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Aboard Haida, an hour after breakfast (Japan time)…
"It's good to see you three again."
"Thank you for hosting us, Hiromi-san," Kasumi said with a bow as the Miyamoto sisters stepped off the materialiser pad alongside their friends from Yoshū.
Hiromi then turned to On Tsuguta, who had just greeted Torusuke. "So what was the decision of your Executive Council, Honsho-dono?" the reborn emperor then asked.
The leader of Yoshū turned and deeply bowed to her. "My Emperor, we were more than glad to recognize what has happened between Koshaji-dono and Miyamoto Akane-ojōsama, thus we gladly welcomed her as a student at our school. The invitation is also open for Miyamoto Nabiki-ojōsama as well; we felt it would be too cruel to ask her to remain anywhere within range of a lunatic like Kunō Tatewaki while her sister was safely in Utsunomiya. We will take a direct vote concerning her when time permits."
Hiromi nodded. "Excellent. Go to the operations room and speak to Elder Kělún concerning how many people from Yoshū are coming with us on this mission. I've given her and her great-granddaughter the tasking as to which ships you'll be sent to." She then gazed on the others from Utsunomiya. "As for the rest of you, go down to the cafeteria and get something to eat. Once your placements are made, you'll be contacted and dispatched off, plus be allowed to make arrangements for everyone else from Yoshū to be beamed aboard. Please remember that we're holding the official commissioning ceremonies for all these ships today, so try not to go onto the exposed decks when we're in atmosphere. We only want people who are in proper uniforms to do that."
Understanding nods all around, and then someone came up to guide them out of the room as Tsuguta followed Torusuke to the nearest turbolift to the operations room. The Miyamoto sisters remained behind. Hiromi was quick to sense the uncertainty billowing deep within their hearts. "Is there something wrong?" she asked.
Kasumi giggled. "I'm sorry, Hiromi-san, but Ojii-san insisted that all three of us go along with you on this trip." Her smile then slipped as she added, "It's another thing he's doing against Otō-san to finally snap him out of his delusions concerning the 'union of the schools' and all that. Would you need extra cooks?"
"Well, these ships do come complete with replicator units that can produce meals when needed, but we also have full galleys here as well since it might take a while for military personnel to adjust to the idea of using computers to take the place of proper cooks," the reborn emperor stated before she walked over to a wall terminal and tapped controls to draw up an internal diagram of Haida. "Galley Three is here; the Kitchen Troop of the 2nd/10th Dragoons' F Squadron — that's their combat service support group — is there now helping out with the members of the ship's company who are assigned to work there. Report to the acting troop warrant there. She might accept your explanation at face value as her empathy will sense out your truthfulness, but she may ask to do a quick mind-meld to review your memories of our conversation."
Kasumi nodded. "I understand. Excuse me, please."
And with that, she was off. "Where can I fit in?" Nabiki then asked.
Hiromi hummed for a moment, and then she smiled. "I'll send you to the main computer room, Nabiki-san; it's right here," she said as she indicated where that room was located, virtually at the very heart of the ship's main hull. "Right now, it's being manned by a small group of Canadian Navy personnel. Seek out Ikusawa Kyōko when you're there; she's one of the Avalonians who've been on Haida since we liberated them from the Niphentaxians. Again, just like I explained to your sister, she'll accept your explanation at face value, but prepare yourself for a mind-meld just in case." Quickly sensing a flash of wariness from the middle daughter, Hiromi smiled. "It's nothing truly invasive and Kyōko-san will always respect your privacy, Nabiki-san. Once you're there, take all the chances you can to learn what we've done up here. You've got an excellent mind for details and you're naturally inclined towards logistics, so I can use you there. Anything odd or unusual you find, don't be afraid to ask questions or seek out information. You'll have carte blanche access."
Nabiki gaped. "Hiromi, that's…"
"Nabiki-san, ever since I first met you that day you were meeting with Momoe-san in Tomobiki, you've always struck me as the type of person that needs to feel in as much control over her life as she can get. You now have the chance to get that."
The other woman stared at her, and then she grinned. "Dōmo!"
And with that, she was off. "You did that to keep her out of trouble," Akane said as Hiromi gazed at her before beckoning her to follow.
"Indeed I did, Akane-san. I can understand where your sister's coming from, so I felt it best to make use of her talents and not fight them. In the meantime, we have a date with a gestation chamber in Sick Bay. This way, please."
Akane's jaw dropped. "Wait! HOW THE HELL DID YOU KNOW ABOUT THAT?!"
