Star Trek: Ranma's Story 95
Disclaimer: Ranma ½, Star Trek, Sailor Moon and other genres belong to their respective owners.
Note: This is a multi-genre story.
Part 95
Location: Some place "Beyond the Rim"…
Outside of most normal conventions, human beings are unable to perceive the true nature of reality. Even the much-vaunted "Guardians of the Universe", the sponsors of the fabled Green Lantern Corp, do not perceive everything that occurs in the universe.
In one section of the universe, in the so-called "Fourth World", two lone figures, both of whom were the size of a galaxy, observes the life of a single individual from their observation platform. They have long since evolved into their pure essences as "Examplers"- beings who have become the embodiment of a given force of nature. Even the likes of the Lord of Apocalypse "Darkseid", wielder of the fabled "Anti-Life Equation", tread carefully when dealing with such people.
Our sister's new life is proceeding according to her plan.
The other being's companion, the embodiment of Knowledge and Strategy frowns.
Plan? What plan is that? It seems that all Akane has done was re-inserted her self into a new life cycle.
Oh, Nabiki, you shouldn't be so cruel. This is what she wanted, after all.
And how fair is that to US, Kasumi? We're family, and all she care is a guy who is MARRIED to another woman!The embodiment of the Hearth and Home sighs.
You're jealous of Ranma, aren't you, Nabiki?
No, I'm NOT jealous of Ranma-baby. I just…I just want us to be family again.
The other being comforts her sister.
When the time is right, we shall return home.
I…I would like that, Kasumi.
And the two sisters merely wait for their next move…
Location: Vulcan.
With the news that Federation Ambassador Spock has disappeared, the Federation has ordered Starfleet to investigate this disappearance. With that in mind, Starfleet has ordered the Enterprise-D to head the investigation. They were on their way to Vulcan anyway, after recovering ship debris found by Ferengi traders (and sold to Picard) that might be of Vulcan in origin. Normally, this matter would have been placed on the back burner, but when Starfleet Intelligence picked up word of Spock's presence on Romulus, the debris became of importance.
In the meantime, it was time to deal with issues concerning family for a certain pig-tail martial artist, and his Sailor-suited wife.
"Thank you for coming," said Federation Ambassador T'Sara Spocksdotter, as she hugged her "step-father" Starfleet Commander Ranma Saotome. As both the newly appointed representative within the Federation Council (the legislative branch of the government) and the "Senshi" of Vulcan, it was T'Sara's duty to see what had happened to her father Spock. In particular, she wanted to bring her parents home as soon as possible anyway, since her grandfather Sarek, a former Federation Ambassador-at-Large, was dying. "I'm glad that you and Mother have come."
"You know Vulcan is a second home to me, T'Sara," Ranma replied. Usagi had come to Vulcan earlier, with their daughter Aikiko, to take care of Sarek's business. In fact, it was Usagi who had told the Federation Diplomatic Corp of Spock's disappearance.
T'Sara replied to the remark by doing something uncharacteristically, even for a demi-Vulcan.
She smiled.
"I'm glad to hear that, Abba."
Just then, Sarek's wife Perrin enters the foyer of the Sarek household. Perrin was Sarek's third wife, who was also a human. She appeared as a blond woman in her mid-forties.
"Sarek can see you now."
Ranma broke his hug and took Perrin's hands.
"I promise you that I'll find Spock."
Perrin closes her eyes.
"I fear that, by then, it will be TOO late."
When Ranma enters Sarek's quarters, he sees Usagi sitting by Sarek's bedside.
"Usagi?"
Usagi turns her head.
"Oh, hi, Ranma. I was just about to leave."
Usagi gets up, and kisses Sarek on the fore head. She then straightened herself out, and performs a Vulcan hand salute.
"May you live long…and prosper, Sarek of Vulcan."
Sarek weakly follows suit.
"I know that my time on this world is almost expired. However…I do appreciate your sentiment."
Usagi clasped Sarek's hand with her own, and then left the room in tears.
Ranma went over to Sarek.
"Hello, Ambassador Sarek."
Sarek turns to his old colleague. They had first met back in the 22nd century when T'Pol was made the Vulcan Ambassador to the Federation, while Ranma (being the former vessel of the famous Surak, the father of the peace movement on Vulcan) was in attendance.
"Hello, Master Ranma," Sarek managed to say. "I'm glad that you managed to come."
