Urusei Yatsura - Endings and Beginnings
Be Forever Nassur
by Mike Smith
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Edited by E.B. Kushnir
kush1@iaw.on.ca
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Thirty-eighth in a series based on "Urusei Yatsura" by Rumiko Takahashi
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WRITER'S NOTES: So, you made it past "Nassur's Story." Good! Now we
continue with "Be Forever Nassur." It should be noted that this will
probably be the final story for Mike Smith in "UY-TSY." He will be
moving on to the upcoming "Urusei Yatsura Twenty Years Later" series and
(maybe) a side story or two.

**** **** ****

Nassur and Shinobu carry the injured Ataru to a diagnostic bed.
His uniform is soaked with his blood, thanks to the queen's stinger. In
fact, the stinger remained imbedded in Ataru's chest to prevent his
blood from pouring out. As Nassur and Shinobu activate the diagnostic
bed, Junba stands aside, her face showing conflicting emotions over the
events of the last few hours.

*They risked their lives for me!* she shakes her head in
disbelief. Since this mission began, she treated them abominably as
instructed by the Mikado. The main focus of her tortures had been
Shinobu...but she was a part of the group that rescued her.

*Why did they rescue me?* the question echoes in her mind. They
had every right to abandon her to the Lannarkites, but they risked their
lives. Even now Ataru may lose his life...and all for her. The more
Junba thinks about the events of the last few hours, the more she felt
contrite.

Lum enters the sickbay, horrified upon what she sees. "Oh,
*tcha!*" the Oni gasps in horror. "DARLING!!!!" Lum flies to Ataru's
side and takes his hand. "Darling!!!" she pleads as her eyes well up
with tears. "Don't die!!! Too many people are counting on you for you
to leave now!!!"

He doesn't respond. To him, everything is a noiseless black void.
The last thing he remembers is the feel of the Lannarkite queen's
stinger ramming through his body and the faint squeaking of voices
gasping about how hurt he is. He did feel his body being transported
back the "Renegade" or Lum's hand holding his on the diagnostic bed.

Nassur works with the medical machines as best he can and in
minutes, Ataru is placed into stasis. life support activated. Lum,
pulled away by Shinobu so Nassur could do his job, stands nearby weeping
inconsolably. "I've done all I can," Nassur sighs.

"That's all?!!" Shinobu gasps.

"We don't have a doctor aboard," Nassur informs Shinobu. "And the
odds are not that great that we'll find a doctor among the women we left
in the Lannarkite hive."

"But we can't let Ataru-kun die!!"

"Nassur," Lum interrupts. "Don't you have an emergency medical
hologram program?"

"I do. But, I don't like to use it."

"Why not?" Shinobu asks.

"The Home Base computer designed it," Nassur sighs. "It's...not
really practical."

"Darling doesn't have much choice, does he?!" Lum angrily demands.

"Okay," Nassur sighs. "I'll activate it...but don't say I didn't
warn you!" He then looks to the deckhead. "Computer, activate
Emergency Medical Hologram!" Then everyone sees Nassur blush violently.

Suddenly, an extremely beautiful, well-endowed, exotic young woman
with hip-length long brown hair and sexy blue eyes appears. She wears a
very short, tight, revealing nurse's outfit with spike-heeled shoes.
"Please state ze nature o' ze emergency," the hologram inquires with a
strong French accent.

"THIS is the EMH?!!" Lum gasps.

"I said it was designed by the Home Base computer," Nassur
scratches the back of his head nervously. "I don't know what she was
thinking when she designed it!"

"I was expecting a REAL doctor!!" Shinobu bleats, shaking her
head.

Nassur points to Ataru. "This patient has been stabbed by a
Lannarkite stinger."

"I see," the hologram slinks suggestively to scan Ataru. "Eet is
lodged vary close to 'is 'eart," she reports, straddling over him. "Eef
eet is pulled out, 'e will lose a lot o' blood. Are zair any blood
supplies o' 'is type around for a transfusion?"

"None," Nassur answers, regretting how ill-prepared they were for
such an emergency. "We haven't had the time build a blood bank."

"D'accord," the hologram turns a computer terminal. "I shall see
eef zair is a match among ze Terran personnel aboard."

Seconds later, the hologram tsks. "Alors," her eyes grow big in
surprise. "None o' ze Terrans aboard 'ave ze same blood type as ze
patient. Zat weel may dings toughair!"

"What about a transfusion with one of the non-Terrans aboard?"
Shinobu inquires.

"Zat may work," the hologram shrugs. "But, c'est tres dangereux.
Ze patient has a Type A-positive blood type."

"I'm A-positive!" Lum points to herself.

The hologram scans Lum. "You are an Oni-Urusian with Sagussan
genetic modifications?" she asks. "I weel 'ave to filter out ze Oni
antibodies so zey do not affect ze patient. But I cannot remove ze
Sagussan antibodies or ze regeneration enzymes. Zis transfusion is also
vary dangereux. Eet may kill you!"

Lum looks determined. "If Darling dies," she boasts, "...why
should I live?! Even Noa will agree with me on this...wherever she is!"

"Zen prepare yourself," the hologram orders. "Ze rest o' you,
please to leave, okay?" she winks suggestively.

"Okay," Nassur nods to Shinobu and Junba. "You heard her, let's
leave."

"Wait," Shinobu cuts in. "I'll help you in the operation."

"Ce n'est pas necessairy," the hologram smiles and winks. "I am
trained in all sorts o'...medical techniques."

"I see the computer programmed this thing to be a little TOO
lifelike," Nassur quips. "Shinobu, do you think you can assist her?"

"I'm in training to be a nurse," Shinobu smiles. "It's a little
on-the-job training."

"Good luck then," Junba hums.

The two hunters leave. "D'accord," the hologram announces. "Let
us begin!"

* * *

Later in the dining hall, Junba is applying first aid to her own
injuries, mostly minor cuts and scrapes, with a biofuser. She watches
Nassur while he talks with Mendou and Megane. "The prognosis is not
good for Ataru," Nassur minces no words. "If the transfusion from Lum
fails, then he'll die."

Churlish grins come to their faces. "Dead?!" Mendou beams.
"That'd be a godsend! Without him, you know what that means!!"

"Yeah," Megane nods in agreement. "I know what that means."

"What does that mean?" Nassur asks.

"It means that those girls from Sagussa will be needing a NEW
*daimon'cha!*" Megane's glasses fog over in ecstacy. "Oh, I know
they'll choose the best man for the job..." He stands and looks to the
ceiling.

Mendou shoves him away. "ME!!!!" he declares. "A harem like that
should be mine!"

Megane grabs Mendou by his tunic and shakes him. "What gives you
that right?!!" the bespectacled student demands. "If anyone deserves a
harem, it's ME!!!!"

Nassur, visibly disgusted by the way the two are acting, breaks up
the discussion. "Maybe when we get in contact with Noa and the
Gatherer...they could bring back TANOSHII and SIL to have a little TALK
with you!"

Mendou and Megane both faint! "Y-YOU WOULDN'T!!!!" they gasp,
holding each other.

"Don't bet on it!!" Nassur intones.

"Nassur..." Junba interrupts. "I'd like to say a few things
myself."

They turn to the Mikado hunter, the looks in their eyes
demonstrating their attitude towards her. "What is it, Junba?"

Junba hands the cardiac band control over to Nassur. "After all
that has happened," she says slowly, "I won't be using this."

He takes the control, staring at Junba. "You're giving the
cardiac band control up without a fight?" he asks. "What for?"

"After you laid down your lives for me," Junba looks down, "...I
don't know what to think. The Mikado told me you were a cruel and
vicious person without an ounce of concern for anyone but yourself.
But, you saved me...a sworn enemy...as if I was a friend."

"So, you admit that the Mikado was wrong about me?" Nassur
counters.

"I do," Junba says as she holds out her wrists together. "I
surrender to you. You can do to me what you wish. I won't blame you
for finishing the job the Lannarkites tried."

Nassur eyes Junba silently for a second, then he turns away.
"That will be decided later...after we find out Ataru's fate."

* * *

The transfusion begins. Shinobu puts on a special apron to assist
the hologram in the operation. The hologram herself wears the exact
same outfit. "Usually, I do operations in ze nude," the hologram
declares.

Shinobu looks surprised by the boldness of the hologram's
programming. "J-just keep your clothes on, please," she gulps while
wondering what the designer was thinking when they programmed this
thing.