Hiromi laughed. "I'm empathic, Akane-san! I can sense the magatama in your pocket right now." She pointed to the area of Akane's right hip in emphasis. "If Tsuguta-san gave you that magatama, it was for the reason of restoring that poor soul back to life with you acting as her DNA template! Let's not tarry!"
The youngest of the Miyamoto sisters blinked, and then she chuckled as she ran off after the reborn emperor. They headed down the hallway to a turbolift station, and then got into the next available car. A quick ride forward soon found them at what would be called "Sick Bay Flats" on a normal Canadian warship. Through one more door later found them inside the main reception room of the ship's medical station, which was now filled with military personnel bearing the Rod of Aesculapius insignia of the Canadian Forces Medical Services, both in the dark blue Naval Combat Dress marking them as members of Haida's Medical Division and in temperate woodland CADPATs for those personnel from the Army joining them on the mission (they also bearing the unit flash for 23 Field Ambulance, which had been tasked to deploy a support troop for the 2nd/10th Dragoons, even if that regiment had not been officially returned back to active service in the Militia)…as well as many Avalonian women in the two-piece martial arts gi-like uniforms they wore to symbolize their desire to volunteer as members of the Canadian Forces. Unlike the line personnel, these people wore the blood red-and-green colours of the CFMS, all with arm bands bearing the international symbol of the Red Cross declaring their position as medics. Ranks for the volunteers were defined by badges on their collars, all the same as regular Canadian Forces army soldiers. Hiromi went to a girl with a sergeant's three stripes-and-maple leaf insignia on her collars. "Sergeant Tamachi, where's Gossip-sensei?" she asked.
The girl looked over, and then she bowed. "Captain Gossip is currently in his office getting things prepared for the deployment, Director," she replied. She then gazed at Akane before smiling. "I assume your companion is about to volunteer herself for the spirit currently in the magatama in her pants pocket."
"Indeed she is."
The would-be medic nodded. "I understand." To Akane. "Hello," she said as she reached over to gently squeeze the youngest Miyamoto daughter's hand. "I'm Sergeant Tamachi Hiromi, detached from 23 Field Ambulance to serve as part of the Medical Troop, F Squadron, 2nd/10th Dragoons. What's your name?"
"Miyamoto Akane," Akane said as the sergeant waved her towards a side door.
"And you're okay with allowing us to use your DNA to give the sentience of the poor soul inside that magatama in your pocket new life?"
"Of course!"
"Wonderful! Let's get started!"
They headed through the door, and then stopped as their eyes focused on the still form inside one of the tanks lining one bulkhead. Said body was now virtually complete; she was now in the image of the wide-eyed girl standing next to the four senior tōshi of Seito. Blonde hair, blue-grey eyes, slightly tanned skin…!
"…sister! I'm gonna have a sister! A SISTER…!"
A gentle hand landed on the shoulder of Takadono Osami (Hōtō Shigen). "Calm down, Osami-san," Koro Sonami said as she smiled fondly at the gushing sophomore who had spent the last six months attending Kyoshō under the false name "Makomo Mikiko" and the battle name "Shōkan Shiyoku." "We're happy to have Mikiko-san back with us, but try not to get too excited about this. Mako-san said you have to be calm when she mind-melds with you to link up your mind to Mikiko-san's mind so she can get all the knowledge so she could survive in this day and age."
Osami blinked, and then she nodded in understanding. She then looked over, her eyes widening in confusion on seeing Akane standing there. "Who…?"
"What are you doing here, Akane-san?" Seki Haneko asked.
Akane chuckled. "The same reason your friend's here, Unchō-sempai," she said as she waved to Osami. "I was just accepted into Yoshū today since Koshaji-sensei took me on as her student in her Art, but Honsho-sempai wanted me to provide my DNA to template off of so that his past-self's old adviser, Chinrin Kōshō, could come back to life."
The Seito girls all looked surprised. "Chinrin Kōshō?" Koeru Kumomi asked before she smiled. "Well, that should make things a little more peaceful between Yoshū and Kyoshō in the long term. Mako-sensei?!" she then called out.
A blonde woman in a CFMS coloured jumpsuit, also with sergeant's rank on her collars, came up to them. "I assume we have another one here," Saitō Mako mused.
"Hai. Akane-san here will be the DNA template. This one's battle name is 'Chinrin Kōshō,' affiliated with Yoshū." Kumomi then looked back. "Um…"
"Miyamoto Karin," Akane provided.
Mako smiled. "Fair enough. Let's get started."
