IT'S THE NAVEL LIFE FOR ME...
Author: Daferge
The characters in this story and the events of all the Tenchi Muyo shows are property of AIC and Pioneer. I have neither created them, nor do I own them.
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chapter 10...
( Day six - North Atlantic )
Washu sat alone in her cabin, studying her computer screen... Tenchi had sent a secured message to his lab, but THEN had turned right around and radioed Norfolk that one of the boilers had developed a cracked pipe that needed to be replaced... An 'airdrop' was scheduled for today, for the delivery of the 'parts'... She couldn't help but smile... Hopefully their 'shadow' would accept the obvious and continue as before...
She still had no idea what 'Project Vulture' was, but she did trust Tenchi...
Besides, her attempt to access Tenchi's Lab records had hit a brick wall, literally...
Tenchi's Lab computer wasn't connected to the Internet, therefore not accessible from outside his Lab... She was so proud of him...
Mihoshi wasn't very helpful either, she couldn't remember if it was this project, that project or that other project...
Washu smiled... She was pretty sure Mihoshi wasn't as 'dumb' as she seemed...
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Ayeka had her hands full, word about the 'boiler' problems had gotten around and soon members of the crew had stopped her inquiring as to how this would effect the trials...
Would they be forced to return early?...
Her answer had been that it was a part of the trials to test getting emergency supplies to the ship... Thank goodness Tenchi had included crew mail be included in the drop...
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Ryoko was going over her list of items in the armory... The dozen rounds of 5' ammo for the 'main' gun ( actually the ONLY gun ) stored in an Ammo case near the gun... She'd even managed to 'sweet talk' the officer in charge of the Norfolk armory out of some 'small arms', some rifles and pistols ( with ammo ), for security reasons... For the most part they might as well be throwing rocks...
Ryoko smiled as she looked to the side of her desk... There were the three small rocks she'd picked up off the dock as she was getting on board, she'd wondered why she'd done that...
Over in the corner was a couple of paper shopping bags holding what looked like large tubes...
These were Ryoko's 'back-up', a number of old M72 LAWs ( Light Anti-tank Weapons ) with a 1,000 meter range ( 200 if you REALLY wanted to hit something )... Amazing what you could get if you had 'looks', 'connections' and money...
When she and Kiyone had carried them aboard Tenchi had noticed them, but except for raising an eye brow, he didn't comment... Just smiled and shook his head...
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Kiyone had the 'con'... In other-words, she was in charge ( the captain )...
Mostly she was keeping an eye on the horizon... To the North where their shadow was hiding and to the West from where their 'supply' aircraft would be approaching...
She glanced at the figure at the other end of the open bridge...
Tenchi was sitting on a stool, leaning back against the bridge wall, arms crossed, he's cap pulled down over his eyes...
It'd been a while since she been in a 'situation' with him, she'd forgotten how he handled stress... " What you can't do any thing about, don't worry about!... ", advice from his grandfather Katsuhito Yosho Jurai... It was advice he took to heart...
She smiled...
Her headset buzzed...
" Bridge!... "
" Sir... We have a radar contact, bearing 255, range 20 miles and closing... "
Turning, Kiyone found Tenchi sitting up, smiling at her...
" Rodger, Radar... Maintain contact and let us know if there's any thing else... "
" Yes, Sir... "
She turned to Tenchi, who was stretching and getting the kinks out...
" Should we inform the crew?... "
Tenchi glanced over the bridge rail before facing Kiyone...
" Oh... I don't think that will be necessary!... "
Peeking over the rail, Kiyone found a large number of the crew already on deck looking off to the west... Even Washu, Sasami and Mihoshi were there... Kiyone sighed...
What was that saying Tenchi had once used, Oh, yea... ' Telephone, Telegraph, tell a woman '...
Ryoko stepped out onto the bridge, all smiles...
" Shall we get this party started?... "
to be continued...
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