Wormhole lift

by Space turtle

The Tenchi's crew has to deal with the arrival of new aliens from another galaxy, while a war between the Galactic Federation and the empire of Jurai is brewing...

Disclaimer: I don't owe Tenchi Muyo. Tenchi Muyo is the property of Pioneer. Broke Sloane, Gavel and Morhoïk are my own characters, though, and Tiffany one of my friend's. The plot is all mine! Mbwahahaha!!!! I wrote this for my own pleasure and for those who'll enjoy it. I have and will never earn any money from this so don't sue me. That's really not worth to, I tell you. Oh, ha, yeah, it contains vulgar language and some violent, maybe somewhat gore scenes. Then if you are under legal age to read such things or simply sensitive, you shouldn't read it and stop now! There, you are warned.

*** WORMHOLE LIFT ***

Chapter one: Prologue

Somewhere in the wide space, in a far, far away galaxy, a small vessel was escaping a much larger one that seemed to crush on itself, surrounded by a glow of pure blackness.

"Shit, shit, shit, shit, SHIT, SHIIITTT!!!!! We ain't gonna do it!!!" If the space void could carry sounds, the imprecation would have been heard at least three parsecs around. Indeed, the small ship was slowing down, irresistibly attracted by the wormhole pulsating behind.

"Main reactors overpowering, speed decreasing at the rate of 46,03 %, shields shutting down, the rear shelter is damaged..." The ship A.I. enumerated for the pilot in the command cockpit.

"Yeah, yeah, tell me somethin' I dunno, ya useless piece of stinking shit!" The former voice replied in sheer anger. The owner of the said voice was a tall young woman with short black hair plastered on her head. Her silver grey eyes with tiny golden sparkles were wild and narrowing as she quickly considered her options. 'A help of the others was unlikely. Their friends were too involved in the battle to rescue her and her little commando, even to pay attention! And they were too far anyway! Well, if we really must die...'

"Stampton, desactivate gravitational securities and initiate hyperdrive, modify previous astrogational coordinates accordingly to our current position, quick!" She ordered the A.I. sharply.

"Mistress Sloane, I strongly advise you to withdraw your orders, the ship is too close from the clashing wormhole. The consequences of a hyperspatial leap in this area are unpredictable and could endanger the integrity of the ship. Besides, as shit is an organic product, it is obvious I can't..."

"DO IT DAMMIT!!! OR IT'S ME WHO'LL ENDANGER YOUR INTEGRITY RIGHT ON YAR DUMBASS!"

And the universe disappeard in a blue motion as several impressive explosions blossommed and were swallowed in the black hole...

---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------ Earth, on an island called Japan... ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------

It was a beautiful summer day at the Masaki household. Birds were singing, flowers were spreading their scent and the sun light was playing in the small waves of the circle lake in the middle of the valley.

A young boy was harvesting carrots in fields surrouding the residence. A strange little girl with an incredible frame of hair and... fur? was trying to help him, when not distracted by butterflies. The boy smiled and called the little girl. "Come on Ryo-oki, we have enough and it's almost dinner time.'

The two of them headed back to the house. The boy was savouring the calmness.'What a quiet day! Washu-chan didn't try to experiment on me.' His grand-pa was to a priets's meeting in Kyoto. Mihoshi didn't provoke any relevant accident, thanks to Kiyone! And even Ayeka and Ryoko didn't destroy the house when arguiing today! The boy had a sudden frown. 'Everything's too calm, something will happen...'

As if on cue, he felt the little girl's hand tightening her grasp on his own. She stopped suddenly and looked the sky, mweowing worriedly.

"What is it Ryoh-Okhi?"

---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------ On board of the Manta Crusader. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------

They had spent only three cycles in hyperspace. Tiffany, thank god, was healing well and should exit the healing pod any time. Gavel, this smartass of Shalooth's paladin, was resting in the crew mess, recovering from his own injuries. Herself had had to be fixed by the meddroïd, four of her ribcages had been broken in the fight against Denkarr'h. 'Fucking asshole! we've been lucky, we're still alive and ya, ya're now cold meat!' She thought for the fifteenth time today, and burst out laughing. Only to regret it immediately. It had been quite a hit to hurt her like this!

"Arrghh! Report, Stampton, glorghh..."

If an A.I. could sweatdrop, it would have! "Shields and weapons disabled, sensors at 17%, hyperdrive disabled, cruise reactors at 23%, shelter damaged at 34%, 4% of internal damages, the repair units are already at work."

"Good." Now, Broke Sloane was staring at the screen that displayed an outside view as if she wanted to blast it with her gaze. "Now my question is, WHERE THE HELL'RE WE?!? Gaargle... that ain't the Wahoon System! Hic!"

She heard the airlock open behind her as Gavel came in whith two bowls of noodles."You should be more careful Broke, I know you can heal pretty fast but you are not invicible, I would be quite annoyed if I found you passed out." He said with a grin. He was a tall handsom man in his thirties whith deep blue eyes and long chestnut hair, which he kept in a ponytail. Too bad he was one of these righteous so-called holy defenders of the law!

She gave him a dirty look but accepted the bowl, which she sniffed and proceeded to wolf down. "The day I'll give ya this pleasure will never happen!"

"Why, how disappointing my dear... So, tell me, why are you shouting as if Hell had just opened its gates?"

She gestured at the screen. "This! 'seems we have veered off our course, 'must be because of the wormhole, 'hope we're not near an Arhedant system cause we would be in deep! There's no way we can flee, the reactors're out. At least we didn't reappear in the middle of a star!"

"Well, I guess we are going to find out really soon." Gavel said, pointing a spot on one of the last sensors in fonction.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------ The Yagami... ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------

"The Galaxy police ship Yagami to the unknown ship, this is a restricted area, identify yourself!" It was the third time Kiyone repeated this speech since the strange ship had come in sight and still no answer. She was growing rather impatient, moreover, this ship wasn't registered in any files. Its building matched nothing she had ever seen. It was obviously some custom vessel, but then again, only outlaws would do that kind of thing. No one else would accept to travel in those kind of engines, far too hazardous!

"Oh my, they seem to have had a terrible accident, I hope they are ok." Her partner said poutily.

Indeed, the ship was badly damaged, but not beyond repair, fortunately for the three occupants detected. Kiyone was about to make a comment when the com channel activated itself and a woman about her age and an older man appeared on the screen.

"I'm GP officer Mabiki Kiyone and this is my partner, GP officer Kuramatsu Mihoshi, you are in a restricted area, identify yourself." Kiyone said in her most formal voice. Unfortunately for her, the desired effect was destroyed when Mihoshi began waving her hands enthusiastically, welcoming the two people cheerfully. Doing so she pulled a lever with the sleeve of her uniform and Kiyone found herself suddenly on the floor, her seat reversed.

"MIHOOSHIII!!!!" Kiyone shot up, extending her arms in an attempt to strangle her partner. Scared, Mihoshi jerked, pushing the same lever. Now Kiyone was lying on her seat, upside down and firmly held by the seatbelts. To her shame, she had an excellent view on the expressions of the two strangers. Their eyes were open wider than physically possible. "Oh god, Why me?" She mutterred in despair while Mihoshi was apologizing endlessly and trying to free her.

While recovering some composure, Kiyone noticed that the two strange people spoke a completely foreign language. 'Ow, great! We'll have to gesture to communicate! At least they aren't some kind of jellyfish!'

She pointed at herself and presented again, Mihoshi, mimicking her. The foreigners took the hint and did the same. Well, it was a starter, at least she knew their names now and could ask for a research about them at Headquarters. Though something told her it was certainly useless... There was something odd about those two, without mentionning the third traveler who hadn't shown yet...

She watched the woman trying to explain her that their ship needed urgent repairs, which was quite obvious, while her companion made his best not to burst out laughing. Kiyone herself found it rather difficult to keep serious. The so-called Broke would never be a graceful mime, that was for sure. The worst in this, was that Mihoshi seemed to understand every bit of this not-so-silent talk (The dark-haired girl added profusion of various sounds) and nodded wistfully.

"Oh, anyway, time to call Washu. They won't make it to the next spaceport. We have to bring them with us..."

A screen lit up and in it appeard the face of the self-proclaimed greatest genius in the universe. "It's ok Kiyone, I've monitored all the events, just lead them close to here and I'll take care of everything." She said with a glint in her eyes, the sort of a child would have when seeing a new toy.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------

Numerous sweatdrops appeared on the back of the heads of both Broke and Gavel as they witnessed the scene.

When Broke managed to recover the use of her lower jaw she told her companion. "Err, nope, they ain't Aredhants, that's for sure! But if they're our rescuers, I'm not sure I'm relieved! Look at that! Aoh, ooch! That must have been painful!"

"I must admit they are...err...quite exotic...but I don't think we really have the choice in the matter. Besides, their language is not in the ship files. Maybe they have ours or any device that would allow us to communicate, otherwise things would get more complicated."

"Hey, the mighty paladin's getting out of his closet! Two pin-ups just show up and ya're already plannin' on them, I didn't know ya had that in ya! Maybe there's still some hope for ya!" Broke was smirking mischievously.

"Oh, I wouldn't deprive you, ladies first!" Gavel retorted with a false innocent smile.

"Ya know, if that's an example that ya need, I've got several documents in my quarters. D'ya want to borrow them? First quality on the black market. An angel would damn itself gladly for this stuff. It could even give ideas to a Shalooth suitor like you! he, he!"

"Ah, ah, ah, very funny!" He looked back at the comscreen. "Hey, I think they are trying to communicate!"

"Uh?, Oh yeah, ya're right! Let's see if I can make them help us!"

Gavel's eyes widened the size of sausage as he contemplated the very personnal version of Broke's communication. His jaws were aching like hell as he tried to hold on for dear life.

"Look at that! Am I not the best? They understood me! Aahh my dear Manta, you'll be fine soon!!!"

End of chapter one.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------

*** "WHORMHOLE LIFT" ***

Chapter two: Welcome to the Masaki household!

In the Manta Crusader, things were getting loud, as usual...

"Hey! Where'd they bring us? There ain't no spaceport here!?! Arrrgh!!! I survived three cycles with a fucked up paladin just to reappear in the asshole of the galaxy!!!! Can't believe it! And who'd they talked to??? Better not be some sucker of administrative..."

Gavel raised an eyebrow to the comments. 'Oooh, Shalooth be with me, help me to go through he...err... through all of this... before killing someone I know!!!' His face was the mask of perfect stillness and peace when he said. "I must admit this planet seems rather primitive, beginning of the space travel I think, which is in complete contradiction with the presence of our delicious hosts..."

"Sure, it ain't usual... I wonder what game they're playing at here! I hope they can fix my ship though, I'm not sure it 'd be a good idea to stay here too long. Apparently they're leading us to this small valley." She pointed to inform Gavel. "Stamton! gimme the manuals! I'll land in this.."

Before she could finish, she felt a sudden wave of warmth running throughout her whole body, making her shiver slightly. When opening her eyes, she found herself and Gavel in front of the house she had spotted when hovering over the valley. And to her horror, she watched in awe her ship eaten by some sort of mini black hole. She was completely stunned, her jaw hanging in the grass. There was no way Gavel could snap her out of her shoked state, wondering vaguely if it was a good idea, after all. For once she was quiet!

This, until they were showered by a huge and most unexpected waterfall!

"WHAT THE ... MY SHIIIPPPP!!!!" Broke looked frantically around her, when she saw the two wet GP officers coming from...nowhere? she just closed the distance between them and herself at inhuman speed, pulling out her heavy blaster of its holster. Kiyone managed to avoid her but Mihoshi was not so fast. Broke slid her left arm around her neck and press the canon on the blond woman.

