Star Trek: Ranma's Story12 – By DS Wynne

Disclaimer: "Ranma ½", "Star Trek", and other genres belong to their respective owners.

Note: This is a semi-fusion, alt-crossover story.

Part 12

Winter, 3005: San Francisco, California, Earth (STU).

POP!

"Hurray!" yelled the assembled crowd, as streamers were being thrown at the newly-wedded couple. The new Mr. and Mrs. Hikaru and Jun Saotome were enjoying the spotlight at the house that Hikaru's namesake had once owned nearly 700 years before. Now, the property belongs to the Saotome family, whose members live all over the planet…and beyond.

In a study, a special meeting was taking place…

"So, you have come to me for a…favor?" Ranma Saotome said, as he stroked his chin. He didn't like to conduct business on a special occasion. "On a day like this?"

"Yes, Captain," Felix Faustus said, as he drank his tea. Felix was the representative of the Orion Syndicate, a government operated like the mob. "We know that the Rantsu Consortium has ties with the Ferengi government. We simply want you to represent yourselves as a neutral party in our negotiations with the Ferengi. That's all. Besides, I have heard your Terrans have a custom of granting favors during a family joining ceremony."

Ranma was developing a headache. Ever since his ex-wife Usagi had developed that scheme to work undercover, back in the late 24th century, as a member of the old "Deep Space Nine" crew, Ranma had to deal with the ramification of her agenda. Originally, the Rantsu Consortium was created to circumvent the combined Dominion-Cardassian Alliance. Admittedly, this fake organized crime family was instrumental in inserting, and then later rescuing, Miles O'Brien, when he had to go undercover to investigate possible ties between the Breen and the Orion Syndicate. The Breen, who had become allies to the Dominion during the so-called "Dominion War", had done a lot of damage in the Alpha Quadrant before finally being stop. O'Brien's role was to see if the rumors of an alliance between the Orions and the Breen were true.

Nevertheless, the Rantsu Consortium was instrumental in insuring that such an alliance did not bare fruit. However, it was only recently that the true "masters" behind the organization was made public, and now the Orions was going Captain Saotome to help in the negotiations between the Ferengi and the Orions. After all, it was the original agreement between the Rantsus and the Orions that prevented the Orions from getting into bed with the Breen.

"Fine, as long as it is legitimate business. My…family and I have a reputation to uphold."

"Of course, Captain. I wouldn't want one of the Federation's premier citizens to have a conflict of interest.

After the meeting, Ranma leans back in his chair. He turns to look over to see an old picture of himself and his old friend Hikaru Sulu. It was taken during back during the old days, when he first came to this brave, new world…

FLASHBACK!

Personal Log, Stardate: 5298.1. Well, this is it. After many weeks, I now have a chance to sit down to catch up in my writing. Heck, I'm surprised that I am alive to "tell the tale" so to speak.

First, there was the incident involving the Elaan of Troyus, a princess type who, understandably didn't want to marry out of necessity. She kind of reminded me of Akane somehow. Creepy…

"I do not want this quarters!" the beautiful Elaan said, as she began to hurl Uhura's things at Ranma, who was supervising the security arrangements. The Troyusian are, in many ways, like the Egyptians of ancient Earth.

"Hey!" Ranma yelled. "Stop throwing my girlfriend's stuff!"

"Oh, really? What are you going to do?" Elaan countered.

"I'm gonna give you a spanking."

"How dare you! No man may touch me."

"Oh, that can be arranged," Ranma said, as he doused himself with cold water.

"Wha-what?" Elaan said.

"Now, where were we?" Ranma-chan said with cracked knuckles.

After that incident, there was that weird, hollowed world that the Enterprise came across. At the time, Dr. McCoy was diagnosed with a fatal illness. Had Usagi not been visiting her daughter on Vulcan, we would not have forced this world to open itself up to Federation help…

The priestess of Yolonda, a woman named Natira, was amazed at the strangers resilience. Her people's sacred artifact, called "the Oracle", had deemed Kirk, Spock, McCoy and Saotome to be infidels, and thus was to be punished. Only Saotome was withstanding the awesome forces that were being unleashed upon him.

