Chapter Fourteen

The pirate ran through the corridors of the ship, pausing to catch his breath as he squinted out into the black space beyond. His eyes narrowed as he recognised the hulk of the ship that loomed beyond, and he shook his head, disapproval flickering across his expression.

"Daidalos." He muttered. "Shank! Damn Daluma - this is my call! This is Balta space!"

He pulled back into the shadows, holding his breath as he heard the soft sound of voices from the end of the passageway.

"...Should fetch a decent sum of money." He heard one man say, his tones low and difficult to make out.

"And what about the Balta?" Another man asked. The first man snorted.

"I can take any Balta who think they're taking Daluma pickings tonight." He responded scornfully. "Go back to Daidalos and be ready to leave. I'll grab the girl and be with you in a few minutes."

"Yes, Captain."

The pirate muttered another curse under his breath, inwardly wishing that he'd not decided upon this mission alone. He had, he mused ruefully, allowed his ambition and his ego to get in the way of his common sense, and he had not forseen the complication of another pirate vessel cruising the same part of space.

"But everyone knew that the Nagatabi was flying through here tonight." He remembered. "And I'm not the only pirate who wants to make a mint from hoisting that girl. Come on, Hotsuma, you know this is as easy as they come. It's a big ship and if you play your cards right the Daluma will be too preoccupied with the father to worry about the daughter. She's just a kid - she won't put up any fight. I just wish I hadn't come on my own. If Ryoko were here, we'd have double the chances. Damn her obstinacy!"

He clenched his fists, forcing his anger to cool.

"No, I don't need her. Her or her squeamishness for human contact." he decided. "This heist is going to make me rich - and then she'll be sorry she didn't choose to be a part of it. This family are one of the richest on Airai - there has to be big potential for a ransom. If you're not willing to take a few chances, what's the point in being a pirate?"

He crept cautiously through the corridors, pausing and listening at every entrance before crossing to the next level. As he moved, he was no longer aware of Shank's footsteps and he frowned, hoping against hope that he hadn't been beaten to the punch by his hated foe. Getting back to Gai'En was no trouble, he mused grimly. But he had no mind to do so empty-handed.

"Who are you?"

A voice startled him, and he turned, seeing the curious brown eyed gaze of the little girl watching him. She did not seem afraid, merely interested and as he stared at her, she held out her hand. "Did you come to play? I'm Mirei. My Father owns this ship. Are you one of his friends?"

"Sort of." Hotsuma hedged, pursing his lips as he considered his options. He could grab the girl and flee, he knew that - but there was every chance that she might scream, and he didn't want to alert anyone to his presence until he was long gone. "Are you going to sound the alarm?"

"I'm not allowed to do that unless it's an emergency. Father would be cross with me otherwise." Mirei shook her head. "I was looking at the spaceships outside. I like that one...do you see it?"

She indicated out of the porthole, and despite himself, Hotsuma smiled.

"That's my spaceship." He said softly. "His name is Gai'En. Would you like to come visit him?"

"I would...but Father doesn't like me to visit spaceships I don't know." Mirei said seriously. "Even if they belong to his friends."

"I see." Hotsuma said softly. "And what else does your Father say, Mirei-chan?"

"That I'm not to run riot around the ship." Mirei giggled. "But I like playing hide and seek. It's so boring, travelling through space. We're going to Jurai, you know. But it's such a long way and I don't have anyone to play with. Will you play with me?"

"I suppose I could." Hotsuma hesitated, then held out his hand to her. She took it, offering him a grin.

"You're nice." She observed. "I'm glad you came to visit. What's your name? You didn't tell me."

"Hotsuma." Hotsuma responded. "And I have a game for you. It's like hide and seek, only it's much more of an adventure. Do you want to play?"

"All right." Mirei nodded her head. "I like new games."

Hotsuma grinned at her, but before he could do anything else the sound of the ship's alarm rang through the lower decks, startling him and making him loose her grip.

"Damn." he muttered. "Someone must have..."

He faltered, and Mirei stared at him, confused.

"Father's raised the alarm." She said, fear in the depths of her brown eyes. "That means there are pirates and I have to go back to my room. I'm sorry, Hotsuma-san. I can't play with you now. I have to obey my Father, or he'll be cross with me."

"Mirei, wait a minute." Hotsuma shook his head. "It might be dangerous. Let me come with you."

"I can't. I have to go." Mirei shook her head. "It was nice to meet you, Hotsuma-san. Bye bye!"

With a careless laugh she turned on her heel, running back along the corridor and disappearing up the stairs. Hotsuma hesitated for a moment, half-inclined to withdraw to Gai'En and give it up as a bad job.

"After all, she's seen me and she knows my name, now." He murmured. "It's too risky. I wasn't prepared to encounter her like that. She's a brave little kid, that's for sure. But Shank is still aboard this ship and I'm not going to let him get his grubby hands on her. If anyone is getting a ransom for the kid, it's going to be me - and I won't abuse her like the Daluma will. For her sake and my own financial well being, I can't give up yet. I need to find out where exactly her room is."

