INTERLUDE Establishing Shot: A tombstone marked: SAOTOME AKANE 1977 - 2062 Beloved Wife and Mother "Where she was, was Eden." A man's hand places a bouquet of red carnations in front of the tombstone, and traces out the symbols in the name. Suddenly, the hand stops. V.O. (RANMA) He was here. Why? SHAMPOO (O.S.) Husband. We need to talk. The hand clenches for a moment. The view changes to show SHAMPOO, who is wearing a beige trench coat over her uniform. RANMA (O.S.) I have exactly nothing to say to you Shan Pu. I told you, when last we spoke, that we no longer lived in the same world. SHAMPOO And I had every intention to respec-- RANMA (O.S.) Respect? Shampoo, if you had *ever* respected me, you would've kept your word when you said "We'll never meet again" to me. SHAMPOO This is not the time to drag out old grudges -- RANMA (O.S.) You're right, I shouldn't be forever hateful towards you because you just stood and watched while the Ghoul beat Ucchan to death. SHAMPOO is trying to keep her temper and not succeeding very well. SHAMPOO Ukyou issued the challenge, h-- Ranma. I would not have interfered either way. RANMA (O.S.) Probably not -- either way, you came out the winner, didn'tcha? One way you get rid of Cologne, so that your claim to the Joketsuzoku leadership is unquestioned -- and the other, you get rid of Ukyou. I'd almost suspect that you engineered the whole thing, but you're not nearly smart enough to have done that. SHAMPOO is right at the boiling point. Her voice is very strained. SHAMPOO Ranma, I have come here to tell you something IMPORTANT. RANMA (O.S.) That's nice. I'm not going to pay any attention to you. Tell me what it is so I can leave. SHAMPOO Ryouga -- RANMA (O.S.) -- is in Tokyo, and he wants a rematch, sorry, not interested, just passing through, bye. We see a pair of slippered feet walking away from SHAMPOO, who is shaking in anger. SHAMPOO WHISPERED Ranma no baka. In a blink of an eye, SHAMPOO is caught in a single handed grip around her neck, another hand is held up and is glowing with his battle aura. RANMA's voice is tight with cold fury. RANMA (O.S.) If you ever, ever, ever say those words to me again I will *forget* that I swore to never kill again, Shampoo. SHAMPOO, although her face clearly expresses the pain that she's in, manages to swivel so that she lands an ankle blow into RANMA's side, startling him enough that his grip around her neck loosens, and allowing her to slip free. She jumps backwards, landing several feet away, in a ready stance, with one of her bonbori slipping out of the arm of her trenchcoat. RANMA (O.S.) Just out of curiousity, if I beat you again is that grounds for divorce? SHAMPOO is breathing heavily. SHAMPOO Ranma! Shampoo not come here to fight with you. Shampoo come to tell Ranma what you *not* know! RANMA (O.S.) Reverting to type? What don't I know? SHAMPOO Shampoo thinks Ryouga working with your daughter! An Inevitable Outcome Feature Written and Directed by C. Richard Davies TOGETHER AGAIN 2937 Chapter Based on the works of Naoko Takeuchi, Rumiko Takahashi, Suzuki Toshimichi, Haruka Takachiho, Hiroki Hayashi, Yuuki Masami, and various interpretations therof. Dedicated to Gryphon, MegaZone, and ReRob. Act III Establishing Shot: A tidy living room, with lots of Sailor Senshi memorabilia decorating the walls. Centered on the wall above the couch is a blown up photograph of Mina, Lita, Amy, and Raye standing around Serena and Darien on their wedding day. The sliding door opens up, and SHEILA walks in, looking tired. SHEILA Mom? JUPITER (O.S.) I'm in the kitchen! SHEILA drops the video camera she's been toting around on the couch, and heads over to the swinging kitchen door. In the kitchen, JUPITER (dressed in casual clothes, an apron, and oven gloves) is cooking up a storm -- desserts of all sorts line the counter, in various stages of mixing and cooling. She pauses to look smilingly at SHEILA. JUPITER Hi, sweety. BEAT I guess you heard? SHEILA One of my friends in the Checker Club told me as soon as the list got there. One million names! How? JUPITER Probably the various groups that are trying to get this thing through called in all their favours -- and you can be pretty sure that they've got their butts covered. Nobody on that list is going to be ineligible to vote -- having the Department go to work is just buying us some time, really. SHEILA Time that you're spending making brownies? JUPITER SHRUGS Raye fences. Amy does her yoga. I cook. Don't ask me how Serenity deals with stress, because I don't know. SHEILA picks up one of the cooling dishes, and takes a bite. SHEILA Um. Major chocolate hit. So what happens now? JUPITER SIGH Now Serenity and Lord Tenchi have a private strategy session to decide what to do if the vote goes against us. Which is why I'm here, instead of watching over her like I should be. The buzzer on the oven sounds, and JUPITER heads over to take a tray of cookies out of the oven, while simultaneously sliding in a cake pan. SHEILA Do you think it will? Go against the alliance, I mean? JUPITER SHAKES HEAD No idea, Sheila, none. Each of the five times that Ordene and his cronies have brought a petition to junk Serenity in favor of an elected President, the vote has gotten a little bit closer to even. This isn't, in the minds of the voters, as big an issue as that. But all we can do is get the truth out as much as possible, and hope they do the right thing. SHEILA Without meaning to sound cynical, what is the truth this time? JUPITER That if Jurai, the largest planetary confederation in the galaxy, steps away from Earth, we'll be assailed by "warm invitations" to join the various local groups ... and if we should choose to ignore or refuse all those offers, the invitations will get cooler. And sooner or later they'll stop *being* requests, and start being orders. BEAT And then there will be war, and we'll lose. SHEILA swallows. SHEILA Even with our four new super- carriers and Space Battleship Mihoshi? JUPITER Dear, the Centauri Republic has over three hundred carriers of the same class as the Enterprise, the Yamato, the Macroix, and the Skylark -- along with enough Mobile Suits to blot out the sun. And the Centauri aren't the largest confederation -- just the closest, and the one with the most ties to the other Solar governments. SHEILA Then WHY? Why are these people being so blind? I just don't -- JUPITER Because the Jurains aren't human, and there's enough xenophobia left in humanity to lead them to think that an alliance with any human power is better than one with a non-human one. Because it's a way to challenge Serenity's authority without appearing disloyal. And for some of them, because they're *so* loyal to Serenity that they can't stand the implication that she might *need* support from outsiders. SHEILA You mean -- JUPITER One of the first five names on the petition was the current Archdeacon of the Cult of Serenity. BEAT People can be blind when it comes to things they feel strongly about. BEAT Well, that cake's going to be a while. Aside from everything, how did your day go? SHEILA is lost in thought, and seems reluctant to reply. JUPITER begins to chop up some carrots. SHEILA I ... met someone interesting. JUPITER Who? SHEILA PAUSE Priscilla Asagiri. JUPITER pauses in her chopping, then resumes with a calm expression. JUPITER Really? SHEILA Mom ... she said that you ... JUPITER Sheila, Priscilla Asagiri is a very bad person. A long time ago, she did something so horrible that I don't want to talk about it. I was against the idea of allowing her to come out of cryosleep, and I would just as soon see her put back for the rest of eternity. BEAT But if you want to have her as a friend, I will not stop you. But I'm only going to warn you once -- she is an unreliable person, and if you trust her, I think she'll betray you. Do not bring her home. JUPITER has cut the carrots