Disclaimer
Tenchi and all associated characters are the property of AIC and Pioneer LDC. I don't own any rights to them. Any other characters are property of their respective copyright holders, not me.
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Newlyweds
Chapter 7
A Taste of Freedom – A Tale of Ryo-ohki
*****
Ryo-ohki flew. As Ryoko, Tenchi and Ayeka slept, Ryo-ohki flew between the stars. Her inertial dampers on full so the other's wouldn't notice, she did loops, rolls and twists, reveling in the freedom of movement. Ryoko would never have allowed her to continue her acrobatics if she'd known, but for now, Ryo-ohki was her own master. Not that she'd ever considered Ryoko anything but a partner, but she was programmed to obey the ex-pirate even though it was fun to put up a fight and argue sometimes. It made life interesting. Sometimes she even won.
Something appeared on her sensors. Another ship. This would be fun. She slowed until she was moving just a little faster than the other ship. Her database identified it as a Juraian bulk freighter, probably carrying foodstuffs or consumer goods to one of the Empire's colony worlds. If she was lucky they hadn't noticed her yet. She began to stalk her prey.
*****
Aboard the Juraian freighter, the sensor tech has seen something odd appear on his screen. It flashed in and out as if staying just out of range, or perhaps a cloaked ship. He called the watch officer.
"Sir, I have a possible contact. It seems to be following us."
The watch officer wandered over to the sensor screen. It had been a routine, boring trip so far, maybe something exciting was about to happen. In the vastness of space, you didn't come across other ships too often.
"What is it? Can you get an ID?"
"No, it's not transmitting any codes and it's still out of visual range. I might be able to extrapolate something after a few more sensor hits though," the tech replied.
Since they were deep in Juraian space, it couldn't be any of the groups on the fringe that the military was fighting with. No, it was probably another freighter or a GP patrol that was experiencing transmitter problems.
"Hail them. Their transmitter's probably down but maybe they can hear us. Offer assistance if needed. Helm," he turned to the center console, "reduce speed. Let them catch up. I'll go inform the captain."
*****
Ryo-ohki was impressed. They'd actually managed to paint her with their sensors. But according to the information in the hail, they couldn't identify her. That was fine with her as she wanted to surprise them. She partially cloaked herself to keep the other ship's sensors confused. She'd have to hurry up and have her fun though; the others would be waking up soon.
*****
"Have you got an ID yet?" the Captain asked the sensor tech.
"No sir. For some reason we can't get a lock on 'em. All we can tell is that they're there and they're closing on us slowly."
"All right crew. There's probably no need to worry about it, if it were a pirate they would've fired on us by now. Besides, there hasn't been a real pirate around these parts since the demon Ryoko, and she disappeared a long time ago. If it's a small time hijacker, we're more than strong enough to take them; if it's someone in trouble, we have to help them." He turned to the helmsman. "All stop. Make us dead in space please."
"Aye sir. Thrust to zero, engines on standby." They felt the rumble of thrusters. "Velocity is now zero sir."
"Very good helm. Let's see what happens."
*****
The other ship had come to a dead stop. Ryo-ohki had seen this reaction in prey before, hunting field mice back on Earth, not that she'd ever want to actually catch one, but they were fun to stalk. They sometimes froze too when they knew they were cornered. She uncloaked, ran her thrust up to full and swooped in on the Juraian ship, uttering her fiercest battle cry.
"Miiiiyyyyyaaaaawwwrrrrr"
Passing within meters of the freighter's hull, she reengaged her FTL drive and disappeared into hyperspace.
*****
The Captain stared at the viewscreen, hair standing on end and eyes wide. "Goddess!" he gasped.
"What in Tsunami's hell was that?" asked the watch officer. He turned to the sensor tech. "Were you able to ID that… that… that whatever it was?"
"N… no sir. There're no known matches in the computer. I'll run it again though, just to make sure."
"Don't bother," said the Captain, still staring at the screen. "You won't find that ship in any of the ID data banks. You might find it in the History banks though… Contact the fleet and the GP. Tell them the space pirate Ryoko's returned."
*****
Ryoko yawned and stretched, then sneezed. How odd, she thought. She rolled over and faced her husband. "Tenchi," she whispered. "Tenchi, it's morning. It's morning and I know what I want for breakfast." She reached under the blanket.
Brown eyes snapped open, as did a set of red eyes behind him.
"If you mean what I think Ryoko, I'm going to get up and go start a real breakfast," Ayeka said, peering over Tenchi's shoulder.
Ryoko smiled evilly at her, "You don't have to leave princess. You can join the fun too."
"Uh, girls…" said Tenchi.
"I know that you pirate," Ayeka interrupted him. "Thank you for the invitation, but not this morning. You two have your fun, I'll see you at breakfast." She got up and walked out of the cabin.
Ryoko understood what the princess was leaving unsaid and she appreciated it. It wasn't as if Tenchi hadn't made love to both of them at the same time before, but sometimes it was nice to be alone with him. She rolled over on top of her husband. "Now, where were we?"
*****
Over the next few days Ryo-ohki managed to buzz two more freighters (only one was Juraian) and a GP courier ship. She was having great fun and Ryoko still didn't know…
*****
Ayeka was sitting in the command chair running a few flight simulations when the alarm sounded. She'd just started running an intercept sim she'd found and was a little ticked off at the interruption.
"Ryo-ohki, what's the meaning of that noise?" she asked the control crystal.
