finish me...  She summoned the
	true Jurai Power for the first time and blasted Kagato with all she had...  But, even that
	wasn't enough.  He knocked her back into the wall of the throne room with barely a motion
	and then went after her...

{In Tenchi's mind, he can see Kagato looming slowly over Ayeka with his sword drawn.  He slowly
pulls the sword back with hate and satisfaction written on his face, no remorse, when a great
light brightens the trees all around him.  Kagato looks up and looks around before turning to
Tenchi, who stands facing Kagato with the light focusing on him.}

Tenchi:  That is when... I first summoned the Jurai Power for the first real time...  Though I
	killed him and saved Ayeka's life, I knew it was a narrow victory... that was very
	costly...

{Ryoko turns to look at Tenchi when he turns back to her with a quiet expression on his face.}

Tenchi:  When you didn't come back after Kagato's death, I knew it had to be the worst for you...
	Even when you returned to Earth after all those months, it was so hard to think of how you
	could have survived...

{Ryoko nods with a quiet expression on her face as well while she goes on to speak.}

Ryoko:  I... thought I was dead for a long time after that...  I still don't really know what
	happened...  The last thing I remember was leaving Jurai's territory on Ryo-Ohki...
	thinking of everything we'd shared on Earth and in space before all this happened...  I
	just blacked out after that...

{Ryoko closes her eyes and rubs them with her fingers as she thinks while Tenchi listens to her,
not letting any word pass without attention.}

Ryoko:  I woke up on Corsair, that planet where we owned the bar, in an alley.  Ryo-Ohki was
	there with me, but she didn't know all of what happened either...  It's still a haze...
	After that, I pretty much relied on my old skills from Dad's guys to survive until I got
	back to Earth, but I still had a scar and an occasional pain in my side to remind me of it
	all.

{Ryoko looks up from her hand and sees that Tenchi is smiling slightly towards her.  She
scrunches her brows in confusion  as she looks t him.}

Ryoko:  Why're you smiling?

{Tenchi shrugs.}

Tenchi:  I'm just glad you were alright.  After all, we wouldn't be here now without you.

{Ryoko scoffs some and smiles at that.}

Ryoko:  Well, yeah.  You couldn't have dealt with Kain without me around.  Oh, and forget that
	crack about your Mom being immature.  She was very strong and very beautiful for someone
	her age.

{Tenchi bows his head slightly, still smiling.}

Tenchi:  Apology accepted.  Actually, the thing in Manhattan and on Jurai the last eighteen
	months would really have been different if you weren't there.

{Ryoko looks away a bit.}

Ryoko:  Yeah, if I wasn't around, Illirg wouldn't have been as powerful, nor Seia.

{Tenchi puts his hand on Ryoko's shoulder, bringing her attention back to Tenchi who is sincerely
concerned for her.}

Tenchi:  That wasn't your fault.  You had no control over what Liaens and Jezibel did.

{Ryoko clenches her fists tightly, as she does her teeth.}

Ryoko:  Yes, but it was a violation of me... my genetic code, my existence!  That's what it was
	to me.  It was an insult!

{Tenchi pats her shoulder while closing his eyes and nodding.}

Tenchi:  I know...  I'd feel the same in your place...

{Then he reopens his eyes with a kind expression towards her.  She looks back and then becomes
lost in his eyes.}

Tenchi:  But, without you, we wouldn't be here, all of us together.  You looked after Sasami
	while fighting alongside Ayeka against Oniko and Seia.  You went out alone and faced Illirg
	to save Mitsuki, Kiyone, and J.  It was you who took Mecha-Nerti's hand and took away her
	main weapon in that dimensional nexus.  You've done more than you're giving yourself credit
	for.

{Ryoko closes her eyes and then pushes Tenchi's hand from her shoulder.  Tenchi looks at her
confused as she continues.}

Ryoko:  But, I also realized something when we faced Illirg.

{She opens her eyes full of emotion towards Tenchi.  Tenchi is surprised to see a few tears
starting to form at the edges of her eyes.}

Ryoko:  When Ayeka was in her coma, I realized that fighting with her over you was not what I
	should be doing.  I've wanted several times for Ayeka to just be out of the way so I could
	be alone with you, but when she almost died... it changed everything for me...

{Tenchi's surprise turns into concern as she continues, with the tears starting to roll down her
face as well as by the sincerity in her voice.}

Ryoko:  It's like what I told Sasami.  I said that Ayeka and I fight like sisters do, a rivalry.
	We almost lost her then, and I couldn't bear it for all this to end like that.  It's just
	like when I told you not to follow me to Ryua.  It's because I didn't want you getting hurt
	either.  Nagi and I were almost killed there yesterday.

{Tenchi gasps in surprise while Ryoko shakes her head seriously.}

Ryoko:  Don't say it, Tenchi.  I didn't want you to go for the same reason Ryo-Ohki and I took on
	Jurai's defenses.  I've lived a life of danger and death for most of my nineteen years.
	It's what I know, and I want to keep you from it as much as I can.  That's why I'm here.  I
	don't want you to die a meaningless death like Oniko did.

{Tenchi shakes his head and grabs Ryoko's shoulders tightly while his voice raises.}

Tenchi:  Oniko's death wasn't meaningless!  Look at what you've become in the past six months,
	Ryoko, just by remembering the man he was!  You're so much more than the pirate that
	crashed on Earth three years ago!

{Ryoko hardens her face and then yells in Tenchi's face as her composure finally breaks.}

Ryoko:  Damn it, Tenchi!  I love you!!

{Tenchi's dumbstruck hard by those words and loosens his grip on her shoulders.  Ryoko sighs hard
and finally shows her broken emotional state.}

Ryoko:  That's right, Tenchi...  I love you...  That's why I couldn't attack you that day... why
	I tried to stop you from facing Kagato...  I would never harm you or let you come to
	harm...  That's why I live... my purpose...

{Tenchi's arms fall to his sides as she looks deep into his still shocked eyes.}

Ryoko:  And, I haven't forgotten what Oniko showed me...

{She points to the black mark on her face.}

Ryoko:  That's what this is to remind me of when I go and fight today... the darkness of my own
	race... my family...

{Tenchi blinks and looks down to the ground, allowing everything to finally sink into himself.
Ryoko steps to him and wraps his arms around him gently, placing her head on his shoulder.  He
can now feel her sobbing ever so slightly as her tears now fall on his shirt and dampen it.}

Ryoko:  No matter what happens today, Tenchi Masaki... I love you... and I will protect you with
	every ounce of strength I have...

{Tenchi pushes her forward enough that her golden eyes, glistening with saline, look into his,
which now have some tears starting to form.}

Tenchi:  I... don't know what to say, Ryoko...  I...

{Ryoko puts a finger against his lips to silence him as she smiles melancholically.}

Ryoko:  Don't say anything...  I just want you to know this...  When we were those 1929 gangsters
	in that alternate world, I told you that one day, I'd take you on a real journey with me.
	If we survive today...

{Tenchi's eyes blink, starting the tears to roll down his face as he nods to her.}

Tenchi:  Of course...

{Ryoko smiles a little wider as she releases Tenchi and steps back, holding her arms before her.}

Ryoko:  Get all the rest you can...  It's going to be a busy day...

{Ryoko vanishes slowly as Tenchi sadly watches her go.  The door to Tenchi's quarters is still
ajar, but a lock of purple hair floats past the entrance.  Cut to the exterior of the door and
pan over to see Ayeka leaning against the corridor wall looking blankly to the opposite wall.
Her kimono is disheveled, and tears have streaked down her face.  Her eyes are fluid with emotion
as she raises her hands to her face and runs into the distance through the corridor.  As she
runs, the red emergency lights flare and spin, lighting the length of the hallway while a siren
slowly blares to life.  Ayeka lessens her pace and lets her hands fall to her side as her red
eyes blink, the noise pulling her from the heartbreak she feels.  The PA system opens with the
following, repeating phrase.}

PA:  All agents and ship crews!  To your stations!  This is not a drill!  Repeat!  All agents...!

{This phrase echoes around the entire complex, waking MiB and Masaki resident alike.  With the
elder men, Yosho and Azaka are pulled from their sleep while on the roof, Nagi and Kamidake spin
to face each other seriously.  In his quarters, Tenchi turns to the small speaker embedded
beneath the cold walls, the tears starting to dry on his face.  When the agents start to crowd
the halls in all stages of dressing themselves to run to their posts, Ayeka's voice is almost
silent while her head bows before her, hopelessly.}

Ayeka:  It is over...

{Cut to the docking bay where Zed watches the lesser agents scurry about readying the ships for
launch.  His face is twisted with frustration and anger at this turn of events.  Before him, a
communication window is open to Washu, who seems almost wrapped in wires and windows herself
while the occasional tech agent calls out in the background.}

Zed:  What happened, Dr Hakubi?!  We had almost twenty hours left before this thing reached
	Earth!

{Washu glances to Zed while continuing her work, calm and clear-minded.}

Washu:  It disappeared off all detection, both visual and energy analysis.  The whole thing
	probably teleported the remainder of the distance, just like Kain could twenty-nine years
	ago.

Zed:  Then it should be weaker from using the energy.

{She shakes her head, to Zed's dismay.}

Washu:  Doubt it.  Considering the entire mass is energy, it has more than just that.  I bet it
	was just in a hurry to get here.

{Zed glares at Washu and raises his voice to an even more irate and disrespectful tone.}

Zed:  Why would it be "in a hurry"?!  It's just a natural phenomenon, not a sentient!

{Washu stops working and slowly turns to Zed's face, becoming very serious and quiet.}

Washu:  How certain are you of that?

{Zed looks back at her confused while Washu continues, now having his attention.}

Washu:  We've been assuming we've been dealing with an act of God, Nature plain and simple, but
	what if it's not?

{Zed resettles himself by taking a breath and shaking his head.}

Zed:  How soon can you have that cannon operational?

{Washu looks back to the systems and resumes her engineering.}

Washu:  Stall it for an hour with the ships and guns you have.  I recommend putting a rush on
	getting those energy collectors on the Five Fudo so it'll fire when it is finished.

{Washu's window closes before Zed steps forward and calls out to the techs, his frustration
apparent.}

Zed:  Are the ships ready to fly?

{The lead man on Yagami's gantry calls back, he and his crew covered in machine oil and sporting
heat-retardant clothing}

Lead Man 1:  Yagami's good to go!

{The lead man from the dock of Mitsuki's ship yells out, each member of his crew even dirtier
than the Yagami crew.}

Lead Man 2:  Matsu's is fully operational!

{The chief designer from J's saucer stands with his team around him, all of them in mecha suits
for lifting the heavy sections of the ship.}

Design Chief:  R&D certifies its work one-hundred percent!

{Cassandra and Katiara stand with Pii and Nerti near Caroki and the talons for Katiara, and they
call back to Zed, each of them with some perspiration on their faces.}

Pii:  Caroki's ready.

{Nerti wipes her forehead.}

Nerti:  I need to finish the cores for the talons, and then Katiara will be ready to go also.

Zed:  Then I suggest you get to it!  We need to launch these ships now!

{Cassandra interjects.}

Cassandra:  Wait a sec!  All the MiB and GP pilots are in Japan still!  Aren't they?

{Zed turns to Cassandra with pressure and hurry in his voice.}

Zed:  I know that full well, Lady duSoleil, but we need to stall that energy now, or we won't be
	here to wait on a bunch of pilots!

