No Need for a Melee
Yagami bridge
"Mihoshi, try to avoid the fighters but concentrate on the big ships," Kiyone told her.
"The bigger the ship, the bigger the score?" Mihoshi asked cheerfully. The Yagami was holding up well, but they were experiencing several minor problems.
"That's right, Mihoshi," Rikyu supplied, he was getting the hang of this deception. The Akuneko had a bad headache, and he kept rubbing his head, but he attributed it to stress. "How many survivors did we pick up?"
"Twelve," Kiyone stepped out of her makeshift captains chair, a floating thing she had borrowed from Washu. "I'm going to be right back, we need to make sure they don't interfere with Mihoshi's….game." Rikyu nodded understandingly.
Kiyone didn't stop working on her way to the cargo bay though, a communication screen opened up next to her as she walked down the corridors. The screen was divided into four sections, one for each of the other ship's captains.
"What is it Captain," Korestu demanded, arrogantly. "We are in the middle of a losing battle now is not the time for a chit chat."
"Can it, she's talking for a reason!" Ryoko snapped. She didn't have time for much else, Ryoko was manually directing most of Ryo-Ohki's moves at the moment. Both the cabbit pilots were periodically rubbing their heads for some reason, and both wore those metal headbands Washu had given them.
"Don't hunt the fighters, restrict yourself to defensive actions against them," Kiyone ordered, ignoring the chatter. "Concentrate on the carriers."
"But how are we…" the captain of the Gyanburu started to ask a question.
"Just do it!" Kiyone barked.
"Yes, Captain!" the officer responded, almost instinctively.
"Why don't ask something hard of me?" Nagi asked. Her bravado was marred by the fact that she was favoring one side. She must not have been completely recovered yet. Ryoko merely waved, busy avoiding a fighter clump, at least they were aided by the fact that the fighters were getting in each other's way. Captain Korestu said nothing, but nodded. Kiyone shut off the communication as she came to the cargo bay.
"Captain Makibi?" one of them asked her. Kiyone recognized her as Captain Karya, the woman couldn't have been much older than Kiyone. Then again by looks neither could Ayeka or Ryoko. "I should have obeyed you more quickly, my ship may not have been lost."
"We can't worry about apologies right now," Kiyone noted, the other woman blushed, her pride stung. "Yagami, scan visitors as friendly."
"What is that for?" Karya asked nervously.
"If we have an unauthorized teleport then the ship won't try to kill you," Kiyone explained. "I need you to get your crew into the guest quarters, when you can give me a list of who is healthy and what they can do. Yagami will open a channel for you to reach me, but don't come to the bridge, our pilot is…..focused, and I don't want anybody messing with that right now."
"Understood, Captain," Karya bowed and began to collect her survivors. Kiyone bowed in return and left to return to the bridge.
Washu's station
"Yep, here they come," the scientist had been rubbing her head since she had activated her device. The obvious headache was making her irritable. "I'm shutting off the Ego Jammer, we're going to need the shield just a little bit more." The Jurai watched as the woman's hands flew across her various keyboards. Soon a thick transparent shield surrounded them.
"They'll have to take us by ground forces now," Washu observed. "With what I have I can block ship energy OR objects, but not both. Everybody ready for a fight?"
"Hai!" came the simultaneous answers. The shield over them repelled a barrage of shots and then the fighters landed. Out of each fighter came two Akuneko in a sleek black battle-suit. Every one of them bore a laser rifle, the Jurai hoped that meant they couldn't use the same powers as Ryoko.
Dreadnought, bridge
"Your…actions…." Lord Ryoi gasped as he climbed back into his chair. "Have saved….your life." Lady Ran was leaning against the wall behind his thrown gasping for breath. Across the battle, Akuneko nobles were recovering their wits.
"Yes, milord," the surveillance officer responded. "We have identified their command ship. It is this vessel, the Yagami." A holograph readout appeared to the soldier's side, showing the form of the Yagami.
"Lady Ran," Ryoi commanded. "Take a boarding craft and capture that vessel. Bring five soldiers with you."
"Yes, Lord Ryoi," Lady Ran bowed and left the bridge.
