Disclaimer: Characters and concepts from "Tenchi Muyo!" were created by Kajishima Masaki and Hitoshi Okuda, and are Copyright AIC and Pioneer LDC. This work is a parody and not to be used for any commercial purposes.
Tree and Infancy, Chapter 7
Inside the enemy ship, Tenchi and Mihoshi found their footing again. (Actually, Tenchi landed, and then caught Mihoshi as the G.P. detective was about to plant her face on the flooring.) Ryoko started to get annoyed, but Tenchi turned to her and asked, "Is your hand ready?"
"All set, Tenchi." Ryoko smiled at his concern. "After all, it wouldn't be a serious battle if I didn't lose one." Her eyes widened as she sensed something. "Heads up, we're going to have company."
"Hello, gang!" Washu announced as she teleported in. "I heard you could use a little help."
"Party-crasher." Ryoko said. "Say, just how did you find us so easily?"
"Oh, I gave you a transponder when I did your check-up five months ago." Washu said cheerily.
"When this is over, I want it out." Ryoko said, blasting a robot which had come around the corner.
"We'll discuss that later." Washu's holo-keyboard appeared. "Hmm . . . there's the synchronization channel for the internal defenses. I won't be able to completely shut down the robots, but I can make them go to individual control, so they can't coordinate."
"That's great, Washu." Tenchi's thanks was heartfelt.
"The way to the bridge is on the opposite side of that large chamber." Washu frowned. "Uh-oh. They're sending some of the robots outside the ship to attack the shuttle. I'll have to warn Sasami to back the shuttle off. Watch out for changes in gravity."
"Right." Now Ryoko was all business. "Mihoshi, let's fire a burst down the corridor, then we charge. I'll fly close to the ceiling to give you and Tenchi room." Mihoshi and Tenchi nodded. "Here we go!"
Mihoshi and Ryoko leaned around the corner. A barrage of beams came from Ryoko's hand and Mihoshi's blaster-rifle, catching two of the robots with satisfying explosions. A heartbeat later, Ryoko, Tenchi, and Mihoshi were going down the corridor like a three-person cavalry charge, with Tenchi's energy-sword leading the way. Washu listened to the sounds of combat diminish in the distance with an expression looking much like motherly pride. Then she turned back to her holo-keyboard. Still a couple of important details to be taken care of.
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Washu's face appeared on the holo-screen in front of Sasami. "Great job with the shuttle's thrusters, Sasami! But I'm afraid you're going to have to disengage soon." The redhead explained about the robots coming to attack the shuttle. "And be careful: when you're moving away, the smugglers will probably try to rotate their ship so they can fire at you with the guns that are still working."
"I understand." Sasami turned to the head of Yukinojo. "Get ready to fire our own weapons, but on low power so we don't penetrate the smugglers' hull. That should kick up enough of a cloud to cover our move."
"Good thought." Washu approved. "Okay, I'm going to let Ryoko know when you shut down your forward drive." She busied herself with her holo-keyboard, gathering more information. "The robots are just starting to open the outer airlock. Get ready for my signal . . . three--two--one--now!"
Sasami pulled back the main throttle to zero with one hand, and triggered the maneuvering thrusters with the joystick. There was a faint screech of bent metal, and the shuttle moved away from the remains of the plasma cannon. "Fire, Yukinojo!" Sasami called. A quick burst of energy came from the shuttle's nose, and the surface of the enemy ship erupted with a cloud of gas. Sasami made sure to keep the maneuvering thrusters going until the other ship began to dwindle in the view-screen. "Okay, Washu, I think we're clear!"
"Nice work, Sasami!" Washu answered. "The robots that were going after you are being pulled back, but they have to go one by one with the synchronization offline. Oh, good--Tenchi, Ryoko, and Mihoshi have reached the door to the bridge. Ryoko is holding Tenchi in place while he cuts through with the Tenchi-ken."
"Couldn't she just use her own energy-sword?" Sasami pointed out.
