The rough, brown chunks of rock hung lazily over the black velvet ink of space, chugging along unwillingly as the mighty sun, the great taskmaster, struck all within reach with whips of light. It was a rather disheartening scene. It was the Earth.
Tenchi sighed in remorse as he gazed at the unforgiving sun through the light blue tint of his spaceship's windshield. Every now and then an asteroid would intervene, moving between the two and casting a blissful shadow that pervaded the ships interior, only to leave him, after awhile, in the lethal stare of the sun. He was filled with sorrow, but that wouldn't help any. He had a universe to save.
He'd spent that night with Sasami in silence. There was no need to talk, no need to do anything, after what had happened. She, of course, needed rest and easily fell asleep in the protection of his arms. Nothing, however, gave him the need to sleep. It would've been dark, but from her body came a brilliant ethereal glow that enhanced her flawless figure. All he could do was watch the light blue halo of light that covered her body as it ebbed and flowed with her breathing.
She was…
perfect. Of course, as the Empress of Jurai and a Goddess, to offer less would be a
sacrilege. She had grown so much; she
had become so different, just like Mihoshi. He missed so much in the monstrous gap of time that Washu's machine sent
him past. He could only imagine the
traumatic events that would rationalize Mihoshi and drastically mature
Sasami. Yet that night, as he marveled
at the fully grown woman before him, a woman that he didn't understand, a light
breezed fluttered through the chamber and caused her to shiver violently; when
she did that he held her closer and realized that the little girl Sasami he
knew and loved still was in this woman and once again he was motivated to
complete the impossible task at hand… if doing so guaranteed her safety.
When her eyelids fluttered open with
the dawning of the artificial sun, Tenchi felt it was time to move on, so when
he knew she was fully awake, he quietly asked her, "Sasami, where can I find
him? Grandpa… I need to train with him."
She had looked into the sun for
awhile, in thought, then she turned to him, eyes shining brightly, an she said,
with a smile, "Tenchi, where's Grandpa at whenever he's not saving the
universe?"
He drew his own conclusions. That was the final exchange between
them. After that, they both had gotten
up, off of Tsunami's branch and onto the walkway, and he turned away in silence
as Sasami put her clothes back on. She
called some guards, and like a Queen dismissing a jester, she sent him
away.
She simply said, "I had a fine time,
Lord Tenchi." The escorts brought him
away and they walked through the palace in a nervous silence. He gave a laugh… the guards must definitely
be uneasy when a stranger spends an entire night with the Empress, the most
beautiful woman in the universe. It
felt good to laugh again, but it was only temporary. In some random, unremarkable corridor the head of the escort announced
the Royal spaceport as their destination. When they reached a massive, seeming endless cavern that he guessed was
the spaceport, the escort brought him to a sleek, Yagami-sized spacecraft that
obviously belonged to the GDF. After a
short, heated argument with the GDF techs that were crawling all over the
spacecraft, the captain of the escort approached him and said,
"The Royal Court has commandeered
this vessel for you. Climb aboard; you
may talk with the ship's AI. The destination has already been set. Lady Sasami advises that you get some
sleep."
Then they left him too, unprotected
in the huge maw of the spaceport.
All he could do was get
onboard. The AI popped from the
ceiling, a curious dome with binocular eyes, and took things from there. He announced his name, Nakamura, Spaceport
Clearance, and the departure, which was remarkably smooth, especially when
compared to all the Mihoshi/Ryoko lift-offs he'd been in. The only thing he asked Nakamura was where
they were going. After getting the
answer he expected, he went to sleep in the plush, reclined command seat.
Nakamura had gently pulled him out of the rejuvenating oblivion when they arrived at their destination. And there they were, circling the Sun in a massive asteroid belt that had recently replaced Venus and Earth between Mercury and Mars. Things were so desolate, so lifeless. Very few humans had had the privilege of seeing the Earth from space. With help from Ryo-ohki, Tenchi had been one of the few. Seeing the ungainly, brown chunks of rock where the beautiful blue orb of the Earth should've been, combined with the fact that he, or any human, would never see that swirling blue orb again, simply crushed his spirits.