{Yosho's voice comes from the entry corridor.}

Yosho:  I agree.

{All turn to see Yosho dashing in through the entrance to the docking bay, followed by these:
Nagi, Azaka, Kamidake, Ryo-Ohki, and Ken-Ohki.  Nagi is in the purple battlesuit given her by
Ryoko with one deep violet ring around her right arm and sword and whip at her side while
Kamidake has returned to his original ultra-battlesuit carrying his red staff.  Zed nods to Yosho
as the direct descendent of the true imperial bloodline and his group stop before the lead MiB
agent, who seems lose a little tension.}

Zed:  Then you you understand?

{Yosho nods.}

Yosho:  We'll have to use what we have for the time being.

Azaka:  How many crafts do we have?

Zed:  Seven with the two Ohkis.

{Nagi speaks up.}

Nagi:  Then, Ken-Ohki and I will lead this off.

{Nagi turns towards the docks when Kamidake grabs her arm, causing her to stop and spin around to
him with irritation written across her face.  However, Kamidake looks back at her concerned
before he speaks softly.}

Kamidake:  Do not be in such a hurry.

{Nagi's eyes look deep into his, and for a moment, her gaze softens before she turns her face
from him and calls out to her companion.}

Nagi:  Ken-Ohki.

{Ken-Ohki hops to her side and meows questioningly to her.}

Nagi:  Let's go.

{Ken-Ohki then shakes his head, and Nagi pulls back in surprise.}

Nagi:  What...?

{Ken-Ohki looks at her in silence as his thoughts register in her mind, telling her his own worry
for her, his master, and also for Ryo-Ohki who is not far away, watching them quietly.
Kamidake's voice enters Nagi's ears again.}

Kamidake:  This is not a battle you can rush into alone and make a difference, Nagi.  We all need
	you alongside us, not by yourself as a hero... or a martyr.

{Nagi loses the tension in her muscles and closes her eyes.}

Nagi:  Alright... I understand...

{Kamidake releases her arm when Ryoko enters silently and with great focus seen in her eyes and
her motions as she walks over to Ryo-Ohki.  In her red and black uniform with the black paint
still across her face, she stops, allowing Ryo-Ohki to jump onto her shoulder and nuzzle her
neck.  Ryoko smiles some and rubs the cabbit's fur with a few telepathic words.}

Ryoko:  I know...  It'll all be fine... I promise...

{Nagi looks over towards Ryoko as her sister walks over to her and also the knight standing
beside her.  Ryoko stops before Nagi and then extends her hand to Nagi to shake, making Kamidake
nod with a small smile.}

Ryoko:  It's been fun, Sis.

{Nagi smirks some and grips Ryoko's hand firmly.}

Nagi:  Yes, but I am certain we will have our arguments for some time to come.

{Ryoko smiles some herself.}

Ryoko:  Yeah, so am I.  Come back in one piece.

Nagi:  You never did give me enough credit, my sister Ryoko.

{The two of them exchange some rivals' glances, mixed with those of sisters-in-arms, when Ayeka
steps forward, still in her kimono.  Her head is bowed forward such that her bangs create a
shadow over her eyes as she slowly walks to a position next to Zed.  Zed turns to face her,
expecting much from the princess.}

Zed:  Seems your strategem for a reverse chevron attack will have to be altered.  The Jurai
	Cannon can't fire to give the ships time to deploy, and we'll have to redo the crews of
	each ship.  We must launch now, and why aren't you in combat attire either?

{Ayeka remains silent when all turn to face her now.  Ryoko sees her present state and starts to
worry herself, as does Ryo-Ohki, while Nagi glances silently between Yosho and the Knights and
notes that they show concern for her as well.  Ken-Ohki nuzzles Nagi's neck worriedly, and his
master strokes his fur with a nod.}

Nagi:  I know...

{Tenchi bursts through the doorway wearing his blue costume with a ring around each shoulder and
slides to a halt when he sees the obvious lack of pilot crew.  He blinks in confusion before his
eyes rest on Ayeka standing next to Zed, defeated.  The prince is taken aback by the sheer
expression on her face, one he has never seen from her ever.  He then looks over to Ryoko, who
closes her eyes and bows her head slightly in response.  Zed glares into Ayeka's silent
expression.}

Zed:  I'm waiting, Princess.

{A docking alarm sounds pulling attention, especially Zed's, away from Ayeka and towards the
opening exterior doors.  The techs run to their consoles and start to decypher the data when
Angelbane's voice calls out to them all.}

Angelbane:  Don't worry.  Those two aren't anything to worry about.

{Zed glances over to Angelbane walking slowly through the entry passage towards Yosho and Azaka
before looking back to the techs.  Cassandra watches her husband's face full of hope and smiles
some to herself.}

Zed:  What are they?  Hostiles?

{The tech looks up to Zed and shakes his head.}

1st Tech:  I don't think so, sir.  The configurations of both are... Juraian...!

{Zed furrows his brows.}

Zed:  That's not possible.  There are no Jurai ships in this system, and Jurai hasn't had the
	time to send them.

{A second tech clears his throat and speaks.}

2nd Tech:  But, sir.  I get the same readings here too.

{Angelbane smiles to himself.}

Angelbane:  I believe we have more help than many would admit.  Don't you think, Lord Yosho?

{Yosho merely nods as he looks over to two the two ships entering the docking bay.  Both have 
carved wooden exteriors and saucer-like bridges surrounded by their primary hulls.  Also, both
are readily recognizable as Ayeka now looks up from the shadow over her eyes to blink in
confusion and surprise.}

Ayeka:  Ryu-Oh...?

{Yosho sights the other ship and calls it by name.}

Yosho:  Funaho...

{The two ships come down and settle themselves next to the GP patrolships while everyone starts
murmurring together.  Yosho glances over to Angelbane seriously and whispers so only the
legendary man can here.}

Yosho:  What did she sacrifice to resurrect them?

{Angelbane mirrors Yosho's concern, almost moreso, but in a different fashion.}

Angelbane:  Her sister is also here.  None of us can hold back now, not even her.

{Tenchi turns to Yosho confused and full of questions.}

Tenchi:  Grandpa, I thought your ship crashed like Ryu-Oh did.  How is it that both your ship and
	Ayeka's are here without a scratch?

{Yosho closes his eyes and shakes his head slowly.}

Yosho:  I can't tell you that, Tenchi.  That is something you'll have to find out for yourself
	this time.

{Tenchi closes his eyes tightly and now shakes his head when Pii speaks up to Yosho now.}

Pii:  Lord Yosho, we all respect you highly, but I agree with Tenchi on this.  We're about to go
	into combat, and we need to know if these ships can be relied on.  How could two Jurai
	ships that crashed years ago possibly...?

{Zed now breaks into the discussion to halt it, his composure all but lost.}

Zed:  We don't have time for this!  We need ships in the air now!!

{Pii glares back at Zed when Nerti goes to Pii's side and tries to calm him down while Tenchi
takes a breath and calms himself as he faces his grandfather.}

Tenchi:  Then, I go with you on Funaho, Grandpa.

{Tenchi's eyes almost glare back into Yosho's, leaving Ryoko at a loss for words as she watches
him.  She then cracks a small smile at she thinks to herself.}

Ryoko:  He's grown up so much since we met... He's his own man now...

{Yosho looks back into Tenchi's eyes quietly when he nods to the young man.  Tenchi nods back
while Azaka steps to their side and kneels before them both.}

Azaka:  I would be honored if I could fight by your sides, Lords Yosho and Tenchi.

{Yosho crouches next to Azaka and rests his hand on Azaka's shoulder, causing the knight to look
back into Yosho's quiet and focused gaze.}

Yosho:  No, more that we may learn from you than you honor us, Azaka Juraiko, master of the Jurai
	Power.

{Azaka bows his head again as they both rise to their feet again when Ryoko walks over and puts
her hand on Tenchi's shoulder.  He looks over at her to see her soft expression towards him.}

Ryoko:  Hey, don't worry.  Ryo-Ohki and I have your six covered.

{Ryo-Ohki meows in agreement when Pii and Nerti's voices break the air.}

Pii:  Hey, Tenchi.

Nerti:  We're with you too.

{They all turn to Pii and Nerti standing together, Pii with one arm around Nerti's shoulders in
an almost protective manner.}

Pii:  You've got two of the best of the SA with watching your backside as well.  Just don't get
	too cocky with all this back up.  Alright?

{Nerti nods towards Tenchi and those around him.}

Nerti:  Our skills and expertise will be at your side, always.

{Tenchi smiles some as he looks to those gathered around him, and then nods.}

Tenchi:  Alright then.  Let's go.  We can hold it back for Washu.  Then, we win!

{The party gathered around Tenchi nods and heads to their ships, save Pii and Nerti who return to
the talons for a moment. Tenchi starts for Funaho when he stops and looks back towards Ayeka.  He
gazes melancholically at her.}

Tenchi:  Ayeka, I know you might not feel up to this, but we do need you...

{Ayeka closes her eyes and starts to face away when he yells back to her.}

Tenchi:  Wait, Ayeka!  You're the one that can tell us how to fight this thing!  We all need you,
	possibly more than ever before!

{Ayeka stops and has some saline fly from her eyes from the momentum.  Tenchi continues with
concern plain and honest in his voice.}

Tenchi:  We all know you've been hurting since Illirg back then.  This way, you can keep that
	from happening to someone else.

{Ayeka glances back over her shoulder at Tenchi and starts to see his expression focused on her.}

Tenchi:  Think of your people... your family... your sister...

{Ayeka looks back to Tenchi, her tears plain as she sees the man who has taken her heart from its
place in her chest.  She smiles slightly and nods.}

Ayeka:  I will... go with you... Lord Tenchi...

{Tenchi nods and turns back towards Funaho.}

Tenchi:  I'll meet you up there.  Take care of her, Kamidake!

{Kamidake bows slightly to Tenchi.}

Kamidake:  Exactly my plan, Lord Tenchi.

{He turns towards Ryu-Oh when he stops and looks over to Nagi and Ken-Ohki.}

Kamidake:  Going as well?

{Nagi nods.}

Nagi:  Of course.  I just wanted to make sure this was not a confirmed suicide.

{Nagi turns and heads to the docks behind the others while Kamidake watches her quietly.}

Kamidake:  You hide yourself too well at times, Lady Nagi...

{A gold light shines behind Kamidake and then fades away as Ayeka steps to his side in her pink
uniform with a ring around her left arm.  The two head to Ryu-Oh when the crest on Ayeka's Key
glows a deep violet when she and Kamidake are surrounded by a green ball that disappears within
the ship.  Within the ever familiar bridge, Ayeka and Kamidake appear on the bridge to be taken
aback to find Sasami already there, looking completely exhausted.  Ayeka runs to her sister's
side and takes her in her arms.}

Ayeka:  Sasami...!!

{Kamidake kneels down next to them with worry shining in his eyes.  Sasami shakes her head and
looks back to them.}

Sasami:  It is not the time to worry about me...

{Sasami's youthful eyes now show a knowledge far beyond her years as she gazes at Ayeka.}

Sasami:  Please...  stop this tragedy...

{Ayeka closes her eyes and lets her tears fall on Sasami's clothes quietly as she nods.}

Ayeka:  I promise...

