THE JOB, Chapter 15: The Weight of Responsibility.

DISCLAIMER: Tenchi Muyou! is copyright AIC/Pioneer, LDC. I claim no rights to it. However, all events in this story are entirely of my own imagination. Please don't change them. Feel free to distribute this story as widely as desired.

FOREWORD: Not much to say, here.

AUTHOR: Dreamr

LAST REVISION: 30 May 2003

EMAIL: TrueDreamr@Hotmail.com

BEGIN.

Finally, Aeka had some time to herself. She had learned the hard way that in order to get time off, she had to plan it into her work schedule. Too little down time and too much worrying about Jurai governmental affairs was what had burned her out before her arrival on Earth. Now she knew better.

Her garden was something she had always wanted to spend more time on in earlier years. Now she had the time to do so. The small plot was isolated in a very private area of the official Royal Garden. Basically, the entire area was a place where members of the royal family could go to isolate themselves from the outside world. Legend had it that a number of royals had disappeared into the gardens and never returned. Aeka gave no credence to these rumors, as the garden was a place of rest and tranquility for her. It never seemed like what she thought of as haunted.

Her personal plot was over-run with unwanted weeds; each of them choking the life from the flowers and, in some cases, vegetables she had planted. Before she could plant anything anew, the weeds had to go. As the princess proceeded to murder each needless plant and vine, she came across a large, bulbous, vegetable-looking plant that somewhat resembled a cabbage. Try as hard as she might, Aeka could not remember ever having planted cabbages. All the old rumors suddenly sprang to mind as she warily eyed the strange plant. Gingerly, she reached under the wide head of leaves to pull it from the ground.

As soon as her hands touched the green and white vegetable, the head of leaves began to unfurl and open. Aeka rolled back on her heels, falling on her royal posterior in the dirt as the cabbage quickly opened. She watched wide-eyed until the head completely unfurled, revealing a small baby.

"Oh, my..."

Curious, Aeka leaned closer. The child was quiet, and much too small to be real. But still, it had the most beautiful rosy pink skin. She could not help reaching out to feel it. As soon as she touched it, the babies tiny arms and legs started to squirm. Aeka removed her fingertip from the child's belly, and the movement promptly ceased.

"What manner of thing is this?"

"Cute, huh?"

Aeka leaped several feet into the air when she heard Washu's voice right in her ear. Washu grinned impishly for a moment before returning her smiling eyes to the plant. With casual detachment, she gently poked the baby-like vegetable. Her finger easily stuck through its "ribs".

"Still too delicate to pass for flesh, though."

Aeka breathed a sigh of relief when she realized this was all Washu's doing.

"M-m-miss Washu! What is the meaning of this... this... all of this?!"

"Just a little experiment. I wanted to see if I could reproduce animal flesh by growing it like a plant. But plant matter seems to be too fragile. Maybe I can strengthen it by using more fiber..."

Aeka grumbled in displeasure at having her free-time disrupted.

"Is there any particular reason, other than your experiment, that you chose this particular time and place for an unannounced visit?"

"Hmm?" Washu straightened up as she thought about that. "Oh, yeah! I finished that analysis you asked for."

Reaching in to her academy uniform, Washu pulled out an optical data disk. As Aeka reached for the storage device, Washu curled her fingers back under her palm, pulling it just out of reach.

"But, I've gotta warn you. Some of what's on here is pretty disturbing."

Hearing this, Aeka sighed with reluctant acceptance.

"Yes, I expected as much."

"So, I guess she really was telling the truth."

Aeka took the data disk from Washu's outstretched hand. Holding it up in one hand, she stared at it, wondering what other horrible tales it might contain.

"It does appear that way."

"Explains some things, doesn't it?"

Aeka carefully stashed the disk in her sleeve.

"It does make Miss Ryoko somewhat more understandable. However, it does not excuse her behavior."

Washu's right eyebrow went up at that.

"That's funny. I thought the royal family was immune to criminal prosecution."

"Washu! You must never repeat that again! Not.. wait a moment. How do you know that?"

"The first thing I did when I moved in to Tenchi's place was look up everyone's background. A genetic trace indicated Ryoko is a ninety nine point eight seven five percent match to one Captain Ieyasu Tatsuki, who also happens to be your father's brother's son." As Washu continued, she failed to notice the thin streamers of steam rising above Aeka's head. "In other words, she's your second-cousin!"

"That is quite enough, Miss Washu!"

"Wait! Here's the best part! If something were to happen to you, Sasami, and Ieyasu Tatsuki, she'd be next in line for the throne! How about them apples?"

