Legal gibberish: I do not own any of the characters of Tenchi Muyo. I've created a few
characters for this fic, and they belong to me. Tenchi Muyo belongs to AIC and Pioneer
corp.
Authors Notes: Another day, another chapter. I've decided this story will contain 7
chapters, so we're coming down into the home stretch. Oh, and thanks to Tenko for
pointing out that it's "Ryo-ohki" and not "Ryo'Ohki" ;)
Among the stars
Chapter 5: Agony on ice
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On the control bridge of the Emerald Dawn, the captain, Ukuna, paces back and forth. He
had received important orders from his clans leader that the Ryo-ohki would be flying by
this planet soon. They had been waiting for some hours now, hiding around the planet
Icanus, using the natural magnetic field distortions to help avoid any detection.
Ukuna glances at a time reading, anxiously awaiting his foes arrival, when suddenly the
navigations officer spoke up, "Captain! We've spotted the Ryo-ohki!"
Lights flash all over the ship as they are put into battle mode. The bridge, which was so
quiet moments ago, had burst into life.
"Move slowly to their rear flank, let them think they have an escape option. They should
fly right into us." Ukuna calmy ordered.
The various battle report screens show some of the other ships of the Vhalid clan firing
and closing in on the Ryo-ohki. As Ukuna predicted, they were surprised, and were now
headed into the false 'escape hole' they had set up.
Ukuna quietly reads all the data pouring in, "Increase speed to 6.8pps, get ready to fire
on my command."
"Captain! We are within range to use the Ion displacement cannon!" the weapons
officer yelled.
"FIRE!" Ukuna barked.
The entire bridge watches in rapt awe as the white energy ball is fired and rapidly closes
in on it's target, "Target has been locked onto, sir." the weapons officer noted.
Everyone watches in silence as the energy ball curves hard to the right and races
towards its target, a bright flash of light signals a successful hit. "Well done men, well
done." Ukuna proudly stated.
***
Onboard Ryo-ohki
***
The ship was violently rocked as the blast hit, and Ryo-ohki cried out in pain as all power
was lost. On the bridge, all lights went out as Ryoko was hurled into a wall by the impact.
She could hear the anguish of her ship as it was reeling in pain, and it tore at Ryoko's
heart. Ryo-ohki had sustained massive injuries, there were holes in parts of the ship,
though the bridge section was still intact. Ryoko had been through crashes before, but
she had a gut feeling that this time, she wouldn't survive.
Fear began to overwhelm her as she stumbled about the suffocating darkness trying to
find Tenchi. She called out to him, only to be met with the sound of her frenzied heartbeat.
She fell against a wall as the ship began a downward spiral towards the planet. Getting
back up on her feet, she was in a panic. Could Tenchi already be dead or was he merely
knocked out?
Ryoko had a sinking feeling she was on borrowed time now, and was desperate to find
Tenchi. She had to hold him one last time, to be able to die in his arms would at least
give her some joy in her final moments. Almost in tears she realized it was too late,
"I love you Tenchi." she whispered.
And at that moment, Ryo-ohki slammed into the surface of Icanus. The ship impacted the
icey surface and immediately began to break apart. The pieces slid several hundred
yards along the ground, leaving a trail of debris.
Ryoko was lying face down in the snow, she was numb from shock and the cold. At first
she thought maybe she had died and gone to hell, as she always did hate the cold. But
she began to feel the pain of a broken arm, and hear the harsh winds blowing across the
surface. Slowly and painfully, she lifted her head, and saw that indeed she was still alive.
Tenchi...
That one thought gave her the needed strength to slowly lift herself from the ground.
Searching her mind to find Ryo-ohki, she felt her stomach drop when she could feel
nothing, and she realized Ryo-ohki was dead. However, she searched harder and found
the faint signal of an egg Ryo-ohki laid before dying.
Clutching her arm, she hobbled off to find Tenchi. It was getting dark, and the snow was
falling steadily. Searching, she saw the wreck nearby, and she was amazed to find that
she had been thrown some 50 yards from the ship. She hobbled towards the wreckage
and franticly searched for any sign of Tenchi.
"TENCHI!" She screamed as loud as she could, but heard nothing but the howling wind.
She glanced around the wreckage again, and it dawned on her that this was only a
portion of the craft. She took to the sky and glided over to another section of the craft.
Hurriedly she rummaged through the pieces trying to find him, finally, lifting a piece of
metal, she saw him.
He was lying face down on the ground, his head was bleeding badly, and he had
numerous cuts and bruises on him as well. A lump formed in her throat and she went
pale when she caught sight of this, Oh god... Dropping to her knees she gently rolled
him over, panic was overtaking her entire body as she was shaking. She gasped and
shed a tear when she saw his pale face, he looked like a corpse. Putting a quivering
hand over his chest, she let out a labored sigh of relief when she detected his heartbeat.
However, her relief was short lived as she knew this might not last long. Tenchi would
die very shortly out in this frigid climate, so she needed to find some sort of decent
shelter. Even then, she wasn't sure if he would survive, as the extent of his injuries was
still unclear. She was sick with worry, yet the fact he still had a chance to live was giving
her the needed strength to go on.
She went over and dug through the snow and retrieved Ryo-ohki's egg, as they would
need her when she hatched. Taking to the sky she soared through the falling snow. She
realized that she may very well die out here in the cold, but she had to go on, for Tenchi's
sake.
Her feline eyes caught sight of what looked to be an inviting cave, swooping down, she
went inside to explore. Checking out the interior, she noted with satisfaction that though
it was still freezing cold, it offered protection against the hellish winds and snow.
Teleporting back to the wreckage, she touched Tenchi's hand to hers and phased the
both of them into the cave. She took his shirt and wrapped it around his bleeding head,
cringing at the sight of his blood.
He'll still die of the cold unless he gets something warm to wear. she glumly realized.
The thought of his death put her stomach in knots and sent shivers througout her body.
I have to stay strong... she took a deep breath before once more taking to the sky.
She raced through the air faster than she ever had before until she caught sight of a pack
of small, furry creatures similiar to foxes roaming the landscape. Forming an energy
sword in her hand, she swooped down and killed them. Gathering up their bodies, she
phased back to the cave.
Flopping down on the ground, she once again checked Tenchi's vital signs, and was
relieved to see him still alive. Sitting back against the wall of the dark cave, she took to
the task of slicing the furry hides off of the animals she killed. It wasn't much, but she
would be able to make a blanket for him out of it.
After skinning the animals, she placed the furs overtop Tenchi, praying that this would
help keep him warm. She wished she could find something to build a fire with, and just
then inspiration struck, The wreckage... Teleporting to the crash site, she rummaged
around looking for things to be able to burn. Her mind was still numb with shock from the
recent series of events as she roboticly rummaged through the debris.
She came across the remnants of Tenchi's room and continued her search. Lifting up a
piece of metal, she caught sight of some canvas. Picking it up and brushing the snow off
of the painting, her eyes widened in shock and her jaw fell open when she saw what it
was. It was a painting of her sleeping among the wildflowers in the hills of Fladucia. She
couldn't help but note the total contrast between the serene peaceful setting of the
painting and of the turbulent hell they were going through now.
It was at this moment that the reality of the situation fully sunk in for Ryoko. She fell to
her knees and began to sob, her tears were freezing on her cheeks before they even fell
to the ground. Her body was shaking from the cold weather and the chill her soul felt.
She clutched her head as painful realizations tore through her, This is all my fault! If I
hadn't insisted he come with me on this trip, he'd be alright. If I hadn't stolen that money
from the cargo ship, he'd be alright. Because I was so damn selfish and stupid, Tenchi
may die!
She felt as if someone had reached into her heart and was squeezing it, crushing it in a
vice like grip. To know that the one man she cared about more than her own life was
dying because of her actions was unbearable. A thousand voices assaulted her, throwing
accusations and taunts, tearing what fragile stability she had apart. But in the midsts of
this internal chaos, a small voice of courage and of strength still sang, telling her that
there was still hope, still a chance to make things right, still a chance to get out of this
hell.
She clenched her fists and stood up, "NO! I WILL NOT LET YOU DOWN TENCHI!" she
screamed at the sky.
