THE JOB, Chapter 19: Hook, Line, and Sinker.
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: Minister of Justice Fujiyama is dead. I came up with this real cool social concept of at-sea burials based on the idea that Jurai Prime is over 90% water. With such a strong naval tradition, I think the concept fits well. We'll also see Kiyone and Mihoshi arrive on Jurai, only to get thrust into a super-secret investigation that their unique talents qualify them for.
AUTHOR: Dreamr
LAST REVISION: 18 December 2003
EMAIL: TrueDreamr@Hotmail.com
BEGIN.
Kiyone breathed a sigh of relief as she and Mihoshi disembarked from Yagami at Jurai's Royal Spaceport. She had been half-expecting someone would accost them as soon as they arrived. Even though this was not the high-security border crossing they had barely slipped though a couple months ago, Kiyone still felt a little on edge. Their reassignment had been too sudden to accept as coincidence.
"Well, this isn't so bad." Mihoshi observed, looking around the dock as they walked along the well-lit central corridor.
"Yeah. Lots better than last time." Kiyone agreed. "But, I was kind of expecting someone would meet us here."
Mihoshi looked around again as they passed other berths.
"You're right, Kiyone. How are we supposed to find the station all by ourselves?"
"It is a civilian spaceport. I guess we'll just have to use the public transit system."
"That's just rude, making us find our own way."
"Well, I can't say it was unexpected." Kiyone mumbled as they passed by a newsstand near the center of the main hub of the wheel-like spaceport. The density of travelers was greater here, as many people had to pass through this area to move from one flight to another.
"Kiyone?"
"What is it, Mihoshi?" Kiyone asked, keeping an eye on a slovenly man whom was weaving unsteadily through the crowd.
"I think you should look at this."
The slob bumped into a young woman and began trying to talk to her.
"Not now."
"But Kiyone..."
Kiyone began making her way closer to the man when it became obvious his attention was not wanted. The girl plainly did not appreciate his efforts. Yet the drunk seemed not to care. He grasped on to her shirtsleeve to keep her from moving away. It did not take long for Kiyone to close the distance. If there was one thing that could put fire in her eyes, it was a man forcing unwanted attention on a woman.
"Kiyone!" Mihoshi called for her partner again. Kiyone ignored her pleas in order to assist the young woman in need. When she arrived on the scene, Kiyone grasped the man's left wrist and twisted his hand around in a painful wrist-lock. The drunk immediately released the girl and bent forward to ease the strain on his wrist.
"Oooowwww! Leggo!"
"Don't worry, miss." Kiyone assured the young lady. "I'll take care of this bum."
With another twist, Kiyone flipped the man on his back right in front of the girl.
"Now apologize!"
The man, who suddenly seemed very sober, began slapping his hand against the plasticrete floor.
"Uncle! Uncle! Uncle!"
Mihoshi ran up behind Kiyone to show her what she had found.
"Kiyone, look!"
"Not now, Mihoshi! Can't you see I'm busy?"
"But, Kiyone, look!" Mihoshi held the newspaper up right in front of her partner's face.
Kiyone had no choice but to look at the front-page headline.
"MINISTER OF JUSTICE ASSASSINATED!"
"Is this a joke?" Kiyone asked, staring wide-eyed at the words on the paper.
"It's no joke, detective."
The two uniformed women were stunned to see the highest official of the Galaxy Police, Grand Marshall Kuramitsu, standing before them. Mihoshi quickly snapped to attention and saluted the Grand Marshall. She would have looked like a professional officer if it were not for the huge smile pasted across her face.
"Detective First Class Mihoshi reporting for duty, sir!"
The Grand Marshall returned the salute just before his grand daughter broke ranks and gave her elder a huge hug.
"Grand daddy!"
"Welcome to Jurai, Mihoshi." He chuckled, returning the embrace.
Kiyone stared at the GP's highest official until she felt the man who was on the floor try to squirm out of her grip. She gave his wrist another twist to remind him who was in charge.
"Where do you think you're going?"
"Detective, you may want to let that man keep his hand."
"Sir?" Kiyone stared at the Grand Marshall in confusion.
"May I introduce Lieutenant Madiera, your supervisor."
Kiyone looked down at the man she was restraining to see him glaring up at her. His eyes seemed clear, if a bit angry. She promptly released his hand.
"Ah, sorry about that, sir. But... I have to admit I'm a little confused."