Lum lays on the spare diagnostic bed beside Ataru. Cords and
monitors are attached to both their bodies. The hologram, despite its
programming deficiencies, adequately oversees things while Shinobu
assists where she is instructed. "Ataru is stable," Shinobu reports.
"But he's still in bad shape."

"D'Accord," the hologram presses a few buttons. "Beginning ze
transfusion."

Lum feels a growing weakness within her body as she notices her
life's blood being sucked out. She looks at Ataru. He looks deathly
pale as he lays on his diagnostic bed unconscious. *Please, Darling,
survive,* she intones to herself over and over.

"D'Accord," the hologram announces, "I am removing ze stinger!"

With the deftness of a martial artist, the hologram grabs the
stinger and swiftly draws it out of Ataru's chest. Then the hologram
tosses the stinger aside to begin closing up Ataru's wounds with a
biofuser. In minutes, the job is done. Shinobu is amazed by how
quickly the whole procedure went. "Voila, ze stinger, she is out," the
hologram reports. "And, ze wounds are all closed. Now, we wait for ze
transfusion to work."

Shinobu looks at the stinger. It is about two feet long with
barbs on one end and looked as strong as a metal rod. "Jesu Cristo,"
she gasps to herself. "No wonder Ataru's badly hurt. This thing's like
a metal pipe." She looks at the other end. It had been suddenly cut
off by the transporter beam when Nassur ordered them all beamed up. She
could see some of the ooze of Lannarkite blood now dried up on it from
where it was still attached to the queen. It was revolting to see, and
Shinobu worked at keeping her stomach from turning over. Then a warning
beep comes from Lum's diagnosis bed. Shinobu drops everything to see
what it is. She does not like what she sees. "Lum is going into
shock!" she reports to the hologram.

"End ze transfusion," the hologram orders. "Ataru's vital signs
are improving."

Shinobu does what the hologram asks. *Was it in time?* she stares
at the patients. Lum is now as pale as Ataru was a few minutes
ago...and her vital signs are plummeting faster than someone jumping off
a building. "Lum's getting worse!" Shinobu panics.

"Begin anti-shock protocols."

Shinobu wraps Lum in a blanket, then tries to disconnect the
transfusion cords but it doesn't seem to work. Ataru was getting
better, Lum was getting worse. "No change!"

The hologram takes over. "Alors," she gasps. "I must do
somet'ing!" She unzips her uniform. "Zis weel bring 'er out o' shock!"

"No, I've got a better idea!" Shinobu crouches low enough beside
Lum to whisper into her ear. "Lum, don't die!" she pleads to her former
classmate. "I won't let you die!! What'll Ataru do if you die?!!
Shit, what would NOA do if you die?!!"

"Dar-...ling. No-...a..."

The hologram looks at Lum's vitals. "She is improving!"

Shinobu smiles, knowing that the Oni is yet to recover. "That's
right," she snarls. "Darling and Noa! You wanna get married to Ataru
and have kids Noa can help raise!! Don't blow it by dying on them!!"

Lum's vital signs raise higher and higher as Shinobu coaches the
Oni on recovering. Finally, Lum's vitals return to normal. "Lum's
recovering!" she smiles. "We did it!"

"D'Accord," the hologram nods. "I shall announce eet to ze crew!"

Shinobu relaxes and starts to move away...but Lum weakly reaches
out with her hand and grabs her. "Shinobu..." she gasps as if the act
of talking was a big strain, "...don't...tell...Darling ...what I did."

"Why?"

"Let...me...tell...him."

"O-okay," Shinobu nods.

* * *

The news of Ataru's survival drew mixed reviews in the dining
area. Junba and Nassur were immediately relieved while Mendou and
Megane were disappointed that their chance at grabbing Ataru's so-called
harem was nixed by a sex-crazed medical hologram. "Maybe next time,"
Mendou snorts in disappointment.

"I can STILL have Sil and Tanoshii brought aboard!" Nassur
insists. "Besides, when we get back, Lum'll be living in Oshika while
YOU'LL be STUCK in Tomobiki!!"

Mendou and Megane shudder...

* * *

Sometime later, Nassur beams down to visit the humanoid
Lannarkites who helped save Junba. Strangely, they are all still alive,
although some had minor injuries. The only sign of their insectoid
cousins where the thousands of crushed bodies scattered about. This
hive was finished as a Lannarkite base...hopefully for good. "Ataru
will survive his wounds," Nassur smiles at Marcia, the self-appointed
leader of the group. "Although he'll be out of action for a while."

"Pleased to hear it," Marcia smiles. She had a lot to be thankful
for from Ataru, least of which, her own life. "We finished scouting
around the hive for survivors and found some more like us. It seems the
bugs were trying to destroy them. Most were males."

"Well," Nassur smiles. "At least, we did some good here. If you
want you can all come aboard my ship and we can take you home."

Marcia is momentarily tempted by Nassur's offer, but then looks at
herself a moment. Except for her face and hair, very little of herself
remained as it was before the change. What she noticed the most were
the exoskeleton-like bands running all over her body. Once seeing them,
the former Fukunokami knows that she could never return to her
homeworld. The reaction from her own people would condemn her to a life
of loneliness. "If it's alright with you," she smiles. "We would like
to stay here...if you don't mind."

"I understand," Nassur presses a button on his communicator.
"I'll have supplies sent down to tide you over until I can contact some
friends look over you. Take care, Marcia."

"Thanks, Nassur."

Nassur waves as he disappears...

* * *

Meanwhile back on Earth, Benten and the others are having lunch
together in the house. This is because it is raining outside...and for
once, Benten agrees with Catty that going out in the rain is not in her
baby's best interest. "Well, at least it's quiet," Catty smiles while
taking a break from her duties.

"That's because it's raining," Benten snorts. "You can't swim in
the rain."

Reiko looks disappointed. "Darn," she sighs while looking out the
window, waiting for the rain to stop. "How can I watch Yamasaki when
it's raining buckets outside."

"Don't worry, Reiko," Benten smiles. "Yamasaki doesn't seem to be
going anywhere. There's always tomorrow."

"Tomorrow's such a long way away!"

"Gee," Ten-chan sighs while hovering upside down in the air. "I'm
SO bored."

"Me, too," Minami nods. "It's been raining ALL day! If I knew it
was going to be like this, maybe we could've gone with Mal-sempai and
the others to their coffee shop."

"That sounds good," Benten smiles.

"No unnecessary travel," Catty ahems.

"Whattaya mean?" Benten turns to her. "Catty, we're going stir-
crazy in this place."

"What if you go into labour at the coffee shop?" Catty nags. "Or
catch something on the way there or back? You must be careful!"

Benten pats her stomach lightly. "I've got over two months left
to go!" she moans. "I've got to have a LITTLE freedom!! Jeez, not even
SAKURA is as restrictive as YOU!!!!"

* * *

In Tsuchiura, Sakura sneezes. "I wonder who's thinking of me
now?" she wonders as she walks towards the Budou shrine.

It is Sakura's day off from her job as teacher and nurse. Since
Catty relieved her of most of her duties in looking after Benten, the
shrine maiden has had the time to visit those who mean the most to
her...mainly her boyfriend and her mentor. As she stops at the gate in
front of the shrine, Sakura remembers the first time she came to this
place.

Sakura was barely 18 years old then, in hiding from the JGSDF
after the destruction of North Tokyo High. She remembers feeling lost
and alone. Koosei had disappeared shortly after the massacre which
claimed all her friends and classmates. She had no aim in life, no goal
to target, nothing really to do with herself. She had thought about
moving to Roppongi and becoming one of their famous exotic dancers...but
with her health starting to fail, she wondered what club would even hire
her...no matter how good she looked.

So she wandered the streets of Tokyo for a bit, not informing her
parents of her whereabouts lest those responsible for destroying North
Tokyo High School would hunt her down and finish the job. Once in a
while, she would sleep with Cherry in exchange for something to eat and
his secrecy. Finally one day, depressed over being spared while others
died, she decided to end it all.

At that time, Sakura was too poor to afford drugs to overdose on
and too weak to hang herself or commit seppuku. She decided the easiest
way to end her miserable existence was simply by jumping off one of the
many bridges in Tokyo. She remembered it was raining that day...like it
always seemed to in situations like that. No one was around to notice
her as she tried to crawl over the railing and let go to kiss the
pavement below.

This is when Chie appeared.

