Chapter Five
"Thank you for coming with me this morning, Sasami-chan."
Suki Tennan pushed back the door of the sunny, brightly lit chamber, turning to cast her companion a warm smile as they stepped into the room. "It's always nice to visit with a friend, and I don't know if she can even hear us. But if she can, it must be nice for her too - to know that there are people thinking about her even now."
"That's what I think, too." The young Princess nodded her head decidedly, her gaze flitting across the room to the bed and it's silent occupant. "Do you think Tokimi-sama will ever wake up, Suki-oneechan? It's been six months or more since we blew up Kihaku - I guess I feel guilty. I mean, I know we had to do it, but she hasn't stirred since then and it almost seems like it's my fault."
"Your fault?" Suki looked startled, settling herself down at one side of the bed as her friend occupied the other. "But Tokimi was dangerous then, Sasami-chan. She wanted to hurt people - you especially - and she'd made my brother do such awful things. Do you really think she was better before you went to Kihaku? You set her free from the planet's curse, if nothing else. You shouldn't feel guilty for that, you know."
"I know." Sasami sighed heavily. "But I wish she'd wake up anyway. I don't think she's bad any more, you know, and I'm glad Uncle said she could stay here. But you know, Suki, when I was on Kihaku, I felt her thoughts for just a moment. She was so unhappy, trapped away inside there. She'd been tormented by Kihaku's demons for such a long time and they'd taken control of every corner of her being. And I guess now I can't reach out to her, I'm worried that she's still unhappy. That maybe I was wrong...and she'd have rather died than be kept like this. It was my decision to save her, not Tsunami's. Do you think I did the right thing?"
"I think you should always save life, if you can." Suki said contemplatively. "Yes, I think you did. But when she wakes up, she can tell you herself. If she does...but I really hope she will. She seems so peaceful somehow, like this. I can't picture her the way that Seiryo and others have described her. She doesn't seem like a demonic priestess to me."
"Washu said Tokimi was always a peaceful person, before Kihaku turned her mind." Sasami reflected. "I hope you're right."
"Seiryo thinks we should bring Washu-sama back to Jurai sooner rather than later." Suki remembered. "He happened upon her, visiting her sister, and speaking to her in their old language...Kii, I think he said. He said that if Tokimi did wake up, well, it would be nice for her to have family here and I agree. Washu-sama is very clever, isn't she? Maybe she's got new ideas on how to help her get well."
"Washu's the smartest person I know." Sasami agreed. "Do you think she will come back to see Tokimi, then? I mean, they all only just left, really, and the Earth is her home now. She might not want to fly so far again so soon...I know it upsets her, having Tokimi this way. She feels she hasn't any way of fixing things and it frustrates her."
"I guess science can't do everything." Suki looked pensive. "Seiryo has been through a lot of things since he was freed from her magic, too. Juraian remedies don't seem to do anything to help him, so he's pretty much refused all and any suggestion of outside help and has battled through everything on his own. Sometimes he won't even let me get involved. In a way, it's made him different and...well...more thoughtful than he was before, but he's still to proud, sometimes. Too independant and resistant to other people's support. He won't talk about things always, but I know him and I know when he's going through it. It's not easy to see someone you love suffer, Sasami-chan. I know how Washu-sama must feel - I've wanted to take this away from Seiryo too...but I haven't been able to."
"I thought Seiryo-dono was feeling better now?" Sasami looked startled. "He's back at court and Uncle hasn't said anything - nor has Ayeka."
"He is. He's much better." Suki agreed. "He still gets tired more easily sometimes, and I know that occasionally he has a bad night...when that happens, he's short with me the next day and I know he's fighting his headaches again. But they're much less than they were when it first started. I was so worried about him then, Sasami - you know I was. I was afraid that he wouldn't be able to conquer it - but I suppose I underestimated my brother's strength and determination. Either way, he's had a lot to battle since his hearing, even if he has been forgiven by the Emperor. Tokimi's been hurt for much longer, really. It makes me think that if anything can be done to help her, it should be...after all, if Seiryo went through all that after only minor exposure to the magic, Tokimi's mind must be in a far worse state."
"She may never wake up." Sasami murmured, reaching down to scoop up the slender, pale hand in hers. "Tokimi-sama, I'm sorry. We shouldn't speak like this around you, should we? Maybe you can hear us and maybe you can't, but if you can, we're not giving up on you. Quite the opposite, in fact. We know you're not a bad person, and we want to help you to feel better. So if you can hear me, you shouldn't be afraid to open your eyes. Nobody will hurt you. I promise."