"Who-who are you?" asked Yolonda, who could pass as a Greek goddess. "Are you a god?"

Ranma grunted, as he pressed his power forward.

"I…am…Ranma Saotome…and I will…not…LOOSE!"

A burst of his aura was enough to short out the Oracle's power, which turned out to be an elaborate computer.

Afterwards, the Enterprise ended up getting caught up in Tholian territory, after receiving a distress signal from the U.S.S "Defiant". Apparently, it was caught up in some sort of trans-dimensional field, where the Defiant was slowly phasing out of normal space. Captain Kirk, Dr. McCoy and I beamed over to investigate, but the nature of the "trap" forced us to abandon the ship. Kirk wanted to stay, but I kind of forced the issue by giving him the "Vulcan Never Pinch", a trick that I learned from Usagi. So there I was, trapped in some weirdo dimension, drifting, while the Tholians wanted to kick the Enterprise out of THEIR space.

Thankfully, Usagi remembered that the "Instant Transmission" trick, which she learned from her adopted son Goku, still worked trans-dimensionally.

Still, while Captain Kirk was glad that I made it back okay, I still got reamed…and not just by HIM.

"Don't worry about it, Ranma," Usagi chided her friend. "Being grounded for a week ain't all bad."

"Easy for YOU to say," Ranma said, as he continued to bounce his handball against the wall. "You KNOW that I rather be training."

"Well, you can always workout in your room."

Just then, Uhura enters the room.

"Usagi, can you excuse us for a moment?"

"Sure thing. Be seeing you."

Once Usagi was gone, Uhura turns to Ranma.

"Ranma, I…I want some time apart."

"Wha-what?"

"It's just that…look, I know that it can be dangerous out here in deep space, but I don't know what I would do if I loose you, too."

And with that, Uhura leaves.

Later, I found out that a few years ago, her best friend's fiancée was killed during a conflict between the then-unknown Romulans, when they were testing their high-yield "planet killer" on a Federation outpost near the Romulan Neutral Zone. I could have pushed the situation, but decided to respect her space. And since then, we've been pretty casual about things, which has worked out well for us.

So, after that, life returned to normal aboard the Enterprise…if you called dealing with "fake" gods…

"Come now!" proclaimed King Parman, as he and his Greco-style court watched in amusement. "You know that you want to kiss her!"

Ranma grimaced, as his lips touched Usagi's, just as Kirk kissed Uhura, and Spock kissed Nurse Chapel, all the while Dr. McCoy looked on in disgust. The Platonians, who helped foster the culture of the ancient Greeks, and sponsored the likes of Socrates, Plato and Aristotle, liked like gods with their psycho-kinetic abilities. So far, his and Usagi's abilities were being dampened by the combined will of the Platonians. The first chance he gets, he'll show these clowns how much of a "wild horse" he can be!

…Speeding aliens…

With Captain Kirk missing, it was up to the rest of the crew to discover his whereabouts. When it was learned that he was kidnapped by aliens who lived at higher rates of speed, Ranma decided to try out a technique…

"Ranma, you know that it's dangerous to speed up your body," Usagi said, as she placed sensor monitors on his head. "But…as long as you have the energy for it, then you might have a chance."

"That's all I have, Usagi," Ranma said, as he prepared himself. Essentially, he wanted to modify the "Instant Transmission" by inversing its properties.

"Chief, if you have any difficulties, please terminate the procedure," Spock said.

"Okay," Ranma said, as he got up from the medical bed. "I'm ready."

Usagi sat in a lotus position on another med-bed.

"Here goes…" Usagi began, just as her aura began to flare. An arc of energy began to pour from her body to Ranma's…

"Be seeing you!" Ranma said, as he placed an index finger on his forehead.

ZIP!