into a thousand thin slices, and her knife has been thunking into the cutting board for some time now. She abruptly realizes this, and stops. SHEILA Mom ... JUPITER does not look up as she speaks, instead sliding the sliced carrots into a bowl. JUPITER I only want what's best for you, daughter. But I've long since realized that I can't protect you from everything. BEAT Just don't bring her home. SHEILA opens her mouth, then closes it, and nods. SHEILA Would it be okay if I crashed here? I don't want to go back to my pad this late. JUPITER looks up, and smiles. JUPITER Of course, sweety. Cut to SERENITY's throne room. SERENITY is seated on her throne with her fingers steepled, while TENCHI holds the large folder in his hands and reads it. Finally, TENCHI closes the folder with a frustrated expression. TENCHI And there's no way to stop it? SERENITY None. By noon, the Department of Examinations will have confirmed that it is a valid petition. And tomorrow, the vote begins. TENCHI I can't believe that you didn't give yourself *some* power of veto ... for foreign affairs, at the very least. SERENITY I have an absolute power of veto, Tenchi. BEAT But each time that I have exercised that power over an issue of this significance, another petition has been immediately formed to have me removed from the throne. TENCHI But if you exercised the veto *now*, we'd have more breathing -- SERENITY shakes her head. SERENITY They will undoubtably have drawn up a petition, incorporating all of the names, asking for my resignation "in light of my manifest disregard for the wishes of the people". Of course, those who have no desire to see me removed but who have made common cause with those who *do*, will doubtless have been assured that it is only a device to compel my compliance with the `real' issue. SIGH TENCHI DISGUSTED Timocracy. I don't pretend to understand what you were thinking of when you came up with this system, Serenity. Nobody questions *my* decrees. SERENITY MILD No, but if a powerful noble disagrees with them, he will simply leave court, and pretend that you and indeed the rest of the universe does not exist. And if he is a sufficiently powerful noble, his refusal to have his family engage in commerce with other parts of the empire can prove financially disastrous for both sides in the dispute. HARD What was I thinking of? I was thinking of the people of Earth, many of whom had fought a war on my behalf, against autocratic tyrants whose acts would make your blood run cold if I were to describe them. Would you like to hear about the fascinating practices involving salvaged body parts that the people of Zalem engaged in? About the vampire lords that ruled much of Northeastern Europe? BEAT I fought a war against dictators, Tenchi. I was determined not to become one myself. So I gave all the true power into the hands of the people. Timocracy: the ultimate form of democracy, eliminating the concepts of representation and politics. Or so it seemed. Perhaps it was the last flare of the naivete that everyone found so irritating during Serena's adolescence. BEAT I will not use the veto this time. In fact, in every previous instance of my use of the veto, I was, in the end, compelled to make concessions to those whom I had vetoed. And how would I do that in this situation? Give you a stern talking-to about your human rights violations in public? TENCHI Human rights violations?! What -- SERENITY The right of humanity to dominate everything, of course. For some of those poor fanatics, that is exactly what all this is about. TENCHI SIGH Yeah. I should have guessed that from what that assassin was spouting. BEAT He's still in custody? SERENITY gives TENCHI a hard stare. TENCHI That's not what I meant! SERENITY Our legal system is swift, but not that swift. He will be tried the day after tomorrow, assuming all goes according to plan. There is a pause, and then they share a slow smile. TENCHI & SERENITY "Which will be a pleasant change." After a brief spurt of almost hysterical laughter, they both sigh. TENCHI My grandfather told me to seize my own destiny. SERENITY I was told to expect a millenium of silence. Another exchange of looks. SERENITY Come, we have been at this enough. My husband misses me, and doubtless your wives ... TENCHI nods ruefully. SERENITY stands up, stretches, and walks with TENCHI to the doors of the throne room. Our view of them as they exit is from high above -- they seem very small and fragile. Cut to a passageway. The CHIEF walks briskly down the corridor, accompanied by SMITHERS, his younger assistant. They come to a door, and SMITHERS presses a pad beside it. The door slides open, revealing a lounge in which KEI is seated on a large couch facing the large screen of a television, behind which YURI is fiddling with the wiring. YURI freezes as the CHIEF and SMITHERS enter; they pause to stare at her. CHIEF Is something the matter? YURI Uh ... yeah! This darn set was only getting a lot of static, so I tried to fix it ... and it doesn't make any sense at all! CHIEF Really? BEAT Well, I'll have a tech take a look at it later today. I daresay you wouldn't have enjoyed the programming in any event -- government controlled news is so unappetizing ... YURI Oh, right. I hadn't thought of that. Silly me! YURI comes to sit beside KEI (who is, one should note, holding a remote control) on the couch. KEI Listen, Mr. ... you know, you still haven't told us your name. CHIEF Understandably, I would prefer to remain anonymous -- but you may refer to me as Mr. Deacon. KEI Right. We're grateful that you've brought us out of the cold, and all that, but there's no way that you'd do all this without expecting some sort of compensation. So ... CHIEF You're wondering what do we want? SMILE What we all want -- a better tomorrow. But what you really want to know is, what do we want the two of you to do to ensure that we get it? KEI and YURI nod. CHIEF You may have guessed that we -- my organization -- is dedicated to removing Neo Queen Serenity from power. We have, until this point, pursued our objectives within the boundaries of the law, but recent events have convinced us that it's no longer enough to do so. We must now ... YURI holds up a hand. YURI Before you go any further, I should warn you that we don't do wet work. CHIEF BLINKS I beg your pardon? KEI We're not contract killers. If you're trying to sell us on the idea of taking out this Serenity chick, you can stop right where you are. CHIEF I will admit that the thought had crossed my mind ... but a perusal of the historical records about you convinced me to not do so. While the two of you are responsible for untold loss of life and property damage -- KEI and YURI tense up. CHIEF QUICKLY -- anyone can see that it wasn't your fault. They ease down, but are clearly irritated by the way that this is going. CHIEF In any case, we realized that killing Serenity would only make her a martyr to those who have taken her cause as their own. So we came up with another plan altogether ... SMITHERS sets a small device down on the coffee table in front of the Lovely Angels. The CHIEF produces a pointer, with which he gestures at the device, causing a hologram of the solar system to project. It focuses in on Earth and the moon. CHIEF Serenity's authority is more or less limited to Earth and those orbital stations which have accepted her rule. The Moon is largely neutral, a place of commerce and diplomacy. If Serenity could be kidnapped or otherwise compelled to travel to the Moon, we have recieved the assurances of several of the local confederations that she would be tried for her crimes against humanity. KEI So you want us to do the kidnapping? The CHIEF gestures again, and a large "X" appears in the hologram, with a buzzing noise. KEI and YURI stare at it. CHIEF SMIRK Sorry. SERIOUS No, we've found a group of mercenaries willing to