Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Tenchi cast, don't sue me.

The Blackshire Interval Part 2

The Fight Begins

Ryo-Ohki soared through the coldness of space, towards The Ebon Shard.

Ryoko sat in her control seat, preparing for the battle to come. "It won't be easy, Blackshire's sure to have some tricks up his sleeve."

"Gosh, Ryoko, I didn't see any sleeves on him, he was wearing armor everywhere." Mihoshi said in her normal air headed voice.

The Ebon Shire was still a good distance away, as a matter of fact it was flying away from the ascending ship, Ryo-Ohki. Ryoko and the others stared at it on the view screen.

"Hmm." Washu said, "Ryoko, hold your position. I want to study that ship a little more before we go in guns blazing. There's something very familiar about that style vessel."

"That's because it's a Galaxy Police starship," Kiyone noted. "Although it looks like an older model, and only antique collectors buy them. I wonder how Blackshire got a hold of one?"

"Who cares!" Ryoko screamed. "Let's just blow that thing to bits!"

"What are you crazy Ryoko!" Ayeka blared, "Sasami is on that ship! You most certainly will not blow it up, not until my sister is rescued."

Ryoko stopped Ryo-Ohki. "Alright fine, we'll do things your way Washu, but in five minutes I'm going to attack that ship. So you better work fast!" Ryoko stood and stormed away from the others, staring out one of the far windows.

After giving her a few seconds to calm down, Tenchi joined her. "Ryoko, you know we can't just go in there half ready. Blackshire seems to know us all pretty well. We can all tell it's a trap."

Ryoko stared out into the blackness of space. "I missed this, you know," she said with a sigh.

"You missed fighting monsters like this?" Tenchi said shocked.

"No, I missed flying through space, aboard Ryo-Ohki." Ryoko told him.

"Why didn't you ever say anything," Tenchi asked.

"I guess, deep down, I was afraid you would let me go, if I told you." Ryoko said.

"Let you go?" Tenchi was getting confused. He was used to Ryoko talking in riddles, or making little sense, but this was very odd even for her.

"I know it sounds silly Tenchi, but I thought that if you knew I missed being in space, you'd always feel guilty about me being on Earth. So I kept quiet." Ryoko said.

"Don't be silly Ryoko. I never told you I hated being out here, I would have gladly went flying with you." Tenchi comforted. "Listen, there's something I need to ask you..." Tenchi finished holding up the sword, the two remaining gems glistening in the dim light inside Ryo-Ohki.

"My answer is no Tenchi." Ryoko answered before Tenchi could ask his question. Before Tenchi could reply, she continued. "If Blackshire has any control over the gems, like Kagato, then we'd be giving him complete control of all three."

"But you might need the extra power," Tenchi began.

"Nah," Ryoko said smiling impishly, "I doubt Blackshire's tough enough to need that, I just don't want to give him any options."

"Excuse me you two," Washu interrupted. "I think we can attack now. I've figured out the best place to strike." Washu pulled up a chart, once everyone assembled. She began informing everyone about the weak points of the ship, and where she figured Sasami was held.

"Alright then, Washu you stay on board, the rest of us will board that ship, and rescue Sasami," Tenchi declared, the attack on The Ebon Shard had begun.

ON THE EBON SHARD

"Well, it looks like they are finally ready to begin the festivities, right Sasami." Blackshire said watching Ryo-Ohki come at him. "Good, they found the weak point, or rather what I want them to think is the weak point." Blackshire hit a few keys on the control panel before him, "Oh that's right," he said looking at Sasami who was imprisoned in a glass cylinder, "you're not awake right now. Too bad, you'll miss all the fun."

Space

Blasts came from The Ebon Shard, which Ryo-Ohki narrowly avoided. "He must realize we know about the weak point, return fire," Ryoko yelled. The mighty ship fired with everything it had, repelling some blasts, a few of it's own hitting the dense hull of The Ebon Shard. Soon Ryo-Ohki had managed to arrive above the weak point.

"That was easy," Mihoshi said bubbly.

"A little too easy," noted Washu.

ON THE BRIDGE

"Excellent, like fish in a barrel," Blackshire commented. With a flick of a switch the blasts stopped firing. Then he threw a lever. The portion of the ship Ryo-Ohki hovered above opened, revealing why it was defenseless.

On Ryo-Ohki

"It's a huge laser cannon!" Washu shouted. "Get us out of here Ryoko!"

"I can't, something is holding us here!" Ryoko snapped angrily.

"Now, prepare to die," Blackshire reached for the button to fire the cannon, at last he would achieve his life's goal. Then his mind reeled, like a blow to the head, and images surfaced in his mind. He saw two men, one dressed in blue, the other in green, fighting. Although they were hidden in shadows, he could see them by the light given off by... their golden hair? Another image flooded his mind, of a cold dark laboratory, and then one of a frozen planet.

"What was that?" Blackshire paused, holding his head, as he tried to figure out what was happening to his mind.