"Also, milord," the surveillance officer paused nervously. "They have begun concentrating their fire on our carriers. As they near the ships our fighters become afraid to attack. They're afraid of hitting their own ships."
"I see," Ryoi narrowed his eyes. "Order thirty squadrons to pursuit and fifty to protect the remaining carriers."
"Yes, milord."
Ryo-Ohki
Ryoko felt much better suddenly, the headache was just gone. It was like someone had flipped a switch and poof went the pain. The space pirate smiled as another carrier went up in smoke. When Ryo-Ohki rocked from blast impacts, it wiped Ryoko's smile off her face.
"This is taking too long," she muttered. "Ryo-Ohki, can you teleport onto one of those ships if I get close?" There was an affirmative yowling, and Ryoko smiled again. "Contact Ken-Ohki." A holograph screen appeared in time to see Nagi's energy whip decapitate a boarder.
"What is it Ryoko," the bounty hunter asked calmly as she dispatched another of the black garbed Akuneko. Ryoko knew from experience that they wouldn't have the same capabilities as her. "I'm sort of busy."
"Nagi, have you ever launched Ken-Ohki from inside another ship?"
"Hmm, interesting idea."
Washu's station
Akuneko soldiers were firing fruitlessly at the Jurai warriors. Laser beams just bounced off Jurai formed force fields and the answering energy blasts were devastating. Compared to the guardians and Ayeka the common soldiers were easy to defeat, compared to Tenchi and the knights, Ayeka and the guardians were amateurs.
"Is that all of them Kamidake?" the bearded knight asked readying his staff for further battle. Tenchi wasn't yet wielding sword-Tenchi, opting for the bokken against these commoners, he didn't want to kill them. The knights, following Tenchi's unspoken command, did likewise. Washu had a number of gadgets on hand to help in the battle, but she mostly just stayed out of the way.
"Not quite yet," Tenchi shouted, pointing into the sky. Another four ships were landing, black and red ships, setting down among the ruins of those Tenchi and friends had demolished. Soon Akuneko clan warriors were attacking them. Now Tenchi produced sword-Tenchi and geared up for some real fighting.
Ayeka hung back with the log-like guardian robots and prepared to offer a support position since she had little hand to hand experience herself. Tenchi's face became grim, as he summoned the blue energy blade from the sword.
"At least they're not Kagato," he said. "Or Caine for that matter."
Ayeka appeared similarly grim, from fatigue as much as anything else. She knew that Rei's force field had been stronger than Ryoko's, and she thought that would be true of the average Akuneko warrior. Her mini-logs would not work this time, she would need to use the Jurai power, and she had already been drained by maintaining a force field.
Ayeka had one other choice, she had seen it done before, and she knew the consequences. She reached for the Jurai power as the Akuneko charged forward, and gasped a little at the slight burning pain.
"Just a little bit," Ayeka whispered. "Taking a little bit won't hurt too much."
Yagami bridge
"Our visitors are secure," Kiyone informed them. "How about us?"
"Oh we're at level two, apparently," Rikyu said with mock-cheerfulness. A red light began bleeping over the bridge. Kiyone grabbed her rifle, she had finished plating it on the way to this system. It now appeared something similar to Galaxy Police issue.
"What's that?" Mihoshi asked, nervously.
"Just my part of the game, Mihoshi," Kiyone said.
"Do you need help?" he asked turning around in the pilot's seat. Mihoshi might have really been doing the piloting, but she preferred the co-pilot's seat.
"Captain Makibi? Are we being boarded?" Kiyone turned around and saw Karya.
"I thought I told you…never mind, can you pilot this cruiser?"
"My father has a space yacht that used to be a six-one," Karya asserted politely.
"Good, co-pilot for her," Kiyone pointed at the blonde detective who was still in her super-focused state. "And make sure she keeps believing this is just a game. She's very good as long as she doesn't know its real."
"Yes, Captain, I think I understand," Kiyone prayed silently and turned to Rikyu.
"Okay, let's go!"
