Mihoshi's New Brain
By Master Fwiffo
It was a normal morning at the Masaki household.
Relatively speaking, of course.
"Ryoko! How dare you!" Ayeka shrieked at Ryoko's advances on Tenchi.
What? We love each other... Don't we Tenchi?" She said snuggling up closer to Tenchi.
Wishing for the billionth time that he was somewhere else, Tenchi cried out. "Get off of me Ryoooookkkkkooooooo!!!!!!"
"Don't you want to cuddle Tenchi?" Ryoko moved closer.
"NOOOO! Get awaayyyyy!!!!!"
"Ryoko! Stop this instant!" Ayeka shrieked.
"Why don't you make me!" Ryoko leapt o her feet.
"This is the last straw Ryoko." Ayeka glared at her Arch-Rival
As the two glared at each other, Tenchi slowly crawled away, wishing that someday he would get stranded on a small deserted island, where there were no women.
-------
Upstairs, another bout of yelling was going on, only this was rather one-sided.
"How many TIMES have I told you Mihoshi, DON'T LEAVE THE RADIO SIGNALER OFF!!!! We could miss an IMPORTANT ASSIGNMENT!!!! Then we would get FIRED!!!"
Mihoshi, already in tears, grabbed Kione's leg and sobbed. "I'm SORRRRYYYYYYY Kione! Please forgive me!" She cried through her tears.
Kione grumpily kicked her off, and stomped downstairs, where Ryoko and Ayeka were trying to verbally rip each others ears off.
Mihoshi sat on the floor trembling sadly. It was not the first time she had been criticized by her partner, but each time it hurt worse.
Mihoshi sighed and leaned back against the wall.
"Why can't I do anything without making Kione mad?" She asked herself, silently. "I try, and try, but I can't do anything right." She sighed, and slumped. Once again she let the tears flow. "I want to be a good cop.. but I just can't!" She sobbed to the air, thinking no one else heard her.
But someone did hear.
"Is something wrong Mihoshi?" Yosho asked as he entered the room.
Mihoshi, startled, jumped several feet up. "Oh, uhh... Hi Mr. Masagi! I was just- uh..."
Yosho just shook his head. "I heard the whole thing." He looked at Mihoshi gently. "I see your having an identity crises."
"What?" Mihoshi asked, suddenly very confused.
"Your trying to be someone your not." Yosho said softly, laying his hand on Mihoshi's shoulder. "Just act normally." He advised.
But when I do, Kione yells at me!" Mihoshi objected.
"That's because Mihoshi she want you to be someone your not. Do not worry about it. She'll adjust to you sooner or later."
"You really think so?" Mihoshi asked.
"Yes, I do." Yosho said gently, then got up. "I have to go now. You just remember what I said." He nodded, then was gone.
Mihoshi sighed. She felt better, but not much.
-----
Kione and Tenchi glanced over Washu's shoulder.
Hey Washu?" Tenchi asked. "What... well.... what I mean to say is..."
"What IS that thing?" Kione blurted.
"Its an ultramagnetic-spectro modulator quantum Flux ray." Washu said without blinking.
"A WHAT?" Kione and Tenchi chorused in disbelief.
"An Ultrama... Oh heck, a really big gun."
"Oh... why?" Kione asked. "There are already good enough guns out there. Besides, isn't this what got you in trouble and stuck on Earth in the first place?"
"Yeah. Oh well. This ones new. It has the capacity to destroy a small solar system.." Washu continued.
"Wow." Tenchi said. "Sounds impressive."
Hi every-body!" Mihoshi's sing-song voice called as she entered the lab.
"Oh-no." Kione buried her head in her hands.
"Kione!" Mihoshi called. "There you are! Sassami said you'd be in here."
"Yeah, what?" Kione grumbled.
"I... I want... to apologize about this morning. I shouldn't have turned off the reliever in the first place."
"The darn right." Kione muttered silently. "All right, your forgiven. Just.. Bug Off, will ya? I can't get a minute to myself around here."
Mihoshi's face fell. She began to say something, but then thought the better of it. She turned and slinked off.
"Hey!" Tenchi ran after her.
Washu glanced at Kione. "You should be a little nicer." She said, then turned back to her work.
Though it was only six short words, those words struck Kione harder than anything she had ever heard before. She got up and quickly walked after Tenchi and Mihoshi.