It was a remarkably simple process. First, Mako took a hypodermic unit to gently draw some blood out of Akane's arm. Once that was done, she then proceeded to load that sample into a unit connected to a chamber with an incomplete bioroid within. Seeing that formless yet clearly female mannequin-like being draped in a protective bodysuit, Akane gaped as she compared that to the just-completed new body for one Makomo Mikiko. "Damn!"
Mako looked over. "What is it, Akane-san?"
"Were you like this once, Mako-sensei?" Akane asked as she pointed to the bioroid that would soon bear the soul of her soon-to-come sister Karin.
She looked up at the bioroid, and then she shrugged as she tapped controls to commence the templation. "A long time ago, it seems. I don't think about it myself, of course. I'm just glad that these days, I have my own life under my own control."
Akane blinked, and then she perked as the liquid inside the chamber began to bubble. Instantly, the skin turned from a milky white to the same shade of skin that Akane herself possessed. Hair began growing out of the head. At first a silvery-white, it soon morphed into the raven black that Akane also called her own. The face also changed, shifting slightly to become a perfect mirror's of Akane's own face. As the body also shifted to reflect her proper dimensions, the youngest Miyamoto daughter could only shake her head. "Wow! Who thought of this in the first place?"
"Whoever they were, Akane-san, they were truly gods."
Akane looked over as Kumomi came up to stand beside her. "Do you think so?"
"Our creators were many things. I would not use the word 'god' for them."
Both turned as Mako brought up a chair to relax herself beside the gestation machine creating Karin's new body. "What were your creators like, Mako-sensei?" Kumomi asked. "I am aware that they hailed from a star system beyond the borders of the galaxy proper and that their home sun was called 'Sen'a.' What else do you know?"
The medic smiled. "The planet's name is 'Sagussa'; it is the third of seven worlds in what was once a binary star system. Sen'a was a G8V class main sequence star with a red dwarf, class M3V, orbiting it closely that was called 'Eisen'a.' Three very large continents on a world the same size as Earth. The race that started Project: Avalon first began developing their civilization a hundred millennia ago. Gifted as we are now: Touch-telepathy, empathic senses, the inner eye looking into the Te'a directly. A matriarchal society, but it later became egalitarian. Up to about twenty millennia ago, they were a very peaceful society as a whole." She closed her eyes. "And then came the Age of Gisan'cha. The Age of Technology Unbounded. When they DARED to master the power of the Te'a Itself. And ultimately paid for it in a five-century civil war that slaughtered ten billion people." As the people listening to this all gasped in shock, the sergeant then breathed out. "The race finally died out ten millennia ago; they couldn't live anymore on a world that had been rendered into a radiological desert that was super-heated when Eisen'a was destroyed by a sun-killer bomb and was made to add its mass to Sen'a, thus forcing the borders of the habitable zone in that solar system to move well beyond Sagussa's orbit line. But there is a new race soon to be born on that world. Whether they'll make contact with us…" She shrugged. "Possibly, but I doubt it'll be soon."
"Damn…" Haru Asumi breathed out.
"How horrible!" Sonami gasped.
"True, but that should always be a reminder to all of you; never go farther than what you believe you can handle," Mako stated, and she then perked on hearing a ding! from the chamber now holding the just-finished body of one Makomo Mikiko. "Ah, that one's finished! Let's get her out of there and get her woken up!"
Mako headed over to the control station beside Mikiko's chamber, and then she tapped controls to drain the fluids out. As that was done, the bioroid was allowed to drift down to land on her feet at the bottom of the chamber as hot air nozzles then opened up to dry her skin and hair off; they also put enough pressure on her body to keep her in place. Once that was done, Mako then had the chamber tilted onto its back before allowing the bottom end to flip open. Mikiko's body was now suspended by the air jets in mid-air as Mako then pulled an anti-gravity gurney over to allow it to rest at the opened door. Slipping on thick gloves, she then slid the top of the gurney into the tube, allowing such to rest right under Mikiko's body. Once she was fully protected from banging her body accidentally on any jutting instrument, the sergeant clicked off the nozzle units to remove the air pressure on Mikiko's body, and then gently pulled the gurney out, taking it over to a nearby diagnostic bed. She then lifted the newly-created bioroid onto the bed, shaking her head as Haneko and Kumomi moved over to assist. "Don't touch her. Her mind will instantly lock in on yours and move to bring your soul into her body. You don't want that, do you?"
Both tōshi instantly backed off, nodding rapidly as Asumi and Akane both laughed and Osami and Sonami both giggled. Once Mikiko's body was placed on the bed, Mako then reached over to a table to pull up a device about the same size as the average cell phone, and then she placed it on Mikiko's forehead. "There we go; that will activate all the basic mental programming. May I have Mikiko's magatama, please?"
