Chapter Two: Hitokiri In Space

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"Captain, the chronometric emissions are starting to leak through our shields into our spaceframe!" cried Yusuke. "It looks like some kind of portal is forming on board our ship!"

The captain scowled. "Where?"

Yusuke punched a few buttons on his console. "Somewhere on Deck 4, possibly the crew quarters…I can't lock it down, sir!"

"Red alert! Full power to structural integrity fields!"

The ship lurched heavily all of a sudden. The anomaly grew even brighter, completely whiting out the viewscreen. Then, as quickly as it happened, all was well again. The shine was gone, replaced by the serene view of space.

Yusuke sweatdropped as he stared at his console. "Captain…it's gone. The anomaly just…went!"

"Confirmed, sir," said the operations officer. "No sign of chronometric activity."

The captain rubbed his chin. "Damage report?"

"…No damage reported, sir," sad Yusuke.

"Very well then. Stand down from red alert. Commander Himura, I want you to take a security team down to Deck 4. If some kind of portal opened up down there, I want to know if anything came through."

"Aye, sir." Yusuke headed to the turbolift.

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"WHOA…OOF!"

Kenshin landed with a hard THUMP on the ground.

"Oh…that was most unpleasant, that it was…oro?" Standing back up, Kenshin noticed something extremely wrong. Instead of rock, dirt, or grass, he was standing on carpet, and instead of an open sky, walls and a ceiling surrounded him…

"Oro, where am I?" He blinked a couple of times. No, it was not an illusion; he really was standing inside a strange corridor, complete with lights and black paneling along the walls. Kenshin's hand dropped to the grip of his sakabatou. He would not allow himself to be caught off guard. "I must find out where I am, that I must." He slowly advanced through the hallway.

Kenshin hadn't gone more than a few steps before he came upon what looked like a door. Perhaps someone was inside…and if so, maybe he could ask them where he was! He stepped up to the door, intending to knock and ask to be let in…only to have the door suddenly open all by itself as soon as he approached.

"GAH!" Kenshin actually jumped when the door opened, an action he was quite glad none of his friends were around to see. How embarrassing! Getting it back together, he stepped back up to the doorway.

"Um…hello? Is anyone there? I'm looking for-HUH?!" Kenshin's "sixth sense" suddenly kicked in-someone was approaching him! He pulled his blade a tiny bit out of its sheath.

"Hey! Who are you?!"

Kenshin, ready to draw his sakabatou on an instant's notice, slowly turned around.

"What in the hell…what are you doing, acting in a period play?" Kenshin didn't understand a word the man was saying, but he recognized the language instantly.

"He's speaking English…that is very strange, that it is. Oro…why is he wearing such a funny outfit?" The rurouni looked the man up and down. His outfit seemed to be one single piece, rather than the separate shirt and pants that most English-speaking people wore. It was mostly black and gray in color, except for a yellow collar on his neck. On that collar was what appeared to be a single circular gold bead. Also, he had a strange emblem on the left side of his chest.

The man stepped forward. "What's wrong, can't you speak?"

Kenshin tensed. The man didn't look armed, but he was fairly burly compared to Kenshin and could probably throw a punch or two. Kenshin was not going to take chances. However, it was about to get even more complex…

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Yusuke led his security team down the corridor.

"Phasers on light stun, boys. Take no chances." The team complied, and continued down the corridor. Eventually, they arrived near a junction, and found the last thing they had been expecting. Ensign Stiller was standing outside his quarters…and standing just by the doorway was a short man in a pink kimono, his hand gripping what looked like the handle of a Japanese sword. Immediately, everybody leveled their phasers.

Seeming to sense this, the man turned around…and looked right at Yusuke. And then…

"Oro?!"

"You've gotta be kidding me…!"

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Kenshin couldn't believe his eyes. This person looked almost exactly like he did! Same flaming red hair, and the same amethyst eyes! He had his hair cut much shorter, he was quite a bit taller and more built than Kenshin was, and of course he lacked the cross-shaped scar Kenshin sported on his left cheek, but the resemblance was uncanny!

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"Holy shit!" thought Yusuke. "He looks like me! That scar on his cheek…nah, couldn't be. Who IS this guy?!"

The man suddenly spoke. To most of the people present, it was unintelligible, but Yusuke understood it perfectly:

"Is there anyone among you who speaks Japanese?"

Yusuke nodded. "Hai."

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"Oro…he speaks Japanese. This could be very interesting, that it could be."

Kenshin did not take his hand off his weapon, but straightened up. "Where is this? Where am I?"

"You are aboard the U.S.S. Thunderchild."

Kenshin's eyes widened. "U.S.S?" He then frowned. "This is an American ship then, that it must be."

"American? No, no. This is a ship of the United Federation of Planets."

"Oro?! United Federation of…there's no such country sessha knows about! Have-have I been kidnapped?"

The man cocked an eyebrow. "No, of course not! Look…what is your name?"

"…Himura. Kenshin Himura."

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"…WHAT?! Did he really say he was Kenshin Himura?!" Yusuke's eyes grew huge. He had to clear his throat before speaking again.

"Well…uh. Kenshin…you'll have to come with us."