-------
Tenchi caught up to Mihoshi a few minutes later, still in Washu's lab.
"Mihoshi! Don't take it personally!" He said stopping her. "Kione's just grumpy."
Mihoshi looked both sad and angry at the same time. "No she doesn't! She never has." She sat back onto the ground. "Never..." Mihoshi said and began to sob.
"Now, now, don't take it so hard." Tenchi said, gently conforming her.
Kione stopped a few feet away, and saw Mihoshi crying, and Tenchi gently conforming her, and gasped as a previously unknown feeling welled up inside her. Seeing Mihoshi crying over her dislike of her partner disturbed her greatly.
Mihoshi looked up and saw Kione standing there, sniffling. "Kione?" She gasped and backed up in surprise, bumping into a large stack of wood boxes behind her.
"Mihoshi... I'm... LOOK OUT!!!!" Kione's apology was interrupted as large box tumbled down from the stack onto Mihoshi and Tenchi. Tenchi instinctively leaped out of the way, but Mihoshi was too slow. As the boxes landed on top of her, there was the sound of glass breaking, and a shriek from Mihoshi. A green liquid began oozing out of the cracks in the box.
Washu heard the crash and came running. "What's going on? What's-" She stopped and stared at the pile of boxes, and both Tenchi and Kione struggling to move them.
"What happened?" She gasped as she ran over to help them.
"Mihoshi's under there!" Kione cried, struggling to lift a box.
"Hold on!" Washu yelled, and called up a keyboard. She typed in a few keystrokes, and the boxes disappeared in a flash of light.
Mihoshi lay on the ground, drenched in the green ooze. There were several cuts and bruises, but other than that, she looked ok.
Except that she wasn't moving.
"Mihoshi!" Kione cried, picking up her partner, and holding her limp body close.
Washu glanced sorrowfully at Mihoshi. "We'd better get her to a medical facility quickly." She said urgently.
Kione sobbed into Mihoshi's limped shoulder feeling that, somehow, this was her fault.
--------
Everyone was crowded around a single bed in the small hospital room, to the point where the doctor had to squeeze to get in. After a few minutes examination, he came out.
"Incredible." He muttered. "She should have suffered a concussion, or WORSE, but she looks fine. She's just unconscious. She'll be fine in a day or so." He said, smiling gently at the large group. "Now if you will excuse me." He grumbled, pushing his way out.
Kione walked over to Mihoshi's bed, and laid a hand gently on her partners shoulder.
Sassami also was at Mihoshi's side, holding her limp hand. Ryo-Oh-Ki sat on top of her head, mewing softly.
"Don't worry so much." Ryoko said lazily. "She's fine. Didn't you hear the doctor?"
"Ryoko! Don't be so insensitive!" Ayeka scolded. "She could have been seriously hurt!"
Yeah, whatever." Ryoko muttered, collapsed in chair, and fell asleep.
"OOOOO, that women!" Ayeka huffed.
Washu was sitting in the chair next to Ryoko's, busily looking at screen and tying things.
"What are you doing?" Yosho asked.
"I'm trying to figure out just what the heck that stuff that spilled on Mihoshi was." Washu grumbled. "But I can't find the correct ID for it."
"Hmm...." Was all Yosho said in reply.
Tenchi noticed the Kione was shaking, in what could only be suppressed tears. He placed her hand on Kione's shoulder.
"It's not your fault." He said softly.
Kione didn't say anything, though a tear rolled down her cheek, and splashed on Mihoshi's limp hand.
Mihoshi began to stir. Her eyes fluttered open. "Where... am I?" She asked dazedly.
"Mihoshi!" Sassami squealed, and threw her arms around her friend.
Mihoshi giggled. "I'm fine, Sassami, really."
Kione sniffed, as a smile quickly spread over her face. But that smile quickly disappeared. Mihoshi didn't quiet sound like her normal self. Kione couldn't describe it, but she noticed a distinctive difference in Mihoshi.
"I'm feeling fine." Mihoshi was saying. "Can we return home now?"
"Well, I guess so." Tenchi glanced around. Yosho caught his eye and nodded. "Yeah, I think we can."
As the group left the room, Mihoshi supported by Kione and Tenchi, the doctor watched in amazement. "I've don't think I've ever seen a group as odd as those people." He muttered.
-------
"I was so worried!" Sassami told Mihoshi.
I'm fine, really." Mihoshi laughed. Kione stared. She still knew something was different, but she couldn't put her hand on it.