Ryoko forcefully grabbed some materials from the crash site and phased back into the
cave. She set the pile down and lit it ablaze with her energy. Hugging her knees to her
chest and sitting by the small fire, her gaze never left Tenchi. I swear to you Tenchi, I
will do everything in my power to save you, everything...
***
Onboard the Emerald Dawn
***
Khadi Armina slammed his fist onto the table, "You fool!" he roared.
He stood up from his chair and circled Ukuna, glaring at him the entire time, "I told you to
disable their ship, and you go on and use a damn Ion displacement cannon on them!
What the hell were you thinking?!"
Ukuna stood as still as a board, sweat beading on his forehead, "I'm sorry my lord, I
merely thought that because the mark of Vhalid was on them, that you'd want them
dead." he nervously responded.
This only enraged Khadi more, "BULLSHIT! You just wanted the fame of being the one
who killed the space pirate Ryoko!" he shouted in Ukuna's face.
Ukuna blinked a few times, "Well sir, it would be quite a prestegious thing." he quietly
stated.
Khadi glared daggers at him, "You incompetent fool! Do you realize what you've done?
It's not that stupid wench I was interested in, it's that boy!"
Ukuna looked at him questioningly, "My lord, what about thay boy is of importance?"
"He's the crown prince of Jurai, that's what, he was the one who defeated Kagato. Do
you have any idea how valuable he is? Do you realize the kind of ransom we could hold
him for? Jurai would be willing to give us entire planets for his safety! And now you
singlehandedly ruin EVERYTHING! Well one mistake is enough, as of now, I am assuming
the control of this ship. I don't know why I ever made you it's captain in the first place."
Khadi shook his head in disgust as he turned away from Ukuna.
Pushing an intercom button, Khadi spoke into it, "Security, come in here and take Mr.
Ukuna to the dungeons, he needs some time alone to think."
***
Icanus
***
Ryoko lied on the cold floor of the cave, staring blankly at the ceiling. She didn't know
how long she had been lying there, but it seemed like forever. The small fire was now
mere coals, and once again the inside of the cave was dark. She was haunted by the
words Ayeka spoke to her before they left, "You are in charge of Lord Tenchi's safety."
Some fine job I've done. I've made him a wanted man by the most powerful pirate clan in
the galaxy, and now we're stranded here on this icey hell. She cast a weary glance over
at the egg of Ryo-ohki, It's going to be days before it hatches, and I don't know if we
can last that long.
Closing her eyes, she noted unenthusiasticly that her own injuries had almost all healed
up. She almost wished she still had those injuries, as if they would be some proper
punishment for her. She reached over and picked up the painting Tenchi had made of
her. Even though she couldn't see it in the dark, she still gazed at it, as if it would tell her
something important. She liked to think that the attention to detail Tenchi put into that
painting was some unspoken sign of affection for her. At this moment she needed
thoughts like that to give her the strength to get through her troubles.
Ryoko drifted off into an uneasy sleep that night, dreaming of her beloved who lay
injured beside her.
***
Morning
***
Ryoko opened her eyes slowly, her mind still drifting in a half sleeping state. Images and
memories quickly assaulted her mind, and she realized with dread just where she was
and what was going on. She sat up and looked around the cave, noticing it was brighter
than it had been before, Must be morning. Much to her chagrin she could still hear the
snows falling outside the cave.
Crawling over to where Tenchi was, she was happy to note his breathing was steady
and calm. Brushing her hand across his face, she cringed when she felt how cold his skin
was. It was then it dawned on her that some parts of her body were numb from the cold.
I wont do Tenchi any good if I'm dead. I better get some more furs for a blanket of my
own. Slowly standing up, she rubbed her eyes and wearily went out to hunt.
***
On the Emerald Dawn
***
Khadi sat in the plush captains seat on the bridge of his vessel. He glared at the officers
around him, his eyes showing his displeasure at the recent turn of events. So many
plans, so many dreams, all shattered because of one man.
"My lord, our infrared scan of the surface has picked up the heat signals of the wreck.
We've also spotted some signals that may be possible survivors of the crash."
Khadi's eyes lit up as he realized his plan may not be dead yet, "I want a large
contingent of soldiers to immediately go down to the surface to investigate. And this
time, I want them ALIVE!" he shouted.
***
Icanus
***
Memories of days gone by, of dreams that never came to pass, and of nightmares yet to
come. Those were the things dancing through the mind of Ryoko as she huddled into a
corner of the dreary cave for the moment she called home. She had been through many
crashes and difficult times before, but none of them even came close to this in terms of
emotional pain. She looked over at the man she loved and felt an overwheming feeling
of helplessness. His head wound had stopped bleeding, but the sight of the blood
stained shirt wrapped around his head made Ryoko almost ill.
Hanging her head, she knew her only hope was Ryo-ohki's egg hatching, but that would
take a few days. Would he even last that long? Closing her eyes, she tried to push her
dark fears aside and get some needed sleep. Just before she drifted off into an uneasy
slumber, she heard footsteps...
Snapping her eyes open she spun her head around only to come face to face with a high
powered energy rifle. "Don't make a move! You two are coming with us." A guard
shouted.
She glanced around and noted there were at least 20 guards in the cave, some were
placing Tenchi on a stretcher. She slowly stood up, glaring at the men around her, trying
to figure out what their plans were, We had the mark of Vhalid on us, so why are they
capturing us instead? Something fishy is going on... The guards took Ryoko and Tenchi
outside the cave before signaling they were ready to be beamed aboard.
***
On the Emerald Dawn
***
Ryoko watched with apprehension as several of the guards took Tenchi to a medical
ward. Though thinking it over, she realized that they were Tenchi's best hope at
surviving. A guard nudged her onward down the hallway with his gun. She was lead
down several levels to the prison section of the ship, still being closely watched by some
10 guards.
Quickly pushing her inside, they slammed the door shut, leaving her alone with her
thoughts. She frowned when she heard the faint whir of an energy scrambling device, as
she was unable to use her powers in this cell. The walls of the cell were a plain white,
and the floor a dull grey, there was a small bathroom which you could barely turn around
in, all in all it was about what you'd expect for a prison. Ryoko slumped down on the
small cot in the room and let her mind drift, If those bastards harm Tenchi, there'll be
hell to pay.
She noted with some satisfaction that at least she was out of the cold now, and she
could feel her body warming up. Wrapping herself with the sheet on the cot, she began
to ponder just what options she had now. Suddenly, the door to the cell opened up, and
a regally dressed man bearing the insignia of the Vhalid clan on his shirt entered, and
following him came another man bearing the insignia of the clan but much more casually
dressed.
The man in the flowing robes stood ramrod still, and leveled her with an emotionless
gaze, "Miss Ryoko, such a pleasure to finally meet you. I'll be brief, as I wouldn't want to
waste any of your precious time. My name is Khadi Armina, and this here is my second in
command, Hazuko. I'm here to ask a few questions regarding you and that boy who's
been traveling with you."
Ryoko stood up and glared at him, "No you listen to me. I want to get one thing straight,
I want you to make a promise right here and now that you won't kill Tenchi."
Khadi snorted and crossed his arms, "And just why should I promise you that? As you
know, the mark of Vhalid is upon the both of you."
Ryoko looked away and sat down again, "He had nothing to do with that cargo ship
heist. That was entirely my idea, he didn't know I was going to do it. He's injured, and
needs medical attention, I trust that in light of what I said, you'll do your best to heal
him and then release him." she quietly stated.
"I wish to speak with him when he's able, so indeed my medical staff will do their best to
help him recover. Now, I wish to ask a few questions of you. Firstly, just what is your
connection to that boy?" Khadi inquired simply.
Ryoko crossed her arms and looked away, "He's merely an acquaintance of mine. I don't
even really know him that well. He wished to do some traveling in space, and I was
feeling a bit generous, so I obliged to let him come." she stated flippantly.
"You seem to care very much for the safety of this...'mere acquaintance', any particular
reason why?" he mockingly asked.
"What can I say? I'm just a really nice person." she smirked in reply.
"Oh yes, your humanitarianism is reknown throughout the galaxy." sarcasm was dripping
from his voice as he spoke.
