Chapter 12: Showdown
Samir Duran peered out from under the dirty cloth he wore over his head and shoulders. Sheep, he thought contemptuously, watching the shell shocked survivors of the Zerg attack on the X-Com base Japan: North. All of them, sheep. And they will suffer the same fate as their brethren to the north. It had been a simple matter to infiltrate the northern X-Com base. By cloaking and following one of several patrols, he had discovered one of their many hidden entrances. Once inside, it was just a matter of time until he had managed to find several others, as well as the locations of their defenses. Once that was complete, he had told his Queen all the information he had gathered. With her forces eager to strike, disaster had soon arrived at X-Com's doorstep. It was even easier to infiltrate the southern X-Com base. By joining the refugees, all he had to do is climb aboard one of their rescue shuttles, and they let him walk right in. They had not had time to do a comprehensive scan for infested humans, not that they would have found him. Unfortunately for him, however, the area was protected by a psi-shield. Duran imagined it was a slap together precaution to make sure any infestations could not communicate with the outside. Duran did not care. All he needed was time. Sometime soon, he would wander off and disappear. He would repeat the work he had done at Japan: North, and when he was finished, X-Com would have no presence on this island. Someone came over to where he was sitting. Feigning a slack expression, he wordlessly accepted the bit of food and water presented. The woman gave him a pitying look and moved on. Duran watched as she left. This was only one room among many that was full of people who had been rescued from the Zerg attack. Many were injured, in both body and mind. Noises ranged from shocked silence to low moans to high pitched hysterical screaming. Doctors, nurses, and volunteers moved around the room, giving what aid they could to the wounded. Duran snorted to himself. Their efforts were futile. They would all be in the hands of the Zerg soon enough. A bright gold gleam caught his eye. Peering past a group of people he again saw the flash of gold. Getting to his feet, he tried once again to see the cause. Suddenly, the large form of a Protoss Zealot reared above the shorter humans. Duran's eyes widened and he looked away, fearful that the Protoss would be able to tell he was an infestation just by looking at him. Duran cursed quietly. The humans might not be able to detect him, but the Protoss could. Their advanced sensors would find him soon, if they had not found him already and had a trap prepared. He glanced around nervously, but the few guards seemed relaxed and unaware. Duran sighed in relief. Time to go. Pulling the cloth tighter around him, he turned and walked away from the Protoss warrior.
Akane, in a small room full of nurses and doctors, ran the scanner over the injured human's body. After reading off a string of injuries the scanner had detected, she stepped back and let the professionals go to work. She collapsed on a chair just inside the room, reattaching the scanner to her suit. Her entire body ached like a loose tooth. The suit compensated somewhat, taking some of the stress off, but every movement felt like her bones were rubbing together. If Ka'Dalanis was right, that was probably what they were doing. Akane rested for a moment, content that she had helped at least one person. It had taken some stern talking by Nodoka to let them into the refugee area, and Akane was happy to help. She had never seen the effects of war before, and what she had seen had left her feeling.uncertain. As a human, she had no memories of seeing or feeling such things. As a martial artist, it had been her duty to protect the weak, not that Ranma had given her much of an opportunity. As a Protoss warrior, it had been her duty to kill the Zerg. Nothing had prepared her for this. The Akane of old had lived a rather sheltered life, protected from such grisly scenes of people with missing limbs or dead corpses. She would had fled, weeping at seeing such horror. Phoenix had been hardened toward the effects of war. She would have ignored the injured, unless one had gotten between her and her target. The new Akane, however, was touched in a way she barely understood. She felt a need she never felt before. A need for.what? A need to protect these people? A need to fight what had hurt them? Akane shook her head. Time enough to examine these feelings later. There were other people who needed her help, and she was not accomplishing anything sitting here. Slowing standing she stepped out of the room into the corridor. Turning, she stopped dead in her tracks as she saw an older Hispanic man with a goatee staring at her in surprise.
Duran looked behind him as he walked down the corridor. Good, the Protoss was still moving around trying to help the humans. There was no sign that he had been detected. Imagine, the Protoss and humans working together! This was something that would greatly interest his Queen. He turned back just in time to see a.thing walk out into the hallway. It appeared to be a mix of a human female and a Protoss. It had long black hair in a loose braid and was wearing the armor of a Zealot. Duran was so surprised he stopped and stared at the strange being.
Akane stared back. She had received enough strange looks from the survivors that she had become use to it. She was about to continue on, when suddenly the display panel in her armor lit up. She glanced down at it, and her eyes widened in surprise.
Duran watched as it looked down at something near its face. Its eyes widened, and he realized he had been discovered. It looked back up, a snarl forming on its otherwise pretty face. Two psi-blades snapped out from its forearms. [Infestation!] it cried.
Akane activated her psi-blades. She felt a lance of agony run through her head as she channeled the energy she needed. She would pay for this later, but if she was going to fight an infestation in her condition, she needed every advantage she could get. [Infestation!] she cried. Before she could advance, the infestation pulled off the blanket around its head and threw it at her. She slashed at it, clearing the space between them.
Reaching to the side, Duran grabbed a human female with brown hair that was going gray on the sides. Pulling the surprised human in front of him as a shield, he pulled out a gun and pointed it at her head. "Stay back or she dies!" he cried.
Akane's blood ran cold as she saw what he had done. He had Nodoka held in front of him as a shield with a pistol held to her head. Akane let her psi-blades sputter out, and she backed away one step. Duran took a step forward. Patients and medical staff alike cried out in fear and fled. Others, aware of the confrontation, but unaware of the danger, crowded closer to see the action. [Let her go,] demanded Akane, [and I just might kill you quickly.] "I want a plane ready for me to fly. She and I are going on a trip, aren't we dear?" Duran gave Nodoka a chilling smile. Nodoka's face was pale, but her expression was one of calm. [If you think I'm letting you take her anywhere-] "We're leaving! And if you have anything to say about it, you can say it at her funeral!" Duran continued to walk forward, and Akane fell back. [Akane!] Ka'Dalanis had managed to make her way to the front of the frightened crowd. Duran twisted and fired a shot at the alien. If he was lucky, it had not had time to activate its forcefield. The bullet vaporized as it came in contact with Ka'Dalanis's energy field. Duran grimaced and quickly turned the gun back to Nodoka's head and continued his inexorable walk forward down the hallway. "When I'm clear of X-Com's airspace, I'll eject the woman for you to pick up later." Akane moved away from Duran, matching him step for step. [If you think I'll believe you, Zerg scum, then you spent too much time in the cocoon.] Akane cursed at her inability to take action. She could not even attack him with Stun Blades. Assuming she managed to hit him first, his spasms could still cause the gun to go off, killing Nodoka. Two guards burst through the double doors behind her, rifles at the ready. "Put your guns down! Do it now!" Duran barked. When the guards hesitated, Akane reinforced the order. [Do as he says.] They reluctantly complied. They held the doors open as Akane passed. As Duran reached them, he pointed the gun and shot them, one through the chest, the other in the head. Akane's face twisted in rage. [Why you rotten-!] "Now I won't have to worry about them," said Duran, giving Akane a nasty smile. Nodoka moaned in fear.