Mihoshi yawned. "I'm tired." She told her two friends. "I'll be turning in now."
Kione watched as Mihoshi walked from the room. As soon as she was gone, Sassami quickly walked over to Kione.
"Something's wrong." She said worriedly.
I know." Kione responded. "Something's different. But I can't place it. It was as if, well, she was a different person!"
"But what's it mean?" Sassami asked.
Kione shook her head. "I don't know."
----------
When Kione went to bed that night, she noticed that Mihoshi had not only turned the radio-signaler on, but she had also put it on the desk, instead of leaving it on the floor. Kione stared at this, and glanced at her partner. She was fast asleep.
Yet, she still looked different.
Kione decided it would be best to dwell on it in the morning. She undressed, and lay down in her bed. She was asleep in a few minutes.
---------
When Kione awoke, she immediately knew something was wrong.
It was six o'clock, the same time she woke up every morning. But Mihoshi's bed was empty.
As Kione got up and urgently dressed, worry began to fill her. Mihoshi never got up before eight., usually much later.
Kione was dressed in a few minutes and downstairs almost immediately, looking everywhere for her partner. She looked in the living room, but Mihoshi wasn't there watching Tv like she usually did. She glanced in the kitchen, so see if she was eating. She wasn't there either. The bathroom was empty, and Mihoshi wasn't outside.
Kione sat collapsed on the sofa, and buried her head in her hands, more worried about her partner than ever before.
Ryoko floated past, still looking groggy.
"Have you seen Mihoshi?" Kione asked, extreme concern evident in her voice. Ryoko glanced at her. "No. Not since last night." Ryoko continued on.
Kione bowed her head, then the idea struck her. Washu would find her! Kione opened the closet door, and walked into Washu's lab.
Washu?
She called. "Washu?"
"I'm over here!" Washu's voice called out from the direction of her main computer.
"Morning Kione!" Mihoshi said, then turned back to the computer screen she was working on.
Kione's jaw dropped. "Mihoshi?" She asked in surprise. "What are you doing here? At this early in the morning?"
What's it look like. I'm assisting Washu." Mihoshi said, in almost exactly the same manner Washu used whenever she was working on a serious problem.
"Psst!" Washu hissed, motioning Kione over to her. "She's been here with me since Five, working."
"On what?" Kione asked.
An interdiminsional teleporter." Washu shook her head. "What scares me is she's actually getting it to work!"
"What!" Kione looked at her friend.
"Even I haven't made an ID teleporter yet!" Washu said, exasperated. "But she's building it like it was a mere toy!"
Kione gaped. "How?"
Washu shook her head again. "I have no idea. You talk to her. I've given up."
Kione walked over to her partner. "Uhh... Mihoshi?"
"Yes Kione?" Mihoshi answered without blinking.
"What... What are you doing?"
"Making an Interdeminsional teleporter."
""But... how..."
It's quiet simply actually." Mihoshi said, then proceed to explain some technological babble involving astrophysics, calculus, geometry, and many other complicated subjects, leaving Kione completely bewildered.
"But... You've never been able to do this before!" Kione exclaimed.
Mihoshi looked at her partner with an ice cold stare that shook Kione to the bone. "Perhaps, but I've changed." Mihoshi growled, then immediately turned around and continued working.
Kione backed away in fear. Washu cast a glance at her, then motioned for both of them to step outside the lab. Kione followed Washu, somewhat hesitantly.
"I'm worried." Washu muttered. "Mihoshi was bad enough without inteligance, but now..."
"I don't get it it." Kione collapsed on the ground. "How could this happen?"
Washu shook her head. "I think it was the stuff that fell on her."
"But... what did it do?"
Washu sighed loudly. "The only explanation is that somehow the stuff increased her intelligence by nearly 500 percent."
"Will it last long?"
"I have no idea."
--------
Kione left Washu's lair feeling worse than she had when she entered. Sassami and Tenchi were up already.
"What's wrong?" Sassami asked as Kioni walked in, and collapsed on the couch.
"Mihoshi." Kione muttered.
What about her?" Sassami said suddenly worried.
"I'm fine, nothings wrong." Mihoshi said pleasantly as she walked in the room.
"That's not true and you know it!" Kione said with a sudden emotional outburst. Mihoshi's eyes narrowed.
"I don't know what she's talking about." She muttered.