In the meantime, Kiyone had pulled her gun too and was busy aiming it at what of the mad woman appeared behind her partner. 'Too close, the risk is far too important, I can't... If I hurt her, I would never...' A deep anger was building up inside of the teal-haired officer. 'Mihoshi! Why d'you always put yourself in such situations!' Though, she fought to keep calm. She had to hide her stress, she could -NOT- lose the control of the situation, not lose the controle... EVER...

Mihoshi was looking straight in the eyes of her partner. She could see the turmoil of emotions raging in this eyes. The worry, the hesitation and most of all, this fury she knew too well. Mihoshi was so confused and afraid that her body quivered, her agressor's grip was like steel. She couldn't escape her. She knew she had made a mistake. "Again..." She thought bitterly. How many times had Kiyone scolded her about letting her defense drop? How many times would Kiyone have to rescue her, endangering herself in the meantime? Pay for her? Well, not this time she resolved. "Shoot Kiyone, don't hesitate, please, I've messed up everything, just as usual...I'm not worthy of your care... shoot, SHOOT!!!"

Kiyone felt almost absently her grip on the trigger tightening.

Then something really odd happened, something threw her gun out of her hands, throwing her out of her trance. The same thing happened to her opponent. It was the moment Ryoko chosed to storm in the affrontment. She crashed at full speed in the frantic girl throwing her and her prey in the air. Kiyone managed to scoop her partner, herself hard smashed on the ground. The icy-eyed girl flipped and landed on her feet, slowing her long backward slide with one hand on the ground, eliciting a cloud of dust. God, there were some metallic tiger-like claws out of her fingers! Worse, she didn't even seem to have much suffered from the violent encounter. 'What's that...thing?' Wondered the GP officer, her mind still fuzzy from the shock.

Broke knew she was on the edge of her berserk state, one more step and she would fall in this cursed blurry world she could only get out when agonizing, or when her reptilian brain registered the lack of opponent. She hated this, she had already hurt, even killed cherished friends because of that, but it was also addictive. The rush of modified hormones and implanted battledrugs filling her, erasing the pain, powering her up... The sweet and metallic taste of blood. The feeling of absolute awareness. All of this was overwhelming. She fought against her anger to remain conscious, her thoughts swirling in a wild whirlwind... 'Oh, Fuck! If I dive in, I'll never recover my ship.... Yeah, if it still exist! And Tiffany was inside... She's dead now! That traitor of Gavel, I'll have his head!!! I'll be trapped... I'm trapped here too, prisoner, again... No, never 'gain!!! I'll kill this trickster and his littl' pets, I'll... drink their blood! I'll... NO, no!!! Stay calm! ....Don't let go... Arrgh!!! My ribs... Bastards!!!'

She let out a final, low, animal growl and the world faded...

Ryoko was really impressed, the hit would have knocked out anyone for several hours. "Well, all the more fun! I was getting a little rusty!" She smirked. Her golden gaze locked with the frozing one, there was no more soul in these eyes, they were filled with pure and cold madness. They said that their owner wouldn't let anything on her path. Just like herself, when she was under Kagato's control. "Well, you'll pay for this! No one can harm my friends and family!"

As she was growling, a red pulsating glow appeared around the newcomer. Two short metallic sabers exited her palms, tearing the flesh appart and dripping blood on the ground. The blades were surrounded by the same red glow, only brighter. Ryoko heard the guy 'she' had come with gasp in shock. He quickly reached in his back and drew an impressive battle hammer. He seemed to concentrate and a faint purple glow appeard around it. Then, to Ryoko's astonishment, he didn't aim it toward her, but toward his friend? What was going on here? This people were definitely full of surprises... The former space pirate summoned her red and black battlesuit and her energy sword. Now, who should she begin with?

The choice was taken out of her hands when, in a roar that would've made a lion envious, the mad girl charged right in her direction. In a blink, she was on her, slashing expertidly. Ryoko barely had the time to teleport out of her way. "Shit, 'didn't think she could be that fast!!! She's like a blades storm!" The former space pirate took off, blasted several energy bolts, causing huge explosions each time they hit the ground. Kiyone, Mihoshi and the man were thrown away by the blows like puppets. The smoke was suffocating and blinding. However, Ryoko could still see her target, thanks to her infrared vision. This fucked up woman had dodged or deflected every bolts and now, she stood still in the middle of the destroyed area, looking up at her!!! Rage began to pound in her temples. She didn't have the time to taste this feeling as she saw in awe her opponent rise of the dark clouds in a trail of smoke. She could fly too??!!!??? Seemed there were other demons in the galaxy!!! And this one was aiming at her with her left arm! An arm on which a new outgrowth revealed itself in the same way the sabers had. It AWFULLY looked like a four canon rifle!!! Not waiting for a painful confirmation, Ryoko dove as fast as possible just as red glowing bullets hit the trees that had been just behind her. The cyan-haired girl almost expected them to explode. But nothing like that happened, instead, they disintegrated everything on a one meter diameter surrounding the places where the bullets had penetrated. It was just like an orgy of VERY hungry termites that wouldn't include only wooden material in their meal!

Well, no time for bucolic comparisons, she was targeted again. She flew away in a staccato of firings, herself counterattacking with her bolts. It was like an aerian ballet, the graceful dance of Death Itself. This battle could last forever, until one finally would strike down the other. Ryoko admitted reluctantly she wasn't sure she could be this one...

If only she had her other gems!!!

Besides, the damages both of them caused could easily destroy what she was fighting for! She had to take her away from the others! Where none of her friends could be harmed!!!

At that precise moment, wooden mini-logs appeared out of nowhere around the icy-eyed girl. 'Ayeka!' Ryoko's gaze shifted on the ground, where the first crown princess of Jurai stood. The mini-logs struck the other demon with the most massive electrical lightning the purple-haired girl could generate. Ryoko nodded appreciatively, the prissy princess had well improved her abilities the past months. However, so great was the effort that she fell on her knees and fainted, releasing her prey.

The former space pirate frowned, the repellent stink of burnt human flesh seemed to fill the entire valley.

If this girl hadn't been scary enough, now she was a complete nightmare, and she was still alive! Her skin had melted with her clothes, revealing underneath tissues and even bones. Blisters the size of saucers were forming everywhere, exuding all kinds of organic fluids. The once quite attractive face was now contorted in a parody of smile, a blackened tongue hanging out of lipless jaws. The only thing that allowed to say she was still alive was her eyes. There was Madness burning in these eyes and they were directed right at the princess who layed exhausted on the ground. As if she could pay her back what she was suffering with this glare, the way only very low temperatures could burn...

"NNNOOOOOOOO!!!!!" Shouted Ryoko, sensing what was going to happen. And she rushed towards the unconscious princess, her rival for Tenchi's attention, but her best friend too...

With a shout of pure hatred, Broke fired the four canons at her latest adversary and passed out, falling like a stone to meet her fate...

Ryoko knew she would be too late, even if she teleported! Mihoshi hadn't recovered yet and Kiyone was too busy to keep the man in check. Then she did the only thing that came to her mind, she threw herself on the way of the bullets.

She managed to blast one but two hit her, digging in both her legs. At first it was as if time was slowing, she watched in horror the last missile continue its deadly course as her world imploded in pain. She didn't think things could be worse.

But they could.

All of a sudden, the time got back to normal and the pain she had felt before was replaced by a greater, GREATER one! HELL!!! It felt like she was eaten from inside!

Bit by bit!

As if billions of worms were slowly making their way inside of her... screwing her flesh and her bones... making sure... every nerves sent a ... message of pain to her... brain... ...before being... ingested... ...............too!

She lost her lower body as well as her consciousness...

End of chapter two.

(told you it would be gore!)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------

*** WORMHOLE LIFT ***

Chapter three: Mad scientists needed!

Tenchi looked at the two sets of people gathered in Washu's laboratory, each of them staring at the twin medical pools that laid before them. Though they were lost in the same fusion of worry, apathy and despair. The silence was thick as each of the present people tried to swallow their tears. There was a very bruised Kiyone, a still weak Ayeka, the guy named Gavel, his right arm in a shoulder strap, Tiffany, the cat-like humanoïd they had first taken for Ryo-Oki in her adult form and himself. 'Damn!!! What was Washu doing?' She had left to check on Sasami and Mihoshi, leaving the cat-like being and a new robot monitor the pools. Even if they seemed to have the entire trust of the greatest genius of the universe, Tenchi wasn't sure he could do the same, especially when only this Tiffany and Washu could communicate, through some sort of telepathic device. As he stared back to the former space pirate, his wandering mind relived with painful clarity the last events...

Again...

- - He had just stepped out of his school bus when he had heard the explosions. At first he hadn'tworried, Ryoko and Aeka had certainly one of their little 'discussions'. But when he saw the aerian fight, he knew that something was wrong and began to run. He had erupted out of the forest in full juraian battlesuit.

And here's the disaster's sight that welcomed him: fuming craters strewed the yard, Kiyone had neutralized a man who tried to look the less threatening possible, Mihoshi was lying not far from his position, obviously knocked out, like Ayeka who was lying about thirty meters away. Then everything happened at the same time, too fast for him to fully apprehend the motion. A scream drew his gaze above. He saw... he saw an horribly burnt humanoïd form fall from the sky. He saw Kiyone shoot the guy when he did a strange movement toward Ayeka. He saw the princess's body being ejected out of the way of something that simply dissipated her previous location. Finally, he saw what happened to Ryoko and his heart froze. He witnessed helplessly the fall of what was left of the dreadiest demon of the whole galaxy, the destructor of planets and systems and more important, one of his dearest friends...- -

Helplessly, that was the word. He couldn't do anything, just watch. Watch helplessly Sasami running with hysterical moans toward her sister and Ryoko, his father trying to get her back in the house. Watch, always helplessly, Washu, coming from nowhere, summon two subspaces to collect hurriedly Ryoko's body and the burnt one. 'At the moment I thought Ryoko's corpse!' He thought disgusted.

He felt so useless!!!

Quite the same thoughts were creeping under Kiyone's skin. With something else though. A Deep, sharp and mercyless feeling of guilt was stabbing her since they had ended up in the lab. What she had done today was an unforgivable sequence of mistakes. Here she was, one of the most ever talented galaxy police officer since the institution was created, assigned to protect this part of the galaxy and the two juraian royalties on earth. And what did she do when real danger showed up? She failed miserably, as effective as a parasol at midnight!

'I just suck!!! I brought theses strangers without any restraint when I hadn't any information about who they were. I led them directly to the princesses. What if it had been a real murder attempt of any political faction? Not that I could have done better myself!' She thought sadly.

'I deserve to be fired! Not only wasn't I able to prevent the events, but I also got things worse. This guy was trying to help us and I almost killed him!' She blushed in shame, her eyes downcast. If it weren't for his telekinetic powers, princess Ayeka would be more than dead now.

Erased.

And she couldn't even blame all of it on Mihoshi this time! Thinking of her partner led her guts in a painful polka while her mournful mind sank even deeper than she thought possible. She clenched and unclenched her fists frantically. 'I WAS GOING TO KILL HER!!!' The words twirled in her head madly. She wanted to vomit. 'And I promised to protect her!' She spat at herself. 'And I dared to yell at her, to think I was better than her! How can she stay with a total jerk like me!?! She is the one who should be filing up for a new partner!' She wondered how she'd face the blonde officer when she wakes up...

Beside her, Ayeka was melting in cold rage. Her stare shifted from one pool to the other. 'Why does Washu try to save this monster?' She asked herself, for once not referring to her old rival. 'And how can she allow this animal to check on her own daugther while she should be there, making everything to heal Ryoko?' A cold chill ran through her spine. 'Was it too late? Was Ryoko's fate doomed?' The demon girl was tough, right, but the damage was indescribable. Her lower body was completely disintegrated. Luckily the wound had stopped bleeding when the dislocated body had been dived in the healing pool. She shrugged the thought out of her mind. No, Ryoko couldn't die like that. 'Fool, why did you do such a stupid thing? Don't you dare to die, demon, or I'll kill you, do you hear me? You'd better come back, you still have the dishes to wash! And you know Sasami will not be pleased if you don't! You wouldn't disappoint her, would you?...' Without her realizing, tears streamed down from her red eyes. Sasami... another source of worry. Her little sister had taken all of this very badly, first she had gone hysterical, forcing Kiyone and herself to pin her down. Then she had fallen in a serious breakdown, shutting herself in a disturbing silence.

