Star Trek: Ranma's Story39 – By DS Wynne

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

Note: This is multi-epic story with many elements to it.

Special note: While this is a spin-off story to "Sailor Moon ST", you don't have to read that one to enjoy this one.

Special author's note: Hi! Just want to give you the "411" on some key points.

One, Q/Ranma Saotome, who is married to Amanda/Akane/Eowyn, exists in one POSSIBLE timeline; Commander Ranma Saotome of the USS Defiant (as well as Captain Ranma Saotome of the year 3005 CE) is the central figure in this story, so HE hasn't made a choice on which person he wants to settle down with. Question: who should be with Ranma? Who would be the happiest by being with him? Heck, if you all prefer, Ranma could settle down with RYOUGA! Just kidding…maybe…

Two, Lady Usashinko Rantsu (old-Usagi) is a widower, as a result of the actions of "The Terror", and thus is willing to give old flame Mamoru ("Tuxedo Mask") Chiba a second chance. Also, she is more than willing to have a clone made from Lord Ranshin's remains to make someone else happy, or have her son, Lord Kenshin Rantsu meet the Tendo family. After all, the Rantsu clan is really an extension of the Saotome clan, even though they have been in existence since the days of the Tokugawa period. Could family honor forced Kenshin (whose background will be elaborated on shortly) to become a fiancée of one of the Tendo sisters?

And three, more will be explained on why Counselor Tsukino was more than willing to go medieval on Ukyo, who is still smarting from the fact that her "Ranchan" had gotten married. For those who don't know, "Leviathan" is the dark god of the Cenobites ("Hellraiser"), and "the Maestro" is the evil version of the Incredible Hulk, who is a servant of the aliens known as the Splugorth (powerful octopods who routinely enslave entire worlds, and are masters of both high-technology and various forms of magic…including Rune and Tattoo magic). Usagi's story in this regard will also be elaborated on.

Anyway, on to our story…

Part 39

Hokkaido, Japan.

Young Lord Kenshin Rantsu, drove his red sports (an Asten Martin), all morning, through the winding roads on the coast. Sure, he could have used parlor tricks to get to clan Rantsu's family estate, but he preferred the feel of the wheel. Once he flew past the posts marking the original boundary of Rantsu lands, he knew that he'll be at the Rantsu Shrine shortly.

Kenshin could not believe the old stories that his mother Usashinko had told him over the years. According to her, she and her father had traveled from a distant future, but made a miscalculation in the execution. The end result was being trapped 1000 years into the past, on the large island of Hokkaido. Thankfully, an old friend of his mother, who went by the name "Jack" took them in. Supposedly, they had met in some alternate timeline that was ruled by a demon named "Aku". The old friend was in the twilight of his years, and, at the end of his life, willed both the land and his mystical sword, a weapon that was said to have been forged by the gods to fight against Aku, to Usashinko. After all, his mother was the weapon user in the family, not his father Ranshin.

As part of the turn over, part of the land will be given over to a local sect of Shinto monks, who would also tend the Rantsu Shrine. Besides Jack, several over family members and close friends, are interned there, leaving the rest of land to Ranshin and Usashinko. And it is from there, that the Rantsu couple would spawn a powerful clan that would have influence, from the beginning of Tokugawa period to the present. And while Rantsu lands were still the largest of Hokkaido, much of it has been sold off for public development or donated to the government, not to mention parceled to their various heirs.

When Kenshin arrives at the Rantsu Shine, he greeted by the Abbot.

"Lord Kenshin," said Ryuken. "You have arrived."

"Yes, Master Ryuken," Kenshin said, as he got up. "How is your son, Kenshiro?"

"He is well. He does our family martial arts style proud."

"Tell me about. I'm STILL feeling it from our last match. Has Mother arrived?"

"Yes, she has been here for a while now."

"Thank you, sir."

Kenshin goes to the family burial site, where his father tomb was located. It was above ground, but was covered by a wooden canopy that provided the area a rustic feeling. Kenshin sees his mother kneeling before the tomb.

"Mother," Kenshin said, as he took off his sunglasses, and placed them in his sports-jacket. He was dressed something out of a "Miami Vice" scene.

"You've come," Usashinko said, as she rose from her place. "I'm glad, my son."

"I take it that you'll go along with that plan of yours?"

"Aye. It's time that I move on to my next role in life, that of the Neo-Queen Serenity."

Kenshin didn't like where this was going. The only reason why there would be a need for a Neo-Queen, is if-"

"The world will end soon, right?"

Usahinko sighed.