"We'll talk about it later, Detective." The man answered, emphasizing the difference in rank as he got to his feet. "I'll be helping you to settle in during your stay on Jurai."
"Indeed." Marshall Kuramitsu agreed. "I have a very special assignment for the two of you. Barring anymore unauthorized initiations," the Marshall sent a significant look in the Lieutenant's direction, "we'll talk about it on the way to your quarters. Lieutenant?"
"This way, sir."
One might expect that high-level officials of the galaxy's most powerful empire would receive very large and public funerals. However, this was not the Jurai way. The people of Jurai, being descendants of pirates, hold their naval heritage in high regard. The typical funeral and burial were held jointly at sea aboard a sea-going vessel. Very important or wealthy families could afford private funerals. The less fortunate had to settle for a serial burial with other families. The truly important, such as high-level government officials, and extraordinarily wealthy could even have interstellar burials. The late Minister of Justice Yousuke Fujiyama had specified in his will that he desired an oceanic burial. Therefore, his daughter Mitsuki, First Princess Aeka, Tenchi, Captain Ieyasu Tatsuki, Minister of Social Services Sakahara, the rest of the Imperial Cabinet, many members of the Holy Council, and more bodyguards than reporters, were all assembled in the same place to pay their last respects. Out of respect for the deceased, it was traditional for those assembled to keep to themselves until after the burial was actually completed. Therefore, everyone was earily silent until then. Afterwards was the time for mingling and expressing condolences for the living.
Tenchi stuck close to Aeka since he had little to no knowledge of the whos and whats of the imperial court. He would not have come at all except for Aeka imposing on him to attend as a member of the royal family. Tenchi could see the point she had been trying to make. As well, he had nothing else to do. The weight of his decision to stay on Jurai for an extended visit was beginning to tell. The things he had not considered earlier were beginning to take up more of his thoughts. Things like school and such were constantly coming up. To boot, there was little he could do for Ryoko, other than cooperate as much as possible with the lawyers. At Daisuke's insistence, he had postponed his visit to see Ryoko. The man had assured him that Ryoko was physically well, if a bit distraught. But still, Tenchi still felt he should be doing more. When a tall, blond-haired, older man in Galaxy Police formal attire approached, Aeka was quick to introduce him.
"Grand Marshall Kuramitsu. How are things?"
"As well as can be expected, Highness." The man answered with a kindly smile.
"May I introduce Lord Tenchi Masaki. Lord Tenchi, this is Grand Marshall Kuramitsu. He is the head of the Galaxy Police as well as Miss Mihoshi's grandfather."
"Very pleased to meet you, sir." Tenchi bowed politely in greeting, prompting the man to return the gesture.
"The honor is mine, Highness."
"Ah, Tenchi is fine."
The Grand Marshall's smile grew wider.
"Lord Tenchi, then."
"Sure." Tenchi agreed, smiling nervously.
"Speaking of Mihoshi, I have something to discuss with her Highness. If we could find someplace a little more discreet...?"
Aeka's eyebrows went up at the conspiratorial tone of the suggestion.
"All right. Lord Tenchi, would you mind if we left you alone for a few minutes?"
"No, go right ahead. I'd just be in the way, anyway."
Aeka shook her head before moving away.
"I doubt that. Please, excuse us."
Puzzled over Aeka's comment, Tenchi watched the two of them walk away in search of a more secluded venue aboard the large wooden ship. Aeka seemed to be very busy with her duties since he had arrived on Jurai. She was always talking with important officials and having meetings. Then again, she was the ruling monarch of the empire.
Speaking of the empire, most of the officials of said organization were milling around and talking with one another now that the burial was completed. Tenchi decided to walk around and listen in on what some of them were saying. Most of the conversations seemed to be of little consequence. Discussions regarding political opinions abounded in this most governmental of affairs. Eventually he came upon the deceased's daughter, Mitsuki. Since Tenchi had yet to offer his condolences personally, he made his way through the crowd of officials to do so. But as he got closer, he noticed a man with slicked-back black hair and an arm in a sling sitting what Tenchi thought was inappropriately close for such a somber occasion. It took him a moment to recognize the man as one of Aeka's ministers; specifically, the one who had been injured in the assassination. Although Tenchi recognized the minister, the man's name slipped his mind.
"He is Minister of Social Services Sakahara, and a scoundrel."
