Chapter 14
-plots within plots-
Tenchi was not happy, which was an understatement, but with him being Tenchi he kept a tight reign over it. After several minutes of checking Ryoko over, despite her insistence that she was alright, he had taken her hand and dragged her along behind him as they headed for the location Ukyo.
Ryoko followed a long for a minute but then, impatient and worried herself, she teleported them to where Tenchi had indicated Mihoshi had been heading for. When they reappeared they were greeted by a very subdued sight, the blonde was kneeling next to the prone body of the fallen knight, cradling his head in her lap.
She turned her head to look at the couple, tears sliding unchecked down her cheeks. She didn't say a word, she turned her head back to the young knight and held him even tighter. Her sobs were quiet, but they shook her body.
Tenchi shared a look with Ryoko, neither could hide their concern. The Knights that had followed Tenchi finally caught up, they came to a halt upon entering the subdued area. Tenchi knew it would be futile but he quickly spoke to Ryoko, unable to give up just yet. "Ryoko, go get Laurynas bring him back here quick. He will probably be on the medical ship.."
The cyan haired ex-pirate nodded and without a word of argument teleported. The young prince, forced once more into a life and death situation took charge, he turned looking that milling knights and issued orders for half of them to stay here with Mihoshi and Ukyo. The other half he told to follow him.
With that he started the race back to his house, the forest not even slowing his progress. His anger was growing fast, his eyes narrowed with dark thoughts. This was an act that would not go unanswered, he would force the answers from that snake in the grass Tralu.
He came hurtling out of the forest, skidding to a halt surrounded by the knights he had brought with him at the sight of what appeared to be every knight that had been stationed at his house surrounding the large medical ship.
They were in a tight formation not allowing anyone to pass through them, their weapons leveled towards the ship in preparation of some unseen action. Tenchi turned his attention from that to scan the area looking for Washu.
He spotted her, she was on the far side typing furiously at her keyboard, not paying any attention to anything going on beyond what was directly in front of her.
Tenchi quickly ran over to stand next to her, she didn't react to his presence for a moment then spoke up "Ryoko's already made it back to Ukyo."
The young prince nodded watching her type. The red haired scientist paused in her typing and looked up at the young man "Tralu escaped before I could lock the ship down. He does have some power of his own, but I did manage to track his escape pod. It'll take him close to the route Aekea's taking."
Tenchi felt himself tense up slightly in anger at learning that Tralu had escaped. He narrowed his eyes and remained silent as he glared at the ship for several long minutes. When he finally spoke he did it in a controlled tone "We should contact Aekea."
"We can't, they're in communication black out. But I'm contacting Jurai." came Washu's immediate answer.
He closed his eyes and took a slow steadying breath, he didn't know when he had become so angry inside, but it seemed to happen anytime someone hurt his family. He turned away from Washu and stared at the forest. "Can you take care of things here for a little bit?" He needed to calm himself down.
"Of course Tenchi." The red head scientist answered watching the young man walk back off into the forest. She could guess that he needed time to cool down, he was becoming a very angry young man. She could only hope her daughter could help him, because no one else could.
***
The hum of the system was just more evidence to the young man trapped in the room that his plan had failed. He wiped the sweat from his forehead, cursing that nobody had come to see what was going on.
He stared at the screen and felt panic take him, he only had half an hour left. He was going to die, his heart raced and his hands began to tremble, whatever training he had was cast to the side.
He immediately threw himself at the door and attacked it. He slammed his shoulder into it with all of the power that he had, he punched it resulting in a rather sickening sound from his fists. He eventually slumped down the door, his breathing heavy.
"Well Geikan, you sure made Asile proud." He muttered before standing his renewed energy fueled only his pride, and stood, the muscles in his jaw was tight, he would go out like a knight he would not just sit here and let his death come to him.
He spotted a small box tucked away out of view, he guessed it would be the power control system. He had wondered where it was, he approached the control and glared at them. He had only a few minutes left, but he was far to angry to care.