Ka'Dalanis watched, horrified as the infestation shot the two human guards. In her mind, it was not a guard that fell, but Akane. What could she do? Akane was in no shape for a fight, and any expenditure of energy shortened her life. All Ka'Dalanis had was her Zealot suit, with its psi- blades and forcefield. She was too slow, too loud, and too far away to be able to do anything. The infestation would be able to kill Nodoka before she could get close. I use to be a master of getting close to my enemy. The thought ran through her mind like the serpent's temptation of Eve. At six hundred years of age, Ka'Dalanis's psychic powers were not nearly as strong as they had been in her youth, yet she still knew all the techniques. She could use the powers of the Dark Templar to conceal her presence and sneak up behind the Zerg abomination and-. No! Never again! she cried to herself. Never again will I touch those cold powers! She remembered the pain, the death, the destruction she had caused. She would never cause such horror ever again. Never! And yet, the energies hung before her, like the forbidden fruit. All she needed to do was to reach out with her mind and draw those energies to herself. I have not broken that promise since I made it three hundred years ago! I will not start now! But when she looked at Akane, seeing how she was willing to risk her life by combating the infestation, Ka'Dalanis was forced to ask herself: Am I such a coward? Is Akane not worth it? Ka'Dalanis straightened, closed her eyes, and vanished, becoming a creature of the Dark.
Ryoga wished the tired nurse doing her rounds would just go away, but she seemed bound and determined to help him, and he was too polite, and too tired to push the issue. "I keep telling you Mr. Hibiki, that if you don't do your exercises, you'll never get out of this bed," she admonished. Who cares? he thought. What was there left? Akane was in the hands of the Protoss, a prisoner to their cruel science. There was no way he could save her, especially since she did not want to be saved. Suddenly two shots rang out from down the corridor. "What the hell-?" The nurse went to the door, opened it and looked outside. When she saw the standoff going on outside, she gave a shriek of terror, then fainted. Ryoga looked up, mildly curious as to what was going on outside. A moment later, his jaw opened in shock as he saw a golden clad, blue-gray skinned Akane slowly step past his door. Akane! Here! Ryoga threw the covers off and rolled off the bed, his hospital gown threatening to undo itself. His legs collapsed out from under him, and only with a supreme effort, did he manage to get up. Taking one shaky step forward, then another, he was about to call out to Akane, when he saw Nodoka being held at gunpoint as Duran stepped into view. What to do, what to do? Ryoga agonized. He was so weak! After a moment of frenzied thought, Ryoga came up with an idea. Taking a black- spotted yellow bandanna from his head he twirled it around and, with a loud battlecry, threw it at Duran. Immediately after his throw, he launched himself towards his adversary. At the sound of the cry, Duran turned his gun on the weakened Ryoga. Just as he pulled the trigger, the bandanna hit the gun. Without Ryoga's normal strength behind the throw, the bandanna lacked the force to cut the gun in half. Instead, it wrapped itself around the gun spoiling Duran's aim. The shot meant for Ryoga's head slammed into the door frame of his room. Ryoga grabbed onto Duran's arm and pulled with all his might, throwing Duran off balance. Duran lost his grip on Nodoka, and she fell to the floor. Akane raced in, grabbed Nodoka, and pulled her clear of the conflict. Ryoga and Duran struggled for the gun. Normally, Ryoga could have broken Duran with one hand behind his back, but in his weakened state, he was no match for the more powerful man. Duran heaved, and threw Ryoga off of him. Ryoga arrested his fall by catching the door frame of another room. He stood there weakly, his legs shaking with the effort of just standing, as Duran pointed the gun at him. "Time to die, hero," growled Duran. [No!] Akane, moving with a speed that was beyond human norms, interposed herself between Rygoa and Duran. With a powerful shove, she pushed Ryoga into the room. Duran smiled and pulled the trigger. There was a blue-white flash as the bullet hit Akane's forcefield. Duran's smile faded, and it was Akane's turn to smile.
Ka'Dalanis felt herself shiver as she drew on the energy of the cold void, drawing and manipulating the light around her until she was invisible. Opening her eyes, she saw through the distorted eyes of a Dark Templar once more. The visual distortion was minor, but everything appeared to have been dipped in purple paint. She took a cautious step forward, and was relieved when Duran did not react to her movement. Moving quickly and silently up to Duran, she waited for an opportunity to attack. She did not have to wait long. She watched as Ryoga attacked Duran, and the ensuing struggle. When Duran threw Ryoga off him, she moved. Raising her arm to strike, she froze as she saw Akane interpose herself between Duran and Ryoga. Ka'Dalanis stared, paralyzed by fear for her charge as he pulled the trigger. She almost gave herself away by telepathically laughing out loud when the bullet hit Akane's forcefield. Drawing energy from the cold void, Ka'Dalanis channeled it through her psi-blade emitters. What came out was not a blue-white psi-blade, but a brilliant white warp blade. With a decisive motion, she cut down the abomination before her.
Duran stared dumbly down at the large slash that suddenly appeared running from his right shoulder down to his left hip. He tried to speak, but his mouth just opened and closed, no sound escaping. The upper portion of his torso slid away and fell to the ground, the lower half following shortly. Blood spurted from the upper half splashing against Akane's legs. It sizzled against her forcefield like grease on a hot frying pan. Akane stared at the mutilated corpse of her foe. What happened? Her question was answered when Ka'Dalanis appeared before her. [Healer!] Akane stared up at her, then down at the fallen infestation, then back. [You did this? Was that a warp blade?] [Yes. To both questions.] [How?] [I'm not really sure. I would have thought that the emitters could not have handled the power of a warp blade. I guess I was wrong.] Akane could not interpret the strange expression on Ka'Dalanis's face. [Are you all right?] asked the Healer. Akane gave her caretaker a smile. [I feel fine.] Akane looked down at the dead infestation. [I wish I could have let loose, though.] Akane looked towards the room where Ryoga had fallen into. [What about the man who helped me?] Akane stepped into the small room. Inside was a young man, wearing janitor's clothes. It appeared he had been filling a bucket with water and had become trapped in here as Akane and Duran had come by. In the bucket at his feet was a small black pig. Beside the pig on the floor was a hospital gown. Akane looked around in confusion. [What happened to that man that fell in here?] "H-he t-turned into a p-pig!" the janitor stammered. [What?] Akane knelt down and picked up the small pig. The pig stared at her with a look that somehow managed to combine exhaustion and abject terror. Akane stared back. It looked familiar, but she could not quite. Akane's eyes glazed as she re-lived some of her past.
Akane stood in the middle of her room, looking around. There was someone here, she could feel it. Spinning around, she tried challenging the intruder. "Who's there?! Come out!" She heard rustling, and looked frantically for the source. Suddenly a small dark shape appeared out of nowhere and flew towards her. Akane cried out in surprise. "No!" She struck out at the dark shape and knocked it to the ground. Looking at the intruder, she saw- A piglet? she wondered. Where did you come from? She knelt down and held out a hand. "Here piggy." The tiny black pig scooted away from her. "Come on. Don't be afraid." She picked up the pig and cuddled it in her arms. "Oh, your drenched! You were in the rain all this time?"
Something dragged Akane from her sleep. Reluctantly she opened her eyes and tried to sit up, but realized that there was something holding her down. Looking off to the side, less than six inches away was a very nervous Ranma. "Uh.no.it's not.it's nothing like." Ranma stammered, trying to come up with a reasonable explanation. With a growl, Akane drew back an arm and slapped him. Grabbing her bamboo sword, she hit him with it over and over. In between blows Ranma frantically tried to explain. "Wait!" *WHAP* "Listen!" *WHAP* "Ryoga." *WHAP* "And just where." Her voice went from a growl to a scream. ".do you see Ryoga, you PERVERT?!" With a final massive blow, she launched him out of her room, through her window, and into the yard below.