Osami handed it over. Mako then gingerly affixed the earring onto Mikiko's left lower lobe. At that moment, a shocked gasp escaped the newly-completed bioroid as her eyes flew open, revealing slightly glowing orbs before they returned back to the same blue-grey eyes Osami possessed. After a moment, the newly woken Mikiko then brought her hands up to gaze at them. "What strange magic is this…?" she gasped in a more classical tone of Japanese. "Where am I?! What has happened…?!"
She moved to stand, but Mako gently restrained her. "Stay still, sister," the sergeant calmly stated. "You just were placed into this body and you need to catch up on some things. When were you last alive? Do you remember the year?"
A confused blink from the newly-woken bioroid. "'Twas…the second year of Ansei…" Mikiko blinked again. "Are you a sorceress, my lady? Why do you call me 'sister'…?"
"What year was that?" Asumi asked, confusion crossing her face.
"Eighteen-fifty-five," Sonami provided as she came up to stand by the bed, smiling at the just-woken bioroid. "Ohayō, Shiyoku-san. I'm Ryūbi Gentoku."
Mikiko blinked, and then she nodded. "Gentoku-sama. How is this possible?"
"Well, it's not magic, but very high science that's not native to our land, but is offered to us by a people who care very deeply for all those such as we," Sonami stated. "Right now, this is the year 2010 as the nations of Europe and America think of it. The Twenty-second Year of Heisei as we call it; the great-great-grandson of the Kōmei Emperor now rules all of Nihon. A hundred-and-fifty-five years after your time. Did you die in the great quake that struck Edo late in the fall of that year?"
Silence as the newly-woken bioroid considered that for a moment, and then she nodded. "I believe so, Gentoku-sama. Last I remember was that I was in the Yoshiwara part of Edo when suddenly, the whole building shook violently. I blanked out…" Mikiko then smiled as she raised her hand before she lowered it. "And now I'm here."
Haneko, Asumi and Kumomi came up to stand beside their leader. "Shiyoku, would you like us to call Mōtoku down so you can see him?" the former then asked.
Quickly spotting the Reienkyo in the older woman's hand, Mikiko chuckled. "Unchō-sama. Well met again. And Ekitoku-sama and Shiryū-sama, I presume."
"You presume correctly, Shiyoku-san. Welcome back to the land of the living," Kumomi stated with a polite nod before gazing on Mako. "Mako-sensei, what happens now?"
"Well, if you'll grant us a little privacy, Osami-san and I can help her catch up to the last century and a half she's missed out on, then she can get dressed," Mako stated.
Hearing that, Osami then came up. "What do I have to do, Mako-sensei?"
The sergeant smiled. "Just be very calm."
Fifteen minutes later…
"She's up?"
Everyone perked on hearing that concerned voice, and then they turned to smile as the leader of Kyoshō came up to join them. The Seito girls and Akane were now seated on a couple of couches in the hallway beyond the doors leading into Sick Bay. "About fifteen minutes ago, Torusuke-san," Kumomi answered. "Osami-san is with Saitō-sensei right now as they're helping Mikiko-san catch up with the last century-and-a-half; her past-self was killed in the earthquake that struck Edo in the fall of 1855."
Torusuke took that in, and then he nodded. At that moment, the doors swept open and Osami walked out hand-in-hand with Mikiko, who was now dressed in a beautiful qípáo; unlike the other tōshi schools, Kyoshō didn't have a set uniform pattern for its students to wear. The hairstyle between them was also different; Osami wore hers in two stringy ponytails over her ears while Mikiko had hers in a thin braid leading from the back of her head, quite similar to the way Hayashi Ranma and Hayashi Kikuko wore their hair. Both of them were laughing at something, and then they stopped as they took note of who else was there. One look by Mikiko and then she grinned as she moved to kneel before Torusuke, her hands forming a proper salute as she bowed her head. "Mōtoku-sama!"
A delighted smile crossed his face. "Welcome back, Shiyoku," he said before leaning down to pull her back to her feet and sweep her into his embrace, which made the younger girl cry out in surprise before she smiled and allowed her arms to wrap around his neck. "You okay?"
"A little disorientated, but both Mako-sensei and my new sister here have done much to alleviate it," Mikiko stated. "To believe that we are actually aboard a ship in SPACE of all places, brought to us by true ALIENS!"
"Actually, they were created at the behest of Jun'iku and Kōgetsuei, but the actual technology is alien," Torusuke corrected her. "So, what do you think?"
