"No Need for Imprisonment and Torture"
Tenchi woke up to the feeling of cold steel against his bare back. He sat up slowly, his head throbbing. He squinted in an attempt to clear his blurred vision. He saw a figure across the plain, gray room he was in.
"Ryoko?"
The figure looked up, her yellow eyes showing shock, then relief. Ryoko easily crossed the distance between the two in a mere instant. Her eyes traced up and down Tenchi's body.
"Are you OK? You're not hurt, are you?" Ryoko asked, the worry evident in her voice.
Tenchi, uncomfortable with the closing distance between Ryoko and him, quickly stood up and feigned a chuckle.
"I'm fine. Though I would like to know why I'm standing in a small room wearing only my boxers."
Ryoko pointed behind Tenchi.
"Why don't you ask her?"
Tenchi quickly turned around revealing the room to open to a long corridor.
In the middle of the corridor, Mihoshi stood.
Tenchi swallowed and wished he had something to hide behind, but then he saw the bundle of orange clothes Mihoshi had. He walked forward and was thrown backward by an unseen force. He skidded to a halt, stopping at the ground in front of Ryoko. His face revealed only confusion. He sat up and scratched his head.
What happened? he thought.
"Oh, yeah. I guess I should've told you about the energy barrier," Ryoko said.
"Energy barrier? Why would there be an energy barrier?" Tenchi asked.
"Well, how else would we keep prisoners in the brig?" Mihoshi piped, as if it was common sense.
"Pris-" Tenchi started. His face paled.
"Hey, you don't look so good," Mihoshi observed. "Do you need some water or-" She was cut off by the sound of Tenchi's body hitting the ground.
************************************************************************
Tenchi woke up to two yellow eyes staring at him. His heart skipped a beat. Then he remembered who they belonged to. And his heart stopped all together. Tenchi scrambled from underneath Ryoko's piercing gaze.
She grinned ear to ear, "You're OK!" It wasn't long before the popping of joints could be heard echoing through the brig's halls.
Tenchi squirmed to try to get out of her grip. It made him _very_ nervous that he was half-naked and in close contact with Ryoko.
Ryoko smirked as she released her grip and gracefully leapt backwards, snatching a bundle of orange clothes laying in the corner. "You want these?"
"Hey, thanks, Ryoko." Tenchi answered. As he tried to grab the precious bundle form Ryoko's hand, she yanked them up out of Tenchi's reach. "Hey!" objected Tenchi. "What are you doing, Ryoko?"
"A kiss."
"What?"
"A kiss for your clothes. Not a peck on the cheek or the hand. A full- blown kiss. Tongue optional."
"No way!"
"Then you don't get these," Ryoko said, chuckling.
Tenchi leapt at the bundle, but Ryoko's superior reflexes prevented him from reaching the coveted parcel.
Suddenly, the ship jerked and jarred. As Ryoko's attention was distracted, Tenchi greedily snatched the clothes. He chuckled to himself, feeling quite smug. No sooner had he pulled his pants up to waist level, however, four thick metal rings appeared on his ankles and wrists. Similar rings materialized on Ryoko. Purple energy beams linked the rings together, giving Tenchi just enough slack to walk and to have limited use of his hands.
These look like... shackles?! Tenchi thought.
Two female guards entered the cell, revealing that the energy barrier had been dispelled.
"Grab your stuff and let's go," instructed one of the guards.
Tenchi grabbed his shirt off of the floor and, after receiving a reassuring nod from Ryoko, complied.
The two prisoners were lead down a series of corridors which ended in a small room. In the room was a small office with a glass plate in front of it. A petite woman with curly red hair sat behind the glass plate. She pressed a button next to her. Tenchi and Ryoko were led to a very large room. It had two floors of glass cells with a bottom floor with tables set up.
It was then Tenchi realized a common characteristic of all the other prisoners.
"Why are all the prisoners here women?" he whispered to Ryoko as they followed the guards to their cell.
"Well, we are in a women's prison. The 8,239th District Women's Correctional Facility to be exact," Ryoko informed.
"Ah, that would explain it then... WHAT?!" Tenchi exclaimed.