Again her gaze fell on the other pool, where the burnt steak lied. She smirked when she thought what the cyan-haired girl would say about her cooking skills. Her whole self wanted to finish the work and transform the fried humanoïd in ashes, sure, it would be merciful from her to allow this thing to go back to hell. But Washu had made her promise not to do anything! 'How could this thing hurt Ryoko so badly? I mean, she's the most powerful woman I know... I always thought nothing could possibly destroy her! It's simply impossible! She's always been there, SHE CAN'T DIE!' "Arrrrghh!!! I can't take it anymore, I'm going to fetch the little scoudrel myself!"

"Who is a little scoundrel?" Came a voice just behind her. The first crown princess almost jumped to the ceiling with a iiirrrp.

"Miss Washu! Where were you? Ryoko needs you, she's dying and all you think of is to freak me out?!?" She screeched to the little red-head.

"For you information, princess, I was making sure Mihoshi was ok and gave your little sister some sedative. I let Nobuyoki-san and Ryo-Oki check on them... Maybe I should give you some too, you are quite hyper you know?" The little genius answered, narrowing her eyes dangerously.

"No, no, no, no, nooo... I'm ok!" Stammered the purple-haired girl.

"Good! And don't forget! Call me little Washu" She said suddendly smiling brightly. Then she turned towards the cat-woman. [Soooo, How are our hot- heads?]

[As expected, we stabilised them. But, Broke's energy levels are too low to allow her nanohealers to work and Ryoko's regeneration power is overcomed. She's already lost too much blood.] Said Tiffany in a flat tone meant to hide her despair.

[Hey, cheer up! We're both of superior intelligence, of course I'm the greatest of the universe but you're not too bad either, we'll find a solution. I'm not letting my little Ryoko die! No, certainly not!] 'Especially when this situation is all my fault...' She added mentally.

[Okay, let's consider our options... I can't use masses to save my little girl, the fusion process'd erase her personnality... I could invent something to improve her regeneration power but I fear it'd be too late - mental note: build one for the next time - , Ohhh, shit, what else? Tsunami? Naah, I can't just wait here and hope she'll show up...]

[Broke's nanomachines could heal both of them if we could provide her enough energy. But I don't know how to product the necessary quantity, the one of a little sun. Your human toaster there has seriously short-circuited her, she's been lucky to take her by surprise...] Tiffany proposed unconvinced.

[Really? She can do that?]

[Yeah, she was designed to be a bodyguard as well as a soldier. She had to be able to save her master if he was wounded... Though her ability's been more used to prolong his captives's lives when tortured.] The honeyed-furr humanoïd frowned at this unwelcomed memory.

Washu's face lit up with her sudden inspiration. [We could transfer some of Ryoko's gems's energy to Broke!]

[Gems? Are they the source of her power? Wouldn't the sudden drain finish her off?] Asked Tiffany.

[Yes, they are and no, if we use those that are embedded in Tenchi-ken. However, we'll need my daughter to activate them since they only react to her body signature.]

"Tenchi!" The boy jolted out of his inner world and focused on the diminutive scientist.

"Yes, little Washu? Is Ryoko going to be all right?"

"She will if we act fast. We need her gems, bring us the Tenchi-ken. Hurry up!!!"

While Tenchi bolted out of the lab to look for his sword, the red-head scientist and her new found assistant began to link the two wounded girls with electrodes and other various devices.

[Now the timing's gonna be crucial, I'll channel her power slowly at first, not to shock the girls, we don't want them to explode, do we? then I'll increase gradually the intensity to 65%. You'll check on your friend and tell me if something goes wrong.]

Tiffany nodded and pushed a ruby button on the silver ornament fixed around her left ear and that ended under her left eye. Her gaze went fuzzy as she began to list Broke's stats.

Tenchi came back a few seconds later, out of breath. "Pff, pff, I'm back...little Washu... han...what do I do now?"

"Just what you did when you gave back Ryoko one of her gems the day you met her. Concentrate and wish them to go back to her. Then, leave the lab, take the princess, Kiyone and Gavel with you." Replied the little genius.

"Why? Why can't we stay? I refused to let her alone with this... this monster!" Interrupted Ayeka.

"Neither do I, I will not abandon her. I want to help her..." Tenchi's face hardened with his resolution.

Washu sighed. That was to be expected. At the corner of her eye, she saw the cat-girl facing the same problem with her companion. "Listen kids, It could be very dangerous, we're dealing with REALLY high energy density. Damn! One error and my whole subspace may burn!!! I can't insure your safety, I'm not sure I can insure mine! This will be very delicate, I don't need any kind of distraction. Things are already complicated enough without having to worry about you. Have I made my point clear?" Four even of shoulders slumped at these words. The genius's expression softened. "I know how you feel and Ryoko's very lucky to have such good friends. And because of that I can't let you jeopardize your lives." She shuckled. "She'd kill me!!!"

Kiyone put a hand on Ayeka's shoulder. "She's right. We can't do anything for her. Let's get back to the house..." The purple-haired girl shrugged her shoulder and headed for the door that separated Washu's lab's subspace and the Masaki household. "A person of my quality can't be friend with that demon-woman, I was just worried the other monster'd escape and attack us again!" The GP officer looked her leave the lab. Was it tears she had seen in the princess's eyes? "Come on Tenchi, it's useless to stay..." The words seemed to strike him. Never had the GP officer seen such a hurt look on the boy's face. Without waiting for an answer, she took to her heels and walked to the door. Tenchi watched her go, shaked himself and sent the two remnant gems to the former space pirate. They hovered above Ryoko's body before being caught in a forcefield the red-head scientist generated. Then he reluctantly followed his two friends, dragging the other man with him.

Once they were out, Washu separated the subspace from the house and summoned her holoscreen. [Energy transfer initialized.] She announced.

A golden glove emanated from the two gems and surrounded gently the cyan- haired girl. Washu didn't lose time to redirect the energy through the bonds between the two women. Broke's body tensed and seemed to flare in the yellow light. Washu and Tiffany exchanged a smile and the mini scientist began to increase the flow. Each of them was silently exulting. That was working. New tissues were forming under the burnt one. They went on like this during one hour, not daring to go past the previous limit. 87% of the short-haired girl was already restored when her eyes shot open. They rolled in every direction until they fell on her cat-like friend and hardly focused.

[....Tiff?] Her voice cracked, she painfully swallowed missing saliva and tried again. [... Wha... hapnd? ...Where...?] Then her eyes grew wider with understanding. [... Oh...nooo... Wha've done?!?]

[SShhhh! It's gonna be ok. Just relax and you'll be fine in a few minutes...] Soothed the furry scientist. With these words the burnt flesh teared apart, like a cocoon, revealing more and more fresh skin beneath. At this moment Ryoko's body quaked violently as the hovering gems flashed suddenly, blinding Washu and Tiffany. For the first time Broke took notice of her neighbour. She hardly recognized the girl who smashed her before getting mad. She was twitching and quivering in sheer pain. The short-haired girl realised the other was dying. She gasped when her gaze ended on the cyan-haired girl's hips. She could see or rather not see the now missing lower body, the result of her foolishness. She barely heard her friend and the unknown red-head kid panicking and talking frantically about energy spectrum slipping away and oncomming explosion. It didn't matter to her. She was suffering the usual breakdown she felt whenever she got out of her berserk mode. Breakdown that always left her completely distressed when she had to face the consequences of her acts. Innocents killed, friends savagely torn apart, cities in flames, all of this with her own bloody fucking hands. Hell, no! Not this time!!! This girl wasn't dead yet. She could still do something for her or die trying.

She got rid of the last remnants of her former self and raised out of her pool. Crap!!! She was still weak! She ignored it and placed herself behind the other girl. Thin stalkes exited her fingers and probbed the wound. Her first analyze showed the girl had a high potential of regeneration, which surprised Broke. If that was so, why could't she heal herself? She examined the body more thoroughly and found the cause of the problem. Her nano- erasers, that formed her weapons were still active! Usually, when they were cut from their energy source, they only lasted a few minutes before dissociating in mere atoms. Here, they went on 'feeding' on the agonising girl. Worse, they seemed to have mutated on their own. Broke identified new units and was startled to recognize them. That were totipotential units, similar to those she kept in her bones. They were still few but with the energy and materials the specialized units brought them, they replicated themselves faster and faster. This girl's regeneration's cells were no match for the biomechanical invadors. 'It's really a wonder she could resist that long!' Mused Broke and she began to infuse her nanohealers, coded on the other girl's genetic pattern, to stop the process.

At first, things were going pretty well. Her units dismanteled the defenseless mutated ones and allowed regeneration cells to divide again. But they soon met resistance as some alien totipotent nanos producted more agressive units that attacked her own. Broke could see she was losing, she wasn't strong enough to compete yet. It was a matter of time now before they invaded her too. 'Arrrr... how can it be? Where does their energy come from?' She then looked up and saw the gems and their twisted light. She didn't know how, but the agressiv nanos could directly tap in these power sources. She had to cut this, but how?

Once they had recovered from the blinding flash, the two scientists found both their patients in the same pool. There were metallic outgrowths out of Broke's fingers that were driven around Ryoko's wound like acupuncture needles. Her furry assistant explained Washu it was Broke's way of healing but there was obviously something wrong. First, the explosion she would have expected didn't happen, they obviously weren't transformed in smoldering smoke. Second, her daughter's health didn't improve at all while the other girl weackened.

[Hey, look at that!] Tiffany transmitted her Broke's more recent data, including Ryoko's anamnesis. the diminutive scientist made her own conclusions, the nanos had modified the energy spectrum to suit them better, creating the sudden burst out. But they had absorbed all of it! Amazing! The red-head couldn't help but smile, she was getting soooo bored lately. All those new research's subjects!!! "MMMHBWAHAHAHAHAHAAAA!!!!" She cackled evilly.

The cat-woman sweat-dropped and gave her a quizzical look. [Err... Miss Washu? The girls...]

[Uhh? OH, Ah yeah! Hum. Ok. Well, anyway, I've got the solution.] She reached a hand in one of her pocket subspace and pulled out proudly an oversized canon. [THIS is my quarks alignment disruptor protocanon ZK9.43!!! This will cut our little bastards off the flow. But only a few seconds. That's when you intervene.] Again she reached in another pocket subspace and handed the furry scientist a pair of protective sunglasses and a...badminton racket.

Now, Tiff knew what to make out of the sunglasses but wasn't sure about the stringed wooden thing and voiced her doubts.

Washu's eyes rolled. [It's a Earth's game, 'explain later, just hold it this way and smash the gems with the stringed part, 'kay?]

[Hum, yes...] She put on the sunglasses and mentionned she was ready. '...'can't believe I'm doing this! I don't know if she's the greatest, but she certainly is the maddest scientist I've ever encountered, and I've met a lot!' Her thoughts were interrupted when the red-head aimed and beamed a laser ray on the hovering gems.

Again a bright flash came from the gems, Tiffany launched her arm and hit the gems as hard as she could, wishing she could send them to the far end of the galaxy, or the subspace for that matter. Instead, they went through a dimensional portal that appeared very conveniently. Tiffany could catch a glimps of a living room before the portal closed.

Broke felt the pressure on her artificial members diminish. The nanos were dissolving. She summonned her remaining strenghs up and threw them in the repair process of her former foe. She collapsed when she completed her task.

End of chapter three.