Like something out of a samurai film, he came holding an umbrella
which covered most of his face. Dressed in a simple men's kimono of
white trimmed with tan, he stopped where the despondent Sakura was
planning to jump from and stared at her. Sakura, her torn, dirty
clothing and long, unkempt hair flowing in the rain's breeze, looked at
him with tear-filled eyes. The priest looked at her coolly, as if what
Sakura was going to do was no big deal. He said nothing for what seemed
like an eternity. Then finally, he spoke.

"If you die, it would be a dog's death."

Chie continued on his way. Sakura looked at herself and for the
first time felt ashamed of her actions. She climbed back over the
railing, ran over to the retreating Chie, and bowed low. Once she
explained her problems, Chie took her in. The rest is history.

Sakura walks up the steps to the front door of Chie's shrine. She
remembers feeling scared the first time she saw this shrine. It
resembled something out of an old horror movie. But, she was used to
it. Chie never told her why his shrine was so intimidating to the
casual visitor, only that it was safe from crime (no one DARED try to
break in). In fact, the shrine seemed so intimidating that not even the
most harden member of the Yakuza would even THINK of trying to extort
money from it or the surrounding neighbourhood.

Sakura entered. There was Chie in his full Shinto priest's robes,
having tea. "Why, Sakura-san," the middle-aged priest smiles upon
seeing her. "What brings you here?"

"Oh, just a social visit," Sakura smiles as she removes her shoes.
"It's been so quiet since what happened at the school weeks ago."

"Oh, yes," Chie nods, taking a sip of tea. "It has been quiet.
Too quiet in fact, since Ataru, Lum and the others have been kidnapped.
Has there been any word on them?"

"Nothing," Sakura sits and helps herself to some tea. "Benten is
fine and Catty has told Koosei that her baby is growing normally...for a
Vosian baby that is."

"Well, I guess that's to be expected."

"I've decided to accept promotion to vice-principal of Tomobiki
High School."

"How nice," Chie smiles. "The knighted pawn becomes a queen!"

"True. Since now my future is assured, I think it's time Tsubame
and I got married."

"That's true," Chie nods. "Besides, I hear Tsubame is trying to
get a teaching job at a local university."

"Yes, he's busy studying for the exam," Sakura takes a cracker.
"He wants to get into teaching about paranormal phenomena."

"Everyone in Tomobiki has had experience in that!" Chie muses...

* * *

Meanwhile in the trees of the shrine, a black blur appears and
leaps from tree to tree until he reaches the shrine. The blur then
becomes Shingo, Mendou's illiterate, witless guardian ninja. "This must
be the place," he muses to himself as he looks at the map (drawn without
any kanji so he could understand) given to him. He then pulls out a
scroll which has written on it the name of Chiezou Budou. "I shall
deliver this now!"

Shingo then disappears into a blur as he leaps into the shrine...

...and lands on top of Chie himself! Shingo looks around for the
Shinto priest not noticing that he is standing on his head. "Oh, miss,"
he looks dopily at the surprised Sakura. "Have you seen a priest by the
name of Chiezou Budou around here?"

He sends him through the roof! "Moron!!! You were standing on my
head!!!"

Shingo reappears in front of Chie and hands the scroll to him.
"This is for you!"

Chie takes the scroll and reads it:

"Dear Budou-sama,
"We have decided to end the feud between the Mendou and Mizunokoji
clans by marrying our daughters to our sons. Please come at once for
guidance. We are located at Gongho Fa Chou Chinese Restaurant in
Tomobiki. Come alone, the survival of both our clans are at stake.
"Hajime and Haruka Mendou, Yuujiro and Saeko Mizunokoji"

Chie concludes reading the message not knowing whether to laugh or
to cry. "It looks like the Mendous and Mizunkojis are going to stop
feuding with each other," he states to Sakura.

"How?" Sakura asks...then it hits her.

"By marrying one of them to another one of them," Chie gets a pen
and paper together.

"That's going to be hard," Sakura groans. "Word on the street has
Ryooko and Tobimaro are already engaged to people outside both clans.
Then there's what Asuka is doing with Osooko. Plus, Shutaro is
missing."

"They're going to do it anyway. And they want me to select the
victims," Chie finishes the note and hands it to Shingo. "Okay, take
this to the ones that sent you here."

"Sure," Shingo takes the note...

* * *

A ninja is given a golden scroll to protect from a lovely young
woman dressed in a kimono from the late Sixteenth Century. "Go forth
and be wary," the woman orders, "...for there are Onis on patrol at
night."

The ninja smiles wide enough to make a tooth sparkle in the dim
light. "I shall be like the wind," he boasts...

* * *

Chie notices Shingo is watching a ninja movie on his television.
"***GET GOING, WILLYA!!!!***" the enraged priest yells before literally
kicking the witless ninja out the door...forgetting to open it first!!

* * *

If Shingo was not enough trouble for the Mendou and Mizunokoji
clans, another problem has popped up. Sil Dedron has arrived on Earth
to visit Mendou. She left Earth once Lan, bored that Lum and Benten
were not around to tease, had told her of her lover's disappearance.
Sil almost tried to fly to Earth without a starship before she managed
to get hold of a ship and get there quicker.

She went to the Mendou mansion, only to learn that Shutaro's
parents were home and the staff were forbidden to tell the Oni where
they went. Sil tried Ryooko, only to find out that she wasn't home
either. Sil flew around Tomobiki, hoping to find out what was going
with her lover and his immediate family.

That's when Shingo runs into her...

*CRASH!!!!*

"Oh, sorry, miss," Shingo scratches the back of his head as he
picks himself up. "I was delivering a message to my superiors."

Sil recognizes Shingo. She had seen him before delivering love
notes from Mendou to her...when he wasn't watching television or landing
on top of his master's head, that is. "That's all right," Sil smiles.
"Go ahead."

"Of course," Shingo then leaps away to disappear into thin air.

Sil then notices he left his message on the ground at her feet.
Curious, the young Oni opens it to read it:

"To the Mendous and Mizunokoji,
"I will do this marriage between one of your sons to one of your
daughters but under protest. I'll be arriving. Don't do anything
intelligent before I arrive. I hate when people act out of character.
"Chiezou Budou"

Sil looks horrified at what she has just read. "They're gonna
marry MY LOVER to another woman?!!" she bares her fangs. "MY LOVER!!!!"
She literally explodes so powerfully in anger that she causes an Akira
wave to form. "***OVER MY DEAD BODY, THEY WILL!!!!!!***"

Sil then reads the address the message was to be sent to. "Gongho
Fa Chou Chinese Restaurant? That's where I'm going!"

Sil then flies into the night.

* * *

Nearby, Chie notices Sil searching for Mendou's parents. *Looks
like it's going to be an interesting meeting! If I hurry I might make
it in time to see the fireworks begin.*

The middle-aged Shinto priest rushes off.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

The Gongho Fa Chou Chinese Restaurant is no different than any
other Chinese restaurant in Tokyo. The place is filled with Chinese-
style art and architecture and the waitresses and waiters are dressed in
Chinese-style uniform, although few are Chinese. The chef is in the
kitchen preparing meals for the dozen members of the Mendou and
Mizunokoji Clans. Included among the clan members are both Mendou's
parents and Tobimaro's parents. As expected, Haruka Mendou is seconded
by a grey-haired man with a moustache. He is to act as her voice. Also
there are members of each clans' special guard units.

The room is quiet as both sides sit on opposite ends of the room.
The tension is so strident that it effects the staff. "I've never seen
such uptight people as between these two clans," one waitress, a chubby
Japanese girl, gulps to her partner.

"It gonna be total war in moment if something doesn't change," the
other one, a tall, plain looking Chinese girl nods.

Hajime Mendou looks sternly towards his counterpart. Tobacco
smoke rings his head. "It seems we are at an impasse," he hums.

Yuujiro Mizunokoji nods in agreement. "The future of both our
clans are at stake in this meeting," he says equally as grimly. "It's
time for us to make a move."

The whole room goes silent. Members of both clans looks strained
as they wait for some hidden weaknesses as a signal to attack the other
side. Finally, Yuujiro picks up a menu and reads it. "I'll have the
egg fu young with wonton soup!"

Hajime take a menu as well. "I'll have the chicken wings with
honey."

The staff collapse. "They were figuring out who was going to
order first?!!" the chef, a fat, middle-aged, Chinese man, gulps.

Before any other members of the party can order their meals, the
door swings open. The sound of wind is heard as the figure enters the
room. "Oh, there you are, Budou-sama," Hajime smiles. "I trust you got
our plea."