"It won't end. However, it is the beginning of the end, and we need to be prepared for the Second Dark Age."

"Man, there go my investments…"

Usashinko puts her right hand on her son's left cheek.

"Well, YOU are MY investment, my son. It'll be up to you to insure that Humankind survives long enough to make 'first contact'."

Usashinko pauses.

"And that brings me to my next request. You've been single for TOO long. It's time for you to settle-down."

Kenshin was a late twenty-something business man, who ran the Rantsu Foundation. The Mishma Zaibatsu was partially owned by the Rantsu, while the Mishma clan operated it. As part of this arrangement, the Rantsu would operated the 'Foundation, which had dealings with civilian and governmental entities, and was the "sister organization" to the Phoenix Foundation, an American-based version of the Japanese organization. His relative Nodoka Rantsu runs the security apparatus of the Rantsu Foundation, having acquired military experience as an enlisted U.S. Army operative known as "Jinx". At any rate, Kenshin runs the day-to-day affairs in his mother's name. Hey, as he would put it, it certainly break up the monotony of his extensive dating experience.

"Oh, no. It's that fiancée thing, isn't? Mother, we are not Saotome. We don't have to honor Dad's obligation. And I certainly don't know these Tendo girls."

"Do it for me. At least, you should get to know them."

Kenshin sighs.

"Fine, Mother. I'll do it."

"Thank you, my son."

"You're welcome. Look, Mother, I'll be up at the house."

"Okay. Nyoka will have dinner ready at six sharp."

When Kenshin leaves his father's grave, Usashinko closes her eyes.

"You really should let your son know that you are alive, Ranma."

Q steps forth from the shadows.

"You know that it's not possible, Usagi," Q says. "Once my 'Lord Ranshin' persona sacrificed his life to stop our son Genshin's machinations during the Reckoning years ago-"

Usashinko turns around in anger.

"That THING is not our son! Call it what it is!"

"Fine. Once Ranshin sacrificed his life to stop 'the Terror', THAT persona returned to ME. And as a 'Q', I can have many aspects of myself, each one co-existing with the other."

Usashinko sighs, as she turns her head to the recently-emptied grave of one "Genshin Rantsu". Most likely, one of his acolytes discovered the means to free him.

"Tell me, why can't YOU take care of him? You have the power."

"Power, yes, but I'm bound by the rules of the Q Continuum. You know that."

"I know. It's just that, it's so hard."

Q takes Usashinko into his arms.

"Usagi, you're stronger than that. And I believe in you. Besides, the prince of the Earth is a good man. You should give him a chance."

Usashinko looks at her former husband.

"Thanks, Ranchan. I needed it."

"Shhh! Amanda might hear you SAY that."

"Too late!" said a disembodied voice.

"Sigh," Q said. "Why am I always stuck with the tomboys?"

Elsewhere, in Nerima, Tokyo, Japan…

Counselor Usagi Tsukino sighed, as she walked away from "Ucchan's".

"Why is it that I attract trouble?" Usagi mused.

"That is because you are an interesting person, Elder," said a voice.

Usagi turned around to see a young woman carrying a knurled staff.

"I don't understand…"

"I suppose not. You may not have yet to meet me, or you have forgotten. Such is the way of a master of Time. Regardless, you are an Amazon Elder."

The young woman steps forward, and performed an Amazon salute. By reflex, Usagi responded in kind.

"Peace to you, Sister."

"And to you, Peace, Sister."

Usagi steps back.

"You ARE an Amazon, aren't you?"

"Indeed. I am Khu Lon, matriarch of the Joketsu."

"I…I remember meeting the Joketsu, when the son of Artemis wanted revenge against the Amazons for not standing up to Xena. But it was Artemis who failed to stop the Amazon-turned-goddess Valasca from wrecking havoc on the Amazon Nation…simply because the Elders didn't support her bid for leadership!"

"So you ARE the one who rode with Antiope into battle at Troy. It's not everyday that one gets to meet the Amazon Princess of the Hippolyta lineage."

In the early days of Usagi's travels, Usagi and her friend Hoshi Sato and T'Pol of Vulcan, were stranded in the Mythic Age, where they met the original Amazons. Through some mishap, Usagi ended up an adopted sister of Queen Hippolyta, and thus became an Amazon Princess. A few years later, Usagi would participate in the Trojan War, where she would meet Ranma Saotome the first time. Years after the war, Usagi, Hoshi and T'Pol, along with the warrior princess Xena, the Amazon queen Gabrielle and the rest of the Amazon nation (with the exception the Hippolyta and her followers, who had disappeared on a decree by the gods) battled Artemis' son and his warriors. Victorious, half the Amazon Nation went West, and the other half went East. The eastern Amazons would branch off, and one such branch would serve as the foundation of the Joketsu. In fact, Cologne's ancestor was a personal friend of Usagi, who was inspired by the Moon Princess' bravery and hair-style, which is why many young Amazons, such as Cologne's great, grand-daughter Xian Pu (or, simply, "Shampoo") tend to have the "odango-atma" look.