{Kamidake goes to Ayeka and gently takes Sasami from her sister's embrace whispering a few words
to her.}

Kamidake:  I will make her comfortable...  She just needs some rest...

{Ayeka stands while Kamidake takes Sasami through Ryu-Oh's central tree while the elder princess
watches the displays before her.}

Ayeka:  We all do...

{The scene fades to Nerti, alone in one of the labs set aside for her construction of the cores
of the anti-NVO weaponry.  Before her are two clear canisters which have electromagnetic field
generators built into either end of the cylinder.  She removes her gauntlet and takes a pin from
the table before her.  She raises her bare index finger and pin to eye level, showing her eyes to
now have red irises compared to her normal grey eyes.  She stabs her finger, drawing blood, but
causing no flinch or pain reaction in her body.  She allows the blood to drip into both
containers before she seals them.  With that, the field generators come online and levitate the
blood into the center of each canister.  There, the red fluid suddenly sparks with black
lightning that sparks out to the edges of the transparent material.  Nerti calmly rotates a black
shade around the new cores to hide that black energy when her eyes return to normal.  She blinks
for a moment before shaking her head and exiting the lab, the cores in tow.  As she goes,
Cassandra appears at the doorway to the lab with a worried look on her face, one of a mother to
her child.}

End Scene 1

Scene 2

{Space is laid out around the blue-white swirl world known as Earth or Terra, which has existed
for millennia before now.  A black cloud, barely seen against the emptiness of space, approaches
slowly and starts to expand outward from a sphere into more of a hemisphere with two arm-like
protrusions extended, as if to wrap around the life-filled world.  Then, green and white rays of
coherent light impact these arms and cause them to ooze purple blood of sorts which floats as
bubbles in the free-fall vacuum.  The arms retract more quickly, like they were in pain, when
three ships fly towards the giant mass at full speed.  The two forward ships are easily seen to
be Ryu-Oh and Funaho, with Ryo-Ohki, Ken-Ohki, Caroki, and Katiara close behind.  The group of
six then split into two smaller units:  Ryu-Oh with Ken-Ohki and Katiara towards the left
protrusion while Funaho with Ryo-Ohki and Caroki follow the right one.  The Jurai ships maintain
their firing pattern while the smaller ships float at the sides of their lead ships.  The bridge
of Ryu-Oh has windows opened to each of the other five ships while Ayeka and Kamidake both stand
watching the damage made on each pass by Ryu-Oh's own weapons.  Ayeka seems nervous, and even a
little frightened when Kamidake nods with a small smile.}

Kamidake:  It seems this will work, Princess.

{Ayeka watches the damage seriously and quietly before she nods her head, slowly with her
breathing a little deeper than normal.}

Ayeka:  Yes, phase two...

{She turns to the five communications windows and speaks towards them.}

Ayeka:  All smaller ships, break formation and attack your assigned side.  Keep your fields of
	fire separate.

{Each pilot sounds off, each grave and focused.}

Ryoko:  Right away.

Nagi:  Affirmative.

Pii:  On our way.

Angelbane:  On it.

{Kamidake steps to Ayeka's side and places his hand on her shoulder, causing her to look back
into his kind and confident eyes.  He whispers to her.}

Kamidake:  You are doing fine, Princess...  Our confidence is in you now...

{Ayeka sighs a cleansing breath before she refocuses on the displays before her.}

Ayeka:  That is why I am nervous...

{In space, the four fighter-craft leave their places at the sides of the larger ships and start
to strafe the energy mass themselves.  However, the only two which inflict damage are Caroki with
its psuedo-Jurai cannons and Katiara with her talons.  Onboard Ryo-Ohki, Ryoko watches the blasts
leave Ryo-Ohki's spines and impact the black mass only to be seemingly absorbed in each racing
pass she makes across the surface.  Ryoko quickly glances to an image of Ken-Ohki's attacks to
see the very same phenomenon with the white ship's beams.  Ryoko calls out to Ayeka's face
urgently.}

Ryoko:  Ayeka!  We have a problem out here!

{On Ryu-Oh, Ayeka's face turns to Ryoko's feline visage concerned while Ryoko explains.}

Ryoko:  Ryo-Ohki's beams have no effect on this thing!

{Nagi's voice responds as well.}

Nagi:  The same here with Ken-Ohki.  It looks as if it absorbs the energy either of us sends out.

{Ayeka glances over to see Nagi's eyes directed at the princess awaiting orders while when she
looks back at Ryoko's face, Ayeka sees some worry visible in the warrior's expression.  Ayeka
closes her eyes and gives her order.}

Ayeka:  Both of you stand down and leave the conflict zone.  We do not want to give the enemy any
	more power than it already has.  Washu thought this may be the case.

{Nagi nods and closes her communication screen with a few words.}

Nagi:  Very well.

{Ryoko glances to the deck of her ship as she takes a breath and quietly tells Ayeka her mind.}

Ryoko:  I'm staying out here...

{Ayeka blinks at Ryoko's words in confusion before asking.}

Ayeka:  What do you mean, Ryoko?  There seems to be nothing you can do by staying.

{Ryoko smiles some before taking Ryo-Ohki's controls in her hands gently.}

Ryoko:  Yeah... I know... but you know I don't like taking orders either.

{Ryoko's face blinks to nothing as Ryo-Ohki flies over to Funaho's side and remains in formation
flight nearby the Jurai ship.  Ayeka watches the ship go with an air of melancholy as her words
come softly from her regal lips.}

Ayeka:  Ryoko...  Damn you, Ryoko...

{Ayeka closes her eyes tightly with a few tears starting to appear in her eyes when Pii's voice
calls out.}

Pii:  Princess Jurai, we've got a surface reaction here!

{Ayeka's eyes open and face Pii's image within Caroki's cockpit.}

Ayeka:  What is the matter?

{Within the Pentinian fighter, Pii handles the controls faced on all sides by displays of the
other ship pilots while Nerti is surrounded by screens with targetting reticles, each displaying
a small turret on Caroki's exterior firing at the mass they strafe.  However, while the shots
causes purple blood to bubble out into the vacuum, shapes are forming and separating from the
main mass.  Pii quickly speaks when the new small sections change shape into that similar to a
fighter ship and envelop themselves in a subtle red light that propels them forward, towards
their attackers.}

Pii:  Smaller sections of the larger mass have split away and have become self-mobile!

{Ayeka looks to her own displays of the surface as her eyes widen in surprise while these new
"spawnships" begin to rush towards Ryu-Oh.  She turns to the communication windows with the other
ships and calls out hurried commands.}

Ayeka:  Emergency!  All ships, evasive action now!

{The crest of Ayeka's tiara flashes a bright violet as the entire ship moves to one side, tossing
the princess and the red knight to the opposite side.  Kamidake uses his staff to help himself
balance before he catches Ayeka in her tumble.  Outside, the Jurai treeship spins lengthwise and
rolls to the side, allowing the enemy approaching her hull to race past.  However, the ships then
stop almost immediately and take an offensive formation and posture.  Ayeka glances back at the
monitor as Kamidake helps her back to her feet to see the ships glowing a brighter red.  She
takes a few deep breaths before calling to Kamidake.}

Ayeka:  Brace for impact!

{The red auras around the enemy ships suddenly radiate as beams of energy that impact the
normally invisible shields around Ryu-Oh, but then quickly bend and penetrate that defense system
to burn into the outer hull of the ship.  The enemy then begin to charge for another volley when
sharp talons rip them to shreds with one pass.  Katiara stops before Ryu-Oh when Cassandra's
voice is heard echoing throughout the treeship's bridge.}

Cassandra:  Princess Jurai!  Is everyone alright?!  Come in, Princess!!

{Ayeka lays on the deck next to Kamidake not moving, red emergency lights drowning out most of
the color of the beautiful foliage.  Ayeka's eyes slowly open before she forces herself to her
feet, facing Cassandra's face.  The princess's rage-marked face now has a small cut across her
cheek and some explosion smudges here and there on her uniform.  Cassandra smiles in relief while
Ayeka just nods.}

Ayeka:  It is alright...  Just a superficial impact...

{Cassandra nods when Angelbane steps up behind his wife and speaks to Ayeka himself.}

Angelbane:  What's your order, princess?

{Kamidake regains his footing with some gashes in his white Juraian armor before placing his hand
gently on Ayeka's noble shoulder.  She glances to Kamidake's loyal and awaiting expression and
nods before facing Angelbane with her eyes set directly into his with a renewed fire.}

Ayeka:  Have Katiara and Caroki deal with the smaller vessels from the main mass.  Funaho and
	Ryu-Oh will deal with the core itself.

{Angelbane has a smile cross his lips momentarily before he bows slightly to her.}

Angelbane:  It shall be done.

{Ayeka takes a breath as the communication with Angelbane closes, and she focuses on the ships
amassing around Ryu-Oh and the other ships.  Kamidake removes his hand from her shoulder and
faces forward as well when her Key's crest shimmers.  Outside, Ryu-Oh takes an offensive position
facing the core mass and opens fire with all weapons.  When a smaller ship approaches, either one
of her side cannons eliminates the threat, or Katiara does that job with her talons.  Meanwhile,
the enemy ships also open fire and swarm Funaho on the other side of the dark world.  The
treeship's weapons return the blasts, destroying many around the vessel while on the bridge,
Yosho stands between Tenchi and Azaka with the Tenchiken Key floating before him surrounded by
his cupped hands.  The crest of the hilt maintains a deep glow while the legendary warrior's eyes
are afixed to the displays before him.  Tenchi looks up and watches the monitors with a concern
growing in his eyes.}

Tenchi:  We're not doing enough damage, Grandpa.  At this rate, it'll still make landfall before
	Washu can fire!

{Tenchi spins around to Yosho, who simply nods, maintaining his focus on the enemy.}

Yosho:  I realize this, Tenchi.

{He then takes the sword in his hands and turns to face Tenchi.  As he does this, the systems of
the ship go into a statis mode, allowing the enemy fire to directly impact the hull and rock the
entire ship.  Tenchi watches as Yosho takes his grandson's hand and places the sword hilt in the
cobalt-blue palm.}

Yosho:  That is why you will command Funaho from here on.

{Tenchi blinks in surprise and looks down at the Key in his hand in disbelief.}

Tenchi:  G... Grandpa...!  I'm nowhere near ready to pilot Funaho!

{Yosho shakes his head before putting his hands on Tenchi's shoulders to affirm the young man.}

Yosho:  You were ready the moment you came to me requesting to spar with Ryoko alone.  Funaho is
	your ship, Tenchi.  I am far too old to make use of her anymore.

{Tenchi looks up into his grandfather's redish-purple eyes past the gleaming spectacles to see
the genuine care reflected there, and a deeper respect.}

Yosho:  It is now your time, Tenchi.  You are the rightful crown prince of the Jurai lineage, the
	warrior line of Jurai King the First.  Make your choice: fight... or run?

{Another shot rocks the ship when Tenchi looks up to the monitors to see Ryu-Oh and Katiara
battling a distance away, Caroki in combat just outside Funaho's hull, and lastly, Ryo-Ohki
floating at Funaho's hull, not fleeing but rather intercepting some of the red energy bolts with
her shields before they hit Funaho's outermost shielding.  Tenchi can see in his mind Ryoko's
focused gaze with her hands firmly planted on Ryo-Ohki's control system, even the sweat beading
on her skin.  He grips Tenchiken and walks to the center of the bridge, extending his arms before
him.  Tenchi focuses on the sword, causing the crest to radiate a violet light and levitate from
his hands.  He holds his hands cupped to either side of the Key when Funaho's systems suddenly
come back to life.  Yosho smiles to himself and nods to Azaka, who mirrors the expression.  The
elder men take flanking positions around Tenchi.}

Yosho:  Just remember, Tenchi.  The sword will allow you to control the ship with your thoughts.
	Visualize what you want the ship to do, and it will act.