Mikiko blinked. "About what, Mōtoku-sama?"
"What shall we do with her?" And with that, he thumbed Osami.
The former spy audibly gulped as Sonami gasped and both Haneko and Asumi tensed, ready to jump in to defend their schoolmate should it go that far, even if they were currently right next to Haida's medical station. Watching this, Akane blinked in confusion before she gazed up at Kumomi, who seemed undisturbed, the faint hint of a knowing smile now crossing her face. With that, she herself relaxed as Mikiko turned to gaze on her genetic template for a moment before she smiled and then turned back to gaze on her leader. "Well, were this the old days, I would recommend a good horse-whipping for Onē-sama here…but since such would clearly win the disapproval of Reitei-sama, perhaps I should suggest she finish the school year at Kyoshō before she returns to Seito."
Osami blinked before her jaw dropped in shock as Torusuke hummed. "You have something else in mind, I take it," he mused as he gazed at Mikiko.
"Hai, Mōtoku-sama, I do," Mikiko then said before she turned to smile at Osami. "Given that Reitei-sama now seeks to do everything to heal the wounds of the past, perhaps we could find a way to forge ties with Nan'yō by having an omiai between Onē-sama and Shūyu Kōkin-dono. I did see his image in Onē-sama's memories and know she fancies him very much even if she has not had the pleasure to formally meet him at any of the Great Tourneys. Since neither Shōkyō nor Daikyō seem to have made their presence known in this generation despite the fact that their father is headmaster of Kyoshō, I do believe Onē-sama would clearly make a wonderful wife for Kōkin-dono."
Osami turned sheet-white. "MIKIKO! DON'T SAY THAT!"
"What about Kōkin?"
She gasped as she turned just as Mago Tsueko walked up from the direction of the main cafeteria. "Son-son-Sonsaku…!" Osami then stuttered.
Mikiko then smiled as she moved to deeply bow to Tsueko, which she returned with a nod of her head. "Greetings, Hakufu-sama! I am Shōkan Shiyoku, avowed servant of my lord Sōsō Mōtoku; in this life, I possess the birth-named 'Makomo Mikiko.' My lord and I were discussing the situation of Shigen-san here, who has been pretending to be me for the last several months while attending Kyoshō. We were considering a suitable punishment for Onē-sama's transgression against my honour and, while I was being woken by Mako-sensei, I learned of her deep attraction to your own noble cousin."
Tsueko blinked as she took that in, and then she moaned. "Oh, you mean Shigen-chan here was doing something stupid about this dumb 'fate' nonsense everyone likes to believe in, right?" As Haneko and Asumi both gaped in shock at her — watching this, Akane was quick to see approving looks on Sonami's, Kumomi's and Torusuke's faces — the young new leader of Nan'yō took a deep breath. "Damn! I'm so glad Kōtchi came back to straighten everyone around about that! Okay!" An exaggerated hum then escaped her. "So you wanna date Kōkin, eh?" she then asked Osami, who was staring in disbelief at her, and then she blinked as Tsueko nodded, reaching over to wrap her arm around the other woman's shoulder as she moved to drag her down the corridor. "Okay! Here's the simple thing about Kōkin! Show boobs and his nose goes off like Old Faithful! Make sure you have an umbrella with you so you don't get blood all over you! Other than that…!"
The others all watched them go, and then everyone jolted on hearing a muffled snicker. People turned to see Sonami now on her knees, her hands covering her mouth as she squeezed her eyes closed to prevent the tears from flowing. "Gentoku-sama…?" Mikiko began before she exchanged a curious look with Haneko and Asumi.
It was too much for Seito's leader. "BWA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA! OH, MIKIKO-SAN, THAT WAS PRICELESS! WHA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA!"
"Cousin, what is it? What's so funny?"
Sonami jolted, and then she turned to see Hayashi Miiko standing there, a confused yet concerned look on her face. "Ah, Miiko, there you are," Kumomi said. "We just witnessed a rather cunning show of the genius of our returned friend here…" — She waved to Mikiko in emphasis, who was now gazing in confusion at the crimson-haired tōshi — "…in seeing to it that whatever hard feelings that might arise from our friend Hōtō Shigen pretending to be Shiyoku-san over the last while."
An eyebrow arched on Miiko's face. "Oh, how so? And why would Sonami-san find it so amusing?"