undertake that mission. What we want the two of you to do is *much* simpler. We want you to escort Serenity, under guard, to the Lunar colonies. KEI Huh? Why? CHIEF You have to understand, the era that the two of you originate in is looked back upon as a golden age by many of the governments of the galaxy. The intervention of the WWWA was always seen as the final sign that things had gotten out of control -- that stern measures had to be taken. The symbolic impact of the legendary Lovely Angels handing over Neo Queen Serenity for trial could be immense. It would be like saying to her followers that the Galaxy as a whole condemns her to her fate. YURI Would that really make a difference? CHIEF Not to her most fanatical followers, no. They're the sort of maniacs who would gladly give their lives to let her advance her plans a bit. But we could reach the less dedicated among them ... and it would have an effect on the neutral, silent majority. BEAT Well, Kei? Yuri? Will you help us? There is a long, uncomfortable pause. KEI Yeah. To escort her? Yeah, I think we can handle that. Yuri? YURI nods slowly. CHIEF Excellent! Assuming all goes to plan -- which doesn't happen all that often, I'll grant you -- the kidnapping should take place in two days ... please, make yourselves at home here, until then. Ladies. He bows, and heads out, followed by SMITHERS. The door closes behind them. KEI Does this whole set-up feel as weird to you as it does to me? YURI Maybe even weirder. BEAT Damn, that was close ... a few seconds later, and ... KEI ... and he'd have seen an even more messed up T.V. Do you have any idea what you're doing? YURI Hey! Give me a little credit. T.V. technology hasn't changed that much in ... eight hundred years. A few more seconds, and I'd've had access to any channel you wanted, instead of that one we were getting on all the stations. KEI Really? YURI Why do you doubt me? KEI I *know* you. BEAT We've got to get another POV on what's going on here. I don't trust that guy. Get to work. YURI makes a face at KEI, but starts working on the TV. YURI What I don't get ... is why I get those ... hunches too. After ... all, I'm not the one ... with the alien ancestors ... KEI Geez ... it's been eight hundred years and you still haven't forgiven me for not telling you about that. YURI glares at her. YURI It's been *two* years, and it wasn't fun finding it out while we were infiltrating that xenophobic militia group, when they ran you through a DNA scanner and we almost got killed! KEI Two ... eight hundred ... same diff. So my great-grandmother was an E.T. ... `they' don't all have psychic abilities, you know. BEAT And whose grandfather worked as a psi- detective on Centauri Prime? Until he got busted for playing the races? YURI Oh sure, Kei, dig up that old family scandal! KEI Turnabout is fair play, Yuri! Cut to a shot of a monitor showing them squabbling. SMITHERS watches with a cold smile in a darkened room. Cut to a large building out in the middle of nowhere. Those familiar with "Mobile Police Patlabor" will recognize it at once as the headquarters of the infamous Second Unit of the SV2 Division -- or at least, a reasonable facsimile thereof. It is early morning as PRISS, in her motorcycle leathers, zooms up the dirt road to the entrance on her hovercycle. She comes to a stop near the huge garage doors, gets off,, pulls of her helmet, and shakes out her hair, before ambling into the garage. Several labors are in the process of being repaired or possibly upgraded. It's a noisy process, and the shouts of workers barely rise over the squeal of metal being soldered and bent. PRISS stares up at the humanoid mecha with a distrusting expression -- then shakes her head. PRISS Nothing more than a great big motoslave. MEGUMI (O.S.) Well, they're a little more advanced than one of *those*, I think. PRISS turns around to see a short-haired young woman (MORISATO MEGUMI) wearing beige work coveralls with extensive "oil" stains on them and a set of high tech eye protectors that incorporate a holographic heads-up- display. (Think Sailor Mercury's visor and you've got the general idea). MEGUMI Priss Asagiri, am I right? PRISS Uh, yeah. I'm here to see Chief Izumi ... PRISS trails off and stares at MEGUMI, who seems oblivious to her scrutiny. MEGUMI She told us to be expecting you, and to send you up to the office. MEGUMI jerks her head up at the catwalk above, where there are a number of offices, one of which is lit from within. PRISS follows her gesture for a moment, then goes back to staring at MEGUMI. MEGUMI So you should just head on is there something wrong? PRISS BLINKS Uh? Oh. No. Well. Have we met somewhere before? MEGUMI THINKS Nnnno, I don't think so. I died when you were probably still in diapers. PRISS Say what? MEGUMI Long story, and you'd just have to hear it again from the chief, so you should head up to talk to her. See ya round, Palladin. PRISS watches MEGUMI walk off and start bellowing orders to the crews working on the labors. PRISS heads for the stairs, muttering to herself as she climbs. PRISS There must be something in the water that makes everyone in this crazy, nutcase city act like they've got a hundred state secrets, and they can't *help* but *hint* at what they know, but Whoever forbid that they ever *explain* anything. BEAT And I'm really starting to get tired of meeting all these people I feel like I *oughta* know but don't ... We see NOA eating some miso soup for breakfast at her desk. PRISS flings open the door, and walks in, still in a huff. NOA Good morning, Ms. Asagiri. PRISS Where do I know you from? NOA stares at her confusedly. NOA Well, we met in the anteroom at the palace -- PRISS That's not what I meant. I think I know you from somewhere else, and I wanna know how I know you. NOA Hum. I don't think that I ever met you ... one of my granddaughters was quite a fan of yours, but ... PRISS Lemme guess, you're an immortal? NOA Nope. I'm a clone. BEAT My name is Noa Izumi the Second. I was born for the first time that I know of in 1979, and was one of the first officers assigned to the Second Unit of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police's Special Vehicle Division -- the second Labor crimes squad formed. Maybe you saw me on the news ... by the 2030s we'd been almost forgotten after the SV2 was merged with the AD Police, but it wouldn't be a total impossibity. PRISS You're a clone, huh? Did they steal your DNA? NOA ANGRY *They* did no such thing. The Senshi took my DNA with my permission, and made a recording of my memories, right before I ... passed on. BEAT After a while, they realized that they needed a Patlabor squad, and grew my new body for me -- so none of that talk about *stealing* DNA. Nobody *owns* their genetic pattern ... it is given to us by our parents, and we hold it in trust for our children ... and their children. She has an odd expression when she says the last. PRISS But you aren't considered to be the old you. NOA So what? *I* know that I am, and that's all that really matters. The Senshi have given me a second chance at life, and an opportunity to do a job that I love. I may not always agree with their policies, but I will always be grateful. PRISS shakes her head. PRISS Okay, whatever ... I've been given a short explanation of what happened to your `labor pool' -- NOA holds up a hand, looking pained. NOA Please. I've heard *all* the puns, at least once in both lifetimes. PRISS smiles, obviously not sorry. PRISS Sorry. Three of them were stolen from your main storage facility in Crystal Tokyo, right? NOA NODS Doing a lot of damage to it, which is why we're temporarily quartered out here. PRISS What I don't get is why were they able to get away so easily? I'd think that you'd have plenty of reports about giant mecha running away from the place ... NOA We think -- and this is just a theory -- that they