Akane stared across the tiny boat at Ryoga. Between them, a hole in the boat let in more and more water. The boat itself, they just learned a moment ago, could only hold one person. "Ryoga," she whispered, "I can't swim." Ryoga looked at her, horrified. Why did he care that much that she could not swim? she wondered. Suddenly, Ryoga jumped across the growing pool of water to her side of the boat and picked her up in his arms. "Don't worry, Akane! I'll save us!" With a roar that shook the cave, Ryoga began to jump from boat to boat, leaving sunk couples in their wake. When they had run out of boats, Ryoga began running *on top* of the water! His feet blurred as he frantically made his way towards the opposite shore. Fifty feet, forty feet, thirty, twenty, ten. They were going to make it! Suddenly, five feet from the edge, the mysterious force that had held up Ryoga and Akane failed, and the two of them fell into the lake. No! Akane flailed for any handhold as she sank like a rock. I can't swim! We were so close! She felt someone grab her arm and pull. Ryoga! Her head breached the surface of the lake and she gulped in a lung full of air. Holding on to her arm were Ukyo and Shampoo, who pulled her onto the shore. Coughing, she heard a high pitched squeal. Looking for the source of the sound, she saw a small black piglet climbing out of the lake. "P-Chan!" she cried happily. "What are you doing here? And where's Ryoga?"
While Akane was caught up in her hallucinations, Ka'Dalanis was re- living the horror of what she had done. I have taken another life, she thought. Using the powers of my youth I killed! And.and.I enjoyed it! Ka'Dalanis could not deny what she had felt. The sweet intoxicating iciness as she had rendered herself invisible, the feeling of power as she had summoned her warp blade, the ecstasy of cutting down her opponent. Oh, how she had enjoyed seeing him fall! Not because she helped Akane preserve her strength, but because she had ended the life of another. I have done it, she thought. Will I ever do it again? Like an alcoholic who has returned to drinking after years of abstinence, she knew the answer. Yes! Adun forgive me, yes! She fell against the wall and slid down to the floor, staring at her hands. By the Khala's Light, what am I? she asked herself desperately. What have I become?
Akane snapped out of her reverie and looked at the pig in her hand in horror. Holding the thing like it was a venomous snake, she reached down and turned on the hot water. As though confirming her suspicions, the tiny pig began squirming and squealing in her grip. When the water had become hot enough, she stuck the struggling animal underneath the faucet. She stepped back as the transformation occurred. When it was complete, a naked, terrified Ryoga stood before her. He grabbed his hospital gown and quickly scrambled into it. "Akane, please! I can explain-!" [YOU!] Enraged, Akane grabbed Ryoga by the front of his gown and slammed him into the wall. [You.you pretended to be my pet! I defended you when Ranma picked on you! You slept in my bed! You.you.!] Akane was so mad, she could barely think. "Akane!" he gasped. This was not the happy reunion he had hoped for. "Akane, please, you're hurting me-!" [Hurting you? Hurting you?! What about all the times you took advantage of me? Hiding behind me, using me for your own ends?!] A psi- blade slid out of her forearm. [I should gut you, you honourless coward!] "Akane, no! Please let me explain-" Before she could carry out with her threat, several things that she had been blinded to were made clear. Stunned she dropped Ryoga and stepped away, her psi-blade sputtering out. [Wait a minute. I was angry that Ranma was in my room. Ranma was angry that you were in my room. I'm angry that you were in my room. Why?] "Akane? I don't understand-" [Why was it wrong that you two were in my room? I don't remember! I just know it's wrong!] Akane clutched her head in her hands, trying to remember. "It.it's just.wrong," replied Ryoga, trying to think of a way to explain the cultural separation of the sexes. Akane lifted her head and glared at Ryoga. [Then what the hell is Ranma doing with my sister?!] Spinning around she left the room and grabbed the nearest guard. [I want to know where Ranma is, now!] she demanded. The guard looked at her blankly. "Ranma?" [Ranma Saotome. He's a Captain, I think.] Ka'Dalanis managed to shake herself out of her self imposed cocoon of horror long enough to register Akane's actions. [Akane? What are you doing?] Akane ignored her, and waited for the guard to obey. Intimidated, the grunt did what grunts do best. Follow orders. Speaking into his communicator, he queried as to Captain Saotome's whereabouts. The answer came back a moment later. "Ma'am, he's at home with Sergeant Saotome-" He never got to finish as Akane ran down the corridor and out of the hospital.
Ranma sat dully at the table in the main room of the Saotome home. Nabiki was in the hospital on twenty-four hour suicide watch after dropping a nuke on five hundred innocent civilians, civilians that they had had a duty to protect, both as members of the military, and as martial artists. The shrinks said that Nabiki would be released tomorrow, but that she was to be given stress leave and taken off active duty for the next couple of months. "Man, why does she get all these missions?" he said aloud. Of course, he knew why. She was smart enough to know that it was necessary. If he had been ordered to do it, he would have flat out refused. He knew he could never do something like that. In fact, it chilled him somewhat to realize that he was married to a woman who was capable of doing what she did. A tingle of danger was all the warning he received before a gleaming gold figure burst through a wall and flew towards him. "Yeow!" Ranma frantically dodged and just barely managed to evade the attack. Before he could recover, a yellow bolt of light struck him in the chest. He was blown outside and slammed into the outer stone wall. Before gravity had a chance to drag him down to the earth, a golden hand grabbed his shirt and slammed him against the wall again. "What the hell- ?!" [What the hell, indeed!] exclaimed Akane. [What the hell are you doing with my sister?!] Ranma looked at her in confusion. "Akane, what are you talking about?" [Don't try to be coy with me!] She slammed him into the wall a third time. [What are you doing with my sister?!] Ranma grimaced in pain. "Akane, I don't understand! What do you mean?" Akane calmed slightly and tried a different tact. [I met Ryoga today.] Ranma grinned. "Hey, that's great! I wanted you to see him, but we were all confined here and-" [I also met 'P-Chan.'] Ranma's smile faltered. "P-Chan? Uhh.that's great too." His voice did not carry the conviction of his statement. "Ranma, what's going on here?" demanded Genma, who had stepped out into the yard. [You stay out of this, old man!] threatened Akane. Turning back to Ranma she continued. [I figured out who 'P-Chan' really was. I also found out that it was wrong for men and women to sleep in the same room. That's why you were so angry that he was sleeping in my bed. So, I ask you for the last time: What the hell are you doing sleeping with my sister?! She's your own step-sister, for God's sake! If you're dishonoring her, I swear I'll-!] The psi-blade of her free hand flowed out from her forearm and she raised it, prepared to strike. Ranma stared with a strange fascination as a trickle of blood flowed out of Akane's nose and down her face. "Wait, it's not what you think! You don't understand!" [Explain it then!] "We're married!" Akane's eyes widened, and her psi-blade disappeared. [Married?] She let go of Ranma and he fell to one knee. [You two aren't sister and brother, but.married?] Ranma stood, shaking off the pain of his wounds. "Yeah, we've been married for about two years." Akane's legs fell out from under her, and she collapsed on the ground. She sat there, staring down, not really seeing anything, trying to wrap her mind around this new information. "Akane-" said Ranma. Akane looked up at her ex-fiancé. [Why didn't you tell me?] she asked. "We thought you knew. We didn't try to keep it secret." [But.but.what about you.and I.we.] Tears began to run down her face, and mingled with the blood flowing from her nose. "Akane, you're bleeding," Ranma wiped at the blood with his sleeve. Akane stared at the blood. [So I am,] she replied dully. "Akane, we should get Ka'Dalanis to take a look at you-" Akane shook her head. [It doesn't matter anymore. Ranma, why didn't you