"It doesn't really matter I suppose, you shall die according to the laws of the clan for
your crimes immediately." he casually stated,
Ryoko lept up, "Wait! I...have some information you'd find important. It's regarding...your
rivals, the Yugo clan."
Khadi raised an eyebrow and appeared interested, "Go on..."
Sweat beads formed on her brow as she tried to come up with a suitable lie, "Well...I
have sources that tell me that the Yugo clan is building a new base of operations on a
distant planet. Construction is almost finished now, and if you were to attack them there,
you could cripple them. If you want to know where they're at, you have to swear that
once Tenchi is healed, you'll give him a ship and release him. I want your unconditional
oath that no attempt will be made on his life after freeing him."
Khadi put his hand on his chin and contemplated her remarks, "How do I know you'll tell
me the truth?"
Ryoko swallowed hard and looked at the floor, "Because, you can keep me on this ship
as a prisoner until we get to their base. When I'm proven right, you'll release me, and if
I'm wrong...you can kill me." she quietly finished.
"Very well, I accept your proposal. I hope you enjoy your stay here." He regally stated
before turning around and signaling Hazuko that they were leaving.
When the door closed, Ryoko slumped on the cot and leaned against the wall. She knew
she had signed her own death warrant, and that they would kill her when they found out
she was lying to them. Hopefully by then, Tenchi would be far away and safe. Upon
further mental examination, it dawned on her that Tenchi would probably try and make
an attempt to rescue her. She wasn't sure if she was happy about that or not. On the
one hand, the thought of him putting his life in danger sent chills of fear down her spine,
but on the other, the thought of him risking life and limb all to ensure her safety filled her
heart with warmth.
Outside her cell, Khadi and Hazuko marched down the long corriders of the ship. Hazuko
cast a puzzled glance at Khadi, "My lord, may I inquire as to why you made that
agreement with miss Ryoko? I was under the impression you felt that the boy was of
importance." he respectfully asked.
Khadi turned and grinned at him, "Of course, it's all very simple. I'm going to hold that
boy for ransom, but Ryoko doesn't need to know this. We'll show her some fake images
of him being 'released', and she'll never know the wiser."
Hazuko nodded his understanding, "I see, excellent strategy my lord. And do you plan
on releasing her if she's proven correct about the location of the Yugo clan base?"
Khadi shook his head, "If she is telling us the truth, we shall still execute her. Besides,
she's probably lying to us to buy time. However, she may be telling the truth, and
because of that I am obligated to examine her claims. For it would be a truly glorious
thing to be able to be able to hold the prince of Jurai hostage and destroy our biggest
rival at the same time."
Hazuko bowed politely, "Your brilliance is inspiring my lord."
***
The Medical Ward of the Emerald Dawn
***
With eyes closed, Tenchi Masaki drifted once more towards the realm of consciousness.
He could hear voices speaking around him and the whirring and beeping of machines. The
bright lighting of the room stung his newly opened eyes as he took a cautious look
around him. Where am I? What happened? I remember I was on Ryo-ohki when we
were hit...I can't remember anything after that.
"Doctor! He's awake!" a nurse shouted.
Looking to his left, he saw an older looking man stride in quickly and look him up and
down, "Tell me my boy, how do you feel, hmm?"
Tenchi by now had figured out he was in a hospital, "Well, I have a pretty bad headache,
and my ribs kinda hurt." he groggily responded.
The man glanced at a few monitors around him, "Hmm, I see. Well, just get some rest
and you should be just fine."
Tenchi began to lay back down again when recollection dawned on him, "Wait! Where's
the woman I was with? Is she alright?" he quickly shouted.
The doctor appeared irratated at his shouting, "Don't worry, she's perfectly alright. She's
down in the prisons." and with that the doctor left.
Tenchi exhaled a sigh of relief and fell back onto the bed, She's perfectly alright, she's
just down in the prisons...
"SHE'S DOWN IN THE PRISONS?!"
Leaping up out of his bed, Tenchi twirled around and tried to figure out where he was. A
concerned nurse came in after hearing him scream, "You should be lying down and
getting some rest!"
Tenchi franticly shook his head, "Where am I?"
The nurse crossed her arms and glared at him, "You're onboard the Emerald Dawn, now
stop messing about and lie down."
The Emerald Dawn! They're gonna kill us! Tenchi scratched the back of his head as he
tried to come up with a plan to get him and Ryoko off the ship. As he was contemplating
this, two guards came in and spotted him, "Ah, I see the patient is up and about, good.
Now, if you'll join us we're going to take you to your...living quarters."
After spotting the two guards pointing guns at him, Tenchi reluctantly nodded and came
with them. Trying to think back to lessons learned from the past, Tenchi desperately tried
to figure out a strategy to get out of there. Unfortunately, he realized that at the moment
Tenchi-Ken wasn't with him, and he had no other weapons to use besides his hands and
feet.
Taking quick glances at the two burly guards who walked along side him, he let out a
frustrated sigh as he saw them watching his every move like a hawk. A very silly and far
fetched idea popped into Tenchi's mind, and seeing no better choice, he decided to go for
it...
"Hey, what's that behind us?" he curiously asked.
And much to his shock, the two guards immediately turned around. Seizing the moment,
Tenchi spun around and used his leg to trip one of the guards, and then twirled about
and used the palm of his hand to slam into the head of the other guard, knocking him
against the wall. Quickly dashing over and retreiving an energy pistol, Tenchi rushed
down the long corridors.
Darn! I've never even used a gun before. I guess I've gotta use what I can to get us
out. Now, the doctor said she was 'down' in the prisons, so I suppose I should find some
sort of elevator and get to a lower level. He jogged down the cold, metallic hallways
searching for sort of elevator when out of the corner of his eye, he spotted a security
camera. He carefully took aim at the camera with his gun and fired...and missed.
Grumbling, he tried again, this time successful.
Where the heck is that darn elevator! He angrily thought to himself. As if on cue, he
heard a high pitched 'ding' behind him. Turning, he saw a door open up and two men
walk out down the path he had just come from. Sneaking over, he noted joyfully that
indeed that was the elevator. Now, which floor? I'll just pick the lowest.
Moments later, the door opened and he found himself in a very dark and noisy area of
the ship. A very large man strolled on over and spotted him, "What the heck is a med bay
patient doing down in Engineering? What are you from the looney bin?"
Tenchi nervously chuckled and scratched his head, "Uhh, sorry about that. I...need my
medication, and my doctor was visiting someone in the prison section. Any idea what
floor that is?"
"Yeah, two floors up."
***
Floor 14, Prisons
***
The door to the elevator opened up and Tenchi cautiously peered out down the halls.
Exhaling in relief he trotted down the halls, searching for Ryoko's cell. Ok, which cell is
hers? Is it that one? Or this other one...or that one...or...oh damn there's dozens of
them! Smacking himself on the head, he realized he was going to have to try each one...
Meanwhile, Ryoko was nervously pacing back and forth in her cell, anxiously awaiting
news of Tenchi's condition. She had been left alone since Khadi and his second in
command left, leaving her totally in the dark as to what was going on. She was confident
that the high tech medical equipment onboard would be easily able to help Tenchi
recover, but there was still a nagging doubt in her mind.
She was so engrossed in her thought, that she almost didn't hear when Tenchi softly
knock on her cell door.
"Is there someone in there named Ryoko?" he quietly asked through the door.
"TENCHI!" Ryoko shouted, and flung herself towards the door, as if to try and glomp him.
"Well, I guess this is right door." was his muffled reply.
Ryoko was beaming with joy, "Oh Tenchi I knew you would come and save me!"
There was silence for a moment before he spoke again, "Umm Ryoko?"
"Yes?"
"Do you have any idea how to open this door?"
Ryoko promptly face-faulted to the floor, "You mean you don't know how to open it?!
Why the heck did you come down here unless you knew how to free me?!"
"Sorry, guess I wasn't really thinking." was his timid reply.
Tenchi sighed and decided to try his only option at the moment. He fired a blast right at
the keypad next to the door, instantly frying it. Sparks flew out of it as the door to her
cell swished open. Tenchi was instantly pounced on by Ryoko, knocking him to the floor.
Ryoko was rubbing her cheek against his, "My hero..." she dreamily mused.