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*** WORMHOLE LIFT ***

Chapter four: Decisions

Ayeka's ceaseless stomps on the carpet were slowly, but very surely, getting on Kiyone's nerves. It has been like that since they have joined her in the living room. Sasami and Mihoshi were sleeping upstairs, Nobuyoki had left to work. Then they had nothing else to do but sit and wait. The teal-haired officer half smirked. True, when it came to Ryoko, the princess was never able to put on her so regal patience. No wonder this place was a near war zone most of the time with those two hot-heads. How Tenchi could stand this was a total mystery for the GPO. Herself would have blown them up long ago... Wait, really? After all she wasn't in his shoes and yelling at Mihoshi never brought her any good. She always ended up feeling guilty and apologizing to her blond partner. Again her previous behaviour weighted heavily on her. She shivered at what she almost did. She definitely had decisions to take. As soon as thing 'd settled down. For now she just wished she could be as quiet as this Gavel. His friend was about to die and he was just meditating. He reminded her a bit of Katsuhito. Somehow. Beside him, Tenchi was digging on himself to keep his composure. In vain. Worry was written on it, even if It was subtle, for her trained senses it was obvious. Ryoko was really lucky to have people who cared that much for her, even if the princess'd never admit it. They were a family.

The fact struck her, she realised she had come to consider them as her family too. She knew they cared for her as she cared for them. It was classical, her rational part told her, when you work too close, you lose the professional AND necessary distance you should keep with the people you're supposed to protect. That was a new statement to her lack of vigilance.

She felt emptiness. Her work was all that counted. Her whole life had been dedicated to her duty. But she had just discovered she wasn't worth it. What was left? What would she do? What COULD she do? If the Galaxy Police didn't fire her, she would resign for she'd be unable to just go on as if nothing had happened, knowing she was a danger for those she loved. She closed her deep blue eyes. Sooo, she had made her decision. Finally, things were quite simple when you just clunged to what was certain! Of course, she would have to leave Earth, the GP'd never allow her to stay. It was a restricted area after all. And even if the royal family of Jurai gave her a special authorization - which was doubtful after all this mess - she'd decline it. How could she stay and see every day the woman she had almost killed? Again her partner's picture danced before her. Again she felt her finger slightly pulling on the trigger. The nauseous sensation she was sinking in... She really felt miserable. She was about to lose the two families she had ever had, the GP and the Masakis. But there was no other way!

She sighed and got up. There was no need to wait here, she'd better check on Sasami and Mihoshi. She went upstairs to the princess room. The little girl was sound asleep thanks to the pills Washu gave her. That was a dreamless sleep, which was a good thing considering the kind of nightmares she so often had.

Reassured about the girl's state, she closed the door as silently as she could and headed towards Ryoko's room where her partner had been brought. When she entered, she was surprised to find the blonde girl awake. She was staring at the ceiling and didn't sense her friend's presence. Obviously she had wept, her cheeks were glistening. Why? Maybe she was suffering from afterward shock symptoms. Then she noticed Kiyone and quickly wiped her face.

"Oh, Hi Kiyone, how are you?" She tried to put on her usual cheerful smile.

"Just some bruises, and you?" Actually, each one of her muscles insisted to make its own presence be known, in capital letters and triplicate.

"Err, did you see the plates of the truck that hit me?" Mihoshi replied weakly. "What happened?"

The teal-haired girl grinned and related the last events. Once she had finished, she just sat beside her partner, squeezing her hand and remained silent until Mihoshi stopped crying. Minutes later, the blonde GPO took a calming breath and asked. "Say Kiyone, can we go home now?"

Kiyone was startled, usually Mihoshi was more than reluctant to leave the Masaki household. "Uh? yeah, I guess... Are you sure?"

"Yes, I am... If you don't mind..."

"No... I mean, no I don't mind, of course not." She helped her partner getting up and manipulated her control cube to dress them both with earth cloths. Mihoshi was still weak on her legs, so she had to make sure the blonde wouldn't stumble over the stairs (as she usually did).

When they walked down the last steps, they heard animated voices from the living room. There was the greatest scientist of the universe and her new furry friend, both of them literally gleaming in self-satisfaction.

Mihoshi was faster than Kiyone. "Little Washu, how's Ryoko? Will she be all right?"

The little red-head smiled warmly. "Yeah, she's going to be fine, though she'll need to rest a little bit, like our impetuous new guest." She brought forcefully the cat-like girl in a victory dance. Her daughter was safe and she had LOTS of samples to analyze. She wouldn't have felt better if she had injected herself one of her personnal drugs.

"Ah, then this Broke Sloane survived too..." Kiyone stated coldly. "I see the gems are back in Tenchi's sword's handle... When will they wake up?" She kept her gaze on the Tenchi-ken that was lying on the table, in front of the young boy.

Washu raised an eyebrow. "From my last calculations, I'd say in two days from now... Are you two leaving?"

"Yes we are..." And she added for herself in a whisper "...'Certainly better for me to leave."

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The travel in the train had been abnormally quiet. One day before, Kiyone would have blessed every deities for sparing her Mihoshi's usual endless babbling. Today she couldn't appreciate it. If Mihoshi had acted her normal self, maybe she could have pretended that nothing had happened.

For a while.

But the blonde GPO was too deep in thoughts to act normally.

At least she wasn't depressed anymore since they knew that Ryoko was safe. She seemed more... preoccupied. Yes, that was it! Preoccupied. The teal- haired officer wondered about what. Her friend's mood didn't change as they finally reached their small flat. As they were really exhausted, they just ate instant noodles and Mihoshi went straight to her bed after that. Seconds later, Kiyone could hear her snoring softly. The GPO smiled, some things never changed.

She walked silently to her bedside table and fished a sake bottle hidden behind. She poured herself a big glass and swallow it drunkenly, then poured another one and stopped in mid-motion. 'Since when do I hide alcohol bottles like this?' She asked herself wide-eyed. 'Two? Maybe three months? More?' She put the bottle down and stared blankly at it. 'How many of them have I drunk all by myself? NO!!! Why do I care? It's not like I'm addicted or something!!!' To emphazise her thought, she replaced the bottle behind the furniture and sit back to the kitchen table with a piece of paper and a pen.

'To Marshall Kuramatsu, GP Headquarter, Sir, attached to this document I join the report of the last events on Earth. I'm sure that when you finish reading it, you will do nothing but agree to my decision. Sir, I must present you my resigna...' Damn, that was hard, only a few words more and she would shut down the most important part of her life! She laughed derisively, no, it was simple! Oh so simple! Only a few words... She grabbed her glass and drunk a sip...

The glass crashed on the kitchen floor. Kiyone just stood up and looked horrified to the shattered object. In a flash she reviewed the three glasses she drank this morning, when Mihoshi was in the bathroom. Glasses she started having for some time, to help for the coming day! Enough to feel lighter but not to be discovered. And all the others, to support their three part time jobs beside their GP duty. To be able to stand Mihoshi's incessant blunders. Washu's experimentations, Ryoko's and Ayeka's fights... No, she was looking for excuses for her own weakness!

"Kiyone?" Mihoshi was at the kitchen door, looking sad.

"Mi-Mihoshi?" Stammered the teal-haired girl. "I thought you were sleeping... Go back to bed, I just dropped my glass, I'll clean it up..."

The blond girl came in and stopped close to Kiyone. She put her hand on her partner's shoulder and made her face her. "Kiyone, I know..."

"What? Ho-how?" Kiyone's lips were trembling nervously.

"Did you really think you could hide an alcohol bottle from me? You know me better..." She answered with a light smile. Then more seriously. "Kiyone, I'm your friend... I want to help you..." Suddenly she saw the paper and the words on it. It took her a while to absorb them. "A resignation letter? But, why?!?" She finished in a strangled voice.

Kiyone fell back on her chair. She hadn't intended for Mihoshi to see it. She had hoped she could tell her after she had sent it, on an adequate time. She felt so tired. "Mihoshi, I'm a real danger. I must stop it before someone gets killed because of me..."

"NO! Ok you've got an alcohol problem, but you wouldn't be the first nor the last in the GP! And most of them didn't suffered half the stress you had to. There are internal structures than can help you, you know that!"

"MIHOSHI! Today I almost killed YOU!!! I just COULDN'T control myself! If Gavel hadn't intervened, I would've shot you! I want to throw up whenever I think about it!" The teal-hairedofficer shouted.

"If I remember well, I was the one who asked you to shoot and I perfectly knew about your addiction..." She replied quietly. "It was MY fault if I was taken as hostage! There was no way we could have guessed how thethings would turn out! And I'm still alive, we're all still alive! Don't take the whole universe on your shoulders!"

"Mihoshi... I just can't..." Kiyone's voice trailed off. She was unable to finish her sentence.

"So what? You give up? Just like this? I thought you were tougher than that! I thought you believed in what we did. I thought you had pride..." The words got caught in her throat. "I never thought you were the kind of person who fled..."

They stood there, staring at each other intensely for what seemed like hours. Kiyone was taken aback by Mihoshi's outburst. Finally the blond officer turned around and ran to the room. Before she disappeard, Kiyone heard her partner whisper. "Please, don't let me down!"

Kiyone looked through the window, at the rising moon and sighed deeply. She resumed to clean the floor and went to sleep too. It had really been a long day.

Without her knowing, the whole scene had been witnessed by someone else than the natural satellite.

"Mmmmh, it seems something unusual happened today! I must learn more before report to my master. Maybe that was what we were waiting for..."

End of chapter four.

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*** WORMHOLE LIFT ***

Chapter five: danger's in the air (sing it!)

[Yes Master, what you had forseen has finally happened.......... No, Master, the differences with the alternative futures are few and can be controlled........... For what I collected when sensing the GPO's mind, they are both alive, the Shalooth's paladin too........................ No, the Juraian residents haven't been injured............... I've seen a great fight between the traitor and Hakubi Washu's daughter in the GPO's nightmares.................. Yes Master, you are right, it's time for Masashi to act........................... I shall do as you wish, Master. End of communication.]

The figure in the tree got off its knees and took off. It hovered until it was high enough to contemplate the other side of the valley, where lied her enemy. Two orange points flared in the darkness. 'Soon, Broke, I'll have my revenge and...'

A small round thing popped out of nowhere, inches from the feminine figure. "What the fu...?" She couldn't end her sentence when the pineapple-like object exploded, liberating a strange mixture that quickly spread around her. All attempt to struggle were vain. She finally found herself completely entangled in the rapidly solidifying pink foam. She tried to telepathically contact her master, to not avail. "NO! THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE! I CAN'T SENSE MASTER!"

"Tssk, tssk, Yuva, do you really think he would come to help you?" A familiar voice came from below.

The imprisoned girl glared at the motojet that stopped in front of her and growled. "Tiffany!"

"Hi Yuva, I'm happy to see you survived the Denkarr'h 's vessel destruction too. Soo, I assume this bastard is still alive! I can't believe this! I'm transported by accident through time and space, even dimensions maybe, with no control over my destination and I end up in the same galaxy as this degenerated stinking arhedantan larva. I must be cursed! Or the multiverse is smaller than my last calculations expected it to be..." She shook her head. "Ohh! How disappointing!" She smiled again. "By the way, what do you think of my little invention? I designed it especially for you, to block your powers. I haven't had the opportunity to test it during our last encounter. I must admit Washu's ability to teleport things is really useful if not amazing! I must ask her about that..."

"You bitch, release me right now or I'll cut you up into matches!!!"

"What a language! It's almost like Broke, I didn't think she could 've that much bad influence on you. You were paying me far more respect when I was supervisor to both you and Broke... Well, Broke's always been Broke, as rough as a wild beast. You used to be the sweetest child I've ever known, gaining what you wanted with subtility when Broke used strengh. Two faces of the same coin..."

"That was in the past!!! Things have changed a lot, 'I' have changed a lot! You two will pay dearly for your defection!" Her face was contorted with rage.

