Chapter Seven

"Now what have you roped me into?"

The young man followed his companion carefully aboard the waiting spacecraft, unfastening his cloak from around his throat and tossing it down to one side as he did so. He cast the woman a quizzical look, putting hands on his hips as he fixed her with a wary stare.

"You know I can't practice medicine, Nagi. You know that I'd be putting myself in danger of prosecution if I even thought about going back to that life."

"Yes, I know all that." Nagi said simply. "But I don't care all that much. You see, what I'm going to ask you to do, Kazuki, is probably illegal before you even get down to the scientific side of it. And anyway, I didn't think such things worried you. You've dabbled here and there since you were struck off. What's different about helping me on a little matter of my own?"

"Because I know you, and I know the kind of trouble you attract." Kazuki said darkly. "Nagi, what I do I do in secret. If people found out..."

"Then they mustn't find out." Nagi cut across him, her tone unyielding. "Besides, I don't think that you need worry about exposure. What I have in mind...shall we say, they're unlikely to be taking your case to the Galaxy Police."

As she led the way into the drive room, Kazuki could hear the soft mewing of a cabbit and he raised his eyes to the dome of the ship, tilting his head on one side.

"Ken Ohki?"

"No, you idiot." Nagi looked impatient. "Come with me. This way."

"But I heard..." Kazuki stopped in mid sentence, pausing as he registered the scene before him. A young woman lay sprawled across a makeshift pallet, sweat drenching her brow and blood staining her clothing. Her complexion was pale, but her cheeks were flushed with the peak of a fever, and although she seemed unaware of her surroundings, every so often a whimper would escape her lips, or part of a barely coherent word. At her side, a small brown furry creature was curled up, eyes never leaving her companion, and Kazuki frowned, approaching the pallet carefully.

"Nagi?" He asked softly. "What did you do?"

"Do?" Nagi looked annoyed. "I did nothing! This isn't my handiwork - don't you know me better than that to know I'd have finished an opponant before it got to this? No. I didn't do this."

"Wait a minute." Kazuki put a finger to the stricken woman's face, causing the cabbit to raise golden eyes to his. "I know this face. I know this woman. She's the space pirate...the one you've been hunting down since I can remember. What is this about, Nagi? If this wasn't your doing...then what?"

"This is how I found her." Nagi said simply. "And I want you to help her."

Kazuki's eyes narrowed.

"But why?" He asked softly. "Nagi, you hate this woman. This Ryoko. She's eluded you forever. Finally, you have her and in a position she can't fight away from. Why not just take her and claim your reward? Nobody would blame you."

"Because I'm not so easily satisfied!" Nagi exclaimed, raising her hand and despite himself, Kazuki flinched away from her. "Don't you understand? This woman is my nemesis. My arch-rival. The one I've been hunting down in battle for a lot of years. Do you really think I'm going to let it end this way between us? Don't be such a fool."

"Well, you might not have any choice." Kazuki's fingers strayed to the pirate's pulse, feeling the rapid beat of her heart beneath his touch. "She's a dying woman, Nagi. You'd be kinder finishing the job whoever it was began."

At this, the cabbit at her side let out a violent yowl of protest, leaping up onto her mistress's chest and arching her back, flattening her ears as she let out a warning hiss. Kazuki jerked his hand back in surprise, startled by the sudden change in the creature's demeanour. Nagi let out a humourless chuckle.

"Ryo Ohki doesn't agree with you." She observed. "And I didn't come here so you could give me your medical opinion. She's not one of your life or death patients now. Maybe she is dying...maybe she is mortally wounded. But we'll see exactly what kind of a doctor you pretend to be, won't we?"

"Nagi, what you're asking of me..."

Kazuki shook his head.

"It's a crazy risk, and it may not even pan out. You know I've been in enough trouble already. You're just piling more of it on my plate now."

"Yes, but you're my brother and I expect you to be there when I call." Nagi said bluntly. "Besides, it's a good test of your skill."

She hesitated, then,

"Do you think you can save her?"

"Providing I go along with you?"

"You will." Nagi's eyes glinted with a warning, and Kazuki bit his lip.

"Nagi..."

"Nobody knows where to find you, and you're a long way from your hospital now." Nagi interrupted him. "It's not your place to decide whether Ryoko should die. I want you to do everything you can to ensure she lives. I've not given up on this battle yet, and I don't break my word. Ryo Ohki knows I brought her aboard Ken Ohki with the intention of helping her. Now you're going to keep my promise for me."

Kazuki muttered a curse, slowly shaking his head as he surveyed the stricken woman.