"Come on Ryoko, we don't have time for this, we've gotta get out of here." he
stammered out nervously.
Helping him to his feet, she gave him her trademark seductive smile as she noticed that
his hospital gown was failing to cover up his rear end, "Nice ass." she casually remarked.
Tenchi's eyes widended and he spun his head around, and turned crimson when he
caught sight of his state of undress.
Ryoko patted him on the shoulder, "Come on, we don't have time to get a new wardrobe,
let's get moving." Grumbling his agreement, he ran off down the halls, making sure she
stayed ahead of him.
***
The bridge of the Emerald Dawn
***
"ESCAPED! HOW?!"
The guard was sweating profusely as he tried to explain to Khadi what happened, "Well,
my lord, the prisoner surprised me and my comrade as we escorted him to a cell."
Khadi clenched his fist in anger and was shaking with anger, "How...could...you...let...
this...HAPPEN?!"
The guard hung his head in silence.
"Security, take these two disgraces and execute them, they are worthless." Khadi calmy
ordered.
Khadi slowly turned his seat around to where it faced the viewscreen. Reaching into his
pocket, he pulled out the Tenchi-Ken, You'll be coming for this won't you, prince of Jurai?
I'll be waiting for you...
Elsewhere on the ship, Ryoko and Tenchi had run into some trouble. Energy shots flew by
as they ducked around a corner, "Tenchi! You distract them with some cover fire, I'm
going in after them." Ryoko confidently stated.
Nodding his approval, Tenchi peeked around the corner and began firing at the crowd of
guards as Ryoko phased in and out of existence, evading the guards shots. Summoning a
large ball of energy, she hurled it at the group and smirked when she saw the explosion
scatter them everywhere. Signaling the all-clear to Tenchi, they continued down the
narrow pathways.
"Ryoko, do you know what happened to the Tenchi-Ken? I had it with me when we
crashed, did you do anything with it?"
Ryoko shook her head.
"Damn, guess it's somewhere onboard." Tenchi angrily muttered.
Ryoko stopped in mid flight as something dawned on her, "Tenchi, we're going to have to
take control of this ship. Ryo-ohki is dead, she left an egg but that's still on Icanus, and
it'll be days before that hatches. There's a whole fleet of fighter vessels with this group,
and if we try to use an escape craft, we'll be toast."
"Well, guess we'll have to find the control room. Any idea where it is?"
Ryoko put her hand to her chin and looked at the path that split up and went two
different ways, "Got a coin to flip?"
***
Later
***
Panting, Ryoko and Tenchi raced down the hallway, having just dealt with another large
contingent of the ships security, "Let's try this door..." Ryoko muttered before blasting a
hole through it.
They were met with an emormous group of soldiers and a grinning Khadi Armini sitting in
the captains seat, "Come to get your toy back, prince?" he taunted while holding up
Tenchi-Ken.
Ryoko caught everyone off guard by instantly firing a barrage of blasts at the soldiers in
the room. Tenchi ducked behind a chair and fired a few shots at the guards. Ryoko was
weaving and bobbing around, phasing all over the room and making quick work of the
troops. She smirked when she saw how confused and inept they were, This is a cinch!
Her smug mood was shattered when she saw Khadi ignite his own energy sword and
leap towards Tenchi.
"TENCHI LOOK OUT!" she shrieked just before Khadi brought his sword down at Tenchi.
Luckily, Tenchi had heard Ryoko's warning and rolled out of the way.
Khadi stood there frowning at them, "You two have gone far enough. Prince of Jurai, I
challenge you to a duel. If you win, you shall gain your freedom, if I win, you become my
prisoner." with that said, he tossed Tenchi-Ken over to Tenchi who caught it with ease.
"Why are you doing this? What do you want with me?" Tenchi demanded.
Khadi shook his head in disgust, "You're so dense. Don't you realize the riches Jurai
would give me in return for your safety?"
Tenchi glared at him, "So this all about power? Give it up! You can't beat the both of us!
Just let us leave in peace."
Khadi's response was to rush at Tenchi with his sword ignited, issueing a battle cry.
Ryoko tensed and prepared to jump in to help Tenchi when he spoke up, "Ryoko! Stay
back, this is my battle, I'll duel him alone." he confidently stated while blocking Khadi's
attack.
She wanted desperately to aid Tenchi, but she chose to respect his wishes and watch
for now. If Tenchi looked like he was loosing, she'd interfere in an instant.
The two warriors blades clashed in a brilliant display of sparks. They attacked and
counter-attacked, sometimes wearily circling eachother, other times furiously slashing at
eachother. Tenchi had the edge in skill yet Khadi was fighting in a rage, pressing his
attacks furiously.
Meanwhile, Ryoko crept away from the battle, and was punching in various commands
for the ship, quickly taking short glances at the two combatants in the middle of the room.
[Ion displacement cannon charged] A monotone robotic voice spoke.
With an evil grin, she pressed the fire button, watching in glee as it snaked towards one
of the fighter vessels that were with the Emerald Dawn. Impact was made and a brilliant
flash of light indicated a direct hit. Now, for the rest of the group...
Meanwhile, Tenchi and Khadi were still battling intensely. Tenchi crouched and held his
blade over his head, blocking a swing made by his opponent. Quickly springing up, he
pushed his blade aside and made a quick swipe at Khadi, slashing him deep across the
chest. Khadi cried out in pain and stumbled away, glaring insanely at Tenchi.
"NO! I will not allow you to defeat me! If I shall die, than you shall as well..." and with
that, he opened up a panel on the captains seat and pressed a red button.
[Self Destruct sequence engaged, 5 minutes to detonation.]
Tenchi quickly looked at Ryoko questioningly, but she gave him a reassuring look, "Don't
worry Tenchi, just keep him busy while I finish off these ships. We'll have plenty of time."
and with that, Ryoko pressed a few more keys, raining blasts upon the neighboring pirate
ships nearby.
Khadi grinned and adjusted a knob on the captains seat.
[Self Destruct sequence modified, 1 minute to detonation]
Tenchi and Ryoko went pale after hearing this. Not wanting to waste any time, she flew
over and grabbed Tenchi's hand, phasing them down to a lower level.
"Now, I think the escape pods were this way." she quickly said while pointing down a
hallway.
Tenchi grabbed her arm before she could fly off, "No, I think they were *this* way." he
said while pointing in the opposite direction.
They both stared at eachother for a second, wracking their brains trying to figure out
which one was right, when a group of doctors and nurses rushed in and opened a door
right next to them, "Come on! The pods are this way!" one of the nurses shouted to the
group.
"Guess we were both wrong." Tenchi mumbled before being pulled through the door by
Ryoko.
Ryoko dragged him quickly into a small pod and slammed the door shut, "Now let's get
the heck out of here!"
[10 seconds to detonation]
With lightning speed, Ryoko pressed a flurry of buttons and started the engines up.
Slamming the throttle forward, the ship began to exit the hangar.
[5 seconds to detonation]
Both were sweating profusely as the small ship sped away from the Emerald Dawn,
neither one knew just how large the explosion would be. Ryoko cast a nervous glance at
Tenchi, who did the same, "You think we made it?" she quietly asked.
Just then a massive explosion occured behind them, the detonation almost engulfed the
small craft, yet they narrowly escaped the blast.
"Yeah...I guess we made it." a pale faced and sweating Tenchi squeaked out.
Ryoko let out an exhausted sigh of relief, "Well, I guess we should head down to Icanus
to pick up Ryo-ohki's egg now. You know there might be some clothes of yours down
there, I kinda get the feeling you won't want to go clothes shopping wearing that
hospital gown."
***
Earth
***
A serene calm hung over the Masaki household that day, with cheery moods and light
hearted conversation being the norm. Ayeka sat quietly sipping some tea in the kitchen,
enjoying this odd peace. Her relaxation was disturbed when she heard someone
knocking at the door. Curiously wondering who would be visiting, she slid the door open
and was shocked at who she saw.
"Nagi..."
End of Chapter 5
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Authors Notes: Whew! Another chapter up and finished. Chapter 6 is an important
chapter so I'm going to be working extra hard at making sure it's done right. As always,
feedback is adored, you all don't know how much of an inspiration you've been to me,
thanks!
characters for this fic, and they belong to me. Tenchi Muyo belongs to AIC and Pioneer
corp.