This supplied the power to the room, he didn't know if it would work or not but he laced his fingers together and swung them into it. There was a sickening noise but he repeated the action; his hands going even more numb, but the panel was sparking.
He continued to strike over and over until at last with a flash of light it blew out. It caused the room to brighten for a moment and everything to go louder then suddenly it all went dark, the power suddenly going out of the room.
He blinked the familiar humming of the atmospheric system suddenly died leaving in him complete silence. He hurriedly moved over and checked the screen of the bomb holding his breath. It showed a scant five minutes left.
After several gut wrenching minutes the number remained set and he let out a slow breath, surprised that his last ditch effort had disabled it. He let out a short relieved laugh, it became a more wild manically laugh.
He walked back over to the door, laughing and slumped down to sit on the ground. His laughter soon drifted off, he was still alone, he would freeze without the heating system running. But it was a small price to play and at least he had kept everyone safe.
Most importantly to him he made Asile proud, he closed his eyes his hands throbbing in pain. He would sleep, let death come to him, but he would rest and dream about the one he
***
To Mihoshi everything seemed to stand still, time, the people around her. Her clothes were still stained with Ukyo's blood, he had tried to reassure her that he was fine, but he had been getting so cold.
She had fought Ryoko when she arrived and tried to pull her away from his body. But in the end the knights body slipped from the blondes fingers, she cried, she ranted, raved, cursed Ryoko but finally slumped in the ex-priates grasp.
She watched helpless as Laurynas knelt down over him and began working fevorishly on the young knight, muttering to himself the entire time in a voice that didn't drift past his ears. Mihoshi turned in Ryoko's grasp and bureid her head in the other womans shoulder and broke down completely.
Ryoko didn't know what to do with the blonde, with Tenchi it was easy, but with Mihoshi it was a completely different world. Not that it mattered, all she could do was hold her and wait.
Laurynas shook his head and preformed several quick movements then stopped. He had done all he could for the young knight, he needed to be taken someplace that could give him more care.
He stood, checking the time an hour had passed since he had arrived. He sighed and wiped his hands on his lab coat, smearing blood on it. He carefully approached the women, his face serious.
Ryoko frowned, but didn't say a word. He cleared his throat which caught the crying blonde. He took a breath and then spoke "I've done all I can. He needs more medical attention than I can give here."
Mihoshi tuned him out, her mind once more in a dark place. It had only been like this once before, right before her vaction. She couldn't rememeber the details, but it didn't matter.
Ryoko on the other had was immedately volunteerng, she wanted somehting that she actually knew what to do with. Mihoshi crying had thrown her for to much of a loop.
"I'll have some of the knights transport him. Lady Ryoko I would think it'd best if you would escort Mihoshi back home."
Ryoko nodded missing what he called her, she knew he had a point she was already in postion to just that. Still she forced herself into an emotionless distance.
Laurynas turned and issued the orders needed, the knights responded Without question. The young doctor wiped his forehead and wondered if he was developing uclers sooner than he should, though he couldn't help but feel a large amount of pride that he had the skill to bring someone so close to the edge of death back.
He said a parting word to Ryoko and Mihoshi and then joined the procession of knights as they carried the knight back. Ryoko kept Mihoshi a few minutes behind them and then started towards the house after them.
***
It was amazing how quickly the small ship hurtled throuhg space. It's surface was smooth, shining with the embrozend symbol of the medical ship. It's passanger was silent fuming, how could things go south so quickly?
He drummed his fingers impatiently on the armrest of his chair as the thin holo screen flashed with the council's symbol. He was about to yell when the screen was filled with the familar face of the First Elder.
"What is the matter Elder Tralu?" He asked in his calm voice.
"Things did not go as planned, I was forced to flee."
The man raised an eyebrow slowly, his lips pressing together in a slight scowel. "What happened?"
Tralu took a breath and then told him all that he knew, how the alarm from the shadow Chuugi had been given only minutes before knights began trying to board the ship.
He told how it was by the skin of his teeth that he managed to escape in this ship thanks to that accursed Washu. When he finished he leaned back and closed his eyes letting out a tired sigh.
