Disclaimer: Ranma ½, Star Trek, Sailor Moon and other genres belong to their respective owners.
Note: This is a multi-genre story.
Special note: I want to thank everyone who stuck with this story to the bitter end. And even though Ranma Saotome's adventures with Usagi ("Sailor Moon") Tsukino are FAR from over, this story is. Hopefully, you'll will check out "Star Trek: Ranma's Chronicles" (which feature the events during the years after TNG), and "Star Trek: Ranma's Adventures" (which feature the events that lead to ENT). Enjoy!
Part 100
Year: 3006 CE (Nerima Ward, "Old Tokyo", Japan).
Nerima Ward is one of the few places throughout the metropolitan area that has maintained its late 20th century sensibilities. Even taking in account of the backdrop that consists of GENOM Tower in Neo-Tokyo on one side, and Crystal Tokyo on another side, the district is still the same haven for super-powered martial artists. The so-called "Nerima Wrecking Crew" is still alive and well, albeit in a different form.
Meanwhile, at the Tendo Compound…
"Ranma, you JERK!"
Dr. Amanda Rogers-Saotome (MD) hits Ranma on the head for forgetting that today was the big move. Instead, Starfleet Captain Ranma Saotome got wasted celebrating his last night in the "future" with his best friend Admiral Ryouga Hibiki. Ranma always refused the rank of "Admiral", because he could never see himself as a bureaucrat.
"Ow!" Ranma yelled yelled, as he rubbed his forehead. "Uncute tomboy…"
"What was that?"
"Nothing, alright? Sheesh, can't a man get some peace and quiet around here?"
"Well, if that's how you feel," Amanda says, as she conjures up a cup of cold water. "You can be a girl, then!"
SPLASH!
"Gah!" Ukyo exclaimed in frustration. As Ukyo, Ranma's memories gets shifted from his to his late friend Ukyo Kuonji's. Ukyo was a okonomiyaki chef who foolishly followed her best friend Ranma back to the future. And thanks to one of Ranma's enemies, Ukyo received a near-fatal injury that forced Ranma to merge his cursed femal body with Ukyo's. The result was Ranma having Ukyo's body, and it took a while to be able to switch genders again. Both Ranma and Ukyo share the same memories, even though they have slightly different personalities. "What did you do that for, Amanda?"
"Ranma was being a jerk," Amanda replied.
"But did you have to hit him? I thought that you were over that!"
Amanda sighs.
"Fine! Be that way!"
"Amanda-!"
Just then, Ranma's son Robert and his daughter Keiko-chan (she was named after one of her great-aunts) come running down the stairs.
"Dad, is everything-"
"It's okay, Robert," Ukyo says, as she dries herself off. "Your Mother had a little problem with me because of last night."
'Grandfather, you want anything?" Keiko-chan says, as she fixes herself some breakfast. Keiko looks a like a younger version of Ukyo. She was home from Starfleet Academy, so she wanted to use that time to spend as much time as possible with her grandfather.
"Sure. I'm just glad that you're here to cook breakfast with your grandmother around.
"I heard that!" Amanda called out, from another part of the house.
Interestingly, since Amanda was Robert's mother, both Robert and Keiko-chan have inherited the powers of the Q. However, since they want to remain on the mortal plane, they, like Amanda, were prohibited from using their powers.
Just then, another houseguest comes into the kitchen.
Being a family man bewildered Ukyo, even after all these years. She always pictured herself marrying her "Ranchan", and having a life together. Well, being one person was NOT something she had in mind. Almost as unappealing was that fact that she was married to another woman, who happened to be the reincarnation of one of her former rivals Akane Tendo. Still, between the two (or three, when counting Ranma himself) of them, they had a lot of children and grandchildren. Dana Saotome (a director at the American Smithsonian Institute) and the recently married Hikaru Saotome (an fresh Starfleet officer whose parents were distant cousins; one parent was Ranma's and the late Admiral Hikaru Sulu's descendant, while the other parent was Ranma's and Amanda's child) were two of her grandchildren. Even though society of the 31st century did not frown on such couplings, Ukyo, being "old school" felt weird about the whole arrangement. That didn't include the fact that Ranma had other wives, in the form of the marriage of Neo-Queen Serenity and High-Queen Hoshi of Crystal Tokyo (by Royal decree), another in the form of a marriage with Princess Tsunami on Jurai (going back and forth via "Instant Transmission" was not a problem for Ranma in the fulfillment of his "spousal duties"). She was just glad that Ranma had long since gave up his womanizing ways, and just focused present arrangement (as a "stud" for the Sailor Scouts…and the Joketsuzoku) among other things. She was just amazed that Amanda went along with the arrangement, and she was VERY glad that Kodachi was happily married to Dr. Wesley Crusher, Ranma's former student and close friend.