Ryo-Ohki

"I've got an idea." Ryoko said. Ryo-Ohki stopped resisting the pull of the beams, instead it rushed toward The Ebon Shard. One of the spires on Ryo-Ohki punctured through the laser, tearing a hole in the hull of the ship.

"Alright, now let's go!" Ryoko said, just before her and the other's disappeared, only to reappear on The Ebon Shard.

Bridge

"What! Curse me for a fool, I let myself be distracted. They have made it on board, and will probably be here soon!" Blackshire roared. Then he stopped, "this whole thing must be Washu's doing, well I am not without my own defenses." Blackshire hit a few more keys, and the door to the bridge flew open.

"I must be a proper host, right Sasami?" he asked the unconscious princess, "First a thank you note to Washu for the wonderful memories." Blackshire proclaimed deactivating one of his terminals.

Washu continued to try and hack into The Ebon Shard's computers, even with Ryo-Ohki's computer systems boosting her own, the task was difficult.. Suddenly The Ebon Shard's computer systems

crashed. "At last a lucky break," Washu yelled excitedly, "of course it wasn't a problem for the number one scientist in the universe!"

Just then, the crystals inside Ryo-Ohki turned slightly green. "What in the...Oh No! Ryo-Ohki, disconnect!" Ryo-Ohki meowed sickly. "Damn, he sent a virus. I was too busy trying to access his control system, I didn't think he'd try anything like this."

Blackshire laughed, as he left the control room. "Now then to deal with the intruders."

"BLACKSHIRE!" screamed Ryoko, moments before falling to the ground, holding her head. Shortly after the others turned the corner ready for battle.

"Alright Blackshire the game is over, hands in the air!" Kiyone demanded, drawing a bead on him.

"Yeah you heard my partner, hands up!" Mihoshi echoed.

"Oh dear, what ever shall I do?" Blackshire asked in mock fear rising his arms toward the ceiling.

"What have you done to Ryoko?!" Tenchi asked his voice laced with rage.

"Nothing, all I did is give Ryo-Ohki a nasty virus. It really was rude of your ship, to go snooping in my files, after all." Blackshire said in his defense. "Oh that's right! Silly me, you and Ryo-Ohki are connected. You must be feeling really bad right now. Do accept my apologies."

"You are under arrest Blackshire, I advise you stop talking now!" Kiyone stated advancing on him.

"Good advice. Now let me give you some, I would advise you stop moving." Blackshire said, just as Kiyone took one more step toward him.

It seemed the walls came alive, as tendrils sprang out, ensnaring everyone and drawing them back to the wall, save Ryoko and Blackshire. They looked like paintings, held fast by the metal tendrils.

Slowly the black armored villain lowered his arm. "My but that was easy." Blackshire approached Ryoko. "Now I can kill you all one by one." He reached down, picking up the space pirate by the hair, delivering a sharp jab to her stomach.

"Ryoko!" Tenchi yelled struggling to get free, much like the others were. Blackshire continued to beat on the shaken Ryoko. Blood ran from her mouth, finally after several minutes, she managed to shake the sudden pain she felt from Ryo-Ohki long enough to kick Blackshire, causing him to release her.

"Good, there's still a little fight in you." Blackshire happily stated. "I was afraid you died on me, and where would the fun be then!"

On Ryo-Ohki

"There you are little guy," Washu said now in a nurse's outfit. "That mean old virus won't hurt you anymore. Mama Washu took care of it." Washu began typing on her keyboard, "Alright Blackshire, I've seen your tricks, this time I won't be so easily fooled." Once again, Washu tried to hack into Blackshire's computers.

Back at the battle

Ryoko looked at the others, trapped on the walls. "You'll pay for this Blackshire. Release them now, and give us Sasami!"

"Sasami? Why she's in that room right behind me, all you have to do is get past me." Blackshire offered, just before forming an energy blade, it's purple energy crackling like lighting.

"Is that all?" Ryoko smirked. "Well then, this should be easy."

The two figures squared each other up, each ready for the other to attack. Ryoko made the first move, she disappeared, only to appear again beside Tenchi, forming her own energy blade, and severing the tendril's that held him in place.

"Tenchi, go get Sasami, I'll take care of Blackshire." Guns lowered from the ceiling, pointing right at those trapped on the walls.

"This is a fight between you and me Ryoko." Blackshire reminded her, "If Tenchi tries to free Sasami I'll have no choice but to kill your friends. After all, all I have is a ship that can respond to my mind, if I so choose, and you have so many allies, worthless as they are."

"Ryoko..."Tenchi said holding the sword.

"Alright Tenchi,"Ryoko said with finality, "I agree. Wish the gems back to me."

"Wish all you like weaklings, you don't stand a chance!" Blackshire cackled as he ran toward Ryoko and Tenchi, soon the battle would begin, Ryoko verses Blackshire, for the fate of Sasami and everyone else.



NEXT TIME: Will Tenchi be able to give Ryoko back other 2 gems, and if so will it be enough to stop Blackshire? He seems ready for anything. Will Washu be able to help? Also what were those visions Blackshire was having? Find out next time!