Authors Notes: Another day, another chapter. I've decided this story will contain 7
chapters, so we're coming down into the home stretch. Oh, and thanks to Tenko for
pointing out that it's "Ryo-ohki" and not "Ryo'Ohki" ;)
Among the stars
Chapter 5: Agony on ice
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On the control bridge of the Emerald Dawn, the captain, Ukuna, paces back and forth. He
had received important orders from his clans leader that the Ryo-ohki would be flying by
this planet soon. They had been waiting for some hours now, hiding around the planet
Icanus, using the natural magnetic field distortions to help avoid any detection.
Ukuna glances at a time reading, anxiously awaiting his foes arrival, when suddenly the
navigations officer spoke up, "Captain! We've spotted the Ryo-ohki!"
Lights flash all over the ship as they are put into battle mode. The bridge, which was so
quiet moments ago, had burst into life.
"Move slowly to their rear flank, let them think they have an escape option. They should
fly right into us." Ukuna calmy ordered.
The various battle report screens show some of the other ships of the Vhalid clan firing
and closing in on the Ryo-ohki. As Ukuna predicted, they were surprised, and were now
headed into the false 'escape hole' they had set up.
Ukuna quietly reads all the data pouring in, "Increase speed to 6.8pps, get ready to fire
on my command."
"Captain! We are within range to use the Ion displacement cannon!" the weapons
officer yelled.
"FIRE!" Ukuna barked.
The entire bridge watches in rapt awe as the white energy ball is fired and rapidly closes
in on it's target, "Target has been locked onto, sir." the weapons officer noted.
Everyone watches in silence as the energy ball curves hard to the right and races
towards its target, a bright flash of light signals a successful hit. "Well done men, well
done." Ukuna proudly stated.
***
Onboard Ryo-ohki
***
The ship was violently rocked as the blast hit, and Ryo-ohki cried out in pain as all power
was lost. On the bridge, all lights went out as Ryoko was hurled into a wall by the impact.
She could hear the anguish of her ship as it was reeling in pain, and it tore at Ryoko's
heart. Ryo-ohki had sustained massive injuries, there were holes in parts of the ship,
though the bridge section was still intact. Ryoko had been through crashes before, but
she had a gut feeling that this time, she wouldn't survive.
Fear began to overwhelm her as she stumbled about the suffocating darkness trying to
find Tenchi. She called out to him, only to be met with the sound of her frenzied heartbeat.
She fell against a wall as the ship began a downward spiral towards the planet. Getting
back up on her feet, she was in a panic. Could Tenchi already be dead or was he merely
knocked out?
Ryoko had a sinking feeling she was on borrowed time now, and was desperate to find
Tenchi. She had to hold him one last time, to be able to die in his arms would at least
give her some joy in her final moments. Almost in tears she realized it was too late,
"I love you Tenchi." she whispered.
And at that moment, Ryo-ohki slammed into the surface of Icanus. The ship impacted the
icey surface and immediately began to break apart. The pieces slid several hundred
yards along the ground, leaving a trail of debris.
Ryoko was lying face down in the snow, she was numb from shock and the cold. At first
she thought maybe she had died and gone to hell, as she always did hate the cold. But
she began to feel the pain of a broken arm, and hear the harsh winds blowing across the
surface. Slowly and painfully, she lifted her head, and saw that indeed she was still alive.
Tenchi...
That one thought gave her the needed strength to slowly lift herself from the ground.
Searching her mind to find Ryo-ohki, she felt her stomach drop when she could feel
nothing, and she realized Ryo-ohki was dead. However, she searched harder and found
the faint signal of an egg Ryo-ohki laid before dying.
Clutching her arm, she hobbled off to find Tenchi. It was getting dark, and the snow was
falling steadily. Searching, she saw the wreck nearby, and she was amazed to find that
she had been thrown some 50 yards from the ship. She hobbled towards the wreckage
and franticly searched for any sign of Tenchi.
"TENCHI!" She screamed as loud as she could, but heard nothing but the howling wind.
She glanced around the wreckage again, and it dawned on her that this was only a
portion of the craft. She took to the sky and glided over to another section of the craft.
Hurriedly she rummaged through the pieces trying to find him, finally, lifting a piece of
metal, she saw him.
He was lying face down on the ground, his head was bleeding badly, and he had
numerous cuts and bruises on him as well. A lump formed in her throat and she went
pale when she caught sight of this, Oh god... Dropping to her knees she gently rolled
him over, panic was overtaking her entire body as she was shaking. She gasped and
shed a tear when she saw his pale face, he looked like a corpse. Putting a quivering
hand over his chest, she let out a labored sigh of relief when she detected his heartbeat.
However, her relief was short lived as she knew this might not last long. Tenchi would
die very shortly out in this frigid climate, so she needed to find some sort of decent
shelter. Even then, she wasn't sure if he would survive, as the extent of his injuries was
still unclear. She was sick with worry, yet the fact he still had a chance to live was giving
her the needed strength to go on.
She went over and dug through the snow and retrieved Ryo-ohki's egg, as they would
need her when she hatched. Taking to the sky she soared through the falling snow. She
realized that she may very well die out here in the cold, but she had to go on, for Tenchi's
sake.
Her feline eyes caught sight of what looked to be an inviting cave, swooping down, she
went inside to explore. Checking out the interior, she noted with satisfaction that though
it was still freezing cold, it offered protection against the hellish winds and snow.
Teleporting back to the wreckage, she touched Tenchi's hand to hers and phased the
both of them into the cave. She took his shirt and wrapped it around his bleeding head,
cringing at the sight of his blood.
He'll still die of the cold unless he gets something warm to wear. she glumly realized.
The thought of his death put her stomach in knots and sent shivers througout her body.
I have to stay strong... she took a deep breath before once more taking to the sky.
She raced through the air faster than she ever had before until she caught sight of a pack
of small, furry creatures similiar to foxes roaming the landscape. Forming an energy
sword in her hand, she swooped down and killed them. Gathering up their bodies, she
phased back to the cave.
Flopping down on the ground, she once again checked Tenchi's vital signs, and was
relieved to see him still alive. Sitting back against the wall of the dark cave, she took to
the task of slicing the furry hides off of the animals she killed. It wasn't much, but she
would be able to make a blanket for him out of it.
After skinning the animals, she placed the furs overtop Tenchi, praying that this would
help keep him warm. She wished she could find something to build a fire with, and just
then inspiration struck, The wreckage... Teleporting to the crash site, she rummaged
around looking for things to be able to burn. Her mind was still numb with shock from the
recent series of events as she roboticly rummaged through the debris.
She came across the remnants of Tenchi's room and continued her search. Lifting up a
piece of metal, she caught sight of some canvas. Picking it up and brushing the snow off
of the painting, her eyes widened in shock and her jaw fell open when she saw what it
was. It was a painting of her sleeping among the wildflowers in the hills of Fladucia. She
couldn't help but note the total contrast between the serene peaceful setting of the
painting and of the turbulent hell they were going through now.
It was at this moment that the reality of the situation fully sunk in for Ryoko. She fell to
her knees and began to sob, her tears were freezing on her cheeks before they even fell
to the ground. Her body was shaking from the cold weather and the chill her soul felt.
She clutched her head as painful realizations tore through her, This is all my fault! If I
hadn't insisted he come with me on this trip, he'd be alright. If I hadn't stolen that money
from the cargo ship, he'd be alright. Because I was so damn selfish and stupid, Tenchi
may die!
She felt as if someone had reached into her heart and was squeezing it, crushing it in a
vice like grip. To know that the one man she cared about more than her own life was
dying because of her actions was unbearable. A thousand voices assaulted her, throwing
accusations and taunts, tearing what fragile stability she had apart. But in the midsts of
this internal chaos, a small voice of courage and of strength still sang, telling her that
there was still hope, still a chance to make things right, still a chance to get out of this
hell.
She clenched her fists and stood up, "NO! I WILL NOT LET YOU DOWN TENCHI!" she
screamed at the sky.