Just then…
"Good morning," Borg Queen Hoshiko Saotome, aka "Borg Adjutant 6/9", said, as she walked into the kitchen…naked.
"Do you mind?" Keiko-chan yells, while her father gawks at Hoshiko.
"Unlike you humans, we of the Borg are not 'fazed' by nudity," Hoshiko says, as she gets herself a glass of orange juice. Being away from the Borg Cooperative allowed Hoshiko a chance to eat normal food.
I better handle this as "Ranma", Ukyo thought to herself. Thus, with a grunt…
"Hoshiko, I asked you to be mindful of Earth customs," Ranma said.
Hoshiko looked at her father, and shrugged.
"We will comply, Father," she said, as liquid skin flowed around her body, and then transmuted itself into normal clothing. "There, are you happy, father?"
"I am," Ranma replied.
As Hoshiko sat down to eat, Ranma couldn't help but recall how she came back into her life…
FLASHBACK!Location: En route of Ohniaka III.
"I'm telling you, Ensign "Okihsoh Emotoas" is my daughter, sir!" Ranma said, as he leans over Captain Picard's desk. He was able to get Dr. Crusher to secretly take a detailed scan to confirm what he had suspected.
Picard sighs.
"Be as it may," Picard began. "Orders from high are that she is to be left alone. End of story."
"Gah!" Ranma said, as he raised his hands in disgust.
"Look, Ranma, I know that this is hard for you, but you have to tread things carefully. At the very least, you should get to know the girl."
Ranma looks at Picard.
"You must understand that when Hoshiko was taken from us by the Borg…it was like a knife in my heart."
Ranma sighs, and straighten himself out.
"Alright, I'll hold my peace."
"Good. Besides, isn't Miss Emotoas scheduled for some additional flight training?"
"I believe she is, sir."
"Good. Carry on."
A few minutes later, Emotoas completes her flight simulation in one of the holodecks.
"Whew," the girl says, as she takes off her flight helmet. "How did I do?"
Ranma walked into the simulation with his data pad.
"Well, that hang-turn was pretty sloppy, and your coasting was ill-timed. You get a 81 percent score."
"81? I hit that mark dead on!"
"No, that was sloppy. You can't cut corners when piloting."
Emotoas' nose crinkles.
"You know, I always wanted to work with the 'Great Ranma Saotome', who wasn't afraid of anything, challenge or no."
"Well…things change."
At that moment, Counselor Troi, who was observing the situation, step forth.
"Ensign, can you excuse us?"
"Sure," the ensign replies. "I don't need any of this hassle."
When Troi and Ranma were finally alone…
"Uncle, you really need to stop trying to be a parent to her."
Ranma turns to Troi.
"It was THAT obvious?"
"It sure was. You almost remind me of my…mother."
"Hey!"
Troi merely giggles.
Just then, the ship's red alert klaxons had sounded.
"Red Alert! All hands prepare for battle-stations!"
"At least SOMETHING is a welcome distraction," Ranma says, as he and Troi leave the station.
Location: Ohniaka III.
On the bridge of the Enterprise-D, Ranma was directly supervising his daughter at the Helm. At the same time, the Enterprise-D was facing a large starship with various oblong structures going everywhere without any apparent pattern.
"Full stop," Picard says. "Miss Yar, hail them."
"Opening hailing frequencies, sir," Tasha says. "There is no response. And there is no response from the science station below either."
"Alright," Picard says. "Mr. Riker, take an Away Team down to investigate…and maintain alert status."