A viewscreen popped open in front of her with an image of a Juraian battle cruiser that reminded her of her own Ryu-oh. The words * We're being hailed. Do you want me to respond? * appeared below the image.
"Yes, Ryo-ohki. We might as well find out what they want."
* Do you want me to get Ryoko or Tenchi? *
She sighed, wishing that she had a mental link to the cabbit like the other two. "No, I'll handle this, thank you anyway. Now open a channel please."
The image of a Juraian naval officer appeared on the screen.
"SPACE PIRATE RYOKO! SURRENDER YOURSELF IMMEDI… Oh! You're not Ryoko. In fact you look sort of familiar."
Ayeka glared at the screen, frowning. The officer's eyes suddenly got real big and he began to sweat.
"Princess Ayeka. I… I'm sorry. It's been so long… Have you been captured by Ryoko?"
This brought a smile to Ayeka's face. "Sort of, Commander. It's still a state secret, but with Tsunami's blessing I'm actually married to Ryoko now. And to Prince Yosho's grandson. My parents know, as does the Holy Council, but it is not to become general knowledge until the formal ceremony. Understood?"
"Um, No. I'm not sure I do. Could you explain that again?"
The princess gave him a cold stare. "You don't perchance have any blonde relatives that are GP detectives do you?"
The Commander stuck a finger down his collar and ran it around to loosen it a bit. "I don't understand…"
"Well, that's certainly stating the obvious. Just why are you looking for Princess Ryoko anyway?"
"Princess Ryoko?" he muttered. Then he understood what Ayeka had told him. The Juraian officer turned white. "Goddess!" he exclaimed. "I need to sit down." He took a step back and collapsed heavily in his command chair.
"I'm waiting Commander. Tell me why you want Ryoko," Ayeka ordered.
The Commander looked up at her image on his screen. "Well Princess Ayeka, you see it's like this… Your ship, the Ryo-ohki is it? has been reported attacking three merchantmen and a GP vessel over the last four days. Our sector command informed us that the Space Pirate Ryoko had returned and was plundering ships. We were sent out to stop her."
Ayeka leaned back in her seat. "I see. And given Ryoko's well-deserved reputation, it was certainly very brave of you and your crew to face her down like this. I'll mention that to my father the next time I see him. But I know for a fact that Ryoko has not attacked anyone for quite some time."
The officer relaxed. It looked like he might get out of this one alive and maybe even with a commendation. "Well, if it's not Ryoko, then there's another ship just like the Ryo-ohki flying around here somewhere. I'd advise you all to be very careful."
"I also know Commander, that there are no other ships like Ryo-ohki. I personally guarantee it. So will my father." Ayeka noticed the main control crystal sneaking away to hide behind some others. "Wait a moment. Ryo-ohki, where do you think you're going? You know something about this, don't you?"
The cabbit's face appeared in the crystal and a smaller screen popped up. * Who, me? *
"Commander, I don't know what's been going on, but I'm going to find out. And I'll see to it that she doesn't do it again. You have my word on that."
The officer breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you Princess Ayeka. I'll notify my superiors."
"Yes, please do. Just remember what I told you about my marriage." She cut the connection. "Now then," she said, turning back to the cabbit. "Just what have you been up to?"
* Nothing. *
"All right, call Ryoko to the control room please."
* Ryoko? Who's Ryoko? *
"Ah ha!" Ayeka cried. "You have been up to something and you don't want her to know. If you can assure me that no one's been hurt and tell me what's going on, I promise I won't tell."
* As far as I know, no one's been even slightly injured. * Ryo-ohki went on to explain everything she'd done. By the time she was finished Ayeka was in tears from laughing so hard.
Even Ryo-ohki was in a better mood, * You do understand don't you? You guys have been having so much fun on this trip that I wanted to have some fun too. *
"Yes, I do. And I as promised, I won't give you away. We all deserve a little freedom once in a while. Just promise me you won't do it again. Unless you invite me along for the ride that is."
* But you told the Commander…*
"I implied that you wouldn't do it again. But I never said anything about me, did I? Well, what about it?"
* I promise. Never again, unless you're in the chair there. *
"You got it."
Ayeka was still chuckling when Ryoko entered the cabin a few minutes later.
"What's goin' on princess? I thought I heard an alarm," the ex-pirate asked.
"Oh, it was nothing Ryoko. Just Ryo-ohki and I playing a game."
"A game huh? Ok then I guess." Ryoko let it pass.
Ayeka got out of the chair and started for the exit. She patted the main control crystal as she passed it. "Remember, let me know the next time you feel like playing."
"Miya!" affirmed the cabbit.
"Huh!" Ryoko muttered. "I wonder what that was all about?"
"Miyeow!" Ryo-ohki stated.
Ryoko chuckled good naturedly at the cabbit face in the crystal, "Shut up you. Keep it up and you'll be in trouble."
"Miya!" she agreed.
*****
The End of Newlyweds
*****
Author's Notes:
Damn. Do you know how difficult it was to keep this whole story from turning lemonish? It is about a honeymoon after all. It did come close a couple of times though and if that offended you, I'm sorry. I've decided to stop this story here even though I have enough ideas for a couple more chapters. But with a few minor plot changes and a little rewriting I think I can put them in The Great Cabbit Search, which I will start writing real soon.
And to all my reviewers, thank you. I'd probably still write without the reviews, but you give me an incentive to push it out faster. I know I'm not the best author out there, but I enjoy doing this and hope to keep at it for quite a while.