"I don't know if I can." He admitted at length. "Nagi, I don't know what's happened to her - not yet - but whatever it is, it's serious. And if you found her this way, well, there's no telling how long she's already been fighting this fever. She may already be slipping out of our grasp. The body can only put up a fight for so long, you know."

"Ryoko's strong. As I know to my cost."

"Even strong space pirates must have their limits." Carefully Kazuki pried the pirate's gloved hand away from her side, causing another incoherent moan of pain to escape her lips. As he did so, he saw the pooling stain of blood seeping through the fabric of her clothing, and his expression darkened.

"A wound that's probably badly infected." He remarked. "Do you really expect me to perform an operation on someone whose biology is completely alien to me...and then save her life when she's so close to death as she is? She needs reserves to fight this kind of thing. Reserves I doubt she even has. And I don't have half of the things I need to even begin on this. No anaesthetics. No operating theatre. Only the barest of tools. What you're asking of me..."

"Is no more than I ask of myself, every day." Nagi interrupted him quietly. "The impossible? Perhaps. But that's by the way. You're going to try, regardless. After all, if she's dying, what have you to lose?"

Kazuki sighed, turning over the pirate's hand and examining the dried blood stains on her palm. At length he glanced up.

"All right." He said reluctantly. "I'll try. I think your logic is screwed and if people get to finding out about this, I'll be in more trouble than I already have been. But all right. You win."

"Good." Nagi's expression became one of approval. "Then tell me what you need. I'm sure there's something I can do to help hurry this along."

"It'll take me a while. I need to examine her and find out how bad this wound really is, first." Kazuki's eyes flitted to the cabbit. "Is she bonded to Ryoko the way you are to Ken Ohki, Nagi?"

"Yes, of course she is."

"Does that mean you can communicate with her too, then?"

"No." Nagi shook her head. "But Ken Ohki can, and has been."

"Does she know how long Ryoko has been hurt?"

"I can answer that myself." Nagi's lips thinned. "Two weeks. I saw her for myself after her battle with the coward who left her to die in pain. She was injured then. This must be the same injury. I doubt it would have healed in that amount of time."

"Two weeks?" Horror flickered through Kazuki's expression. "Nagi, she should already be dead!"

"Well, like I told you. Ryoko is strong." Nagi flexed her fingers absently. Ryo Ohki mewed plaintively, and the spaceship let out an answering howl. "And Ken Ohki says Ryo Ohki can still pick up Ryoko's life signs. They're weakened, but still vivid in her mind. She can't make contact - Ryoko's brain is too fevered for that, I suppose. But the woman is still alive, Kazuki. And that's all you should need to know for the time being."

"Then leave me alone with her." Kazuki bit his lip. "Let me look at what exactly you've got me into this time."

"With pleasure." Nagi inclined her head. "But just remember who it was who prevented you from serving time in jail, little brother. I always collect on my debts eventually - you know that."

Kazuki watched her cross the drive room floor towards Ken Ohki's controls, and he sighed, shaking his head slowly as he turned his gaze back to his patient.

"Boy do I." he muttered. "All right, Space Pirate Ryoko. Let's see exactly what I'm working with this time."

He laid a hand on her shoulder, casting Ryo Ohki a doubtful glance, but the cabbit seemed to understand what he wanted, skipping gracefully off her mistress's body and settling herself at her side.

"Nagi, I think it would be better to bring her off Ken Ohki and away from this place." he said at length. "Her injury has been bleeding on and off for a while - the turbulence of space travel isn't good for it, and Ken Ohki probably needs a rest."

"That's why we came here." Nagi turned her head to face him. "I figured she would stay with you...my spaceship isn't a hospital, you know."

"Yeah, figures." Kazuki rolled his eyes. He glanced at Ryo Ohki once more, then,

"I'm going to lift her now. She'll probably feel it, but in the long run it will be better for her to be somewhere more comfortable. Somewhere where I at least have some tools." he explained gently. "Will you come with her, Ryo Ohki? I'm sure she'd rather you did."

Ryo Ohki mewed, then hopped up onto his shoulder as carefully he lifted the fevered woman into his arms. Ryoko whimpered slightly, and he thought he could make out part of a word on her lips.

"Tenchi?" He frowned. "Nagi, who or what is Tenchi?"

"Don't even ask." Nagi rolled her eyes. "Just take her, will you? It's already been a long enough flight!"

-------------

"It seems to be a most logical solution, Ayeka-hime."

The elderly leader of Jurai's Holy Council bowed respectfully before his lady's throne, raising grey eyes to meet her thoughtful ruby ones. "And it would consolidate the royal position very satisfactorily. The Council and I have conferred and we think that it would be an excellent course of action to take - pending your Highness's approval."