Tiffany's expression was one of deep sadness. "How long ago did you arrive in this galaxy with Denkarr'h?"

Yuva's answer was only a thick silence. The cat woman sighed. "I guess it's not the better place to chat. Follow me..." She chuckled. "You don't have the choice anyway!" She threw alasso around Yuva's trap, bound the other end to her motojet and towed it to the Masaki's house.

Washu was waiting for them in front of the house, a thumb up. She opened a dimensional portal on another part of her lab and followed the motojet in. "Samples, samples, more samples..." She laughed maniacally while rubbing her hands. "I loooove foreigners!" They entered the subspace where the Manta Crusader was docked and in repair. Tiffany parked her vehicle in its place, in the vessel's holds and untied the rope.

"Nice ship..." Washu's voice resonated behind her. "What's this material?"

"I'm still studying it, it's some kind of metal and organic polymeric complex, apparently able to absorb a certain amount of the energy and materials it can find in its immediate environnement and use it for maintenance, if it has enough time. It's a bit slow though."

"Your people didn't build it? Then who?"

They headed for the crew mess, still dragging the fulminating new guest. "Remember when I told you that Broke was considered dead for several years by the Aldherants, the dominant specie in our galaxy?" Washu nodded, remembering her surprise when the cat-like being had first telepathically contacted her, hurriedly explaining who she was and what was happening outside. "Yes, well, she took advantage of this new found liberty to discover outer worlds. Some of them weren't even colonised yet. She told me that once she crashed on an uninhabited planet. That was what she thought until she was attacked by all kind of robots. Of course, she destroyed them quite easily. With her vessel in burning puzzle, she was stucked there, then she decided to find out where her agressors came from, as it was probably her only chance to leave this planet. If they had advanced technology, as it seemed, maybe she could 'borrow' them a space ship. Soon she discovered a huge city where only robots lived. She let herself be captured and met the planet lord. It was some kind of very elaborated alien A.I. named Bherixian. Very elaborated and very mad! It was just planning on conquering the whole galaxy with its armies and send copies of itself on the other planets. It wanted to eradicate every organic being." Tiffany pointed at the Manta Crusader. "Originally it was this A.I.'s ship, which it purposely crashed on this planet, killing its occupants. Of course, it was highly interested in Broke who is a skillfull mixture of organic and mechanical being, not mentioning her fighting abilities. It tried to take control of her and almost succeded - I still shiver when I think about the danger she'd have become - anyway, at least Broke won the mind battle - She can be incredibly stubborn, you know - not without any consequences though, of Bherixian's personality remained the berserk state you've witnessed today. But during the fight, she learned this ship was on top of Bherixian's tower, ready to fly. Without Bherixian, everything powered down in the city, like a body without brain. Then, she didn't have to fear any other attack from the robots of the city, especially as she had destroyed Bherixian's backups too. However, It didn't stop her to blast the entire city, to test her new ship firepower, she dared to tell me!" Tiffany finished her story in a distressed voice.

Washu was probably one of the rare people in the universe to understand why, a new technology, along with a new sentient specie were found and all that remained was a space ship and its content. She winced in sympathy. She was glad not to be in the same case! Thinking of which... "So, will you tell me a little more about our new friend?" She gestured in the direction of the long red-wine-haired girl encased in the solidified foam.

"Oh yes, forgive me, hanging around with Broke doesn't improve my manners, I guess... Washu, this is Yuva, Yuva, say hello to Washu." After a quick glance to the latter, she added hastily. "... The greatest scientist in the universe..."

"Hel... Hey! don't play with me, you degenerated furball! I only obey to Master Denkarr'h!"

"Yes, yes, whatever..." The said furball turned her attention back to the other scientist. "Would you like a beer, or anything?"

The red-head nodded. "That would be perfect."

Tiffany fished two cans in the fridge and tossed one to the little genius. Funny how some things don't change from one side of the universe to the other. A match would always be a little piece of wood with a sulfuric head, a beercan would always be a beercan...

Then, they tookYuva on tow again as if she was a pet and went to Broke's room where she had been transported earlier to rest. A familiar environment'd probably be better when she awake. On their way, Tiffany gave more details.

"I suppose I shall start from the beginning." In Washu's mind appeared pictures of a far away universe, of completely unknown stars and species, underlined by Tiffany's story... "My galaxy is mainly controlled by Aldherants." She saw something that looked like a giant butterfly larva, about twenty meters long and three meters large. "Because of their mass, they need slaves to take care of their body. Their whole evolution and technology was based on mental powers: telepathy, telekinesis, mind control... My own specie's - the Feulon kin - mental powers are nothing compared to their's. Useless to say that their need of domination led them to many terrible wars. It's only a natural law, survival of the fittest. However, things reached another level when they accessed to space travel. There was a whole new field of potential slaves. Their invasion was subtle. They first took control of the main governments by taking key places in the various administrations. Strangely, the more evoluted a race was, the less it resisted. That's why my kin was one of the first to fall. The humans were tougher, because more primitive, and VERY numerous, it seems they reproduced like rabbits - they won some battles at the beginning, especially when they discovered the Aldherant lords had to stay in a certain area close to their slaves to maintain their control. But at that time the Aldherants disposed of the most advanced technology and more important, their inventors. Humans were soon overpowered and lots of their worlds had to submit or be destroyed. The Aldherant political system was a feudal one. Denkarr'h was the equivalent of a baron. He was our local lord and the most ambitious and evil creature ever born. Like the other lords he had his private army. Though, as a young one, he wasn't as powerfull as his neighbours. As he was surrounded by other lords, he always feared an invasion. His only salvation was to get a better technology. He secretely developped a weapon laboratory." New pictures flooded Washu's mind. "There were a lot of scientists in this lab, most of them war prisoners like me. Broke and Yuva are an exemple of what we studied. Broke was designed to be the perfect warrior and Yuva the perfect infiltrator. They have been genetically enhanced to amplify their mental powers and to accept their future implants..."

As they entered Broke's quarters, Washu interrupted the cat-like woman. "Why did he choose a human basis if they were harder to control? Or was it the reason?"

The feline scientist checked on the sleeping girl and satisfied, she answered. "You guessed right. He didn't want his toys to be taken by another lord. By the way, they have cyber implants that allowed him complete control over them, although, Broke's have been damaged." Tiffany sighed and clenched her fists. "I was the head-scientist of the project. I chose the donors and modified them, none of them survived very long after that." A shadow darkened her green eyes. "You know, we were all perfectly aware of what we were doing, we wouldn't have been useful as mere puppets, we just knew that what we would get if we disobeyed was worse than death. Still, what I did in the name of my self-preservation is unforgivable. I -I... Lots of our... patients... died before we obtained these two viable prototypes."

The silence in the room was so thick they could have cut it with a knife. Even Yuva had ceased her struggles and insults. The furry girl didn't dare meet Washu's eyes so she just went on with her story. "I also supervised the implant process, we did this when they were around six years old, it was simply impossible before, they wouldn't have survived it. Yet, we almost lost Broke, her addings were... much heavier than Yuva's... What they suffered is beyond any description and it didn't stop there. Then came the training. Broke killed her first man at seven, it was a completely harmless guy, it was completely gratuitous. Every time she missed her goal or dared to disobey, she was severely tortured, physically and mentally. I don't know how she remained sane, I wouldn't have! Sometimes I wonder, maybe she isn't." She glanced at Yuva. "... Or maybe, because she wasn't alone..." She sighed again. "Yuva suffered another kind of training as her powers are determined to bend other people's mind to her will. She learned to kill too, but her way is hidden. She can generate terrible visions in her victim's mind until he or she dies from terror or commits suicide. She has, of course, other abilities, as a spy master..." Tiffany clinically described Broke's and Yuva's respective lives and skills to a growing incredulous, and nauseous, Washu. When she finished, she swallowed with difficulty and waited for the judgment. "I would understand if you decided to chase me away..."

Washu sipped her can thoughtfully. "I'm not the one to judge you. What I see is that Broke didn't kill you. Yuva and her are the only one that are entitled to do so. That's enough for me." When she emptied her beercan, she crushed it and threw it in the garbage can. Then she got up and streched herself. "Fine, I'm going to check on my little Ryoko. I'll give you something to block Yuva's powers that will allow her to get out of this." She gestured at the pink foam.

Tiffany nodded. "Washu... Thank you... for everything..."

The red-head scientist smiled. "You're welcome, but do me a favor, will you..."

"Anything you want."

"Call me little Washu!"

The furry woman face-faulted and Yuva would have too, if she had been able to move. "Err... if what's you want... little Washu..."

With a last smile, the greatest scientist of the universe left the room. She was already computing what she had learned. This Denkarr'h was a real threat, she would have to talk to the others and first, to the galaxy police officers...

End of chapter five.

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*** WORMHOLE LIFT ***

Chapter six: Interrogation

"Then, she's able to manipulate other people's mind? to make them do whatever she wants?" Asked a frowning Kiyone. "Do you know how long she's been spying on us?"

Here, Washu's furry new friend answered. "You've got a lot in common with the humans of my galaxy - it's really interesting to find a similar life form so far away - As I explained to Wash... err, little Washu, the more primitive - I don't mean it in a negative way - you are, the better you resist, or at least it takes more time. Maybe simply because the cerebral senses involved aren't developped well enough, like a deaf can sense the rythm but will never really hear the music..."

"Hum, in that case, Mihoshi's sure never to be controlled..." Whispered the red-head.

"Hey! I heard that! Why're you so mean?" Whined the blonde detective.

Kiyone stepped in between and stared down at the little genius icily. "That's it Washu, I won't allow you to treat her like this! I demand that you apologize!" Everyone's eyes bulged out of their sockets, except for Tiffany's and Gavel's who didn't know the two GPOs and their antics well enough to understand the reason of such commotion. Kiyone was maybe the most surprised of all. Since last night, she had decided to be a better partner and friend for Mihoshi, at least as long she could remain on Earth, but still, that felt sort of weird. She just wasn't used to act like that, even more, to THINK like that. If something good could come out of the whole mess her life had been recently, that would certainly be this.

The greatest scientist of the universe frowned dangerously. The others looked at them worriedly. For once, Mihoshi was speechless, while Aeka recommended Kiyone's soul to Tsunami and Tenchi sweated profusely. Then, Washu's lips curved in a VERY slow and carnivorous smile that made the whole assembly shiver.

"Fine!" She said. She turned to a dumbfounded Mihoshi and bowed. "I'm sorry to have offended you Mihoshi." Her smiled turned into a more sincere one. "Here, you're certainly the sweetest person I could hope to meet, besides Sasami of course..."

The blonde GP brightened. "Oh! Thanks Washu... I'm not mad at you." Everybody sighed in relief, though the teal-haired officer wondered why it had been so easy. But she had other matters to handle for the time being, she turned back to the feline woman. "We need to talk toYuva, only the two of us..." She said, pointing at her partner and herself.

Tiffany scrached her left cheek. "Mmmh, I don't know... I left her in Broke's room who shouldn't wake up before tomorrow afternoon, so you won't be bothered... But I don't know how you'd learn more than I could, I tried all my tricks and nothing worked. Of course she was trained to this..." She finished somewhat proudly.

"Don't worry and leave it to us." Replied Mihoshi confidently. "Kiyone's the best in this, no criminal's ever hidden anything from her." Again, the teal-haired officer was strucked by her partner's trust, she simply couldn't believe it. "Well I haven't practiced for some time, most of them were killed before I had the chance but there's no harm in trying. Does she have any weakness?"

The cat-like scientist thought deeply. "The only one I can think of is her blood phobia."

"BLOOD PHOBIA?!?!?" Kiyone almost strangled herself. "But... But, she's an assassin, I mean, she's killed many people!"

"Yes, but it was always indirectly. She never made a scratch to anyone." She chuckled "She'd have fainted!"