"Yes, I did," Chie nods as he takes a seat in between both clans.
"Where are those whom I'm supposed to 'marry?'"

Yuujiro claps his hands. A huge Chinese waiter appears beside him
and bows. "Bring in our children!" he orders the waiter.

"At once," the waiter disappears.

"You will notice that we've taken every precaution on keeping our
children from trying to escape their birthright," Hajime nods.

"'Escape?'" Chie looks confused...

...until he sees Ryooko, Tobimaro and Asuka gagged and tied up in
ropes together and placed upon a wheeled table pushed by the waiter.
Beside them is a photograph of Shutaro Mendou taken shortly after his
graduation from Tomobiki High School. They are wheeled in front of Chie
as if they were the special of the day. "I see now," Chie sighs,
feeling a little sorry for them.

"As you can see," Yuujiro points out. "Our children have no
escape. We can't decide on whom is going to marry whom. We thought a
neutral party like yourself could chose."

Chie slaps his forehead. *I knew Lady Nagaiwakai wanted the silly
feud between these two clans to end...but, all of these kids have their
own lovers to worry about...and Shutaro isn't even on Earth! What
should I do?!*

A waitress, a cute Thai girl, appears beside Chie holding a large
bottle of sake and a small glass on a serving tray. "Sake?" she asks
the priest with a smile.

"Sure," Chie nods as he takes the glass and bottle, fills the
glass with sake, places the glass back on the tray, then proceeds to
down the rest of the bottle in one gulp. The effect is immediate. Chie
is sloshed. "Nosh, I'm r-r-reddy ta make m' decision," he slurs. "I's
sink dat da Giants'll win da pennant!"

"We are talking about our children!" Hajime intervenes tersely.

"Oh, yeah," the high priest hiccups. "The only ding dat comes
outta both yer clans are baseball players 'n' loose women."

"What about Asuka?" Yuujiro pipes up.

"Wot positions do they play?" Chie asks.

Haruka whispers into her retainer's ear. "Lady Mendou is appalled
at such behaviour," he flushes angrily. "She is a woman..."

"Pudda sock innit!" Chie snorts.

"...breeding going back centuries."

Both lord of the clan then move closer towards Chie. "Budou-
sama," Hajime urges. "You must make your decision soon."

"Okay," Chie sighs. "I's choose one o' youse ta marry in m'usual
way."

"What way?" Yuujiro asks.

Chie pulls out a coin. "Dis way."

"A coin?!!" everyone gasps.

"Of course," Chie flips the coin in the air, grabs it, and places
on his arm, covering it with his hand. "Heads 'r tails?" he asks.

"Heads," Hajime says.

"Heads it is," Chie shows the coin to both of them. "Shutaro
Mendou and Asuka Mizunokoji! Battin' foist!"

Asuka is untied and shoved in front of Chie with the photo of
Shutaro. "I protest! Shuu-chan isn't even HERE to get married!"

"Asuka," Saeko sniffs. "Think about the future of our clan."

"I'd rather think of my future with Osooko," Asuka growls.

The whole restaurant goes quiet. Hajime turns nervously towards
Yuujiro. "You mean that your daughter really has become a..."

"I hope not!" Yuujiro wipes his brow with a tissue. "But, no
matter what her sexual preferences are, a choice has been made! Asuka
and Shutaro must wed NOW!!!!"

"But..." Asuka protests.

"NOW!!!!" her father cuts her off, then turns to Chie. "Do it,
Budou-sama."

Chie sighs and hunts through the pockets of his Shinto priest
robes for his books on ceremonies. Out of his pockets he pulls out an
elaborate collection of objects d'art, until he finally finds the books
in question...under his hat. "Okay," Chie begins. "Who're da sponsors
o' dis child?"

"This is a wedding," Hajime interrupts. "Not a baptism!"

"Sorry," Chie leafs through the book again. "Here ya go...does
anyone here protest da fact dat dese two marry?"

The answer is given by a wall exploding!! When the smoke clears,
Sil Dedron is standing there with Reigi Yumoa, Yuukiki Seishin and
Osooko. "***WE PROTEST!!!!***"

"Who is that?!!" Yuujiro gasps.

Sil flies up to both lords of the clans and glares angrily at
them. "We're the true loves of your children!!!" Sil explains. "And
we're here to retrieve them!!!"

Reigi and Yuukiki untie their lovers. "Ryooko-chan," Reigi hugs
Ryooko. "I've saved you from a fate worse than death!"

"Thanks, Reigi-kun," Ryooko smiles.

"Ton-chan," Yuukiki nearly smothers Tobimaro with her own chest.
"When they stole you from my bosom, I thought I saw the last of you!
Now, I'm glad you're safe and whole."

Tobimaro faints. Osooko frees Asuka. "I hope I was in time,
Asuka-chan," the Nendo-kata-turned-Tritonian sighs. "I wouldn't want to
lose you to these Purveyors of disUnity!!"

"Just in time, Osooko-chan!" Asuka beams.

"All right!!" Sil snarls, spinning on the Mendous. "Where's my
Shuu-chan?!!"

"In space somewhere," Hajime shrugs. "We know not where. This
wedding has been decided upon even while my son is missing."

"Wedding?!!" Sil glows. "With whom?!!"

"Me," Asuka points to herself.

Sil looks at Asuka. She had heard of the former fiance of Mendou,
a girl who was afraid of men save for Shutaro and her own relatives.
Shutaro had told her it was all over between them, that Asuka had become
a lesbian of all things and was now living with one of those strange
alien women in Oshika. "You?!!" the Oni asks her. "Aren't you a
lesbian?!"

"Not exactly," Asuka scratches the back of her head. "Osooko-chan
can only mate with other women to have children. I volunteered to help
her make a baby."

"And we have been successful," Osooko reports by opening her
kimono to show her extended abdomen. "See?"

"I thought I'd seen everything!" the raven-haired Oni muses.

Haruka whispers to her retainer, whom points at Asuka. "The Lady
Mendou does not recognize this child's parentage..."

"Shaddap!!!" Reigi snarls at him.

"...is an outrage," the retainer ends.

"But for the sake of our clans," Yuujiro pleads, "you must marry
Shutaro Mendou!"

"I won't!!!" Asuka snarls. "All he cares about are flighty Onis
like Sil or Lum!!"

"***WHO'S A FLIGHTY ONI?!?!?!***" Sil bellows.

Hajime takes Sil by the arm. "This is your fault, Oni!!! If you
stayed on your own planet, this would never have happened!!"

"My fault, is it?!" Sil growls. "With cold parents like you, I'm
doing Shuu-chan a favour getting rid of you!!"

Sil demonstrates her own special power: she transforms into
volatile energy which threatened to destroy the entire building!! Dust
and smoke are everywhere. In the middle of it, Chie, still drunk, looks
around for the people he is going to marry. "Hey," Chie slurs. "I
dought I wuz gonna marry someone."

Then he notices two pairs of people lined up. "Marry us!!" they
declare together.

"Okee-dokey," Chie hums.

After a minute, Sil calms down and leaves the restaurant in
shambles. Unconscious Kuromegane and Kurotenshi lay all over the place.
"Now, if I only knew where Shuu-chan was!!" Sil brushes herself off.

"I now pronounce ya all hubby and wife!" Chie hums. "You may kiss
da brides...while I go ta sleep!" Chie passes out on the floor.

"Who got married?!" Sil asks.

In the confusion, Sil could not see whom Chie was marrying. But
with the dust and smoke settling, the Oni girl was beginning to make out
details. She sees Reigi and Ryooko holding hands and kissing each
other...and standing beside them, doing the same thing, are Yuukiki and
Tobimaro. "You four got married to each other?!" Sil asks.

"That's right," Reigi smiles. "We took advantage of the confusion
and did it!"

"Our parents can't stop us!" Ryooko hums.

"We're legal now," Tobimaro grins.

"Let's party, Ton-chan," Yuukiki hugs Tobimaro, "and celebrate!"

"We'll join you," Asuka smiles. "We have to celebrate Osooko-
chan's coming child."

Asuka pats Osooko's stomach which causes the former Nendo-kata to
blush a little. "Sure, Asuka," Tobimaro smiles. "The more, the
merrier. You coming, Sil?"

"Sure," Sil flies after the group.

Once gone, the chef looks at the carnage and unconscious bodies
lying in what was once a beautiful restaurant. He groans then turns to
a waitress, a chubby Chinese girl. "The Japanese are such messy
eaters!"

"And they didn't even leave a tip," the waitress nods
agreeingly...