{Tenchi closes his eyes and nods with a sigh, slowly reopening his eyes afterward.}

Tenchi:  I understand.  I can feel Funaho's compliance.

{Azaka comments with a little amazement.}

Azaka:  He learns fast.

{Tenchi and Yosho both grin at that when Yosho calls to Azaka.}

Yosho:  Sir Azaka, can you and Kamidake project your energy outside the ships' hulls easily?

{Azaka nods and raises his staff to a position parallel the deck.}

Azaka:  Far too easily, sire.  I see your plan.

{Tenchi questions them.}

Tenchi:  What's your plan?

Yosho:  You concentrate on Funaho's movements and restrict your fire to the main mass of the NVO
	energy.

Azaka:  We will handle the smaller masses ourselves.

{Yosho extends his hands together before him and closes his eyes, his body slowly starting to
gain a white aura.  Azaka grips his staff firmly, also closing his eyes while his form gains a
blue aura.  Outside the ship, a ship comes close to Funaho when a green orb of Jurai Power
appears and then explodes through the ship, ripping it into a patch of purple ooze free in space.
Two beams like this maintain protection on either side of Funaho while Ryu-Oh's bridge screens
display this, to Kamidake's approval.}

Kamidake:  I see!  Excellent idea!

{Ayeka glances to Kamidake to watch him take his position to the princess's left when Nagi's
voice interrupts him.}

Nagi:  Kamidake.

{Kamidake glances over his shoulder at Nagi's face on Ryu-Oh's communication screen asking him.}

Nagi:  Is there anyway I can do that as well, add to the effort?

{Kamidake nods, trying to hide a small grin on his face.}

Kamidake:  Yes, and it is made easier with your Key.  However, it takes at least a year of hard
	practice to sharpen the inner sight to...

{Nagi interrupts hurriedly.}

Nagi:  Just tell me how.  I'll manage the rest.

{Kamidake's grin quickly fades as he nods quietly to the hasty woman.}

Kamidake:  I understand...  Just focus through your Key.  Visualize your energy outside the
	ship's hulls as well as your targets' locations.  From there, it is maintaining enough
	focus to channel the energy and direct it simultaneously without allowing it to go into a
	random direction.

{On Ken-Ohki's bridge, Nagi nods to Kamidake and then turns to the primary crystal of the white
ship.  He meows to her worriedly when she smirks some.}

Nagi:  Do not worry.  You fly.  I will fight.

{Ken-Ohki meows towards her again, and she loses her confident expression for a moment and nods.}

Nagi:  I realize that... I will just catch up on my sleep.

{Nagi then turns to face the forward monitors and starts to focus through her hairband Key while
keeping her eyes focused on the monitors before her.  The crest on her Key shines as she slowly
extends her hands, a purple aura slowly appearing around her.  Outside Ken-Ohki, a green mass
begins to gather near the hull, somewhat amorphous.  Within, sweat beads around Nagi's forehead
as her gaze locks onto an enemy ship a distance away.  The mass outside Ken-Ohki then explodes
into several beams of light which turn in an ravage the black vessel.  Nagi takes a breath and
nods while wiping her forehead.}

Nagi:  No problem...

{On Ryu-Oh, Kamidake watches Nagi's tired expression for a moment with worry before he closes his
eyes and faces towards the edge of Ryu-Oh's bridge.  Ayeka turns to Kamidake and speaks to him
softly.}

Ayeka:  You care about her... do you not...?

{Kamidake raises his staff and summons a red aura before he answers Ayeka's question.}

Kamidake:  It is not my place to have feelings for her, princess...  My duty is to protect her...
	I will do that...

{Ayeka glances down sadly for a moment before turning back to the screens before her and
refocuses on the battle at hand.  Now, as Ryu-Oh combats the shadow approaching Earth, a
high-energy emerald beam destroys the enemy approaching, as well as Ken-Ohki and Katiara
dogfighting with the enemy nearby.  In the pilot's chair of Caroki, Pii watches the battle while
noting one particular aspect of the combat.  He watches as a spawnship flies right past
Ken-Ohki's hull and does not fire, but the same ship fires directly at Ryu-Oh from long range
before Katiara's talons find it.  He glances towards Ryo-Ohki and sees a similar occurance when
an enemy vessel positions to fire at Funaho before Ryo-Ohki flies up in front of it.  The
spawnship lowers its guard when a focused beam of Jurai Power from Funaho destroys it.  He speaks
softly to Nerti beside him.}

Pii:  Nerti, how many times have we been hit?

{Nerti continues to concentrate on firing Caroki's weapons as she answers.}

Nerti:  None.  What's wrong?

Pii:  It's a pattern I'm seeing.  Both Ohki ships are intentionally being avoided by the enemy...
	and so are we.

{Nerti glances over her shoulder at Pii, uneasy.}

Nerti:  What could...?

{Pii shakes his head, maintaining his focus on piloting his craft.}

Pii:  I was going to ask you the same thing.  What do you think?

{Nerti takes a breath and then looks out into the conflict before her, watching at the individual
spawnships as well as the larger mass upon which the two treeships concentrate their fire.  Her
eyes adjust to see the main mass when her irises shift color from grey to a bloody crimson, and
her corneas to a deep azure.  The emotion and expression slowly fade away from her entire face,
leaving her almost like a puppet.  The same heavenly voice from her earlier episode enters her
mind and speaks softly.}

Woman:  It is not yet your time, my Golden Goddess...  You will...

{Before the woman can continue, Pii's voice slowly fades in and overpowers the woman's voice.}

Pii:  Nerti...?  Nerti...?  Nerti...!

{Nerti's eyes revert to normal when she realizes that Pii is rocking her shoulder to get her
attention as well as showing his concern in his voice.  Her eyes blink a few times before she
looks over at him and starts rubbing her eyes as if awaking from a dream.}

Nerti:  Will...?

Pii:  Are you alright...?

{Nerti drops her hands into her lap with a sigh and nods.}

Nerti:  Yes...  Just the strain...

{Pii smiles and nods slowly, still with worry in his actions.}

Pii:  I promise you'll get plenty rest when this is over...

{Nerti smiles slightly in return.}

Nerti:  Thank you, Will...

{Pii puts his hand over hers and nods while turning back towards the main controls again.}

Pii:  What's your idea about why the enemy isn't attacking us or the Ohkis?

{Nerti sighs and returns to the gunner's position.}

Nerti:  There are documented connections between the Ryoans and the NVO energy from Kain.  Dr
	Washu has shown that Ryoans as well as Ohkis are immune to some low level force shields
	and the like.  I'm sure the enemy might see them as allies or something of that nature.

{Pii glances at her quietly.}

Pii:  And us...?

{Nerti gets a cold chill in her spine when Pii speaks those words, and then she shakes her head.}

Nerti:  I... I don't know...

{Pii angles his gaze down for a moment and then refocuses on the enemy before him.  Under his
visor, his gaze is uncertain and uneasy from the words the blonde woman next to him has spoken.
Meanwhile, Pii and Nerti's voices echo across Katiara's bridge, where Angelbane and Cassandra
overhear their conversation.  Cassandra's eyes close tightly with some tears rolling down her
cheek while her hands grip into fists.}

Cassandra:  I can't believe it...!!  She's here...!!

{Angelbane stands next to her with his head bowed in a sad remembrance of the past.  He can see
the same blue on red eyes that crossed Nerti's face moments ago, but these eyes he sees are full
of malevolent intent.  He hears the screams of a young man which cause the legendary man to shed
some tears before taking a shallow breath and facing the forward monitor, directed at the dark
planet before Katiara.}

Angelbane:  I know, Cassandra...  I know...

{Angelbane steps to Cassandra and wraps his arms around her, as she does to him as well.
Cassandra's muffled voice calls to her husband softly.}

Cassandra:  We can't let her succeed this time...  She mustn't... not again...!

{Angelbane pats her on the back lightly with a slight nod.}

Angelbane:  We won't... none of us...

{Fade back to the battle as all the ships continue their conflict.  Soon, the number of
spawnships far outnumbers the six vessels from Earth and thoroughly occupy them, not allowing a
shot to reach the heart of the main mass.  Meanwhile, the main unit starts to extend and spread
around Earth, preparing to surround and smother the blue planet.  Ayeka watches this in
frustration while piloting her ship through the enemy swarm, not gaining her goal of inflicting
damage on the primary enemy.}

Ayeka:  No...!!  We cannot let this happen!!

{Ryu-Oh steers to fly into the enemy ships when those same enemy turn and fire directly at the
treeship and burn into the hull, damaging it further.  Ayeka stumbles from the impact but
maintains her footing only to see that her rash move only worsened her situation.  She looks
across the battlefield to see Funaho in similar shape as Ryu-Oh, Katiara with a few gashes,
Caroki and both Ohkis without a scratch, but unable to deal worthwhile damage.  Ayeka falls to
her knees, bowing her head in frustration before she grimaces and slams her fist directly into
Ryu-Oh's bridge.}

Ayeka:  After all this... this cannot be the way it ends...  It should not...!!

{All the crews from the other ships overhear Ayeka's words and begin to get disheartened.  On
Funaho, Tenchi hears this and looks up to see Ayeka collapsed on Ryu-Oh's bridge in hopelessness.
He thinks for a moment and then speaks softly to Ayeka.}

Tenchi:  It's not over, Ayeka...

{Ayeka's head slowly turns up to face Tenchi's face while her tears have already started to flow.
Tenchi shakes his head, focused on Ayeka's face.}

Tenchi:  As long as we're alive, there's a chance.  Washu should be about ready, right?

{Ayeka nods, but her voice reflects her defeated state.}

Ayeka:  Yes... but it is spreading... The cannon is a focused beam... It requires that the target
	be concentrated in one place to do the most damage...

{Tenchi closes his eyes and faces downward trying to think of what to say while on Ryo-Ohki's
bridge, Ryoko stands thinking herself.  In her mind, she recalls the battle with Illirg almost
two years ago on Manhattan Island.  Then, Ryoko still wore the uniform given her by Washu, as
does Ayeka by her side while they both stand behind an optical energy amplifier.  Ryoko unleashed
her crimson light into one port while Ayeka sent her emerald power into another nearby.  At the
other end of the pipe-joint structure, a larger lens sends out a bright white beam out over
Illirg, causing his defensive shielding to erode away like rotten paper.  The memory shifts to
earlier when Tenchi and herself stood side-by-side outside the Triborough building, facing Illirg
for the second time.  Tenchi in his brown casual clothes while Ryoko was in her old pirate
outfit.  The two clasped hands and interlocked fingers before they raised their hands towards
Illirg, unleashing a concentrated beam of white light leaves their coupled hands.  Ryoko's voice
enters.}

Ryoko:  Oniko said to beware the darkness that spawned our people...  Maybe I should embrace
	it...

{Ryoko's eyes open and call out to Ayeka from Ryo-Ohki to Ryu-Oh.}

Ryoko:  Ayeka!  Let me try something!