Tenchi looked to his right and saw the beribboned formal uniform of a senior military officer. Adjusting his gaze up a bit allowed him to see the greying man's strong features. If anyone looked like royalty, this man did. At the moment, this individual was scowling at the Minister's behavior.
"I'm Tenchi Masaki." Tenchi introduced himself with a bow. The officer returned the gesture.
"And I am Captain Ieyasu Tatsuki. I believe we may be related."
"Is that so?"
"Distantly, anyway. You are Lord Yosho's grandson, correct?"
"That's right."
"Then it is so."
"May I ask how?" Tenchi asked, curious as to the details.
"Of course. The first King of Jurai had three siblings. Each of the four great houses is descended from one of them. They are Masaki, Amaki, Tatsuki, and Kamiki."
"Oh. I see. That's good to know."
"Truly? Or are you just trying to make a rambling old man feel better?"
"No, really." Tenchi answered in all seriousness. "And you don't look like an old man at all. Now, my grandfather, he looks like an old man."
Ieyasu burst out into great booming laughter that drew the attention of several others nearby.
"Indeed! Well, with a little luck, I'll have another hundred years before I start getting that gray."
Tenchi felt relieve when the man he was talking to laughed at his joke. Contrary to how the movies portrayed high-ranking military officials, Captain Tatsuki still seemed to have a sense of humor. But when Ieyasu suddenly stopped chuckling, Tenchi followed his gaze to where the Minister of Social Services was sitting with the bereaved daughter of his coworker. Aeka had just approached the minister.
"Minister Sakahara, I require your attention. Would you come this way, please?"
Although Aeka spoke politely, even asking Minister Sakahara to attend her, her strong demeanor left little doubt that it was not a request.
"Of course, Highness." The minister replied before excusing himself. "Please, excuse me."
Aeka led him only two steps away before stopping. Holding her right hand just out in front of her, she carefully rolled the sleeve of her kimono up a little.
"Do you see this hand?"
"Yes?" Minister Sakahara answered looking attentively at his soveirgn's exposed appendage.
So quick did Aeka's other hand move that he never saw it coming. The princess slapped Minister Sakahara across the face as hard as she could. His head snapped to the side as the sound of the strike cracked across the ship's deck like a gunshot. All speech ceased in an instant. Everyone looked at the minister of Jurai, as he stood stone still with Aeka's handprint emblazoned on the right side of his face. Slowly, he turned his face back to front. The rest of his face quickly began to turn the same shade as Aeka's hand print.
"You disgust me." Aeka said right to his face before turning her back to him.
In that moment, Sakahara saw an opportunity to exact revenge on the princess for the embarrassment she had just caused him. But the sight of her two guardians, the Knights Azaka and Kamidake, standing by gave him pause. He had his energy sword. But with those two on hand and ready, he would never succeed. His only course of action was to continue to act as a loyal minister of the empire.
"Highness..."
"Azaka! Kamidake!" Aeka shouted with barely restrained rage. "Arrest that man before I lose my temper!"
"Yes, Princess!" The two guardians promptly moved to comply. But before they could get there, Sakahara reached into his left sleeve and triggered the auto-teleportation device that was built-in to his wrist communicator. He disappeared in a flash of gray-green light.
Aeka spun around when she noticed the light. Her eyes went wide, then her face turned dark red. Those assembled began to back away from the irate princess. Her rare but explosive fits of temper were legendary among the elite of Jurai society. If anything could set her off, it was having an accused criminal slip right out from under her nose.
Detectives First Class Kiyone and Mihoshi of the Galaxy Police were sitting patiently in the bridge of the Yagami, waiting for the telltale signal of a teleportation device. Their assignment was two-fold. First, they were to track the signal, intercept the receiving ship, and arrest all on board. Once this was completed, they would receive further instructions. Grand Marshall Kuramitsu had emphasized that this part of the mission was top-priority and highly classified. As far as Jurai spaceport was concerned, they were on a maintenance test flight relating to recent scheduled maintenance of Yagami's engine injectors. They had authorization to fly around Jurai Prime for a full two hours during which they would patiently wait until the ship's sensors detected the signal they were looking for. The maintenance was just a cover so that they could fly around for a couple hours. Just after the first hour, Yagami's sensors detected the expected signal and triangulated the location of the receiving ship. A holographic display popped up in front of the view-screen, informing the crew.