"Aye, sir. Saotome, Data and Worf: you're with me," Riker says.
Unfortunately, waiting for the Starfleet Officers were dead scientists and-"
"Resistance is futile!" said a Borg drone. However, instead of trying to assimilate the Away Team, squads of Borg Drones were trying to kill them.
BLAM! BLAM!
Ranma ducked the shot, rolled and returned fire with his phaser.
ZAP!
Thankfully, phasers these days were equipped with auto frequencies settings, which allow them to pierce Borg shielding.
While it aggressive Borg were unusual, Data's own aggressive behavior was equally unusual.
"Data, that's enough!" Riker says.
Shocked by his own behavior, Data ceases his action.
As soon as the action on the planet surface ceased, the alien ship began to fire upon the Enterprise-D.
BLAM!
"Ensign, evasive maneuvers!" Picard said.
"Aye, sir," Ensign Emotoas says, as she maneuvered the Enterprise-D out of harm's way.
As soon as the Away Team was back on board, the Enterprise-D gave chase. However, it soon jumped into "trans-warp mode", and disappeared. Still, there was a single Borg that was alive from the attack on the science station, so not all was lost.
Later, thanks to this latest Borg incursion, Starfleet Admiral Alynna Nechayev makes a visit aboard the Enterprise-B. She wanted to read the "riot act" to Picard for letting the Borg "Hugh" go without implementing a disabling virus.
"…And the next time you have an opportunity to destroy the Borg, take it," Nechayev says. "Is that clear?"
"Yes, ma'am!" Picard replied curtly.
"I'm glad that we have an understanding. Now, to the matter of Ensign Okihsoh Emotoas."
"What about her?"
"I am authorized to give you this information. Miss Emotoas is, in fact, the Borg Adjutant 'Six of Nine'."
Picard looks at Nechayev hard.
"So, Saotome's suspicion WAS correct."
"Indeed," Nechayev smirked. "Originally, after the failed attempt to invade Earth, the Borg wanted Ensign SAOTOME to be used as a Trojan horse against US. Well, we found this out just in time, and reprogrammed her to serve our bidding. And now, the first chance she reconnects into the Borg Hive network, we will initiate the very program that you failed to implement."
Picard looks at Nechayev in disbelief.
"I will NOT use another person, Borg or no Borg, as a weapon."
The Starfleet Admiral gives Picard a rather cold smile.
"Then, Captain, I have no choice but to-"
Suddenly, the alarms sound. Commander Riker comes running the conference room.
"Sir! We have a problem."
Riker explains that Data and their latest Borg guest had left the Enterprise-D, along with Data's daughter Lal (who worked in "Ten Forward") and Ensign Hoshiko Saotome (who was visiting Ten Forward at the time). In fact, it was the Borg who orchestrated the escape, and managed to brainwash Data into becoming his accomplice.
"Well," Nechayev said, as she straightened her uniform. "It looks like you have a job to do, Captain Picard."
As Nechayev leaves the bridge, and gets into the turbo-lift (to return to her vessel), no one notices the silvery strands of strings that were seemingly connected to different parts of the Admiral's body…like a puppet on a string.
Location: Tendo Compound (Nerima Ward, Tokyo, Japan).
At the same time, on Earth…
"Ah, yes," Nabiki Tendo said to herself, as she manipulated her avatar of Admiral Nechayev, over a holographic board. The board was the size of a chessboard, which created representation of whatever environment her avatar was in…in real time. For years, Nabiki has used avatars to keep track of things in, while she and her sister Kasumi were "Beyond the Rim". As the living embodiment of Spatial Dimension (i.e. "Space", "Correspondence", etc.), Nabiki's was very aware of what goes on in the universe, which is why the likes of Darksied of Apocalypse had to have a relationship of sorts, rather than just see an enemy or competitor. At any rate, one of the things that Nabiki did was create an avatar that would one day join Starfleet, and rise through the ranks, and all she needed to do plant a fragment of her essence in mortal flesh. The result was Admiral Alynna Nechayev of Russia, a hard nose, tough as nails bureaucrat who would monitor her "brother-in-law" and his wife. She wasn't trying to be cruel, but ever since her younger sister chose to reincarnate, rather than join Nabiki and Kasumi, Nabiki has carried a bit of a grudge. Now that she and Kasumi have returned to Earth, and have reunited with their sister, Nabiki is willing to put away her "toys". Perhaps it's time for her to stop playing god with Ranma's life.
