Chapter Six

The Guardian Series

The Nightmare

Chapter Six

Tenchi and The Gang belong to Pioneer LCD, AIC, and other assorted people on the far side of the big lake to my west, and not to me.

Hope you like this one, there will be more to come, whether you like it or not.

This story is set 7 years after "Daughter of Darkness," which I have placed in the OVA chronology after OVA-2, GPX, and the Manga released here in the States. Have not see any of OVA-3 yet so not sure where Noike Kamiki Jurai to add her, how she acts, how she reacts to Tenchi and the others. I have read some of the synopsis about her, but not enough to be able to add her to the story.

Time/Dates being added to story to give since of when things are happening, by coincident, this year makes 7 years since Daughter of darkness has been released, if my research is correct, (if not, some one will correct me I am sure  ). All times and dates will be in earth time/date. So will be measurements for convenience.

Universe Prime

Star System 472398A

Science Academy Research Outpost

0852 LST

August 26, 2004

Tenchi and The Tenjin slowed below light speed on the far side of the sun from the world, which the outpost was on. Coming as close to, the suns surface as possible, using the sun to hide any energy signature that the stealth systems did not hide already. Keeping him between the planet and the sun, hiding in the energy signature of the sun as they approached the planet.

Passive search equipment on The Tenjin probe the areas around the planet and on it looking for any energy signatures indicating any form of high technology. None was found, though an ion trail was found leading outward from the system leading towards the ethereal energy source.

Slowing to a crawl, he had the ship stop at the trailing Trojan Point with the site of the outpost just coming over the horizon, still on the night side of the planet.

"Tenchi, my sensors are indicating many heat sources at the outpost that appear to be fires," Tenjin said.

"Damn, we are too late!" Tenchi let his emotions take hold for a moment, then showing even more feeling and some depression, "we should at least see if there are any survivors. It is neigh-on impossible to kill all of a population, unless you destroy the whole planet.

Though wanting to head down immediately, he had to do this by the book. He had the Tenjin hold at the Trojan Point in full stealth mode, searching the area for any hidden enemy ships.

After waiting two hours, "ok Tenjin, any indication of enemy activity," Tenchi asked.

"No Tenchi, no artificial energy sources found within range of my sensors," Tenjin replied to Tenchi's request.

"Then let's head down. Looks like it is almost dawn at the site. Land us night ward of the site, approximately 30 min. prior to false dawn. That should hide us from any unwanted attention." Tenchi said all this while knowing that the possibility of finding anyone was slim. Maybe there were some people at some out of the way site that had not been found.

Tenchi engaged power to the engines, following the course that Tenjin had provided. Maintaining strict stealth protocols. He brought the ship into geosynchronous orbit to the night side of the site. While entering orbit, Tenchi had Tenjin launch two probes to stay in orbit and search the planet for any survivors not at the main site. Their job was not easy; too quickly search a whole planet, looking for intelligent life forms while only using passive sensors. These devices were the best available and if possible, they would find them. Maintaining power at a level to stay at a geosynchronous position and not leave any heat or ion trail in the atmosphere as they came closer to the surface.

If anyone on the planet could have seen them coming down. It would have looked like they were seeing an elevator lowering itself toward the surface. However, with the ship in stealth mode, there was nothing to see. As they approached the night shrouded surface, Tenjin searched the surface for a clearing big enough to hold her and within thirty minutes of false dawn. Finding a clearing that meet all the conditions needed, she updated the course screen for Tenchi.

"Thanks Tenjin," he said. "That looks perfect."

Tenchi brought the ship in slowly, easing her down into the clearing. Once down Tenchi had Tenjin engage the holographic projector and energy sinks, to show to any prying eyes that the clearing was still empty and devoid of any energy sources.

Getting up from the pilot console, he turned toward the passageway to the outer hatch. "Now comes the part I believe I will not like," Tenchi said in a low voice. Then louder, "Tenjin, listen for when I need you."

"I will be monitoring all communication and sensor channels for your call, or for any other indication of communication."

As he approached the outer airlock, Tenchi brought his hands together, grasping a finely crafted, stained, wooden ring on his right hand. With the touch to the ring, his cloths shimmered and transformed into this grey and black Jurian battle uniform. With another touch to the ring, the uniform shimmered again removing all the ribbons and frills, which could flap or get hung up on anything. Now the uniform rapidly muted its color, matching the colors of its surrounding like a chameleon.