The guards suddenly stopped and opened one of the cell's doors. They shoved the two new inmates in not to gently. The door closed and the guards disappeared from view. The shackles deactivated and fell to the ground. Tenchi quickly took advantage of the freedom and put on his shirt.
"Ryoko, why are we in a women's correctional facility?" Tenchi queried.
"Well, I _am_ a girl..." Ryoko responded.
"Haha, why am _I_ in this place, then?" Tenchi corrected.
"Because you're not a real prisoner."
"Then why was I arrested?!"
"For interrogation purposes."
"Interrogation for what? What are you under arrest for?"
"I was arrested for 12 counts of murder in the first degree, including the murder of Kagato."
"What?! That was self-defense! Plus you didn't even k-!" Tenchi was interrupted by Ryoko placing a hand over his mouth.
"Not so loud! We can't let anyone else know about that. We need to keep low about this," Ryoko said, her fierce yellow eyes revealing nothing but seriousness.
Tenchi nodded and Ryoko removed her hand. Tenchi continued more quietly, "But you didn't even kill Kagato, I did."
Ryoko nodded, "_We_ know that, but they don't. They automatically assumed it was me, because I'm the one with power. Face it, you're a resident of a backwater planet. A galactical hick." Ryoko quickly added, "No offense."
"None taken, but what about the other 11 counts?"
"Past assassinations. You weren't my first target."
"Yeah, but weren't you forced to do it?"
Ryoko nodded, "Which is why they need to get me on the Kagato count. They're probably going to get you to say that I did it."
"_That's_ all they've got? I have to say you did it?"
"Or if I confess, either one. I know what you're thinking, but if you don't pin me on Kagato, they're going to ask you who did it. They're not going to believe that you did it, especially if you mention Sword Tenchi or the rest of what happened. And if you do admit to all of that, they can say that you're insane and that your confession won't count."
"But what if they do believe me? What if I prove the existence of Sword Tenchi? What will happen to me?"
Ryoko hadn't thought of that. It made her sick to her stomach. "Then they'll put you on trial, and if you can't prove it was self-defense..." Ryoko drifted off. She didn't want to think of that.
She looked up at Tenchi's face and saw an unusual expression. She had seen that expression on his face before, right before he had fought Kagato. It was an expression that relayed only grim determination. "Tenchi, you're not going to confess, are you?"
A long buzzer within the cell interrupted Tenchi's response. The door swung open. A man with a stocky build along with two guards stood on the other side. "Masaki, Hakubi, you have been summoned to the interrogation room," the man said. The two guards quickly seized Ryoko and Tenchi and began to lead them to the lower level of the facility.
Ryoko was a little confused by this change of events. Hmm... this is a little earlier than I expected, and why are they taking both of us?
They reached a fork in one of the corridors. Tenchi and one guard went left, and the man, the other guard, and Ryoko went right.
What's going on?! Ryoko silently wondered. She entered a room and was sat down in a chair at a table. The man took the seat opposite Ryoko. He wiped his brow, obviously nervous being so close to a wanted criminal. "My name is Chief Miller. I am the warden of this place."
"Don't give me that. I'm not stupid, you're just some expendable lackey. The _real_ warden wouldn't be so nervous. So why don't we cut to the chase and tell me what I'm doing here."
Miller frowned, "Very astute, Hakubi. In short, we want a confession."
Ryoko laughed, "You _want_ a confession, or you _need_ a confession?"
Miller decided to ignore this question, "So are you going to confess to the murder of Kagato or not?"
"Of course not, I didn't do it," Ryoko replied.
"Oh well, I kind of hoped it wouldn't come to this," Miller lied. He pressed a button underneath the desk, and the wall to the left of Ryoko turned transparent. Beyond the wall was Tenchi. Tenchi was strapped to some kind of table. It shifted upwards to show Tenchi's confused expression. He didn't seem to be able to see Ryoko, and she realized this must've been some kind of transmission from elsewhere in the prison. He pressed a second button under the desk and a humming noise could be heard.
Tenchi could hear it too and he began to frantically look around for the source of the noise.
"Did you kill Kagato?" Miller asked smugly.
"I told I didn't!" Ryoko snapped.