Nah.
"Nabiki?"
Nabiki turns to see her sister Kasumi peeking into her room.
"Yes?"
"It's almost time for dinner, and Amanda will be here shortly."
"Alright, I'll be down in a minute."
And with that, Nabiki puts her diorama on "auto-pilot".
The Enterprise-D tracks down Data's commandeered shuttle, until-
"We're under attack by that Borg ship!" Yar says.
Ranma, now at the Helm, dodged the attacks, while Tasha returned fire.
"Sir," Lt. Hibiki said, as he sat at Operations. "I'm detecting signs of a spatial distortions…"
"They are engaging a trans-warp field!" Ranma yelled.
"After them!" Picard orders.
Somehow, a stable Trans-warp conduit was formed in the wake of the departing Borg ship.
WOOSH!
When the Enterprise-D emerged from the conduit.
"I'm not detecting any signs of the Borg vessel," Yar says. "However, I do detect a local Borg hive on the third planet of this system."
Picard straightens his shirt.
"Mr. Riker: assemble groups to search for Mr. Data, his daughter Lal and Ensign…Saotome."
Ranma immediately turn to face Picard.
"I KNEW it! "Why-?"
"All questions will be answered LATER. Right now, we have a mission to perform."
Staying with the Enterprise-D, in a command capacity, will be Ensign Ro Laren (Helm), Ensign Ryouga Hibiki (Ops), Ensign Naru Osaka-Hibiki (Science), Lt/Commander Tasha Yar (Tactical), Dr. Beverly Crusher (CMO) and Lt/Com Ranma Saotome (Special Ops); Dr. Crusher will serve as the commanding officer (as the most senior officer), while Ranma serves as "XO".
"Do you have a problem with me as your commanding officer, Ranma?" Dr. Crusher asks.
"No, I don't, Doctor," replied Ranma, as he sat down. "Just do me a favor, though."
"And that would be…?"
"Please have faith in your capabilities. Commanding a ship is not any different from commanding sickbay."
Dr. Crusher smiles.
"You have yourself a deal."
Meanwhile, down on the surface of the third planet of this unknown star system, things for Picard and the others have not gone very well. First, the teams ran straight into an ambush. Second was the fact that upon being herded into a nondescript fortress, they were confronted by-
"Lore," Picard said in shock.
"Welcome, Captain Picard," said the sneering twin of Data, who was dressed in a black suit. "Welcome to the beginning of the end of your precious Federation."
"Where is Data? What have you done with him?"
"Me? Why not ask if him yourself."
Then, Data, his daughter Lal and a female android who strangely looks like a yellowed skinned Usagi Tsukino come out; Hoshiko Saotome, is bound in an apparatus of some type.
"Data!" Deanna cried out.
"The progeny of Dr. Soong will begin an empire that will take over the galaxy!"
During the scuffle, Picard and Riker were separated from the others, and went down into a basement area. It was then that they ran into a familiar face.
"Hugh?" Picard said with shock. He and Riker were exploring the place, looking for an exit, when Hugh and his fellow Borg drones captured them. However…
"Because of YOU, there is chaos!" Hugh says. Hugh goes on to explain that the Borg Collective had detected the "individual virus" in Hugh and subsequent Borg drones, and "fire-walled" them. Essentially, Hugh and his band of Borg were cut off, and were running around aimlessly, when Lore and his bride Info came upon the scene. Unfortunately, in Lore's quest to conquer the Federation, he has begun to experiment on some of the drones, mostly because he could.
"Then we have an even bigger problem," Riker says.
Picard looks thoughtful for a moment.
"I don't believe that Data OR Lal are truly acting on their accord," Picard says. "Most likely, something is interfering with their ethical programming. And the fact that Lore is experimenting on the Borg drones mean that-"
"-He was waiting for us to bring Ensign Saotome," Riker says. "But why?"
"Miss Hoshiko is the Borg Adjutant, which means that he could obtain access to the entire collective."