loaded them onto hovertrucks and took them up. PRISS Up? NOA stares at her for a long moment. NOA Yes. Up. BEAT You mean to tell me that you haven't taken your hover cycle up for a flight? PRISS I've only had the thing a week. And I don't like the thought of zipping around a thousand feet up exposed to the air. It sounds too much like hanging onto the wing of a plane while in flight. NOA Well, the hovertruck drivers wouldn't have had that problem, being inside the cabs ... PRISS Okay, then wouldn't they show up on radar? NOA SHAKES HEAD We checked. They must have been just under the legal max altitude -- high enough not to be easily made out, but low enough not to get cited. PRISS frowns. PRISS Okay ... I'm not sure where to go from here. BEAT Maybe I could scope for clues at the crime scene. NOA Sounds like a good idea. I've taken the liberty of assigning you a liason officer. YELLS NURIKO! NORMAL I'm sure the lieutenant will be glad to assist you in any way ... PRISS Uh, I prefer to work alone ... NURIKO enters at a run, and salutes. NURIKO Lieutenant Chou Ryuuen, reporting as ordered, sir. NOA Lieutenant, this is Priscilla Asagiri, the Palladin. NURIKO Milady. BOWS If you'd call me by my nickname, Nuriko, I'd be honored. PRISS is silent for a long moment. PRISS Riiiight. NOA covers a smile with a cough. NOA Nuriko, Ms. Asagiri expressed an interest in seeing the main facility downtown. Please escort her, and assist her in any way possible. NURIKO Yes, sir! NURIKO holds the door open for PRISS. NURIKO Right this way, Milady. PRISS heads out the door, and speaks without looking at NURIKO. PRISS If you call me Milady one more time, I'm gonna strangle you with that ponytail of yours. NURIKO makes an ugly face at PRISS' back. PRISS Let's go ... They head out. NOA smiles wearily, shaking her head and settling back into her chair. NOA Stolen DNA ... more like saved. NOA yawns suddenly, and her eyes begin to droop closed. We see the room from her point of view. Her eyelids close most of the way, then come all the way open ... then slowly slide closed. In the darkness, there is a distant thunder. There is another, and we realize that it's actually an explosion. Eyes blink open, and we see the inside of a labor -- a complicated array of controls in a fairly cramped space, in front of a cracked window. Our view is tipped sideways. NOA (V.O.) Huh? BEAT Oh. Damn, I must have blacked out for a second ... NOA's arms reach into our view from the right, reaching for the maneuver controls. (In case it's not obvious, we are seeing these events through NOA's POV.) NOA (V.O.) I'm okay. Alphonse, are you okay? BEAT I'll take that as a yes. Now let's get you upright ... ASUMA (RADIO) Noa! NOA (V.O.) Asuma! I'm okay ... just got w- ASUMA (RADIO) Noa! NOA (V.O.) Asuma? BEAT Asuma, talk to me! ASUMA (RADIO) Damn you, you metal BASTARDS! There is the sound of a powerful engine revving up not far away. NOA (V.O.) WHISPERED Oh no. The radio ... NOA's arms reach for the window, but she's restrained by her safety harness. She fumbles with the straps. ASUMA (RADIO) YOU KILLED MY WIFE! The Mark III Shinohara Armored Battlemover Carrier roars into view. It's a tank-based vehicle, but lacks an artillery piece. A handful of mounted smallarms are blazing away as it roars across our point of view ... blazing more or less ineffectively at the handful of Boomers crawling over it. The Boomers themselves resemble a more advanced "Doberman" type (in other words, even more like the Alien than normal). NOA (V.O.) ASUMA! NO! I'M ALL RIGHT! ASUMA (RADIO) DIEEEEEEEEE! There is a sudden huge explosion that paints the world outside the window a reddish orange. A deformed boomer head lands a few hundred feet away. For a few moments, NOA's arms are frozen. Then she starts to tear at the restraints, freeing her upper body and her legs, then slamming her booted feet into the window until it shatters. We see, through a haze, NOA work her way out of the head of an Ingram labor which is lying on its side. She turns to look towards the side ... and freezes again, before slowly pulling off her helmet. Her once red hair has gone completely gray, and from her appearance, she's in her sixties. She is staring at a crater a few hundred yards away, in which is the hulking ruin of a self-destructed Mark III Shinohara Armored Battlemover Carrier. NOA Asuma ... husband ... Cut to the inside of a medical tent. The sounds of the wounded -- moaning, groaning, weeping, and gasping -- are clear. In the distance, we can hear the sounds of explosions, and gunshots. NOA is seated on a cot, swathed in a blanket, clutching a cup in both hands. Her face makes it plain that she is in shock. A woman in a white nurse's dress holding a kettle walks up to her, but NOA doesn't acknowledge her existance. Her face is hidden, but her voice is unmistakably that of TENDOU AKANE. AKANE (O.S.) Would you like some more tea? NOA doesn't look up. NOA Please. AKANE pours the tea into the cup. NOA sips slowly. We see, from the rear, a man in a brown trenchcoat approaching them. AKANE looks up (we see her face for the first time -- she appears to be in her mid-thirties) and steps away quickly. He comes to stand in front of NOA silently. After a long moment, NOA looks up. GOTO KIICHI is almost completely unchanged from his days as the commanding officer of the Second Unit of the SV2 Division -- there are only a few more lines on his face. He looks down at NOA with his usual lazy, melancholy expression. GOTO Hello, Noa. It's been a while. NOA blinks twice. GOTO pulls up a chair and settles to sit in front of her so that they are on the same level. GOTO I wish that I'd had more time to talk to both you and Shinohara ... but there wasn't. Revolutionary leaders don't have that sort of time available to them, I guess. NOA ... Captain? GOTO nods absently. GOTO A friend of mine -- his name was Lethbridge-Stewart -- would have made a comment about old soldiers -- but I'm not a soldier. Neither were any of you. And I'm sorry that I let any of you get drawn into this. BEAT They found what was left of Ohta's labor a few hours ago. Shinshi was standing guard over it, but with his wounds ... SHAKES HEAD And Shinobu ... NOA Nagumo ... Shinobu? GOTO sighs, and shakes his head. NOA Shinobu ... my daughter ... GOTO NODS It seems that the rumors of a system to coordinate the Boomer actions are correct. BEAT I'm sorry, Noa. NOA is right on the verge of breaking down. GOTO stands up abruptly. GOTO Nurse! AKANE comes over warily. AKANE Yes sir? GOTO speaks quietly. GOTO I would appreciate it if you could get in touch with your superiors, and tell them -- AKANE I'm afraid that I don't know what you're -- GOTO And I'm afraid that you're not an agent of the Crystal Tokyo Society, and I'm making an ass out of myself. BEAT Well? AKANE stares up at him. AKANE Expect ... GOTO SHAKES HEAD I am not affiliated with your society. I sympathize, however, and I know certain things that would benefit them. My price for this information is the evacuation of this woman and her surviving family members -- a son, and several grandchildren -- as far away from MegaTokyo as you can get them. AKANE stares at him. AKANE What kind of information? GOTO BEAT Earthscreamer. AKANE's jaw drops. AKANE You can't be serious. GOTO I am. Quincy is, as well. BEAT I need to speak to your leaders, as soon as possible. AKANE nods. AKANE There's a base in Australia. We haven't used it in over twenty years, but it should be safe. I'll go make the arrangements. AKANE heads off. GOTO watches her go, and then turns back to look at NOA ... who is looking up at him confusedly. He smiles sadly. GOTO She's right ... it will probably be safe, assuming that they don't use those infernal devices. In which case, we're all doomed anyway, so you'll be with your family, at the least. It's the least that I owe you and Asuma. BEAT