I don't own any of Rumiko Takahashi's or Jack Chalker's works. They are just borrowed.
P.S. Don't own Tenchi either.
On The Other Hand, You Have Different Fingers.
Ranma of the Dancing Gods
Chapter 4: Illegitimus non tatum corundum
Nabiki moved undetected through the corridors of the installation. She was positive that it was somewhere in the US because of the language, dry air and uniforms. She needed much more info, though, so she explored the corridors and walls, listening to conversations and reading open material at unoccupied desks. Her father and Ranma's mother had been in cells near her own and she left them there, just memorizing the location. While there were quite a few people working here…and it appeared to be a mix of civilian and military, there were large areas above and belowground that seemed unoccupied. Her fellow rats had seemed to have gained access to it all, even the clean and shiny refurbished sections. All of the doors had a two inch gap at the bottom and this was a blind spot she exploited with abandon.
Genma was discovered as she passed through the hospital section. She watched as they discussed the transformation of micro flora in the gut from human to panda. Nabiki gave a rat smirk as they gave the fat man a really large enema, collected samples, then repeated the procedure after applying cold water. 'Too bad he's sedated. Hope he feels it when he wakes up.' She thought. 'Maybe I can get the computer files on their research before we leave.' She went on, leaving Genma at the tender mercies of the researchers.
Nabiki found Akane and Yoshi together in a lab. They were huddled in a corner cage with nothing but straw to lay in and no more sanitary facilities than she'd had herself. She saw three cameras on the cage and listened in on the conversation between two techs and a military type.
Military guy said, "Okay, you say water hasn't triggered any changes. However, we have on camera that these subjects changed shape repeatedly. We need to know how they are doing this and soon. National security demands that we understand and control this ability, what if some terrorist were able to change into a poisonous snake and bite the president." 'Not to mention, we'd be able to take out all the competition and make the world safe for democracy and never worry about losing our majority in congress or the presidency.'
Tech one responded, "We plan to run a full scale of analysis on the subjects over the next few days, switching to more invasive procedures in four days, when you get a couple of japanese translators for the direct brain stimulation procedures. I feel that it would be nice to have the subjects verbal reactions before the electrodes degrade the mental capacity of the girl, if that is what she is, Colonel Murdock."
Tech two interjected, "All normal human subjects lasted about an hour before going into convulsions, followed by a coma under the intense brain probes."
Murdock then said, "Well then, when you're done probing her, she won't mind a live autopsy." He said with a grin. "By the way the Japanese translator that has been cleared for your use will be here as soon as the president finishes his visit to Tokyo." Nabiki etched this man's face into her memory for either pain application or avoidance. She left knowing that she had maybe three days to figure something out. If she were human, Nabiki knew she would be on the verge of a breakdown. She continued her careful exploration of the facility.
Nabiki was checking out a receiving bay when a high security convoy showed up. Curious as to what would cause this level of activity, she watched the proceedings from an HVAC register. A number of 'suits' stood by as a small, cerulean blue haired girl with long ponytails stepped out of the van, cuffed but holding a strange rabbit like creature to her chest. Though disappointed that it wasn't Ranma, her heart went out to the little girl and she determined to find out why they would treat someone like that.
Her ears and nose followed the party to the holding cell for the little girl. She had been out for nearly a day and wondered why they hadn't put out more of an alarm than they had when they found her to be missing. To be as paranoid as they were, these gaijins were sure missing the boat, unless they were sure that no one could survive an escape. Nabiki waited for the people to leave, chewing through the camera cables inside the walls while she waited, and implemented a plan of opportunity.
The mercenary girl was glad that she understood english and the kidnappers didn't understand Japanese, yet. She overheard the girl talking to her companion in Japanese and got the feeling from the conversation that it was more than a pet. "…Ryo Ohki, I'm sure that Washu will find us somehow and just because I can't feel Tsunami and you can't hear Ryoko doesn't mean that we'll never see them again." "Miya!" the creature said in a plaintive tone.
Nabiki went to get her 'partner'. A few minutes later she was herding a juvenile rat into the room and boxed it into a corner. She mashed the flash switch on a bolt sticking up from the concrete floor. On the third try she succeeded and quickly grabbed the rat by the scruff. Finger to lips Nabiki whispered. "Hey kid, I'm here to help you." The girl came over and took Nabiki into a hug. "I'm Nabiki, I gather that's Ryo Ohki, and you are…?"
"Oh, right, I'm Sasami, second princess of Jurai. Ryo Ohki is Ryoko's cabbit ship and we were travelling home when a naked singularity pulled us in. It left us here on earth, but we couldn't contact our family. Its like they were never here."
The young girl started crying and Nabiki tenderly grasped her and said, "I don't understand everything you've talked of, but I and my family will do our best to help."