Gavel snarled at her. "At least my monastery's brothers would still be alive. She drove them so insane they killed each other or committed suicide. Had it been Broke, they would've died honourably in a real battle! She'll pay greatly for that!!!"

"Oh, cut it off Gavel" Her ears went down on her head. "If you need to blame someone, then blame me! I created them after all!"

Leaving them, Kiyone opened Washu's lab and went in, followed closely by Mihoshi. A few minutes later they entered the newcomer's quarters. The two GPOs looked around with curiosity. There was parquet on the floor. In the middle of the room, on a cream carpet, lied two black leather sofas facing each other across a heavy wooden low table. There were big green plants that gave life to the room. Black furnitures were pushed against the walls. They contained books, what looked like recording items and all kind of weapons. Probably war's loots, realised the teal-haired officer. All in all, it was cosy, a place where Kiyone would have felt at home if it hadn't been for the mess. There were papers, maps, glasses, bottles, clothes everywhere and mostly on the couches and the table. Here, disorder was an art of life. It was hard to believe the owner was an ex-soldier! It wasn't as terrible as Mihoshi's part of their flat, but it was a really good aproximation!

"Oh! Kiyone! Look at this! How can anybody live in such a mess! It's disgusting! There's old food there on the table!"

Kiyone face-faulted. She felt her blood pressure level up and forced herself to calm down. She watched her blonde partner removing some garbages from the table. "Mihoshi, be careful, we don't know what sort of things they keep here. There can be dangerous stuff and gods know what kind of bacterias she's cultivating in this... huu... pizza?" As she said that, the blonde officer hastily backed away. "Mihoshi! Look out..."

Mihoshi stumbled over an empty bottle, yelped while she made an admirable flight and landed not so admirably on the forementionned pizza, spreading pieces of the nearby biochemical weapon in every corner of the room.

"Oh boy!" Kiyone smacked her own forehead in despair, making a wet, sickening noise as the hand met some greenish ham glued there. "She's hopeless..."

"I'm sorry Kiyone... please, forgive me..." The blonde straightened herself, ready to be scolded, as usual.

Kiyone took a deep breath and sighed. "It's ok Mihoshi..." She helped her partner up. Looking around she spotted the bathroom. She pushed the blonde in and said "Let's get claned up, we can't possibly interrogate this Yuva if she's laughing to death at us!"

Fortunately the bathroom was spotless, and huge, much more than their's, in the flat. Here too the luxury was discreet, more homey and cosy than spectacular. Eventually they got out refreshed and cleaned and found the bedroom without further accident.

As they entered, they were greeted by a smiling girl restrained now by one of Washu's multi-arms robot, a metallic hoop around her head, probably the power regulator.

"Oh! Hi there! welcome to the dreadful Broke Sloane's appartments!" She said derisively. "I must congratulate you to have survived the way through her living room! Tiff and your little red-head brat preferred to cut through a portal..."

Kiyone took her partner's arm, preventing any cheerful reply and headed for the four-posted bed to make sure the ship's owner was really unconscious. The room was decorated the same way as the rest of the quarters, with good taste and it was obviously really comfortable. Kiyone sighed again. Why all the criminals she had met lately seemed to live better than her? That was really unfair! However, the mercenary was sound asleep, she wouldn't hear anything of the interrogation even if she could probably understand it now, thanks to the 'Neuronal Language Teaching Inducer' Washu had placed around her head after giving its benefit to Tiffany and Gavel.

"Don't worry! She won't wake up! A real stone... I tried all night and almost broke my voice!" The orange-haired girl frowned, being ignored when she didn't want to was something she didn't like at all, especially when she was bored. Spending a whole night listening to Broke's snoring wasn't really her definition of an entertaining time. Because of that she couldn't even sleep! Broke hadn't changed a bit from her memories, just like after their last battle, well, except for the bandages and the fact she was sleeping. The same short unrully black hair, the same face, the same tattoos that were slowly reappering on the new skin... and of course, the same smile, this smirk of absolute confidence, the one that always made Yuva want to smash with a one ton meathammer! Had she learned to put it on whenever she was in the area, even when unconscious, or did everybody have to stand it? Aaah, if she could move... she'd make this irritating smile disappear faster than an ice cream in the desert!

Lost in her vengeful thoughts, she didn't notice the two officers discreetely sizing her up. The girl was in her twenties, about 160 cm, pale skin, flaring orange eyes, long red wine coloured hair, dressed in a sophisticated style, a beautiful woman if she didn't radiated hatred that much. At least, this hatred wasn't directed at them, not for the moment, and it was something else they could use to get precious informations. Mihoshi began...

"So, your name's Yuva Dornliedsh... You come from galaxy 379.4, like miss Tiffany Manoru, sir Gavel Kaungrergh and miss Broke Sloane..."

Yuva woke up from her vengeful daydream and looked blankly at the blonde, not sure of what she just heard. "Miss? MISS??? Whahahahaha!!! Broke? A miss? Ghahahahahrgl - kof! - kof! I knew you were funny but I didn't expect that one! Ha, ha, ha, ha!!! She's nothing more than a killing machine!" She finally spat out."

"Hey! You shouldn't be so mean with someone who can't defend herself! That's not fair!" scolded the blonde GPO.

"Hello? You know we're talking about the girl who almost killed you and your little friends, do you remember? Oh yeah! I forgot who I was talking to... Now you're a nice and sweet girl but I'd rather have a talk with the brain in your pair!" She was enjoying this, the blonde was now upset and about to cry. He, he, even without her powers she could do what she wanted in any little mind games, sometimes it was even easier without powers at all! She turned herself toward Kiyone who was studying her. "I'm sure we can find an arrangement!"

"I don't see what you mean, we came here because Washu asked us to change the bandages on her last wounds." She showed the bandages on the short- haired girl's forearms and hands, where the strange internal weapons had torn the flesh to come out. Not waiting for an answer, the officer turned her back to the prisoner and began to pull on the strips.

The wine-haired girl snickered, she wanted to play a little more, but, all of a sudden, her face became whiter than snow. The bandages... They were covered in blood. Not that much, in all honesty, but enough for her to feel really sick! "Damn! This whore of Tiffany's told you about my fear of blood!" Unfortunately, knowing that didn't help her to feel better at all.

Kiyone turned her face with her most innocent look. "What are you saying? You're afraid of blood? Oh my, I'm so sorry! Don't worry it's almost finished.." And resumed cleaning the wounds with a bright red solution, red like blood... Then she tossed the dirty bandages on a near table, right in the prisoner's line of view making her squirm in disgust in her restraints. She tried to shut her eyes but her nostrils were invaded by its scent, she could almost feel it slowly dripping on her, like treacle, coagulating in her hair... She began to hyperventilate and made her best to gulp back her gastric juices. She shot her eyes wide open and tried to focus on something else... anything else!

Kiyone was smiling to herself, it was working better than she'd thought! "So, how does it feel? How is it when someone takes advantage of your weaknesses?"

"You slut! You'll pay for this!" The wine-haired girl panted.

"Now, now, will you stay polite? After all, I'm sure we don't inflict you even a quarter of what you did to your numerous victims!" She came closer, her eyes steeled. "And I am one of them, ain't I?"

Only rasping breathing answered her.

She took it as a yes.

"You made me fall into despair, you made me turn toward alcohol for relief, 'til I was addicted! Until I became a danger for everyone around me!" The teal-haired officer snarled, now inches from the restrained spy. Mihoshi looked at her partner, worried, it was turning out to be far too personal... Usually she would have trusted her partner in every situations, but with her current state of mind she had become highly unpredictable. A cornered animal was always more dangerous and Kiyone had nothing left to lose.

Yuva ignored the sharp tone of voice and still panting, managed to strech her lips in a slow sarcastic smirk.

Kiyone stared at her as if she could bore holes in the captive's body and extract her guts with her bare hands. She slapped Yuva's face hard, making her partner jump in surprise. Never, never had Mihoshi seen her partner use violence against an defenseless criminal. How could she have changed that much! The Kiyone she knew was too righteous, too honest to act like that. In her carreer, she had witnessed all the ravages of the drugs, but she couldn't believe Kiyone could fall that low. She looked at the teal-haired officer: she was sweating, her hands slightly shaked, her pupils were dilated... She clearly needed to drink. Mihoshi found herself thinking it was maybe better for Kiyone to quit the GP. She quickly erased that last thought, no! She wouldn't forsake her friend when she most needed her help.

Yuva levelled her head to look at Kiyone in the eyes. "So what? Are you going to accuse me of forcing you to slap me now?" She smirked again. "You're pathetic! You'd better go and get yourself a bottle! You can't even look at me straight!"

Kiyone slapped her again, harder. "How many of us have you plaged like that?" And again. "How long did you do this to me for? What's your goal?" She was about to land a fourth hit on the captive when someone's grip held her back. She turned and saw the shocked look on her partner's face.

"I think she's had enough, Kiyone..."

Kiyone's eyes widened as the realisation of what she'd done fell on her. She stumbled backwards, looking at her hands in disbelief, her knees weak, her breath caught in her throat.

To make it worse, the wine-haired girl threw up, unable to stand her own blood's taste. When she finished, she smirked again, it would take more than this little good cop/bad cop play to break her, she had endured worse tortures in the past.

Mihoshi looked at her with real, deep rage, it was something so unusual for the sweet officer that both Kiyone and Yuva were taken aback. "I'll never forgive you for what you did to her, I swear you'll pay greatly!" She threatened between clenched teeth, then she turned around, facing her surprised friend. "C'mon Kiyone, let's leave this place, it stinks!"

The teal-haired officer nodded dumbly, her mind refused to understand the two last minutes. Mihoshi took her arm cautiously and led her out of the room. She wasn't herself, Mihoshi wasn't herself, what was going on? Had this mutant spy so much power they were still affected even when she couldn't use them?

Having recovered from her stupor, the wine-haired girl hailed them. "Hey, why are you living so soon? I thought you wanted informations... I was just beginning to have fun!"

The two GPOs stopped, but only Mihoshi spoke. "Why? You won't say anything, truth serum won't be effective, we already know you must have been here for at least two years, before Ryoko was even awaken, because Washu never detected your ship arrival since she's been freed from Kagato. We already know you're still working for this Denkarr'h, thanks to miss Tiffany. As for the why you are doing this, we'll certainly find another way to discover it and defeat your dear master. Then you are completely useless, an empty shell, someone's little useless toy, nothing more than a killing machine... Just like you said miss Sloane was... No, much less than her, at least she has freed herself, freed her body, but much important, her mind. You, you're just a robot, not even a slave!!!" With that, she went out, closing the door behind her.

Yuva was left speechless, no one had ever dared to treat her like this! She was literally fuming. "I'm much above that stupid traitor!" She finally shouted to the closed door. "Just wait and you'll regret what you said dearly! It's already five years we're preparing our coup, you'll beg me to finish you off when I'm done with the two of you..." She finally laughed evilly.

"Ooww! Yuva, will ya shut yar big, fuckin' mouth! Someone's tryin' to sleep!" said an exasperated voice.

Had she been able to move, the wine-haired girl would have face-faulted. She hadn't noticed Broke had woken up at all. "F- for how long have you been hearing us?" she stuttered.

"Long enough! Who'd the stupid idea to put ya in my room,anyway?" she caught the meaningful look of Yuva. "Oh! Yeah! Of course, Tiff, 'should've guessed! 'Must really speak to her..." She painfully took a sitting position, she felt sore as if she had been mixed up in a spin dryer.The feeling was accentuated by the way her room had suddenly decided to roll before her eyes.Yuva's gastric performance didn't help her to feel better either. "Stampton, send K.A.-02 here, in its cleaning mode."

"Yes mistress Sloane." Answered the disembodied voice.