The man calling himself Kenshin tightened his grip on his blade. "No. I do not trust you, that I do not. For all I know, you could simply shoot me in the back with those strange guns you hold."

Yusuke sighed. "Boys," he said in English, "put away your phasers."

"But sir-" began one of the security officers.

"That's an order, mister. Everybody put your phasers away now." Reluctantly, they all complied.

"There now," said Yusuke in Japanese again. "We will not shoot you; you have my word as a Starfleet officer."

Kenshin pursed his lips, and then slowly released his grip on his blade. "I advise you not to try anything."

Yusuke raised an eyebrow. "I swear it." He tapped his combadge, getting an odd look from Kenshin. "Sickbay, this is…the chief of security." He didn't want to reveal his surname JUST yet. "Do you have a moment for a favor, Doctor Simpson?"

A chipper female voice emanated from the tiny device, startling their…guest. "Sure! What is it?"

"Can you prepare a quick DNA scan for me?"

"Uh…yes, I think so. See you then, Commander Himura! Simpson out!"

Yusuke sweatdropped. "Oh…no!"

Kenshin matched Yusuke's sweatdrop and facial expression. "Did…did I just hear her say 'Himura'?!"

Yusuke laughed idiotically. "Ah…no, of course not! It's something completely different! Now, um, if you'll please just follow us…!"

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Sickbay, Deck 8

"Oro…where is this?"

Yusuke smiled. "Our sickbay. Our crew can get medical attention here, but that's not what I brought us here for."

Kenshin cocked an eyebrow. "Then what?"

"I'll tell you what's going on afterwards. I, uh…I want to confirm something."

"Oh. By the way, you have not told sessha your name."

Yusuke bit his lip. "…It's Yusuke."

Suddenly, a bright-eyed young woman walked in. "Hello, Commander! Oh…and who is this?"

"Uh…someone we quite literally picked up, apparently. He only speaks an old form of Japanese…anyway, I would appreciate it if you could scan our blood into the computer and take a quick DNA check."

The doctor looked at Kenshin one more time before nodding. "Right this way."

They both sat on two spare tables. As the doctor brought up a tricorder, Kenshin's hand immediately dropped to the hilt of his sakabatou.

"Kenshin, wait!" cried Yusuke. "That's not a weapon, it's a medical instrument!"

"I've never seen a medical instrument like THAT, that I have not!" Kenshin narrowed his eyes, thoroughly intimidating the poor doctor.

"I assure you, it is harmless. I will prove it to you." He motioned for the doctor to scan his blood first. It only took a few seconds. "See?"

Kenshin sighed. "Very well. Please tell her that sessha apologizes for frightening her."

Doctor Simpson raised an eyebrow. "What was that about?"

"He's sorry he scared you."

"Oh. Well, he should be." She scanned Kenshin's blood in next. "All right, I've got both full readings. It'll be a minute." She went off into the next room.

Kenshin scooted off the table. "Yusuke."

"Hmm?"

Kenshin turned to him. "I want to know, what are we doing here? Why did you have that woman wave that small object over our bodies?"

Yusuke sighed. "I had hoped to tell you AFTER this was done, Kenshin. I was lying before. My surname…is also Himura."

Kenshin's eyes widened again. "Really? I've never met another Himura family before, that I have not…"

"Actually, Kenshin…I think it's a bit more complex than that. Let me guess…you believe it is the Meiji era, right?"

Kenshin frowned. "Well, yes…"

"I'm sorry, but you're wrong. The Meiji period was over around 500 years ago."

Kenshin fell over. "ORO?! Five hundred years!!!?? Are you serious!?"

Yusuke set his expression in steel, much the same as Kenshin had earlier. "Yes. I had the doctor run those tests…because my ancestor during that time bore the name of Kenshin Himura…and before that, he was known as Hitokiri Battousai. If that test comes up like I think it will…we are related by blood."

Kenshin facefaulted. "Oro…oro…it…cannot be, that it can not…!" He looked at the ground. "I…"

Yusuke got up off the table and walked over to Kenshin. "Look, I don't doubt this is hard to bear. It's not the first incident of forward time travel known to us, either."

Kenshin looked up at Yusuke, his expression matching the one on the taller man's face. All they did was look at each other for a few seconds, until…

"Okay, boys! I've got the results!" Both men fell over instantly.

"Oro…that was certainly inappropriate, that it was."

"You get used to it with her." Yusuke sighed. "What's the verdict?" he said, switching back to English.

"Congratulations, Yusuke. He's a relative of yours, all right. Also, the molecular structure of his clothing and weapon conforms to late 1800s-era materials. Speaking of which, I'd really like it if he didn't have that…"

Kenshin sighed. "She says that we are truly related, doesn't she?"

"Yep. Don't know what else to tell you, Kenshin."

Kenshin took a deep breath. "It is good to know I have some family left, that it is, but still…Kaoru…Sano…Yahiko…"

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Author's Note: Sorry if this chapter seems a bit rough in places. As for Sano against a Klingon…eh, maybe I'll bring our ex-fighter-for-hire into this again later. Not just yet, though. I'll try to make the next chapter a little smoother in flow, I promise.