"Well, I owe it to you and your family."
Location: En route to Romulus.The next day, the Enterprise-D heads for Romulan Neutral Zone. There, they were to meet with Captain Ta'Lonn, a Minbari member within the Anla'Shok. A White Star-class, which is technically considered politically neutral, was to go to Romulus as part of an on-going dialogue between the Romulan Star Empire and the Interstellar Alliance for normalized relations.
Meanwhile, in the main conference room…
"…So while the Enterprise-D investigates the debris, you and Commanders Tsukino, and Yar will determine the status of Ambassador Spock," Picard says, as he sits back in his seat. "In the meantime, I want to put Ensign Ro on 'Helm', Ensign Hibiki on 'Tactical' and Ensign Osaka on 'Science'."
"Are you sure that's…wise sir?" Ranma said with concern.
"He is rated in Tactical as a secondary specialty, correct?"
"Yes…"
"Then make sure that he is familiar with his duties, understand?"
"Yes, sir."
Meanwhile, down in "Operations", the hub of all shipboard activity…
"Man, I can't believe I have to work with that…THAT…"
"Oh, Ryouga," Science Specialist Naru Osaka-Hibiki replied, as she was putting the finishing touch to allocate resources for her section. "Don't be so overly dramatic."
Ryouga turns to his wife.
"Yeah, I'm sorry. It's just that…Saotome is so advanced at everything. He's a senior officer. He's a more powerful martial artist. How can I compete with that?"
"Well, from what you have told me, he was once your sparring partner for a long time before the…the…IT…happened."
Ryouga nods his head in understanding. Both he and his wife were among the victims of the "Near-Apocalypse" event of 2009, when an eco-terrorist named Ras Al-Gul unleashed a devastating virus unto the world. Those that contracted the virus, but did not die from it were placed in various "suspended animation" centers…some in space. Unfortunately, the subsequent chaos that would occur afterwards (like the Robotech Wars, the Machine Wars, World War II, the Great Kanto Earthquake, the Lunar Gate Disaster, the Third Impact, the Colonial Wars, the Gamilon War, and the Bolar War to name few) would insure that Ryouga and Naru's "cold satellite" would be lost to the ravages of time, until it would be recovered by the Enterprise-D centuries later.
"So…"
"So, what I am saying is that you should be Commander Saotome's sparring partner again," Naru says. "I'm sure he won't mind."
"Hmmm…"
A short time later, Ranma was taking some much-needed rest and relaxation, by performing a Jedi "kata" (or "form") called "Saotome". It combined Jedi forms "Ataru" (enhanced agility and speed) and "Sokan" (enhanced mobility with targeted strikes), but uses the Anything Goes Martial Arts philosophy of "indiscriminate grappling".
SNAP! Hzzzz…
As the wielder of the yellow-bladed "light-saber", Ranma was a "Jedi Sentinel"- a protector –with the rank of "Weapon Master". During the final days of the Old Republic, Jedi Master Mace Windu, a fierce, bald, black man from the planet Haruun Kal (in the Lucas Galaxy), Master Windu was impressed with Ranma's skills to put in a request for Ranma to be made "Weapon Master" (the equivalent of having a "Five-Star" rating out of four stars). Those who were given such a designation were a special class of Jedi Masters who were fluent in combat arms and tactics. Ranma, who was already an experienced warrior, accepted this honor. Unfortunately, before a ceremony could be made to make Ranma's honor official, Anakin Skywalker's betrayal, as the Sith Lord Apprentice "Darth Vader", of the Jedi Order had begun. In fact, Anakin's jealousy of both Ranma AND Usagi's "special status" within the Jedi Order, was the root cause of his desire to become the strongest Jedi ever…which resulted in his fall to the Dark Side of the Force.
"Computer, begin simulation," Ranma said, as he placed a blind-fold over his eyes.
CHIRP!
Several, dark-robed figures appeared, their faces obscured and their red-bladed light-sabers drawn.
SNAP! SNAP! Hzzzz…
Ranma extended his senses, and felt the electrons of the simulation. Certain forms had greater clusters of electrons than others, depending on what is to be simulated-
BLAM!
Ranma blocked the blow, as it was about to make contact with his back. He parried the attack, and forced the attacker's sword down. When that happened, Ranma used his free hand to wave his attacker off. This prompted the other attackers into the fore…
BLAM! BLAM!