"That's it!" Kiyone shouted, frightening Mihoshi into dropping her banana and cheese sandwich right in her lap.
"Eyahh! Kiyone, you scared me!"
"Get it in gear, Mihoshi! We've got a mission to accomplish!"
"But I thought we were on a test flight."
"It's a cover!" Kiyone switched the ship's combat and capture systems on-line. "We've got to catch that ship! Grand Marshall's orders, remember?"
"Oh, wow! That's right!" Mihoshi happily dropped back into her seat, forgetting all about the bananas, cheese, and mayonnaise dripping down her front. She quickly looked at the coordinates displayed in front of her on the holo-display. A couple taps and the ship turned to point towards its quarry.
"Here we go!" Mihoshi pushed on the throttle, causing Yagami to leap forward.
Fortunately, Kiyone had on her seat belt; otherwise she would have been thrown to the deck. She had left nothing to chance. All the ship's systems had been primed beforehand. All she had to do was switch them from standby mode to active. They were in range in seconds. Sensors locked on to the small dart-shaped ship, directing Kiyone where to aim the capture beam. She moved the joystick until the crosshairs in her display were directly over the ship, which was just now beginning to accelerate.
"Oh, no you don't!" Kiyone exclaimed, mashing the trigger. A yellow beam enveloped the ship. A moment later, a big green light illuminated on her display, indicating the ship was held in Yagami's top-of-the-line capture beam.
"Yes!" Kiyone shouted, standing up with her arms up in victory. "We got him!"
Mihoshi also stood up, abandoning the ship's guidance controls to join the celebration.
"We did it! Yahoo!"
"Mihoshi!" Kiyone screamed as the exuberant blonde forgot entirely about keeping them straight and level.
Within the depths of Spaceport Control, one of the controllers and his supervisor watched the radar in confusion as the GP ship Yagami and an unidentified vessel danced through space.
"It looks like... four-four time, sir."
"Is that so?"
On the deck of the funeral ship, Aeka was screaming out commands to find and capture the criminal. Communications beepers were going off all over the ship, and the Grand Marshall was trying to talk into his hand communicator.
"What?" He shouted into the receiver. "Could you repeat that?"
Aboard the Yagami, Kiyone was shouting into the microphone of the voice transmission system in an effort to be heard over the blaring of emergency sirens and Mihoshi's wailing cries of terror.
"We have the perp, sir! But we've taken some... uh... damage! We have to make an emergency landing!"
"Understood, detective! Relay your coordinates to space port emergency services. Do not let the criminal escape under any circumstances!"
"Kiyone!" Mihoshi yelled to her partner. "There's a big boat right in the way!"
Unfortunately, the Grand Marshall heard that part.
"A big boat?"
Looking up into the sky, Grand Marshall Kuramitsu could see what looked like a meteor heading right at the very ship he was standing on. He dropped the communicator over the deck railing and into the ocean.
"So, this must be what all those reports were talking about."
People began to notice the fast approaching object. Panic broke out, and Jurai's highest officials began to run around like chickens with their heads cut off.
Yagami, with it's captured vessel in tow, struck the ocean less than one hundred meters from the side of the funeral ship. The resulting fifty-foot wave hit the ship, washing everyone over-board.
A minute later, Kiyone broke through the surface of Jurai's ocean next to Mihoshi. Her ship was in the water, the captured ship was in the water, she was in the water, and over a hundred of the most powerful men and women in the galaxy were in the water.
"Oh, wow! I thought we were finished this time for sure!"
"Mihoshi..." Kiyone growled.
"Yes?"
"I'm gonna kill you!"
Mihoshi screeched in fright as her partner tried to get close enough to strangle her. She paddled wildly through the water with Kiyone close behind. A short distance behind Kiyone, the crowd of Jurai nobility paddled after the both of them, screaming for blood. A short distance away, Tenchi was watching the whole affair in exasperation while he and Aeka clung to floating seat cushions. Aeka had a very displeased scowl on her face.
"Lord Tenchi, please tell me you invited those two here."
"No." Tenchi morosely shook his head.
Aeka suddenly burst forth through the water, also chasing the two detectives.
"Mihoshi, I'm going to tear you limb from limb and feed your rotting carcass to the sharks!"
Tenchi hung his head.
"Sharks, too?"
END.
AFTERWORD: 4/4 time is a musical term. I kind of stole the line from the Yahoo Serious movie Young Einstein.