wait?] Even as she said it, she knew it was a nonsensical question, but she was grasping at anything that she could use to win him back. "Wait? Akane, you were dead. I couldn't marry a ghost." [But why *her*?] "Akane, she.after the initial attack, all of her family was dead. She was hysterical. Nothing we did could keep her calm. Mom, Pop and I helped her deal with what had happened. In a way we were all going through the same thing she was. Mom and Pop had both lost good friends and I lost you. Akane, I lo-" Ranma's throat locked up on the words. Even after all this time, he had trouble saying it. "I l-l-loved you, but you died. I helped her deal with her pain, and she helped me deal with mine. After awhile we.fell in love." [I loved you too! I still do! Why do you think I came back?] Ranma shook his head. A tear made a path down his cheek. "Akane, I'm sorry." Akane's expression became filled with a desperate hope. [Isn't there any way for you and I.] Her thought trailed off as Ranma again shook his head again. "No, Akane I can't do that. With all the trouble I had with women when I was younger, I promised her that once I got married, I'd be faithful to her and her alone. No more desperate fiancés, no more engagements, no more leaving women in my wake dying to have me, nothing. I can't do that to Nabiki. She needs me." [So do I!] "No you don't. You've always been strong. From the day I met you, you were willing to challenge the world for what you thought was right. You are the only person I have ever met with a will as strong as mine. That's probably why I fell in l-love with you." A smile cracked his face. "It certainly wasn't for your physical prowess. I never met anyone more clumsy than you! Of course, the Protoss fixed all those problems up. You can even cook!" Akane did not feel the humor of his remarks, only the painful truth. The Protoss. They had taken her away from her family-. [Akane!] Ka'Dalanis ran through the gate and into the yard. Spying the two humans, she made her way towards them. [Akane! Are you all right?] [You.] Akane pushed Ranma away and stood. Her body started glow, and wispy blue tendrils of energy sparkled off her body. Ka'Dalanis stopped. [Akane?! What are you doing? You're killing yourself!] Akane's psi-blades slid out from their sheaths. [You took me away from him.] Ka'Dalanis's eye widened. [Akane, what are you doing?] Akane advanced towards her Healer. [You took away my only chance for happiness.] Ka'Dalanis activated her forcefield. [Akane, stop. Listen to me-] Akane continued to advance, and Ka'Dalanis fell back. [You stole my life.] [Akane-] [And I want it back!] With a shrill cry, Akane charged. Akane's first blow was turned by the forcefield. The second was blocked by Ka'Dalanis's psi-blades and the third. The third never landed as Ranma body-checked Akane into the stone wall. Akane roared with anger and brought the bottom of her two fists down on his back. Picking him up off the ground she threw him off to the side. Roaring insanely, she charged the Healer once more. Akane's two blades struck the Healer in the chest, and drove her back into the house. Ka'Dalanis's shield blazed a sapphire blue as the psi- blades pressed against them. Ka'Dalanis's own pair of ruby red stun blades swiped down at the enraged Akane, but she took several steps back avoiding the strike. "Akane, you've got to stop!" cried Genma. Grabbing her, he picked her up and slammed her down onto the floor. Turning off her psi-blades, Akane sent a fist up into his stomach and he doubled over. He stared at her as he saw that Akane was now bleeding from both her nose and her eyes. Blood coursed down her cheeks like tears. Grabbing his gi she threw him up into the ceiling. Before she could hit him again as he fell, Ranma hit her with a jump kick, sending her sprawling across the room, through a wall and into the kitchen. As the two were destroying the kitchen, Ka'Dalanis helped Genma to his feet. [We have to stop her! She's killing herself!] "What do you mean?" asked Genma [I don't have time to explain. Her body has been improved, but her mind is her most vulnerable point. If the two of us can create a powerful psi-bolt, we can use it to distract her long enough for Ranma to knock her unconscious.] "Okay, so how do we do it?" [First-] They were interrupted as Ranma broke through the kitchen wall and hit the stone wall outside, with Akane close behind. She lashed out with a psi-blade aimed at his head. Ranma sidestepped the attack, but it had been a feint. When Akane touched the wall, it exploded throwing Ranma across the lawn. Akane attacked again, and Ranma hit her with a powerful uppercut, knocking her back. Ka'Dalanis sent out a private tendril of thought to Ranma. [Ranma you have to keep her distracted for a couple more minutes. Then when we give the signal, hit her with everything you've got!] [Gotcha,] replied Ranma, while backing away from Akane's onslaught. Over the next few minutes the two martial artists proceeded to wreck the Saotome School of Anything Goes Martial Arts. Energy blasts, flying bodies and the Breaking Point technique decimated the building. The battle appeared even until Akane managed to get a series of hits through Ranma's defense, knocking him to the ground. Ranma looked up at his opponent, trying to focus his eyes properly. Akane was glowing a bright blue, blood running from her nose, eyes and mouth. With a bloodcurdling shriek, Akane jumped high above the fallen martial artist, intent on splattering his brains over the ground. Genma and Ka'Dalanis, during this time, had been channeling energy, building it up and waiting for an opportunity to strike. Now the time had come. Gathering their combined energy into a single powerful blast, they hit Akane with every iota of strength they possessed. Akane's cry of rage became a cry of pain as the bolt struck. She grabbed her head, and her descending kick became an uncontrolled fall. [Ranma, now!] With a roar of triumph, Ranma lashed out with his most powerful attack. "Hiryu Shoten Ha!" The vortex that formed was immense, easily as tall as a tall skyscraper. Both Akane and Ranma were immediately caught up in the tornado. The dojo and half of the house were torn apart by the awesome winds. Ka'Dalanis remembered the attack from the memories she had obtained from Akane during her transformation, as well as how it worked and its effects. [No!] she cried as she saw the two fighters engulfed by the fiery windstorm. Genma and Ka'Dalanis flattened themselves trying not to get caught up as well. [We've got to stop this!] she cried to Genma. "Why?" he asked, confused. She was getting what she asked for. Ranma had hit Akane with his most powerful attack, one guaranteed to knock Akane unconscious. [You fool! It's like the Feedback power of the Dark Archons! The attack drains your opponent of energy and uses it against them!] "So what? By the time the attack is done, Akane will be drained and harmless!" [She'll be dead! Her body has been slowly falling apart because of the stresses of channeling abnormal amounts of astral energy! This attack will force her to channel more and more energy until her body collapses! Don't you understand? This attack won't knock her unconscious, it will kill her!]
Several minutes later, as quickly as the tornado had appeared, it vanished. Ranma landed more or less on his feet, albeit very dizzy. Akane on the other hand, crashed to the ground with the force of a falling star. Immediately, both Genma and Ka'Dalanis ran to Akane. What they saw chilled them both. Akane was unconscious. Her face was a mass of blood. Her skin had begun to break down, and the blood underneath seeped to the surface. It would not be long before the deterioration would kill her. [We have to get to Section RD-24, now!] declared Ka'Dalanis. "Hey, guys waz za prolblem?" Ranma asked somewhat woozily. "Izn't she unnoc.unsonc.asleep?" "She's asleep, all right," said Genma grimly. "Maybe permanently." "What?!" Ranma ran to Akane side. "W-what happened?" Genma explained while Ka'Dalanis gave a soldier, who had showed up with the rest of his detachment shortly after the tornado had appeared, several orders. [Tell them that we need to get the regeneration crystal matrix activated as quickly as possible and that we need the latest test batch of regeneration fluid sent down to RD-24! Quickly, there's a life at stake!] Genma picked up Akane and Ranma grabbed Ka'Dalanis. [What are you doing?] she asked. "We're saving Akane's life," Ranma replied. Leaping from rooftop to rooftop, the foursome raced against time.