"Wow, I'm…flattered that you think so highly of me."

"You have earned every accolade, Sister. When Shampoo and I were in the future, and was told of your former husband's marriage-"

"Oh, right. Ranma told me that he was visited by some people from this timeline."

"Correct. At first, I was upset that 'son-in-law' had gotten himself married, since I would prefer that he would marry my great, grand-daughter. However, your name gave me a clue as to your true identity. Thus, when I came back here, I did some research."

"I see…"

"You seemed stressed, Sister."

"Yeah, just had a run-in with one of Ranma's friends, and it wasn't pleasant either."

"Well, we can discuss it over a hot bowl of ramen.
Usagi's features light up in excitement.

"Lead on, sister!"

Meanwhile, in Juuban…

"Well, that's that," Ami said, as she made sure that she was packed for the day's travel. "I made sure that our reservations at the Okayama Inn are secure-"

Ami looks at the luggage that her friend Minako was carrying four suitcases full of clothes.

"What is THAT?"

"My clothes and such," Minako replied.

"We're only going to be there for a DAY."

"But, we might get to see cute boys while we're down there."

"…"

Meanwhile, in Okayama…

Chief O'Brien entered the living room from Washu's closet. He looked shaken up. Tenchi Masaki, who was doing his laundry saw this.

"What's wrong, Chief?" Tenchi asked.

"I…I don't know. I was working on re-initializing the Defiant's main reactor, when I saw Miss Washu walking by."

"So?"

"She was wearing some sort of nurse's outfit, and was giggling crazy."

"Uh, what did she say?" Tenchi asked nervously.

"It was the strangest thing. She said she has finally acquired a patient to play 'doctor' with-"

Tenchi drops his laundry, and rushes into Washu's closet.

"WASHU!"

Back in Nerima…

"Man, you're such a pain," Ranma said, as he carried Kuno-chan's body to the Kuno compound. He had told Usagi earlier that he'll meet up with her later, since he didn't want to have another incident on his hands like the one at "Ucchan's". Finally, he gets to the door of the Kuno house.

"Here goes," Ranma says, as he presses the doorbell.

The door opens.

"Yes?" asked the Kuno servant Sasuke, a ninja retainer. "Oh! Master Saotome! How may I help you?"

"Uh, Upperclassman Kuno got mix up in 'magic' again, and got himself cursed."

Which was the truth, in a certain point of view.

"Oh, well, by all means, bring him in."

Ranma was led to the Kuno's living room, where Kuno-chan was deposited on a nearby sofa.

"There, that ought to-"

"Ranma-sama!" said a voice.

"AH!" Ranma said, as he leaped to a nearby ceiling. He could take on the likes of Saffron, but Kodachi Kuno still scarred him silly.

"Ranma, why are you on the ceiling?" Kodachi asked, as she looked up. She was wearing normal clothes for a change.

"Uh, just checking for bugs. Heh."

"I see."

When Ranma got back down, Kodachi's eyes widened.

"That uniform…where did you get it?"

"I was away…somewhere," Ranma said with a nervous grin. In spite of the weirdness of Nerima, he still had to be careful about polluting the time-stream. "Why you asked?"

"Just a second. I want to show you something."

Kodachi ran out of the room, and came back with a sketch picture. She then showed it to Ranma.

"Do you know this man?" Kodachi asked.

Ranma takes a look at it, and almost gasp.

"How…how do you know Wesley Crusher?"

Hearts immediately danced around her head.

"Ah, Wesley. I knew that I wasn't imagining things. Ranma, you must tell me all about him!"

"…"

At the "Cat Café", two Amazons were in deep discussion.

"I don't why I fly off the handle like that," Usagi said, as she sipped her tea. "It's like some sort of darkened anger creeps into my very being, whenever someone tries to do me in."

"Well, Miss Kuonji did attack you," Cologne replies.

"I know, but I was more than willing to kill her. And over what? A school-girl's crush over Ranma?"

"Well, son-in-law does have his way with women."

"Tell me about it."

"So, do you know when this…darkness entered your life?"

Usagi takes another sip.

