Star Trek: The Return of Ranma Saotome 9 – By DS Wynne

Disclaimer: "Ranma ½" and "Star Trek" belong to their respective owners.

Note: This is an alt/fusion story.


Part 9: "Parent and Child"


The woman in the kimono, who claimed to be Ranma's mother, glides over to her "son". Being a vampire, specifically a "kuei-jin", gave her an unearthly appearance. At the moment, the vampire had managed to infiltrate the holodeck program that Ranma and Counselor Troi was using for their date.

"Yes, my son," Nodoka Saotome said, as she cupped her son's left cheek. "You were stolen from me by your bastard of a father, when were but a child. But the Fates have smiled upon me, by allowing me to see the day that we are reunited, my son."

For a moment, this strange woman had entranced Ranma. However, upon getting touched by Nodoka's cold, alabaster skin, Ranma snapped out of his trance.

"Get…get away from me!" Ranma said, as he stumbled back.

Nodoka looked quizzical at first, but dismissed it.

"It is okay, my son. I understand your fears, but your mother is here to soothe your emotions-"

SKREEE!

Nodoka was knocked back and down. She looked up to see Counselor Troi pointing a recently discharged weapon at her.

"You!" Nodoka roared, baring fanged teeth. "How dare you?"

"Ranma, get back," Troi said. Luckily, Pert had suggested that everyone should have a phaser, even a pocket version.

"Deanna, don't hurt her!" Ranma demanded, as he got in front of Troi's line of sight.

"Ranma, she's the one who attacked Hana!"

Ranma turns around, and sees a smirking Nodoka.

"Is…is this true?" Ranma asked, not really wanting to have his suspicions confirmed.

"It is, my son. But I need to feed to survive! This is all your father's fault!"

"Maybe it is," said a disembodied voice. "But what you are doing now is all your doing."

Ranma saw Genko materializing from out of nowhere. The dark-haired, cute Starfleet officer was with Laxwanna Troi. Apparently, they were still spying on their children.

"Ranma, Deanna, get behind Laxwanna and I," Genko said.

"Genko, dear, be careful," the Ambassador of Betazed said, as she pulled her daughter and potential son-in-law to her side.

"Genma, so glad that you can join us," Nodoka smirks.

"Pop, what is going on?" Ranma asked, as Deanna forced him to stay back.

"I will tell you exactly what's going on," Genko said, as she got before Nodoka. She then got on her knees and bowed before Nodoka. "I apologized for being a fool, a coward, a bad parent and a bad spouse. I apologize for using my child as a way of creating a great legacy for selfish reasons. And I apologize for creating this mess to begin with."

Nodoka blinked for a moment. On one hand, she wanted to get rid of the cursed Genma for what she went through. On the other hand, Ranma was standing there before her. If she took action against Genma, she runs the risk of alienating her son.

However, before she could act…

"You must be 'Nodoka Saotome, right?" said Laxwanna Troi, as she steps forward.

"Mother-!" Deanna began.

"Hush, child. Let the parents talk."

Nodoka looked at this bold creature, as she is being approached.

"May I have a word, Mrs. Saotome?" Laxwanna asked.

"You may…"

"Excellent! Now, you are accusing Genko of taking Ranma away, correct?"

"Yes."

"But didn't you sign a contract indicating that Ranma was to be trained as a martial artist, and that he was to be a 'man amongst men'?"

"That is correct. It was a 'sippuku contract', in which if I didn't feel that Ranma was manly, when he came back, then he and his father would engage in ritual suicide."

"Dreadful fate, but understandable. But I have one question."

"And that is…?"

"What part of that contract did Genma not live up to?"

"I beg your pardon?"

"The way I see it, there was no set date for when dear Ranma was to return, nor did he get cursed like his father."

"You have a point…but Ranma died-!"

"And you didn't? I heard that vampires are those who have died and are regenerated into their forms. And most importantly, you came back. Ranma came from the dead so to speak as well."

Nodoka blinked at the thought.

"And," Laxwanna said, as she got behind Ranma and Deanna to hug them, " if all goes well, then YOUR Ranma and MY Deanna will get married, settle down, and have lots of kids."

"Mother-!" Deanna said with a start.

Ranma merely sweat-dropped.

"The Genma Saotome you know is GONE, changed by time and circumstance. You should give 'Genko' a chance at redemption."

Nodoka thought for a moment.

"Very well, I will relent…on one thing."

"And that is…?"

Nodoka turns to Genko.

"I have over-heard you speaking to Ryouga Habiki about a challenged fight between him and Ranma, correct?"

"Yes…"

"I will forgo my revenge, if, and only if, my son defeats Mr. Habiki. If he does, I will conclude that Ranma has fulfilled his end of the agreement, as a man amongst men, and I will release Genko from her obligation to ME."

And with that, Nodoka disappears as a mist.

"What the heck was that all about!" Ranma yelled.

"Come, boy," Genko said, as he dragged Ranma out the door of the holodeck. "We got a lot of work to do!"

As the two leave…

"My dear, you are looking at the future of our family," Laxwanna said.

Deanna merely shakes her head.

Tbc.

Next time: "Finale"