Suddenly blue energy arced from the table and Tenchi screamed. The outburst died shortly afterwards.
"Hey, you can't do that! That's cruel and unusual torture!" Ryoko growled.
Another surge of energy went through Tenchi, this one lasting longer than the first.
"Stop!"
Another shock.
"He didn't do anything!"
Another shock.
"STOP IT!!!"
Another shock, only this one failed to terminate. Tenchi writhed in agony, in an attempt to break free of the source of his pain.
"Do you enjoy the agony of your friend? Do you like to watch him squirm in pain?" asked Miller.
"No! Let him go, you sick-!" Ryoko was cut off by Tenchi screaming.
"If you want me to stop, you'll confess!"
Ryoko bit her lower lip, her emotions conflicting with logic.
Tenchi managed to summon up enough strength to raise his head, squinting past the energy bolts obstructing his field of vision. "I know you're watching this, Ryoko," He managed to utter. He cringed. "I know what they're trying to do, and don't do it!"
Ryoko stared at the pained face of her loved one.
"You wouldn't deserve that fate!"
She stared in total shock. Does he know what he's saying?! He's asking me to sit and watch him be hurt again! Ryoko noticed the expression on his face. It was that determined face again. Damn it, Tenchi! Why do you have to be so stubborn?! She closed her eyes, "I won't do it."
Miller growled and pressed the first button. The energy ceased and Tenchi hung limp. He beckoned to the guard, and Ryoko was promptly removed from the room.
When Ryoko returned to her cell, Tenchi was laying on the bottom bunk in a state of semi-consciousness.
She knelt down beside him. "Tenchi, are you OK?"
Tenchi managed a smile, "Yeah, I'm fine. But I'm really tired."
Ryoko gently pushed Tenchi back towards the wall to make enough room for her to lay down next to him.
A buzzer sounded and a mechanical voiced declared, "Lights out." All the lights in the facility promptly shut themselves off.
Ryoko wrapped her arms around Tenchi, and for once he didn't push her off. Whether or not it was because he was too weak to resist or that he wanted her close was something Tenchi didn't even know.
Tenchi woke up to the feeling of cold steel against his bare back. He sat up slowly, his head throbbing. He squinted in an attempt to clear his blurred vision. He saw a figure across the plain, gray room he was in.
"Ryoko?"
The figure looked up, her yellow eyes showing shock, then relief. Ryoko easily crossed the distance between the two in a mere instant. Her eyes traced up and down Tenchi's body.
"Are you OK? You're not hurt, are you?" Ryoko asked, the worry evident in her voice.
Tenchi, uncomfortable with the closing distance between Ryoko and him, quickly stood up and feigned a chuckle.
"I'm fine. Though I would like to know why I'm standing in a small room wearing only my boxers."
Ryoko pointed behind Tenchi.
"Why don't you ask her?"
Tenchi quickly turned around revealing the room to open to a long corridor.
In the middle of the corridor, Mihoshi stood.
Tenchi swallowed and wished he had something to hide behind, but then he saw the bundle of orange clothes Mihoshi had. He walked forward and was thrown backward by an unseen force. He skidded to a halt, stopping at the ground in front of Ryoko. His face revealed only confusion. He sat up and scratched his head.
What happened? he thought.
"Oh, yeah. I guess I should've told you about the energy barrier," Ryoko said.
"Energy barrier? Why would there be an energy barrier?" Tenchi asked.
"Well, how else would we keep prisoners in the brig?" Mihoshi piped, as if it was common sense.
"Pris-" Tenchi started. His face paled.
"Hey, you don't look so good," Mihoshi observed. "Do you need some water or-" She was cut off by the sound of Tenchi's body hitting the ground.
************************************************************************
Tenchi woke up to two yellow eyes staring at him. His heart skipped a beat. Then he remembered who they belonged to. And his heart stopped all together. Tenchi scrambled from underneath Ryoko's piercing gaze.
She grinned ear to ear, "You're OK!" It wasn't long before the popping of joints could be heard echoing through the brig's halls.
Tenchi squirmed to try to get out of her grip. It made him _very_ nervous that he was half-naked and in close contact with Ryoko.