"Yes, Captain," Rikyu said teasingly. Kiyone half glared at the smiling Akuneko as they moved down the halls. They realized that they were nearing the enemy as the sound of battle began getting louder. They turned a corner and passed the guest quarters where two Jurai soldiers in relative health joined them. It wasn't long before they hit the brig and the Akuneko.
At the head of the Akuneko was an azure-haired woman in black and red Akuneko battle-armor. She was slicing through one of Washu's force fields with her energy blades, and then she saw the approaching defenders. The light in the Yagami flickered on and off, giving an eerie cast to the hallway.
"Impressive defense system," the woman told them. "I'm already down by one soldier." Kiyone leveled the rifle at her, the Akuneko laughed. One of the energy blades disappeared and a force field was raised. Kiyone fired, the yellow and blue bolt connected with the force field and shattered it in an explosion that rocked the Akuneko woman backwards.
"It works!" Kiyone exclaimed, then fired again at the surprised boarders. Rikyu teleported behind them and began attacking with an energy blade of his own. The two Jurai soldiers moved forward with wooden staves and between the three the common soldiers were crushed. The Kuroi warrior stood up in semi shock, as Kiyone fired again. This time there was no force shell. The energy lance impacted on the Akuneko armor and exploded. The woman smashed against the wall and fell down, stunned by the impact this time rather than surprise. Kiyone walked up to her slammed the woman's face into her knee and threw her through the doorway of the active brig.
A communication screen appeared as the conflict was ended.
"Lady Ran, it seems that the cabbits have abandoned the field," a black haired Akuneko was saying. "Have you captured the Yagami yet?" Kiyone turned to face the man and pointed to the figure of "Lady Ran" stuck in the brig's energy wall. Then the rather annoyed policewoman snapped her energy yo-yo forward and forced the Akuneko out of the wall into the cell.
"You must be the commander of this force," the man smiled. "I am Lord Ryoi of the Kuroi clan. Who are you?"
"Captain Kiyone Makibi of the Galaxy Police." She gestured for Rikyu to return to the bridge and relieve Karya.
"A peasant?" The man sounded insulted, then he laughed. "The Jurai are commanded by a police woman? I will accept your surrender now." He informed her confidently, Kiyone smiled.
"Let me explain to you the facts of life," Kiyone started. "You've lost."
"How do you see that?"
The corridors of an Akuneko carrier
Ryoko screwed her ears in annoyance at the blaring intruder alert sirens. There was something else bothering her, it had started recently. One of her friends was in danger, she could feel it, but she didn't know whom. All she could do was arrange for this battle to end as quickly as possible.
Ryoko walked along a few feet and finally came to a group of guards. They stopped in confusion when they saw an Akuneko clan warrior standing before them.
"Hey boys," she smiled and waved sweetly. This alerted them, no Akuneko clansmen would act in such a manner. They fired, laser fire bouncing off Ryoko's force field. She pointed to Ryo-Ohki sitting calmly on the floor next to her. "This is a cabbit, now watch, this is what a cabbit does. Ryo-Ohki, now!!!" The ultra-cute cabbit jumped off the ground flipped forward and began growing.
Dreadnought bridge
"Milord," the man was pale. Lord Ryoi turned aside from his conversation to see the surveillance officer again.
"What is it?"
"The cabbits, milord. They both reappeared for a brief moment."
"So you caught them running where-ever it is they retreated, why do I need to know that?"
"Milord, they each appeared inside a carrier. Ripped both to pieces from the inside out, and then disappeared again." There was a flash of red light and the officer's headless body slumped to the floor.
"Do you understand yet, Lord Ryoi?" Kiyone asked. "You're in hostile territory with limited resources. This will be at best a pyrrhic victory. I can gut your forces and the Jurai will pick you off easily afterward. You probably don't have what you need even now, you could live as pirates for a few years before they finally crushed you. The only possibility for your survival is for you to surrender to me."
"Surrender to a peasant?" Lord Ryoi was aghast, but his mind was already working on what she had said. His survival instincts were kicking in.
"If you fight I can guarantee you won't have more than twenty cruisers remaining. You'll have plenty of fighters, but unless you want to move at a snail's pace you'll have to abandon most of them. If you run, we both know that warships beat fighters in straight speed any day, I'll outdistance them and your carriers do not have effective defenses."