Sayonara, Shinohara Noa. I do not think that we will ever meet again ... but if we should, please try and smile. GOTO heads off. NOA Captain! GOTO pauses, and looks back. NOA is staring at him with a cmpletely bewhildered expression. NOA W-w-why haven't you ... GOTO It's a kind of magic, Noa. He heads out of the tent. Cut to the exterior of the tent a little while later. A helicopter has just landed, and its rotor is still turning as NOA is led out AKANE and another nurse, still wearing the blanket around her shoulders, and gently sat in the back. The helicopter takes off as soon as the ground crew is clear. As it takes off, we see a panoramic view of MegaTokyo burning ... fires have broken out all over the city, and the sounds of violence fill the air. At the heart is Genom Tower ... which from this point of view, and under these circumstances, looks more like Mount Doom than a pyramid. Our view finally comes back to NOA, who has been watching over all of this, just as the tears begin to pour from her eyes. Fade to black. Cut to a shot of a woman's face, contorted in agony and frozen in place. MERCURY (V.O.) Do we have word on the transplant? NURSE (V.O.) We have a match, but it's on the other side of the world. With a good pilot, it should be here by ballistic jet within an hour. ATTENDING PHYSICIAN (V.O.) Shouldn't we at least *try* to induce a regeneration? MERCURY (V.O.) It wouldn't work. The nature of what was done to her won't permit a normal healing. Our view moves down the woman's body (she is SHAMPOO's secretary from earlier) to see the small, fist-sized hole in her stomach. It doesn't appear to be bleeding at the moment. ATTENDING PHYSICIAN (V.O.) I take it that you've seen this sort of thing before, Lady Mercury? Cut to a shot of MERCURY looking very solemn. MERCURY Yes, I have. We see now that MERCURY (wearing a tight-fitting blue bodysuit under a white lab coat), the NURSE, and the ATTENDING PHYSICIAN are standing around a temporal stasis unit. Suddenly, MERCURY blinks, and looks aside for a moment. NURSE Something wrong? MERCURY SLOW No. NORMAL I'm going to go scrub for surgery. MERCURY heads out of the hospital room, and walks down the corridor a few feet, before whirling and pointing accusingly. MERCURY How *dare* you come here! RYOUGA slowly materializes, with a rueful expression. RYOUGA Ten years studying with the shinobi, and everyone can see me ... MERCURY Give me one good reason I shouldn't send you shrieking to Hell right now! RYOUGA smiles gently, and shakes his head. RYOUGA You have never killed anyone, Ami-chan. You are still a Sailor Scout, not a Sailor Soldier. And you have sworn the doctor's oath. "I shall turn aside from any action or inaction which would bring about the untimely end of any being's life." And you and yours keep your oaths, I know. BEAT How are you? MERCURY stares at him, and lowers her hand, sighing. MERCURY Why, Ryouga? Why did you do that to her? RYOUGA You of all people know one of the reasons. And I wanted Shampoo to know that I was serious. She has had problems comprehending the important things at times. MERCURY Then why not eat *her* liver? RYOUGA I needed her to deliver the message. Was it? MERCURY I don't know. She brought that girl in early this morning, if that tells you anything. BEAT What do you want, Ryouga? RYOUGA Gennosuke wants the Dark Crystal. MERCURY's jaw drops. MERCURY Is she *mad*? RYOUGA She would be, if she knew that I were telling you this. But I'm just the hired help, after all. MERCURY SCOWLS Do you seriously expect me to believe that you're `hired help'? You haven't told me what *you* want. RYOUGA Proof. BEAT Amy-chan ... if you give me the Dark Crystal, we can avoid a lot of people getting hurt. MERCURY So she can hurt thousands of others with that damned thing? No, Ryouga. You should have known that would be my answer. RYOUGA smiles, showing his fangs. RYOUGA Maybe I did. BEAT Are you going to tell them about this? MERCURY Will you kill me if I say yes, or just hurt me a lot? RYOUGA shakes his head, and turns to go. RYOUGA I usually try to avoid *his* trick of hurting those I care about. It rarely works ... He slowly fades out at the end of his line. RYOUGA (V.O.) Goodbye, Mercury. BEAT I forgive you. MERCURY stands alone in the corridor, bowing her head. Cut to a balcony on the Crystal Palace. RYOUKO (in her blue, tailed dress) is perched on the railing, looking out at the setting sun with a lazy smile. She doesn't turn as AYEKA walks silently up to stand at the railing a few feet away. Neither looks at the other as they speak. AYEKA Ill-bred mummy. RYOUKO Spoiled brat. AYEKA turns and looks at RYOUKO with something akin to fondness in her expression. AYEKA Now that *that's* out of the way ... how are you? RYOUKO shrugs, smiling faintly at AYEKA. AYEKA How is *he*? I haven't had a moment to speak with him since his arrival. Is he ... RYOUKO Ayeka, do you have any idea how hard it's gotten to read him this last hundred years? BEAT I'd swear he was taking inscrutability lessons from Washuu, if I didn't know he avoids being with her whenever he can. AYEKA frowns. AYEKA And what about Tsunami? RYOUKO She's currently cloaked in orbit. AYEKA SLOW Ryouko. RYOUKO I don't think he's sleeping with her either, okay? AYEKA Is he -- RYOUKO Come ON! Do you actually think I'd let him sleep around? BEAT With anyone but me? AYEKA Has it happened recently? RYOUKO Nope. BEAT Not since Mihoshi ... y'know. The phone call to hell. And he doesn't realize it was me. I don't think he remembers. AYEKA This can't go on. Jurai needs an heir. If the Lords see the one foreign power that we're on friendly terms with turn hostile, it could spell a serious challenge to his power. And Emperors without heirs tend to become the Emperors one reads about in the history books as the victims of coups d'etat. RYOUKO looks very uncomfortable. RYOUKO You don't have to worry about that. AYEKA Of COURSE I have to WORRY about -- RYOUKO NO. BEAT There have been ... steps taken. I can't tell you about them, 'cause you're not cleared. But you're pretty smart ... AYEKA What possible steps could you have taken to ... AYEKA trails off, and a look of apprehension grows on her face. She stares at RYOUKO, who grins sheepishly. AYEKA is shocked. AYEKA That's *REVOLTING*! RYOUKO It was the best we could come up with on short notice! AYEKA You took his ... and you froze his ... and they're ... WHERE?! RYOUKO pats her stomach. RYOUKO Mm-mm-good. AYEKA looks like she's going to be physically ill. AYEKA I can't believe Tsunami consented to something like that! RYOUKO Technically -- she didn't. AYEKA So when do they find out, praytell? RYOUKO Whenever Tenchi is incapacitated or -- if it looks like he's not going to be able to give Jurai the next emperor. BEAT He'll tell me which one, and I'll inform her, and ... BEAT I'm not wild about the idea either! AYEKA And I'm very glad to hear it! We have laws against that sort of thing on Jurai -- it's unnatural! RYOUKO What? AYEKA It is! Life should arise from the union of two beings, not from a ... test tube! That's ... horrible! RYOUKO hops off the railing, and, walking on air, storms to get in AYEKA's face. RYOUKO So I'm unnatural now, huh? Funny, I thought we were a *little* beyond that! AYEKA You arose from the union of ... RYOUKO She put one of her ovae in a test tube with a masu and watched what happened! If that's your idea of *sex*, you're more *twisted* than I thought! AYEKA is working herself into a fury, and a faint glistening in the air indicates that her little cylinders are about to materialize ... but she slowly lets out a deep breath. AYEKA SLOW Ryouko, you are over-reacting to my comments. I did not mean to imply that you are unnatural because of the way in which you were conceived. I maintain my objection to the way in which you and Tenchi have decided to defraud the Empire by providing