"I see." Ayeka tilted her head on one side, considering the man's words carefully. "Have you spoken of this to Tenchi-sama since our arrival?"

"No, my Lady." The man looked surprised. "We thought it best to come to you, while Lord Tenchi is still - shall we say - becoming familiar with our planet."

"Lord Tenchi is the rightful heir and Emperor-elect of this planet." Ayeka said sharply. "Nothing should be discussed without his opinion being consulted!"

"Pardon, Ayeka-denka." The man looked chastened. "But we felt..."

"It's not your business to feel anything in a matter such as this." Ayeka held up her hand, silencing him with a glare. "Royal protocol must be observed. Tench-sama may be a newcomer to Jurai, but his blood claim to the throne is stronger and more valid than mine. He is the true heir and I won't have his authority undermined."

"Yes, Lady Ayeka." The councillor bowed his head again. "Be assured that it will not happen again."

"See that it doesn't." Ayeka pursed her lips. "And if you haven't discussed the subject with him, perhaps it is a matter for debate in this afternoon's Council session. As you say, it would consolidate a lot of things. But...Lord Tenchi...his feelings on the subject must be taken into consideration also."

Her cheeks flushed pink.

"I'm used to the world of political alliances." She added. "But to him, of course, it may mean something quite different."

The councillor opened his mouth to respond, but at that moment the council chamber door swung open and, garbed in official robes of office, the remaining members of the Holy Council entered, making reverence to Ayeka before taking their seats. Behind them, with Kamidake in escort, came Tenchi, looking both sheepish and uncomfortable that he was at the rear of the procession instead of the front. Ayeka gestured to the Council leader to take his place, getting to her feet and hiding a smile as Tenchi mounted the dais, sending her a sidelong glance.

"Dare I ask?" She murmured. Tenchi bit his lip.

"I got lost." He admitted, glancing at his hands. "Dad and I took a walk around the grounds - I wanted to show him the places you took me after our first meeting in this chamber. But I forgot which way was which and well, thankfully Kamidake found us or we'd be there still."

Ayeka shook her head, amused.

"You certainly do bring a refreshing new touch to this business of government." She said affectionately. Tenchi grinned.

"I try."

"Listen, Tenchi." Ayeka became serious as they retook their seats. "Something important is going to be discussed today. It should already have been mentioned to you - and I have taken the Council Elder to task about the fact it hasn't been, by the way. But it seems that the Holy Council have been ruminating on Jurai's future itself. And mine, also."

"Yours?"

"Well, now I'm no longer heir to the throne, as it were." Ayeka smiled. "But we shouldn't speak like this. It doesn't look polite."

"Oh yeah. Sorry." Tenchi looked sheepish. "I forgot where we were for a moment."

"Easily done." Ayeka sighed. "It's all so boring really, but it has to be got through. Silence them, Tenchi. They need to see your leadership over mine."

"Well, I'll try." Tenchi hesitated for a moment, then mimicked the way Ayeka had opened his first council session. As he did so, Ayeka cast him a sidelong glance, a warm glow settling in her heart as she contemplated the Council's discussion.

"It's not that my own thoughts hadn't got that far." She mused, as the Council elder acknowledged Tenchi and the session began. "But to have it ratified by the Council means that there's nothing standing in our way. Nothing except Tenchi, of course..."

She bit her lip, meeting his brown eyes with her soft red ones.

"Can he feel the way that I do?" She wondered. "We've seemed so close these last few days - closer than we ever have before, now that pirate is out of the picture. She threw herself at him so much he couldn't make up his own mind - but now, with nothing to intervene..."

She sighed.

"Even if it is political from the Council's perspective, I don't think I'd ever consider him just a business match." She admitted to herself. "I wish I knew how to tell him that properly. It's so hard to find the words and to make him understand how much he means to me. How much it means to have him here. I'm not alone any more...that means more than anything in the world. It would all be so easy...we would rule together, and strengthen Jurai through that unity. He has the true Power, noone can contest his claim. And I have it too - between us we could take Jurai into the future without doubts or misgivings. I know it's early days...but surely it has to be what we both want? After all we've been through together...after what he put himself through to rescue me from Kagato. He must feel something towards me. Mustn't he?"

"Lady Ayeka?"

Tenchi's voice startled her back to herself and she blinked, blushing red as she realised he was staring at her, confusion on his face.

"Lady Ayeka, are you all right?" He asked softly. "You seemed a mile away."

"Oh, I'm quite well. Thank you, Tenchi-sama - just a little distracted." Ayeka's heart leapt at the concern in his tone. "My apologies to the honoured Councillors. I have had much to debate since my return."