A few minutes later, the room door slid open again, revealing a large white box, fridge-like, with four arms and two legs. The robot was carrying a carpet cleaner, a mop and various others cleaning items. It also wore a curious apron with 'king of the world' written on it. If you added the fact it handled its tools like a fighter ready for the war, you could guess the robot must have a - really – hard work keeping the ship clean with its owner in the area. The thing spoke "I really wish you could be more careful. Since we left the battle, all I've done is to clean your mess!"

"Hey! It ain't my fault this time! That is the delicate brat over there who's not able to behave in society!"

Even though the robot hadn't any facial frame, it managed to look incredulous and frustrated. "And what about the living room? It looks like a mined field!"

The short-haired girl blushed slightly. "That ain't the same! it's...uh...inspiring, I had researches to do!"

K.A.-02 disinterested itself from the lying girl and turned itself toward the wine-haired girl. It bowed a little. "Lady Yuva, it's nice to meet you again..."

"Why are ya so nice with her?!? With me, all ya're doin' is to complain! Irrp!" She was roughly interrupted when the robot levelled the entire bed to pull the dirty carpet from underneath and began its ingrat task.

"Why, it is simply much more well mannered than you ever will be and knows who deserves it. By the way, it's a pleasure to see you too K.A.-02, Broke doesn't know the luck she has to have you..." The two women would've sworn the robot had blushed to the comment.

"Thank you lady Yuva, would you care for some refreshment?"

"It would be nice since my hosts didn't have the courtesy to offer me anything to drink."

The robot opened a compartment in its trunk and fished a glass, opening another, it filled the glass with ice cubes. It then mixed a gin tonic which it artistically decorated with a little umbrella and a straw. It then put the whole thing on an hovering plate that placed itself before the captive. "I'm sorry I received stricts orders not to release you of your restraints."

Yuva nodded comprehensively, yet slightly disappointed, and took a delightful sip that washed away the disgusting taste that had remained in her mouth since Kiyone's slap.

Broke had contemplated the whole display in disbelief, and well, jealousy. She felt She was herself rather thirsty. "Hey, old box, how come ya never do things like that for me? Ya're supposed to be 'my' robot!" She feigned to be shocked. "Oh gods! Don't tell me ya're in love with her! Mmfgniahahahahahaah!!!!"

"Don't be ridiculous, you know very well I'm not programmed for this kind of things, it's just nice to be well considered from time to time!"

"Oh, ok, so ya're doin' me this sorta domestic scene 'cause you think I ain't treatin' you right? What kind of virus did ya get in the last of Tiff's improvment? Supershrew software version .01?"

"And you, what did you get? The superbastard software? You will apologise to K. right now!" Yuva said sternly.

The short-haired girl's face reddened. "Hey! You're one to talk! Ya better stay out of this, ya little tra..." She interrupted herself, took a calming breath and smirked. "Well, Why not? Sure, 'mom'!" She faced K.A.-02 " I'm so damn 'sorry' K., ya simply can't imagine how much! But would ya be 'kind enough' to give me a drink, 'please'?" She asked scornfully.

The robot entirely missed the sarcasm and seemed to brighten up. "Oh thank you, you don't know what it means to me. Thank you too, lady Yuva." It offered Broke one of its other cocktails then resumed its cleaning while Yuva was staring daggers to the mercenary.

When it left, The wine-haired girl let her anger out. "You're such a brute! you really haven't changed in the last bit! I wish I had my powers, I..."

Broke cut her off icyly. "But obviously ya don't! Speakin' of yar powers, was what the other girl say true? Did ya really turn her into an alcohol sponge?"

The spy master sighed and looked her half-emptied glass. "You know, there were alcoholics and junkies long before I was even born..."

That wasn't really an answer but Broke accepted it. There was no use lying about that, the result was the same anyway. If the two cops thought easier for their own mind's sanity to believe the opposite, it wasn't her problem. They would have to deal with it anyway. No, she wouldn't tell them, that was better like that, moreover they wouldn't believe her. After all they were complete strangers and she had just tried to kill them. It would be a waste of time. She redirected her attention to her unexpected roommate.

"Well, ya've been here for about five years, 'seen any fun places around?"

End of chapter six

---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------

*** WORMHOLE LIFT ***

Chapter seven: Où sont les hommes?

Tenchi felt exhausted, he had spent most of the night in Washu's lab, at Ryoko 's bedside. He heard soft footsteps behind him and immediatly recognised who the visitor was.

"... 'Morning Aeka, how are you?" His voice was thick with exhaustion.

"I'm fine, thank you lord Tenchi, but it is already six, you really should go and have some sleep or else miss Washu will have to take care of you too. I'm sure you'd rather not bother her, would you?" The first crown princess of Jurai replied with the slightest hint of humour.

The young man paled at this, knowing all too well what the purple-haired girl was referring to. It was really surprising that the mad scientist hadn't tried one of her trick to get a sample from her favourite guinea pig yet. Not even once. He decided he'd better not push his luck too far and got up, streching his back. "How's Sasami?" He asked in a jaw breaking yawn.

"You don't need to worry, lord Tenchi. She woke up during the night after one of her... you know... nightmares. The effects of miss Washu's medication was over, but then she was conscious enough to understand that Ryoko was alive and safe when I told her. After that, she slept very peacefully, I think she's going to be all right and will probably come here as soon as she wakes up."

"Well, that's a relief, I hated seeing her like this!" What he kept for himself was that the little girl reaction had painfully reminded him of the day he had learned his mother's death... That was something he certainly didn't want to live again . "Hum, I think I'll get some rest. Are you going to stay here?"

She simply nodded and waved him good night.

When he got out of the closet, he was greeted by the sight of the cat-like woman sleeping soundly on the couch in the living room. He frowned, he had to admit he wasn't too fond of his new guests. Honestly, who would be? One was a dreaded mercenary who almost killed someone he cared for. Another had killed many people out of cowardice. The guy was still a mistery and the last one was nothing more than an assassin. Each of them had way too much blood on their hands. He hoped they would leave soon. Feeling feckish, he headed for the kitchen. He was surprised to find his father and the other man there, preparing the breakfast.

"Oh, hi Tenchi, how are you? How's Ryoko?" asked his father after a quick look over his shoulder.

The boy sat at the table. "She's fine, sleeping just like a baby. Aeka's watching her."

Noboyuki smiled and winked at his son. "Aeka? Mmmh, maybe they will get along much better after that, you're such a lucky boy my son!"

A large sweatdrop appeared on Tenchi's forehead. He wouldn't call the last events a stroke of luck. He then noticed the plate full of food in front of him, brought by the chestnut-haired man. "Thank you..." he said, looking at the older man who sat in front of him with another plate.

"You're welcome, and I should be the one to thank you allowing us to stay here after all that happened. I should also aplogize..." Gavel stated.

Tenchi cut him off. "No, you don't need to apologize. It's not your fault, you've even been hurt when you saved Aeka's life. We owe you a lot."

"But maybe things wouldn't have degenerated that much if I hadn't intervened, if I had let Broke do as she intented, if I hadn't taken their guns away..."

That was Noboyuki's turn to interrupt him. "The world is not made with 'if' and 'maybe', things could have turned out worse too, we are lucky it ended like that."

Tenchi felt somewhat proud of his father. Sure, he was an hopeless hentai but he was able of some good sparkles of wisdom sometimes. When his mother died, he had been the rock the little child could hang on to, although he was as distraught as his son.

"And my son's gonna have two of the most beautiful and powerful women in the galaxy as wives, now that they are friends!" He said, his eyes gleaming with joy.

The boy heavily fell off his chair. The moment of grace was already over. "Dad! Stop saying such nonsenses! Our guest is going to think we are some kind of perverses!"

"Uh? What are wives?"

Tenchi fell again, imitated by his father. "What do you mean? You don't know what a wife is?"

Gavel shook his head negatively. "Maybe it wasn't inserted in the Neuronal Language Teaching Inducer... Wait a minute... width, wield, wife, wig... No, it's there, but I can't find the equivalent in my language. Is it an insult?" He frowned as he said the last words. He didn't like the idea of two girls being insulted, even if he didn't know them.

"What?" squealed both son and father.

"No... of course not!" Tenchi stammered. "D'you really not know what a wife is?"

"I believe it's just what I said..." replied Gavel patiently.

Tenchi blinked several times. "Uh, yes, sorry... Err, well, you see, a wife is what a woman becomes when she weds..."

The outer man looked at him pleadingly. "When she...?"

The Masakis's mouths gaped wide open, allowing flies to explore the inside as they stared stunned at the strange guy sitten in their kitchen.

Funny how things can be completly different... except for beercans of course, and matches...

---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------ Ronohoro, Planet of the High Parliament of the Galaxy Federation... ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------

"... And now, Senator Masashi, from Gernower Systema."

The whole Congress Palace calmed down when the representative of one of the most powerful govermnents in the Galaxy Federation walked solemnly to the middle of the agora. He was a tall man with raven hair, well, everything in him evoked the black bird, from his long nose to his little sunken eyes and the large shoulders.

"Honourable colleagues, you certainly know about the strange deaths and disappearances of the last five years. It always hit eminent people, directors of high administration, leaders of powerful families or commercial companies, even famous artists. You also know the Galaxy Police investigated with no result at all. What you ignore is that I've myself been attacked two months ago..."

Gasps and cries of indignation could be heard throughout the whole audience. Masashi savoured the impact of his words for a few minutes then held his hands up to ask for silence.

"Fortunately, I was fast enough to stop my murderer and even capture him!"

Another rumble filled the room. A tall man on the upper levels with a tanned skin and elfic features asked "Why did you wait so long before telling us that?"

"I would have, if I hadn't suspected that there were traitors in the Galaxy Police who would have eliminated my prisoner. It is even possible there are here, amongst us..."

An angrier rumble answered him this time, but already there were deputies who were looking at each other suspisciously. Masashi smirked, everything was going very well, it was almost too easy.

Another deputy, Yohelein Fouet, representative of the commercial alliance of the system of Shesheya, spoke. "When you throw such accusations, you should bring proofs..."

"That's the reason I kept it secret." Masashi cut him off. "If I was going to have any chance to discover who was really behind this assassination attempt, I had to work on my own..."

The Shesheya system was the first rival in the Masashi's family economic interests. Of course, that put them on top of the list of suspects. Everybody knew that. And Shesheya's links with the Jurai imperial family would make the following even better for Masashi.

He held his arms up again. "... What I discovered was beyond any belief. What I've discovered is the worse threat for the Galactic Federation and the Autonomous Systems Alliance. It is something so incredible that you'll think I've lost my mind. And if I were you, I would think the same way. But when I 'll finish my story and present my proofs to you, I'm sure you shall agree with me. And with me you shall ask and vote for the application of the Gyaccon Treaty."

The whole assembly gasped in shock. The application of the Gyaccon Treaty meant nothing else than war. It had never been used since it had been signed by every members of the GF. Its purpose was to unify the armies of the different governments under the same commandment to face a mutual ennemy. But who was this sudden ennemy who was so powerful they had to create such an armada?

"Are you crazy Masashi? There's no one in the whole galaxy who could justify we levy such an army! The GF is the most powerful galactic society besides the empire of Jurai. Even the ASA couldn't compete with us if they wanted to, and they are too selfish to even consider it." It was Yohelein again. A few other deputies were nodding in agreement. The cost for such an operation was simply undescribable. "What are your evidences, Masashi? And first, who are they? Are we attacked by aliens?" he finished laughing.

Masashi smirked smugly. "I'd like to share your amusement, dear colleague, but I can't. The threat is real. As for who our ennemy is, of course it can't be nor the ASA, neither outer aliens.They are closer than that. They have always been here, controlling the instruments of our own administration under the table. Eliminating those who were hindering their plans of hegemony. You just mentionned them too, and you know them very well, don't you, deputy Fouet?"

Yohelein's laugh died in his throat as he paled in realization. "You... You can't mean..."