them with an heir, conceived by a form of artificial insemination, whom you will present as a legal and legitimate heir, should Tenchi ever be killed. RYOUKO and AYEKA stare at each other wordlessly for a moment. RYOUKO seems a bit confused. RYOUKO Did you just ... back down ... from a fight with *me*? AYEKA NODS Now, if you still wish to do battle with me, it will be entirely your fault. RYOUKO Can't have that ... RYOUKO hops back onto the railing, but she is now sitting directly in front of AYEKA. AYEKA's hands are flat on the railing on either side of RYOUKO's hips, and their faces are only an inch or so apart. AYEKA However -- returning to the issue of my objection -- since I am, by my own choice, not a part of Tenchi's inner circle on Jurai ... I can't expect to have any influence over his decisions. Can I? RYOUKO Nope. I guess not. BEAT Let's talk about other things. AYEKA Agreed. BEAT Have you found anyone to share your bed on Jurai? RYOUKO No ... but I haven't really been looking. BEAT There was this one cute courtier, but ... SHAKES HER HEAD AYEKA I see. RYOUKO And you? AYEKA No. I enjoyed a brief affair with a poet a while ago, but it faded quickly. BEAT Isn't it terrible that we've both let a relationship with a married man dominate our lives for over nine hundred years? RYOUKO Yeah. Especially considering that I'm the only one of us who ever got anywhere with him. AYEKA lifts an eyebrow in response. RYOUKO Oh, come on. AYEKA smiles. She is serene bordering on smugness. RYOUKO What day, what month, what year did this happen? AYEKA You'll never know. A sudden alert siren screams in the night air, causing both of them to jump. RYOUKO What the -- AYEKA That's ... no, it can't be! RYOUKO What? AYEKA Someone is *attacking* the palace! RYOUKO Shit! Where's -- AYEKA In the dojo, sparring with Mars. Go! RYOUKO flips over the edge of the railing, and flies downward. AYEKA turns and heads into the palace. We get a split screen of RYOUKO's head on the left, AYEKA's head on the right, both moving swiftly. RYOUKO *Lousy* timing. AYEKA As *usual*. Cut to a shot of several armed and armored men and women leaping shouting to land on a single figure, covering him for a second ... before being knocked aside like dominos when he straightens up. It is RYOUGA. He looks on them with irritation. RYOUGA Is this really the best that they care to send against me? Why doesn't anyone take me seriously? KUONJI GENNOSUKE, an exact body double of KUONJI UKYOU except for her red hair, dressed in the costume of an okonomiyaki chef and carrying a huge spatula, steps out of the shadows, looking annoyed at RYOUGA. GENNOSUKE Maybe it has something to do with wasting time fighting those who can't hope to defeat you. Have you forgotten why we came here? RYOUGA GLARES No. I haven't. Let's go. Cut to a control room, and a video display of RYOUGA and GENNOSUKE moving through the passages at high speed. Our view changes to include an irritated looking JUPITER, who is wearing a red jacket over a tight black dress. JUPITER Dammit. You were right. Our view changes to show MERCURY. MERCURY Why did you ever doubt me? JUPITER flashes MERCURY a quick grin, then becomes serious. JUPITER Serenity is in the bunker? MERCURY NODS Raye and Ryouko were trying to get Lord Tenchi in there as well. BEAT While they weren't staring daggers at each other. JUPITER Great. That's *so* like Raye to let her personal feelings get in the way of the job ... MERCURY stares JUPITER open-mouthed, as she transforms to her sailor fuku, and starts to head out the door. MERCURY I ... wait a minute, where are you going? JUPITER SHRUGS We'll need someone who's got mojo *and* martial arts to deal with them, right? Raye and Ryouko are continuing that feud of theirs, gods only know where Mina's at, so that leaves me. MERCURY Lita ... JUPITER If you say something about how I'm nowhere close to Ryouga's level, I'm gonna start screaming. So he started training before I did. I've had a thousand years of catch-up time. BEAT He can't be that good, can he? Cut to a shot of JUPITER's bruised, bleeding face as RYOUGA holds her throat in a one-handed grip, and energy crackles in his hand. His face is cold. Finally RYOUGA tosses her aside, letting her slam into a heavy vault door, and slide to the ground, unconscious. GENNOSUKE, standing some distance away, is awestruck. GENNOSUKE Wow ... SHAKES HEAD Okay! We just have to get into that safe, get the Dark Crystal, and we're out of here. Do that Breaking Point move. We just need a crack. RYOUGA Just a crack? GENNOSUKE Yes! RYOUGA walks over to examine the vault door. JUPITER is beginning to come around, but she's obviously dazed. RYOUGA Only a crack? GENNOSUKE You're really starting to confirm my mother's opinions of you, Hibiki-san! Yes, a crack is all that's needed! I can do the rest! RYOUGA A crack. All right. I can do that. BEAT You're ugly and your mother dressed you funny. There is a long, silent pause. GENNOSUKE What? RYOUGA That was the crack. GENNOSUKE is not handling this turn of events very well. She has her hands in her hair, her eyes are wide, and her teeth are clenched. GENNOSUKE Did you suffer brain damage sometime and not tell anybody? Hibiki, this is no time to make jokes! I brought you here to break into the vault so that I could take the Dark Crystal and use it to -- RYOUGA Yes, isn't it a shame that I never had any intention of doing that? GENNOSUKE You ... I ... what ... RYOUGA All the while, I let you think that you were using my `lust for revenge' against those who made me ... what I am ... to break into this fortress. BEAT And you suggest I have mental problems, Kuonji Gennosuke? I don't hate them because of that -- if I feel anything about it, I am sort of *grateful*. BEAT *I* was using you, and your ties to those idiot terrorists, to get me into position for one reason and one alone. RANMA (O.S.) Ryouga. RYOUGA turns to look upward at a ledge on the far wall. Our view travels up past a black slipper, balanced gracefully on the narrow ledge, up a black pant leg, over arms folded sternly over the chest, pausing momentarily to take in the dragon on the black silk shirt ... before lifing up to see SAOTOME RANMA's eternally youthful face. He's pissed. RYOUGA looks up at him with many mixed emotions on his face. Hatred predominates, with envy and jealousy (not the same thing at all) coming close behind ... but there are other things, too. Wary respect. Understanding. Perhaps even ... no, that must be a trick of the light. RYOUGA Is it not amazing the places in which old friends meet? GENNOSUKE Father ... RANMA turns his glare on GENNOSUKE. She flinches. RANMA I have more than a few words to say to you, young lady, but they'll wait until ... Quite suddenly, RYOUGA has GENNOSUKE in a full nelson, with his free hand glowing ominously. RYOUGA I wouldn't count on that. RANMA Ryouga, what the hell do you -- RYOUGA I think I'm using my refinement of the Blasting Point -- or perhaps I should call it the Bleeding Point Technique -- in a minute unless you tell Shampoo to take several steps back. SHAMPOO suddenly materializes, as RYOUGA has earlier, with an infuriated look. RYOUGA speaks without looking at her. RYOUGA My shinobi's better than your shinobi. RANMA Ryouga, even for you, this is low. Threatening girls? RYOUGA To make another crack, this is no girl ... this is your daughter! BEAT That didn't sound as good as I thought it would. Okay, cut the crap. What do you want? RYOUGA I want a fight, Ranma. BEAT An all-out, anything-goes, final duel between you and I. No interference from outsiders. BEAT No running away. Come now. Don't you, in your heart of hearts, want to know which of us is truly better? RANMA Ryouga, I already *know* I'm better than you. I've *always* known. Why should I accept this stupid duel? RYOUGA If you don't ... boom. GESTURES AT GENNOSUKE And then I likely