End Chapter 12
Samir Duran peered out from under the dirty cloth he wore over his head and shoulders. Sheep, he thought contemptuously, watching the shell shocked survivors of the Zerg attack on the X-Com base Japan: North. All of them, sheep. And they will suffer the same fate as their brethren to the north. It had been a simple matter to infiltrate the northern X-Com base. By cloaking and following one of several patrols, he had discovered one of their many hidden entrances. Once inside, it was just a matter of time until he had managed to find several others, as well as the locations of their defenses. Once that was complete, he had told his Queen all the information he had gathered. With her forces eager to strike, disaster had soon arrived at X-Com's doorstep. It was even easier to infiltrate the southern X-Com base. By joining the refugees, all he had to do is climb aboard one of their rescue shuttles, and they let him walk right in. They had not had time to do a comprehensive scan for infested humans, not that they would have found him. Unfortunately for him, however, the area was protected by a psi-shield. Duran imagined it was a slap together precaution to make sure any infestations could not communicate with the outside. Duran did not care. All he needed was time. Sometime soon, he would wander off and disappear. He would repeat the work he had done at Japan: North, and when he was finished, X-Com would have no presence on this island. Someone came over to where he was sitting. Feigning a slack expression, he wordlessly accepted the bit of food and water presented. The woman gave him a pitying look and moved on. Duran watched as she left. This was only one room among many that was full of people who had been rescued from the Zerg attack. Many were injured, in both body and mind. Noises ranged from shocked silence to low moans to high pitched hysterical screaming. Doctors, nurses, and volunteers moved around the room, giving what aid they could to the wounded. Duran snorted to himself. Their efforts were futile. They would all be in the hands of the Zerg soon enough. A bright gold gleam caught his eye. Peering past a group of people he again saw the flash of gold. Getting to his feet, he tried once again to see the cause. Suddenly, the large form of a Protoss Zealot reared above the shorter humans. Duran's eyes widened and he looked away, fearful that the Protoss would be able to tell he was an infestation just by looking at him. Duran cursed quietly. The humans might not be able to detect him, but the Protoss could. Their advanced sensors would find him soon, if they had not found him already and had a trap prepared. He glanced around nervously, but the few guards seemed relaxed and unaware. Duran sighed in relief. Time to go. Pulling the cloth tighter around him, he turned and walked away from the Protoss warrior.
Akane, in a small room full of nurses and doctors, ran the scanner over the injured human's body. After reading off a string of injuries the scanner had detected, she stepped back and let the professionals go to work. She collapsed on a chair just inside the room, reattaching the scanner to her suit. Her entire body ached like a loose tooth. The suit compensated somewhat, taking some of the stress off, but every movement felt like her bones were rubbing together. If Ka'Dalanis was right, that was probably what they were doing. Akane rested for a moment, content that she had helped at least one person. It had taken some stern talking by Nodoka to let them into the refugee area, and Akane was happy to help. She had never seen the effects of war before, and what she had seen had left her feeling.uncertain. As a human, she had no memories of seeing or feeling such things. As a martial artist, it had been her duty to protect the weak, not that Ranma had given her much of an opportunity. As a Protoss warrior, it had been her duty to kill the Zerg. Nothing had prepared her for this. The Akane of old had lived a rather sheltered life, protected from such grisly scenes of people with missing limbs or dead corpses. She would had fled, weeping at seeing such horror. Phoenix had been hardened toward the effects of war. She would have ignored the injured, unless one had gotten between her and her target. The new Akane, however, was touched in a way she barely understood. She felt a need she never felt before. A need for.what? A need to protect these people? A need to fight what had hurt them? Akane shook her head. Time enough to examine these feelings later. There were other people who needed her help, and she was not accomplishing anything sitting here. Slowing standing she stepped out of the room into the corridor. Turning, she stopped dead in her tracks as she saw an older Hispanic man with a goatee staring at her in surprise.
Duran looked behind him as he walked down the corridor. Good, the Protoss was still moving around trying to help the humans. There was no sign that he had been detected. Imagine, the Protoss and humans working together! This was something that would greatly interest his Queen. He turned back just in time to see a.thing walk out into the hallway. It appeared to be a mix of a human female and a Protoss. It had long black hair in a loose braid and was wearing the armor of a Zealot. Duran was so surprised he stopped and stared at the strange being.
Akane stared back. She had received enough strange looks from the survivors that she had become use to it. She was about to continue on, when suddenly the display panel in her armor lit up. She glanced down at it, and her eyes widened in surprise.
Duran watched as it looked down at something near its face. Its eyes widened, and he realized he had been discovered. It looked back up, a snarl forming on its otherwise pretty face. Two psi-blades snapped out from its forearms. [Infestation!] it cried.
Akane activated her psi-blades. She felt a lance of agony run through her head as she channeled the energy she needed. She would pay for this later, but if she was going to fight an infestation in her condition, she needed every advantage she could get. [Infestation!] she cried. Before she could advance, the infestation pulled off the blanket around its head and threw it at her. She slashed at it, clearing the space between them.
Reaching to the side, Duran grabbed a human female with brown hair that was going gray on the sides. Pulling the surprised human in front of him as a shield, he pulled out a gun and pointed it at her head. "Stay back or she dies!" he cried.
Akane's blood ran cold as she saw what he had done. He had Nodoka held in front of him as a shield with a pistol held to her head. Akane let her psi-blades sputter out, and she backed away one step. Duran took a step forward. Patients and medical staff alike cried out in fear and fled. Others, aware of the confrontation, but unaware of the danger, crowded closer to see the action. [Let her go,] demanded Akane, [and I just might kill you quickly.] "I want a plane ready for me to fly. She and I are going on a trip, aren't we dear?" Duran gave Nodoka a chilling smile. Nodoka's face was pale, but her expression was one of calm. [If you think I'm letting you take her anywhere-] "We're leaving! And if you have anything to say about it, you can say it at her funeral!" Duran continued to walk forward, and Akane fell back. [Akane!] Ka'Dalanis had managed to make her way to the front of the frightened crowd. Duran twisted and fired a shot at the alien. If he was lucky, it had not had time to activate its forcefield. The bullet vaporized as it came in contact with Ka'Dalanis's energy field. Duran grimaced and quickly turned the gun back to Nodoka's head and continued his inexorable walk forward down the hallway. "When I'm clear of X-Com's airspace, I'll eject the woman for you to pick up later." Akane moved away from Duran, matching him step for step. [If you think I'll believe you, Zerg scum, then you spent too much time in the cocoon.] Akane cursed at her inability to take action. She could not even attack him with Stun Blades. Assuming she managed to hit him first, his spasms could still cause the gun to go off, killing Nodoka. Two guards burst through the double doors behind her, rifles at the ready. "Put your guns down! Do it now!" Duran barked. When the guards hesitated, Akane reinforced the order. [Do as he says.] They reluctantly complied. They held the doors open as Akane passed. As Duran reached them, he pointed the gun and shot them, one through the chest, the other in the head. Akane's face twisted in rage. [Why you rotten-!] "Now I won't have to worry about them," said Duran, giving Akane a nasty smile. Nodoka moaned in fear.