"We cannot allow someone like Lore gain control of the Borg!" Hugh cries out.
"Then he won't," Picard says. "We got to find a way to restore Data and Lal's ethical programs AND free Ensign Hoshiko."
Meanwhile, the Enterprise-D was taking part in a "cat and mouse" struggle. Somehow, the Borg ship was able to cloak its presence.
As if THAT was a problem for either the likes of Ryouga or Ranma.
"I sense something," Ryouga said, as he detected life signs. Ryouga was learning to extend his aura senses beyond the confines of a vessel, thanks to Ranma's instruction.
"Ensign Hibiki is right, Doctor," says Ranma. "They are using this system's intense magnetic eddies to hide their cloaking field."
"Is there a way to…force them to de-cloak?" Crusher asked.
"Maybe we can use the sun itself," Yar offered. "We could so like we did on Minoa."
"What do you mean…?"
Ranma explained that he used a planet's atmosphere to show the presence of a cloaked weapons probe. IT could hide itself, but not it's trail.
"Do it," Crusher says.
"Ensign Ro, take us to the sun," Ranma says.
"Aye, sir," Ro says, as the Enterprise-D breaks from orbit, with the Borg ship in hot pursuit.
Meanwhile, Picard and Riker allow themselves to get captured, just in time for Lore's announcement.
"I am glad that you are ALL here," Lore said. Next to him were Info, Lal and Data. In the center stage was a bound Hoshiko, was looked like she was prepped for surgery. "Once we have reconfigured this…creature, the rest of the Borg will join our crusade. Brother, may you do the honors?"
With the device that Picard, Riker and Hugh had made, Picard began to remotely access Data's neural network in his positronic brain…
Data goes over to girl, who was barely conscious. Signs of remorse and apprehension began to creep into his "brain".
"Go ahead, brother," Lore plodded. "Do what must be done."
Data looks at the girl, then at Lal, and then back at the girl.
"I…I do not think that I can…"
"Move aside," Lore said firmly, as he took the medical instruments. "I knew that you did not have what it took to do what was necessary, Brother. So…I will."
As Lore was about to apply the instrument on Hoshiko, something bizarre began to happen. In the positronic brain of Info, a previously undetected program activated.
STATUS: "INFO" SYSTEM ACTIVE.
"MOON PRINCESS" PROGRAM: LOADING…
Just as Lore was about to plunge the instrument into Hoshiko's head…
"I can not harm my…daughter," Info says, as she grabbed Lore's arm, and pushed him off the stage.
"What?" Lore screamed.
Just then, a horde of Hugh's followers comes pouring into the hall of the citadel, and began to confront those Borg still under Lore's control.
"Data!" Picard yells.
"Captain?"
"NO!" Lore yelled, as he fired a weapon at Data.
ZAP!
However, Info got in the way.
BLAM!
With a huge gapping hole in Info's chest, the android fell over, only to be caught by Data.
"Are you functioning?" Data asked.
"Barely," Info replies. "It was good to do the right thing, even for a little while…"
And Info deactivates.
Data stands up.
"Where is Lore?"
Meanwhile…
"The shields might not hold up TOO much longer," Yar says, as the Enterprise-D's shields buckled. The strain in putting the ship in the sun's corona was great.
Crusher looks at Ranma, who nods.
"Ro, when we get to the maximum limits, punch it," Ranma says.
"Ten seconds to total systems failure!" Ryouga says.
"We're approaching our limits!" Ro cries out.
Ranma turns to Dr. Crusher.
"NOW!" Dr. Crusher orders.
The Enterprise-D performs a warp jump, creating a vacuum that sucks the surface of the star into space. Fortunately, the Borg ship did not expect this, so it went-
BOOM!
Meanwhile…
Data found his brother preparing for his escape.
"I cannot let you go," Data says. "You have to answer for your crimes."
"Then, I'm sorry, too," said Lore, as he turns to fire his disrupter at his twin.
BLAM!
Lore goes down.
Data immediately gets to Lore, and pops open his "brain".
"This is for the best," Data says, as he permanently deactivates his brother Lore. "Good-bye, Lore."