* * *

While the staff clean up, the "Renegade" orbits the Lannarkite
planet as the crew decides on their next move. In sickbay, the
Emergency Medical Hologram completes her check of Ataru. In only a few
days, Ataru's wounds have healed to the point where he is ready for
discharge. "Sacre bleu," the hologram's eyes grow big. "C'est
impossible. According to zese readings, your body's repair capacity 'as
increased a t'ousand fold. But, you were dying but a few days ago."

"Well," Ataru scratches his head tiredly. "I always did heal
fast."

"D'Accord," the hologram muses. "You are free to go." She
reaches for the zipper of her uniform. "Unless, you wish for a complete
physical examination, yes?"

Ataru holds his nose. "Er...no, thanks! Computer...end Emergency
Medical Hologram!"

To his relief, the hologram fades out just as her breasts became
visible. "What were the designers thinking of when they programmed
HER?!?!" he gasps.

In the corridor, Ataru notices Lum weakly flying by. "Oh, Lum,"
he embraces her from behind. "I feel better than I have in years."

He then notices the paleness of Lum's skin and the unsteadiness in
her flying. Even after a few days, Lum's blood count is still low but
climbing. To someone like Ataru, who has rarely seen his girlfriend in
anything less than full health, the difference is striking. "Are you
alright, Lum-chan?"

"I'm fine," Lum smiles. "It's just the stress of your injuries.
That's all."

"You look like a vampire."

"Close, Darling," Lum then remembering something. "Oh, now that
you're back on your feet, Nassur and Junba are having a meeting to
decide what to do next."

"Why?" Ataru wonders. "What's happened?"

"Junba's given up the cardiac band control and surrendered
herself," Lum explains. "They want our input on whether we should go
back to Earth or not."

A smile appears on Ataru's face. "Finally," he drags Lum with
him. "Someone who really is using his brain!"

* * *

With "Renegade's" helm on automatic, Nassur and Junba meet with
Lum and the others in the dining hall. The mood is filled with silent
anxiousness as the two hunters begin. "I'm glad to see Ataru and Lum
back on their feet so quickly," Nassur acknowledges their shipmates'
recent misfortunes. "I don't think your families would have forgiven me
if I didn't bring you both back alive or whole."

"Next time you wanna fight the Lannarkites," Ataru groans, "leave
me out!"

"Hopefully, that'll be the only time we fight them," Lum sits
down. "I don't think I can take you getting hurt that badly again."

"So," Ataru ahems. "What now?"

Nassur takes the cardiac band control and presses a green button.
"First things first...this." The cardiac bands drop from everyone's
wrists like broken watch bands. The crew looks relieved. "You're free
of the cardiac bands for good," Nassur smiles.

"I wasn't worried too much about them," Ataru shrugs. "They
didn't affect me."

"They hurt us!!" Mendou and Megane growl.

"Good!" Ataru snorts back.

"Ahem!" Nassur interrupts the bickering. "Junba has also
surrendered herself to our mercy. Therefore, we are faced with a couple
of choices. We can go back to Earth and forget about the Sceptre of
Lecasur or we can continue on as normal and bring it back."

Ataru is the only one who faints at the second suggestion!
"What's this?!!" he yells at Nassur. "Go home or keep going after some
mythical object?!! Are you nuts?!"

"Despite what the Mikado did to you," Junba intervenes, "...the
Sceptre of Lecasur is real and I for one am curious about finding it and
bringing it back to my people."

"So am I," Nassur adds.

"Well, that's up to you," Ataru nods as he realizes Nassur's and
Junba's reasons for wanting to go on. "But, we've been dragged into
this against our will."

"True," Nassur nods. "Therefore, ANY of you who want to go
home...will be allowed to go home as soon as we get back in contact with
some of YOUR friends."

*'YOUR friends?'* Ataru thinks, then remembers Lum telling him
that the Gatherer was tailing this ship until they unexpectedly lost
contact. Nassur is keeping information about the Sagussans quiet from
Junba.

"What about you?" Lum asks. Lum knows that Nassur going off into
the unknown with a partner who's loyalties are questionable is
uncharacteristically naive of her former teacher. Anything bad could
happen to her former tutor and being alone, there would be no witnesses.
Besides, what would she tell Benten if Nassur did not return with her?

"I'll be fine. If you go, make sure you tell the Chain-Lady of my
health."

*'Chain-Lady?'* Lum thinks before realizing Nassur is meaning
Benten.

"Whether you all go, some of you go, or none of you go," Nassur
continues, "...is not an issue. I can't force you to stay here against
your wills. All those wanting to leave...meet me back here in an hour."

Nassur leaves. Junba stays for a moment, a pensive look on her
face. Remembering how badly she treated everyone else on this ship
before she was captured by the Lannarkites, Junba for the first time
feels as nervous. *How will they react to me now?* she wonders. By
rights, they could have her arrested and thrown into the brig. Or they
could maroon her somewhere to live the rest of her life alone.
Thousands of possible scenarios play through the hunter's mind before
she gets up the courage to speak. "Before I leave," she begins, "I'd
like to apologize for everything I've done to hurt you. I once believed
that anyone who allied themselves with Nassur was my enemy so I treated
you as such." She gives Shinobu a glance. "Especially you, Shinobu-
san. I nearly killed you because you found out something about me that
I didn't want anyone on this ship to know. For that, I am hoping that
my apology could help to mend the fences between us. If you decide to
stay, I will accept any punishment you desire for what I did to you."
She turns to Lum. "I know you find it hard to believe...but I now want
to join Nassur as an equal member of this ship's crew with any of you
who want to do so. Maybe somehow, someday, you'll trust me as you trust
each other." Before her eyes can fill with tears, she bows to leave the
dining hall. "I'll see you in an hour, maybe?"

Everyone looks at everyone else in silence after Junba leaves.

* * *

An hour later, Nassur and Junba walk down the corridor to the
dining hall. Never has such a walk seem so drawn out as it feels to the
hunters. "The rest of the ship can be set on automatic until we reach
the Planet of Shadows," Nassur makes small talk. "It'll be a lonely
journey but regular communications with Home Base should keep us
company."

"A videoscreen is nothing compared to a living person," Junba
reminds Nassur. "Still, I wonder how we're going to get your friends
back. We're far from any shipping routes."

"Don't worry," Nassur smiles. "I have ways in sending people
where they want to go."

Both stop at the door and look at each other, anxiety across their
faces. "Well, here it goes," Nassur sighs.

They open the door...

...and notice that NO ONE is there waiting to leave. Junba and
Nassur look at each other. "Could it be...?" she asks.

"I guess Terrans are just as curious as Vosians," Nassur answers.

The intercom beeps. "Bridge to Nassur," Lum's voice is heard.
"We're ready to leave orbit for the Planet of Shadows when you are."

"Understood," Nassur answers. "But I thought Ataru wasn't going
with us!"

"I'm coming," Ataru's voice answers. "But, the first chance I
get, I'm outta here and back home, understand?!"

"Understood," Nassur smiles. "We'll be on the bridge. Meanwhile,
engage!"

The "Renegade" leaves the orbit of the Lannarkite planet to
continue its mission...

* * *

On Earth, Benten is visiting Koosei under the watchful eyes of
Catty. It took a lot to convince the Sagussan doctor to ALLOW Benten
the privilege of visiting friends. Leaving Mal to babysit Reiko, Ten-
chan and Minami, Benten reluctantly agreed to be chaperoned to Koosei's
home so she could be "protected from the idiocy of this tomobiki."
Koosei enjoys the company, being depressed after Oyuki left for Triton a
few hours earlier. He was always like that after their dates ended,
though the Umbrella and his Cloud wife would not DARE pester him. "So,
how is life in Oshika, Benten?" Koosei asks while serving some tea.

"Oh, it's fine," Benten takes a tea cup, only to have it
immediately scanned by Catty and her ever-present tricorder.

"It passes," Catty ends her scan.

"Do you mind, Catty?!" Benten snarls. "Koosei doesn't put poison
in their tea...at least, not if it's for Lan!"

"I was checking if the composition could harm the fetus," Catty
retorts. "Continue."

Benten turns back to Koosei. "As you can see," she continues,
"Catty's a little TOO overprotective of me!"

"Well, on Sagussa, medical officers are given considerable
respect," Koosei says before offering a biscuit to Benten, repeating the
oft-quoted dictum, "*Igh te'a i'sagh.*"

Catty scans them as well before she allows Benten to touch one.
"They pass."