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: Minister of Justice Fujiyama is dead. I came up with this real cool social concept of at-sea burials based on the idea that Jurai Prime is over 90% water. With such a strong naval tradition, I think the concept fits well. We'll also see Kiyone and Mihoshi arrive on Jurai, only to get thrust into a super-secret investigation that their unique talents qualify them for.
AUTHOR: Dreamr
LAST REVISION: 18 December 2003
EMAIL: TrueDreamr@Hotmail.com
BEGIN.
Kiyone breathed a sigh of relief as she and Mihoshi disembarked from Yagami at Jurai's Royal Spaceport. She had been half-expecting someone would accost them as soon as they arrived. Even though this was not the high-security border crossing they had barely slipped though a couple months ago, Kiyone still felt a little on edge. Their reassignment had been too sudden to accept as coincidence.
"Well, this isn't so bad." Mihoshi observed, looking around the dock as they walked along the well-lit central corridor.
"Yeah. Lots better than last time." Kiyone agreed. "But, I was kind of expecting someone would meet us here."
Mihoshi looked around again as they passed other berths.
"You're right, Kiyone. How are we supposed to find the station all by ourselves?"
"It is a civilian spaceport. I guess we'll just have to use the public transit system."
"That's just rude, making us find our own way."
"Well, I can't say it was unexpected." Kiyone mumbled as they passed by a newsstand near the center of the main hub of the wheel-like spaceport. The density of travelers was greater here, as many people had to pass through this area to move from one flight to another.
"Kiyone?"
"What is it, Mihoshi?" Kiyone asked, keeping an eye on a slovenly man whom was weaving unsteadily through the crowd.
"I think you should look at this."
The slob bumped into a young woman and began trying to talk to her.
"Not now."
"But Kiyone..."
Kiyone began making her way closer to the man when it became obvious his attention was not wanted. The girl plainly did not appreciate his efforts. Yet the drunk seemed not to care. He grasped on to her shirtsleeve to keep her from moving away. It did not take long for Kiyone to close the distance. If there was one thing that could put fire in her eyes, it was a man forcing unwanted attention on a woman.
"Kiyone!" Mihoshi called for her partner again. Kiyone ignored her pleas in order to assist the young woman in need. When she arrived on the scene, Kiyone grasped the man's left wrist and twisted his hand around in a painful wrist-lock. The drunk immediately released the girl and bent forward to ease the strain on his wrist.
"Oooowwww! Leggo!"
"Don't worry, miss." Kiyone assured the young lady. "I'll take care of this bum."
With another twist, Kiyone flipped the man on his back right in front of the girl.
"Now apologize!"
The man, who suddenly seemed very sober, began slapping his hand against the plasticrete floor.
"Uncle! Uncle! Uncle!"
Mihoshi ran up behind Kiyone to show her what she had found.
"Kiyone, look!"
"Not now, Mihoshi! Can't you see I'm busy?"
"But, Kiyone, look!" Mihoshi held the newspaper up right in front of her partner's face.
Kiyone had no choice but to look at the front-page headline.
"MINISTER OF JUSTICE ASSASSINATED!"
"Is this a joke?" Kiyone asked, staring wide-eyed at the words on the paper.
"It's no joke, detective."
The two uniformed women were stunned to see the highest official of the Galaxy Police, Grand Marshall Kuramitsu, standing before them. Mihoshi quickly snapped to attention and saluted the Grand Marshall. She would have looked like a professional officer if it were not for the huge smile pasted across her face.
"Detective First Class Mihoshi reporting for duty, sir!"
The Grand Marshall returned the salute just before his grand daughter broke ranks and gave her elder a huge hug.
"Grand daddy!"
"Welcome to Jurai, Mihoshi." He chuckled, returning the embrace.
Kiyone stared at the GP's highest official until she felt the man who was on the floor try to squirm out of her grip. She gave his wrist another twist to remind him who was in charge.
"Where do you think you're going?"
"Detective, you may want to let that man keep his hand."
"Sir?" Kiyone stared at the Grand Marshall in confusion.
"May I introduce Lieutenant Madiera, your supervisor."
Kiyone looked down at the man she was restraining to see him glaring up at her. His eyes seemed clear, if a bit angry. She promptly released his hand.
"Ah, sorry about that, sir. But... I have to admit I'm a little confused."