Tenchi's face had changed also. Black marks had appeared, starting as points on his cheeks, just below the center of his eyes, the next lower on the exposed areas of his neck starting at his jugulars. Then the marks trailed into his hair, broadening as they disappeared into his hair. On his forehead were three elongated triangles, which formed their points at this brow line centered above his nose. These marks were golden-green in color. Flashing iridescently as they appeared before muting their color.

Stopping before the air lock, he touched a panel on the wall, which then slid open exposing a room filled with equipment. Stepping in he quickly gathered the equipment he would need for this recon trip. Knowing whom he might run into, he grabbed a heavy combat rifle, his modified pistol, utility belt, and combat pack. From the pack, he removed the spare clothing, tent, miniature power generator, and the majority of the rations. With doing this, he had opened up a vast amount of space in his pack. Into this area, he placed a medic's bag with lots of bandages and as much auto-medi/life support packs as he could fit into the pack and still get it completely closed.

Stepping from the equipment room, he slid the pack on, adjusted his straps. Placed his pistol into its holster on his right hip, after ensuring it held a fully charged ammo pack. Then touched his left hip where the Master Key rested in its scarab.

Moving through the open inner door into the darkened airlock, Tenchi spoke out, "ok Tenjin, and go to EmCom (Emission Control), as soon as I leave. Only broadcast upon an emergency. If enemy personnel detect you, get out of here and defend yourself. We can make rendezvous sometime later after the areas activity cools down." He spoke out of rote, not believing any of what he said would be necessary.

"Yes Tenchi, I will do as ordered," reported Tenjin, as the inner airlock door closed on Tenchi. "Be careful," she said in a voice full of emotion.

Momentarily alone in the dark airlock, with only the muted glow of the control panel. Reaching to the panel he pressed the outer airlock control screen, the glowing light totally went dark a moment prior to the outer airlock door opening. Stepping through the hatch and down the ramp to the ground, he stopped and surveyed the area before him. About twenty meters beyond the overhang of the ships hull, was the tree line. From the forest, the sound of insects and other life forms could be heard picking up in level as they adjusted to the miniscule sounds that had been given off by the ship as it landed.

With his eyes and ears attuned to what he hoped was the normal sounds of the early morning forest dwellers, (if this was not normal, then he was already a walking dead man). He lowered a small, transparent visor over his eyes, which used passive sensors in a headband to display energy sources, heat sources, life forms, and acted as night vision glasses. He looked around again to see if there was anything, he should worry about in the forest.

Stepping from under the ships hull, he passed through the protective energy field around the ship. Stopping on the other side, he turned and looked behind him, surveying the now apparently empty field. He nodded to himself, turned back to the forest, hitched up his pack, grasping the rifle by the carry handle and headed stealthy into the forest. As he moved through the underbrush, the uniform colors and the color of his hair changed to match his surroundings to make him virtually invisible.

A little over thirty minutes later, the darkness of the night was giving away to the lighter colors of the coming day. The sounds around him slowly changed as the sounds of the nightlife gave way to the day dwellers. Checking his mini-comp attached to his left forearm, he saw that he had moved to within a mile of the forest edge closest the settlement.

Now making his way to the edge of the forest, he moved slower and carefully through the undergrowth, taking care not to leave a trail or cause any sound that could give himself away to a guard. His head mounted sensors did not show any large life forms anywhere within sensor range, but was starting to pick up the large heat sources beyond the forest edge.

Finally making it to the edge of the forest, he got his first view of what remained of the settlement. Columns of smoke lofted into the air from the many fires burning in the settlement. It did not appear that any of the buildings had escaped the ravages of the fires. Beyond the settlement, down wind, a wall of smoke could be seen far in the distance as a plains grass fire raged and ran downwind from the settlement.

Using his sensors, he did not sense any artificial energy emissions. In several places in the air, flew this planets version of scavenger birds. Not seeing any sight of the attackers, he bowed his head and opened up his senses and searched with his minds eye for any enemy or survivors. Not finding any enemy presence within sensing distance, but finding several life forms that might be survivors, He slowly made his way from the forest edge, staying low and using the underbrush and grass to stay hidden as long as possible.

Stopping at the first of the outlying destroyed homes, he found signs of weapons fire, but no bodies. Moving closer to the settlement, he came across more homes and buildings, all shot-up, and burned.