Benten looks annoyed. "I understand that. But she never lets me
do anything!"

"You must think about the baby!!"

"I KNOW I'm pregnant!!!" Benten hollers back. "I don't need to be
reminded about it every second of the day!!"

"Then, why not consider having the fetus moved into a gestation
chamber for its OWN protection?!" Catty counters.

"Not on your life!" Benten pats her rounded stomach. "I helped
MAKE this baby! I wanna finish growing it inside me...obsessive doctor
or no obsessive doctor!!"

"You have to admit, Catty, Benten's got you there," he chuckles.
"If the Sagussans have a flaw, it's their overuse of technology. They
make it too easy to do stuff...and that makes them forget that they all
once were part of our 'primitive' civilizations."

"But, it's my job to...!"

Koosei puts his hand on Catty's shoulder. "If anything I've
learned about Benten, Catty, it's this: she's been entrusted carrying
something VERY precious to Nassur-kun...and she wants to see it to the
end. Since you haven't had any children, you don't understand Benten.
So, relax! Benten or the baby will tell you if anything's wrong."

Catty, unaccustomed to being told to relax, doesn't know how to
respond. "But..."

"Women in this part of the galaxy have been having babies this way
eons before the *daishi'cha* were collected," Koosei stares into her
eyes. "And they'll be having them for eons after your people have died
out. So make this a learning experience for you."

Catty looks confused. "Well, I may have been a little harsh," she
scratches her head. "But, Benten's the first pregnant woman I've come
across and I've been sleep-trained in all the arts of Sagussan
medicine."

"Well, training's no substitute for experience," Koosei adds.

"I'll try to give a little more leeway in what comes in contact
with her," Catty sighs.

"Good," Benten smiles. "Say, Koosei, isn't Tanabana coming up
soon?"

"Next week, I think," Koosei remembers.

"Why don't we have a party up in Oshika celebrating it?" Benten
asks.

"I don't see why not," Koosei smiles. "Who do you want to
invite?"

"I'll decide later," Benten turns to Catty. "Of course, you can
bring in the crew of the 'Hasei'cha,' too, Catty."

"It'll give them a break from monitor duty our return to Sagussa
to prepare for the *daimon'cha's* arrival," Catty smiles.

*It'll also give Lufy a chance to work on her bond with you,
Catty,* Koosei muses.

Tanabana is a festival in Japan...and on both Uru and Fukunokami.
Unlike Setsubun, this is not a violent celebration. Between Urusians
and Fukunokami, it is traditionally the one day that NO fighting is
allowed. It is a day to love one another, renew old friendships which
have been interrupted by distance and one's obligations.

Like Japan's Tanabana, legend has it that the son of an Oni lord
and the daughter of a Fukunokami lord fell in love against the wishes of
their families. Finally, they were barred from seeing each other except
for ONE day of the year, where they would leave a card tied to an
evergreen tree. On the card is written a wish that is to be fulfilled
in the coming year. According to legend, if the card stayed on the tree
the whole night without once falling off, the wish would come true.

As time passed, Tanabana became a festival as eagerly awaited as
Setsubun. Reenactments using children from both races are the
highlights of the evening before all the guests would tie their wishes
for the coming year on the tree.

Benten always liked Tanabana because it was the first time she got
to wear a cute girl's kimono. She was eight years old at the time, an
atypical tomboy. In school plays, she would be handed a male role.
Lum, on the other hand, always got the female leading role in the
class...much to the chagrin of Lan. Even though she won the part by
acclamation (Benten was the only Fukunokami in her class), she saw this
as a chance to change her image. Years later, Benten could still quote
the lines she had to learn without error...she also had the kimono she
wore in the play, stored somewhere in her parents' house.

"Then, let's get to planning it," Benten pats both Koosei and
Catty on the back...

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

In the "Renegade's" holosuite, Nassur instructs Lum and the others
on what they might expect on the Planet of Shadows. Although a holo-
simulation is good, it cannot plan for every possible congruency.
Packed with all the information stored in the frigate's computer banks
along with what the Mikado supplied through Junba, the simulation was as
accurate as possible.

The Planet of Shadows looked covered with a thick, lush jungle not
unlike those in Africa or South America. There seemed to be no
intelligent humanoid life there...save for the Keeper... despite there
being ruins indicative of a very advanced civilization. There is one
intact structure, a palace of shiny crystal, standing in a clearing. It
was not easy to overlook. It could be the size of Tokyo itself if the
information was correct. Despite its intactness, it seemed uninhabited.

Strangely, the planet surrounds its sun, unlike most other worlds.
In the horizon, they could see more of the Earth-like geography and less
proof of any intelligent life. "As you can see," Nassur walks everyone
through the simulation, "...what information we have on the Planet of
Shadows shows that it's a Dyson sphere. This means that the whole world
is artificial. Probably it was built from raw materials from all its
solar system's planets, moons and asteroids. It is a feat of
engineering that has no equal anywhere...possibly even on Sagussa."

"Tere'na-korgh is nothing compared to that!" Lum whistles.

"I'll have to agree," Ataru nods. On all the planets he had
visited, none could boast a horizon that curved UP.

"What information we have on the Planet of Shadows and the initial
act of finding the Sceptre of Lecasur is from Lecasur's log entries from
the 'Unification,'" Nassur continues. "It's by no means complete. Log
entries in that time were known for little...omissions stating what
actually happened. But it's better than nothing." He points towards
the Crystal Palace. "The Sceptre was found in that building over
there."

"A palace of crystal?" Lum gasps.

"It's so beautiful!" Shinobu exclaims.

"It's here where the Keeper is alleged to live," Nassur adds.

"Keeper?" Mendou asks. "What Keeper?"

"According to the log entries," Nassur explains, "...an old man
lives in the Crystal Palace alone. No one knows who he is or how long
he's been there. It is claimed that he is immortal. Only he knows
where in the Palace the Sceptre is located now."

A hologram of an elderly, spry-looking man with long greying hair
and full beard appears. He wears a long, blue robe and holds a long
pole in his left hand. The wrinkles on his face give a kindly look
about him. "This is the Keeper," Nassur introduces the hologram.
"Despite his looks, he is VERY powerful. Treat him with respect."

The intercom beeps. "Nassur," Junba hums. "There's an energy
field developing in the holosuite. You want to investigate it."

Nassur looks puzzled. "Okay. Computer, stop and save program."

The program disappears to show the walls, ceiling, and floor
covered with dark, glass-like panelling from which the holographic
projections are created. Everyone looks around. "What energy field?"
Megane scratches his head. "I don't see one."

Nassur pulls out a tricorder and scans around the room. "Looks
like it's up there," he reports, pointing up. "It's a type of energy
I've never seen before. It's almost like it's from another
dimension..."

"Another dimension?" everyone echoes.

"Who do we know who can do that?" Mendou scratches his head.

"From the looks of things," Nassur adds, "...they're ready to drop
in at any moment."

Then something falls to the floor with a hard thud! "It's gone
now," Nassur reports.

Everyone stares at what just took a header on the deck. Luckily,
he was not hurt. "Inaba-kun?!" Shinobu gasps surprisedly on seeing her
former boyfriend.

"Shinobu-san?" Inaba groans, picking himself up. "I've found
you!" he takes his former girlfriend by the hand. "It took me a long
time and inquiries at fifty Destiny Management offices before I found
you!"

"What are you doing here?" Lum asks the question that everyone had
on his mind.

"I was getting ready to leave for my new job on Sagussa," Inaba
smiles. "So, I came to say my goodbyes. I went to Earth and found that
Shinobu-san and the rest of you had been kidnapped, so I came looking
for you all."

"How'd you manage to get a cloaked ship this far into the Galaxy?"
Nassur asks.

"We don't use starships," Inaba scratches his head gleefully. "We
use spacial warps."

"I see," Nassur says...then thinks. "Inaba, can you carry a
message for me to Benten? She's living in Oshika right now."

A smile appears on the rabbit-boy's face. "Can I carry a
message?" he boasts. "Can I carry a message?" He looks confused. "Can
I carry a message?"

Everyone yells loud enough to knock him across the room. "***CAN
YOU?!?!?!***"

"Sure," Inaba picks himself up. "I can. Just tell me what you
want to know."