"We'll talk about it later, Detective." The man answered, emphasizing the difference in rank as he got to his feet. "I'll be helping you to settle in during your stay on Jurai."
"Indeed." Marshall Kuramitsu agreed. "I have a very special assignment for the two of you. Barring anymore unauthorized initiations," the Marshall sent a significant look in the Lieutenant's direction, "we'll talk about it on the way to your quarters. Lieutenant?"
"This way, sir."
One might expect that high-level officials of the galaxy's most powerful empire would receive very large and public funerals. However, this was not the Jurai way. The people of Jurai, being descendants of pirates, hold their naval heritage in high regard. The typical funeral and burial were held jointly at sea aboard a sea-going vessel. Very important or wealthy families could afford private funerals. The less fortunate had to settle for a serial burial with other families. The truly important, such as high-level government officials, and extraordinarily wealthy could even have interstellar burials. The late Minister of Justice Yousuke Fujiyama had specified in his will that he desired an oceanic burial. Therefore, his daughter Mitsuki, First Princess Aeka, Tenchi, Captain Ieyasu Tatsuki, Minister of Social Services Sakahara, the rest of the Imperial Cabinet, many members of the Holy Council, and more bodyguards than reporters, were all assembled in the same place to pay their last respects. Out of respect for the deceased, it was traditional for those assembled to keep to themselves until after the burial was actually completed. Therefore, everyone was earily silent until then. Afterwards was the time for mingling and expressing condolences for the living.
Tenchi stuck close to Aeka since he had little to no knowledge of the whos and whats of the imperial court. He would not have come at all except for Aeka imposing on him to attend as a member of the royal family. Tenchi could see the point she had been trying to make. As well, he had nothing else to do. The weight of his decision to stay on Jurai for an extended visit was beginning to tell. The things he had not considered earlier were beginning to take up more of his thoughts. Things like school and such were constantly coming up. To boot, there was little he could do for Ryoko, other than cooperate as much as possible with the lawyers. At Daisuke's insistence, he had postponed his visit to see Ryoko. The man had assured him that Ryoko was physically well, if a bit distraught. But still, Tenchi still felt he should be doing more. When a tall, blond-haired, older man in Galaxy Police formal attire approached, Aeka was quick to introduce him.
"Grand Marshall Kuramitsu. How are things?"
"As well as can be expected, Highness." The man answered with a kindly smile.
"May I introduce Lord Tenchi Masaki. Lord Tenchi, this is Grand Marshall Kuramitsu. He is the head of the Galaxy Police as well as Miss Mihoshi's grandfather."
"Very pleased to meet you, sir." Tenchi bowed politely in greeting, prompting the man to return the gesture.
"The honor is mine, Highness."
"Ah, Tenchi is fine."
The Grand Marshall's smile grew wider.
"Lord Tenchi, then."
"Sure." Tenchi agreed, smiling nervously.
"Speaking of Mihoshi, I have something to discuss with her Highness. If we could find someplace a little more discreet...?"
Aeka's eyebrows went up at the conspiratorial tone of the suggestion.
"All right. Lord Tenchi, would you mind if we left you alone for a few minutes?"
"No, go right ahead. I'd just be in the way, anyway."
Aeka shook her head before moving away.
"I doubt that. Please, excuse us."
Puzzled over Aeka's comment, Tenchi watched the two of them walk away in search of a more secluded venue aboard the large wooden ship. Aeka seemed to be very busy with her duties since he had arrived on Jurai. She was always talking with important officials and having meetings. Then again, she was the ruling monarch of the empire.
Speaking of the empire, most of the officials of said organization were milling around and talking with one another now that the burial was completed. Tenchi decided to walk around and listen in on what some of them were saying. Most of the conversations seemed to be of little consequence. Discussions regarding political opinions abounded in this most governmental of affairs. Eventually he came upon the deceased's daughter, Mitsuki. Since Tenchi had yet to offer his condolences personally, he made his way through the crowd of officials to do so. But as he got closer, he noticed a man with slicked-back black hair and an arm in a sling sitting what Tenchi thought was inappropriately close for such a somber occasion. It took him a moment to recognize the man as one of Aeka's ministers; specifically, the one who had been injured in the assassination. Although Tenchi recognized the minister, the man's name slipped his mind.
"He is Minister of Social Services Sakahara, and a scoundrel."
