SMST 5D: A Thanksgiving Carol! – By DS Wynne
Disclaimer: SM, R1/2, ST and other genres belong to their respective owners.
Note: This is a multi-genre story.
Author's note: Yes, it's not Thanksgiving Day anymore, but this is the holiday season. Enjoy!
Part 6
Meanwhile…
"Has anyone seen Ranma?" Akane asked, as she moved about the throng of guests in her house.
"I think he went up to the roof," Miko says, as she helped to serve food.
"Huh," Akane replied. "I'm surprised you're not up there with him."
"Well, I would have except-"
"Stop eating all the food, you cow!" Fubuki yells.
"I can't help it!" Yuka says. "Ever since I got pregnant, I've been soooo hungry-!"
"See?" Miko says.
"Ah, got it," Akane says.
"Oh, if you do go up to the roof, could you give this to Kasumi before you do? She's been SO helpful in keeping an eye on the little ones."
"Sure," Akane says, as she took a small plate of snacks. "Oh, and thanks for helping out."
"Well, we ARE co-wives, you know."
Inwardly, Akane winced. Ideally, she would prefer Ranma to be a one-woman man, but things have long since reached the point of no return to reconsider her feelings on the matter…
"Ranma, you're up here?" Akane yells, as she climbs to the roof.
Ranma, who was looking up into the evening sky, turns to see his wife.
"Akane?"
"Ranma, you DO have guests, you know," Akane says. "You should leave them alone, you know."
"Well, I'm just nursing a loss right now," Ranma says, as he turns to face the skies.
"'Loss'?"
"Yeah, well, lost a bet on BOTH games to Cameron," Ranma says.
"By how much?"
"A hundred American dollars."
"But you can afford that."
"But it's the principle that counts."
"…"
"But, that's that, I suppose…"
Akane sits next to her husband.
"Are you SURE that's why you're up here, Ranma?"
"…"
"Well?"
"Okay, I'm thinking about Usagi."
"Oh, I see…"
"I mean…I understand why she's doing what she is doing-"
"Ranma, she nearly lost EVERYTHING that was important to her, from what happened a month ago. As a result, she's licking a wounded soul. She…she may not be ready to face the world again."
"I know, but I was hoping that with the kids and her friends here, Usagi could come back sooner."
Akane places her right hand on Ranma's left shoulder.
"I'm sure that things will work out," Akane says, as she leans her head on Ranma…
Meanwhile…
SNAP! Hzzzzzz….
Usagi brought her lightsaber to the fore.
"Tell me why I shouldn't strike you down, 'Master'," Usagi says.
"Simple, my child: I am quite dead, thanks to you. Why repeat yourself?"
Palpatine clasped his hands into a triangle formation.
"Of course, if you want to feel better, strike me down like a proper Sith."
Usagi thinks for a moment before relaxing.
Hzzzzz-SNAP!
"Why are you here, old man?"
"I am here to…redeem myself."
"What? So you can get into some 'heaven'?"
"Where I go in the afterlife has already been determined. No, I am here to make up my lack of foresight…where YOU are concerned."
"Oh?"
"Yes. You see, my child, I had originally chose you to become my apprentice in order to prepare the way of my creation: Anakin Skywalker."
"Yes, I know," says Usagi. "You used midi-chlorians to fashion the perfect conduit of the Force. And you manipulated your 'son' in order to position him to become…Darth Vader."
"Ah, you have been studying my Sith Holicron."
"Naturally, since I took it from your corpse."
"Heeheeheeheehee! Spoken like a true Sith."
"I'm flattered," Usagi says sarcastically.
"And I made sure that you would die, so that Anakin could evolve into the man I want him to be."
"Yeah, well, I kind of like living?"
"Naturally, since you had anticipated my agenda quite thoroughly. No, I am seeking to redeem the decision I made in underestimating your potential. You, my apprentice, have FAR surpassed my expectations. To be able to rule two galaxies, and have an agenda that goes beyond one's Universe is something to be…admired. I dare that you have indeed become the Lord of the Sith, my child. And…it touches my heart to know that I had a hand in your evolution."
Silence.
"Well, if you want to redeem yourself, you can leave," Usagi says.
"I will, but not before showing you why you should be thankful for your existence…"
FLASH!
Usagi found herself sitting on some throne of some kind…
"Your Majesty?" says a familiar voice.
Usagi looks up to see Admiral Sela, who was standing with an entourage of Romulan courtesan.
"Yes?"
"Your…husband will not last the night, and seeks your company."
Empress Dowager Usagi ponders her thoughts. Originally, the Sith Lord "Darth Lune" had used the connections of "good" counterpart to trick those within the Romulan Empire that she was the "real" Usagi Tsukino. She wanted a power-base in her doppelganger's "backyard" from which to spread her agenda. However, over time, she learned some very interesting things about her counterpart, such as the fact that she willingly sacrificed her self so that others may have their freedom. And although she found the entire affair to be ridiculously maudlin, Lune had to admire her counterpart's inner strength…
Nevertheless, Lune took Usagi's place, and began to quietly consolidate her control over the Romulan Empire, with the help of Admiral Sela and Lord Shinzon, who was the son of Ranma Saotome.
"Thank you, Sela," Usagi says, as she rises. "Tell the Emperor that I will be preparing myself to properly serve his needs."