get carted off to spend the rest of eternity in stasis. But I'll have killed your only surviving child, and you'll be in torment forever. And that's punishment enough for what you did to me. RANMA For God's sake Ryouga, can't you get over that `I have seen hell' kick of yours already? RYOUGA FURIOUS Hell? Hell would be a pleasant journey compared to what I've been through because of you! Because of you, I lost all chance for a life with any woman I ever loved. Because of you, I have bartered my soul and what scraps of honour I've earned to gain new ways to defeat you. Because of you, I took a coward's way to immortality -- I couldn't just luck into it like you did. Because of you, I am hated and despised by all that know of me. Because of you, my family's school of Kempo will never have an heir. BEAT Because of you, I have nothing. NOTHING ... except for this fight. NOTHING BUT YOU!!! RYOUGA's towering fury suddenly breaks off with his last statement. A confused expression settles on his face, as if he is suddenly hearing his own words for the first time. RANMA is looking down at him with a revolted expression. SHAMPOO looks at him pityingly, while JUPITER, who has just come to complete consciousness, is almost as confused as RYOUGA. GENNOSUKE just looks scared. RANMA Ryouga ... that's *sick.* RYOUGA ABSENTLY Shut up, Ranma. RYOUGA suddenly twists, and points a shoed foot at the vault door. RYOUGA [DISTANT BREAKING POINT]!! The vault shudders as if it has been struck by a gigantic fist. Tiny cracks form, leading from the edge to the centre. RYOUGA twists the opposite direction, and GENNOSUKE goes flying to slam into the door, just a few feet from where JUPITER is slumped. RANMA sommersaults to the floor, and closes with RYOUGA. RYOUGA does not turn from RANMA as he speaks. RYOUGA Go in. Take the thing. Call back your mother. Our bargain is ended. GENNOSUKE peels herself off the wall, and grins/grimaces -- showing off *her* fangs, which are sharper and longer than RYOUGA's. JUPITER sees this, gasps, and reaches out to grab GENNOSUKE's leg ... just as the Vampire GENNOSUKE transforms herself into a strangely glowing mist, and flows into the cracks. SHAMPOO watches this with a stunned look. SHAMPOO WHISPER Oh no. Not that. Not her ... Suddenly, all eyes are drawn to the spectacle that is unfolding before them. The ultimate, long-awaited, nothing-barred-but-retreat, final battle between RANMA and RYOUGA. It is a fight that is completely beyond this humble writer's ability to imagine, let alone describe. Consider a typical RANMA/RYOUGA duel in the series -- then add nearly a thousand years of almost-continual martial arts training. Put simply, this is what Ragnarok will be like. Fight scene enthusiasts can envision any technique from their favorite film/ anime/manga/comic book ... somewhere in this confrontation, it, or something like it, will be used. And probably improved upon. JUPITER HUSHED Do you think we should ... you know ... help out? SHAMPOO shakes her head solemnly. SHAMPOO HUSHED; ACCENTED No. This an affair of honour. Inta-ference unask for and unwelcome. BEAT; UNACCENTED Besides, we wouldn't last ten seconds. Neither of them is holding back. And then, quite suddenly, it ends. RANMA strikes a full-strength blow following an incredibly difficult series of feints that have left RYOUGA more or less totally lost. RYOUGA stands quite still for a full minute, his eyes open but not seeing anything. And then, slowly, he crumples. RANMA doesn't seem to be in much better shape -- he is sweating heavily, bruised, and red in the face. He walks over to look down at RYOUGA, his eyes shadowed. RANMA You shouldn't have threatened my daughter like that, Ryouga ... RYOUGA GASPED ... daughter is ... a vampire ... know? RANMA I don't care! RYOUGA smiles. RYOUGA And ... so ... it ... ends ... RYOUGA closes his eyes, still smiling. RANMA, his face like a thunderbolt, draws back his fist, and then it launches towards RYOUGA's head like a rocket ... Cut to back. Crunching noise. A long pause. Cut to a shot of a crowded emergency room. TENCHI walks purposefully through the confusion, looking until the look on his face indicates that he's found what he's looking for. He heads over towards the bed that RANMA's lying in, his shirt open, showing the bruises and cuts that he has. TENCHI Hey. RANMA looks up, and smiles. RANMA Hey yourself. How you doing? TENCHI Better than you. TENCHI pulls up a chair while RANMA starts to chuckle which turns into a cough. RANMA I'm gettin' too old for this ... TENCHI You? Never happen. You'll be right in it when Serenity and I are wandering around looking for our teeth. BEAT You and Ryouga, huh? RANMA nods, a trace of weary respect showing on his face. TENCHI That must've been ... RANMA It was. SHAKES HEAD It was. BEAT And in all the confusion, we let Gennosuke get away with the Dark Crystal. TENCHI FLINCH Ouch. RANMA Serenity's pissed, am I right? TENCHI purses his lips in consideration as he slowly shakes his head. TENCHI Nooooo ... more resigned than angry. BEAT Endymion would fit the term, though. RANMA makes a face. RANMA Oh, so the Prettyboy Warrior Tuxedo Mask is upset. I'm terrified, can't you see me quivering. TENCHI SMILING That's mean ... RANMA SNORTS; BEAT I need a favor. TENCHI What? Cut to RYOUGA's still face. AKARI (O.S.) Ryouga-sama ... wakie-wakie. RYOUGA's eyes blink open. He seems much more relaxed, and much of the red has gone out of his eyes. RYOUGA leans against a large tree, wearing his old gold shirt and bandana. UNRYUU AKARI smiles down at him. AKARI You're so cute when you sleep ... RYOUGA blinks. RYOUGA Akari-chan? But ... AKARI But what? For a moment he looks like the old RYOUGA ... then he settles down. RYOUGA Nothing ... I guess I must have had a nightmare. BEAT I can't even remember much of it ... AKARI That's probably for the best. I had a nightmare once ... but you don't want to hear about that. SHUDDERS RYOUGA Huh? No ... no, if you'd like to tell me about it. AKARI Well ... you were there. You were threatening to *kill* a poor girl just to hurt someone else! But you wouldn't ever do that ... would you, Ryouga-sama? The question hangs in the air. RYOUGA Akari-chan ... if I thought that it might help to end a fight before it got out of hand ... I'd bluff about something like that. BEAT But I would never ever actually go through with it ... AKARI Oh ... well, that's okay, I guess. BEAT Come on! Akane wants to cook for us, and you know how great her cooking is! AKARI pulls RYOUGA to his feet, and they head off together, laughing ... for a moment, just as he leaves our view, RYOUGA seems confused again ... but it passes. Cut to RANMA's stern face, as he stares up at a large cryostasis tube in which a naked RYOUGA hangs suspended. MERCURY (O.S.) Did your psychic interrogation produce satisfactory results? RANMA nods forcefully, then realizes that he's not alone. He turns to look at MERCURY, who is standing some distance away, staring at him with vague irritation. RANMA Yeah. BEAT He wouldn't have really killed Gennosuke. He was just bluffing ... MERCURY slowly walks up to stand beside him in silence. RANMA And you're going to keep him like that until you can find a cure? MERCURY Yes. Even though he's not as much of a menace, in predatory terms, as Ms. Kuonji, we can't let someone like that wander around unhindered. BEAT Mr. Saotome ... if you don't mind my asking, what are his dreams like? RANMA is silent for a long time. RANMA He's perfectly at peace. It was as if ... as if he'd never really been interested in beating me as knowing once and for all ... just which one of us was better. BEAT He has the three women that he's loved -- Akane and Akari and ... RANMA breaks off, and looks flustered at MERCURY, who merely lifts an eyebrow, bidding him continue. RANMA ... and there's one other -- with him, in a place of utter