Quietly, as if he were hiding from someone, he slowly whispered, "Keep an eye out Nakamura. Document anything suspicious."
"Yes sir!" Nakamura blared, shattering the stealth.
"Um…" Tenchi said, resuming normal volume, "Can you try to find… a living person?"
"Will do sir!" The shutters on Nakamura's "eyes" sagged out of focus and a holo-monitor leapt into existence next to them, displaying a top down view of the asteroid belt and a radar type line that indicated Nakamura's scan.
Abruptly, the radar line stopped, and Nakamura's eyes pulled back into focus. " Auxiliary Sensors detect 'suspicious' activity, sir!" the dome chimed obediently "Would you like a report, sir?!" The screen zoomed into a remote fringe of the asteroid belt.
"Yeah, um, what's going-"
FWACK!
The short, soft thump resounded through the command center and sent the ship soaring through the asteroid belt and violently flung Tenchi out of the seat and onto a nearby guardrail. It caught him in the stomach, after taking a deep breath to recover, Tenchi hissed, "What was that?!"
"Identifying, sir!!" Answered Nakamura, in a tone way too happy considering the situation. An odd, low, animal-like growl hummed through the ship
He felt the ship swing around to face the assailant.
It was gargantuan!
Filling the entire view screen was a huge, obviously organic, geometric construction of a ship that rivaled a geometry student's worst nightmare. The massive aggregation of black, obsidian like crystals was directed ominously towards them. There was an uneasy pause as the two opponents observed each other. Tenchi took the time to seek an escape route- but the enemy was taking up the entire view screen!! As his eyes scoured the myriad angles and trapezoids he found, in the very center of the monumental figure a shape he knew well….
… four large spines like obsidian extending from a large, blood red gem….
Could it be?
Another, low, tiger-like growl rocked the ship, beginning the enemy's charge. Despite its bulk, the ship shot toward them like lightening. Sasami had made sure Tenchi was on board the best ship possible: Nakamura responded just as quickly with an un-robot-like humph, thrusting the ship sideways at a speed so past stars blurred into streaks on the view screen. After regaining his equilibrium Tenchi swung around to see the back of the monstrosity on the rear view screen. As the huge obsidian ship turned the sun's reflection glided majestically across its surface. Sunlight glinted off the surface and into his eyes. Nakamura broke Tenchi's awe by rapidly saying, "I have found the ships origin an asteroid at space coordinates x-234.346 y-345.323 z-000.134 awaiting orders sir!"
Automatically dismissing the option of fighting as futile, Tenchi shouted, without thinking, "Go to it!"
Emotionlessly, Nakamura questioned, "Go to what, sir?
"The asteroid!"
Wordlessly Nakamura obeyed, and directed the ship towards some invisible destination, and leapt to maximum speed. Asteroids flung by at unimaginable speeds, many of them were close enough to cause Tenchi to flinch and duck under the guardrail. Another asteroid came out of the darkness, centered in the middle of the view-screen, obviously their destination. It was quite unremarkable; similar to the others, with no signs whatsoever of artificiality.
Tenchi became worried when Nakamura did not decrease their speed.
"Hey, hey!" Tenchi shouted, forgetting Nakamura's name in the adrenaline rush.
The dull brown, pitted surface of the asteroid grew to fill the view screen.
"Argagghg!" He flung himself under the command seat.
Nakamura flew through the asteroids surface without a scratch, revealing a dimly light, definitely manmade chamber. Gently Nakamura landed on the flat, paved surface with a tenderness that completely contradicted the insane flying he had done moments earlier. As Tenchi regained his bearings he heard another, more cat-like growl rumble through the asteroid. Then came a light but still low-pitched meow of discontent, followed by Nakamura's report:
"Sir, the enemy has vanished, sir!"