A heavy silence had fallen on the assembly. When Masashi spoke, his voice resonated like thunder. "Yes, I do! The one who commenditated those crimes is the Empire of Jurai!!!" This time, everybody was too shoked to reply. Masashi smirked again, it was something really scarying to see. ".... And here are my evidences and, alas, an uncomplete list of their spies and accomplices..."

On the giant screen that appeard behind him, a sequence of pictures of people flashed by and a little summary of their activities for the juraian empire, with compromising records and documents. There was of course Yohelein and some of his friends. They were quickly placed under arrest in spite of their outraged shouts.

"Now my friends, I will show you why the Gyaccon Treaty is necessary, besides the juraian fleet is at the moment the most powerful one in the galaxy." This time the holoprojector produced a 3D picture of Earth. "It seems the Jurai imperial family is not using this little backwater planet only for vacation. They are hosting very dangerous people..." The Earth was replaced by pictures of Gavel, Broke, Ryoko, Tiffany and Washu with datas of their skills. "We have prooves that the juraian royalty made a contract with the mad scientist Washu to provide them with other cabbits and soldiers as powerful as the infamous Ryoko." With that, he played a track where Washu and the queen Funaho could be seen walking down numerous stairs...

---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------ Jurai, imperial palace ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------

"It's a disaster, lady Funaho, about 73% of our cover agents are discovered." The first empress of Jurai was apparently listening calmly to the young officer. Inside she was literally melting in rage. Honestly, how would you feel if you just learned that your lifespan work had just been destroyed. Especially when you were around three thousand years old... Three thousand years of peace and commercial improvement for her empire. Of course it had sometimes required...drastic measures, but that was always better than let Misaki, chief of the armies, take care of the problem. How had this Masashi discovered so much about it? There could only be traitors in the intelligence service! Anyway, now everything was down because of this man. Should she have known, she would have ordered his death before all of this happened. But he had never been considered as a threat for the interests of the empire. His disappearance had been classified as an internal settling of scores of the GF. He must have received the help of someone else, he hadn't enough guts, nor brain, to try such a machination all by himself...

She snapped out of her thoughts when the officer spoke once again. "Masashi's private fleet is reported to be moving towards the Sol system. They will be joined by Galaxy Police special assault forces ships."

To announce that to Misaki and their husband wasn't going to be easy!

"Their meeting point is Pluto, in two days..." The officer was fidgeting nervously.

NOT easy at all!!! She sighed loudly. "Please, summon the Holy Counsel. I'm going to get my sister queen myself..."

End of chapter seven

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*** WORMHOLE LIFT ***

Chapter eight: Awakening

Sasami woke up with a start. All the events of the previous day hit her and she almost broke in tears. Then she remembered what her sister had told her in the night. She jumped out of her bed, throwing Ryo-Oki, who was quietly sleeping on the blanket, in the air. She ran downstairs, opened the closet door and slammed it powerfully behind her. She never slowed until she erupted in the healing room, startling Ayeka. "Sasami! A juraian princess shouldn't run like that!" despite her words, the first princess was smiling fondly at her little sister, seeing her on her feet was a real relief.

Sasami just ignored the comment, her eyes locked on Ryoko. "That was true! She's ok! I was so afraid that what you told me was just a dream..."

Ayeka kneeled and embraced the little girl who hugged her back tightly. 'Hunghh! she's becoming as strong as mother!' Ayeka wriggled to free herself.

"You see? Ryoko's going to be fine. Miss Washu told us she should wake up tomorrow afternoon..."

Sasmi cheered up considerably. "Oh! In that case I'll make her her favourite dishes!!!"

The purple-haired girl smiled again. "I'm sure she'll appreciate a lot."

---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------

Noboyuki entered the Manta crusader with his first-aid kit. When Mihoshi and Kiyone had exited the dock subspace, they had asked him to send someone to heal the prisoner. Though, they didn't precised to him how she had been hurt, in the first place. Then they told him they were going back to their flat and left him all alone to handle this. He had first tried to wake the cat woman up as it was one of her'friends'. But she was having a very vivid nightmare and after seeing what her claws were doing to the couch, decided he had better to ask someone else. Tenchi was comating in his bed, Gavel had disappeard with all he could have found about Earth traditions and customs. It was certainly better not to bring any of the princesses around the new arrivants. And finally, Washu had warned everybody that the one who'd dare to disturb her would suffer hell.

"...'Got to go by myself..." Not that the task really bothered him. He was curious about the new girl.Well, okay, scratch that, he was curious about every girl, and this one couldn't electrocute, slash or explode him at the moment. And it was pure courtesy to be introduced to each other, wasn't it?

He was already drooling...

"Now, where's that room?" He lost himself in the coursives and finally ended up in the holds.There were a lot of crates there, some closed, others opened. Food and drinks, medical supplies, weapons and... A huge smile spreaded on his face.

Upstairs, in the habitable quarters....

"K.A.02, the human being we are looking for stopped his wandering in the holds."

K.A.02 had just finished cleaning Broke's quarters when Stampton had warned it about Noboyuki's entrance. The human being had managed, by sheer luck, to avoid every encounter with the growing flustered droïd during two hours. "Finally! Thank you, Stampton. I'm going to get this intruder and teach him the meaning of private property!"

When K.A. stepped in the holds, its sonic detectors were assaulted by a maniacal laughter. After a quick research, it found the man crouched before a pocket holoprojector. He was giggling and, arrrgh! drooling in profusion.

"Hey, you! Stop making a mess of the floor! The ship was finally clean"

Noboyuki jumped like a startled cat and backpedaled until his course was stopped by a crate. In front of him, a fridge-like thing, with four arms and two legs was already moping the floor and grumbling something about organic beings. When it finished, it came in his direction, obviously quite irate. Noboyuki panicked. No one had told him about this thing. His eyes ran everywhere, looking for an escape, but there wasn't any. The fridge grabbed him by the collar and hauled him about one meter high.

"Hoy! Let me down! I didn't do anything!"

"Wrong! You came in without invitation. Who are you, anyway? And what are you doing here?"

"Oh! My name's Noboyuki Masaki, nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too! I'm K.A.02, butcher of this vessel. Are you one of our hosts?"

"Exactly!"

They looked at each other, embarrased.

"Hum... Could you put me down, please?"

"Err, yes, of course..." K.A.02 lowered gently the man and dusted him. "So, you didn't answer me. what are you doing here?"

"I was sent to take care of a girl named Yuva... And... I got lost" He showed the first-aid kit, praying that the robot wasn't refering about what he was doing a few seconds ago.

"A first-aid kit? Oh, I see! It's because of the two women that mistress Tiffany allowed in to interrogate miss Yuva... She won't need it, I think mistress Sloane has already healed her..."

The droïd turned and dragged the slightly disappointed man behind him. It then stopped dead-pan when the two of them were in Broke's room. Indeed, Yuva was perfectly healthy, though still hold in her restraints. And there was adhesive on her mouth. K.A.02 was radiating disapproval when it looked at Broke, who had drifted back to sleep long ago. Meanwhile, Noboyuki stepped closer to the spy master. All of a sudden, she raised her head and bore her gaze in his. He was so surprised that he tripped and almost fell backwards. He blushed a little and quickly regained his composure before K.A. could notice. He coughed a little and asked the droïd. "Do you think we can take the adhesive off?"

K.A.02 turned to look at him. "Certainly." It delicately pulled on the sticky tape. "Miss Yuva, I apologise about this. I'm afraid mistress Sloane hasn't any sense of hospitality..."

The spy master coughed too before she could speak. "- kof-, -kof-... That is something that I already know..." She said with a little smile.

Her voice was like velvet and sent chills down Noboyuki's spine.

"Good morning, I'm Noboyuki... Masaki Noboyuki. Pleased to meet you..."

She threw him her most seductive smile. "Oh no... The pleasure is all mine... By the way, my name's Yuva. But I think you already know it, don't you?"

Noboyuki gulped and scratched the back of his head. "He, he, he... They talked about you, that's right!"

"Mmmh, a lot of awful things, I guess..." She laughed in her most lovely way, making her cleavage bounce, which immediatly drew his gaze on her generous curves.

'Wow! What a beautiful mama!!!'

K.A.02's voice snapped him out of his little world.

"Mr. Masaki, we'd better go. Mistress Sloane is terribly crabby when she's awaken..."

Noboyuki glanced worriedly at the blob under the blanket. "Really? How much crabby?"

The silence that followed was more eloquent than any words. After a long minute, Yuva spoke again. "Pleeaase, don't let me here all alone with her. You've seen what she did to me!"

Her perfume filled Noboyuki's nostrils. 'So pleasant and... stimulating...' His vision blurred. Deep inside him, he felt the need to help her begin to rise. Such a nice and beautiful young woman couldn't be possibly abandoned to such a threat...

Again, the metallic voice of the droïd kicked him out of his trance. "Miss Yuva, I know mistress Sloane is sometimes rough. Well... often. But she never hurt an harmless person since she got free from Moroïk. Err... almost never. But I'm sure she wouldn't do anything to you. After all, she healed you, didn't she? She even heard you and apologised to me before. I have to thank you again for that." It turned towards Noboyuki. "Now I really think we should go..." And it pushed a very reluctant man out of the room.

Yuva's face was the perfect face of disbelief. This goddamn can had blown her plan out. She wondered if the artificial butcher knew what she had tried to do with the older Masaki. No, it couldn't be. K.A.02 wasn't unable to analize chemical substances. The pheromones she just used on the man couldn't be detected by the droïd. She sighed in relief. Right, her mind powers were temporary blocked, but there still were her other skills. And Noboyuki was an easy prey. Maybe she could use him later...

---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------ The day after, early in the morning... ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------

Washu had replaced the juraian sisters at Ryoko's bedside the evening before. Of course, all the while, her machines analized the new arrivants's DNA. Which allowed her to focuse her mind on her daughter. She really was proud of her. The capricious and wild child had recently grown to become a caring and trustful woman... sort of. Ok, that wasn't something she would ever admit. She would probably pretend that she saved Ayeka for Tenchi or Sasami. But because of the link she shared with her daughter, Washu knew that Ryoko had grown to like her rival. A twisted friendship, but a friendship nonethe'less. And she suspected it was the same for the princess. To live in a normal family had been beneficial for the two girls. One had learnt to respect the others's wishes and the other had come down her pedestal. Hum! At least, a little.

The diminutive scientist smiled sadly. Hopefully, one day Ryoko would open up to her too. One day they would be mother and daughter again. One day Ryoko would remember...

Kagato. That bastard!

He cealed her in a parallel dimension. Then he enslaved her little Ryoko, brainwashing her to bend her will to his.

The bastard!!!

An evil gleam flared in her green eyes. If he had been still alive, she would have taken care personnaly of this stincking result of the bad digestion of a cow. She had lost so much time! Two times her children had been taken away from her. The first one was lost forever. The second denied her, and she'd almost lost her too. She never showed it, but it hurt everytime she didn't drawn herself in her work. What she had said to lady Funaho when the royal family had visited them was true, there would never be another child. It hurt too much!

Thinking about the first queen of Jurai drove her gaze over the comscreen she 'd built to allow the princesses to communicate with their parents. For the first time she noticed that the on-calling light was on. She activated the engine.

Ten minutes later, she was shaking feverly the former space pirate to wake her up. Meanwhile, she had switched the emergency alarms that she'd hidden in the house on. No need to say there were a lot of heart attacks this morning...

The end

I hope you enjoyed that. If you did, then don't worry, it's not the true end. I know I'm a jerk to let it at that, but a suite will come up in "Everything's got a price". It might be darker. But you'll have to give me some time, I'm afraid. "Wormhole lift" took me long enough and I'm just beginning to write it. Sorry. ^_^ I want to thank Dja-chan for proof-reading it and correcting my poor english, although, I'm sure that I still managed to forget some of my mystakes.