Ryoko forcefully grabbed some materials from the crash site and phased back into the
cave. She set the pile down and lit it ablaze with her energy. Hugging her knees to her
chest and sitting by the small fire, her gaze never left Tenchi. I swear to you Tenchi, I
will do everything in my power to save you, everything...
***
Onboard the Emerald Dawn
***
Khadi Armina slammed his fist onto the table, "You fool!" he roared.
He stood up from his chair and circled Ukuna, glaring at him the entire time, "I told you to
disable their ship, and you go on and use a damn Ion displacement cannon on them!
What the hell were you thinking?!"
Ukuna stood as still as a board, sweat beading on his forehead, "I'm sorry my lord, I
merely thought that because the mark of Vhalid was on them, that you'd want them
dead." he nervously responded.
This only enraged Khadi more, "BULLSHIT! You just wanted the fame of being the one
who killed the space pirate Ryoko!" he shouted in Ukuna's face.
Ukuna blinked a few times, "Well sir, it would be quite a prestegious thing." he quietly
stated.
Khadi glared daggers at him, "You incompetent fool! Do you realize what you've done?
It's not that stupid wench I was interested in, it's that boy!"
Ukuna looked at him questioningly, "My lord, what about thay boy is of importance?"
"He's the crown prince of Jurai, that's what, he was the one who defeated Kagato. Do
you have any idea how valuable he is? Do you realize the kind of ransom we could hold
him for? Jurai would be willing to give us entire planets for his safety! And now you
singlehandedly ruin EVERYTHING! Well one mistake is enough, as of now, I am assuming
the control of this ship. I don't know why I ever made you it's captain in the first place."
Khadi shook his head in disgust as he turned away from Ukuna.
Pushing an intercom button, Khadi spoke into it, "Security, come in here and take Mr.
Ukuna to the dungeons, he needs some time alone to think."
***
Icanus
***
Ryoko lied on the cold floor of the cave, staring blankly at the ceiling. She didn't know
how long she had been lying there, but it seemed like forever. The small fire was now
mere coals, and once again the inside of the cave was dark. She was haunted by the
words Ayeka spoke to her before they left, "You are in charge of Lord Tenchi's safety."
Some fine job I've done. I've made him a wanted man by the most powerful pirate clan in
the galaxy, and now we're stranded here on this icey hell. She cast a weary glance over
at the egg of Ryo-ohki, It's going to be days before it hatches, and I don't know if we
can last that long.
Closing her eyes, she noted unenthusiasticly that her own injuries had almost all healed
up. She almost wished she still had those injuries, as if they would be some proper
punishment for her. She reached over and picked up the painting Tenchi had made of
her. Even though she couldn't see it in the dark, she still gazed at it, as if it would tell her
something important. She liked to think that the attention to detail Tenchi put into that
painting was some unspoken sign of affection for her. At this moment she needed
thoughts like that to give her the strength to get through her troubles.
Ryoko drifted off into an uneasy sleep that night, dreaming of her beloved who lay
injured beside her.
***
Morning
***
Ryoko opened her eyes slowly, her mind still drifting in a half sleeping state. Images and
memories quickly assaulted her mind, and she realized with dread just where she was
and what was going on. She sat up and looked around the cave, noticing it was brighter
than it had been before, Must be morning. Much to her chagrin she could still hear the
snows falling outside the cave.
Crawling over to where Tenchi was, she was happy to note his breathing was steady
and calm. Brushing her hand across his face, she cringed when she felt how cold his skin
was. It was then it dawned on her that some parts of her body were numb from the cold.
I wont do Tenchi any good if I'm dead. I better get some more furs for a blanket of my
own. Slowly standing up, she rubbed her eyes and wearily went out to hunt.
***
On the Emerald Dawn
***
Khadi sat in the plush captains seat on the bridge of his vessel. He glared at the officers
around him, his eyes showing his displeasure at the recent turn of events. So many
plans, so many dreams, all shattered because of one man.
"My lord, our infrared scan of the surface has picked up the heat signals of the wreck.
We've also spotted some signals that may be possible survivors of the crash."
Khadi's eyes lit up as he realized his plan may not be dead yet, "I want a large
contingent of soldiers to immediately go down to the surface to investigate. And this
time, I want them ALIVE!" he shouted.
***
Icanus
***
Memories of days gone by, of dreams that never came to pass, and of nightmares yet to
come. Those were the things dancing through the mind of Ryoko as she huddled into a
corner of the dreary cave for the moment she called home. She had been through many
crashes and difficult times before, but none of them even came close to this in terms of
emotional pain. She looked over at the man she loved and felt an overwheming feeling
of helplessness. His head wound had stopped bleeding, but the sight of the blood
stained shirt wrapped around his head made Ryoko almost ill.
Hanging her head, she knew her only hope was Ryo-ohki's egg hatching, but that would
take a few days. Would he even last that long? Closing her eyes, she tried to push her
dark fears aside and get some needed sleep. Just before she drifted off into an uneasy
slumber, she heard footsteps...
Snapping her eyes open she spun her head around only to come face to face with a high
powered energy rifle. "Don't make a move! You two are coming with us." A guard
shouted.
She glanced around and noted there were at least 20 guards in the cave, some were
placing Tenchi on a stretcher. She slowly stood up, glaring at the men around her, trying
to figure out what their plans were, We had the mark of Vhalid on us, so why are they
capturing us instead? Something fishy is going on... The guards took Ryoko and Tenchi
outside the cave before signaling they were ready to be beamed aboard.
***
On the Emerald Dawn
***
Ryoko watched with apprehension as several of the guards took Tenchi to a medical
ward. Though thinking it over, she realized that they were Tenchi's best hope at
surviving. A guard nudged her onward down the hallway with his gun. She was lead
down several levels to the prison section of the ship, still being closely watched by some
10 guards.
Quickly pushing her inside, they slammed the door shut, leaving her alone with her
thoughts. She frowned when she heard the faint whir of an energy scrambling device, as
she was unable to use her powers in this cell. The walls of the cell were a plain white,
and the floor a dull grey, there was a small bathroom which you could barely turn around
in, all in all it was about what you'd expect for a prison. Ryoko slumped down on the
small cot in the room and let her mind drift, If those bastards harm Tenchi, there'll be
hell to pay.
She noted with some satisfaction that at least she was out of the cold now, and she
could feel her body warming up. Wrapping herself with the sheet on the cot, she began
to ponder just what options she had now. Suddenly, the door to the cell opened up, and
a regally dressed man bearing the insignia of the Vhalid clan on his shirt entered, and
following him came another man bearing the insignia of the clan but much more casually
dressed.
The man in the flowing robes stood ramrod still, and leveled her with an emotionless
gaze, "Miss Ryoko, such a pleasure to finally meet you. I'll be brief, as I wouldn't want to
waste any of your precious time. My name is Khadi Armina, and this here is my second in
command, Hazuko. I'm here to ask a few questions regarding you and that boy who's
been traveling with you."
Ryoko stood up and glared at him, "No you listen to me. I want to get one thing straight,
I want you to make a promise right here and now that you won't kill Tenchi."
Khadi snorted and crossed his arms, "And just why should I promise you that? As you
know, the mark of Vhalid is upon the both of you."
Ryoko looked away and sat down again, "He had nothing to do with that cargo ship
heist. That was entirely my idea, he didn't know I was going to do it. He's injured, and
needs medical attention, I trust that in light of what I said, you'll do your best to heal
him and then release him." she quietly stated.
"I wish to speak with him when he's able, so indeed my medical staff will do their best to
help him recover. Now, I wish to ask a few questions of you. Firstly, just what is your
connection to that boy?" Khadi inquired simply.
Ryoko crossed her arms and looked away, "He's merely an acquaintance of mine. I don't
even really know him that well. He wished to do some traveling in space, and I was
feeling a bit generous, so I obliged to let him come." she stated flippantly.
"You seem to care very much for the safety of this...'mere acquaintance', any particular
reason why?" he mockingly asked.
"What can I say? I'm just a really nice person." she smirked in reply.
"Oh yes, your humanitarianism is reknown throughout the galaxy." sarcasm was dripping
from his voice as he spoke.