Inaba is immediately besieged by everyone and given several
messages to take with him. Nassur has a message for Benten. Lum has
one for her parents and Ten-chan. Ataru has one for his grandmother,
sister and Reiko. Shinobu wants one sent to her parents and siblings.
Mendou gets one ready for his parents and Sil, while Megane has one
ready to be delivered to his mother and Tanoshii. "This'll take some
time," Inaba sighs as he places the notes into his apron pockets. "But,
I'll get everyone's messages delivered." He then disappears into a
spacial warp.

"I hope he makes it back," Ataru sighs.

"I just hope he finds Tanoshii," Megane sighs. "I miss her
terribly."

"We miss everyone terribly," Mendou nods. "Even our enemies."

* * *

At Ataru's house, Benten, Catty and the kids relax. Since Koosei
urged the doctor to ease off, the pregnant hunter looks happier. Reiko
still looks hopelessly lovesick as she wanders around the house. Ten-
chan and Minami play house with each other. "Things are so quiet here,"
Benten stretches her tired body. "I wish the kid wouldn't be so
active."

Benten pats her stomach. For the last month, she felt as if
someone else is slowly taking control of her body. Catty stated this is
normal for a woman carrying a Vosian child as the fetus is only getting
used to using her powers. Benten remained unconvinced. Despite all the
information written on the subject, birthing a Vosian-descent child
remains filled with many unknowns. There are rumours of the baby
actually taking over its mother's body while she sleeps to get a look at
the "afterbirth" (as the fetuses call it). As far as she knew, her baby
didn't do that so far...but it would help if the baby would stop putting
post-hypnotic suggestions into her own mind. The last one had her eat
an entire box of detergent at the local convenience store to the shock
of everyone present. It took a LOT of explaining from Catty to the
store's owner about what she was going through...not that the owner
believed a word of it.

But, living in Oshika bored Benten. Once in a while Koosei,
Sakura or Mie would visit. Even Oyuki would literally drop in with
Lan...when the latter was not waiting for Lum to return so the Seishin
could get her revenge on the Oni. That was rare. There was nothing
really to look forward to except Tanabana and Clarisse and Pamanba's
upcoming concert. What she would give to have a break from routine.

She gets one: Kurama, flanked by Noa, enters the room. "Chain
Lady!" the Tengu princess growls upon seeing Benten. "You have some
explaining to do!"

Benten looks unimpressed by Kurama's bluster. "I'm glad to see
you, too, Kurama," she replies with contempt in her voice before she
notices Noa. "Why are you and Noa here?"

"I was going to ask you the same thing!" Kurama snorts before she
notices the signs of Benten's pregnancy. "I see," she nods in
understanding. "NATSU-KUN DUMPED YOU BECAUSE YOU'RE CARRYING ANOTHER
MAN'S CHILD!!!!"

When the smoke clears, Benten stares her in the eye. "WHO TOLD
YOU THAT LIE?!?!?!"

"She met with Nassur and the 'Renegade' in space a few days ago,"
Noa sighs. "Henry and I saved her from getting destroyed."

"Couldn't you have LET them finish the job?!!" Benten wonders.

"After sharing a ride in space with her," Noa groans, "...I was
tempted to!"

Kurama points her leaf fan. "If that THING is Natsu-kun's child,
explain why I saw him and the Ghost Boy in a loving embrace!"

"Ghost Boy?" Benten remembers whom Kurama means. "You mean
Shinobu is trying to have an affair with MY husband?! That's
impossible! Nassur is recognized to me! Affairs NEVER occur after
recognition!"

"That's right," Noa nods.

"I know what I saw!" Kurama protests. "And I have the evidence
recorded!"

"Well, let me see it!" Benten retorts.

"Of course," Kurama nods.

* * *

Minutes later, Kurama's crewmen set up a huge holoprojector in the
living room. After the tape is played, Benten looks stunned. "Shinobu
IS trying to have an affair with Nassur," Benten denies. "But, she
can't succeed! Nassur's recognized me!"

"You want to know where we met?" Kurama goes on the offensive.
"Just outside the borders of known space. It seems that Nassur and his
little band are going on a little exploration cruise!"

"But he was going on a rescue mission!" Benten did not know what
to think. Nassur is always as good as his word. Something must have
happened to change his mission.

"From the looks of things, that's changed," Kurama rubs it in.

Benten looks at the tape again. On the second watching, she
notices Junba in the command chair. "Who is that girl?" Benten points
to the image. "She looks like Cinba!"

"It's a bastardization!" Noa snorts.

"She was in charge of what is going on," Kurama nods. "Maybe it's
impossible for Nassur to have an affair with another alien woman, but
what about another VOSIAN woman?!"

Benten turns away. "Preposterous!" she snorts. "There's
something going on there and I wanna find out the truth...no matter if
it drops out of the sky!"

The truth chooses to crash in! Inaba drops through the roof and
nearly hits Benten before bouncing to the floor!! "Benten?"

"Inaba?!" Benten looks surprised.

Inaba hands her a letter with her name written in Nassur's
handwriting on it. "This is for you!" he groans before passing out.

"Probably a goodbye letter!" Kurama hums.

Annoyed, Benten seizes the letter from the extra-dimensional
rabbit-boy to read it. "'Dear Benten,'" she reads aloud. "'Probably by
now, Kurama has come to visit you and tell her side of what happened
while we are in space. All I ask is NOT to believe a word she says
until you learn the truth. Lum, Ataru, the others and myself are being
FORCED to go on a secret mission for the Mikado. The overseer of this
mission is a woman who CLAIMS to be a twin sister of Cinba herself.
While no one is in a danger at the moment, I've asked Noa and her people
to secretly follow us just in case (until recently, that was true). I'm
not sure when or IF any of us will be back or what condition we will be
in when we return, but I hold you in my heart every night. I'm sorry
for all the anxiety that is occurring for you on Earth. I hope our
coming baby is healthy and everyone on Earth is looking after you.
Hoping that the time that separates us will be brief...Nassur.'"

The whole room goes silent. Benten puts the letter down and tears
begin to well up in her eyes. Kurama smiles with relief. "Oh, so
Natsu-kun's being forced to do something for that disgusting Mikado! I
knew it all along!"

Kurama pats Benten on the shoulder. She suddenly wheels on her.
Her tears flowing like rain. "SURE you did!!" Benten snarls. "Wasn't
it YOU who came in here a few minutes ago accusing ME for being
unfaithful?!"

"Well..." Kurama backs off, gulping.

"Wasn't it YOU who accused Nassur and Shinobu of having an
affair?!!"

"Well...I...um..."

"WASN'T IT YOU WHO ACCUSED NASSUR HAVING AN AFFAIR WITH ANOTHER
VOSIAN WOMAN?!?!?!"

"But..." Kurama continues to back away from the angry Fukunokami
hunter until she literally has her back against the wall.

Benten traps her against the wall. "You NEVER accepted that I can
carry Nassur's children and you and he are not compatible!!!" Benten
shoves her face until it is barely the width of a finger's distance from
their noses. "So, you come making accusations...UNFOUNDED
accusations...trying to break us apart!!! Well, Nassur's risking his
life and the lives of a group of people who are OUR friends!!!
Something a crow-slut like you wouldn't even understand!! If I wasn't
pregnant, I'D be with him now risking my life right beside him!! If it
were YOU, you'd probably be busy trying find some other guy to screw
you!!!"

Noa, who had, until this time, thought this would be a good source
of amusement to make up for the boredom of following "Renegade," decides
against her better judgement to intervene. "Benten, that's..."

Benten immediately grabs Noa. "Aren't YOU supposed to be
following my husband's ship to make sure NOTHING goes wrong?!"

"W-well, I..." Noa scratches her head as she remembers that Benten
does have a point.

"BUT NOTHING!!!!" Benten transforms into a VERY scary monster
who's ferocity even intimidates Catty. "GET GOING!!!!"

"I'm going!! I'm going!!" Noa sighs.

As she dematerializes in the transporter beam, Benten continues to
yell into the air. "...AND DON'T COME BACK UNTIL YOU BRING NASSUR AND
THE OTHERS WITH YOU!!!!"

Benten falls to her hands and knees and pants heavily, the stress
draining her. Catty is at her side and gives her a quick scan with her
tricorder. "Your blood pressure is rising," she reports. "I
suggest..."

"Don't you start!" Benten snaps at Catty. "Gods, I feel tired."

"I think it is time I left," Kurama says while quickly moving
towards the nearest door.

Benten watches her and sits on her bottom. She pretends to kick
Kurama out the door with her bare foot. "Don't come back!"

"Just rest," Catty orders her. "You'll feel better after a nap."

Catty lays Benten down on the floor. The angered hunter closes
her eyes, then...