{Everyone's screens focus on Ryoko when Ayeka looks at her oddly.}

Ayeka:  What do you mean...?

{Ryoko nods with confidence showing through her.}

Ryoko:  Tenchi, Ayeka.  You remember Manhattan when we faced Illirg, when we combined Jurai and
	Ryoan energy?  Remember that reaction?

{Tenchi's eyes brighten as he nods also.}

Tenchi:  Yeah, I get it!  That could pull it off!

{Ayeka shakes her head.}

Ayeka:  That was specific only to Illirg, Ryoko.  What if the dark world absorbs it like it did
	the other Ohki attacks?

Ryoko:  That's the point, Ayeka.  It's not pure Ryoan or Jurai.  It's something different.  If
	what Washu says and what Ryobachi and Hotsuma did are all true, then Ryoan energy is
	similar enough to NVO that Ryoan could be like the opposite of Jurai Power also.  Take that
	kind of energy-antienergy reaction and channel it straight into the enemy.

{Pii speaks with some concern.}

Pii:  Yeah, that's a lot of force, but I don't think it's enough to destroy...

{Ryoko interrupts him.}

Ryoko:  I'm not trying to destroy it.

{Everyone looks confused at her when she smirks to herself.}

Ryoko:  I'm just going to prod it into position for Washu to take her shot.

{Yosho nods with a small smile on his face.}

Yosho:  Interesting idea.

Angelbane:  What would you need?

Ryoko:  Just let me and one Jurai ship fly into the atmosphere...

{Now, Pii interrupts here.}

Pii:  I have a better idea.

Angelbane:  What's that?

{Pii glances over to Nagi's face with a confident expression of his own.}

Pii:  Have Nagi go with her.

{Nagi blinks in surprise while Pii explains.}

Pii:  Neither Ohki ship has been intentionally fired upon by the enemy.  Since Nagi's half-Jurai,
	she can pull this off with Ryoko.

{Ayeka nods slowly.}

Ayeka:  He is right...

{Nagi thinks and then hears Kamidake's words ringing in her memories.}

Kamidake:  You might surprise yourself...

{Nagi smirks to herself with a scoff.}

Nagi:  The Bastard of Light and Dark, huh...?  So be it...

{She looks back to the others and calls to them.}

Nagi:  Alright.  Ryoko, let us get this done.  Shall we?

{Ryoko nods back to her half-sister.}

Ryoko:  Yeah, let's shall.

{In space, Ryo-Ohki and Ken-Ohki break away from the other ships and fly towards the atmosphere.
The spawnships before them actually alter their courses slightly to not come into contact or
deter the two crystalline ships.  Soon, the Ohkis hit the atmosphere, cutting through the clouds
and heating up the exterior of both vessels to a red hot temperature.  They stop in the highest
orbit with outside oxygen present in levels able to be breathed when Ryoko and Nagi appear
outside the ships, watching the black mass spreading around the planet.  Ryo-Ohki and Ken-Ohki
aim their primary weapon spines towards the approaching darkness.  They move together and rotate
such that their spines interlock together while Ryoko and Nagi face their respective ships.
Ryoko outstretches her arms together, palms facing each other pointed towards Ryo-Ohki.  Nagi
takes off her Key, allowing her hair to float free around her face while the Key wraps around her
hand as she extends her hands like Ryoko.  Ryoko and Nagi respectively summon red and violet
energy to their hands, but unlike any other time, they continue to build that energy for a much
longer period of time, causing their brows to bead with sweat and muscles to strain from the
focus while the raw power they possess continues to increase.  Ryoko's voice is overheard in a
memory of a short conversation prior to the present.}

Ryoko:  Tell Washu to give us a couple minutes to get into position and get ready.  Another two
	to do the job.

{Nagi's voice joins in as well.}

Nagi:  After that, tell her to fire and eliminate the area trying to extend over the planet.  We
	should be able to handle the rest after the impact.

{Ryoko glances over to Nagi, who looks back.  The two nod together before they both release their
energies directly into their ships hulls.  The powers enter the crystalline structure of each
Ohki and charge the faceted creatures enough that their hulls change color to red and violet
respectively with arcs of light surrounding them.  The lighting-like energy then jumps between
the two ships and slowly combines into a single pure white aura around both from the physical
closeness.  They then fire their main weapons, unleashing this white power into the right
protrusion of the central NVO mass.  It seems as through the shadow screams when it recoils and
draws the extension back into itself.  The ships repeat the same with the other side of the
darkness, with the same result.  Ryoko and Nagi look at each other with tired but satisfied
smiles while the two ships continue their process of corralling the enemy into a smaller area.
Behind them on the horizon along with the dark side of Earth, a bright light envelops the island
of Japan when Ryo-Ohki and Ken-Ohki call to Ryoko and Nagi.  The sisters clap their right hands
together and grip tightly with a few words and some confident gazes.}

Nagi:  See you when it is over.

Ryoko:  No problem.

{Nagi vanishes into Ken-Ohki when the white vessel splits away from Ryo-Ohki and shoots away
through the clouds again when a black spawnship rockets back towards Ryoko's position.  Ken-Ohki
comes to a complete stop while on his bridge, Nagi looks back and yells back to Ryoko.}

Nagi:  Ryoko, look out!!

{Ryoko looks up to see the black energy fly down towards her.  Ryo-Ohki darts to one side while
Ryoko goes the opposite direction when blood crimson lines of energy are sent out from the enemy
ship and wrap around Ryoko's body.  First, she gasps in surprise before she screams in pain as
the ex-pirate is pulled towards the body of the enemy ship while particles and filaments of red
power leave her body and enter the shadow holding her.  Each crew of the five other vessels
witness this with gasps of horror and calling of Ryoko's name, voiceless to the vacuum of space.
On Funaho's bridge, Tenchi along with Yosho and Azaka watch helplessly when Tenchi's expression
suddenly changes from an open-mouthed horrification to a determined glare at the enemy ship.  The
crest of Tenchiken shines brightly when the entire ship jerks forward and accelerates down into
the atmosphere.  Yosho and Azaka both turn to Tenchi almost appalled at his move.}

Yosho:  Tenchi!

Azaka:  What are you doing?!

{Tenchi's eyes never leave the screen before him while his voice tone raises.}

Tenchi:  I'm not going to lose anyone else, especially not someone who's risked her life for all
	of us!

{Azaka reaches for Tenchi when a console explodes, sending the knight to the ground.  Outside,
the spawnships surround at start attacking Funaho's defenses while the treeship fires back, its
hull starting to burn from the friction of reentry.  On Ryu-Oh's bridge, Ayeka screams out
watching Funaho's descent.}

Ayeka:  Tenchi!!

{The tiara's crest turns a brilliant purple as the ship spins itself towards the action in the
atmosphere.  Kamidake dashes before Ayeka and shakes his head to deny her.}

Kamidake:  No, princess!  You cannot follow!

{Ayeka's eyes have already filled with tears splashing with her passionate yells to the knight's
face.}

Ayeka:  I have to save Tenchi, Kamidake!  Get out of my way!!

{Ayeka ignores the determined and grave expression on the red knight's face as he continues.}

Kamidake:  If you follow, Ryu-Oh will be destroyed, and you die along with Princess Sasami!  We
	cannot lose either of you, Princess Ayeka!!

{Ayeka grabs Kamidake's shoulder and pushes him to the side when the crest of her tiara suddenly
goes silent, as well as the rest of the ship's systems.  She looks around confused and
despirate.}

Ayeka:  What happened?!  I cannot sense Ryu-Oh!!

{Sasami's voice calls out to Ayeka from near the central tree.}

Sasami:  We cannot follow...  You cannot lose your life here...

{Ayeka and Kamidake both look back to see Sasami leaning against the doorway of Ryu-Oh's tree,
trying to stand.  The symbol upon her forehead is glowing a bright green when Ayeka moves away
from Kamidake and closes her eyes tightly in concentration but finding nothing.  She yells to the
ship in frustration.}

Ayeka:  Move!!  Please, God, move this ship!!  Do not let Tenchi go!!

{Kamidake watches her and bows his head silently before dashing to Sasami's side and helping her
remain on her feet.  Outside, Ken-Ohki followed closely by Caroki fly into the atmosphere
following the spawnship with Ryoko and Funaho.  Onboard Caroki, Pii clenches his teeth while
maintaining his course downward, even though the fightter's systems start to overheat and sound
damage alarms.  Nerti holds onto her seat tightly with her eyes closed as Ken-Ohki can be seen to
the outside heating up just as quickly.  Nagi's image is on Pii's screens holding onto Ken-Ohki's
control systems, also straining through the effects of fast reentry.  Pii growls out his next few
words.}

Pii:  Come on, Tenchi...!  Reach her...!!

{Nagi looks up to Pii's face with a tired and furiful expression.}

Nagi:  Why are you risking your life...?!

{Pii smirks some and replies.}

Pii:  I could ask you the same thing...  but Tenchi helped me out...!  I'm not going to let him
	get away without paying him back...!!

{Nagi shakes her head with a slight scoff at Pii's words.  Soon, Ryo-Ohki shoots out of the
flaming clouds beside Ken-Ohki and joins the chase into the skies above the sleeping Earth.  In
the next few seconds, Funaho loses ground to the spawnship which has curved around to protect
Ryoko from the friction and other forces around them as they continue downward.  She struggles
painfully against her bindings when she forms a sword in her right hand, but it starts to flicker
and fade away.  The Ryoan woman loses her breath at that image while Tenchi sees this on his
screens aboard Funaho.  He closes his eyes and takes a cleansing breath among the red lights and
alarms on the smoking and damaged bridge.  He speaks softly to Yosho and Azaka.}

Tenchi:  Take Funaho out of the danger zone along with everyone behind her...

{Yosho watches as time seems to extend as Tenchi's eyes open and his hand grabs the sword
floating before him.  The blue blade appears and brightly ionizes the air surrounding it when
Yosho shakes his head and yells to Tenchi.}

Yosho:  No, Tenchi!  You can't...!!

{Azaka raises to his feet using his staff to balance himself when both see the young man vanish
from the bridge of Funaho.  Azaka yells after Tenchi.}

Azaka:  Prince Tenchi Masaki!!

{With the spawnship and Ryoko, a green orb appears with them, and dissipates to become Tenchi
with his back to the Earth below.  His blue battlesuit quickly starts to heat up from the air
friction before he spins around and swipes with his sword's blade through the bindings around
Ryoko.  She comes free, and he wraps his arms around her, spinning away from the NVO vessel and
seemingly shot away by the friction with the air.  Ryoko's hair flaps behind her while her golden
eyes look up to see Tenchi through the black strands around his face when the tie on his hair
breaks and burns away in the fall.  His rattail behind his head unfurls around his neck while his
face reflects the burning on his back.  Her yell is barely heard against the wailing winds around
them.}

Ryoko:  Tenchi!!