Tenchi sat up. "Now stop it you too!" Tenchi said hastily. "I want to hear what Kione has to say."
"Kione just glared at Mihoshi for a few seconds, then turned away. "You will see." She grumbled, then stalked off.
"I really have no idea what she's talking about." Mihoshi said coldly, sitting down next to Sassami. Sassami moved away timidly.
"What's happened to you Mihoshi?" Sassami asked, a hint of fear in her voice.
"Nothings happened." Mihoshi growled.
"That's not what I see." Tenchi stared hard at Mihoshi.
Mihoshi glared back, then, in a voice barely audible, hissed "Why do you fear me? Isn't this the way you wanted me?"
Tenchi was taken aback. "Wha- I mean- What are you talking about? I don't fear you!"
"That's not true." Mihoshi hissed. "You are all acting like I've turned into a monster.
"Your not Mihoshi!" Sassami said fearfully.
"Yes I am!" Mihoshi exploded. "I am the exact same Mihoshi who crashed here a year ago! What is wrong with you?" She advanced on Sassami, who shrunk back in terror.
"Your not acting like the Mihoshi we know." Tenchi growled, defensively moving between Mihoshi and Sassami. "The Mihoshi we knew would never threaten us."
Mihoshi just glared, then whirled around and stalked off.
Tenchi breathed a sigh of relief. "What happened to her?" He asked.
Sassami shook her head. "I don't know.... I'm scared Tenchi.." She said, quaking. Tenchi pulled her closer to him and held her gently.
--------
Mihoshi remained silent for the rest of day. But everyone had noticed the change in her. She was harsher, angrier, and above all, more dangerous then she had ever been in anyones memory.
As the family sat down to eat a meal that Sassami had deliciously prepared, as she always had, everyone sifted as far away from Mihoshi as possible. This did not go unnoticed by the Galaxy Police Officer, who didn't say anything, but her stare just grew harder. No-one said anything for the entire trip.
After dinner, Mihoshi went upstairs and Tenchi quickly called a conference.
After everyone had sat down, Tenchi proceed to describe what happened that morning. Everyone was shocked.
"Oh dear." Ayeka muttered softly. "That's not like Mihoshi at all."
Kione slumped in her chair. "I don't understand it..."
"She's undergone a complete transformation." Washu sighed. "I just can't figure out how."
I miss the old Mihoshi." Sassami began to cry.
Ryoko looked dully at Kione, and noticed a tear running gown the Space Cops face.
"I don't think your the only one." She said softly.
Unknown to everyone else, Mihoshi was watching.
----------
Mihoshi stalked off angrily to her's and Kione's shared room. She sat down on the floor, and began staring angrily at the wall.
What's wrong with them? She asked herself silently. "What has happened? They've always wanted me like this!
Haven't they?
----------
Kione walked into her room, and glanced nervously at Mihoshi. She was still staring at the wall. Unsure as of what to say, she walked over, and put her hand on her partner. Mihoshi shrugged it off violently.
Kione opened her mouth to speak, but Mihoshi whirled around and silenced her with a glare.
Mihoshi broke the silence first. "I thought this was what you all wanted."
"huh?" Kione asked, confused.
"You wanted me to be more intelligent."
"I... I'm not sure what you mean..."
"Don't lie!" Mihoshi barked. "I've even heard you complain about my Intelligence. You said you wanted a smarter partner! But now that I'm smarter, you treat me like a monster!"
Kione backed away.
Mihoshi stared hard at Kione, then hissed, "Or did you not want me at all?"
Kione tried to speak, but her words caught in her throat. Mihoshi continued on. "Did you not want me... because I was stupid? Or is their something else?"
"I uh..."
"Do you not want me because of my skin color?"
"WHAT?????"
"Or because of my ancestry?"
"Mihoshi, wait! Now your-"
"Or do you just have an irrational dislike for me?"
"Mihoshi I-"
Which is it?" Mihoshi growled. Kione backed into a corner in fear.
"I've done nothing but try to please you..." Mihoshi continued. "And this is how you treat me for it?"
"Mihoshi! Stop! Please!" Kione begged, as she began to sob.
Mihoshi glared at her partner. Kione was trembling on the ground, quaking in a mixture of fear and emotion.
Mihoshi whirled, and was about to leave the room, when the Radio Signaler beeped. Mihoshi walked over and grabbed it. "Yes." She said coldly.