"Well, Ryo Ohki had to crash land and was damaged. It will be a while before she finishes repairing herself. Otherwise we could fly away."
"Sasami, we don't have time. There are some very bad people here as well as people just following orders. I can get you two out, but you will be changed for the rest of your lives. You see, I can change into whatever living thing I touch if I'm exposed to the right light and my little friend here is how we'll get out of here. You will be able to change too, and eventually have good control of it, but I have to get you out of here pretty quickly. For this to work, I have to bite you enough to draw blood. Are you willing to join the ranks of the were people?"
"I just want to get away from here and you seem really nice. I don't think that you would do anything to deliberately hurt me."
"Okay, I have to bite both of you enough to draw blood and then change you. First…" She took the rat and gave it to the little cabbit. "Hold onto this guy, he's important to us." The cabbit held the rat gently in her forepaws. She took the blue haired girl's hand and strobed the were flash.
Sasami gasped, looking at herself looking back. Nabiki took Sasami's hand to her mouth and raised an eyebrow. The girl nodded and Nabiki bit with a canine just enough to break the girl's skin. Nabiki strobed the dayflash and repeated the process with the cabbit while Sasami held the rat.
"Okay, we're ready, Sasami, hold the rat." Nabiki removed the wereflash and carefully strobed it against the little girl's skin. She grabbed the rat and released it. "Ryo Ohki, hold Sasami for a bit." The cabbit held the little rat girl and shrank to join her on the floor. Placing the button back to her stomach, Nabiki said, "Now its my turn, just follow me and watch out for the people." The two rats nodded as Nabiki touched Sasami and strobed herself.
They hurried to where Akane and Yoshi were being held, traveling through walls and ducts. Nabiki was glad to be doing something to get free, finally, but she wished that Ranma were here. There was an entrance to the cage that held Yoshi and Akane that was hidden by the straw. Peeking out, Nabiki was angered again by how these people were treating them like animals, however, she put those feelings away. Daylight was only a few hours away and they needed to be well away before that happened.
Nabiki crept out and with a greater effort strobed the dayflash, recovering her human form. "Nabiki, where? How?" queried a tired Akane."
"Shush. We're trying to get out." Nabiki took Sasami and placed her on Yoshi's back and quickly used the wereflash on the dog. She then handed Yoshi to Akane. "Just follow my lead…"
At that point a tech walked into the lab with a number of instruments. In English, she spoke, "What's going on, how did you get in here?" Nabiki replied in the same language, "What you think? You kidnap us and take us from home country. We not animals." She wereflashed Akane and picked up Yoshi after replacing the were flash on her tummy. "We go now. You not stop us." The woman ran to the cage and began to sort through her keys until she noticed that no one was left in the cage.
Nabiki, Sasami, Ryo Ohki and Akane herded Yoshi as fast as they could to Nodoka's cell. Nabiki strobed herself quickly, showing the benefits of practice. Nodoka ran over to Nabiki and glomped her. "Oh dear, I was so worried about you, have you seen the others?"
"Everyone's fine for now Auntie." Nabiki took the dayflash and said, "Come on out now." And strobed the four rats. Akane grabbed Nabiki in a tearful hug and Yoshi bounced around. Sasami picked up Ryo Ohki and watched the reunion with tears filling her eyes.
Nodoka saw Sasami's tears from across the room and rushed to hug the girl to comfort her. The cabbit was caught by surprise and bit Nodoka on the wrist in defense of the princess. Ranma's mother let go and saw the cabbit, "I'm sorry little one, I just wanted to comfort your mistress." Nabiki went to Nodoka and looked at her bleeding wrist and at the cabbit, who looked abashed at her own loss of control.
"Uhh. Auntie, I hope that you're open minded to this but Ryo Ohki, there, is now a were and thanks to that bite, so are you. I'm sorry, but this has gotten so out of control." Nodoka blink blinked for a few moments and collapsed as her mind reset. Nabiki caught her auntie and placed her on the cot. As she leaned against the wall, she wondered again as to why there was no great hue and cry of people in the labyrinth searching for the missing shapeshifters.
It was at that moment that a wave of 'something' passed through the now crowded cell. Nabiki's hair stood straight out 'everywhere on her body and the wereflash on her tummy popped and got hot. The light bulb and camera blew out, plunging everything into darkness. She reached under her shirt and tossed it, the battery catching fire providing a dying light. Ryo Ohki let out a pained "MIYAAAAA!" Shaking, she looked and saw that everyone's hair had acted the same. Immediately following this, a krrump was felt more than heard and dust shook out through cracks in the ceiling and walls. Nabiki quickly tore a strip from the cot's mattress and carefully lit it on the dying ember that had been the wereflash's battery. Nabiki ruefully said, "Well folks, there went our easy ticket out of here. On the good side, I'm willing to bet that Ranma is here.