"Good-bye, Data-URK!"
And that was the end of Lore.
During the chaos, something unusual happens…
A grinding sound occurs, followed by the appearance of a British blue telephone box. A moment later, a man with medium length wavy hair and Victorian England fashion sense emerges.
"Ah!" the man said to himself. "I seem to have made it JUST in time."
"Grandfather," said a woman, who came out of the box as well. She had blond, short hair, and wore a baseball cap. "You REALLY have to wait until the close is clear."
The man, who is simply known as "The Doctor", looks at the woman incredulously.
"Just because this is my eighth incarnations since I have last seen you, that doesn't mean you forget that I am INDEED your grandfather, Susan."
"Yes, Grandfather…"
"Now, help me gather this artifact," the Doctor said, as he and Susan picks up Info.
"Tell me, WHY are we doing this again?"
"Simply put, my dear, we will need to gather as many allies as possible for the up-coming 'Time War'."
As soon as the Doctor and his companion go back into the blue box, the object disappears.
Later…
Captain's Log, Stardate: 47025.4. With the crisis over, and the promise of Hugh the Borg to create a new society, the Enterprise-D has return to Federation space. Mr. Data and his daughter Lal were returned to normalcy and were given a clean bill of health. And speaking Data, he was able to re-claim the emotion chip that his brother Lore had stolen from him. As for Lore, he was dismantled and placed into "special storage". We never were able to determine what had happened to Lore's companion Info, but I have no doubt that we will be seeing her again.
However, there is one more important business to attend before concluding this matter…
"You will WHAT?" Nechayev yelled.
"I will repeat myself," Picard said calmly. "I will publicly release our entire conversation on this matter. I will not use another life to destroy another, just because it is convenient to do so. And once that information is released…"
Nechayev paled. She could handle the scrutiny from Starfleet and the Federation. What she won't be able to handle is the reaction of the Saotome couple.
"You…win," Nechayev says. "What is your price?"
Picard smiles.
A short time later in the arboretum…
Ranma played his violin, while sitting on a rock near some flowers that Keiko had once planted, back when she was still aboard the Enterprise-D. It was ironic that Ranma would grow up in more ways than one. Certainly, he never expected himself to actually LIKE playing the violin.
"Mr. Saotome?"
Ranma stopped playing with his violin.
"Oh, hi," Ranma says. "What's up?"
"Well…I wanted to thank you for…being my flight instructor," Hoshiko said, as she looked about.
"Hey, not a problem. So, what's next?"
"Well, I will be going to Betazed for some counseling for what has happened to me, and then, if everything checks out, I'll be attending advanced flight school."
"Well, I hope everything works out."
Hoshiko nods her head, and turns to leave. She suddenly turns back.
"Mr. Saotome, I-"
"When you get your 'house' in order, we'll talk. Just take care of your needs first, and I'll be there for you…my daughter."
Hoshiko smiles.
"Thank you," she says. And then she leaves, leaving Ranma to continue his music.
END FLASHBACK!As Ranma leans on the counter, drinking his mourning coffee, he wonders what would have happened if he had failed to be there for Hoshiko. When he faced the Q's "Time Test" with Picard, he saw a possible future where Usagi had died, forcing him to live the life of seclusion as a permanent female amongst the Joketsuzoku. He didn't like how he turned out, which is why he would take an active hand in protecting those who were close to him, even during those times where he went against Federation policy.
But, no matter what, the price he had paid for his success was worth it.
At any rate, it didn't matter at this point. Ranma and his wife Usagi will send one of their doppelgangers each into the past, where THEY will create a better future. Sure, it means that a new timeline will be created, but the benefits out-weigh the cost. Perhaps THOSE Ranma and Usagi will succeed where they failed. Then again, it was all just one great "adventure" to be had. Regardless, Ranma's "story" was done, but his "chronicles" was slowly unfolding.
Fin.
Author's note: To know what happened after TNG, check out "Star Trek: Ranma's Chronicles" for DS9, VOY and more. Also, to see what Ranma is doing, after returning home, check out "Star Trek: Ranma's Adventures". Anyway, thank you for sticking around to the very end of this story; I really appreciate it. Later!