A frazzled, completely disoriented Tenchi staggered into a half-standing position and drunkenly asked no-one in particular, "What- what was that?"
"What was what, sir?" came the monotone response.
"That whole thing!" Tenchi insisted.
Confused, Nakamura gave a battle report. "Sir! The enemy was an unclassified ship of biological origin! When I found its source I was able to discover a well-disguised port shielded by a hologram surface sir! Finding no other alternative, I brought the ship here, and the enemy has vanished sir!"
"Yeah," Tenchi acknowledged, still disoriented, only hearing Nakamura's repetitive, annoying, Sir! "Uh… what next?"
"Sir, the asteroid is well hidden! I cannot discover what is in the interior- it is shielded by some unknown energy source!"
"Well… I'm going to see what's inside," said Tenchi, catching through the windshield a narrow, dimly lit corridor leading away from the spaceport.
"I must insist that you wait, sir, until I can construct a report!"
He gathered together his last ounce of politeness and said, "Bye Nakamura." And he left the ship.
He trudged through the long corridor with the same boldness he had when he fought Kagato and when he searched Clay's ship. Like then, the setting wasn't quite hospitable. The corridor was etched in the asteroid itself and offered a dark, cave-like and rather unfriendly appearance. The only light came from sparse sources on the ceiling- the cave was widening in all directions and the light was getting further and further away. Finally, the passage way climaxed into a cavernous chamber and abruptly ended at a large, metallic and definitely secure doorway surrounded by a plethora of monitors and buttons.
"Aw, geez," Tenchi muttered under his breath as he scratched his head. "How am I supposed to get past this? I don't want to go back to that annoying Nakamura guy." He decided to test his infallible luck by pressing buttons and touching monitors but gained nothing but a salvo of annoying and sometimes threatening beeps. That left one choice…
He switched into combat mode, darted his eyes around to see if anyone was looking, and when he was sure that he was alone, he tried to pull the door apart.
As he grunted in futility he thought, I must look really, really stupid. Hope nobody's watching.
At that moment, he felt someone grinning at his predicament.
" Need any help?" came a female voice.
Instinctively he spun around and groped for his sword, only to remember that he had already lost it in the void. Embarrassed, he looked up to see a cloaked, hooded figure, hunched over just enough so that its face was hidden in the shadows of the already dim room. Despite that, he could see a hand dart out from under the cloak, revealing a delicate, feminine hand. The hand clasped on what seemed nothingness, then, abruptly, a ruby red energy sword materialized into the hand's grip.
"You may have gotten past my pet, but lemme tell ya, you're definitely going down here." The hooded figure, still hunched over, took a tentative step forward. "It would've been better, little man, if you haven't find this place, but, since you did, I'm going to have to kill you."
The sword… the delicate hand… the powerful yet gentle voice… and the attitude… could it really be? And… wherever there was Ryo-ohki, there was also…
"Ryoko?"
The figure stiffened just like a person called by name, the sword flickered for an instant. She took two steps forward into better light, and the other hand came from under the robes, grasped the hood, and pulled it back.
Brilliant cyan hair cascaded from under the hood, falling gently over squinting golden feline eyes that he knew well. Exhilaration filled him to the brim and he called out, like a little boy, "Ryoko!"
She took another step forward to get a better view, directly under a feeble beam of light that fell from some source in the distance, revealing a Ryoko no older then when he last saw her but she was tired… she still was a little hunched over, and her legs were bent in a more defensive position, rather than the aggressive, catlike stance he'd been used to seeing her in. Her eyes were duller, unfocused, and her hair no longer retained it's gravity defying properties and instead sagged toward the ground. Despite that, she was still… sublime.
"T-Tench-" she sputtered, not collected enough to even speak his name. She extended her hand, sword already gone, and longingly she held it out there as her lips tried to say his name…
"Ryoko!" Tenchi answered with a huge grin on his face, "It's me, it's me, Tenchi!"