"Well, it all started when I was captured by radiated-spawn creature called 'the Maestro'. He wanted a consort for his ambitions, but wanted me to be just like him. So he infused me with tainted blood, and…altered me in his image."

Tears began to form in her eyes.

"I was made into a green savage, who's only thought was to serve the will of her master. If it hadn't been for the fact that my savage nature was being directed, on an unconscious level, by my spiritual self, I would have been HIS."

Flashback Scene 1: A green, muscled bound Amazon trudges through a jungle. A ghostly figure is at her side.

"Usagi, this way!" the apparition says, as she floated ahead.

The "Gamma-zon" trudges forward.

"Usagi follow!" the creature bellowed, as a half-cat, half-rabbit animal sits on the shoulder of "Savage Usagi".

"Th-OW!" the creature interjected.

End Flashback Scene 1.

"Somehow, I ended up in Oakland, California, United States, where a wing chun master and his wife took me in. If it hadn't been for Sifu Lee and Linda's help, I wouldn't have been able to become whole again, nor would I have been able to either cure myself of my affliction nor defeat the Maestro once and for all."

"You seemed to have able to handle yourself in that regard."

"I…did, but it laid the groundwork for another problem. I…ended up in the lair of the dark god Leviathan and his minions, while trying to take a trans-dimensional short-cut."

Cologne's eyes squinted. She had heard of tales of strange puzzle boxes that led to the ultimate experience involving pleasure and pain.

"Worse…I became Leviathan!"

"I see. So, what happened?"

"My anger over my abuse by the hands of the Maestro was used against me. And it was during that time that my essence was fused with the dark god. I became this hideous thing, who reveled in the literal manipulation of men's desires. And if it hadn't been a young wizard's bravery, I would still have been the dark queen of the Cenobites."

Flashback Scene 2: Three young teens are facing Leviathan in her citadel.

Harry Potter looks at his friends Wesley and Demona, and then at their foe. Ever since Demona had opened that puzzle box, they had to face her minions. The minions, called Cenobites, had gathered around the dark queen Leviathan and the young wizards. Levaithan was a pale-blue young woman, with a leather bodace, garter belt and stiletto, ankle-length boots, black wings (with mechanical spider legs embedded on her back), a black, upside-down moon crescent, pale eyes, and an open chest wound with another puzzle box embedded in the wound.

"Dearest Harry," the young woman says, in a deep voice. "You are quite surrounded. Give up, and your last minutes of existence with be…wonderful."

"What are we going to do?" Wesley says, as he looks around the room. Some of the Cenobites were openly sharpening their blades and razors.

"We got to do something, Harry!" Demona says.

Harry looks at Leviathan, and then the puzzle box in her chest.

"Actually, I want to do…THIS!"

Using a levitation spell, Harry snatched the puzzle box out of her chest.

"Wesley! Demona! NOW!"

As if on instinct, the two threw up a powerful, invisible wall, keeping the Cenobites at bay. However, Leviathan was more than powerful enough to slip through the spell's effect.

"Time to die, Harry Potter!" she said, as she came at Harry.

"No, you silly muggle! It's time to live!"

The puzzle box opened, revealing a "royal star seed".

"NO!" Leviathan roared, as the seed went into the dark goddess.

FLASH!

Everything gets "whitened".

End Flashback Scene 2.

"The young wizard was able to restore me to normal," Usagi said, as she sipped her tea. "I even was able to get a teaching job at his special school, teaching 'philosophy of magic'. Still, the memory of those experience haunt me to this day."

"And you survive that experience, as an Amazon should," Cologne said.

"Yeah…"

Shampoo was over-hearing this conversation from the kitchen. She was tempted to challenge Usagi for taking away HER Ranma. However, knowing that she was a fellow Amazon, and a powerful one at that, Shampoo was not going to follow through on her desire to get back HER Ranma.

BEEP-BEEP!

Usagi taps her combadge.

"Counselor Tsukino here."

"Counselor, we seem to have a slight situation with Miss Washu," said Worf over the com-link. "Your assistance would be helpful."

"Great," Usagi replied, as she gets up from her seat. "I'm on my way."

Usagi looks at Cologne, takes off her combadge, and places it in front of her.

"We'll talk some more, Sister. But, if you need me, use that device."

She presses her right index and middle finger to her forehead.

"Be seeing you."

ZAP!

And Usagi disappears in a wink, leaving a perplexed Cologne behind.

Tbc.

Author's note: After we wrap up our little trip to the past next chapter, we'll head on to confront the Borg. Until then, see you next time!