Ka'Dalanis watched, horrified as the infestation shot the two human guards. In her mind, it was not a guard that fell, but Akane. What could she do? Akane was in no shape for a fight, and any expenditure of energy shortened her life. All Ka'Dalanis had was her Zealot suit, with its psi- blades and forcefield. She was too slow, too loud, and too far away to be able to do anything. The infestation would be able to kill Nodoka before she could get close. I use to be a master of getting close to my enemy. The thought ran through her mind like the serpent's temptation of Eve. At six hundred years of age, Ka'Dalanis's psychic powers were not nearly as strong as they had been in her youth, yet she still knew all the techniques. She could use the powers of the Dark Templar to conceal her presence and sneak up behind the Zerg abomination and-. No! Never again! she cried to herself. Never again will I touch those cold powers! She remembered the pain, the death, the destruction she had caused. She would never cause such horror ever again. Never! And yet, the energies hung before her, like the forbidden fruit. All she needed to do was to reach out with her mind and draw those energies to herself. I have not broken that promise since I made it three hundred years ago! I will not start now! But when she looked at Akane, seeing how she was willing to risk her life by combating the infestation, Ka'Dalanis was forced to ask herself: Am I such a coward? Is Akane not worth it? Ka'Dalanis straightened, closed her eyes, and vanished, becoming a creature of the Dark.
Ryoga wished the tired nurse doing her rounds would just go away, but she seemed bound and determined to help him, and he was too polite, and too tired to push the issue. "I keep telling you Mr. Hibiki, that if you don't do your exercises, you'll never get out of this bed," she admonished. Who cares? he thought. What was there left? Akane was in the hands of the Protoss, a prisoner to their cruel science. There was no way he could save her, especially since she did not want to be saved. Suddenly two shots rang out from down the corridor. "What the hell-?" The nurse went to the door, opened it and looked outside. When she saw the standoff going on outside, she gave a shriek of terror, then fainted. Ryoga looked up, mildly curious as to what was going on outside. A moment later, his jaw opened in shock as he saw a golden clad, blue-gray skinned Akane slowly step past his door. Akane! Here! Ryoga threw the covers off and rolled off the bed, his hospital gown threatening to undo itself. His legs collapsed out from under him, and only with a supreme effort, did he manage to get up. Taking one shaky step forward, then another, he was about to call out to Akane, when he saw Nodoka being held at gunpoint as Duran stepped into view. What to do, what to do? Ryoga agonized. He was so weak! After a moment of frenzied thought, Ryoga came up with an idea. Taking a black- spotted yellow bandanna from his head he twirled it around and, with a loud battlecry, threw it at Duran. Immediately after his throw, he launched himself towards his adversary. At the sound of the cry, Duran turned his gun on the weakened Ryoga. Just as he pulled the trigger, the bandanna hit the gun. Without Ryoga's normal strength behind the throw, the bandanna lacked the force to cut the gun in half. Instead, it wrapped itself around the gun spoiling Duran's aim. The shot meant for Ryoga's head slammed into the door frame of his room. Ryoga grabbed onto Duran's arm and pulled with all his might, throwing Duran off balance. Duran lost his grip on Nodoka, and she fell to the floor. Akane raced in, grabbed Nodoka, and pulled her clear of the conflict. Ryoga and Duran struggled for the gun. Normally, Ryoga could have broken Duran with one hand behind his back, but in his weakened state, he was no match for the more powerful man. Duran heaved, and threw Ryoga off of him. Ryoga arrested his fall by catching the door frame of another room. He stood there weakly, his legs shaking with the effort of just standing, as Duran pointed the gun at him. "Time to die, hero," growled Duran. [No!] Akane, moving with a speed that was beyond human norms, interposed herself between Rygoa and Duran. With a powerful shove, she pushed Ryoga into the room. Duran smiled and pulled the trigger. There was a blue-white flash as the bullet hit Akane's forcefield. Duran's smile faded, and it was Akane's turn to smile.
Ka'Dalanis felt herself shiver as she drew on the energy of the cold void, drawing and manipulating the light around her until she was invisible. Opening her eyes, she saw through the distorted eyes of a Dark Templar once more. The visual distortion was minor, but everything appeared to have been dipped in purple paint. She took a cautious step forward, and was relieved when Duran did not react to her movement. Moving quickly and silently up to Duran, she waited for an opportunity to attack. She did not have to wait long. She watched as Ryoga attacked Duran, and the ensuing struggle. When Duran threw Ryoga off him, she moved. Raising her arm to strike, she froze as she saw Akane interpose herself between Duran and Ryoga. Ka'Dalanis stared, paralyzed by fear for her charge as he pulled the trigger. She almost gave herself away by telepathically laughing out loud when the bullet hit Akane's forcefield. Drawing energy from the cold void, Ka'Dalanis channeled it through her psi-blade emitters. What came out was not a blue-white psi-blade, but a brilliant white warp blade. With a decisive motion, she cut down the abomination before her.
Duran stared dumbly down at the large slash that suddenly appeared running from his right shoulder down to his left hip. He tried to speak, but his mouth just opened and closed, no sound escaping. The upper portion of his torso slid away and fell to the ground, the lower half following shortly. Blood spurted from the upper half splashing against Akane's legs. It sizzled against her forcefield like grease on a hot frying pan. Akane stared at the mutilated corpse of her foe. What happened? Her question was answered when Ka'Dalanis appeared before her. [Healer!] Akane stared up at her, then down at the fallen infestation, then back. [You did this? Was that a warp blade?] [Yes. To both questions.] [How?] [I'm not really sure. I would have thought that the emitters could not have handled the power of a warp blade. I guess I was wrong.] Akane could not interpret the strange expression on Ka'Dalanis's face. [Are you all right?] asked the Healer. Akane gave her caretaker a smile. [I feel fine.] Akane looked down at the dead infestation. [I wish I could have let loose, though.] Akane looked towards the room where Ryoga had fallen into. [What about the man who helped me?] Akane stepped into the small room. Inside was a young man, wearing janitor's clothes. It appeared he had been filling a bucket with water and had become trapped in here as Akane and Duran had come by. In the bucket at his feet was a small black pig. Beside the pig on the floor was a hospital gown. Akane looked around in confusion. [What happened to that man that fell in here?] "H-he t-turned into a p-pig!" the janitor stammered. [What?] Akane knelt down and picked up the small pig. The pig stared at her with a look that somehow managed to combine exhaustion and abject terror. Akane stared back. It looked familiar, but she could not quite. Akane's eyes glazed as she re-lived some of her past.
Akane stood in the middle of her room, looking around. There was someone here, she could feel it. Spinning around, she tried challenging the intruder. "Who's there?! Come out!" She heard rustling, and looked frantically for the source. Suddenly a small dark shape appeared out of nowhere and flew towards her. Akane cried out in surprise. "No!" She struck out at the dark shape and knocked it to the ground. Looking at the intruder, she saw- A piglet? she wondered. Where did you come from? She knelt down and held out a hand. "Here piggy." The tiny black pig scooted away from her. "Come on. Don't be afraid." She picked up the pig and cuddled it in her arms. "Oh, your drenched! You were in the rain all this time?"
Something dragged Akane from her sleep. Reluctantly she opened her eyes and tried to sit up, but realized that there was something holding her down. Looking off to the side, less than six inches away was a very nervous Ranma. "Uh.no.it's not.it's nothing like." Ranma stammered, trying to come up with a reasonable explanation. With a growl, Akane drew back an arm and slapped him. Grabbing her bamboo sword, she hit him with it over and over. In between blows Ranma frantically tried to explain. "Wait!" *WHAP* "Listen!" *WHAP* "Ryoga." *WHAP* "And just where." Her voice went from a growl to a scream. ".do you see Ryoga, you PERVERT?!" With a final massive blow, she launched him out of her room, through her window, and into the yard below.