There was no response from the patient, not even a flickering of the eyelids, and Suki sighed.
"It doesn't matter what you say...the response is the same." She reflected. "As it stands, we've no way of knowing if she can even understand what we say. Washu speaks to her in their own language - maybe that's all she can remember, when all's said and done."
"But she spoke to Seiryo-dono and Dr Clay. She must speak other languages too, like Washu does." Sasami pointed out. Suki shrugged.
"She infected Seiryo's mind and I think she did the same to that Dr Clay person, too." She responded. "From what Washu-sama said in court at Seiryo's hearing, she must have used strong psychic magic to overcome their free will and compel them to obey her. If she had that magic, I guess she was able to communicate with whoever she chose to...it didn't really matter what language they spoke."
"You've been thinking about this, haven't you?" Sasami asked gently. Suki nodded.
"I have." She admitted. "And it's another good reason why Washu-sama should come back to Jurai. After all, she's the only other person alive who can speak Kii. And if Tokimi can't understand us, she might be scared to respond. She might not want to wake up, if she doesn't know what's happening around her. I don't know...but surely it's possible, isn't it?"
"I guess it is." Sasami pondered, squeezing the pale hand again. "Well, then I hope Washu does come back here soon. I miss her, anyway. I always miss people, when we're seperated. It's such a long way to the Earth, and Tenchi and Washu and Ryoko are always there, really. It's worse when I've just seen them, because then I know they'll go away and not come back for a while. And they're like half of my family, so it would be nice if Washu at least came back."
"You're lucky." Suki looked wistful. "You have so many friends, Sasami-chan."
"Well, you have me." Sasami dimpled. "And I'm sure you could have other friends too, you know...you're not horrible to be around or anything like that. You're just too shy, that's all. You need to talk to people more. They can't get to know you, if you don't try."
"I know." Suki blushed. "But it's hard. Going to the council sessions in Seiryo's stead was nerve-wracking enough, even though I think it was good for me to take responsibility in some way for my family. I guess it will just come with practice, huh? After all, if I can make one friend, I can make others. Right?"
"Right." Sasami nodded. "And you have Tokimi-sama, too. I'm sure she'd be your friend, if she could tell you so. You spend so much time looking after her, I know she'd realise how kind you really are."
"Sasami!" Suki looked self-conscious. "Not really. I like visiting Tokimi, and talking to her, and trying to help her. But also, it's a safe place to hide. Between here and Okaa-san's chamber, I don't mix too much. And now Seiryo is well, he's determined to take responsibility for the Tennan family again. It is his right to - he is the eldest and he did inherit all of Father's estates. But it means I've had less to do in the main swing of things, to be honest. Seiryo's been the one moving money from his Galaxy Police savings to cover Father's excesses, pay the Unko's docking fines and to buy back as many of Mother's precious tapestries as he's been able. I've helped a little and he hasn't stopped me from being involved, but it's hard not to fall back into the old routine of relying on him to solve everything. I really don't want to do that, Sasami-chan. He's been so ill that I'm afraid to push too much on him too soon. But he's the sort of person who likes to take things on...and sometimes he can be hard to argue with, even now."
Sasami smiled.
"I'm sure Seiryo-dono will be just fine." She said firmly. "He's been through a lot but like you said, he's strong. And all bad things have good parts to them, too. Because of all this, you and I are friends and I've got to know you and your brother better. I never really knew either of you before that, but I'm glad that I do now. I think Seiryo-dono is very brave, dealing with everything he has and still holding his head up at court. Some people are so silly, blaming him still for things that weren't his fault and which happened a long time ago. I'm glad he doesn't let them get to him."
"Does that mean he has Tsunami's blessing?" A mischievous smile flitted across Suki's face, and Sasami laughed.
"Sure, why not?" She agreed playfully. "Although he doesn't believe in it, does he? He might not appreciate it."
"He believes in Tsunami a lot more now than he ever did before." Suki said thoughtfully. "But only because he's seen what depths magic and belief can go to first hand, now. I think it terrifies him, that forces and beings like that do really exist. Having been roundly abused at the hands of one would-be goddess, I think he steers clear of Tsunami-kami-sama in case she proves to be just as volatile. He doesn't exactly know she's you, after all. And even if he did, I don't think he'd change his mind. Deep down, he knows it's true and it's not just been love for Mother that has made him go to the trouble of retrieving those Tsunami tapestries. Some of them had been in the Tennan family for generations, after all - and I think he realises it was Tsunami's magic that broke Tokimi's spell, even if he hasn't made all the connections. But even though he'd never say it, it scares him. So he leaves well alone and tries to pretend it's not there. I suppose it's a survival strategy, if nothing else!"
