Ok I have chapter 7 up and ready. Enjoy everyone! Please R&R all feed back
welcomed!

Alone With a Choice

The day of the trial came and a court room was assembled in the prison so
that Ryoko could actually attend her trial. It was not lavish, just some
tables and chairs arranged in a half circle. A row of chairs were set up on
one side for few people that would be the defense witness group. Several
rows of chairs were set up on the prosecution's side. When Washu had asked
about needing a place for a jury, she was told by Kiyone that Ryoko was not
going to have a jury. She was to be determined and sentenced by one judge.
Washu was going to protest when Kiyone reminded her that a jury would not
judge fairly, they would be biased. The judge that was called to do stand
over the trial was know for his fair nature through out the galaxy. Washu
hoped Kiyone was right.

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Ryoko looked into a mirror and took a deep breath as she gazed at the
other person looking back at her. She had cleaned up well, wearing a modest
dress even though her trade mark tail was attached. Her hair was combed as
neat as it could be. She was pale and thin looking now after nearly 2 weeks
of being confined, she did not look the dangerous space pirate everyone
thought her to be. She let out a sigh as she sat back down and waited.

Washu walked in wearing her space academy clothes that marked her as a
professor. Looking down at her daughter she took a deep breath and began
telling Ryoko what would be required of her.

"Ryoko, it's time now. You are to be took to the trial room. It is like
this room where your powers are blocked. Do you understand?" Washu spoke
with a slight urgency in her voice. The look of worry increased when Ryoko
just nodded to her never really looking up.

"All you will have on your side is the few facts behind this case that are
in your favor and character witnesses. This does not look good." Washu took
Ryoko by the arm and led her out of the room, to a waiting Kiyone and
Mihoshi. Together they all walked down the halls to the trial room, not a
word was spoke by anyone.

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Tenchi sat on the single row of chairs that were the defense chairs. He
looked up as he saw Sasami and Ayeka walk into the room. He didn't know
what to do when he saw the look of anger on Ayeka's face when she passed
him to sit on his left side. He looked to Sasami, her pink eyes were soft
and understanding as she sat on his right.

He thought about what Washu was demanding of him and of his family. He
didn't know what to do. He could not abandon his duty or his children, and
Ayeka was still his wife. He just didn't know what to do. He wanted more
than anything at that moment to go back to earth and be a simple boy that
worked lived with his family. His thoughts returned to what Washu wanted.

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"Tenchi I want you to help Ryoko break free if she is to be condemned to
that cave. The trial room has the same field that her cell does, but not
the hall ways in-between them. I know that you are the Emperor, but right
now I couldn't give a damn. I want you to do undo the harm you caused long
before you became Emperor." Washu was livid as she vented all her anger on
Tenchi.

"I want my daughter back, I want to see her smile and hear her laugh. I
have seen none of these things since you abandoned her. I am not saying
your choice in Ayeka was wrong, but turning you back to the obvious was.
You knew the night it was announced you broke her heart, it was plain to
see on her face but you did not even try to mend her heart. Then to
add insult to injury you asked her to attend the wedding on Jurai. You know
she is hated on that planet. You knew she was crushed. How can one of the
most gentle of all people in the universe be so cold? You never once asked
to find her or try to seek her out." Washu was in her adult form as she
raged on without mercy to the boy that was sitting in front of her. She had
become aware that in the last few weeks she was no longer a scientist but a
mother with a score to settle and a child to protect.

"Then of all the most cold, ill planned and stupid things you could have
ever done, you came back after nearly a hundred years and asked for her
hand in marriage. I don't think Mihoshi could have been that dense! You come
back with the only reason to want her is to have a son!" Washu was near
screaming at this point and Tenchi never moved or said a word.

"You will help free her, you will fix the pain you have caused. You will
not hurt her ever again in such a way or by the gods I will kill you." By
the last words out of her mouth she was in her child form again. She sagged
against a table tired and exhausted. She looked at Tenchi waiting for him
to say anything.

"How do I do this, how can I? I have a family as well. How can you ask me
to abandon them?" His voice was low and choked. He let his head hang and
shoulders hang forward.

"That moral crisis is yours alone to figure out Lord Tenchi." Washu stated
a bit coldly as she went on with the rest of her plan and instructions.

"At the edge of the universe there is a planet that is almost identical to
earth. It is a new planet, uninhabited. There you can leave your duty and
live with Ryoko, move your children there. Ayeka as well, if she will come."
Washu had brought out a viewer with pictures and lay outs of the planet.

"GP will find us...."Tenchi tried to weakly protest.

"No they won't. It is unexplored as far as most know. There is no one out
that far in the universe to even know of you." Washu had thought this
through completely.

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Tenchi was shook from his thoughts as he heard murmuring go through the
room. He looked up and everything froze as Ryoko stood there looking at him
before she went and fund her chair. Tenchi realized that he had no more
time to think about what he must do, he was going to have to choose quickly
now. The trial was about to begin.