"We have reports of the infamous outlaw TriggerHappy in your area. Near the planet Mars we believe. Head out and capture him."
"Yes sir!" Mihoshi told the com, then shut it off.
She began to leave, but turned to her partner. "Are you coming?" She asked, the harshness completely gone from her voice.
"I... uhh...." Kione stuttered, still quaking.
I'll take that as a no." Mihoshi muttered, as she left the room.
"Wait!" Kione called, hastily grabbing her uniform, and chasing after her partner, passing a bewildered and confused Tenchi in the hall.
---------
The trip to Mars was uneventful, and the spacecops sat in silence They landed on the planet, and dawned protective suits. The two exited the ship cautiously looking around the harsh wind on the planet. Mihoshi eyes searched the horizon with an intent that Kione had never seen before.
Mihoshi finally spoke. "His outpost is over there." She motioned.
Kione strained her eyes, and finally saw a small door in a rocky outcropping about a kilometer away.
"Come on." Mihoshi ordered.
The two moved forward through the dust and sand.
--------
TriggerHappy looked over his trophy room, consisting of the heads of all the people he had slain. At least, the heads of people who still had heads after he had slain them.
So help him, he loved his job.
A free hire assassin, TriggerHappy had made himself known throughout the universe for his ruthlessness, his efficiency, and, most importantly, his annoying high pitched voice and horrible sense of humor.
He knew everything that went on around him, and was always prepared for every scenario case.
So it was no surprise to him when two space cops busted through the door.
"Hiya! And welcome to death!" He said cheerfully, pulling two guns out of his coat, and firing exactly two shot at the space cops. They both dove out of the way.
"Well Kione, long time no see." He chuckled, firing another two shots at the cop.
Kione leapt. "Hi TriggerHappy." She said coldly, and fired back. TriggerHappy laughed gleefully as the shots missed him by a wide angle.
"Somehow I knew you'd show up.." TriggerHappy smiled. "Hows your partner doing?"
Mihoshi froze behind the furniture she was hiding behind, and listened intently.
"A real ditz if I remember. Dragged you down to the level of system cop, didn't she." TriggerHappy continued on. "And I happen to know she's right behind me, aiming at me." He grinned, and whirled around firing two shot. They hit nothing.
TriggerHappy's jaw dropped. "She wasn't aiming?" he muttered.
He quickly whirled back and took to shots at Kione. One grazed the cops shoulder. She cried out in pain.
"Danm it." He muttered, whirling back. "Where is Mihoshi?'
"Right here." Mihoshi muttered as she pressed her gun to the back of his head.
"I don't like it when people underestimate me." Mihsohi hissed, and pulled the Trigger.
Triggerhappy's head exploded.
Mihoshi walked calmly over to Kione, and helped her to her feet.
"How did you do that." Kione gasped weakly.
"I remembered what I used to do, and then, didn't do it." Mihoshi said.
"You... killed him.." Kione said softly.
"Your point?"
"We were supposed to take him captive."
"It doesn't matter." Mihoshi said stiffly, then picked up TriggerHappy's body.
"Are you coming?" She called as she walked outside.
Kione watched, her eyes wide. Her friend and partner had become a ruthless Killing machine.
And it scared her.
After an hour-long debriefing, during which the commissioner scolded Mihoshi a number of times on killing him, Mihoshi and Kione returned to the Masaki household.
Kione couldn't help but stare at her partner. She hadn't defended herself, hadn't whined, hadn't even blinked during the whole process. But then again, Kione was beginning to expect it.
Mihoshi stared straight ahead as she piloted the ship home, landing it softly on the ground.
"Mihoshi, I..."
"Shut up." Kione whirled on her friend. "I don't want to hear crap from you right now, Ok."
Kione bowed her head in submission.
Mihoshi glared at her partner, and leapt out of the ship, and stiffly walked into the household.
----
Kione watched her go, then began to cry, over the loss of one of her closest friends.
-----
"Where's Kione?" Tenchi asked somewhat absentmindedly as Mihoshi walked in the door.
"In the ship." Mihoshi muttered, then stalked upstairs.
"That didn't sound good." Ryoko muttered.
"Dinner time!" Sassami called.
"Good. I'm hungry." Ryoko sighed. Tenchi watched Ryoko float off, then decided to pay Kione a visit.