"Tsunami isn't going to hurt Seiryo." Sasami responded, amused.
"Well, we know that." Suki returned the smile with one of her own. "But he doesn't. And short of betraying your secret to him, I can't exactly explain."
"Guess not." Sasami admitted. "Oh well. Maybe he'll come round of his own accord, anyway. You never know."
She pulled a face.
"At least he's not one of the gazillion nobles who suddenly want to court and marry the Lady Sasami." She added. "Whether they know I'm Tsunami or not doesn't seem to matter to them. I'm the daughter of a Prince and the sister of a Crown Princess. Apparently that makes me hot property...even though I'm only just over four foot tall and I'd still rather play games with my friends than preside over social functions or worry about all the gross stuff married people have to deal with. It sucks. If Father wasn't so dead set against me marrying till I'm eighteen..."
Suki chuckled.
"Well, at least you have potential suitors." She teased. "Nobody's interested in me, and I'm four years older than you are."
"Do you really want to be married, Suki-oneechan?" Sasami asked curiously. "I mean, really - is that what you want to do?"
"Right at the moment, Seiryo and Mother need me, so no." Suki shook her head. "And when they don't need me, well, I'd like to do some things and meet more people, first. Seiryo did promise me, when last we spoke of it, that he wouldn't be trying to sell me to the highest bidder in the way Father did. He wants it to be my choice, although I suspect he'd still rather I chose a beau within our social class. Still, he hasn't said as much, and we'll just see what happens. I'm not worried about being married right now, no. I'd like to find out more about being Suki Tennan first, before someone else comes into my life and tries to take it over."
"That's not what happens when you marry, Suki." Sasami looked confused. "Takeru-oniichan married Ayeka, and he hasn't taken over her life."
"Well, I suppose it depends on the marriage." Suki sighed. "Ayeka-sama is lucky. My mother wasn't quite so much...I suppose Mother and Father is my only template. Maybe that's why neither Seiryo nor I are in any hurry to enter into vows any time soon. We haven't been set the best example."
"Even more reason for me to wait, then." Sasami said fervently.
"Perhaps we'll both meet wonderful princes who'll sweep us off our feet." Suki suggested playfully. Sasami pinkened.
"Maybe." She admitted. "But I don't want to worry about it right now. Being Tsunami is enough for this Princess right at the moment, thank you!"
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"You're burying yourself in paperwork again, Kiyone."
Kiyone started, gazing up from her pile of work in consternation as Mihoshi dropped down onto the end of her desk, sending file sheets cascading to the ground. "You know, I thought you'd already been to the chief and reported to him about the icky incident with the Seniwan ship. Why are you doing so much writing? Is the computer network down again?"
"I wouldn't know." Kiyone said frankly. "Have you spilled anything on it, lately?"
"No." Mihoshi frowned, shaking her head in confusion. "I don't think so. Why?"
"Then it's probably fine." Kiyone shrugged, resting her chin in her hands as she gazed up at her friend quizzically. "If you must know, this is the paperwork for Yagami's most recent overhaul. It takes a while to come through and they finally passed the sheets on to me to sign and check over. Even though Washu fixed the ship, they had to check it out to make sure it still complied with Galaxy Police specifications. So that's what I'm doing. It has nothing to do with the Seniwan ship. As you said, I've handed that over to the Chief to deal with, now."
"Oh, I see." Mihoshi pulled a face. "That must be really boring, huh?"
"Well, if I don't do it, they'll pull Yagami from active service and we don't exactly have another ship as back-up." Kiyone rubbed her temples. "You really should speak to the commander about Yukinojyo, you know. There are times when we could use another vessel, just in case."
"Yukinojyo?" Mihoshi looked startled. "But don't you want to fly with me any more, Kiyone?"
"Of course I do." Kiyone sighed. "That isn't what I meant. I just thought that if we had another ship…if Yukinojyo was back in active service – it would give Yagami's poor circuits a rest sometimes. That's all."
Mihoshi's brows knitted together, an uncharacteristically thoughtful look flickering in the depths of her big blue eyes.
"It's almost like you don't like Yagami any more." She said at length. "I'm sorry, Kiyone…is that my fault? I know I broke it and all, but still, I didn't mean to. And Washu did do a good job fixing it. And…"
"No, Mihoshi. It's nothing to do with you, and I'm fine." Kiyone dismissed her question with a flick of her fingers. "It's just a lot of paperwork, that's all."