"Ten-T-" she fell on one knee, shivering a bit, a tear flowing down her cheek, hand still extended.
He couldn't bear seeing her like that, so he started forward to grasp her hand and to tell her that he was there for her.
His advance was cut short when Ryoko shrieked, "No!" and to his surprise she pulled back her arm and leapt back into the shadows.
"No, stop!" she continued backing further into the shadows commanding him to stop with the palm of her hand. "Get away from me! No!" Violently she grabbed her head and fell onto floor. "No I don't want to see him. No, stop! Not again!"
"No, Ryoko I'm here! It's me!" He was both moved and confused by her seemingly unwarranted anger, so valiantly he stepped forward and offered his arms to her shivering figure in the shadows, all the while reassuring her that he was there.
With warning Ryoko reared up and her crimson blade leapt into existence in her hand, bathing the entire massive chamber in an evil red glow that only enhanced the unexpected features of wrath on her face.
"I know you. I know where you come from." She had completely changed her demeanor. She was no longer frantic; instead, she used a more, collected, deliberate, and ominous voice. Tenchi had heard that cool, confident tone before: she always used it when confronting an enemy. Never before did Tenchi imagine he'd be on the receiving end. "Yeah, I know." Her eyes narrowed accusingly. "Tokimi made you."
Tenchi took a step back, shocked by Ryoko's accusation. She took advantage of his hesitation by flicking her wrist and sending Tenchi sailing across the cavern.
The impact into the wall knocked the breath out of him. As he fell backwards gently towards the floor he let out a labored wheeze, all the while stunned after experiencing Ryoko's power for the first time. Even though he'd seen it plenty of times, he couldn't imagine that she had this much power. Then again, he never thought he'd be on the receiving end of Ryoko's wrath.
After what seemed an eternity he fell flat on his stomach to the ground, the little air in his lungs knocked out of him again. The loose dust of the cavern floor rose about him and stung his eyes and nose. As he struggled to prop himself up on his arms he coughed ineffectually a couple of times and turned to see Ryoko with an angered look on her face, bathed in the red glow of her sword.
Her eyes burned with unadulterated fury.
"How could you do this?" she yelled. Her voice and look were distant; she didn't seem to be talking to anyone in particular. " Use him? Use the only thing that I hold dear against me? Can't you let him rest in peace? Can't you leave us alone? I loved him! My soul burned for him! You know that! And that's why…"
Tenchi was speechless as he considered Ryoko's passionate discourse. She never really told him… not like that…
She took two steps, in no direction in particular, as if she were deliberating some enormous decision, and after no time at all she finally took a firm, resolute step forward… towards Tenchi.
On seeing the fiery look on her face, Tenchi took a step backwards.
The stared at each other for a couple seconds, seeking answers, but Ryoko, engrossed in rage, reared up and began her charge.
She glided across the chamber like some berserk angel of death, ringed in a halo of blood red, not graceful like he remembered but clumsy, awkward, and hesitant. Nonetheless, she still came at him with massive power, and he stared at her descending glory in sort of a daze: he had no defense and it wasn't as if he would use it if he did… he would never touch her. The urgency inside of him increased as he felt the precious milliseconds whither away, so he looked her straight in the eye, intending to resign to his fate with as much regality as possible. She was not herself, she was possessed, but she was still as marvelous as ever. Her face, her body, at least that would be the last thing that he'd see.