Akane stared across the tiny boat at Ryoga. Between them, a hole in the boat let in more and more water. The boat itself, they just learned a moment ago, could only hold one person. "Ryoga," she whispered, "I can't swim." Ryoga looked at her, horrified. Why did he care that much that she could not swim? she wondered. Suddenly, Ryoga jumped across the growing pool of water to her side of the boat and picked her up in his arms. "Don't worry, Akane! I'll save us!" With a roar that shook the cave, Ryoga began to jump from boat to boat, leaving sunk couples in their wake. When they had run out of boats, Ryoga began running *on top* of the water! His feet blurred as he frantically made his way towards the opposite shore. Fifty feet, forty feet, thirty, twenty, ten. They were going to make it! Suddenly, five feet from the edge, the mysterious force that had held up Ryoga and Akane failed, and the two of them fell into the lake. No! Akane flailed for any handhold as she sank like a rock. I can't swim! We were so close! She felt someone grab her arm and pull. Ryoga! Her head breached the surface of the lake and she gulped in a lung full of air. Holding on to her arm were Ukyo and Shampoo, who pulled her onto the shore. Coughing, she heard a high pitched squeal. Looking for the source of the sound, she saw a small black piglet climbing out of the lake. "P-Chan!" she cried happily. "What are you doing here? And where's Ryoga?"
While Akane was caught up in her hallucinations, Ka'Dalanis was re- living the horror of what she had done. I have taken another life, she thought. Using the powers of my youth I killed! And.and.I enjoyed it! Ka'Dalanis could not deny what she had felt. The sweet intoxicating iciness as she had rendered herself invisible, the feeling of power as she had summoned her warp blade, the ecstasy of cutting down her opponent. Oh, how she had enjoyed seeing him fall! Not because she helped Akane preserve her strength, but because she had ended the life of another. I have done it, she thought. Will I ever do it again? Like an alcoholic who has returned to drinking after years of abstinence, she knew the answer. Yes! Adun forgive me, yes! She fell against the wall and slid down to the floor, staring at her hands. By the Khala's Light, what am I? she asked herself desperately. What have I become?
Akane snapped out of her reverie and looked at the pig in her hand in horror. Holding the thing like it was a venomous snake, she reached down and turned on the hot water. As though confirming her suspicions, the tiny pig began squirming and squealing in her grip. When the water had become hot enough, she stuck the struggling animal underneath the faucet. She stepped back as the transformation occurred. When it was complete, a naked, terrified Ryoga stood before her. He grabbed his hospital gown and quickly scrambled into it. "Akane, please! I can explain-!" [YOU!] Enraged, Akane grabbed Ryoga by the front of his gown and slammed him into the wall. [You.you pretended to be my pet! I defended you when Ranma picked on you! You slept in my bed! You.you.!] Akane was so mad, she could barely think. "Akane!" he gasped. This was not the happy reunion he had hoped for. "Akane, please, you're hurting me-!" [Hurting you? Hurting you?! What about all the times you took advantage of me? Hiding behind me, using me for your own ends?!] A psi- blade slid out of her forearm. [I should gut you, you honourless coward!] "Akane, no! Please let me explain-" Before she could carry out with her threat, several things that she had been blinded to were made clear. Stunned she dropped Ryoga and stepped away, her psi-blade sputtering out. [Wait a minute. I was angry that Ranma was in my room. Ranma was angry that you were in my room. I'm angry that you were in my room. Why?] "Akane? I don't understand-" [Why was it wrong that you two were in my room? I don't remember! I just know it's wrong!] Akane clutched her head in her hands, trying to remember. "It.it's just.wrong," replied Ryoga, trying to think of a way to explain the cultural separation of the sexes. Akane lifted her head and glared at Ryoga. [Then what the hell is Ranma doing with my sister?!] Spinning around she left the room and grabbed the nearest guard. [I want to know where Ranma is, now!] she demanded. The guard looked at her blankly. "Ranma?" [Ranma Saotome. He's a Captain, I think.] Ka'Dalanis managed to shake herself out of her self imposed cocoon of horror long enough to register Akane's actions. [Akane? What are you doing?] Akane ignored her, and waited for the guard to obey. Intimidated, the grunt did what grunts do best. Follow orders. Speaking into his communicator, he queried as to Captain Saotome's whereabouts. The answer came back a moment later. "Ma'am, he's at home with Sergeant Saotome-" He never got to finish as Akane ran down the corridor and out of the hospital.
Ranma sat dully at the table in the main room of the Saotome home. Nabiki was in the hospital on twenty-four hour suicide watch after dropping a nuke on five hundred innocent civilians, civilians that they had had a duty to protect, both as members of the military, and as martial artists. The shrinks said that Nabiki would be released tomorrow, but that she was to be given stress leave and taken off active duty for the next couple of months. "Man, why does she get all these missions?" he said aloud. Of course, he knew why. She was smart enough to know that it was necessary. If he had been ordered to do it, he would have flat out refused. He knew he could never do something like that. In fact, it chilled him somewhat to realize that he was married to a woman who was capable of doing what she did. A tingle of danger was all the warning he received before a gleaming gold figure burst through a wall and flew towards him. "Yeow!" Ranma frantically dodged and just barely managed to evade the attack. Before he could recover, a yellow bolt of light struck him in the chest. He was blown outside and slammed into the outer stone wall. Before gravity had a chance to drag him down to the earth, a golden hand grabbed his shirt and slammed him against the wall again. "What the hell- ?!" [What the hell, indeed!] exclaimed Akane. [What the hell are you doing with my sister?!] Ranma looked at her in confusion. "Akane, what are you talking about?" [Don't try to be coy with me!] She slammed him into the wall a third time. [What are you doing with my sister?!] Ranma grimaced in pain. "Akane, I don't understand! What do you mean?" Akane calmed slightly and tried a different tact. [I met Ryoga today.] Ranma grinned. "Hey, that's great! I wanted you to see him, but we were all confined here and-" [I also met 'P-Chan.'] Ranma's smile faltered. "P-Chan? Uhh.that's great too." His voice did not carry the conviction of his statement. "Ranma, what's going on here?" demanded Genma, who had stepped out into the yard. [You stay out of this, old man!] threatened Akane. Turning back to Ranma she continued. [I figured out who 'P-Chan' really was. I also found out that it was wrong for men and women to sleep in the same room. That's why you were so angry that he was sleeping in my bed. So, I ask you for the last time: What the hell are you doing sleeping with my sister?! She's your own step-sister, for God's sake! If you're dishonoring her, I swear I'll-!] The psi-blade of her free hand flowed out from her forearm and she raised it, prepared to strike. Ranma stared with a strange fascination as a trickle of blood flowed out of Akane's nose and down her face. "Wait, it's not what you think! You don't understand!" [Explain it then!] "We're married!" Akane's eyes widened, and her psi-blade disappeared. [Married?] She let go of Ranma and he fell to one knee. [You two aren't sister and brother, but.married?] Ranma stood, shaking off the pain of his wounds. "Yeah, we've been married for about two years." Akane's legs fell out from under her, and she collapsed on the ground. She sat there, staring down, not really seeing anything, trying to wrap her mind around this new information. "Akane-" said Ranma. Akane looked up at her ex-fiancé. [Why didn't you tell me?] she asked. "We thought you knew. We didn't try to keep it secret." [But.but.what about you.and I.we.] Tears began to run down her face, and mingled with the blood flowing from her nose. "Akane, you're bleeding," Ranma wiped at the blood with his sleeve. Akane stared at the blood. [So I am,] she replied dully. "Akane, we should get Ka'Dalanis to take a look at you-" Akane shook her head. [It doesn't matter anymore. Ranma, why didn't you wait?] Even