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.
*****
The Great Cabbit Search
Chapter 4
Wherever You Go, There You Are.
Part 1
*****
Kiyone sat in Yagami's pilot seat idly pecking at the keyboard in front of her. It was just another boring day watching nothing happen. She thought about waking Mihoshi up from her nap but decided not to. It was never a good idea to have the blonde ditz awake and in the control room at the same time. Maybe she could give Washu a call and see if the scientist had anything she wanted done up here. Nah, better not even go there. Besides, her watch was over in less than an hour and then she could kick back for a while. A small amber light began to blink on the panel and Kiyone activated her monitor. What she saw caused her to jam the call button down on the intraship comm panel. "MIHOSHI! GET UP HERE NOW, I NEED YOU!"
*****
Kiyone looked over at the blonde lieutenant in the copilot's seat quietly and competently going about her duties and sighed. Just like old times, she thought. It felt good to be working with Mihoshi again, even though she wasn't quite the same Mihoshi she'd been before the encounter with the neural stunner. But Mihoshi had always been someone she'd been able to rely on and she was still able to perform her job in an exemplary manner. And the blonde was one of the few that she could actually call 'friend'.
"Watcha thinkin' about Kiyone?" came a voice from behind her.
Kiyone gave a little start, "Oh. Lady Washu! You've been so quiet I'd forgotten you were there. You were right; I didn't feel anything during the transition. Are we really in a different dimension now?"
"You betcha. But dimension is a poor term; I prefer 'reality' or 'time line' or even 'universe'." Washu said in response.
At that moment Mihoshi's sensor panel began buzzing quietly.
"What happened Mihoshi?" Kiyone asked, looking over at the blonde.
Mihoshi punched a few buttons, then swore under her breath. "We've activated some sort of sensor net, our cloak doesn't seem to have any effect on it. It seems we've been spotted." Tears began to fill her eyes. "I'm sorry Kiyone."
Kiyone handed her partner a tissue from the dispenser attached to the console, "Stop it Mihoshi. It's not your fault, there's not supposed to be anything like this around the Earth, is there Washu?"
Washu thought for a moment. "No, not in our reality anyway. Can you get a reading on what type of energy it uses? We may be able to identify who put it here."
Mihoshi wiped her eyes and was suddenly businesslike again. "Not without going active and that would certainly give us away to whoever is out there. I'll turn off our ID transponder, maybe if we just float here they'll think we're just a piece of debris from Earth's space program and ignore us."
Kiyone smiled at Mihoshi's response. Yes, it certain was good to be working with her again…
*****
Mihoshi stumbled into Yagami's control cabin. "Kiiyyoonnneee! I was having this wonderful dream… And then I heard you calling me on the intercom and then I jumped up but I tripped over my blanket and hurt my head and then the cabin door was stuck and…"
Kiyone covered her face with one hand. Why me lord? she thought. Why did I get stuck with that… that idiot?
"Mihoshi, just sit down in your seat. Something tripped our sensor net, it looks like a ship of some kind."
"The Earth is a restricted zone. Maybe it's just a piece of space junk?" the ditz replied.
"Maybe, but I don't think so. Its trajectory was taking it out of Earth orbit and there've been no scheduled probe launches from Earth lately."
"What do you want me to do?"
"Well, how about activating Yagami's sensors. We might just get some useful information from them, LIKE WHO IT IS!"
The blonde winced and pushed a button on her control panel. A stuffed Ryo-ohki doll fell out of the overhead storage and hit Kiyone in the head.
"Oh. Sasami's been looking for that."
"MI…HO…SHI…!"
"Sorry." She pushed another button and the sensors came online.
*****
"Kiyone, we're being scanned!" Mihoshi called to her partner.
Kiyone swore, "Damn. Ok Mihoshi, go active and get as much data as you can. We need to know what we're up against out there."
"Right. Sensors coming up… now! Locked on… uh… Kiyone, you'd better look at this yourself…"
*****
"WHAT?" Kiyone was shocked. "What do you mean we're being scanned too? That's impossible. We would've seen any other ship approaching Earth. It's like they appeared out of nowhere."
Mihoshi tapped a finger on her lips, causing her eyes to cross, "Well, I don't know about that… But they're using a standard GP scanning frequency. Hey! Maybe it's our relief."
"They're on a trajectory away from us Mihoshi. If it were our relief, don't you think they'd be coming toward us? Try hailing them."
*****
"We're being hailed. It's a standard GP hail too. Do you want to answer it?"
Kiyone was still shocked by what Yagami's sensors had found. Not that she hadn't really expected it after all of Washu's lectures, but still…
"Might as well. We certainly can't outrun them and shooting is out of the question too. But audio only for now, ok?"
"Right," Mihoshi replied, flipping a switch.
** This is the Galaxy Police Patrol Ship Yagami, Detective First Class Makibi Kiyone commanding, calling unknown vessel. Stop and prepare to be boarded. ** came Kiyone's voice from the speaker.
Kiyone keyed her mike, "I don't think that's a good idea."