"Of course," Sela says, as she bows her head. Much of the time, she did not understand Darth Lune's motivation. After all, the Emperor would soon die, allowing Lune to cement her control. Then again, Lune was, in many ways, similar to HER Usagi, who had taken care of her when her own mother had died trying to escape Romulus.
A short while later, Lune appeared in silken robes with her handmaidens. She sees the Doctor and a medical aid.
"Doctor?"
The Emperor's Physician turns to see Usagi standing there. Her beauty was apparent, as well as her intentions…
"Your Highness, I must protest this…thing you want to do," the doctor says.
"Will the Emperor live to see another day?"
"No-"
"Then this discussion is over," Usagi says. "I want the Emperor's last moments in this world to be…pleasurable. Now, leave us."
"As you wish," the Doctor says, as he bows his head. He then motions his aide to follow him out the bedroom chambers.
"Now, leave us," Usagi says, as she motions her handmaidens to leave. Once alone, Usagi turns to the Emperor.
"My Emperor, I am here," Usagi says with a slight bow.
The old Romulan Emperor turns his head to see his lover former wife.
"You…you did not need to do this, you know," says the Emperor. He then turns to face the ceiling.
"So many regrets…"
Usagi goes over to the Emperor's bedside. She sits down on his bed, and takes the Emperor's left hand.
"My Emperor, regardless of how I feel, regardless of what has gone on before, at this moment, I am yours," Usagi says with a smile. "I promise you this: you shall not be alone in your twilight tonight…"
A few days later, Usagi stands before the assembled hall, as she lit the funeral pyre of her husband. As it was customary, the succeeding ruler burns the remains of the previous ruler. The Remen delegation, led by Lord Shinzon, was also in attendance.
"Let it be known on this day: the Romulan Star Empire will survive the threat as represented by the Dominion, so says I, Empress Serena the First!"
As the funeral pyre continues to burn, some within the honor guard salutes, as Usagi and all of Romulus bow their heads. Even Ambassador Spock, who, until recently, had been in hiding for a while, had come to pay his respects.
Usagi glances over at the Vulcan. She was to have a meeting with Ambassador Spock in the coming days, over the possibility of a renewed attempt at "reunification" with the Vulcan homeworld. The last time such a thing was attempted, the Romulans almost invaded Vulcan. Now, Spock wants to succeed, thinking that the Empress having his former mate's face will help facilitate his goals.
'How foolish this Vulcan is,' Usagi thought to herself. 'Doesn't he think that there is a possibility that I will further my ambitions in this Universe's galaxy is a tantalizing possibility? Still…maybe I can learn to be a bit more reflective in my new role…'
For now, her mind was on her tribute to her husband's memory…
FLASH!
"That…that was intense," Usagi says, as she shook her head. "I…I remember those days, but to recall them as if I was there…"
"You WERE there…after a fashion, my dear," Palpatine says.
"No, SHE was there," says Usagi. "And how can THAT incident help me to be 'thankful'?"
"You, your counterpart, originally sought to further your power-base. However, you soon realized that you had to look at the bigger picture, and move beyond base impulses. That, regardless of your moral center, is the TRUE strength of the Sith."
"I though the true strength of the Sith was the ability to exercise power without regard to other concerns?"
"While my ambitions did drive me to power, I did seek to use power to bring order in a chaotic galaxy."
"No, you played both sides against each other in order gain power."
"A mere means to an end, my dear."
"Huh."
Silence.
"You have made me a proud man, my child," Palpatine says. "Use what I have taught you to serve your purpose well…"
And with that, Palpatine fades away.
Usagi turns around and looks up at the moonlit skies.
"Mom, even though…I may not understand any of this, I do understand what you are trying to do. Thank you."
Usagi then looks at herself.
"I hope I can make it the powerful before it's done…"
A short time later…
"Dad, is Mom coming or not?" Naruto whined.
Ranma was looking at his watch. The party was almost over, and Usagi has yet to show up.
"Well?"
Ranma was about to say something, when-
BOOM!
"HOHOHOHOHOHO!" Usagi laughed, as she appeared in the middle of the room.
"Jeez, Usagi!" Ranma says, as he nearly jumped, when a lightning bolt struck where Usagi was now standing. "I almost had a heart-attack!"
"Well, it IS my attack phrase, dear-"
"Mom!" Naruto yells, as he ran to hug his mother.
"Mom?" Renata and the rest of her siblings ran into the room.
"What the blaze is going on?" Daniel Jackson says, as he peeked inside.
"Usagi just arrived it seems," Teal'c says.
"Oh," Daniel says, as he turns around to go back eating.
"You arrived," Akane says.
"Akane, I…brought over my famous 'Bantha Loin' stew," Usagi says, as she brings up a medium-sized pot.
"'Bantha Loin'?" Akane asked.
"Yes, it's alien meat that tastes like chicken," Ranma says.
"Is it safe to eat?"
"Well, compared to your cooking-"
"Never mind," Akane says. "Come with me, so we can sample some of that stew of yours."
"Thank you," Usagi says, as she looks around towards her friends and family. "I really appreciate the opportunity to share my cooking with you all…"
"As long as we don't mutate or anything, we'll be fine," Cameron says.
"Humph."
Fin.
Author's note: That's it. Have a Happy Holiday, and have a GREAT New Year!