"On that matter, Ayeka-denka, I ask permission of you and Lord Tenchi to raise the subject of the Royal Succession in the Council Chamber today." The Council elder got to his feet, bowing respectfully towards the royal twosome. Ayeka cast Tenchi a glance, and the young prince nodded his head, surprise in his dark eyes.

"Yes, of course, Councillor." He said quietly. "Please feel free."

"Thank you, my Lord." The Councillor offered another bow, then made the funny little gesture of peace to his colleagues. "As you are both aware, Jurai has seen great turmoil, and since the arrival of Lord Tenchi to the planet, the succession has been altered considerably. As the true blood of the warrior prince Yosho, Tenchi-sama is the next in line to the Jurai throne - since Yosho-dono has already declared his own claim forfeit."

He bowed to Ayeka.

"I mean Ayeka-hime no disrespect by making such a statement, knowing as I do that in order to favour Tenchi-sama's claim, her own must be considered secondary."

"You speak only the truth, Councillor." Ayeka assured him softly. "I am not offended. Pray, continue."

"Thank you, my Lady." The Councillor acknowledged her soberly. "There are many strains of the honoured Royal Family and because of this, sometimes the order of succession has not seemed completely clear. With the awakening of the Jurai Power inside herself, Lady Ayeka would have been able to stand as Empress in her own right, if not for the arrival of Lord Tenchi."

"Again, this is correct." Ayeka inclined her head. "But Lord Tenchi is the true claimant. I have no wish to challenge Jurai's traditional royal order."

"I don't want to be putting anyone out, either." Tenchi scratched his head awkwardly. "I mean, I don't want anyone to think I'm stealing Ayeka's throne. I'm not trying to do that."

"Lord Tenchi, the Council have debated this subject in great detail." The Council elder addressed him gravely. "In light of recent insecurities, the future of the throne must not be in doubt. We must act, and so must you and Ayeka-hime. It is the majority will of the Holy Council of Jurai that you and Lady Ayeka become betrothed, to unite both the dominant royal lines and to quell any question of other claimants to the Jurai throne."

"Betrothed?" Tenchi stared, and Ayeka shot him a look of concern. "You want me to get married? But I...I mean I'm not really old enough to do that! And..."

"It would be a marriage of office, Tenchi-sama." The Councillor said gently. "We are aware of your youth and your inexperience on Jurai. We mean no disrespect to you in making this suggestion. But for the people of Jurai, it is necessary to show that the throne is secure. Therefore steps must be taken to ensure there will be a solid ruling force and more, heirs to inherit in the future. An event like the usurpation of Kagato-dono must never be allowed to happen again."

"Tenchi?" Ayeka murmured softly, and he glanced up at her, his expression a mixture of confusion and surprise. She smiled.

"I know that it's very sudden." She said gently. "But one thing that has always been plain to me is that my choice of future partner must be a wise and considered one. This way we would be together always...like we are now. Isn't that what you want? I could help you understand Jurai and you would stop me from feeling alone. We've been so happy these last few days - don't you think that this could be just another part of your destiny?"

"I...I guess it's kinda sudden." Tenchi seemed to rally himself, returning her smile. "I honestly hadn't thought of marriage...not at all."

"But you do understand why the Council have come to this conclusion?"

"Yes, I suppose that I do." Tenchi agreed. "I just..."

He faltered, then shook his head.

"It doesn't matter." He decided. "Councillor, please know that I've taken your suggestion on board and that I will give it my full consideration."

"Tenchi-sama." The councillor bowed.

"At the moment I don't feel deserving of a Princess for my bride. Nor knowledgeable or mature enough in the ways of this planet." Tenchi added. "But I appreciate the need for royal security. Therefore I'd like to ask...if the subject can be adjourned until the next Council meeting. I wish to make a decision that will be the best for all of Jurai."

"A wise answer, Lord Tenchi." The councillor acknowledged him. "It shall be so."

Ayeka bit her lip, trying to read her companion's expression beneath his formal smile.

"Tenchi?" She whispered. Tenchi tilted his head, and for a moment he didn't respond. Then he spread his hands.

"It's a lot to take in, all of this and all at once. I just need time to rationalise it." He said quietly. "I'm not rejecting the idea, Ayeka. I understand what it would mean to Jurai to do it. But you could make a much better match than me, the bumbling Earthling who doesn't know what he's doing. And well, I need time to work it all out for myself - what it would mean for me. Please don't take it as a rejection. You know you mean a lot to me and I would never deliberately hurt you."

Ayeka's heart skipped a beat at these last words and she relaxed, nodding her head.

"Take all the time that you need." She told him gently. "I'll be waiting."