"Relax, I will have Nosretep retrive you in ten Juraian standard minutes." the calm and soothing voice of the first elder said before the holo-screen once more went blank.
Tralu relaxed, he was not fond of these missions and he was just glad that this one was over. But he was so lost in his thoughts and ideas that he missed the start of the ships self destruct sequence arm with a soft beep.
But the female though artifical voice caught his attention "Desturction in ten..."
He hurriedly tried to disarm it, shouting order and over ride codes, but it did not hesiate once in its count down. As it reached it's pre-determined moment of destruction he realized he had been betrayed by the council.
Before he could utter a curse the ship was ripped apart by an explosion, it lit up the cold vacuum of space like a brief star. It died only to flower out once more, the mass continuing to act as a cataylist.
The process continued for several more long minutes before finally coming to an end. The small particals of iron spread out in a thin disk, but with no gravity to pull them together they merely drifted apart. Nobody would ever see Tralu again.
***
Chijiro tossed and turned in his bed, it was very comfortable, but tonight it was like a bed of stone. He couldn't get comfortable, nor could he get his mind to calm down. It was so lost in thought that it was pathetic, his thoughts turned in an endless circle about the kiss between him and Aekea, Earth, Baiko, everything.
He sat up and muttered a curse knowing he would not be get any sleep. He got out of bed and left his bedroom, his handsome face mired with a frown. He grabbed a bottle filled with a thick, white liquid and poured himself a drink. It was a drink designed to sooth ones mind and to get to sleep.
He downed it with one gulp and then set the glass back down on the counter, he gave it a few moments but it didn't have an effect so he poured himself another drink, this to did not have an effect. He muttered to himself, and poured himself yet another drink.
He thought about Bakio and he could only hope that the knight had a very good reason for doing what he did. He frowned and propped his head up on his hand leaning against the counter.
He closed his eyes and forced himslef to turn his thoughts to Aekea. He smiled remembering how she looked, smelt, even tasted. He wanted to revel in it, wanted her, he was addicted to her and all they had done was shared one kiss.
His heart raced more and more from the mere thought of her in his arms. He was intoxicated by her, he took a breath clearing his mind. Ignoring the glass he finished off his drink, he had drank the entire bottle and he was still tightly wound. He resisted the urge to throw it and instead he left the bottle where he sat and retrived a book he had borrowed from Prince Yosho's private libaray.
Holding the thick book that was bound in a wood cover that looked and felt like leather he settled into a chair ing his room. With the lights dimmed he opened the book and ran his finger along the ancient Juraian as he read.
He got so immeressed in it that he forgot everything, he read for hours upon hours before finally his eyes got so heavy and his vision so blurry that he closed the book and put it to the side.
He was about to stand and move to the bed, but he couldn't the sleep that he had sought finally caught up with him. He yawned and gave up, settling instead to sleep where he was and soon he passed into a dreamless sleep.
***
Aekea sat behind her mother brushing her long blue hair, it was a recently renewed common practice between them. It was especially important now for Misiki, she need something to make her feel normal. Aekea didn't mind, she needed to take her mind off everything that had been happening.
Her mother chattered in her make believe fantasy world voice, she often used it when things were going badly. Aekea was quiet used to hearing it as of late, she was quite happy to play along with it.
Currently her mother was talking about Aekea's wedding, planning things out in great detail. Aekea made the appropriate noises when necessary, agreeing with her mother.
It was a nice dream, but she was distracted by her own inner thoughts, however she could handle the conversation with her mother with ease. Her mother finally fell quiet, tired of talking. She seemed to want to just enjoy the presence of her daughter.
""Mother, what do you really think of Chijiro?"" suddenly asked Aekea, her voice filling the void of the room. It had been something she'd been wondering for a long time.
Her mother remained quiet for a moment and then answered her ""He is a nice young man. A good suitor, honorable."" She silently added 'and much better for you than Yosho's grandson.'