And she came closer and closer, gaining speed as time slipped away…
But instead of feeling the sharp, insensitive sting of her sword piercing so unforgiving and so impersonally in his side, he felt her body fling haphazardly and rather anticlimactically into his knocking them both forcefully to the ground. Before Tenchi could regain his bearings, much less his composure, Ryoko pulled him into a tight, passionate brace, while darting her hands unromantically over Tenchi's back, up his neck and onto his head, carelessly ruffling his hair in her attempts to make concrete Tenchi's reality, Tenchi's existence. The only indicator of her emotion was her occasional sobs and her obvious attempts to repress them, carrying out her task with a grim seriousness and indifference…
She pushed back his shoulders revealing to him her face for the first time since they had crashed, the burning rage was no longer there. She was focused on the task at hand. Unconsciously Tenchi remained as still as he could, breathing slowly and suppressing the creeping instinct to swallow lest he disturb her or cause her to revert to unexplained rage.
And then she finished, set her eyes even with his. A half smile crept onto her face… she was almost finished.
"Tenchi," she asked, tentatively, "do you love me?"
In his mind he sought for the right answer, because she knew she was still "testing" him. What answer would he normally give? It had been so long ago when he was "still" normal. In this whirlwind of time travel and battles and lost friendships and loves he had almost lost his identity!
Frantic, he began, "Ye-" and that was all he could say before Ryoko's finger was pressed against his lips.
"Not another word."
And, being Ryoko, she rudely shoved her face in his.
In the uneasy silence she grinned. He had passed the last test alright: he accepted her kiss, and that was expected because, after all, she was the most beautiful woman alive now and Tenchi loved her over… but she stopped there, giving the Princess the respect she deserved. She grinned again. He passed with flying colors, alright, when she tried to add a little tongue he writhed the exact same way he used to (she could sense deep down inside he wanted it), and when he finally gotten out of her facelock he shouted "Ryokooooo!" in the exact same whiny voice he always had.
Had… this was not Emperor Tenchi raised from the dead. When Tenchi had accepted the throne he almost became an entirely different person. No, if this was really Tenchi, he must've come….
"Washu?" she asked.
For a moment Tenchi looked at her with the most befuddled look on his face, but as he processed the unspoken meaning of the question he answered softly, "Yeah, she sent me."
And she looked to the heavens, or at least she tried to before being blocked by the unremarkable, pitted ceiling of the cavern, and sighed thoughtfully, "Mom…" giving the other deceased member of their "family" her respects.
She looked to Tenchi again, and saw him fidgeting with the dust on the cavern floor and for the first time sensed his embarrassment. Moments later, she too, felt the embarrassment well up in her throat.
How could it be? How could the most hardened veteran of the war, the space pirate, the Mercenary Angel, the Savior of the Frontier, to name her most recent nicknames, he could she feel embarrassment? Such a trivial emotion!
The answer of course, sat before her. It was Tenchi… he had a power over her! He opened her heart, releasing for the first time in years emotions of sensitivity that she had always held especially for him. As she felt the new emotions coarse through her, she felt the urge, just to leap out and embrace him again, not as part of a test, but just a simple hug. As she thought these thoughts, she laughed to herself. The power of love could bring the most destructive and insensitive soldier of the war to a giddy teenage girl dictated by a crush. And the best part of all was, she was loving every single second of it.
Tenchi looked up at her laughing, and in response she looked up to him, and decided to end the moment. Best to save it for later and do more productive.
"Look, um… that was way, way out of character." She smiled just thinking about it. "Let's keep this under our hats ok?" And she gave the most adorable, convincing puppy-eye look she could muster.
She stopped when she got nothing but another confused look by Tenchi. Did she do something wrong?
"Keep under our hats from who?"
She almost smacked her forehead! They were still in the docking bay entranceway. He hadn't gone in yet!
"I'll open the doors for you." She said, answering his question with something he thought was totally irrelevant.
But before he could say a word, she was gone.
While he got up and started to look for her, the doors began to open with a hiss and the strained groan of rarely used metal rubbing against metal, pouring through the crack an almost star-like glare.
The whole time, as Tenchi shielded his eyes and began to hesitantly walk towards the open door, Ryoko was hidden in the rock of the cavern, gazing at Tenchi, unseen cheeks flushed read with youthful love.