Ryoko smirked as she released her grip and gracefully leapt backwards, snatching a bundle of orange clothes laying in the corner. "You want these?"
"Hey, thanks, Ryoko." Tenchi answered. As he tried to grab the precious bundle form Ryoko's hand, she yanked them up out of Tenchi's reach. "Hey!" objected Tenchi. "What are you doing, Ryoko?"
"A kiss."
"What?"
"A kiss for your clothes. Not a peck on the cheek or the hand. A full- blown kiss. Tongue optional."
"No way!"
"Then you don't get these," Ryoko said, chuckling.
Tenchi leapt at the bundle, but Ryoko's superior reflexes prevented him from reaching the coveted parcel.
Suddenly, the ship jerked and jarred. As Ryoko's attention was distracted, Tenchi greedily snatched the clothes. He chuckled to himself, feeling quite smug. No sooner had he pulled his pants up to waist level, however, four thick metal rings appeared on his ankles and wrists. Similar rings materialized on Ryoko. Purple energy beams linked the rings together, giving Tenchi just enough slack to walk and to have limited use of his hands.
These look like... shackles?! Tenchi thought.
Two female guards entered the cell, revealing that the energy barrier had been dispelled.
"Grab your stuff and let's go," instructed one of the guards.
Tenchi grabbed his shirt off of the floor and, after receiving a reassuring nod from Ryoko, complied.
The two prisoners were lead down a series of corridors which ended in a small room. In the room was a small office with a glass plate in front of it. A petite woman with curly red hair sat behind the glass plate. She pressed a button next to her. Tenchi and Ryoko were led to a very large room. It had two floors of glass cells with a bottom floor with tables set up.
It was then Tenchi realized a common characteristic of all the other prisoners.
"Why are all the prisoners here women?" he whispered to Ryoko as they followed the guards to their cell.
"Well, we are in a women's prison. The 8,239th District Women's Correctional Facility to be exact," Ryoko informed.
"Ah, that would explain it then... WHAT?!" Tenchi exclaimed.
The guards suddenly stopped and opened one of the cell's doors. They shoved the two new inmates in not to gently. The door closed and the guards disappeared from view. The shackles deactivated and fell to the ground. Tenchi quickly took advantage of the freedom and put on his shirt.
"Ryoko, why are we in a women's correctional facility?" Tenchi queried.
"Well, I _am_ a girl..." Ryoko responded.
"Haha, why am _I_ in this place, then?" Tenchi corrected.
"Because you're not a real prisoner."
"Then why was I arrested?!"
"For interrogation purposes."
"Interrogation for what? What are you under arrest for?"
"I was arrested for 12 counts of murder in the first degree, including the murder of Kagato."
"What?! That was self-defense! Plus you didn't even k-!" Tenchi was interrupted by Ryoko placing a hand over his mouth.
"Not so loud! We can't let anyone else know about that. We need to keep low about this," Ryoko said, her fierce yellow eyes revealing nothing but seriousness.
Tenchi nodded and Ryoko removed her hand. Tenchi continued more quietly, "But you didn't even kill Kagato, I did."
Ryoko nodded, "_We_ know that, but they don't. They automatically assumed it was me, because I'm the one with power. Face it, you're a resident of a backwater planet. A galactical hick." Ryoko quickly added, "No offense."
"None taken, but what about the other 11 counts?"
"Past assassinations. You weren't my first target."
"Yeah, but weren't you forced to do it?"
Ryoko nodded, "Which is why they need to get me on the Kagato count. They're probably going to get you to say that I did it."
"_That's_ all they've got? I have to say you did it?"
"Or if I confess, either one. I know what you're thinking, but if you don't pin me on Kagato, they're going to ask you who did it. They're not going to believe that you did it, especially if you mention Sword Tenchi or the rest of what happened. And if you do admit to all of that, they can say that you're insane and that your confession won't count."
"But what if they do believe me? What if I prove the existence of Sword Tenchi? What will happen to me?"
Ryoko hadn't thought of that. It made her sick to her stomach. "Then they'll put you on trial, and if you can't prove it was self-defense..." Ryoko drifted off. She didn't want to think of that.