Aekea nodded some finishing with her mothers hair ""I think I'm falling in love with him..."" she admitted quietly.
Her mother turned to look at her and smiled a little. ""Really? That is wonderful.""
Aekea sighed and shook her head. ""But Tenchi..."
Her mother frowned and shook her head. ""Are you still pining for him? He is not for you, Tsunami has shown that."" She paused and sighed ""I know your heart still feels for him, that is normal, but you must realize you two have separate futures that are not intimate. Chijiro and you will have a bright future, a happy one.""
Aekea nodded keeping her emotions from showing, she knew her mother was right. She also felt it, but she still wanted it to be untrue. She did not like having to start all over again, to be uncertain of the future was not what she wanted.
She rose and leaned forward kissing her mother on her forehead. ""I should go to my chambers, it's late and we both need our rest.""
Her mother nodded and watched as her daughter gracefully walked out of her room. Misaki stood pulling off her dressing robe, she stretched then climbed into bed.
She enjoyed the feel of the cool silk sheets against her bare skin, it was a habit she had developed when she was younger and had never bothered to stop not that she had any incintive her husband never complained.
She rolled over pulling the covers and pillows tighter to her and quickly went to asleep. But even in her sleep her sadness could not be held back for long and a single lone tear trailed down her cheek as she dreamed about her daughter Saasmai.
***
Tenchi sat quietly on the forest ground, the sky was dark. The sun had set a few hours ago, but he didn't really care, he knew Ryoko would be worried about him but he needed time to think. Assassination attempts on his family, attempts on his friends lives, things were spiraling out of control.
He sighed, if Ryoko hadn't been Ryoko she would have been killed. She could have been anyway, it was obvious that they had more to deal with than just assassins. He knew that Ryoko hadn't thought about it, but the date they had set for their wedding was getting close.
He shook his head and closed his eyes. Sasami was still in her coma, he wished he could bring her out of it. He wished a lot of things, but it was looking more and more like he and his family would have to go to Jurai to settle things, because some how he didn't think the council was behind all the assassinations.
He opened his eyes and picked up a rock from next to him and he held it up. He studied it closely whispering to himself 'Be like the rock Tenchi, still, constant, hard, unfeeling, unnoticeable.' he frowned that had been a lesson from his grandfather "Old man definitely succeeded in being like the rock, he moves for nothing and he feels nothing." he said coldly to himself.
Suddenly all of his anger, his emotions welled up and broke free, there was a warming in his hand and then small rotating blue energy beams radiated out of the rock before his Juraian energy shattered it.
He closed his eyes and winced slightly as the bits of rocks hit him, they stung but didn't break his skin, though some punched there way through tree trunks.
He stood up, feeling upset, angry and worried. He approached a rather old tree and looked up at it, he reached out putting his hand on its rough bark 'I should be like this tree, strong, unbending, giving life and shelter. I should never be like the rock.' he smiled and sat down his back against it and closed his eyes.
He felt a humming song begin in his mind, it was soft and soothing. He smiled slowly listening to it and began to hum along, whatever he had been feeling was gone now with a sense of comfort and happiness.
All that existed right then was not his grandfather, not the assassins, just his family. Mihoshi, Washu, Kiyone, Sasami, Aekea, Ukyo, and most importantly Ryoko.
The humming drifted off and part of him felt saddened. But he stood letting out a slow sigh, Ryoko. He needed to go see her, be with her. He needed to check on his family. He checked his watch, it was about eight now, he started back home passing through the darkened forest.
***
Baiko made his way along the deck, the other knights had given him a wide berth this was due to his station and the look of a sharp temper waiting to be unleashed. He had spent the time since his lord had ordered him to find Geikan in these accursed decks.
He paused, this section seemed to be without power. He approached the deck control display and tapped out the commands checking to see what the problem was. The power had shut down as a safety precaution, but someone had disabled the error reporting system on this deck.
He frowned, then started walking down the deck. He shivered every so often, without the power flowing this part of the ship was extremely cold. He paused entering the access codes then remembering that the power was out used the manual override to open the doors.