as she said it, she knew it was a nonsensical question, but she was grasping at anything that she could use to win him back. "Wait? Akane, you were dead. I couldn't marry a ghost." [But why *her*?] "Akane, she.after the initial attack, all of her family was dead. She was hysterical. Nothing we did could keep her calm. Mom, Pop and I helped her deal with what had happened. In a way we were all going through the same thing she was. Mom and Pop had both lost good friends and I lost you. Akane, I lo-" Ranma's throat locked up on the words. Even after all this time, he had trouble saying it. "I l-l-loved you, but you died. I helped her deal with her pain, and she helped me deal with mine. After awhile we.fell in love." [I loved you too! I still do! Why do you think I came back?] Ranma shook his head. A tear made a path down his cheek. "Akane, I'm sorry." Akane's expression became filled with a desperate hope. [Isn't there any way for you and I.] Her thought trailed off as Ranma again shook his head again. "No, Akane I can't do that. With all the trouble I had with women when I was younger, I promised her that once I got married, I'd be faithful to her and her alone. No more desperate fiancés, no more engagements, no more leaving women in my wake dying to have me, nothing. I can't do that to Nabiki. She needs me." [So do I!] "No you don't. You've always been strong. From the day I met you, you were willing to challenge the world for what you thought was right. You are the only person I have ever met with a will as strong as mine. That's probably why I fell in l-love with you." A smile cracked his face. "It certainly wasn't for your physical prowess. I never met anyone more clumsy than you! Of course, the Protoss fixed all those problems up. You can even cook!" Akane did not feel the humor of his remarks, only the painful truth. The Protoss. They had taken her away from her family-. [Akane!] Ka'Dalanis ran through the gate and into the yard. Spying the two humans, she made her way towards them. [Akane! Are you all right?] [You.] Akane pushed Ranma away and stood. Her body started glow, and wispy blue tendrils of energy sparkled off her body. Ka'Dalanis stopped. [Akane?! What are you doing? You're killing yourself!] Akane's psi-blades slid out from their sheaths. [You took me away from him.] Ka'Dalanis's eye widened. [Akane, what are you doing?] Akane advanced towards her Healer. [You took away my only chance for happiness.] Ka'Dalanis activated her forcefield. [Akane, stop. Listen to me-] Akane continued to advance, and Ka'Dalanis fell back. [You stole my life.] [Akane-] [And I want it back!] With a shrill cry, Akane charged. Akane's first blow was turned by the forcefield. The second was blocked by Ka'Dalanis's psi-blades and the third. The third never landed as Ranma body-checked Akane into the stone wall. Akane roared with anger and brought the bottom of her two fists down on his back. Picking him up off the ground she threw him off to the side. Roaring insanely, she charged the Healer once more. Akane's two blades struck the Healer in the chest, and drove her back into the house. Ka'Dalanis's shield blazed a sapphire blue as the psi- blades pressed against them. Ka'Dalanis's own pair of ruby red stun blades swiped down at the enraged Akane, but she took several steps back avoiding the strike. "Akane, you've got to stop!" cried Genma. Grabbing her, he picked her up and slammed her down onto the floor. Turning off her psi-blades, Akane sent a fist up into his stomach and he doubled over. He stared at her as he saw that Akane was now bleeding from both her nose and her eyes. Blood coursed down her cheeks like tears. Grabbing his gi she threw him up into the ceiling. Before she could hit him again as he fell, Ranma hit her with a jump kick, sending her sprawling across the room, through a wall and into the kitchen. As the two were destroying the kitchen, Ka'Dalanis helped Genma to his feet. [We have to stop her! She's killing herself!] "What do you mean?" asked Genma [I don't have time to explain. Her body has been improved, but her mind is her most vulnerable point. If the two of us can create a powerful psi-bolt, we can use it to distract her long enough for Ranma to knock her unconscious.] "Okay, so how do we do it?" [First-] They were interrupted as Ranma broke through the kitchen wall and hit the stone wall outside, with Akane close behind. She lashed out with a psi-blade aimed at his head. Ranma sidestepped the attack, but it had been a feint. When Akane touched the wall, it exploded throwing Ranma across the lawn. Akane attacked again, and Ranma hit her with a powerful uppercut, knocking her back. Ka'Dalanis sent out a private tendril of thought to Ranma. [Ranma you have to keep her distracted for a couple more minutes. Then when we give the signal, hit her with everything you've got!] [Gotcha,] replied Ranma, while backing away from Akane's onslaught. Over the next few minutes the two martial artists proceeded to wreck the Saotome School of Anything Goes Martial Arts. Energy blasts, flying bodies and the Breaking Point technique decimated the building. The battle appeared even until Akane managed to get a series of hits through Ranma's defense, knocking him to the ground. Ranma looked up at his opponent, trying to focus his eyes properly. Akane was glowing a bright blue, blood running from her nose, eyes and mouth. With a bloodcurdling shriek, Akane jumped high above the fallen martial artist, intent on splattering his brains over the ground. Genma and Ka'Dalanis, during this time, had been channeling energy, building it up and waiting for an opportunity to strike. Now the time had come. Gathering their combined energy into a single powerful blast, they hit Akane with every iota of strength they possessed. Akane's cry of rage became a cry of pain as the bolt struck. She grabbed her head, and her descending kick became an uncontrolled fall. [Ranma, now!] With a roar of triumph, Ranma lashed out with his most powerful attack. "Hiryu Shoten Ha!" The vortex that formed was immense, easily as tall as a tall skyscraper. Both Akane and Ranma were immediately caught up in the tornado. The dojo and half of the house were torn apart by the awesome winds. Ka'Dalanis remembered the attack from the memories she had obtained from Akane during her transformation, as well as how it worked and its effects. [No!] she cried as she saw the two fighters engulfed by the fiery windstorm. Genma and Ka'Dalanis flattened themselves trying not to get caught up as well. [We've got to stop this!] she cried to Genma. "Why?" he asked, confused. She was getting what she asked for. Ranma had hit Akane with his most powerful attack, one guaranteed to knock Akane unconscious. [You fool! It's like the Feedback power of the Dark Archons! The attack drains your opponent of energy and uses it against them!] "So what? By the time the attack is done, Akane will be drained and harmless!" [She'll be dead! Her body has been slowly falling apart because of the stresses of channeling abnormal amounts of astral energy! This attack will force her to channel more and more energy until her body collapses! Don't you understand? This attack won't knock her unconscious, it will kill her!]
Several minutes later, as quickly as the tornado had appeared, it vanished. Ranma landed more or less on his feet, albeit very dizzy. Akane on the other hand, crashed to the ground with the force of a falling star. Immediately, both Genma and Ka'Dalanis ran to Akane. What they saw chilled them both. Akane was unconscious. Her face was a mass of blood. Her skin had begun to break down, and the blood underneath seeped to the surface. It would not be long before the deterioration would kill her. [We have to get to Section RD-24, now!] declared Ka'Dalanis. "Hey, guys waz za prolblem?" Ranma asked somewhat woozily. "Izn't she unnoc.unsonc.asleep?" "She's asleep, all right," said Genma grimly. "Maybe permanently." "What?!" Ranma ran to Akane side. "W-what happened?" Genma explained while Ka'Dalanis gave a soldier, who had showed up with the rest of his detachment shortly after the tornado had appeared, several orders. [Tell them that we need to get the regeneration crystal matrix activated as quickly as possible and that we need the latest test batch of regeneration fluid sent down to RD-24! Quickly, there's a life at stake!] Genma picked up Akane and Ranma grabbed Ka'Dalanis. [What are you doing?] she asked. "We're saving Akane's life," Ranma replied. Leaping from rooftop to rooftop, the foursome raced against time.
End Chapter 12