"She says this way works better." Washu gave a wink. "Oh, in the meantime, you'd better keep watch for other ships. The smugglers have sent out some kind of signal. I think it's a warning that the Galaxy Police is here, but it might be a call for reinforcements."
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On the bridge of the smugglers' ship, Tenchi's efforts to cut his way in had been noticed. Two of the crew were floating furniture to barricade the doorway, while the captain watched.
"Everyone ready?" The captain's voice did not seem to care greatly if any of his crew were not ready. "Gravity on!"
The navigator threw the switch on his console, and the improvised barricade fell into place. The tip of Tenchi's sword disappeared from the hole it had been cutting, and an oath in a low female voice could be faintly heard.
"That'll only buy us a few moments, sir." The first mate pointed out. "If they can fight their way through the hover-bots, we won't be a match for them."
"True enough." The captain strode grimly to the control panel beside his command chair. "But it will give me the few moments I need to engage the self-destruct. We won't be taken alive!"
"And why not!?" demanded the first mate.
"Yes, taken alive works pretty well for me, sir." The communications officer chimed in.
"Are you cowards thinking of mutiny?" thundered the captain.
"The ship's articles clearly say that a two-thirds majority of the crew must agree to destroy the ship!" The first mate's voice was just as loud. "You can't do this!"
"Watch me!" shouted the captain. He turned to the control panel and began punching in a code.
"No!" several voices cried. The entire bridge crew began a rush towards the captain. But they were too late. The nearest man was still two steps away when the captain gave a cry of triumph and brought his finger down on the marked place on the panel. Everyone froze as the main view-screen turned black.
And then an animated image of Washu's face appeared on the screen, and gave an exceptionally loud raspberry.
Eight seconds later, the barricade in front of the bridge doors was blown to fragments by Ryoko's energy beam. Ryoko zoomed in through the upper doorway, while Tenchi and Mihoshi dashed through and took up ready positions to the left and right. They were ready for any attack. But they weren't ready to be totally ignored, and that was what happened. After a moment, Tenchi and Ryoko's energy-swords flickered out, and Mihoshi's blaster-rifle lowered. The three blinked in astonishment, but the sight before them remained the same. The captain was down on the bridge deck, with three of the bridge crew beating him energetically. The remainder of the crew stood in line behind them.
"Umm . . . if I could have your attention, please . . ." Mihoshi spoke up. "I really need to read you your rights now."
"In a minute!" snapped the navigator, who hadn't had his turn yet.
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On board the shuttle, Sasami noticed a new point of light on the wide-angle holo-screen. "Yukinojo, scan that point." She requested. "Is there another enemy ship?"
"Scanning as ordered." Yukinojo announced. There was a moment's pause. "I confirm there is an unknown spaceship approaching. It has no identification beacon."
"Could it be reinforcements for the smugglers?" Sasami's voice was anxious.
"Possibly. But the energy signatures are not similar." Yukinojo blinked, gathering more data. "The readings resemble a Juraian ship."
"We have to warn them! Get ready to transmit, Yukinojo!" Sasami collected her thoughts, then announced, "Attention, approaching vessel: this is the Galaxy Police. We are in the middle of an arrest. Please stay clear until the area is safe."
"Sasami--is that you?" Came an answering voice. Another holo-screen popped up. The face displayed was almost identical to Ryoko's, except for twin scars than ran down the woman's cheeks.
"Minagi!" Sasami sat bolt upright, instantly changing from worried to elated. "It's wonderful to see you again!"
"Minagi??" Yukinojo echoed, a much less pleased tone in his voice. "The notorious space pirate?"
"Yukinojo, be polite!" Sasami admonished. "Minagi's a good space pirate!"
"The Galaxy Police doesn't acknowledge 'good' space pirates," Yukinojo said huffily. "She's still a pirate in the eyes of the law."
"That's an awfully strict attitude, Yukinojo." Minagi said.
"Strict?" Yukinojo bristled. "What about the time you shot Mihoshi and me down and forced us to crash-land?"
"Well, I don't know it was you," Minagi said reasonably, "and I said I was sorry, didn't I? Anyway, did you join the Galaxy Police, Sasami?"