Each room he checked was empty, dark and cold. Something was definitely wrong about this whole situation. By the time he checked twentynine of the thiry rooms on this deck he was very concerned.
He paused outside the final room on this deck and checked the listing the atmosphereic station control room. He frowned and entered the manual override commands and forced the door open.
He blinked as a body fell backwards across his foot. He knelt down to check on the prone form of the knight adept knowing full well who it would have to be.
He stood leaving the knight where he lay, he would make it but it was an ify cal, but he needed to know what had happened. He entered the dark room catiously, the emergency lights were finally kicking in.
He saw the ruined power contorl panel, that told him part of the story at least. He frowned and wondered why he had done that, it was another mystery to be added to the ones already before him.
With slow steps he paced the room, checking to see what else he could discern. He paused seeing the emergency light reflect of screen. He produced a small tube and pushed a button a beam of light appearing.
What he found made him boil in anger, it was a display frozen at five minutes. He preformed a quick check finding that it was attached to the power supply, which meant that Gekian had done something few would have been willing to.
This also explained why he was locked in here and why the error reporting system was shut off. He frowned, this did not make any sense. He would have to report this to his lords father.
He quickly disabled the device incase the power was restored and then returned to Geikan's still body. Bakio pulled out his communicator and contacted the medical bay, he quickly relayed the status of the patient he would be bringing in.
He scooped the young adept up and started off down the hallway. Thankfully the boy may have been frozen, but he was still alive.
When he reached the medical bay the doctors were there and waiting, he placed the young adept on the bed and stepped back allowing the doctors to do there work.
He watched brefily as they gave him treatments he couldn't even begin to understand, then asking them to let him know when the young man was out of the danger, he turned and left.
As he strode down the hallway, he shook his head thinking that maybe his sister wasn't so stupid in picking who she was dating, she could certainly do worse.
***
Ukyo was drifting in a liquid nothingness, it was soothing but it was not normal. He knew he was unconscious, mainly because he was floating in a liquid nothingness.
He went with it, no use in fighting it. Besides he doubted he could anyway he didn't feel like he had the energy.
He closed his eyes, loosing himself in the motion he was taking as he drifted. It was like being a small child floating down the river, it was a very claiming feeling.
His mind replayed the last moments before he lost consciousness, the searing pain in his stomach, the deafness in his ear.
Mihoshi.
At the mere thought of the blonde he felt his heart pick up it's pace of beating, he concentrated on her. Her face, her eyes, her body, her voice. With each passing moment his heart was beating faster and faster.
He began to struggle against the liquid nothingness, because once he though of her it felt as if it was trying to grab him, to keep him in it's cool embrace. 'This is death.' he thought to himself and he struggled all the harder.
He could feel it tightening trying to hold him, then he saw her, Sasami. She was crying, huddled in a small circle of light, the liquid darkness trying to get in but unable to.
He yelled her name, he fought his way towards her, unsure where he was, but knowing now that the liquid darkness was death. The darkness was un-giving, he had to struggle and fight for all he was worth to make it to her light. He felt the darkness recoil from him and the light as he touched it.
The small princess looked up at him surprised as the knight stood there, he was lost. But maybe he could bring her back, if nothing else he could give his life to bring her back. He started forward, but she seemed terrified. "Stay back!" her voice sounded small and afraid.
He held his hands out and crouched down low. "Princess Sasami, it's me." She stared at him with disbelieving eyes. He continued to speak "You've had us worried, you've been in a coma for a long time."
She looked at him and shook her head, her eyes had a far away look. When she spoke her voice was not Sasami's it was different, full of power. "You do not belong here. You must go, back to the world of living things."
He paled slowly and held his hand out towards her. "So do you. Come with me."
The small princess shook her head, her eyes not changing nor the power in the voice dimishing. "No, not yet. I will return soon. But you must go back, you must be prepared for what is coming. "
He started to say something but he felt his body go light, he scrambled surprised and scared. However the princess didn't react, she kept her eyes locked on him, watching him drift upwards, away from her. He left her circle of light, but the liquid darkness recoiled away from him.