Sonami giggled. "Because Mikiko-san here learned that Osami-san has a crush on Tsueko-san's cousin Ichiyu-san, then literally pushed her into Tsueko-san's arms when she came up asking what was going on!" she said before another bout of laughter escaped her. "Looks like there's going to be an omiai in the future for Osami-san and Ichiyu-san, especially with the way Tsueko-san jumped in to give her dating advice!" Another round of guffaws escaped her. "I hope Tsueko-san's mom's prepared to help out!"
Miiko blinked, and then she shrugged. "Well, if that is what Osami-san wants, why argue against it?" she then asked before leaning down to gaze on Akane. "How are things with you and your soon-to-come sister, Akane-san? Hiromi-sama told me that you gladly volunteered yourself to be the DNA template for Tsuguta-san's friend."
Akane smiled. "We're still waiting for her body to be finished."
"The templation started about fifteen minutes ago," Kumomi added.
Miiko hummed. "Well, if when mine and Kikuko's bodies were created was any sort of example, I think we'll be waiting for at least an hour before it would be safe to draw Karin-san's new body out of gestation." She then smiled. "Who is up for tea? There are a couple of very nice stewards up in the wardroom now who brought supplies of this lovely orange pekoe tea with them from Canada. Red Rose, it's called."
"I think taking in a good cup of tea might be perfect to calm us all down before Karin-san is allowed to breathe in her own body for the first time in a few decades," Kumomi said as she straightened herself before she offered her arm to her lover.
"Miiko?"
Miiko looked over. "What is it, Torusuke-san?"
"Where's your brother at right now?"
Miiko blinked, and then she pointed to a nearby wall console. "Press the green button there and ask the computer where Onii-sama might be. The last I saw of him, he was still with Mimōko-san and Sekitoma-sama walking around the ship."
The leader of Kyoshō nodded his thanks as the others headed off…
The observation lounge, minutes later…
"You actually watched it all happen?" Torusuke asked.
Ranma nodded. They and Mimōko were now relaxing in the lounge, all enjoying some tea and snacks thanks to a nearby replicator unit. Chìtùmǎ himself was relaxed on Ranma's shoulder, accepting offered nuts and raisins from both the once-crippled martial artist and his new girlfriend. "Yeah! He kinda woke us both up really early this morning and had us go wander around the ship as everyone was coming in to get set up for the trip to Yaminokuni," Ranma explained. "Don't feel really tired, but if we're to be in top shape for when we hit this place, we might crash later." He sipped his tea. "Really weird. Never thought I'd ever see stuff like that, even after I met Ataru and his sisters." He then glanced at Kyoshō's leader. "You?"
Torusuke shrugged. "I first began sensing Hiromi's ki about a month after she and her siblings came down from the bioroid factory in late March. 'Course, soon as I saw the magatama on her ear when the pictures of all of them first got out on the news and the Internet, I knew she was a tōshi, but I never really clued into who she really was until last week when a friend of mine now attending Seito told me about Sonami and her friends going over to Tomobiki to meet Hiromi." He took a sip of his tea. "I guess that's when it hit me finally. I was a little scared at first." Quickly sensing Mimōko gape at him, he laughed. "C'mon, Ryomō! Don't tell me you believe all the horror stories about me!"
She blinked, and then she chuckled. "Actually, I did. And I apologize for that, Sōsō. You don't deserve it." On sensing Ranma gaze curiously at her, she smiled. "Even though we always view tōshi from places like Rakuyō and Kyoshō with suspicion, we also hear about all the good things that happen in those places." She pointed to Torusuke. "Here's the man who has worked his butt off ever since he began attending Kyoshō to make sure EVERYTHING that happens there runs to the benefit of EVERY student that attends that school! All the school clubs, all the classes, all the facilities and equipment…?" A knowing smile crossed her face. "He's the man who made it happen!" She gazed on Ranma. "Did you know Kyoshō's won the Best Private School Award in a dozen categories — scholastics, sports, school clubs, faculty, you name it! — for Kanagawa Prefecture for the past FIVE years! Here's the man who was responsible for it!"
He nodded. "Which is pretty understandable," he noted.
Torusuke blinked. "Oh?"
Ranma nodded again. "Yeah. You know, all the stories that were written about Cáo Cāo have really given the guy a bum rap over the years." A snort escaped him. "Here's the guy who, with his whole COUNTRY falling apart all around him, managed to get together a whole group of really good, smart people, went out and made sure that everything he could try to protect was safe, made sure all the people he was protecting could eat and live in safety…" He shrugged. "And they call him a devil? I don't get it!"
"My past-self was a pretty nasty guy, Ranma," the leader of Kyoshō warned.