{Tenchi then starts to glow with a subtle blue glow as their descent starts to slow some when she
looks over his shoulder and sees the dark vessel which held her slowing as well.  For Earth's
surface below them, a radiant flash of light illuminates the night and then rockets towards the
sky they occupy.  A wide focused beam of pure energy shoots through the clouds, headed directly
for the NVO mass threatening the world.  The spawnship darts to one side, barely escaping the
purity while the beam passes by Tenchi and Ryoko.  Funaho is barely grazed by the beam and sent
into a tumble to one side.  On their screens, Nagi and Pii see the incoming light and steer to
either side, as does Ryo-Ohki, allowing the energy to pass through that space.  Finally, it hits
its mark upon the darkness and envelops much of it in white light, causing great gashes to appear
and bleed their purple fluid into the vacuum of space before the entirity is shot into the
distance and torn apart by the force.  However, approximately one-half of the original sphere's
size remains and starts to quickly surround the planet after the beam dissipates, cutting off
Ryu-Oh and Katiara outside the coating the shadow makes.}

{Ryoko is awed by the sheer power that shot past them when she then sees the spawnship
approaching them, with red energy line ready to grab her once more.  They shoot after Ryoko and
wrap around not her, but a field surrounding both her and Tenchi, Tenchi's Jurai force field.  He
grips Tenchiken tightly and holds Ryoko firmly, so firmly that Ryoko can feel the his body
tremble from the exertion and pain he feels.  She shows a fear and concern in her eyes watching
Tenchi's face contort and bare his teeth as she sets her hand lightly against his cheek.  The
black ship before them closes the gap of position and then warps around them into a sphere of
obsidian before it vanishes in a flicker of light to no longer be seen, teleported away.}

{The others watch this event on their monitors and display their reactions.  Nagi closes her eyes
and turns away from the screen, her hands gathering into fists.  Yosho goes cold and falls to his
knees while Azaka closes his eyes and bows his head revently.  Pii looks away from the forward
monitor when Nerti turns to him and holds him close, sobbing.  Pii holds her and pats her on the
back while on Ryu-Oh, Ayeka's cries echo throughout the ship's interior.  Tears stream down her
face while her grief explodes through her voice as the princess sobs into her hands, sitting on
her knees and her hands and face buried into those knees.  Kamidake faces away from her trying
not to look upon the broken princess while Sasami has wrapped her arms around the knight and
holds him tightly, sobbing herself.  He puts his arms around her and tries to console her cries.
Katiara floats nearby Ryu-Oh outside the wall of dark energy.  On her bridge, Angelbane folds his
arms around Cassandra, who buries herself in his chest.  He looks forward at the black wall
surrounding Earth with a hate-filled glare as his voice speaks softly.}

Angelbane:  You will not succeed...

End Scene 2

Scene 3

{Pan through total darkness to see a sparking of distant lights across a curved surface otherwise
unseen in the uneasy darkness that was once Earth, the brightly lit cities across the planet.
Three points of white speed from the sphere into the shadow and approach.  As they near, each
becomes more easily recognizable as the three remaining ships from the MiB hangar:  Yagami,
Mitsuki's patrolship, and the retrofitted Roswell Saucer.  Each ship is lit by the exterior hull
lights to be roughly seen in the emptiness of this light-less interior.  Behind them, a red spark
of energy shoots past them from what seems to be a shell of obsidian.  The crimson lightning
impacts the Earth's oceans and radiates out in all directions, destroying living and artificial
structure alike in its wake.  The eerie blood red glow repeats with each landfall of energy
around the world, giving some non-electric light to this place of shadows.  The three ships soon
reach three of the original six ships sent to combat this evil:  Funaho, Ken-Ohki, and Caroki.
Funaho has several hull cracks and one major scorch from a grazing by the Jurai Cannon while
Ken-Ohki and Caroki are without major damage, save some burns and hull damage from reentry.  The
vessels group together and float a short distance from the NVO shell surrounding the planet they
were trying to protect.  On Funaho's bridge, three communication windows open, each with the face
of the pilot of each new ship:  Kiyone, Mitsuki, and J.  Kiyone and Mitsuki are dressed in GP
combat uniforms while J wears a hardened armor designed to reflect the classic MiB black suit.
All of the GP and MiB members show worry concern with respect to the entire incident as Kiyone
calls for the crew of Funaho.}

Kiyone:  Funaho?  Funaho, come in.  This is Yagami.  Please respond.

{Azaka stands on the bridge with the sphere of his staff shining a bright blue as he replies to
Kiyone.}

Azaka:  We can hear you, Yagami.

{Azaka closes his eyes and angles his head forward to face the floor.}

Azaka:  However, we regret to say that we have failed...

{J glances around the bridge of Funaho and notes that Tenchi is missing while Yosho is sitting on
his knees in proper Japanese zarei fashion before Funaho's central tree.}

J:  Where's Tenchi?  Wasn't he with you?

{Mitsuki nods and adds.}

Mitsuki:  Yeah, I also didn't see Ryo-Ohki, Ryu-Oh, or Katiara around here either.

{Azaka takes a deep breath before he relates the situation, showing some of his own remorse in
his voice.}

Azaka:  Ryu-Oh and Katiara are on the otherside of this barrier, cut off from us...  The ship
	Ryo-Ohki has taken refuge on Ken-Ohki after... both her master Ryoko and Lord Tenchi were
	taken from us...

{Mihoshi's gasp is heard followed by her soft words.}

Mihoshi:  Oh my God...!

{All the other crew members react similarly with questions or surprise and worry, including L
from J's side.}

L:  What happened to them?

J:  Yeah, where are they?!  Neither Ryoko nor Tenchi go down without a good fight!

{All their questions and statements start to intermingle when Yosho silences them all with his
firm voice.}

Yosho:  Quiet, all of you!

{All speech ceases at his command when he stands, still facing Funaho's tree.  They can all hear
a waivering in the grandfather's voice that is unlike him before this time.}

Yosho:  Tenchi left Funaho trying to save Ryoko...  He reached her only to share her fate... We
	can only pray they're alright now... wherever they are...

{Yosho wipes his forehead, and his eyes, before turning back to the others with his normal stern
expression towards them all.}

Yosho:  Sir Azaka Juraiko now controls Funaho, and I will serve in Ayeka's absence as commander.

{Yosho nods to Azaka, who opens two more screens with Nagi and Pii's faces waiting for his
orders.}

Yosho:  Any activity?

{Pii shakes his head and quietly answers.}

Pii:  Nothing, sir.  Nerti and I scanned the interior surface and found nothing eminating Jurai
	Power or the energy-antienergy reaction Ryoko and Nagi created.

{Nagi remains silent as the sweat across her face shines in the light from Ken-Ohki's bridge when
Yosho speaks to her specifically.}

Yosho:  Nagi.

{She looks up without a word to him to see his face focused, but somewhat soft in his speech to
her.}

Yosho:  It's fine to feel frustration and rage.  Just don't let it cloud your mind or change your
	heart.  They may still be alive.

{Nagi nods and remains silent, though her eyes glisten with some moisture before she pulls her
cowl back over her free hair with her right hand, showing that her Key remains encircled about
that hand.  Yosho glances down for a moment before gazing across the gallery of pilots before
him.}

Yosho:  All of you, continue to engage the shell surrounding Earth.  The small vessels we faced
	before seem to have disappeared back into the main mass again.  However, those strikes of
	lightning are showing great force.   Everyone pair off and watch over each other:  Kiyone
	and Mitsuki, Nagi and Pii, J and Azaka.

{He pauses for a moment and seems to gather himself some before he speaks again.}

Yosho:  Also... watch for Tenchi and Ryoko.  I won't give up on those two, not yet.

{The group nods the affirmative when all fades to the ships splitting into the groups Yosho named
and proceeding to strafe the shell surrounding Earth, as they did the spawnships before.  Each
ship always avoids the crimson shots and looks after their wingman.  On Ken-Ohki's bridge,
Ryo-Ohki curls up in a corner, quiet and motionless, save breathing when Ken-Ohki's main unit
floats over and nudges her some.  She looks up to see his face appear in the crystal and blink
sadly at her.  She closes her eyes and lays her head back down on her paws while Ken-Ohki sighs
and starts to turn away before Ryo-Ohki taps his crystal.  He glances back to see her looking up
to him with a small smile and some tears in her feline eyes.  He floats back and lowers next to
her while he continues to control the ship as Nagi uses her Key to attack.  On Caroki, Pii pilots
the craft on a low altitude flight from the shell while Nerti directs all the fighter's armament
towards the shadow.  While Nerti watches the passing darkness, her eyes occasionally shifting
into that red on blue coloring, though she is able to shut her eyes for a moment and shake it off
and return to her normal self.  Pii glances to her but cannot see the color changes due to the
low light in the cockpit when he puts his hand lightly on her shoulder, startling her some.  He
smiles at her, causing her to smile back before they turn back to their jobs and continue the
conflict.  Both are seeming very worn from the work building weapons and from the battle when the
scene changes to Yagami's cockpit where Kiyone and Mihoshi focus on piloting and firing
respectively.  Both seem a little preoccupied when they look out into the darkness around the
formerly blue planet while on Mitsuki's patrolship, the owner and pilot remains focused on her
combat without distraction.  With J and L on the saucer, both sit in orange and black striped
chairs, tightly strapped in while the vessel speeds over the surface of the black shell.  J's
seat has two handbars to regulate the engine output for speed and steering purposes.  His mind is
set forward, watching the red sparks shoot before him so that he can dodge and move in closely to
take his shots.  L, however, seems distracted and looks out into the pitch black in thought while
J glances over to her between his actions.  His expressions momentarily show concern before he is
forced to refocus on what is before him.}

{Fade to the star-filled skies outside the barrier around Earth while the blue planet cannot be
seen through the cold, black sphere surrounding it.  A short distance from the barrier, Ryu-Oh
and Katiara float next to each other with the damage obvious.  Ryu-Oh has cracks and burns across
the entire exterior of the ship while Katiara has some red gashes in her hardened gold hulls
where her flesh has been exposed.  The two are not attacked by spawnships or crimson bolts while
they coast over the surface of the sphere.  On Ryu-Oh's bridge, Ayeka stands watching the
monitors showing the surface of the darkness, cold and unchanging as a lost and broken look is
locked in her eyes with dried tears down the sides of her face.  Behind her beneath Ryu-Oh's
tree, Kamidake kneels with young Sasami consoling her when Sasami looks up and over to her elder
sister.  The young girl's voice breaks the babbling of the waterways of the scenery with a
hopeful sentence.}

Sasami:  They are not dead...

{Ayeka does not move when she speaks back without any of the passion she had in the combat.}

Ayeka:  I... I do not know any more...

{Kamidake glances to the princess sadly before closing his eyes and speaking to Sasami quietly.}

Kamidake:  We all lost two people very close to us, princess...  She...

{Kamidake stops a moment before he opens his eyes again to the young girl.}

Kamidake:  She lost the man she loved today...  It will take some time for her to rouse herself
	from the shock...

{Sasami's eyes start to tear up when she hugs Kamidake again tightly while he shelters her in his
arms when Ayeka slips down to her knees.  Her mind races back to her dream, where she is tossed
like a child's toy towards the Jurai Palace, the entirity of Jurai around her burning in an
planet-wide inferno.  She screams and spreads her arms as she would to generate a force shield
around herself, but the Jurai Power does not come.  Ayeka exits her memory and looks down to her
hands, alone before the screens and monitors which she used to lead the ships in her small
armada.  She whispers so that only she hears her own words.}

Ayeka:  If part of the dream is true... could it all be...?

{Fade from Ayeka's physical presence to her image upon Katiara's screens with Angelbane and
Cassandra watching quietly from within each other's embrace.  Cassandra watches the heartache of
the princess and then glances down to the floor herself.}

Cassandra:  The poor girl...  So much loss... even to come...