"It doesn't really matter I suppose, you shall die according to the laws of the clan for
your crimes immediately." he casually stated,
Ryoko lept up, "Wait! I...have some information you'd find important. It's regarding...your
rivals, the Yugo clan."
Khadi raised an eyebrow and appeared interested, "Go on..."
Sweat beads formed on her brow as she tried to come up with a suitable lie, "Well...I
have sources that tell me that the Yugo clan is building a new base of operations on a
distant planet. Construction is almost finished now, and if you were to attack them there,
you could cripple them. If you want to know where they're at, you have to swear that
once Tenchi is healed, you'll give him a ship and release him. I want your unconditional
oath that no attempt will be made on his life after freeing him."
Khadi put his hand on his chin and contemplated her remarks, "How do I know you'll tell
me the truth?"
Ryoko swallowed hard and looked at the floor, "Because, you can keep me on this ship
as a prisoner until we get to their base. When I'm proven right, you'll release me, and if
I'm wrong...you can kill me." she quietly finished.
"Very well, I accept your proposal. I hope you enjoy your stay here." He regally stated
before turning around and signaling Hazuko that they were leaving.
When the door closed, Ryoko slumped on the cot and leaned against the wall. She knew
she had signed her own death warrant, and that they would kill her when they found out
she was lying to them. Hopefully by then, Tenchi would be far away and safe. Upon
further mental examination, it dawned on her that Tenchi would probably try and make
an attempt to rescue her. She wasn't sure if she was happy about that or not. On the
one hand, the thought of him putting his life in danger sent chills of fear down her spine,
but on the other, the thought of him risking life and limb all to ensure her safety filled her
heart with warmth.
Outside her cell, Khadi and Hazuko marched down the long corriders of the ship. Hazuko
cast a puzzled glance at Khadi, "My lord, may I inquire as to why you made that
agreement with miss Ryoko? I was under the impression you felt that the boy was of
importance." he respectfully asked.
Khadi turned and grinned at him, "Of course, it's all very simple. I'm going to hold that
boy for ransom, but Ryoko doesn't need to know this. We'll show her some fake images
of him being 'released', and she'll never know the wiser."
Hazuko nodded his understanding, "I see, excellent strategy my lord. And do you plan
on releasing her if she's proven correct about the location of the Yugo clan base?"
Khadi shook his head, "If she is telling us the truth, we shall still execute her. Besides,
she's probably lying to us to buy time. However, she may be telling the truth, and
because of that I am obligated to examine her claims. For it would be a truly glorious
thing to be able to be able to hold the prince of Jurai hostage and destroy our biggest
rival at the same time."
Hazuko bowed politely, "Your brilliance is inspiring my lord."
***
The Medical Ward of the Emerald Dawn
***
With eyes closed, Tenchi Masaki drifted once more towards the realm of consciousness.
He could hear voices speaking around him and the whirring and beeping of machines. The
bright lighting of the room stung his newly opened eyes as he took a cautious look
around him. Where am I? What happened? I remember I was on Ryo-ohki when we
were hit...I can't remember anything after that.
"Doctor! He's awake!" a nurse shouted.
Looking to his left, he saw an older looking man stride in quickly and look him up and
down, "Tell me my boy, how do you feel, hmm?"
Tenchi by now had figured out he was in a hospital, "Well, I have a pretty bad headache,
and my ribs kinda hurt." he groggily responded.
The man glanced at a few monitors around him, "Hmm, I see. Well, just get some rest
and you should be just fine."
Tenchi began to lay back down again when recollection dawned on him, "Wait! Where's
the woman I was with? Is she alright?" he quickly shouted.
The doctor appeared irratated at his shouting, "Don't worry, she's perfectly alright. She's
down in the prisons." and with that the doctor left.
Tenchi exhaled a sigh of relief and fell back onto the bed, She's perfectly alright, she's
just down in the prisons...
"SHE'S DOWN IN THE PRISONS?!"
Leaping up out of his bed, Tenchi twirled around and tried to figure out where he was. A
concerned nurse came in after hearing him scream, "You should be lying down and
getting some rest!"
Tenchi franticly shook his head, "Where am I?"
The nurse crossed her arms and glared at him, "You're onboard the Emerald Dawn, now
stop messing about and lie down."
The Emerald Dawn! They're gonna kill us! Tenchi scratched the back of his head as he
tried to come up with a plan to get him and Ryoko off the ship. As he was contemplating
this, two guards came in and spotted him, "Ah, I see the patient is up and about, good.
Now, if you'll join us we're going to take you to your...living quarters."
After spotting the two guards pointing guns at him, Tenchi reluctantly nodded and came
with them. Trying to think back to lessons learned from the past, Tenchi desperately tried
to figure out a strategy to get out of there. Unfortunately, he realized that at the moment
Tenchi-Ken wasn't with him, and he had no other weapons to use besides his hands and
feet.
Taking quick glances at the two burly guards who walked along side him, he let out a
frustrated sigh as he saw them watching his every move like a hawk. A very silly and far
fetched idea popped into Tenchi's mind, and seeing no better choice, he decided to go for
it...
"Hey, what's that behind us?" he curiously asked.
And much to his shock, the two guards immediately turned around. Seizing the moment,
Tenchi spun around and used his leg to trip one of the guards, and then twirled about
and used the palm of his hand to slam into the head of the other guard, knocking him
against the wall. Quickly dashing over and retreiving an energy pistol, Tenchi rushed
down the long corridors.
Darn! I've never even used a gun before. I guess I've gotta use what I can to get us
out. Now, the doctor said she was 'down' in the prisons, so I suppose I should find some
sort of elevator and get to a lower level. He jogged down the cold, metallic hallways
searching for sort of elevator when out of the corner of his eye, he spotted a security
camera. He carefully took aim at the camera with his gun and fired...and missed.
Grumbling, he tried again, this time successful.
Where the heck is that darn elevator! He angrily thought to himself. As if on cue, he
heard a high pitched 'ding' behind him. Turning, he saw a door open up and two men
walk out down the path he had just come from. Sneaking over, he noted joyfully that
indeed that was the elevator. Now, which floor? I'll just pick the lowest.
Moments later, the door opened and he found himself in a very dark and noisy area of
the ship. A very large man strolled on over and spotted him, "What the heck is a med bay
patient doing down in Engineering? What are you from the looney bin?"
Tenchi nervously chuckled and scratched his head, "Uhh, sorry about that. I...need my
medication, and my doctor was visiting someone in the prison section. Any idea what
floor that is?"
"Yeah, two floors up."
***
Floor 14, Prisons
***
The door to the elevator opened up and Tenchi cautiously peered out down the halls.
Exhaling in relief he trotted down the halls, searching for Ryoko's cell. Ok, which cell is
hers? Is it that one? Or this other one...or that one...or...oh damn there's dozens of
them! Smacking himself on the head, he realized he was going to have to try each one...
Meanwhile, Ryoko was nervously pacing back and forth in her cell, anxiously awaiting
news of Tenchi's condition. She had been left alone since Khadi and his second in
command left, leaving her totally in the dark as to what was going on. She was confident
that the high tech medical equipment onboard would be easily able to help Tenchi
recover, but there was still a nagging doubt in her mind.
She was so engrossed in her thought, that she almost didn't hear when Tenchi softly
knock on her cell door.
"Is there someone in there named Ryoko?" he quietly asked through the door.
"TENCHI!" Ryoko shouted, and flung herself towards the door, as if to try and glomp him.
"Well, I guess this is right door." was his muffled reply.
Ryoko was beaming with joy, "Oh Tenchi I knew you would come and save me!"
There was silence for a moment before he spoke again, "Umm Ryoko?"
"Yes?"
"Do you have any idea how to open this door?"
Ryoko promptly face-faulted to the floor, "You mean you don't know how to open it?!
Why the heck did you come down here unless you knew how to free me?!"
"Sorry, guess I wasn't really thinking." was his timid reply.
Tenchi sighed and decided to try his only option at the moment. He fired a blast right at
the keypad next to the door, instantly frying it. Sparks flew out of it as the door to her
cell swished open. Tenchi was instantly pounced on by Ryoko, knocking him to the floor.
Ryoko was rubbing her cheek against his, "My hero..." she dreamily mused.