** What do you mean? Hey! Who the hell is this anyway? You sound just like me. Stop or we'll fire on you. **
"Mihoshi, video please."
A screen popped up. To Kiyone it was like looking into a mirror.
"I'm Colonel Makibi Kiyone of the Galaxy Police. I believe you know my partner, Detective-Lieutenant Kuramitsu Mihoshi?" Mihoshi grinned at the screen and waved.
The other Kiyone fainted.
*****
Mihoshi looked at Kiyone on the screen then down at her unconscious partner then up at the screen again. "Kiiiyyonneee! How can you be there and here at the same time? I don't understand." She began to cry.
** Mihoshi! **
No response.
** Mihoshi! **
Still no response.
** MI… HO… SHI…! **
"Wha…? What do you want Kiyone?"
** Mihoshi, I want you to kill Yagami's forward momentum. Can you do that for me? **
The blonde nodded and reached over her passed-out partner to flip a switch. A glass of water materialized and fell on top of her partner. Kiyone moaned.
"Oops." She pressed another button and Yagami's thrusters fired, bringing the ship to a dead stop.
** Good Mihoshi. Now, I'm going to come alongside and dock with you. Don't panic, ok? **
The blonde nodded again.
Kiyone turned to Washu who was still standing between the seats. "Looks like we'll be visiting this Earth after all. Oh well, maybe they can point us in the right direction to find these 'rogue cabbits' of yours."
Washu just shook her head. "I think we'll wait to tell the others."
*****
Two Yagami's, one silver and the other crimson lay side-by-side in space, a docking tube connecting them. Detective First Class Makibi Kiyone sat holding her head in the rec room of a ship that was hers, but not hers. All she knew was that her head hurt and a Washu that wasn't Washu was trying to get her to take an analgesic. She could deal with these people from another universe, her problem was Mihoshi. There were two of her now; it was almost more than she could bear.
"So you're telling me you're here to find a cabbit? The only cabbits I know of are Ryo-ohki and Ken-ohki; I've never come across any others. I suppose they must exist though."
Washu and her Kiyone gave each other a knowing glance. At that moment Ryo-ohki came through the wall being chased by Ay-ohki. Washu reached down to scoop up the white cabbit.
"Rowr?"
He began to purr as she stroked him. She held him out for Detective Kiyone to see. "This is the reason. In our Reality there's only Ryo-ohki and I made a promise to the Queen of Jurai that there would never be any more. Then suddenly… Well, it looks like I've broken my promise and I don't like to be seen as a fool."
"Washu, those cabbits were in stasis for 90,000 years. Funaho knows that, she certainly can't blame you," the other Kiyone spoke up.
The scientist sighed, "I know that. My problem is that if someone brought them across once, it could happen again. And what happens if that someone sells the technology to one of Jurai's enemies? Right now I have control; Ryo-ohki can't breed. But Ay-ohki here is fertile and if they start breeding cabbits…"
Detective Kiyone spoke up, "As I see it, we have another problem."
Washu gave her an inquisitive look, "Oh? What's that?"
"Well, you guys look just like us. Won't that cause confusion?"
Washu laughed. "You don't know the half of it yet. Mihoshi?"
One of the blondes who had been sitting in a corner chatting looked around. "Yes Washu?"
"No, not you airhead. MY Mihoshi."
"Oh." She nudged her double.
"Wha…? Oh. What Miss Washu?"
"Mihoshi, could you go get the others and bring them here? I think it's time we were all introduced."
*****
Tenchi's eyes kept drifting between the two Kiyones and two Mihoshis. It wasn't that he hadn't believed Washu; it was just that there was a difference between concept and reality. "You say that Ayeka is the Empress of Jurai here? What happened to Azusa, Misaki and Funaho?"
"I don't know who Funaho is, but Azusa and Misaki disappeared during Kagato's coup attempt and no trace of them has been found," this reality's Kiyone replied.
Sasami's eyes began to tear over. "Mommy, Daddy…"
Ayeka knelt to comfort her, "Sasami; Mother, Father and Auntie Funaho are fine. It's not them we're talking about."
The little princess sniffed, "I know that Ayeka, I was thinking about this world's Sasami. She must be very upset and depressed."
Ryoko watched Ayeka and Sasami for a moment before turning to her mother, "So Washu, how do how are we gonna be able to tell each other apart once we get down there? I mean, I know I have the gems again." She displayed them for all to see. "But what about the others?"
"Well that won't be too much of a problem…" Washu grinned and snapped her fingers. The gems on Ryoko's neck and wrists began to glow. To the astonishment of Detective Kiyone, Washu was suddenly an adult and Ayeka's hair was now just a shade darker than her sister's, with a natural curl. "See?"
Sasami started to giggle.
"What's so funny Sasami?" her sister asked.
"Your hair Ayeka. It looks like mommy's now."
Ayeka's hands flew to her hair. She whirled angrily on Washu, "How… How dare you!" An orange glow began to leak from under her headpiece.
Tenchi quickly stepped between the two. "Wait Ayeka. Stop."