Ranma's perception began to shift slightly, and then…

"Did I…?" Ranma asked himself. Then, he noticed how neither Spock nor Usagi were paying attention to him. In fact, they were like statues.

"Well, that worked," Ranma said. Unfortunately, with all his chi being mainlined, he had to rely only on his skill to get himself through.

…Alien tests…

Ranma was in agony. He could not allow Spock or Dr. McCoy to be part of the aliens' experiment.

And what a cruel experiment it was.

A beautiful mute, who was an empathy, was being tested. If she failed, then her people would not be rescued from certain doom. The test was for her to sacrifice her life for a strangers. If she was willing to do that, then her people would live.

However, Ranma would not have any of that.

Having volunteered for his crewmates, Ranma was strapped to a gurney, and was about to be horrendously tortured.

"Why did you volunteer?" said the bald alien. "Why do you care for someone that you don't even know?"

Ranma turns his head, sees the Empath, and looks at his captors.

"Because a martial artists duty is to protect the weak and helpless."

The alien nods, and then turns to his colleague.

"Proceed."

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

…Racism…

The two aliens, Bele and Lokai, had finally left the Enterprise, who wanted to continue their fight on the now charred remains of Cheron. Bele, a magistrate, had left side of his face black, while the right side of his face was white; Lokai, a runaway was the same way, but with the colors in reverse. Both represented the last of their respective peoples, and both were determined to kill each other until one or both were dead.

Ranma was aghast. He recalled how much of a rivalry he had with Ryouga, but, seeing Bele and Lokai's "war" gave Ranma a whole new perspective.

"What's the point?" Ranma asked Usagi. "Everyone they knew is gone."

Usagi looked Ranma.

"Their hate is the only thing they have left, Ranma."

Ranma shook his head.

…Loneliness…

All around Ranma, there was nothing. At first, he thought that the Enterprise was deserted, but then he felt eyes all around him. But…

There was no one there.

Steeling himself, Ranma choose a random direction, and proceeded in that direction. Hopefully, the mission specs that Spock provided for him will help him find the Captain.

…Probes that guarded long-dead outposts…

The female probe was programmed to destroy any intruder, by tailoring a specific "death touch" for the would-be victim. If someone else interferes, then the effect was not effective.

Meanwhile, Senior Chief Petty Officer Ranma Saotome used a trick he witnessed Cologne pulled on him.

"I have come for you, Ranma Saotome," the probe said, as she approached Ranma.

"I bet you are," Ranma replied. He was lucky that the first time the probe tried to touch him, he had switched genders. Unfortunately, the probe proved to be adaptable enough to circumvent Ranma's curse.

"Here goes…"

Ranma began moving around at a rapid pace, and then seeming split into four people.

"Okay, how do you like me now?" the Ranmas said in unison.

The probe seeming smirked, as she split into multiple selves.

"We are for you ALL, Ranma Saotome."

This is going to take a while, Ranma thought.

…Energy-possessing entities…

"WE WILL CONTROL THE MOON PRINCESS," said the possessed Lt. Commander Usagi Tsukino, as her eyes glowed while floating in the middle of the room. The entities that were controlling the Operations Officer had devastated many Federation colonies, before settling on their new "home". And since Usagi was a potent psychic, she would make the perfect vessel for the entities' designs.

However, Ranma was not going to have ANY of it.

"This is going to hurt me, more than it will hurt you," Ranma said, as he cracked his knuckles. He knew that Usagi would not mind Ranma attacking her in her present condition.

At least, Ranma hoped so.

…Old Immortals…

"Methos, you have served my Mother during the old days of the Silver Millennium," Usagi said, who was in full "Moon Princess" mode. "And we were allies during the siege at Troy. Don't do this thing. Allow Raina and my ship-mates to be free."