He sat up his mouth open as if in scream then he fell back and flopped on the table, he was back. He could taste the air, the coppery tang of his blood. He coughed then felt hands grabbing him, he tried to speak but he couldn't get his mouth to work.
His vision was blurry, he blinked trying to clear it.
He jerked feeling a needle pierce the skin in the bend of his arm. He continued to struggle, but the hand continued to hold him down, he looked around his ears finally hearing a dull whisper.
He concentrated, closing his eyes, the whisper grew louder. ""The knight is having a reaction to the medication.""
Ukyo suddenly jerked sending one set of hands flying away to smash into something that made a loud crashing noise. There was another set on him and he felt yet another needle entering his arm.
""Quick. Sedate him already.""
He felt the fight ebbing from him, his body relaxing, his mind began to drift. He opened his eyes and rolled his head to the side, he locked eyes with Mihoshi.
She was standing there, being held back by Ryoko. He tried to say her name but it wouldn't come out, he closed his eyes and settled for a smile.
Then he looked back up seeing that it was Laurynas working on him. He closed his eyes and drifted off. He was alive, he was not going to die. Mihoshi needed him.
***
Tenchi walked into the house and paused, it was silent, almost to silent. He slipped his shoes off and headed for the stairs going to check and see if Ryoko was there. He was greeted by Washu almost immdeately.
Her face was serious, as was her body posture. She kept her gaze on him unwavering and when she spoke it was in a clam tone "Tenchi, Mihoshi and Ukyo are on board the medical ship, Ryoko's with them." Tenchi nodded and she continued. "You knew he was dieing." She said it in a nuteral tone.
Tenchi nodded not saying a word, he turned as if to go back out to check on Ryoko, but Washu cleared her throat. When the young lord turned back around she continued this time in a quieter tone "Katsuhito is here." she nodded towards the door to the living room and then looked saddened "He is waiting for you."
Tenchi stared at her blankly for a moment and then slowly nodded "Thank you..." With that Tenchi turned and entered the living room.
He walked quietly, finding the old priest standing at the window looking out. Tenchi spoke in a quiet tone "Hello grandfather."
The old priest didn't turn, just continued to look out the window. There was a moment of silence and then he responded his voice the same as always "Hello Tenchi."
The young man approached slowly, he did not want his grandfather here in his house, but he couldn't just kick him out. He stopped standing just behind the older Masaki.
Katsuhito spoke quietly "Tenchi, sometimes a very old tree is unable to show what it is feeling. Sometimes the tree seemed dead and cold, but it still feels; it just cannot show it."
Tenchi shook his head staring at his grandfathers back "I used to enjoy your cryptic way of speaking, your coolness no matter the circumstances. No emotion in fighting, but now it makes me feel sick." he fell quiet and then continued "I tried so hard to be just like you, so much of the stress I felt came from that. In a fight your way is good, it is probably the best way to fight, it makes you unreadable, but life is not a battle, at least not always."
Katsuhito turned to look at his grandson and frowned ever so slightly "You understand so much and so little. Life is always a battle, you must never allow your emotions to show otherwise you loose the battle, be it with bokkens, swords or the Light Hawk Wings."
Tenchi shook his head and sighed "Your my grandfather, your part of my family. I do love you, but I can not accept that. Life is not always a battle unless you make it."
It was the older priests turn to shake his head and sigh "You will see Tenchi, you will realize, for you it won't be that difficult. But for Ryoko and the others it will be a painful realization." he gave his grandson a mysterious look and then walked past his grandson, barely ruffling his clothes. He disappeared from the house without a sound.
Tenchi shook his head, his grandfather was wrong. He felt it in his heart that he was, he looked out the window seeing that he was looking at his grandfathers tree.
He titled his head and turned feeling a sudden sense of melancholy sweep over him. He needed to go check on Ryoko and see how things were going.