"You don't understand Tenchi; get out of my way. That woman…"
"Ayeka, I said stop. Besides, I kinda like it like that. It makes you look… I dunno… Exotic? Gentler? And it's only temporary, right Washu?"
Washu chuckled, "If she wants it to be. It is her natural hair you know."
Ryoko stepped over and ran her hands through Ayeka's hair. "Ya know, I like it too, I think you should keep it."
Ayeka looked up at her, the glow from forehead fading. "Really? Do you both mean it?"
Her spouses both nodded.
"I like it too," Sasami piped up.
Ayeka bowed, "Well, then I apologize Miss Washu."
Washu chuckled again. "Some demon you are. The kinder, gentler type I guess. Now, where were we? Oh yes. That takes care of me, Ryoko and Ayeka. Skuld we don't have to worry about, as her group has never met ours here. That leaves Tenchi, Sasami and the GP. Let's see… Our Tenchi has his wedding band and the ring Tsunami gave him; that should do for him. The GP… Hmm. Colonel Kiyone, would you mind wearing a green headband for a while? And our Mihoshi can wear a red ribbon instead of the black one.
Kiyone's hand went to her headband. "I suppose not. But red has always been my color."
"And it looks good on you too. It's just for while we're here anyway. Sasami now… Sasami, can you contact Tsunami from here?"
The little princess concentrated for a moment then spoke with Tsunami's voice, "This is difficult for me sister. It places great strain on the little one here, contacting me across realities. What do you need?"
"Sister, can you change Sasami's symbol to match yours? I know it will have to be done eventually, why not now?"
"I can and I will. Now I must leave before Sasami strains herself, it would be better if you called on Tokimi in the future. Contact me again only in absolute need."
The split triangle symbol on Sasami's forehead glowed and changed into Tsunami's two dots.
Washu rubbed her hands together, "Well that's it then, now we can tell us apart."
Detective First Class Kiyone looked at the scientist with big eyes. "Who… who are you people? Was that really the Juraian Goddess talking? Why did she call you 'sister'? Who's Tokimi? Why was Ayeka's forehead glowing? What are those gems that Ryoko has? WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?"
Washu grinned at her, "My, my. So many questions to answer. Why don't we wait until we're dirtside and then we'll answer them for everyone?"
"Washu?" Colonel Kiyone spoke up. "Which Yagami are we taking down?"
"Well, since we're already all here on ours, why don't we just take it? It'll probably be less of a shock on the others as well if they see us come out of an unfamiliar ship. Besides, all of our equipment is on this Yagami."
"Right. Mihoshi, why don't you go up to the control room and start the landing procedure."
"Ok Kiyone!" both blondes answered at once. They made a dash for the door. The two Kiyones looked at each other and jumped up as one.
"MIHOSHI! WAIT!"
*****
To be continued
*****
Author's Notes
Oh boy. Two of everyone (except poor, ignored Skuld). Will any of the others be traveling the realities with them? (Probably not.) Will they meet still more copies of themselves? (Probably.) Will there be anything original here? (Definitely, at some point.) Does Skuld serve any purpose in this fic? (Yes; maybe; I don't know, I think so.) Where's Tokimi? (Keeping an eye on things back in Washu's lab, someone has to feed the fish after all. Too bad she doesn't understand how any of it works…)
Review Responses
Priest – Picky, picky, picky. I realize that Mihoshi's shuttle is just a small part of Yukinojo, but allow me some artistic license here. If Yukinojo is a single officer patrol cruiser and Yagami is designed for two officers it stands to reason that Yagami would be larger, although both probably have some passenger accommodations for VIPs and such. And remember, they fit Tenchi's whole house into Yagami's cargo hold in the TV series. Besides, I needed a way to bring Kiyone back into the story. And I'm glad you're still working on your fic, any idea when the next chapter will be out?
Vsdefender – Great to hear from you. I've read some of your Project A-ko fics as well as Tenchi. Nice work by the way. Are you going to do anymore with your Mihoshi story? I was disappointed that you stopped after only one chapter. I think the reason so many dislike the Tenchi Forever movie was that the animation style was so different from any of the other Tenchi. That and it was so much more serious in tone.
Buggyness – Yeah, I liked Tenchi Forever too. That's where I think I got the idea that Ryoko and Ayeka could be good friends (and maybe something more) once the Tenchi problem was resolved. The only problem I had with the movie was that the artists moved some of Ryoko's bust over to Ayeka making the two about the same size (if not making Ayeka the larger), thus killing one of the series' best on-going jokes. For my purposes I'm taking the stand that many do: the two Tenchi in Love movies are a continuation of the TV series. And I'm going to ignore MnE. I liked the movie and all, it had the feel of the OAV series; but the scenes with Mayuka and Tenchi before they got to Yazuha's world really bothered me for some reason.
Rer – All the 'Pauses' in "Like Talking to a Wall" were intentional and were meant to show that there was actually a conversation occurring. If it helps, consider it a half-duplex call, like an overseas call. And that call was from a lot farther than just across a piddly little ocean.