Sasami was cradling the cabbit, which seemed to be recovering fairly quickly. She began to speak, "Nabiki, that was a fairly strong electromagnetic pulse. It probably destroyed everything electronic in the whole place."
"I think you're right Sasami. Akane, how are you feeling?"
"I'm about ready to kick some pervert butt. Those drugs they used on me left me feeling sick, but I'm getting better."
"Why don't you open the door for us then."
"Sure thing sis, here goes." Akane approached the door and manifested a really huge mallet and cried out "Pervert CRUSHER!" and virtually disintegrated the door. Everyone sweatdropped at the appearance of such a display of 'righteous' retribution. Then Nabiki realized that the wind of the attack had blown out her makeshift torch.
"Way to go, little sis. I hope that you can keep glowing, otherwise we'll be stumbling around in the dark."
Akane winked out, bringing darkness. After a few seconds her aura returned, looking like red and yellow flames rolling off of her with bits of dust flashing as the motes incinerated on contact with the glow. Nabiki broke off the legs of the cot and wrapped mattress fabric around each. Jamming one into the flaring aura brought back the improvised light source. Akane winked out again, panting from the effort to maintain the aura without adrenaline.
Nabiki took the lead again. "Akane, please get Auntie and bring her until she wakes up. We're going to Daddy's cell. If Ranma's here, I want all of us to be together. 'Uncle Saotome can just find his own way.' The middle Tendo left to get her father as the rest of the group followed.
The plane had begun its final approach to the airstrip that the US government denied the existence of. The pilot and copilot were going through their routine as their passengers got prepared. The sun had gone down earlier and as dark and the nearly full moon had taken over the skies four kauri checked to make sure of the crew's unwavering loyalty. There were now about four hours till dawn. Ranma felt a little guilt at manipulating the two men, but, until the family was rescued, it was war.
The pigtailed martial artist turned Kauri was in male form for the operation. Gos, Ukyo and Kasumi were enough to immobilize a battalion of men and he could handle the women, though he was thankful that physical contact was not required. "Okay, these guys say that the whole place is monitored by electronics and most doors are controlled by computers. I think that once we get inta the heart of it, I'll use a technique I made ta blind Nabiki's spy cameras, I just won't hold back."
"Okay sugar, when we find them What next?"
"From what I can sense from here, there are several ki presences down there with the were 'hook'. As long as Kas-chan's flashlights work, a bunch of kauri can carry th' others ta some place safe. I'll let Nabiki figure out how ta get us home."
The plane settled down on a surprisingly smooth runway and taxied toward a fairly large hangar that opened up to reveal at least thirty soldiers with their weapons ready. Ranma spoke, "Get down, when I say it knock out everyone that ya can reach."
The plane pulled in and two men ran out and chocked the wheels and placed a ramp to the cargo door. As the door began to open, they heard a shout in Japanese, and the soldiers began dropping their weapons and groaning in what sounded like pleasure. A couple developed nosebleeds and then all were unconscious after a couple of minutes. The kauri finished opening the door and calmly walked as a group to the elevator in the corner knowing that whoever was watching the cameras would be preparing a 'surprise' where it exited.
To say that Colonel Murdock was aggravated would have been an understatement as big as saying the sun's surface was just hot. "Those…those humanoid…butterflies must have taken out the squad with gas. Get reinforcements over there with anti-Cs and masks. I want them taken down!" The squad that had been waiting for them at the elevator's exit got the same treatment as the ones in the hangar. As they exited the elevator and walked toward the control center, Ranma spotted two soldiers that weren't unconscious but wrapped in a liplock that would require a crowbar to break. Ranma finished putting them into happy dreamland while pondering a thought one of them sent to him, unknowingly, 'Don't ask, don't tell…whatta they mean by that?'
They met Colonel Murdock's special squad and 'gassed' them in spite of their protection. By now the colonel's untrained battle aura was almost visible and Ranma's ki senses picked up the individual responsible for kidnapping his family. His head snapped like a compass toward Murdock and the control room. He looked at a camera and smirked, "Kas-chan, make sure the flash lights are in subspace and everyone back up."
Murdock watched the fairy on the monitor look up at him and point cupped hands to the side. He saw a large spinning blue ball of energy form. The ball compressed down to the size of a marble and shot out. The monitor shook and a foot wide section of the four foot thick, reinforced concrete wall surrounding the control room disintegrated. "What the hell!" he said with genuine fright.