She looked up at Tenchi's face and saw an unusual expression. She had seen that expression on his face before, right before he had fought Kagato. It was an expression that relayed only grim determination. "Tenchi, you're not going to confess, are you?"
A long buzzer within the cell interrupted Tenchi's response. The door swung open. A man with a stocky build along with two guards stood on the other side. "Masaki, Hakubi, you have been summoned to the interrogation room," the man said. The two guards quickly seized Ryoko and Tenchi and began to lead them to the lower level of the facility.
Ryoko was a little confused by this change of events. Hmm... this is a little earlier than I expected, and why are they taking both of us?
They reached a fork in one of the corridors. Tenchi and one guard went left, and the man, the other guard, and Ryoko went right.
What's going on?! Ryoko silently wondered. She entered a room and was sat down in a chair at a table. The man took the seat opposite Ryoko. He wiped his brow, obviously nervous being so close to a wanted criminal. "My name is Chief Miller. I am the warden of this place."
"Don't give me that. I'm not stupid, you're just some expendable lackey. The _real_ warden wouldn't be so nervous. So why don't we cut to the chase and tell me what I'm doing here."
Miller frowned, "Very astute, Hakubi. In short, we want a confession."
Ryoko laughed, "You _want_ a confession, or you _need_ a confession?"
Miller decided to ignore this question, "So are you going to confess to the murder of Kagato or not?"
"Of course not, I didn't do it," Ryoko replied.
"Oh well, I kind of hoped it wouldn't come to this," Miller lied. He pressed a button underneath the desk, and the wall to the left of Ryoko turned transparent. Beyond the wall was Tenchi. Tenchi was strapped to some kind of table. It shifted upwards to show Tenchi's confused expression. He didn't seem to be able to see Ryoko, and she realized this must've been some kind of transmission from elsewhere in the prison. He pressed a second button under the desk and a humming noise could be heard.
Tenchi could hear it too and he began to frantically look around for the source of the noise.
"Did you kill Kagato?" Miller asked smugly.
"I told I didn't!" Ryoko snapped.
Suddenly blue energy arced from the table and Tenchi screamed. The outburst died shortly afterwards.
"Hey, you can't do that! That's cruel and unusual torture!" Ryoko growled.
Another surge of energy went through Tenchi, this one lasting longer than the first.
"Stop!"
Another shock.
"He didn't do anything!"
Another shock.
"STOP IT!!!"
Another shock, only this one failed to terminate. Tenchi writhed in agony, in an attempt to break free of the source of his pain.
"Do you enjoy the agony of your friend? Do you like to watch him squirm in pain?" asked Miller.
"No! Let him go, you sick-!" Ryoko was cut off by Tenchi screaming.
"If you want me to stop, you'll confess!"
Ryoko bit her lower lip, her emotions conflicting with logic.
Tenchi managed to summon up enough strength to raise his head, squinting past the energy bolts obstructing his field of vision. "I know you're watching this, Ryoko," He managed to utter. He cringed. "I know what they're trying to do, and don't do it!"
Ryoko stared at the pained face of her loved one.
"You wouldn't deserve that fate!"
She stared in total shock. Does he know what he's saying?! He's asking me to sit and watch him be hurt again! Ryoko noticed the expression on his face. It was that determined face again. Damn it, Tenchi! Why do you have to be so stubborn?! She closed her eyes, "I won't do it."
Miller growled and pressed the first button. The energy ceased and Tenchi hung limp. He beckoned to the guard, and Ryoko was promptly removed from the room.
When Ryoko returned to her cell, Tenchi was laying on the bottom bunk in a state of semi-consciousness.
She knelt down beside him. "Tenchi, are you OK?"
Tenchi managed a smile, "Yeah, I'm fine. But I'm really tired."
Ryoko gently pushed Tenchi back towards the wall to make enough room for her to lay down next to him.
A buzzer sounded and a mechanical voiced declared, "Lights out." All the lights in the facility promptly shut themselves off.
Ryoko wrapped her arms around Tenchi, and for once he didn't push her off. Whether or not it was because he was too weak to resist or that he wanted her close was something Tenchi didn't even know.