------
"Kione!" Tenchi called as he approached the ship. "Kione?" He looked in, and found the ship empty. "Where'd she go?"
He glanced around, then saw a figure curled up, alone under the stars. "Kione?" Tenchi called softly.
"What?" Kione asked sharply, then she sniffed.
Tenchi looked down at her. Her head was buried in her knees, which she had drawn close. It was painfully obvious that she had been crying. Tenchi put his hand on her shoulder. "Kione, its dinner time."
"I don't care." Kione shook.
"But Sasamis made your favorite..."
Once again. "I don't care."
"Tenchi kneeled down next to her. "Kione... this is about Mihoshi isn't it."
At the sound of her partners name, she burst into tears. Sobs racked her body, and she seemed to lose all awareness of everything around her. It was almost as if she was grieving over the death of loved one. Tenchi pulled her close. He couldn't remember anytime before Kione had ever cried like this.
As Kione sobbed, she spilled out the story of what had happened on Mars.
"She's gone." Kione spoke through her tears. "She's gone, and there's a monster in her place."
"Don't say that." Tenchi spoke gently. "She's not gone, she's-"
"She's gone!" Kione snapped, then broke down again.
"I'd never thought Id say it, but I miss her.... I miss her bumbling.... her laziness... even her vacant stare... All of it gone.... all of it replaced..." She continued to cry.
Tenchi hugged his friend, unsure of what to do to help her.
----
About an hour later, Tenchi and Kione arrived back at the house.
"Where have you two been." Sassami scolded. "You missed your-" She broke off when she saw how red Kiones eyes were. "Oh... I'm sorry... I'll go warm up some for you two."
"Just for Tenchi." Kione said softly. "I'm not hungry."
Sassami nodded, and trudged to the kitchen as Tenchi escorted Kione upstairs.
Ryokos jaw dropped.
"How the-" Ryoko began, but Ayeka cut her off.
"Kiones lost a close friend." She said. "Tenchi just helping her get through her grief. Any good friend would." Ayeka said softly, as she turned and left.
"Damn, I hate this." Ryoko grumbled.
-----
Tenchi and Kione stood at the door to the cops shared room.
"I don't think I can do this." Kione said softly.
"You'll be fine." Tenchi said. Kione stared at the floor, as she slowly opened the door.
"Good luck." Tenchi called, as she closed the door behind her.
------
Mihoshi was staring silently out the window. If she heard Kione enter, she didn't show it.
Kione swallowed, her mouth suddenly dry. "=Mihoshi..."
"Yes?" Kione replied in a nondescript tone.
"I... I'm sorry... for.."
"No." Mihoshi interrupted. "You shouldn't be sorry. I should be."
"huh?" Kione asked.
"I've changed." Mihoshi continued. "And you weren't prepared for it. I thought you would be. I was wrong."
"Mihoshi... but It's my fault for-"
"No its not." Mihoshi cut her off harshly. "I.... I know I've changed, and.. I've only now begun to see what its doing to you. All of you." Mihoshi suddenly looked away.
"Mihoshi?" Kione asked suddenly worried.
"You all keep saying I've turned into a monster." Mihoshi said, trembling, not making eye contact with her partner. "Your right. I.... I have...." Mihoshi collapsed on the floor and began to cry. "I never wanted to be like this. Now... you all hate me.."
Mihoshi cried. Kione took a seat next to her friend, and laid a hand on her shoulder. "Mihoshi. I... forgive you." Mihoshi looked up, a startled look on her face. "You've only tried to please us, but even with your newfound intelligence... you don't know how." Kione giggled in spite of herself. But suddenly, she grew serious again. "And I wouldn't have it any other way..." Mihoshi's eyes went wide as Kione threw her arms around her. Trembling she began to cry. Kione soon joined in, and the two partners sat there in each others arms, crying into the night.
------
In the middle of the night, the radio signaler began to squawk. Kione and Mihoshi both leapt out of their beds at the same time and grabbed it. Mihoshi giggled sheepishly and handed the receiver to Kione. Kione smiled, then spoke quickly into the signaler.
Kione here. What's going on?"
"Emergency! Emergency!" A computerized voice squawked. "The criminal 17-23 has escaped. He was last seen heading toward your area. Intercept his ship. Take no hostages." The signaler turned itself off.
"17-23?' Mihoshi asked. "The robot assassin?"
"Yes. He's got a grudge against us particularly, so we're gonna have to be careful." Kione muttered, pulling her suit on.