{Angelbane nods, keeping his gaze on Ayeka's unmoving form watching for some sign of hope.  His
voice reflects more knowledge than he lets into his words.}

Angelbane:  Yes, but she will prevent many from losing their lives...  That is why she must
	live...

{Cassandra moves her eyes back up to gaze into the black shell surrounding Earth when her voice
becomes very grave.}

Cassandra:  And, her...  she who killed our son...?

Angelbane:  Princess Achi has already foretold her destiny.  We only need play our parts to
	ensure that it becomes true.

{Cassandra looks up into her husband's face with one last question, a soft one.}

Cassandra:  And, Nerti...?

{Angelbane turns his head down to his bride and nods.}

Angelbane:  It is her birthright... and her fate...

{He closes his eyes and shakes his head.}

Angelbane:  I am sorry, Cassandra...  I know you care about her...

{Cassandra tightens her grip on her male counterpart and just holds him.  Angelbane wraps his
cape around her, protectively as all fades to the clearing behind the Triborough building where
the Jurai Cannon rests, the barrel still smoking from the shot taken at the NVO planet.  MiB
technical personnel ralley around the weapon with their trays and cases of equipment and wires.
They pull at tools and parts as they try to restore the cannon to operational status while Washu
walks back through her dimensional doorway into the field.  She looks exhausted with smudges
across her hands and face from peering into consoles and panels on the damaged weapon.  She
slumps down against the door and looks ahead at the MiB men working, trying to keep her own eyes
open.  She takes a labored breath and then sighs.}

Washu:  It will take over twenty hours for the spiritual energy of the Fudo to regenerate...
	Even if we repair the cannon by then...

{She looks up into the sky watching the crimson sparks crash all around the city the same as they
are across the world, her weariness overriding her fear.}

Washu:  We might not be here to use it...

{The red-haired genius then pushes herself to her feet and hurries to the Jurai Cannon alongside
the technicians as the scene fades to the front steps of the Triborough building where Nobuyuki
stands watching the rays of destruction rain upon Manhattan.  He simply watches when small
flashes of images appear in his mind.  He sees himself holding Achika's hand, her body covered
and held firmly by the same bloody power.  He watches as he and his then eighteen-year-old
girlfriend are being drawn by a powerful suction force into a bright light a distance away.
Young Nobuyuki looks over his shoulder to see the one thing keeping him and his love from losing
to this fate, his own son Tenchi, a young man as well, holding his father's school jacket sleave.
Continuing this line of thought, Nobuyuki looks from the ruddy sparks in the sky to the pitch
black above him.  His mind fades back to the same environment moments before when he and Achika
stand over a small metallic, saucer-shaped device, the main booster of the psylink.  Suddenly,
Tenchi is tossed across the chamber they are within to hit hard against a ripped metal beam and
slump down to the ground.  Nobuyuki and Achika both turn to see a black mass of liquid fire make
its way around the corner, bearing a white porcelin mask and gloves, Kain.  Kain speaks without
moving his lips, but Tenchi forces himself back to his feet, and it is his son's words that
Nobuyuki now remembers clearly.}

Tenchi:  I won't let you... touch my mom!!

{Nobuyuki is shaken out of his shattered memory to continue witnessing the sight before him.  A
few footsteps behind the architect cause him to look over his shoulder to see Zed walking out to
stand next to the Japanese man.  The American is very nonchalant watching the skies and the
destruction they cause.}

Zed:  Never thought I'd see the "Darkness of the Universe" myself.

{Nobuyuki is soft and thoughtful in his reply.}

Nobuyuki:  I've seen it before.  Deep inside, I'd hoped I'd never remember, or have to see it
	again.

{Zed glances over at his companion oddly.}

Zed:  You have?

{Nobuyuki nods contining to watch the lightshow.}

Nobuyuki:  A long time ago, long before any of this.

{The head MiB just nods before he takes a breath and moves his gaze back out into the distance
also.}

Zed:  You've heard about your son and Ryoko?

{Nobuyuki nods and closes his eyes when Zed continues.}

Zed:  Lord Yosho's taken command since they lost contact with Princess Ayeka with Ryu-Oh and
	Katiara.  The six up there are still fighting the good fight.  Dr Hakubi's trying to get
	the Jurai Cannon up again for another shot but says we have over twenty hours before that's
	possible again.

{Zed folds his arms and sighs.}

Zed:  Damnedest thing, to have the tools, but not the time.

{Nobuyuki shakes his head and smiles a little.}

Nobuyuki:  I wouldn't give up yet.

{Zed looks back to Nobuyuki confused.}

Zed:  What'd you mean?

{Nobuyuki just opens his eyes and watches the sky with an odd confidence.}

Nobuyuki:  When I saw that black power the last time, it wasn't technology or a well-made plan
	that beat it.  It took one person, the woman I married, to do the job.

{The elder man blinks in confusion and some disbelief while Nobuyuki's confident smile and gaze
becomes melancholy as a tear rolls down his cheek.}

Nobuyuki:  We just have to wait now...

{Zoom out from Nobuyuki and Zed and pan across the city of Manhattan, showing all the destruction
being wraught to the metropolis.  A shopping mall is suddenly hit with a crimson ray of sparking
energy, both leveling the building to the ground as well as vaporizing on contact much of the
materials of which the structure consisted.  People run screaming from the devastation, but they
only find death at the trampling feet of their fellow man or the very destruction they are
fleeing.  Walls crumble, crushing those unlucky enough to remain too close while glass shards
shoot out like shrapnel to wound or kill those on the streets.  When the blast impacts water, the
fish and sea life bubble to the surface, boiled instantly in their own homes and skins.  Contact
with wildress explodes or vaporizes the trees and animals, or ignites forest fires to the same
end.  These and other scenarios are played out across the globe when all fades to black, and a
red spark crosses a transparent spherical surface of a highly contrasting blue tint.  Within this
field, Tenchi floats in the center of the spherical shield holding Ryoko with one arm while he
grips Tenchiken with the other hand, the crest shining brightly.  However, the violet crest on
the sword flickers as Tenchi tires from the dark energy adhearing and negating the field he
generates.  His black hair wraps freely around his neck without the hairtie which bound it,
soaked in sweat from both the exertion and the heat he experienced in reentry.  Ryoko's face is
buried in his chest with her hands in the small of his back, somewhat easing Tenchi's strain from
holding her.  She starts to move her hands slowly up his back to gain a better grip when her
fingers go across a ghastly burn across the blue armor and touches the Juraian's scorched flesh.
He winces in pain before she can pulls her hands away to their former location.  The Ryoan woman
looks up into his face showing the painted mark across the side of her face still remains.  His
eyes open slowly as a sweat bead rolls down the side of his face and drips from his chin onto his
chest.  His voice is a mere whisper to her concerned expression.}

Tenchi:  You alright...?

{She glances away and nods slowly when a slight smile grows on the young man's visage.}

Tenchi:  Good...

{Ryoko looks back to the man she loves quietly.}

Ryoko:  You didn't have to do this...

{He nods.}

Tenchi:  I know that...

Ryoko:  You could have gotten yourself killed...  You've already hurt yourself pretty badly...

{Tenchi shakes his head some.}

Tenchi:  I couldn't let you get hurt, Ryoko...  not from protecting me...

{Ryoko's expression grows confused.}

Ryoko:  What do you mean...?

{Tenchi gazes regretfully into Ryoko's golden eyes.}

Tenchi:  You say that you love me... but what have I done to earn that love...?  Both you and
	Ayeka have stayed at my home for the past three years... and I haven't had the courage...
	or the heart... to tell either of you what I feel...

{She shakes her head slowly.}

Ryoko:  You didn't earn my love, Tenchi...  I gave it to you...

{A calm, content expression crosses her face.}

Ryoko:  The Tenchi Masaki who renounced Jurai's throne and returned to Earth for a normal life...
	that's the man I would gladly give my life to save...  You have the same passion about you
	that I saw in your mother in 1970... and especially her kindness...

{The former pirate now laughs to herself.}

Ryoko:  After all, how else could you put up with a house full of six insane women for so long
	and not lose your mind...?

{Tenchi's tired face now is graced by a thoughtful smile.}

Tenchi:  And you, a reknowned and feared space pirate, gave up all that adventure and excitement
	to live in a modest home on a backwards world in the middle of nowhere...  almost forced to
	live a normal life among ordinary people...

{She closes her eyes with her smile continuing.}

Ryoko:  I couldn't let you get away...

{Tenchi leans down to Ryoko's face and lightly kisses her on the cheek, causing Ryoko's eyes to
pop open facing Tenchi.  She is completely caught unaware as he whispers to her.}

Tenchi:  I didn't get away...

{She raises a hand to her cheek and lightly touches the place his lips touched with her fingers,
almost not believing the reality.}

Ryoko:  Tenchi...!

{Tenchi nods and speaks again.}

Tenchi:  The Ryoko who gave up her past and used her great power to protect the lives of those in
	need...  she's the woman whose passion has stolen my heart...  with the warrior's spirit
	from your father and the shining love of your mother...

{He leans forward to Ryoko's face again and this time touches his lips with hers while she
reciprocates, and the two hold each other closely with their eyes shut to the outside world while
the darkness around them swirls almost in disgust of this moment.  The kiss ends with both of
them gazing into each other's eyes quietly when Tenchi receives a sudden strain through the Key
into his body.  Ryoko gasps and asks him urgently.}

Ryoko:  Tenchi, what's wrong?!

{He looks back into her eyes, his exhaustion much more apparent.}

Tenchi:  We can't stay here for much longer...!  Can you teleport us out of here...?

{Ryoko shakes her head.}

Ryoko:  No, whatever that ship did to me weakened me...

{Her eyes grow despirate watching the man with her suffer.}

Ryoko:  Don't leave me, Tenchi Masaki...!

{Outside Tenchi's shield, the darkness grips down upon them tighter, causing the field to buckle
some in various areas while at one point directly facing Tenchi, the shadows seem to separate and
open into a corridor of black flame.  Tenchi and Ryoko both watch this opening appear, and a
human figure walk towards them slowly and with a regal bearing much like the Jurai Royal Family.
As the person approaches, the being's feminine sex is shown easily as well as her garb:  a
low-cut red and black gown open in the front so her legs are free draped in black as well, ornate
red shoulder armor ending in deep violet clawed gloves, a blood crimson gemstone set in gold over
her cleavage with a wide white ribbon of cloth encircling her shoulders, one golden ring around
her waist with a ruby embedded in the front while another ring is incomplete about her shoulders
and neck ending in opal above the ribbon, and lastly a shining talisman upon her forehead with
for feather-like streamers flowing back over her head and behind her.  Soon, she completely
enters the light from Tenchi's shield and can see clearly the green leaf-like markings across her
face and neck, and her face, as beautiful as it is, sends chills down Ryoko's spine.  Tenchi
glances to Ryoko to see that the Ryoan woman is in complete disbelief as the words exit her
mouth.}

Ryoko:  Mother...?!

{The woman's spiked ponytail of auburn hair flows behind her with each step she takes towards
them while her eyes are locked firmly on the two young people.  Indeed, her face is that of
Ryoshu, Ryoko and Nagi's mother, but her eyebrows are far extended past the sides of her head
and, most importantly, her eyes are not the calming blue that the sisters remember.  This
Ryoshu's eyes are deep red like much of the clothing she wears, and the corneas around those
irises are a cobalt blue.  Those eyes are cold and calculating, examining them both with an
unprecidented precision and attention to detail.  Ryoko then blinks as Ryoshu stops at the edge
of Tenchi's shield, the elder woman still quite focused on the two within.}

Ryoko:  Mom...?