Ranma said, "Now to take this place 'off line'!" He began to draw ki from his environment. His fingers spread and lightnings began to dance between the walls and his fingers and wings. His arms came around to a position parallel to each other and in line with his previous blast. Ranma's bare feet left the floor and his wings spread to their maximum reach and he appeared to be suspended in a huge vibrating corona ball. "SAOTOME ULTIMATE MAGNETIC WAVE" was heard and it all winked out. They saw Ranma laying on the floor. As Kasumi went to pick him up, he jumped up on his own and said, "RUN" and lead them off toward where he knew that the kidnappees were being held. They felt an increasing vibration in the floor, and Ranma blasted doors and walls that got in his way to get further from the epicenter of what he knew was going to be one 'nasty' low frequency pulse matching the electromagnetic storm that was coming.
They were almost to their goal when the pulses returned after bouncing off a thermocline in the earth's mantle. The whole installation shook and everything in the same dimensional space that depended on electricity shorted out and literally fried in the bubbling insulation. The smell of cooked electronics in the control room was a minor irritation next to what the low frequency pulses were doing to the human digestive systems. Murdock felt as if the tube of his digestive tract were being squeezed like a tube of tooth paste. He soiled his pants until the sour smell told him that the contents of his stomach were being forced past his anal sphincter. He began to add his screams to those of every one within three hundred feet of ground zero. The magnetic anomaly only went out for several miles because Ranma focused it tightly, otherwise, he could have taken out the entire western US.
The group stopped to rest around Ranma whose blue aura lit up the darkness. He addressed the group while he replenished his ki, "They're all okay about two walls that way. I just gotta rest a little bit."
Ten minutes later, Ranma faced the wall and spoke, "breaking point revised…talcum pile" as he touched the wall, which dissolved into a dust pile. Two walls later they were greeted by Nabiki's group standing outside Soun's cell. Nabiki looked over the four kauri standing before her and said with a wry smile, "Saotome, what took you so long?"
Everyone watched Ranma's facefault with interest.
While Ranma was pulling himself from the floor, Akane had smashed the door in to Soun's cell. Nodoka who had awakened a bit earlier glomped the pigtailed kauri and just as quickly let go and backed up to a wall, fanning herself. "Ohhh my! My son is too manly. Oh my!"
Ranma rubbed the back of his pigtail, "Sorry Mom, I'm tryin ta hold it in."
A shaking Nabiki pulled a glass of water from somewhere and splashed him and visibly relaxed as a female kauri stood there, pouting. Soun chose this moment to awaken and looking around wailed, "My children are turning into oni, the houses will never be joined. WAAAAAHHH!" He hosed down everyone within five feet.
Ranma then looked over the crowd and said, "Well, Looks like the were is alive and well." He pointed. "Akane, Nabiki, Yoshi you naughty dog, Mom, this 'Rabbit?" "Miyah." "Augh! Please don't make that noise." He said from the ceiling. "Ryo Ohki is a cabbit and my name's Sasami." The girl picked up the cabbit and bowed to Ranma as she dropped from the ceiling.
"Pleased to meetcha Sasami, I'm Ranma, this is Kasumi…Ukyo and Gosunkugi Hikaru. How would everyone like ta get outta here?" After a number of nods, "Well, everyone that is were take Kasumi's, Ukyo's or Gos' hand and step back ta the wall."
Ranma stood in the center of the room and raised her hands above her head and shouted "Moko Takabisha revised Matter shunt." A blue ten foot disk of energy appeared under the ceiling which disappeared, leaving behind a neat cookie cutter hole to the surface at the right angle to let the early morning (or very late night) moonlight in. "Okaay, now come forward into the moonlight." Ten kauri and Soun stood under the stars and freedom. Ten kauri flew out into the desert. Hikaru lagging just a bit because she was delegated by Ukyo to carry Soun. Ranma had a thought, 'Pops is still back there. He'll be alright. He's worse than a cockroach. We need a month or two vacation from him anyway."
In a lab, a panda slowly revived as the IV pumps had quit during the EMP. He groaned or growfed as he jerked the tubes and probes from his hide and one body orifice. He saw the people around him staring by candle light and remembered being caught. He disappeared as he invoked the Umisenken.
A/N
Not a lot of reviews, but I sincerely appreciate those that do…review. I will keep writing as I have been, because there wouldn't be anything on FFN if no one contributed, sort of like voting.
P.S. Sorry, Gerald, so tired when i finished the chapter, posted on automatic.
Wonderbee31 Yeah, Taro will be sorry but unhurt if he runs into Ranma again
RubberNeck Thanks for the support
Trugeta I consider chapter ten to be Nabiki's chapter and I consider bloodshed a poor last alternative reserved for true and absolute evil. After this chapter, things will revolve around Sasami and Ryo Ohki finding a way home and the status of Nodoka's unborn twins.
Dragon Man 180 What they do is direct stimulation of the sexual pleasure centers and production of powerful pheromones. Nabiki is a heroine of the background. Attention is a liability, but she will do what she has to for her family and I think that she would follow the martial artist's code of honor. She has to be at least a first dan black belt being in that family.