At the edge of the built-up area, he found the first signs of resistance. Settler and attacker bodies were lying about. It looked like the defenders took many of the attackers with them before falling. The attackers were strange though, they appeared to be augmented with different types of devices grafted to their bodies, not unlike some cyborg he had seen or meet.

There were not many settler bodies to be found, except where points of resistance was found. Opening his senses again, he pinpointed where the life forms were located, off to the right and beyond the settlement. He was becoming depressed and very angry at what he was finding, or yet not finding. There were so few detectable living life forms and not enough bodies to account for the missing settlers, he was starting to believe that they had been taken somewhere and dreading what may be done to them.

Moving faster now, believing the attackers to be gone, he came to the far edge of the built-up area and stopped, shocked at the scene before him.

Flying scavengers and land bound scavengers were fighting over many bodies, from his senses he knew that what survivors were here were in the piles of bodies before him. His rage taking control him, he ran forward, screaming at the scavengers. Lowering the barrel of his rifle, he let loose a barrage of blaster fire at the scavengers. Each shot blasting a scavenger into clouds of gore.

Reaching the group of bodies, he found that all the scavengers either had been destroyed by his accurate fire or had scattered. However, looking around he saw more groups of bodies and more scavengers feeding on what remained of the settlers. Dropping to his knees, holding the rifle in his hands to keep himself from falling to the ground with despair.

From behind him, he heard the roar of gravity generators at full power coming toward him. Looking back, he saw the bow of Tenjin coming over the top of the tall trees. Barrels of the main and secondary guns swiveling around looking for targets.

Suddenly, Tenchi felt the life forces of the few survivors in the area, feeling hope, he runs to the nearest. Finding a before him a pile of bodies of old men and women of several races. He tried to put out of his mind what the attacker's weapons had done to them.

Digging into the pile of still warm bodies, blood making his hands slick and sticky at the same time. He found a young girl at the bottom of the pile still alive. The peoples on top must have shielded her from the worst of the weapons fire. Though the weapons had penetrated to her, she was not badly hurt though she had lost a lot of blood.

Reaching into the pack, he grabbed a medi-pack and placed it on her chest. The pack used sensors built into the base of the pack to sense what was wrong with her and then inject medications to stabilizer her condition till she could heal.

Looking around again using his senses, he found the next live person, rushing over; he started to do what he could to save their lives.

"Tenjin, get down here, get me a hover sled that can navigate the passages to the med bay. We have some survivors here."

"Yes Tenchi, it will be there in less than two minutes," Tenjin said. Sadness could be heard in her voice.

After only ten minutes, he had found all that had survived. Only five people had been found, three children and two old adults. No older teens or healthy adults in their prime could be found. Tenchi hung his head, knowing that they had been taken and he had been too slow getting here to help them.

In his head, over the comm. link embedded there, he heard a voice trying to comfort him. "Tenchi, we did the best we could. We almost burnt out the engines getting here." Tenjin said to him, trying to bring him out of his funk.

"It still hurts, out of over twenty five hundred peoples, we only saved five," Tenchi said with a catch in his voice. Tears rolling down his cheeks.

Moving slowly, Tenchi moved the wounded one by one to the waiting sleds and followed them to the med bay. There he slid them into waiting healing machines, which went to work rebuilding their bodies from the raider's damage.

Moving back to the bridge, Tenchi vocalized his thought, "Tenjin, the best we can do for the dead is keep them away from the scavengers. Use your main guns and incinerate all the bodies you can detect."

"Yes Tenchi, I agree."

Felling the ship vibrate from the recoil of the main guns firing, he brought his hands before him, clapping twice and bowed his head. "Kami-sama, take these souls to you, they did not deserve what happened to them. Even though they knew that coming to an outpost colony was dangerous. They still did not deserve this."

"TENCHI," the loud voice of Tenjin rolled off the walls.

Tenchi's head came up as if he was shot.

"One of my probes have found other survivors. Ten thousand kilometers to the west in a mountain range. More than likely a prospecting or research group!" Tenjin said in an excited voice.

Tenchi's face brightened at this prospect. "ALL RIGHT, as soon as you are done incinerating the bodies, get us moving. At top safe speed."

"All ready done. We are passing Mach Four and still accelerating. ETA to the site is two hours."