"And he HAD to be!" Ranma insisted. "Look who he was facing! Dǒng Zhuó, once he became Chancellor, gutted out the whole government, not that it was in good shape thanks to the eunuchs that Yuán Shào finally did away with! Dǒng had Lǚ Bù at his side, but he turned around and stabbed him in the back when things got too crazy! And after Lǚ took off on his own? Who'd trust a guy who betrayed not one but TWO foster-fathers?" He waved over to the port side of the starship. "Liú Bèi was practically running his operation out of his own saddle with just Guān Yǔ and Zhāng Fēi helping him out!" He then waved to the starboard side. "There's the whole Sūn family over down in the east wanting to become the new top dogs in the whole country." Ranma waved towards the bow. "You had Yuán Shào and the rest of the idiots thinking that their name alone would make people follow them…" A shrug rolled his shoulders. "And here you guys all are, being forced to replay all that?" He shook his head. "I'm sure glad that Hiromi came back to help you all out of it."
Torusuke nodded. "Yeah. And there's a potential danger."
Ranma and Mimōko blinked. "What do you mean?" the latter asked.
"What happens if Hiromi dies, Mimōko?"
"She's got a lot of people on her side, Torusuke," Ranma warned.
"True, especially given what her ultimate goal is for all of us," the leader of Kyoshō stated. "That's the reason I was happy to hold my flag up next to hers. But there are those who would be inclined to believe THEY have the SOLE right to influence her decisions. And that will affect ALL of us if it gets too out of hand. If you've read the Romance, I think you'll know exactly who I'm talking about, Ranma."
"The Ten Attendants," Mimōko stated.
"Chōjō and friends, right?" Ranma wondered.
"Yeah. In this generation, they all were two years ahead of people like Mimōko and myself," Torusuke stated with a nod. "All the Ten Attendants were girls in this round, all born barren; they can't have kids. When the Hari sisters started the Kōshi Kasshi, it was Chōjō and her friends who rallied the other tōshi to stay loyal to the Seven Schools. Because of that, when they graduated, they managed to get free of their potential fates and went on to university. They're pretty much left alone these days, but they also keep strong ties open with their old schools to keep an eye on the rest of us. So it stands to reason that they now KNOW of this call-up to help out on this trip!"
"And if they come here and try to flock around Hiromi…" Mimōko noted before her eyes widened. "Oh, shit! That's what she DOESN'T need!"
"Wait! If they can't be moms, wouldn't giving the girls Avalonian bodies make 'em happier?"
Silence.
More silence.
Still more silence.
And then…
"Ranma, that's BRILLIANT!" Mimōko gasped before she leaned over to kiss him, and then she got up. "C'mon, Sōsō! Let's talk to the others!"
Torusuke, after giving Ranma a nod, raced off after her out of the lounge. The wandering martial artist blinked before he turned to stare wide-eyed at Chìtùmǎ. "What did I say?"
The war horse-turned-phoenix stared at him, and then he began to shake with chirps of laughter as he nearly collapsed off his perch…
To be continued…
WRITER'S NOTES
1) As noted by the commanders of the brigade group in Part 26, regiments in the Canadian Army (and other armies built on the British tradition) are broken down into individual parts this way:
Infantry Regiments are broken down into battalions, which in turn are broken down into companies, they in turn broken down into platoons, and those broken down into sections. Also following this organizational format are Health Service units (medical and dental), Logistics units (transport, supply, food services, personnel management, finances and postal), Electrical and Mechanical Engineering units (ground vehicle, weapon and equipment maintenance), Military Police and Intelligence units.
Cavalry Regiments are battalion-sized groups which are broken down into squadrons, they in turn broken down into troops, which are in turn broken down into sections. Following this organizational format are the Armoured units (both tank and reconnaissance), Engineer units and Signal units. Derived from this are Air Force units, which start at the squadron (which can be a battalion in size), they then broken down into flights, they in turn broken down into echelons. In the universe of my stories, Air Cavalry (tactical aviation) units are broken down the same way.
Artillery Regiments are battalion-sized groups which are broken down into batteries, they in turn broken down into troops, which are in turn broken down into sections. All artillery units (field, armoured, air defence, missile and target acquisition/locating) follow this organizational format.
2) An armoured regiment in the Canadian Army is normally broken down into a regimental headquarters squadron (RHQ) for the commanding officer and his battle staff, four sabre squadrons (lettered A to D) of combat tanks, one reconnaissance squadron (lettered E) for brigade reconnaissance duties and a combat service support squadron (lettered F) to handle the regiment's logistics, maintenance, personnel administration and health services needs. For a unit tasked as a reconnaissance regiment, there would be four reconnaissance squadrons with armoured vehicles (A to D), a remote reconnaissance squadron with UAVs and ground radar to augment the reconnaissance troops (E) and a CSS squadron (F). An armoured regiment in an armoured brigade group would have four tank squadrons (A to D), an anti-armour missile squadron (E) and a CSS squadron (F).