The Enterprise was trying to obtain ryetalyn, a special grain that, when distilled, provided a cure for a fatal illness, when their host, Mr. Flint, was revealed to be an ancient Immortal. He was really Methos, who was an ancient Menoan who fought at Troy with both Usagi and Ranma (though he would not know at the moment), and played the roles of many of humankind's most prolific scholars and leaders. Strangely, he sought to keep the Enterprise crew hostage, as a way of sparking the emotions of his android companion. And now that Raina was feeling emotions, towards Captain Kirk no less, Methos, or Mr. Flint, as he is called now, Methos wanted to punish everyone.

"You don't understand, Princess," Methos said. "I've been alone for ages. I've watched my friends and loved ones grow old and die. And…I am the last of my kind."

Usagi placed a hand on Methos' shoulders.

"Then you need not be alone. I am here, and so is Ranma."

Methos turns an eye towards Ranma.

"Then, you have my allegiance once again."

As this was going on, Ranma wondered if he will get as obsessive as Flint, where Akane is concerned.

…Space 'hippies'…

Dressed in bell-bottoms and a tye-dye t-shirt, Usagi, wearing rose-tinted sunglasses, straightened hair, a bandanna and sandals, played her bongo drums. The whiff of incense covered the room, as she engaged in a jam session with Dr. Sevren and his traveling band of vagabonds.

"Tune in! Drop out!" Usagi, or "Moon Bunny", as she was calling herself at the moment, said, while banging on her drums. "Down with the military-industrial complex, man!"

Ranma, who was keeping watch over things, wondered why Usagi was getting so involved with these people. After all, she was SUPPOSE to be infiltrating Dr. Sevren's group, so that Kirk could learn what Sevren's real agenda was.

…Class warfare…

With the conflict resolved on Ardana, between the cloud dwelling Stratosians and the underground-dwelling Trogglytes, the Enterprise could obtain the Xenite necessary to combat the plague on Merak II.

"Well, that's that," Chief Petty Officer Ranma Saotome said, as he finished reviewing the cargo. As the top security guy, he was to review what is shipped up to the Enterprise. And he was STILL antsy, ever since he was attacked earlier by the Trogglytes, who mistook him for a Stratosian, who were oppressing the cave dwellers arbitrarily.

"Hope you burn in Hades!"

"You do not deserve his affection!"

Ranma turns to the source of the commotion. Apparently, the local magistrate's daughter Droxine was trying to put the moves on Spock, who was still seeing Usagi. Usagi did not take Droxine's desires lightly.

"Well, at least my name doesn't sound like an antiseptic!"

Ranma shakes his head.

…aliens disguised as iconic heroes and villains…

"HAHAAHAHA!" the fake Happosai said, as he stood triumphantly over Ranma-chan back. "I've finally forced you to wear one of my delectable treasures!"

Once again, Ranma-chan was being forced to wear a bra.

Ranma-chan could only grimace at her predicament. It's bad enough that the Excalibans decided to create figures of the past, as a way of testing the moral fortitude of the Enterprise crew.

First, "Abraham Lincoln" appears, then "Surak the Peacemaker". Finally, the villains Col. Green (genocidal mad-man of Earth's mid-twentieth century), Genghis Khan, Zora of Tiburon (who conducted experiments on that world's prison population), Emperor Khaless of Q'onos (who set the pattern for Klingon behavior), and, unfortunately, Happosai the Demented Martial Arts masters showed up. They were to test the will of Kirk, Spock, Saotome, Lincoln and Surak, as the Excalibans observed the battle between good and evil…

"Old freak!" Ranma-chan demanded. "Get off of me!"

With a shrug, Ranma-chan knocked Happosai off of her back, ripped the bra off, and proceeded to stomp her "Master" into the ground.

"I take it that Chief Saotome has a shared past with this…troll?" Kirk asked, as he big-sweated.

"That is a logical assumption, Captain," Spock replied.

…Lost time periods…

Ranma was holed up in his "hooch", while he relaxed by the bubbling stream. The forest provided the cool shade, as he waited to get a bite on his fishing line…

"Hey, Ranma!" Usagi called from their shared cabin. "You got dinner ready?"