"Not exactly," Sasami said, "but Mihoshi left me in charge while she boards the smugglers' ship with Washu, Ryoko, and Tenchi."
"Smugglers? Not the Toyosawa Smugglers Guild, by any chance?" Minagi inquired.
"Toyosawa? Doesn't that mean 'abundant swamp'?"
"That's right." Minagi's image on the holo-screen nodded. "They got their start on a marsh planet. They're kind of sensitive about that."
"These guys are sensitive about a lot of things." Sasami said.
"It's the Toyosawa Guild, then. I've had a good deal of trouble with them lately." Minagi shook her head. "And it's not like I make much from hijacking their cargoes."
Sasami snapped her fingers. "You must be who they were trying to ambush!"
"That would be just like them--they're such poor losers." Minagi furrowed her brow for a moment. "Did you say Tenchi and Ryoko are there? What about Ayeka? And isn't that her tiara you're wearing?"
"That's a long story." Sasami replied. "Why don't you come aboard, and I'll make us some tea, and tell you about it?"
"I'd be happy to!" Minagi smiled.
"On board? A space pirate??" Yukinojo burst out. "We should be arresting her!"
"Yukinojo! You'll make her feel unwelcome." Sasami reproved. "Now, where does Mihoshi keep the tea?"
"The number three cabinet on the lower deck," sighed the robot. "Oh, I'm going to be so disgraced . . ."
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There were many details to be taken care of on board the Toyosawa ship. Eventually, all the bridge crew plus two smugglers hiding elsewhere in the ship were secured in a brig improvised by Ryoko bending a metal plate over a cargo bay hatch, and the victorious quartet headed the vessel towards Mihoshi's main ship in orbit around Saturn. While Washu sorted through the cargo manifest (and snorted at how primitive most of the weapons were), Mihoshi sent out a call to the Galaxy Police for a squad to bring the captured ship and crew to the nearest G.P. station. On board the shuttle, Minagi took this as her cue to leave. Sasami sniffled a bit, but said she understood. With Yukinojo's help, the young princess headed the shuttle to rendezvous with the others.
A Galaxy Police cruiser showed up almost immediately (Ryoko commented that they probably had a ship on "Mihoshi Alert" all the time). But Mihoshi decided that she needed to stay and fill out a full report. Knowing that this would take her at least a day, and more likely two or three, the others went back aboard Ryo-Ohki for their return to Earth and the Masaki house. Although Tenchi pointed out that his grandfather was back at home, Sasami cajoled Ryo-Ohki to fly exceptionally fast so that Ayeka wouldn't be lonely for too long. And indeed, it was still twilight when the figures of Ryoko, Washu, Sasami, and Tenchi appeared on the dock.
Ayeka came out of the house to meet them. "Welcome home, everyone." She came to a halt and gave as dignified a bow as her child-size body could manage. "Sasami, I am very proud of how well you did with the shuttle."
There was a loud "myaa" from overhead as Ryo-Ohki dwindled down to her cabbit form, then landed on the dock.
"But how did you know?" asked Sasami.
"I have a surprise for you," Ayeka said, and moved to one side.
"Hello again, everybody!" Minagi stepped out of the sliding door.
"Minagi!" Sasami shouted in delight as she raced forward.
"Well, since Mihoshi had to stay in space and take care of all the loose ends," Minagi gave Sasami a hug, "I figured I'd come here as I was first planning to. Don't worry, Hinase's hidden safely in the lake."
"But this means . . ." Washu began.
"There is no choice but to . . ." Ryoko continued.
"HAVE A SAKE AND KARAOKE PARTY!" Minagi, Ryoko and Washu shouted together.
"Ohboy . . ." Tenchi, Ayeka, and Sasami sighed together.
( To Be Continued . . . )
Author's note: Strictly speaking, Washu should not have had her image blow a raspberry. The common Japanese expression of derision is the "akanbe": saying "be-da!", pulling down a lower eyelid with an index finger, and sticking out the tongue. Since a gag that has to be explained isn't nearly as funny, I decided to use the American expression. My apologies for the inconsistency.