"Right, but we have a secret weapon he doesn't know about." Mihoshi smiled.
"And that would be?"
"Me."
-----
Space tweaked, and three ships pulled out of Hyperspace. Two pursuers, and one rouge.
"Get him!" One of the two galaxy police fighters called.
"He's mine!" Shouted the second one as his lasers locked on and fired.
"GOT HIM!!!" The pilot yelled as the ship he was pursuing disintegrated.
And I got you." A flat voice spoke over the com.
"What the-" Were the pilots last words as another ship jumped out of Hyperspace, lasers firing. The GPF exploded as the reactors became a miniature nova.
The fighters wingman turned and attempted to flee, but the assassins ship was bearing down on him.
"Mayday! Mayday! This is Galaxy Police Force Bravo 2! We're under attack! We were unable to-"
The pilots last words were a gargling scream as his ship also disintegrated under fire.
----
Kione stared at the com. "Two galaxy police fighters downed?" she whispered in horror.
"What's worse is those were Bravo Squadron... The best we've got." Mihoshi shook her head. "We're in trouble."
"Come on." Kione motioned towards the ship. "Lets get this over with."
----
The halls of the long silent space station rumbled with metallic footsteps. A robotic assassin walked through the halls not fearing anything. Fear is for the weak, 17-23 thought, and I am not weak. But his mission was clear to himself, he would destroy the people who had captured him the first time. The police Kione and Mihoshi must die. It was the way things should be. It was only logical that he would win, he had studied the last encounter countless times throughout his term in prison before he escaped, and found all the flaws in his method, and now new what would give him the avantage. He glanced out the stations window, seeing the swirling clouds of Jupiter under him. Kione and Mihoshi would both be dead by this time tomorrow, he thought, with the closest thing to emotion he had ever experienced.
----
"He's there." Kione pointed at the station. "I see his ship."
Kione nodded. Then paused for a second.
"Mihoshi.. you do realize that the probability of us surviving this is almost zero."
Mihoshi nodded. "Yes, but I'm ready to go." She muttered. Kione glanced at her friend and saw the grim determination on her face.
Yes... I think I am too."
----
17-23 heard the ship before he saw it. "Excellent." He muttered. Everything was going according to plan.
----
Kione ran forward lightly, glanced around the corner, then motioned for Mihoshi to go. Mihoshi nodded then went down to the next corner, glanced around, then signaled Kione. They continued this pattern for several halls, then Mihoshi froze. She silently motioned for Kione to glance around the corner, into the storage hanger. Hundreds of long empty boxes sat stacked on each other in rows, and in the middle of that, there was a terminal, with a robotic figure hunched over it. Kione and Mihoshi nodded in silent agreement. In one fluid motion, the two stepped out, and opened fire.
Eight shots blasted through the robot, through his head, torso and arms. The body slumped.
"Got him." Kione exhaled in relief. The two ran over to inspect the body.
"Wait a minute.... where's his prison code." Mihoshi muttered.
"Those are not removable... so that means... "
"BACK!" Mihoshi grabbed Kione and they tumbled too the ground as the decoy exploded. Shrapnel flew, but fortunately missed them.
"Great... where's the real one?" Kione muttered.
"Right here."
"Jump!" Mihoshi and Kione leapt in different directions as 17-23 opened fire above them. The robot jumped down from the crates it had been hiding on.
"Surrender now. You cannot win." The tall and skinny robot called flatly. He scanned the room, and aimed with the two guns he held, one in each hand.
"I prefer to look on the optimistic side." Kione called, shooting from behind two crates.
"Really Kione, you disappoint me." The assassin fired at the crates. Kione leapt as they exploded.
Mihoshi got up and fired as well, getting the same results as the robot fired. The two space cops continued this game for a few rounds, then met behind a stack of crates.
"Gemini split." Mihoshi whispered.
Works for me." Kione muttered, and the two ran out in different directions firing at the robot. Two shots glanced off the robots armor. The robot gave an electronic hiss, then leapt backwards into the air, doing a flip and landing on its feet, firing its weapons. The shots went wide and the two cops once again found themselves separated.
Kione hid behind a stack of crates, then slowly peaked around. The robot saw the movement and fired one shot. Kione ducked back behind the crates. The shot smashed into the crates, and they toppled over on Kione. Kione found herself buried under nearly two thousand pounds of materials. She struggled to get free, and only succeeded in twisting her ankle. She cried out involuntarily as pain shot up her leg. Then she heard something throwing aside the crates in front o f her. 17-23 logged the crates aside until most of Kiones body was showing under the mess.