"Coming!" Ranma replied, as he got up. He knew how cranky Usagi could get, if she didn't eat right away.

The crew of the Enterprise was assigned to assist in the evacuation of Sarpedon, whose sun was on the verge of going Nova. Captain Kirk, Commander Spock, Lt. Commander Tsukino, Dr. McCoy and Chief Petty Officer Saotome were sent down to the planet, only to find one man left on the planet. Mr. Atoz was the administrator of a special library that specializes in temporal information gathering.

In other words, Atoz administered "time travel".

Atoz had mistakenly thought that the crew were Sarpedonians, and sent the crew, using force, to various time periods. Ranma and Usagi ended in a time period similar to Medieval China, circa the Tang Dynasty. And while Usagi, who was a trained Temporal mechanist and mystic, roles acquired from her days in the multi-dimensional realm of "the Rifts", was working on a way to remotely access Atoz's library, the two Starfleet personnel decided to carve a home…just in case.

In the meantime, it was time to eat.

Ranma threw one of his many fishing lines onto the stream, and jumped on the line. As he floated about his section of the stream, Ranma used his spare rod to whack the fish into his arms.

"Ranma, hurry up, I'm hungry!" Usagi yelled.

Startled, Ranma fell into the stream.

A few minutes later…

"What happened?" Usagi said, as she noticed a soaked Ranma-chan, who was carrying flapping fishes in her arms.

"Uh, nothing," Ranma-chan replied. "I got food, though."

(A/N: Just my homage to "Butterfly Comet and Sword". Check it out!)

…And even switched gender roles.

Dr. Janice Lester raged. She had hated James Kirk for ending their relationship, blamed sexism for being washed-out of the program geared to groom Starfleet captains for leadership, and now blamed Chief Petty Officer Saotome for his uncanny ability to "read" her aura, even after switching places with Kirk.

Thankfully, Spock had used his potent psychic abilities to force Janice and Kirk to switch back.

"You men are all alike!" Janice roared. "You will never appreciate a woman!"

Ranma smirked, as he switched to "female mode".

"Wha-what?" Janice said with shock.

"Actually, I DO appreciate my…female side," Ranma said evenly. "When I first…acquired my other form, I saw it as a sign of weakness. But since then, I have learned to appreciate it. In fact, I have benefited from having a female form. So you, lady, are both wrong AND nuts!"

As Dr. Lester was led away, Kirk turns his top security agent.

"You know, for a while, it was interesting walking in your shoes."

"Heh, I feel the same way, and I live with my condition!"

All-in-all, life aboard the Enterprise was normal.

With the end of Captain Kirk's "mission" tour immanent, everyone is relaxing and partying. Everyone I know is talking about their plans afterwards. My application for admittance into Starfleet Academy has been accepted, and is being processed. Thankfully, my ship-board experience, rank status, and post-secondary education credit will allow me to go to the Academy as a 3rd year student.

It does help that Kirk, the commander of the few surviving Constitution-class starships, recommended for the opportunity…

Usagi comes barging into Ranma's quarters, wearing a party hat, and intoxicated.

"It's party time!"

…If I can survive Usagi's antics.

"Look, I told you about barging in here," Ranma said, as he shut off his log.

"But you've been swamped with too much work," Usagi said, as she hugged Ranma from behind. You gotta loosen up!"

"Fine. I'll party," Ranma grumbled, as he was being led by the arm.

A few hours later, in the Recreation Room…

"You know, Ranma," Hikaru Sulu said, as he gently held his Romulan ale. "We've been close for a long time."

"Yeah, man," Ranma replied, already feeling the effects of the alcohol. "And I'm going to miss you guys!"

"I know, I know. Wait, I have an idea. It's an idea on how we can keep in touch."

"R-really?"

"Yeah. How about…we unite our two families somehow?"

"Wha-what?" Ranma replied, not really sure if what Sulu was saying was familiar or not.