She grimaced at the pile, setting down her pen.
"And I've left my ship's licence in the drive room. You're distracting me…will you please go back to your own office and do some work for a change? I need to get this done."
"Well, sure." Mihoshi nodded her head, slipping clumsily off the desk and sending more loose sheets fluttering to the floor. "I'll go and see about the monthly statistics for…was it last month? Or the one before? You know, I never am quite sure. They count the weeks in such a weird way…it's so hard to keep track!"
She flashed her companion a grin, then disappeared and Kiyone groaned, getting slowly to her feet as she retrieved the fallen documents.
"Thank goodness for that." She murmured. "Mihoshi's not usually that perceptive. I guess she must have been doing more thinking than I gave her credit for – I'll have to watch what she says. If she mentions to the Commander that she thinks something's up with me he'll haul me in for some kind of a review and that's the last thing I need. I'm doing fine, after all…I'm coping, and since we came back to work after Kihaku's destruction we've dealt with situations and I've been all right. Mostly, anyway. The last thing I need is Mihoshi on my back."
She set the gathered sheets down on her desk, reaching for her pass key and leaving the office, locking the door behind her as she made her way down the hall towards the main docking bay. Yagami was the only ship moored there at present, and somehow the entire bay seemed bleak and empty without the gleam of other hulls flanking it on either side. Quelling her misgivings, Kiyone activated the transmitter beam, boarding her craft and heading purposefully towards the drive room, sliding back the door that separated it from other parts of the ship.
As she stepped into the room, she stopped dead, colour draining from her face as she registered the state the cockpit was in. The dashboard had been ripped open by some unknown force, wires and circuitry spilling out across the floor in a haphazard, random manner. As she moved closer, unable to believe what she was seeing, she noticed that the ship's three main memory drives had also been looted, pulled out and disconnected from the main server, then discarded.
"Yagami." She murmured, shaking her head slowly. "But…but…what happened to you?"
The sound of the door sliding shut behind her made her jump and she swung around, her hand fumbling desperately for her weapon as she glanced all around her, searching for any sign of the culprit.
"Mihoshi?" She called, taking a step back against the console as she did so. "Is someone there? Identify yourselves!"
There was no answer, and Kiyone swallowed hard, fighting to keep a grip on her composure. Memories teased at her senses, and she forced them back, standing her ground doggedly as her grip tightened around the gun.
"Answer me!" She exclaimed. "I'm warning you – vandalising a Galaxy Police ship is a serious offence!"
At this, Kiyone became aware of the low, amused sound of laughter and she glanced around her feverishly, but she was still alone. She bit her lip, remembering the corpses aboard the Seniwan ship, and how somehow their killer had managed to conceal itself from both her and Mihoshi.
"Who are you!" She shouted, her voice trembling slightly as her fear threatened to overwhelm her. "Come out and identify yourself! Come out!"
There was no response, but a flood of images hit Kiyone's mind and she gasped, the gun slipping from her grip as she found herself forced back to another day aboard the Yagami. Darkness surrounded her and a burning sensation rushed through her body, stifling it's need for air and clamping itself firmly around her heart. She fought to draw a breath into her lungs but the world was becoming strange and fuzzy and she stumbled backwards, the weapon clattering to the ground as she fell to her knees, fighting desperately to regain her control and her composure.
At length the suffocating sensation across her chest abated, and as waves and waves of panic and fear washed through her body, Kiyone struggled to her feet, fleeing the ship as fast as her legs could take her. From somewhere behind her she could hear the sound of amused, ghostly laughing and tears pricked at the back of her eyes as she charged through the hallways, oblivious to the stares she was receiving from her fellow officers at her unusual lack of composure. At length she reached Mihoshi's office and she pushed back the door, almost tripping over her feet in her desperation to reach her friend. Mihoshi glanced up from the desk, consternation and confusion in her pretty eyes at her partner's entrance.
"Kiyone?" She said. "What's up? Why are you…Kiyone?"
"Yagami." Kiyone murmured faintly. "Miho...shi, Yagami is..."
She faltered, feeling sick and dizzy as the room began to swim and twist all around her. She grabbed out for the edge of Mihoshi's desk to steady herself, but it was to no avail, and suddenly the lights in the small, confined office seemed dazzling to her bewildered gaze. As she fell to her knees, blackness closing in from all sides, an image flitted unbidden into her mind - the face of a colleague, staring down at her with murder in his eyes. With a little gasp, she lost her grip on consciousness, dropping back onto Mihoshi's cluttered office floor in a dead faint.