***
Azusa shifted on the heavy chair that looked very much like a throne in his private chambers, his face a stone mask of impassiveness. Funaho was asleep in their bed, which was fine with him. He needed to think, he had several matters on his mind, not the least of which was his wife and daughter. Things were becoming very dangerous.
Parts of the puzzle before him seemed to be of several different types. He thrummed his fingers on his ancient wooden desk, something was nagging at him. He was felt that he knew who was trying to kill his family, but he couldn't figure out why he felt that or who it was. He dared not mention it to his wife, she would dismiss it as him being paranoid.
Which he was, but then again that was part of how he had managed to become and stay emperor of Jurai. He trusted nobody but his immediate family, they're loyalty was beyond doubt in his mind. The only one that he held in a small part with distrust was Chijiro, but then he told himself that was because he was taking his daughter away.
He narrowed his eyes, thinking about her daughter inevitably lead to thinking about Yosho's grandson Tenchi. He made a noise clearing his throat and muttered "Looks like me indeed." He shifted in his seat again, his wife Funaho had mentioned that Tenchi looked very much like him when he had been younger.
He was pulled from his thoughts by a beeping. He looked at his desk seeing a small light blinking, he pushed the button the screen on his desk coming to life, it showed a dancing red crab and he muttered "Washu." The screen was soon filled with the red haired scientist who was looking much to serious for his liking.
Her eyes looked tired, but she did not act as if she was. "What is it?" He barked it quietly not wanting to wake up his wife in the next room.
She didn't give him a smile, she just remained a cold and impassive woman " Thought you might like to know, There was just an assassination attempt on Ryoko."
The emperor gave her a twisted smile settling back in his chair "That is good news."
"Well, she is going to be a member of the royal family so I thought it might interest you." Washu said in matter of fact way.
Azusa sat up and sighed putting his elbow on the armrest of his chair and rested his head on his hand looking disappointed "Of course, you do enjoy ruining an old man's few joys in life." he shook his head and closed his eyes thinking then opened them once more "So, I assume that the assassins are dead?"
Washu nodded "Yes, but we know who was behind this attack, a member of the Holy Council."
Azusa seemed to suddenly pay full attention to Washu, his face looking heated "Which one?"
"Second Elder Tralu." she said it plainly watching as the emperor seemed to grow more livid looking.
"The Holy Council of Jurai has made an attempt on the Royal Family?" He brought his hand down hard on the desk making it creak under the blow. His face flushed a bright red in anger. "I will make them regret this day." His anger was growing by leaps and bounds.
He took a deep breath trying to regain control over himself, when he succeeded he looked at the scientist on his screen his eyes narrowed "I will take it from here." he didn't wait for her response he jabbed the off button. He rose, his breathing heavy and thick, he entered his room and seeing Funaho still asleep he looked out the window.
He was not hot headed enough to go off in the middle of the night to face the council, that would be dangerous from them and shameful for the royal family. First thing tomorrow though he would go and the council would answer for its crime. He changed into his sleeping attire and slid into bed next to his wife.
With a deep breath to calm himself he closed his eyes and forced himself to relax and drift off to sleep.
***
First elder Meikan frowned as he sat in the dark council chambers, the large table was deserted. He rubbed his forehead, things were growing much to complicated. He heard the rustling of clothes but didn't react, whoever it was stayed in the darkness of the chambers.
""The plans are going ahead?"" the owner of the voice was male.
""Yes, but things are growing more complicated. But our bargain will be kept."" Meikan responded sounding tired, which he was. He shook his head sighing ""Plots within plots are so very confusing.""
There was no reaction to his statement so he knew he was left alone once more. He rose slowly and turned, he knew the future that he was facing. Either he kept his arrangement and helped the ambitious lord in removing the Royal family and become the only elder of the council or the entire Council would be removed from power and be killed by the Emperors decree.
It was a shame to lose Tralu, but he needed a plausible deniability about the elder. Ryoko seemed to have thrown a wrench into everything, all she had to do was die, then while the royal family on earth was grieving a carefully placed bomb could take care of them, leaving only the emperor and his wife Queen Funaho.