Aeka turned around and stepped up to Washu until she was looking down at the diminutive scientist.

"Not one more word, or..."

"Or what?" Washu asked, smiling evilly. "You'd better watch that temper, Princess. It's be a real shame if control of Jurai passed back into the hands of space pirates."

Aeka gasped in shock.

"You wouldn't!"

"Mmm... nah. I just like watching you squirm!"

Aeka fell flat on her face, much to Washu's amusement. The red-headed scientist laughed as Aeka tried to impress upon her the insanity of what she had suggested.

"Miss Washu! That is not funny! Can you imagine what kind of a mess a woman like that would make of things?"

"Of course I can. It would be just like if the First Princess disappeared."

Aeka slowly got back to her feet.

"I am not like her."

"If you say so."

Washu stared at the princess for a few seconds before deciding there was nothing else for her to do in this place. Sticking her arms behind her head, Washu spoke in a less severe manner to take the edge off of the conversation.

"Well! I've done what you wanted. So I'll just show myself out."

"Very well. Thank you for your assistance, Miss Washu."

"Sure, sure. But, if you keep calling me 'Miss', I might not be so accommodating next time."

With a small smile, Aeka bowed.

"Thank you for your kind assistance, Little Washu."

A red square suddenly appeared before Washu. Her twinkling laughter filled the air as she stepped through a dimensional portal. The red-glowing square disappeared a moment later, leaving Aeka alone once more. As the princess straightened, she took the disk from her sleeve again. Its physical properties caused rays of light to refract off of the surface, resulting in the rainbow of colors that comprised white light to become visible to the naked eye. The reflected reds, greens, and blues played upon Aeka's gentle features, matching the reflective look upon her face.

"Princess Ryoko. How utterly absurd."

It took Tenchi the better part of an hour to swim his way back to where he and Ryoko had started out. He alternated between paddling and floating to keep his strength going. At least he had a floatation device to use while he rested every few minutes. As he thankfully climbed up the ladder at the end of the dock, he noticed a pair of police officers talking to a bare-chested man who was gesticulating wildly. He appeared very upset. Tenchi cringed when he realized that was probably the owner of the boat Ryoko had stolen. And here he was, holding a big white donut bearing the ship's name. Before he could get rid of the incriminating evidence, one of the officers noticed him and pointed in his direction.

"You there! Hold it!"

The shot-sleeved policeman came running up to him, along with his partner and the shirtless man.

"Where did you get that?"

Tenchi began nervously scratching at the back of his head.

"I, uh... found it?"

"Yeah, right. Turn around and put your hands on your head."

Tenchi did as he was told, while trying to plead with the officers.

"Officer, I swear I did not steal his boat."

"Hey, Joe. Did you mention anything about a boat?"

The other officer smiled as he pulled out a datapad.

"No, I didn't. How do you suppose he knew about that?"

The first policeman twisted Tenchi's right arm painfully around as he slapped a set of hand-cuffs on him.

"He must of done it. Congratulations, kid. You're under arrest."

"But, I didn't do it!"

"Keep talking, kid."

Ryoko suddenly touched down right in front of the hapless boat owner, scaring him so badly he fell off the side of the pier. The officer with the pad turned to deal with the new-comer while his partner continued with Tenchi.

"He's telling the truth." Ryoko spoke to the officer with little emotion.

"How do you know?"

"'Cause I stole it. I told him it was a rental. He doesn't know anything."

"What do you say, kid? Is she telling the truth?"

Tenchi turned his head so he could see Ryoko. She looked away, intentionally avoided his gaze. He was intensely relieved that Ryoko was trying to get him off the hook. But unless he missed his mark, she would be arrested in his place.

"Ryoko, what are you doing?"

For a split second, both officers' eyes went wide with recognition before they went for their side-arms. The officer closest to Ryoko pointed his weapon directly in her face.

"Freeze! Don't even so much as twitch!"

Ryoko did exactly as she was told, with one exception.

"If I weren't intending to turn myself in, do you think I would be standing here right now?"

The policeman's eyes went as round as saucers when he heard what Ryoko had to say.

"You're... turning yourself in?"

"Frankly, I'd rather turn myself in to Mihoshi. But, we don't always get what we want, do we?"

Tenchi just stared at Ryoko, who still refused to look at him.

"Ryoko..."

Finally, the pirate spoke to Tenchi, although she still refused to look at him.

"Congratulations, Tenchi. You got your wish."

END.

AFTERWORD: Kind of a short chapter, but, you get the point.