Tenchi looked to his right and saw the beribboned formal uniform of a senior military officer. Adjusting his gaze up a bit allowed him to see the greying man's strong features. If anyone looked like royalty, this man did. At the moment, this individual was scowling at the Minister's behavior.
"I'm Tenchi Masaki." Tenchi introduced himself with a bow. The officer returned the gesture.
"And I am Captain Ieyasu Tatsuki. I believe we may be related."
"Is that so?"
"Distantly, anyway. You are Lord Yosho's grandson, correct?"
"That's right."
"Then it is so."
"May I ask how?" Tenchi asked, curious as to the details.
"Of course. The first King of Jurai had three siblings. Each of the four great houses is descended from one of them. They are Masaki, Amaki, Tatsuki, and Kamiki."
"Oh. I see. That's good to know."
"Truly? Or are you just trying to make a rambling old man feel better?"
"No, really." Tenchi answered in all seriousness. "And you don't look like an old man at all. Now, my grandfather, he looks like an old man."
Ieyasu burst out into great booming laughter that drew the attention of several others nearby.
"Indeed! Well, with a little luck, I'll have another hundred years before I start getting that gray."
Tenchi felt relieve when the man he was talking to laughed at his joke. Contrary to how the movies portrayed high-ranking military officials, Captain Tatsuki still seemed to have a sense of humor. But when Ieyasu suddenly stopped chuckling, Tenchi followed his gaze to where the Minister of Social Services was sitting with the bereaved daughter of his coworker. Aeka had just approached the minister.
"Minister Sakahara, I require your attention. Would you come this way, please?"
Although Aeka spoke politely, even asking Minister Sakahara to attend her, her strong demeanor left little doubt that it was not a request.
"Of course, Highness." The minister replied before excusing himself. "Please, excuse me."
Aeka led him only two steps away before stopping. Holding her right hand just out in front of her, she carefully rolled the sleeve of her kimono up a little.
"Do you see this hand?"
"Yes?" Minister Sakahara answered looking attentively at his soveirgn's exposed appendage.
So quick did Aeka's other hand move that he never saw it coming. The princess slapped Minister Sakahara across the face as hard as she could. His head snapped to the side as the sound of the strike cracked across the ship's deck like a gunshot. All speech ceased in an instant. Everyone looked at the minister of Jurai, as he stood stone still with Aeka's handprint emblazoned on the right side of his face. Slowly, he turned his face back to front. The rest of his face quickly began to turn the same shade as Aeka's hand print.
"You disgust me." Aeka said right to his face before turning her back to him.
In that moment, Sakahara saw an opportunity to exact revenge on the princess for the embarrassment she had just caused him. But the sight of her two guardians, the Knights Azaka and Kamidake, standing by gave him pause. He had his energy sword. But with those two on hand and ready, he would never succeed. His only course of action was to continue to act as a loyal minister of the empire.
"Highness..."
"Azaka! Kamidake!" Aeka shouted with barely restrained rage. "Arrest that man before I lose my temper!"
"Yes, Princess!" The two guardians promptly moved to comply. But before they could get there, Sakahara reached into his left sleeve and triggered the auto-teleportation device that was built-in to his wrist communicator. He disappeared in a flash of gray-green light.
Aeka spun around when she noticed the light. Her eyes went wide, then her face turned dark red. Those assembled began to back away from the irate princess. Her rare but explosive fits of temper were legendary among the elite of Jurai society. If anything could set her off, it was having an accused criminal slip right out from under her nose.
Detectives First Class Kiyone and Mihoshi of the Galaxy Police were sitting patiently in the bridge of the Yagami, waiting for the telltale signal of a teleportation device. Their assignment was two-fold. First, they were to track the signal, intercept the receiving ship, and arrest all on board. Once this was completed, they would receive further instructions. Grand Marshall Kuramitsu had emphasized that this part of the mission was top-priority and highly classified. As far as Jurai spaceport was concerned, they were on a maintenance test flight relating to recent scheduled maintenance of Yagami's engine injectors. They had authorization to fly around Jurai Prime for a full two hours during which they would patiently wait until the ship's sensors detected the signal they were looking for. The maintenance was just a cover so that they could fly around for a couple hours. Just after the first hour, Yagami's sensors detected the expected signal and triangulated the location of the receiving ship. A holographic display popped up in front of the view-screen, informing the crew.