He walked down the hallway quietly, lost deep in thought. The bomb on the ship may still serve it's purpose, if the knight did as he had been told it could still be used. The first elders mind raced with trying to find a way to salvage the situation, he stopped at the entrance hall and stepped out into the darkness of the Juraian night. He approached his hover vehicle, his driver getting out to open the door so that he could climb in.
He settled into the backseat and sighed laying his head back listening to the soft hum of the engine. He quietly told his driver to take him home. He closed his eyes his mind still working on how to work things out, this branch of the royal family seemed especially hard to kill.
Of all their attempts they had only manage to inflict serious damage to the youngest of the Masaki House; and still it was not serious enough to kill her. He sighed this meant that the entire plan would hinge on the bomb on board the ship with Aekea and Misaki.
It was a long ride back to his house, by the time he reached it he had figured out how to salvage the plot, now all he had to do was inform the knight of the changes to take place. He sighed and climbed out of his car and headed into his sprawling home, the house was ancient and lavish. Far removed from the cities of Jurai it was the only truly safe place outside of the council chambers for him to talk freely.
He climbed the spiraling marble stair case upwards then down a long narrow hallway, intricately carved wooden walls making him feel at home. He entered his chambers and quietly prepared for bed. Tomorrow, when he got up he would send the orders for what was to be done.
He climbed into bed and fell almost instantly asleep, sure that what he was doing was best for Jurai. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
AR:
Feana: I'm glad to have pleased. I'll try and keep it how you want it. Hope ya enjoyed this chapter
Kryo2000: Well I am glad to hear that you enjoyed this chapter. I hope that I can continue to build things up like I am. Expect More Ryoko battles sometime soon, just more plot stuff first. Yes, I do I hope you enjoy it.
hyperdude: Glad you liked it. And as said before, it's one of the ways I saw for spelling her name on an official name list and used it.
Shang-Griffin-Ryoko: Thanks and I hope things don't disappoint.
alighthawk: I'm glad you enjoyed it, I hope you enjoyed this latest chapter. I hope that I can keep up the magic that I've seem to have developed.
Burning Ember: Thanks.
mjeb: One of the longest reviews I've ever gotten. It's quiet alright I can understand that completely. Sorry to disappoint since I'm not finished, but I'm getting closer. Patience is a virtue, remember that. I'm glad that it's one of the best fics around in your opinion. Well I've been writing Tenchi fics for 3 years, and I am a Tenchi fanatic (I keep up and try to know all I can about it) I've seen the IRLAH's and the IALRH's and every other type, and while I'm a Nekoshipper I never thought that Aekea was evil or a royal 'witch' (though royals at times can and have to act that way) She is a part of the family and she would always want what was best for Tenchi. As for Chijiro, nope she actually got what she deserved, a decent guy that loved her and not her position. As for it being corny; so sue me. I like being corny at times. Also if anyone throws anything expect things to be thrown back. I treat Aekea and all the characters with the utmost respect, its due them. Thank you for the good luck and I will try to take my time, quality not quantity is what I strive for. PS- Actually I didn't start naming the chapters until about the seventh or eight. Feel free to submit a name that you feel is good for one of the nameless chapters.
Asuka Anime: Thanks, I find as I go along I get fewer and fewer reviews. As for what you pointed out, your right I did screw up with that part. But Ryoko's Ryoko so she could have phased into her school uniform when they reached the school.
AN:
Short chapter this time around, It just came out this way, sorry. Hopefully you won't hold it against me, this holiday was not relaxing at all. So my vacation was pointless, but fear not I will continue on.
As for the assassination plots, many of you may be thinking that the Council was behind all of them, that is wrong and yet right at the same time. Just stick around and you'll see what I mean.
Now please review, a lot. Without your reviews, I loose my drive to continue. A few kind words, it takes just a few minutes and it makes me feel so very good. Please review this and any other author you read and like. I have enough dignity not to beg, but I am asking nicely for a review.
Sincerely,
Geor-sama
A Nekoshipper