"You were good Kione." The robot stated. "But not good enough. 17-23 aimed his gun at Kiones head.
If 17-23 could have smiled, he would have as he slowly began to squeeze the trigger.
Then there was a flash, and 17-23 found his arm with the gun in it on the floor, several feet away from him. He looked up at the stump, then whirled on Mihoshi. "You've gotten better." He hissed. then fired. Mihoshi leapt out of the way.
"You will die." 17-23 stated, then rushed at Mihoshi. Mihoshi went under him, and tripped him. The robot flipped, and landed on his feet, firing with his one remaining arm. Mihoshi leapt nimbly out of the way as fire rained down on her. She was doing her best to dodge the blasts, but she couldn't keep it up forever.
A shot suddenly tore through her side. She didn't cry out, she just collapsed on the ground.
-----
Kione saw her friend fall. "No, damnit." She hissed. Then she saw 17-23s gun, laying only a few feet away. "If only I can reach it..." She muttered, and stretched, and found her hand just a few centimeters short. She glanced and saw 17-23 advancing on Mihoshi. Come on.. she thought, Just a little farther...
----
"You really have proved yourself." 17-23 stated. "You did well. But now..." He aimed his gun at Mihoshi's head. "But now I shall terminate your existence."
There was another flash of light, and a ray of energy blew through the assassins torso, destroying his energy cells. The robot collapsed, as his optic sensors fell on Kione, with his arm still in her hand.
"She did it again..." 17-23 realized, a his circuits shut down... permanently.
----
Kione breathed heavily, then turn and blasted the other crates off her body. She stumbled to her feet, wincing as her twisted ankle screamed.
She limped over to Mihoshi, collapsing next to her friend, and wrapping her arms around her. "Are you ok..." She asked desperately.
Mihoshi didn't respond.
"No..." kione muttered. "I won't let you die on me... Not now... Not after all we've been through.."
"Come on.. please..." Kione begged, shaking her partner. "Wake up..." Mihoshis eyes fluttered open.
"Kione? Where... where are we?"
"Mihoshi!" Kione was too releived to say anything else. She just grabbed her partner and cried.
""Kione... my side hurts..." Mihoshi said weakly.
Kione glanced at Mihoshi, and saw her eyes. They had the same clueless look they had always had before.
"Mihoshi... your back...." Kione began to cry again, holding her partner close.
"Where'd I go?" Mihoshi asked, totally lost.
Kione didn't care. Her friend had returned.
------
The hospital room was crowded, but this time there were two patients instead of just one.
"You'll be fine." The doctor said, putting Kiones ankle down. "Just a sprain. As for your friend... I must say, she must be the luckiest women on Earth. Whatever hit her should have killed her, but It looks like she'll only be left with a scar." The doctor shook his head. "Damn if I know how she got that. Oh well." The doctor squeezed out.
"Mihoshi!" Your back!" Sassami squealed happily, throwing her arms around her friend.
"Where did I go? Everyone keeps saying that..." Mihoshi muttered, still lost.
Everyone ignored her.
"So, you beat that robot huh?" Ryoko asked Kione. "Lucky break."
"No, we're just that good." Kione smiled.
Ryoko shrugged.
Tenchi helped Kione to her feet, and her the crutch the doctor had given her. "Lets get you two home." Tenchi smiled.
Ayeka and Sasami helped Mihoshi up, and they started out the door.
"That is still the strangest bunch of people I've ever seen." The doctor shook his head, and got back to work.
---
Dinner was festive that night. Sassami had cooked like never before, and everyone ate heartily. Mihoshi still had yet to figure out what had happened, and everyone unanimously decided to keep it that way.
As they ate, Washu dropped out of her lab.
Hey Mihoshi!" Washu called. "Thanks for the Interdimnsional teleporter!"
"The what?" Mihoshi asked.
Tenchi and Kione exchanged amused glances, and giggled.
------
Kione walked upstairs, and found Mihoshi already asleep in her be. She smiled as she looked down at her sleeping friend. Then she noticed the radio-signaler, turned off and on the floor. She smiled as she picked it up, turned it on, and put it on the table.
She wouldn't have it any other way.