"You are proposing that I give myself, over to a peasant and a mere handful of warships?"
"M-m-milord," the crews new spokesman stuttered and stared at the cauterized stump of his predecessor's neck. "Two more ships have ripped inside out by the cabbits, and one of the enemy battleships has been destroyed, but there are five more within an hours distance of here."
"How many ships do we have?" Lord Ryoi snapped angrily
"There remain…." The man was appalled. "Thirty-three carriers, milord, and six hundred fighters." The woman was right, the expendable fighters were not receiving much damage. His brother would have fought on, but his brother was a fool, evidenced by the fact that Rei was dead.
The Yagami shook on the other end of the communication screen, but Kiyone remained smiling in the flickering light.
"Unconditional surrender," Kiyone demanded, hoping she read the man correctly. "I'll call off my warships, it won't be long before Ryoko and Nagi work their way to that flagship of yours." Ryoi, truly a coward at heart, calculated the risks to himself and decided.
"Agreed!" he shouted desperately. "Call off all attacks!!!" His officers stared at him in shock. "DO IT!!!" The clan warrior began crackling with red energy and his staff energetically acted to carry out the command. Kiyone smiled and opened a second communication screen on her end.
"Kiyone what happened, they've all stopped attacking," Ryoi heard someone ask his opponent.
"Did I win Kiyone," a woman's voice asked cheerfully.
"Yep, game over Mihoshi," she sounded like a mother talking to her child. "Captain Karya?"
"Yes, Captain?" another woman's voice, formal and restrained, but quite young.
"Inform the others, the enemy has surrendered."
"Yes, Captain!" the young Jurai answered.
"Lord Ryoi," Kiyone addressed him respectfully. The battle over she was prepared to treat him with the respect entitled to him by his rank. "I will meet you and your commanders on the second moon to inform you what happens next. Yagami out."
"Don't get any ideas, Lord Ryoi," a voice behind him said. He turned to see a pair of women with cute little furred animals on their shoulders. The speaker was a light blue-haired human cloaked in dark gray and wielding an energy whip at her side.
"Kiyone wasn't wrong about us getting here fairly quickly," the other, a silver haired Akuneko that had to be the last Shinku told him. She was dressed in Akuneko battle armor and smiled in a manner entirely unsuited to a clan warrior. "And I wouldn't try calling for any guards. We've already met them."
Washu's station
"Cease all attacks," one of the intact ships blared over it's audio systems. "Lord Ryoi has surrendered unconditionally to the enemy." The two standing Akuneko nobles immediately dropped their energy swords angrily as Tenchi and knight-Azaka regarded each other in shock. Knight-Kamidake was behind them sheltered by an exhausted Ayeka and the guardian-Azaka and guardian-Kamidake.
"Washu," Tenchi called for the scientist who appeared out of the extra-dimensional space she had crawled into as she had started being in the way.
"Whew, it was getting cramped in their," the scientist declared. "What is it Tenchi."
"I'm calling Kiyone and telling her we're taking the wounded, all the wounded," Tenchi informed her. The two conscious Akuneko looked at him in surprise, he suspected that had thought to be executed. "Hopefully we can get some help, but a genius like you shouldn't have trouble handling some of this. Should you?" Whenever they wanted Washu to do something they had to puff her ego a little.
"Sure, it's nothing for a genius!!" Two little Washu puppets popped up on her shoulder and began cheering "Washu!!Washu!!Washu!!" while she laughed maniacally.
"Thanks, Washu," Tenchi said smiling. "I knew I could count on you. Azaka, you two, let's get our wounded taken care of."
"Yes, milord," one of the Akuneko responded instinctively. The other stared at him confused and then followed the other.
Battleship Hito
"The Akuneko have surrendered?" the admiral's eyes grew wide at the repeat of the news. "They won?"
"They had more than thirty carriers left," his first officer gasped. "The Tamashii and the Kagekiha were destroyed, the Yagami was on its last legs, and they surrendered?"
"You understand now why I requested for Makibi to be in command."
"That backwater boasts some impressive individuals."
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