...she immediately sits back up WITHOUT opening her eyes. "Catty-
oba-chan," Benten childishly whines. "Momma didn't mean ta be angry at
Noa-oba-chan. She's just upset that she isn't with Daddy."

"I understand," Catty nods as she sets Benten back down on her
back. "Now, let your mother's body rest. She's very agitated and needs
to calm down."

"Okay," Benten smiles and goes to sleep.

Ten-chan, Minami and Reiko look in awe. "W-what was that all
about?" Minami asks.

"Oh, Benten's baby just took over her body," Catty pats the
Japanese girl on the head. "Nothing to worry about. It just means that
the baby's coming soon." She then carefully picks up Benten and carts
her away. "I'll put her in her own bed."

Minami looks strangely at Ten-chan. "Vosian babies take over your
body when you sleep?" she asks. "That's weird!"

"Isn't it?!" Ten-chan nods in approval.

"You think that's weird," Reiko adds. "You should get a load of
how much noise that kid gives off mentally!"

* * *

An hour or so later, Benten sleeps in the guest bedroom. The
sounds of her snoring can be heard quite clearly to anyone standing
beside the room. The door opens and Ten-chan floats in towards the
hunter. He notices Catty just laid her on top of the bed without
disturbing any of the covers. He also notices that Benten's distended
stomach is giving her problems in finding a comfortable position to
sleep. *It's a wonder she can sleep with that belly!* Ten-chan floats
closer to Benten.

Then Benten, without opening her eyes again, sits up. "Ten-chan?"
she says in the same childish-sounding voice. "Is that you?"

"Yikes!!" Ten-chan nearly jumps out of his skin. "I didn't mean
to wake you, Benten-chan! I just wanted ta see if you were okay."

"Momma's very tired," Benten reports. "She's still dreamin'."

"Momma?" Ten-chan gasps before her remembers about what Catty
said. "Oh, yeah, you're the baby!"

"That's right," Benten nods before pointing herself towards the
floating Oni boy. "So, what's it like?"

"What's what like?"

"Afterbirth."

"Oh, it's got its good things and bad things. Say, why don'tcha
open your momma's eyes and see for yourself?"

"What if ya try to trick me?"

"I'm only a little kid! How could I trick a kid who's yet to be
born?"

Benten opens her eyes and the first thing she "sees" is Ten-chan.
"So, that's what ya look like! Just like how I sensed ya to be."

"That's right," Ten-chan smiles as he shyly scratches his head.
"I guess."

Benten pats Ten-chan on the head. "Maybe someday we'll be friends
after I'm born."

"Maybe," he shrugs.

"I'd better let momma take control back," Benten closes her eyes.
"I'm getting tired."

"Sure."

"Can ya sleep with me for a while?" she asks. "I'd like to get to
know ya better."

"Er...how?"

Benten points to her stomach. "Just lay here. It's so lonely
with just me and Momma."

"Well, okay," Ten-chan nods, landing on Benten's stomach after she
lays down.

Once Ten-chan closes his eyes. Benten lightly taps him on the
forehead. "Now we meet for the first time," she whispers.

* * *

In Ten-chan's mind, he is instantly transported into a dream world
filled with all the wonders that children could want. There are toys
and playthings everywhere with not a hint of anything else. The only
light source is a huge sun floating high in the yellow sky. "Where am
I?" he says with confusion in his voice. "I just shut my eyes...and I'm
here?"

Then a cute, brown-haired girl resembling a young Benten appears
in front of Ten-chan. She is physically his age, wearing a frilly red
and black dress. "Hello, Ten-chan," the girl giggles. "Welcome to my
world."

"W-who are ya?" he gasps.

"I'm Momma's baby," the girl points to the sun. "That's Momma up
there!"

"You're the baby?!" Ten-chan nearly falls through the floor before
noticing the baby's pointed ears. "But how?"

"This is only a temporary link between us," the baby says. "Since
I saw ya, it's only right for ya ta see me!"

"Er...right," Ten-chan scratches his head, not deciding what to
believe. To him this is like something out of some of the horror manga
he read in Ataru's room when he was in school. Very weird.

The baby looks annoyed. "Don't be a trench-wave!" she begins to
drag him towards the playground. "Teach me how to play!"

"S-sure."

Eventually the Oni boy loses his shyness with the baby and teaches
her all sorts of Oni and Terran games which he himself learned. Soon,
time passes by like an ocean, and both Ten-chan and the baby play with
each other as if they had grown up together for years.

Finally, playtime ends and a noticeably tired baby turns to Ten-
chan happily. "Thank you for bein' with me," she smiles. "Maybe next
time, we can play for real!"

"Er...maybe," Ten-chan nods.

The ground trembles as if an earthquake is occurring. The force
knocks them both to the ground. When it ends, both Ten-chan and the
baby look afraid. "What was that?" he asks while picking himself off
the ground.

"Oh, no!" the baby frets. "Momma wants ta wake up! That means
you gotta go and I gotta end this link! See ya!"

"Wait..." Ten-chan tries to say...

* * *

...but finds himself back in the real world...laying on Benten's
stomach. "What a weird dream!" he sighs.

Then he feels someone grabbing the back of his jumper. "WHAT THE
HELL IS THIS?!?!?!" the harsher tone of Benten interrupts. "What are
you doing sleeping on MY gut?!"

Benten looks at the Oni boy angrily. "The baby asked me to!" Ten-
chan cries.

"Get real!!!" Benten growls. "Next, you'll say you were playing
with her!!!"

"I was...I think."

Benten lumbers out of bed. "Well, don't sleep on me like that
again! It makes me dream of anvils on my gut! I'm hungry. I guess the
baby wants some soap chips again."

Benten leaves but seemingly unnoticed by her, her hand gently pats
him on the head. Ten-chan realizes that it was Benten's baby's only way
of saying things were okay with her.

* * *

Meanwhile in Lum's cabin aboard the "Renegade," Lum sleeps in her
bed. It only took a few days but her body finally returned to what it
was before she gave Ataru his transfusion. Normally, this would have
kept her out of action for nearly a week, but since what happened to her
after she nearly died from the Hustari, her body's defenses were
increasing in strength to Sagussan norms.

After Lum falls into a deep enough sleep, she accesses the
Dreamscape. As it was several times before, Noa wasn't there. *What
happened to her and the Gatherer?* the Oni wonders. Nassur said they
were following them but for the last week or so, she couldn't contact
Noa or ANY of the Sagussans via the Dreamscape. Could something have
happened to the Gatherer? Sure, the superdreadnought is a huge and
well-protected ship, but against most of the Universe's natural
phenomena, he was as vulnerable as any other vessel.

Lum's dream self looks around for anyone and finds herself alone
amongst an endless sea of black. According to what she learned about
the Dreamscape, that meant that she was out of range of her objective
receiver...meaning that Noa was too far away to pick each other up.
*Where did Noa go?!* she frets.

Then someone covers her eyes. "Miss me?"

Lum removes the slim fingers and turns to see Noa standing there.
"Noa-chan!!!" Lum hugs her bond-mate. "Where were you all this time?!
I was worried!!!"

"Henry and I were just performing a little...service for someone,"
Noa sighs. "We just got back. How are you and Ataru?"

"Well..." Lum begins.

"Ataru was nearly WHAT?!?!?!" Noa's voice echoes throughout the
cosmos when she hears the news. "Thank Lyna that he's okay!!" Noa
sighs. "For a moment there, I thought we were going to need a new
*daimon'cha!!*"

"Well, Darling's fine now," Lum smiles. "Thanks to a little
transfusion from me."

"That's a relief!!" Noa smiles. "But why risk his life for that
HALF-LIFE?!?!"

"H-half-life...?!" Lum blinks, surprised that Noa would use the
most degrading curse in the Sagussan language.

Noa gives Lum a strange look. "Don't you know? That girl named
Junba. It's a clone!"

"A clone?!" Lum faints! "But she says she was Cinba's twin
sister!!"

"Don't yell at me!" Noa snaps. "I scanned the 'Renegade' shortly
after you guys left Vos and found that Junba has the SAME DNA make-up as
Cinba! That means a clone."

"But why make a clone of Cinba?!"

"I don't know," Noa shrugs. "But watch yourself around it. Clones
can do anything."

"I'll keep that in mind," Lum nods before leaving the
Dreamscape...

...and wakes up. "A clone?" she muses. "Why make a clone of one
of the most virtuous women I've ever known?"

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)