contentment and bliss. BEAT But a small part of him ... a very small part ... is aware that it's all an illusion. That Akane died a long time ago ... that he never was able to make it work with Akari ... and that the other one is -- MERCURY I know. RANMA He did care about you, Mizuno- sensei. MERCURY I know. RANMA But anyway, part of him knows that he's making it all up. BEAT And that part of him is in hell. RANMA reaches to touch the pyrex of the stasis tube, just under RYOUGA's face. His face is almost as cold as RYOUGA's was during their fight. RANMA That's punishment enough for what he almost did to my daughter. RANMA abruptly turns and walks away. We hear the door slide open, then shut. MERCURY stands still, looking up at RYOUGA. We hear the door slide open, then shut again. A YOUNG WOMAN with long blue hair, dressed in a gray special forces uniform, walks up to stand beside MERCURY. There is a long silence. YOUNG WOMAN Is that man my father? MERCURY Yes. There is another long silence. YOUNG WOMAN I'd like to hear about him, mother. MERCURY He was the most gentle violent man I ever met. BEAT And I loved him a lot. Cut to the interior of an undecorated apartment room. PRISS opens the door and walks in with a disgusted expression, and dropping her jacket on the floor. PRISS That was the most ... okay, *second* most boring job I've ever wound up doing. What was I *thinking*? Me, a cop? PRISS walks to her futon, flumps down on it, and stares up at the ceiling. PRISS T.V. On. A panel of the wall shifts to form a television screen, and shows a black and white image of a news ANCHORWOMAN. TV ANCHORWOMAN ... and returning to our top story, Crystal Palace spokesperson Lady Jupiter has officially denied any truth to the rumors that this evening's aborted attack on the Palace was intitiated by fanatic proponents of a political union of the Crystal Kingdom and the Jurai Star Kingdom. While Lady Jupiter refused to divulge any other information about the attackers, she remained adamant that it had nothing to do with the upcoming referendum. PRISS SOFTLY What was I thinking? I'm not a detective. I'm a ... BEAT God, I don't know what the fuck I am anymore. I'm tired. TV ANCHORWOMAN In a special advance poll of the major North American city states, of those surveyed, 60% indicated that they believed that ending ties to Jurai would benefit the Crystal Kingdom. Suddenly, there is the sound of a phone ringing. PRISS lets out a sigh, pulls a small portable phone out of her jacket pocket, and flips it open. PRISS Hopeless Crusades Incorporated. SHEILA (PHONE) Priss? PRISS is suddenly wary. PRISS Oh. Uh ... hi. BEAT How'd you get my number? SHEILA (PHONE) I asked Raye for it. PRISS And she -- SHEILA (PHONE) No, she told me to leave you alone. So I had a friend of mine in medical do some checking. PRISS Uh. So, this friend of yours also knows. SHEILA (PHONE) She promised she'd forget. PRISS How the hell is she gonna -- SHEILA (PHONE) Listen, I'm sorry that I scared you when I told you about -- PRISS You *didn't* scare me. SHEILA (PHONE) Surprised? PRISS Yeah, surprised sounds good. SHEILA (PHONE) Listen ... this has been a long day for pretty much everyone in the city. I want to talk to you ... but you sound as beat as I feel. Would you like to go out for coffee tomorrow? PRISS stares up at the ceiling. SHEILA (PHONE) Priss? PRISS Why? SHEILA (PHONE) I want to get to know -- PRISS sits up, her face tense. PRISS *Why* are you following me around? SHEILA (PHONE) I'm *not* following you! We just keep running into each other by coincidence! PRISS One time is an accident, twice is a coincidence, three times is a -- SHEILA (PHONE) It's only *been* two times! PRISS blinks. PRISS But -- SHEILA (PHONE) I don't know why I'm drawn to you, either! I don't *like* violent people! I don't like my *mother* when she gets violent! I lost my parents because they were Senshi, dammit! BEAT I don't know why I want to be around you. I just know that it makes sense to my heart. PRISS closes her eyes, and for a long moment there is silence. SHEILA (PHONE) Priss? BEAT Still there? PRISS still has her eyes closed. PRISS Yeah, I'm still here. SHEILA (PHONE) So ... what do you say to a coffee to discuss ... things? PRISS OPENS EYES I'll see what happens ... I'll call you back, okay? SHEILA (PHONE) O-okay. Listen, I'm sorry that I -- PRISS Never mind. I'll call you. PRISS clicks the phone off, sets it down, and stares up at the ceiling. Cut to SHEILA, holding a corded phone to the side of her head with an immensely dissatisfied expression. After a moment, she slams the phone down. CATTY (O.S.) Please don't use hospital property in anger. SHEILA turns to look down at CATTY, who is sitting at the desk on which the phone rests. She forces a smile. SHEILA Thanks anyway, Catty. I owe you one now. CATTY smiles. CATTY She's not quite what either of us expected, is she? SHEILA shakes her head, pain in her eyes. SHEILA No. No, she isn't. Cut to PRISS. Her foot is rubbing against something, and she looks up to see what it is -- the thick book "A Journal". PRISS Maybe I should get some reading done tonight. An image of Sylia's smirking face hovers over the book. PRISS blinks. The hallucination vanishes. PRISS Maybe not. HEAD DROPS Lights off. Cut to an exterior shot of PRISS' small appartment complex -- which looks remarkably similar to Ikkoku-kan -- just as the light in the top middle room goes out. Cut to RANMA's bed. A human form is wrapped up in blankets, and curled up as if sleeping. SHAMPOO approaches, her face serious. SHAMPOO Ranma, we have a serious situation. Orbital control just reported that a small ship registered to a Kurenai Konatsu just took off from Crystal Tokyo starport after filing a flight plan for Mars. BEAT From the name, you can guess who it probably was. She has the Dark Crystal, Ranma. Mizuno-sensei has stated that she was told that Gennosuke wants to bring Ukyou back to life. BEAT We *can't* let that happen. TENCHI slowly sits up in bed and smiles at SHAMPOO, who looks at him nonplussedly. TENCHI Very interesting. SHAMPOO Ranma is where? He's standing behind her. RANMA And why should it be a bad thing if she brings Ukyou back to life? SHAMPOO turns to look at RANMA. SHAMPOO If she uses the Dark Crystal to grant any wishes of her heart -- things that she desires above all else in the world -- the Crystal will twist and pervert the wish to maximize the amount of chaos and pain the wish could cause. BEAT Bringing Ukyou back would fit into that category, I think. RANMA FROWNS That could be bad. SHAMPOO Mars and I are going to Mars after her. Will you come with us? RANMA stares daggers at her. RANMA I'll come. I'm not coming to stop her, I'm coming to protect my daughter from you. That's all. I don't want you to imitate Cologne. BEAT One person that I loved dead at the hands of the Amazons is enough, thanks. SHAMPOO closes her eyes. When she finally speaks, her voice slowly grows in intensity until she shrieks the final words. SHAMPOO You are absolutely right. Cologne killed Ukyou. OPENS EYES And when she did, it was all that I could do to STOP MYSELF FROM CHEERING WHEN THE STAFF SPLIT HER SKULL AND PULPED HER BRAINS! RANMA is staring at her furious face in utter horror, and everyone else has stopped in their tracks to stare at them. RANMA Wha -- what d-did she EVER do to -- SHAMPOO *Nothing*. To *me*. I hated her for the *despicable* thing that she did to you after Akane died. RANMA You jealous ... she *comforted* me after ... SHAMPOO After she -- SHAMPOO breaks off, closes her eyes again, lets out another deep breath, and turns to walk away. RANMA grabs her arm. His face is white with anger. RANMA After she *what*, damn you? SHAMPOO slowly turns to stare at him. SHAMPOO After she murdered Akane. To Be Continued. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Together Again: 2937 Chapter, 04/21/97