"That's it!" Kiyone shouted, frightening Mihoshi into dropping her banana and cheese sandwich right in her lap.
"Eyahh! Kiyone, you scared me!"
"Get it in gear, Mihoshi! We've got a mission to accomplish!"
"But I thought we were on a test flight."
"It's a cover!" Kiyone switched the ship's combat and capture systems on-line. "We've got to catch that ship! Grand Marshall's orders, remember?"
"Oh, wow! That's right!" Mihoshi happily dropped back into her seat, forgetting all about the bananas, cheese, and mayonnaise dripping down her front. She quickly looked at the coordinates displayed in front of her on the holo-display. A couple taps and the ship turned to point towards its quarry.
"Here we go!" Mihoshi pushed on the throttle, causing Yagami to leap forward.
Fortunately, Kiyone had on her seat belt; otherwise she would have been thrown to the deck. She had left nothing to chance. All the ship's systems had been primed beforehand. All she had to do was switch them from standby mode to active. They were in range in seconds. Sensors locked on to the small dart-shaped ship, directing Kiyone where to aim the capture beam. She moved the joystick until the crosshairs in her display were directly over the ship, which was just now beginning to accelerate.
"Oh, no you don't!" Kiyone exclaimed, mashing the trigger. A yellow beam enveloped the ship. A moment later, a big green light illuminated on her display, indicating the ship was held in Yagami's top-of-the-line capture beam.
"Yes!" Kiyone shouted, standing up with her arms up in victory. "We got him!"
Mihoshi also stood up, abandoning the ship's guidance controls to join the celebration.
"We did it! Yahoo!"
"Mihoshi!" Kiyone screamed as the exuberant blonde forgot entirely about keeping them straight and level.
Within the depths of Spaceport Control, one of the controllers and his supervisor watched the radar in confusion as the GP ship Yagami and an unidentified vessel danced through space.
"It looks like... four-four time, sir."
"Is that so?"
On the deck of the funeral ship, Aeka was screaming out commands to find and capture the criminal. Communications beepers were going off all over the ship, and the Grand Marshall was trying to talk into his hand communicator.
"What?" He shouted into the receiver. "Could you repeat that?"
Aboard the Yagami, Kiyone was shouting into the microphone of the voice transmission system in an effort to be heard over the blaring of emergency sirens and Mihoshi's wailing cries of terror.
"We have the perp, sir! But we've taken some... uh... damage! We have to make an emergency landing!"
"Understood, detective! Relay your coordinates to space port emergency services. Do not let the criminal escape under any circumstances!"
"Kiyone!" Mihoshi yelled to her partner. "There's a big boat right in the way!"
Unfortunately, the Grand Marshall heard that part.
"A big boat?"
Looking up into the sky, Grand Marshall Kuramitsu could see what looked like a meteor heading right at the very ship he was standing on. He dropped the communicator over the deck railing and into the ocean.
"So, this must be what all those reports were talking about."
People began to notice the fast approaching object. Panic broke out, and Jurai's highest officials began to run around like chickens with their heads cut off.
Yagami, with it's captured vessel in tow, struck the ocean less than one hundred meters from the side of the funeral ship. The resulting fifty-foot wave hit the ship, washing everyone over-board.
A minute later, Kiyone broke through the surface of Jurai's ocean next to Mihoshi. Her ship was in the water, the captured ship was in the water, she was in the water, and over a hundred of the most powerful men and women in the galaxy were in the water.
"Oh, wow! I thought we were finished this time for sure!"
"Mihoshi..." Kiyone growled.
"Yes?"
"I'm gonna kill you!"
Mihoshi screeched in fright as her partner tried to get close enough to strangle her. She paddled wildly through the water with Kiyone close behind. A short distance behind Kiyone, the crowd of Jurai nobility paddled after the both of them, screaming for blood. A short distance away, Tenchi was watching the whole affair in exasperation while he and Aeka clung to floating seat cushions. Aeka had a very displeased scowl on her face.
"Lord Tenchi, please tell me you invited those two here."
"No." Tenchi morosely shook his head.
Aeka suddenly burst forth through the water, also chasing the two detectives.
"Mihoshi, I'm going to tear you limb from limb and feed your rotting carcass to the sharks!"
Tenchi hung his head.
"Sharks, too?"
END.
AFTERWORD: 4/4 time is a musical term. I kind of stole the line from the Yahoo Serious movie Young Einstein.