3) Ikusawa Kyōko is a character from Grand Prix who also transitioned over to Find Love. She is from Mito in Ibaraki Prefecture and loves to cook.
4) Naval Combat Dress (or NCDs) are the standard work dress on Canadian warships. A dark blue uniform with a zip-up jacket and a button shirt under it, the NCDs are designed to be flame retardant. Ship's crews wear NCDs with Gore Tex boots on their feet and ship's baseball caps on their heads when outside. CADPATs (short for "Canadian Disruptive Pattern") are the Army's digital-pattern camouflage combat uniform. It comes in three types: Temperate Woodland (TW), Arid Region (AR) and Winter Arctic (WA). The TW version of CADPATs is considered the normal work dress for Army units in Canada.
5) Ship's companies in the Canadian Navy are broken down into departments run by one of the senior officers, which are in turn divided into divisions to handle individual tasks. The Medical Division on Haida is a part of the Executive Department, controlled by the ship's second-in-command, the Executive Officer (XO) (in Star Trek, known as the First Officer).
6) 23 Field Ambulance (23 FD AMB) is the reserve unit of the Canadian Forces Medical Services based in Hamilton. Formed originally at the end of World War Two as "5 Field Ambulance," the unit underwent many changes and an incorporation as part of the service battalion based in Hamilton from 1965-75, then was made a "medical company" before being designated a field ambulance in the 1990s.
7) Tamachi Hiromi and Saitō Mako are characters from Dōkyūsei (literally "Classmates," known to Western audiences by the name given to the subtitled OVAs made from the series and released by AD Vision, End of Summer), an adult dating simulation game that started the current dating simulation game craze in Japan in 1992.
8) Shōkan Shiyoku (Makomo Mikiko) is, as stated in Part 17, the reincarnation of Jiǎng Gàn. Very little is known of him, though he was used by Cáo Cāo to find some way to make Zhōu Yú defect to the side of the Imperial Hàn in the wake of the Battle of Chìbì; Zhōu would later impress Jiǎng with his loyalty to Sūn Quán. According to The Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Jiǎng also tried to bring Páng Tǒng onto Cáo's side, but never succeeded. Of course, in this life, Mikiko will get the best of all worlds; she has reunited with her reborn lord Sōsō Mōtoku (Tsukasa Torusuke)…and now can count her reborn best friend Hōtō Shigen (Takadono Osami) as her adopted sister. Getting Osami together with Shūyu Kōkin (Meguru Ichiyu) would just be icing on the cake.
9) A Type G8V star is is a yellowish star quite similar to the Sun in many ways; an example of a type G8V is 61 Ursae Majoris in the constellation of Ursa Major. A Type M3V star is a red dwarf that would be seen as one of the oldest stars in existence; an example of this one is AD Leonis (or Gilese 388) in the constellation of Leo.
10) The word Ansei (literally meaning "Tranquil Government") is the nengō that was applied to the period between November 1854 and March 1860. The earthquake that Mikiko is referring to is known as the Great Ansei Earthquake and occurred on 11 November 1855. The ruling monarch of Japan at the time was the Kōmei Emperor (birth-name Osahito) (1831-67), who ruled from 1846 unto his death. His son was the legendary Meiji Emperor (birth-name Mutsuhito) (1852-1912), whose reign saw the official ending of the Tokugawa era and the opening of Japan to the outside world.
As an aside, the nengō for the reign of the current Heavenly Sovereign of Japan, Akihito (born 1933), is Heisei, literally meaning "Peace Everywhere."
11) Yoshiwara (literally meaning "Lucky Meadow") was the red-light district of Edo (the pre-Meiji name for Tōkyō). Originally located near the Nihonbashi ("Bridge of Japan") at the eastern end of the Tōkaidō ("East Sea Route") between Edo and Kyōto (the bridge is in modern-day Chūō Ward of Tōkyō), the pleasure district was moved to a place north of Asakusa (in modern-day Taitō Ward) in 1656. After the old Yoshiwara burned down in the Meireki fire of 1657, the new pleasure district came to be known as Shin-Yoshiwara. To this day, Yoshiwara (now known as Senzoku Yon-chōme) is full of soaplands and other various façades for sexual services (prostitution was outlawed in Japan in 1958).