{Tenchi watches Ryoshu closely and then shakes his head with a distrustful look in his eyes.}

Tenchi:  That's not your mother, Ryoko...!

{Ryoko glances back to Tenchi and then back to the woman outside the field when she nods in
agreement, though speaking with Ryoshu's voice, mixed with one sounding almost divine.}

Ryoshu:  The Juraian boy is correct, my dear girl.  I am not the spirit of your mother, though
	this is truly her body.

{Ryoshu extends her sharpened fingertips to the edge of the field and lightly touches the field
while the area around her fingers explodes into sparks of red and blue going in all directions.
Ryoko takes her arms from around Tenchi and forms a flickering red sword before her and Tenchi,
aimed at the woman trying to enter Tenchi's shield.  Ryoshu only smiles as her fingers penetrate
the Jurai Power.}

Ryoshu:  Your powers have already been drained a great deal, Ryoko.  Give in to the one who not
	only bore you, but created your race.

{Ryoko jerks back as if struck by lightning when Oniko's words echo in her mind.}

Oniko:  Be on guard against the darkness...  the darkness that spawned our people...

{Ryoko's words come slowly and full of amazement, and terror.}

Ryoko:  It was you...!  You're the "Lady" who sent out Liaens and Jezibel...!  You were the one
	who Oniko was so loyal to...?!

{Ryoshu closes her eyes, still ice cold in presence.}

Ryoshu:  Yes, I am she known as Tokimi.

{Her eyes then reopen slowly, focused now singly on Ryoko.}

Ryoshu-Tokimi:  And, it is your time, Ryoko, to return the power I bestowed upon your race.

{This powerful being grips her claws together and rips through Tenchi's force shield, exposing
both Tenchi and Ryoko.  She does not even move or change expression when a protrusion of NVO
energy gathers and whips out around Ryoko's waist, fastening tightly to her.  Ryoko screams as
red filaments of energy flow from her body into the shadow around her.  Even the sword in her
hand is pulled from her hand into the mass.  The darkness starts to pull her into itself when
Tenchi grabs her hand and holds firm, his other hand still around Tenchiken maintaining what
field remains behind them, even trying to reextend it to cut off Ryoshu-Tokimi.  The resurrected
body shakes her head at the attempt.}

Ryoshu-Tokimi:  Very valiant, young Juraian.  However, you do not have the power to free her from
	my grip, let alone Destiny's.

{Tenchi's muscles strain under the blue armor and then bend against his will, finding that the
NVO energy is stronger than his human body.  He grunts in pain and frustration while trying to
pull Ryoko back with just his one hand.  Ryoko turns back to him and shakes her head, blocking
out the feeling of her ethereal part being ripped away.}

Ryoko:  Let go, Tenchi!!  Get away!!  Save yourself!!

{Tenchi shakes his head and grimaces to pull harder.}

Tenchi:  No, Ryoko!!  I won't!!

{Ryoshu-Tokimi watches and nods favorably.}

Ryoshu-Tokimi:  Your love or your life, child.

{The Juraian angles his gaze from Ryoko to Ryoshu-Tokimi with a anger-filled glare.}

Tenchi:  I'd rather die with her than let her die alone!!

{Time seems to slow for a moment as his fingers unwrap from the Tenchiken Key and then dart over
to grip tightly around Ryoko's arm.  The sword hilt falls silent and falls into the black fire
around them like a stone falling into a lake, sending small ripples around its impact point.
Ryoko watches Tenchi in utter disbelief while Ryoshu-Tokimi just shakes her head.}

Ryoshu-Tokimi:  You hasten your death, boy.

{Tenchi grips the wrists of the woman who loves him and tenses every muscle in his body as he
yells to Ryoshu-Tokimi.}

Tenchi:  No!!

{At that moment, three diamonds appear on Tenchi's forehead and shine a brilliant emerald,
drowning out the red and gold of Ryoshu-Tokimi's clothes.  Starting from that mark upon his
forehead, a wave of white light washes over his body, removing the Juraian Mark of Rage and
ripping apart the blue uniform given him by Washu.  Instead, his clothes are replaced by a white
gi and hakama armor very similar to the two Knights, the Juraian Ultra Battlesuit.  The mass
holding Ryoko releases her to fly into Tenchi's arms where he holds her close.  Around them,
three arcs of white light appear in a circle and expand into seemingly three shields facing
outward from the two within.  Ryoko watches in amazement when she looks up to Tenchi's face, and
he looks down at her calmly.  On her forehead, three emerald dots appear arranged in a triangle
pointing to her hair line shining and pulsing synchronous with Tenchi's mark.  The Juraian faces
Ryoshu-Tokimi and extends his hand as the Tenchiken Key levitates to his hand.  However, Tenchi
does not grab the sword hilt, but rather waits as the Key starts to rotate length-wise.  As it
does, the vine strands of the hilt unravel and straighten out  incredibly long from the crest of
the hilt to reveal a metal hilt where the vines once were along with two leaf-like guards.  The
vines then wrap around themselves over the crest and shine brightly as a silver metal coating
covers them before the leaves flip up around it to form a new hilt.  Tenchi takes this new sword
and draws back to swipe while Ryoshu-Tokimi's eyes widen.}

Ryoshu-Tokimi:  The Light Hawk Sword...!

{The purified man swings the sword in a downward cut stroke causing a cylindrical explosion of
Jurai Power centering on him and Ryoko and expanding outward along the NVO shell around Earth.
Ryoshu-Tokimi raises her hands and creates fifteen light shields like the three around Tenchi to
defend against the blast.  When the blast wave hits, all fifteen slam in and crack in the center
with the damage extending deeply around the impact, but not breaking completely.  Ryoshu-Tokimi
glares towards Tenchi and Ryoko together.}

Ryoshu-Tokimi:  Light Hawk Wings...    He is the knight paladin...

{Soon afterward, she and her fifteen cracked shields vanish from the impact area.  Outside, a
beam of the purest white light is seen shooting out perpendicular to the shell and then radiates
in a circle.  This wave ravages the surface of the shell, ripping it into smaller segments that
explode into purple mess, which falls into the atmosphere and burns on reentry.  All eight ships
in the skies witness this while the six under the shield quickly dive towards Earth to avoid the
incoming matter.  Outside on Ryu-Oh's bridge, Ayeka sees this and is at a loss to understand.}

Ayeka:  What in the name of heaven...?!

{Kamidake is also in awe and stands slowly from Sasami watching the light wave and demolish the
shell surrounding Earth.}

Kamidake:  Could it be...?

{Sasami's face is serious as she glances to Ayeka when her forehead symbol glows for a moment.
The tiara's crest begins to glow again, causing Ayeka to look around surprised.}

Ayeka:  I can sense Ryu-Oh!

{She directs her attention to the screens before her when one finds a speck unmoving among the
falling rubble.  It magnifies to be Tenchi holding Ryoko still in that new transformed state.
Kamidake is taken aback.}

Kamidake:  Lord Tenchi Masaki...?

{Ayeka smiles happily at Tenchi's face as she then sees Ryo-Ohki fly up from Earth and teleport
both onto herself.  Tears stream down the princess's face while her voice waivers unsteadily.}

Ayeka:  He is alive...!!

{In space, Ryu-Oh flies after Ryo-Ohki as the two enter the atmosphere.  Ahead of them, all the
other vessels are already landing within the MiB docking bay and letting out their passengers.
The crews gather on the main platform along with Ken-Ohki in cabbit form and Katiara in humanoid
form.  Ryu-Oh lands and quickly docks before a green orb flies from the ship and lands on the
platform to dissolve into the forms of Ayeka and Kamidake.  The red knight carries Sasami in his
arms while he walks to the others, but Ayeka runs down to them and eagerly starts questioning
them.}

Ayeka:  How is Tenchi?!  How did he survive?!

{Then, Ryo-Ohki flies in and hovers over the platform, teleporting down Tenchi and Ryoko before
transforming to cabbit form and floating down to Ryoko's feet, meowing happily.  The group starts
cheering when Ayeka starts to slowly walk towards them with her hands clasped in thanks and
anticipation, even though Tenchi is holding Ryoko at his side.  Then, Tenchi starts to slow and
breath difficultly.  Ryoko turns to him as her expression grows more and more concerned before
growing into terror as he then leans on the Light Hawk Sword to stand before collapsing.  Ryoko
catches him in her arms calling his name, causing Ayeka to stop dead in her approach with cold
drilling through her back.  For Ayeka, everything grows silent and blurs together when L and
Nerti run to Tenchi's side and start taking vital readings and yelling out medical jargon to each
other and into the distance.  Kamidake gently lays Sasami next to a wall before he and Azaka run
to the site, taking Ryoko by the hand and leading her away.  She, however, pulls away from them
and starts running back to her love.  They grab her and hold her tight, all the while she fights
them trying to get back to Tenchi.  Both Azaka and Kamidake can be seen to have their eyes closed
and heads bowed in reverence.  Washu and the MiB medical staff rush in with a gurney and
electronic monitoring equipment as they try to help him.  A bright white light surrounds both him
and the Light Hawk Sword, making everyone back up until it passes.  Then, Tenchi is left, burnt
and cut from the battles he has fought with the Tenchiken Key nearby his hand.  The mark from
Ryoko's forehead has also vanished.  The emergency staff then immediately resume their work as
Yosho slowly walks up to the sword Key.  He kneels over it and takes it in his hands, looking it
over for a moment before pressing it to his forehead.  The old man clinches his eyes tightly
shut, with tears rolling down his cheeks.  Nagi walks over to her sister and starts to speaks
softly, calming the raging Ryoan woman to the extent that Azaka and Kamidake can escort her out.
Nagi follows after taking one last look at Tenchi and shaking her head slowly.  Mihoshi starts to
cry and goes down to her knees when Kiyone and Mitsuki both try to console her quietly.  J also
comes to their side and says a few soft words to the women.  Ken-Ohki dashes out to Ryo-Ohki, who
has curled up and fallen silent.  He puts his paw on hers to gain her attention.  He lays down at
her side, wrapping his ears around hers to try and support her while Pii flips up his visor and
closes his eyes while angling his face down and away from his collapsed friend on the floor.
Angelbane also averts his gaze while Cassandra starts to sob while glaring into the sky
vengefully.  Katiara gently pats Cassandra on the back to try and show her support for her
adoptive mother.}

{Ayeka falls to her knees in horror watching the entire situation around her.  The shock falls
away slowly as her eyes well with tears that almost immediately start rolling down the sides of
her face.  Her lips move, but she cannot find neither the breath nor the words to speak.  She
bends forward, shutting her eyes tightly while her hands run through her regal purple hair,
sorrow enveloping her entire being.  Zoom into Ayeka's deep colored hair when the violet changes
to black, and then zoom out to find red encircling the pitch black.  Continue until the shadow is
shown to be the feline pupil of a red and blue eye, Ryoshu-Tokimi's eye.  She floats in space
above the liberated Earth with her arms folded before her and her eyes focused down upon Earth in
a cold stare.  She begins to descend when all fades to black.}

End Scene 3

End Act 5