"Yeah. You and I don't have any kids, but we might someday. What if we promised to betrothed our children to each other?"

"Well, I don't know…"

"It's not like they have to get married to each other or nothing. It will…allow them to have options."

"I suppose so…"

"So, it's settled then. Let's write this up on something."

So, on a cocktail napkin, Ranma and Sulu wrote up an agreement between their families, promising each of their respective children to the other…

Sixteen years later…

San Francisco, California.

Captain Hikaru Sulu was on Earth, waiting for the Excelsior to be repaired from the damage it took at Khitomer. He was reading his mail, when he came upon an important notice.

It read:

Bringing son to Earth. Will be there shortly. Ranma.

Wow, Sulu thought, as he sat back. He decided to go through it.

Then, he looked up.

"Demora!" Sulu yelled. "Get in here!"

Demora Sulu was home from Starfleet Academy, which was no big deal, since the Academy was in the old Presidio grounds, which was close to where she lived. At the age of sixteen, Demora was a bit of a child-prodigy. As a third-year student, she was tracked to be posted on her first starship tour in a few years.

"Yes, Dad?" Demora said.

"I have a bit of news for you…" Sulu began.

A few minutes later…

"A fiancée!"

"Calm down," Sulu replied. "It's just an old Earth custom."

"Well, we're not living on 'old Earth'," Demora countered. "You don't even know what your friend's son is like."

"Be as it may, just meet him. I'm not going to force you into a marriage that you aren't prepared for. Hon, I just want you to have an option, that's all. Besides, his son will be a first year student at the Academy, and he could use a friend."

"Alright, I'll show him around."

A few hours later…

"I'm surprised that the weather-maintenance system is off-line," Demora commented.

"They're probably just running a systems check," Sulu replied. "Still, it's nice to have rain now and again."

Just then, the door rings.

"Coming!" Demora said, as she went to the door. When she opened it, Demora was surprised to see two girls, one red-head and the other jet-black. She noticed that the red-head wore a Starfleet uniform, which bore the rank of "Commander". The dark-haired girl wore tribal skins similar to the Native Americans of old Earth.

"And you are…"

"I'm Commander Saotome," Ranma-chan, as she and her companion steps inside. "And this is my son Ranmak. Sorry about this."

"Uncle Ranma?" Demora said shockingly. She had heard rumors about her father's friend, but to see his curse in action was…weird.

"Yeah. Heh."

A short explanation later…

Demora had to admit that Ranmak was handsome, in spite of his inherited curse. Still, the curse was a bit of a turn-off.

"Um, you practice martial arts?" Demora asked.

"Yeah," Ranmak replied. "I haven't got any challenging fights lately."

"Well, I'm pretty good."

"Really? You want to spar?"

Demora beamed.

"I would like that."

In the other room…

"Well, your son seems to get along with Demora," Sulu commented, as he sipped his tea.

"I told Ranmak to be nice to your daughter, which wasn't easy since he rather hang out with his friend back on his mother's home planet," Ranma replied. "Besides, I rather not have history repeated, if you know what I mean."

Sulu simply nodded in response.

END FLASHBACK!

I'm glad things worked out, old friend, thought Ranma.

"Woo-hoo! It's party-time!"

Ranma turned to the source of the noise.

"Usagi, I think you had a bit too much to drink," Ranma said.

"Hey, it's not every day that I can celebrate," Usagi said, as she saunters over to her ex-husband. "And you know what? I'm feeling kinda…frisky."

"Hey, I'm NOT going there again."

"Come on, Ranma! It's not like you would have to pay child support or anything…"

"I DON'T think so."

Ranma turned to the gathering friends and family members, from the vantage point of the study's window. Since coming to this dimension, Ranma Saotome has developed a legacy that he would have never thought possible. And it was because of the likes of Captain James T. Kirk of whom he owed a lot to.

Rest in peace.

END BOOK ONE.

Author's note: Well, that's that, but "Ranma's Story" will continue. Stay tuned!