"Come on Ryoko, we don't have time for this, we've gotta get out of here." he
stammered out nervously.
Helping him to his feet, she gave him her trademark seductive smile as she noticed that
his hospital gown was failing to cover up his rear end, "Nice ass." she casually remarked.
Tenchi's eyes widended and he spun his head around, and turned crimson when he
caught sight of his state of undress.
Ryoko patted him on the shoulder, "Come on, we don't have time to get a new wardrobe,
let's get moving." Grumbling his agreement, he ran off down the halls, making sure she
stayed ahead of him.
***
The bridge of the Emerald Dawn
***
"ESCAPED! HOW?!"
The guard was sweating profusely as he tried to explain to Khadi what happened, "Well,
my lord, the prisoner surprised me and my comrade as we escorted him to a cell."
Khadi clenched his fist in anger and was shaking with anger, "How...could...you...let...
this...HAPPEN?!"
The guard hung his head in silence.
"Security, take these two disgraces and execute them, they are worthless." Khadi calmy
ordered.
Khadi slowly turned his seat around to where it faced the viewscreen. Reaching into his
pocket, he pulled out the Tenchi-Ken, You'll be coming for this won't you, prince of Jurai?
I'll be waiting for you...
Elsewhere on the ship, Ryoko and Tenchi had run into some trouble. Energy shots flew by
as they ducked around a corner, "Tenchi! You distract them with some cover fire, I'm
going in after them." Ryoko confidently stated.
Nodding his approval, Tenchi peeked around the corner and began firing at the crowd of
guards as Ryoko phased in and out of existence, evading the guards shots. Summoning a
large ball of energy, she hurled it at the group and smirked when she saw the explosion
scatter them everywhere. Signaling the all-clear to Tenchi, they continued down the
narrow pathways.
"Ryoko, do you know what happened to the Tenchi-Ken? I had it with me when we
crashed, did you do anything with it?"
Ryoko shook her head.
"Damn, guess it's somewhere onboard." Tenchi angrily muttered.
Ryoko stopped in mid flight as something dawned on her, "Tenchi, we're going to have to
take control of this ship. Ryo-ohki is dead, she left an egg but that's still on Icanus, and
it'll be days before that hatches. There's a whole fleet of fighter vessels with this group,
and if we try to use an escape craft, we'll be toast."
"Well, guess we'll have to find the control room. Any idea where it is?"
Ryoko put her hand to her chin and looked at the path that split up and went two
different ways, "Got a coin to flip?"
***
Later
***
Panting, Ryoko and Tenchi raced down the hallway, having just dealt with another large
contingent of the ships security, "Let's try this door..." Ryoko muttered before blasting a
hole through it.
They were met with an emormous group of soldiers and a grinning Khadi Armini sitting in
the captains seat, "Come to get your toy back, prince?" he taunted while holding up
Tenchi-Ken.
Ryoko caught everyone off guard by instantly firing a barrage of blasts at the soldiers in
the room. Tenchi ducked behind a chair and fired a few shots at the guards. Ryoko was
weaving and bobbing around, phasing all over the room and making quick work of the
troops. She smirked when she saw how confused and inept they were, This is a cinch!
Her smug mood was shattered when she saw Khadi ignite his own energy sword and
leap towards Tenchi.
"TENCHI LOOK OUT!" she shrieked just before Khadi brought his sword down at Tenchi.
Luckily, Tenchi had heard Ryoko's warning and rolled out of the way.
Khadi stood there frowning at them, "You two have gone far enough. Prince of Jurai, I
challenge you to a duel. If you win, you shall gain your freedom, if I win, you become my
prisoner." with that said, he tossed Tenchi-Ken over to Tenchi who caught it with ease.
"Why are you doing this? What do you want with me?" Tenchi demanded.
Khadi shook his head in disgust, "You're so dense. Don't you realize the riches Jurai
would give me in return for your safety?"
Tenchi glared at him, "So this all about power? Give it up! You can't beat the both of us!
Just let us leave in peace."
Khadi's response was to rush at Tenchi with his sword ignited, issueing a battle cry.
Ryoko tensed and prepared to jump in to help Tenchi when he spoke up, "Ryoko! Stay
back, this is my battle, I'll duel him alone." he confidently stated while blocking Khadi's
attack.
She wanted desperately to aid Tenchi, but she chose to respect his wishes and watch
for now. If Tenchi looked like he was loosing, she'd interfere in an instant.
The two warriors blades clashed in a brilliant display of sparks. They attacked and
counter-attacked, sometimes wearily circling eachother, other times furiously slashing at
eachother. Tenchi had the edge in skill yet Khadi was fighting in a rage, pressing his
attacks furiously.
Meanwhile, Ryoko crept away from the battle, and was punching in various commands
for the ship, quickly taking short glances at the two combatants in the middle of the room.
[Ion displacement cannon charged] A monotone robotic voice spoke.
With an evil grin, she pressed the fire button, watching in glee as it snaked towards one
of the fighter vessels that were with the Emerald Dawn. Impact was made and a brilliant
flash of light indicated a direct hit. Now, for the rest of the group...
Meanwhile, Tenchi and Khadi were still battling intensely. Tenchi crouched and held his
blade over his head, blocking a swing made by his opponent. Quickly springing up, he
pushed his blade aside and made a quick swipe at Khadi, slashing him deep across the
chest. Khadi cried out in pain and stumbled away, glaring insanely at Tenchi.
"NO! I will not allow you to defeat me! If I shall die, than you shall as well..." and with
that, he opened up a panel on the captains seat and pressed a red button.
[Self Destruct sequence engaged, 5 minutes to detonation.]
Tenchi quickly looked at Ryoko questioningly, but she gave him a reassuring look, "Don't
worry Tenchi, just keep him busy while I finish off these ships. We'll have plenty of time."
and with that, Ryoko pressed a few more keys, raining blasts upon the neighboring pirate
ships nearby.
Khadi grinned and adjusted a knob on the captains seat.
[Self Destruct sequence modified, 1 minute to detonation]
Tenchi and Ryoko went pale after hearing this. Not wanting to waste any time, she flew
over and grabbed Tenchi's hand, phasing them down to a lower level.
"Now, I think the escape pods were this way." she quickly said while pointing down a
hallway.
Tenchi grabbed her arm before she could fly off, "No, I think they were *this* way." he
said while pointing in the opposite direction.
They both stared at eachother for a second, wracking their brains trying to figure out
which one was right, when a group of doctors and nurses rushed in and opened a door
right next to them, "Come on! The pods are this way!" one of the nurses shouted to the
group.
"Guess we were both wrong." Tenchi mumbled before being pulled through the door by
Ryoko.
Ryoko dragged him quickly into a small pod and slammed the door shut, "Now let's get
the heck out of here!"
[10 seconds to detonation]
With lightning speed, Ryoko pressed a flurry of buttons and started the engines up.
Slamming the throttle forward, the ship began to exit the hangar.
[5 seconds to detonation]
Both were sweating profusely as the small ship sped away from the Emerald Dawn,
neither one knew just how large the explosion would be. Ryoko cast a nervous glance at
Tenchi, who did the same, "You think we made it?" she quietly asked.
Just then a massive explosion occured behind them, the detonation almost engulfed the
small craft, yet they narrowly escaped the blast.
"Yeah...I guess we made it." a pale faced and sweating Tenchi squeaked out.
Ryoko let out an exhausted sigh of relief, "Well, I guess we should head down to Icanus
to pick up Ryo-ohki's egg now. You know there might be some clothes of yours down
there, I kinda get the feeling you won't want to go clothes shopping wearing that
hospital gown."
***
Earth
***
A serene calm hung over the Masaki household that day, with cheery moods and light
hearted conversation being the norm. Ayeka sat quietly sipping some tea in the kitchen,
enjoying this odd peace. Her relaxation was disturbed when she heard someone
knocking at the door. Curiously wondering who would be visiting, she slid the door open
and was shocked at who she saw.
"Nagi..."
End of Chapter 5
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Authors Notes: Whew! Another chapter up and finished. Chapter 6 is an important
chapter so I'm going to be working extra hard at making sure it's done right. As always,
feedback is adored, you all don't know how much of an inspiration you've been to me,
thanks!