Ranma blocked one attack, parried another attack, and followed though with yet another attack onto his opponents. When the first attacker returned to fight Ranma, Ranma twirled around his 'saber, and caught the attack.
Ranma smiled, and suddenly used his opponent's blade to guide HIS blade…in order to cut off the opponent's sword arm.
SLICE!
Ranma rolled out of the three attackers' strike, while picking up his first opponent's 'saber. After roll into a standing position, Ranma activated the second lightsaber.
SNAP! Hzzzzz…
Ranma, now in a ready position, with both weapons in hnad, waited for the last three attackers to regroup…
SLICE! SLICE! SLICE-!
As Ranma landed outside the ring of attackers, after flipping over to the outside, he waited for the results of his actions to take effect…
FLOOP!
All three combatants fell to pieces.
Humph, Ranma thought. That could have gone better than that-
Just as he was about to drop his guard, Ranma's danger senses spiked.
BLAM! BLAM!
Ranma blocked the attack, leaped out of the way, and pulled off his blindfold.
"Usagi?"
Usagi grinned, as she wielded her twin purple-colored light-sabers. As the practitioner of Form "Makashi" (which emphasized 'saber-to-'saber combat) and Form "Jar'Kai" (paired weapons combat), her attacks were more precise and methodical.
"Hello…Ranma," Usagi said, as she began her attack.
BLAM! BLAM!
Ranma was familiar with the Makashi and Jar'Kai styles, though he favored his Saotome form.
Ranma maneuvered around the attacks quickly, using his nimble nature to evade the attacks.
"What's up with this?"
"I needed to blow off some steam with all that has happened," Usagi replied, as she followed through on her attack. She cartwheeled into a new attack position, forcing Ranma into defense.
"I ain't going to go easy on ya," Ranma replied, as he blocked one attack, and tried to follow through with a counter-attack…that was blocked by Usagi.
"I don't expect you too, Ranma," Usagi said, as she tried to force Ranma into submission…
"Good," Ranma replied, as he suddenly deactivated his weapons.
Hzzzzz-SNAP! SNAP!
Usagi suddenly fell forward, allowing Ranma to use a standard Force-user trick.
POOMP!
Ranma opened his palm, and knocked his wife towards the wall of the holodeck.
"Oof!" Usagi said, as she fell back.
"Usagi!" Ranma said, as he goes over to his wife. "Are…are you okay-"
"Got you," Usagi said with a smile. "Look down."
Usagi had one of her lightsabers between Ranma's legs.
"Humph," Ranma said. "You cheated."
Hzzzzz-SNAP! SNAP!
"Hey, 'Anything Goes', right?" Usagi said, as she gets up. "I guess I WIN."
"Oh, really?" Ranma smirked. "Where's Aikiko?"
"She's still in school for another few hours. Why?"
"Computer, change scenery to…the 'Naboo' program."
"WORKING," came the reply.
The scene in the holodeck changes from a mountain monastery to a small castle next to a lake with a waterfall. The vista was that of a setting sun.
"Wow," Usagi said. "You certainly did good on this simulation on the Royal Retreat."
"Thanks," Ranma said, as he picked up two glasses of champagne. "Considering that we're about to go under-cover, I'd say some much needed relief…of a different type…is needed."
Usagi accepted her glass of champagne.
"Thanks. You know, maybe we're going about all this the wrong way."
Ranma arched an eyebrow.
"Did Spock tell you why he did what he is doing?"
Usagi sighed.
"Remember when you were possessed by Surek? And remember what he had hoped for his people?"
Ranma thought for a moment.
"Surak had always hoped that the children of Vulcan would always be one people."
"Right! And that's what Spock wanted to do, Ranma. He wants to see the day that Vulcans and Romulans can be reunited."
"And thus bring about a more long-term peace," Ranma finished, slightly agitated. "Usagi, these are ROMULANS. You know what they did to Akane. You KNOW what they are capable of."
Usagi sat her glass down, and took Ranma's one of his hands into hers.
"I don't agree with the way Spock is going about doing this thing, but at least respect the goal of what he is trying to do."
Ranma merely sat down his glass and held Usagi's hands.
"I'm just saying these are Romulans. I'm not saying that Spock's goals are not admirable. Besides…he SHOULD know better."
Usagi nods, and leans her head into his chest.
"I know, Ranma. I know."
Tbc.