As he mounted the stairs, two at a time, he heard an unearthly shriek echo through the halls of the ship and, fear gripping his heart he sped up his pace, hurrying along the corridor in the direction of the sound. As he reached the next floor, he stopped dead, seeing the unmistakeable shape of his rival standing over something still and limp on the floor. At the sound of his approach, the man turned, and Hotsuma registered the evil glint in Tarant Shank's beady eyes. He frowned, raising his weapon.

"This is my call." He said quietly. "Get out of Balta space, Daluma. You have no right being here."

"I have every right being where I want." Shank spat back. "But I'm not playing games with you tonight, Balta scum. You want her, she's all yours. For all the good she'll be to you."

He pressed a button on his wristband, hazing and disappearing from sight and as he did so, Hotsuma registered for the first time what the motionless shape on the floor was. He swore, rushing to the girl's side, and swallowing hard as he noticed the slow, steady pool of blood that seeped out from beneath her body.

"Mirei." He whispered. "No...that bastard Shank! She's just a child!"

He placed his fingers to her throat, feeling for a lifebeat and at length he found it, feeble but there. Gently he slid his arms beneath her body, struggling to lift her without causing her further injury. All thought of ransom gone, his only impulse was to help the little girl that he'd spoken to just mere moments before about the beauty of his ship. He swallowed again, trying to rid himself of the bitter taste in his mouth.

There was so much blood.

As he cradled the small girl in his arms, the pirate felt a mixture of emotions flooding through his body. He clutched her tightly, putting a finger to her cheek as he willed her to open her eyes.

At length she did so, staring up at him with confused and fearful brown eyes. He bit his lip, unable to find words to say.

For a moment they remained there, pirate and child, as if time had stopped aboard the spaceship.

Then the sound of footsteps on the gantry above sparked the pirate into life and he got to his feet, carefully laying the girl down on the floor.

She blinked at him, parting her lips as if to speak, but no sound came out. He swallowed hard, watching as she drew a final, gasping breath. Then her eyes closed for the final time, and all was still.

The footsteps drew closer, and, frightened now, the pirate took a step and then another away from the girl's body, blood still staining his fingers as he turned on his heel, fleeing through the constricting corridors of the vessel. Logical thought abandoned him as he ran, all his usual evasion techniques becoming garbled and confused in his panic to get away. All he could think of was escape...that somehow, he had to get away from this place, and rinse the blood from his hands and his nightmares.

The pounding steps drew closer, and the terrified pirate was aware of the man's yell as he discovered the body of the little girl.

"Mirei!" He exclaimed.

"Oh God..."

As the pictures faded, fear leapt into Ryoko's heart and she shook her head, struggling to clear it. "And I'd forgotten. You badgered me so much to take part in this kidnap and ransom mission of yours, Hotsuma. You told me it was easy money, and I told you you were out of your mind. I could have been there. I could have died aboard Nagatabi too, and all because of Shank. Or...or I could have been your escape. If I'd been there..."

She faltered, and for a moment there was silence.

Hotsuma did not react to her words, his expression unreadable, and after a moment of hesitation, Ryoko took his hand in hers. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Tenchi start towards her, but Mirei put a restraining hand on his arm, preventing him from intervening.

"I didn't even know what had happened." Ryoko said guiltily, meeting the pirate's gaze with a sad one of her own. "That you'd even tried, or that it had gone so wrong. I didn't know any of this."

Hotsuma bit his lip, raising his gaze to hers.

"I didn't abduct you." He said quietly. "I'm not so much of a rogue as that. I don't know what drew you here, if the memories I have are all a lie. But when you were, I wanted you to stay. And there have been a lot of strange things - things I can't explain. A lot of uncertainty. My dreams, and Mirei, and everything else. The things I can't remember how to do, even though we both know that I could once do them. But I didn't know why, Ryoko-chan. I didn't remember. You have to believe that."

"I do." Ryoko said softly. "But if Mirei is right, I can't stay here. If she's telling the truth, this isn't the real world. And...and Tenchi isn't dead. I love him, Hotsuma. More than anything I've ever had in my life. I can't stay and be a pirate any more...even if this world was real. It's not who I am now, and I think you know as well as I do that it just wouldn't have worked."

She faltered, then,

"I'm sorry I thought you could have killed a child." She added. "I should have known better than that."

"So you should." Hotsuma managed a faint smile. Then he frowned, glancing at his scarred palm.

"It's all been a lie." He murmured. "Everything."

"But not in vain." Mirei pointed out softly. "Now they know the truth, Hotsuma-san. Your name will be cleared. You and I, we can both rest in peace now that someone finally knows our story."

"I suppose so." Hotsuma nodded, a look of regret in his eyes. He eyed Ryoko keenly, then he rested his hands gently on her shoulders. Ryoko was aware of a strange glittering light dancing around the edges of his form as gently he kissed her on the cheek.

"You have a new bond partner now." He said softly. "And pirates can't spend too much time living in the past. Goodbye, Ryoko-chan. Live well, for me."

With that he released his grip as his body was bathed in bright, dazzling light and Ryoko covered her eyes, shielding them from the glare. When she looked again, he was gone.

"He'll be all right, you know." Mirei told her with a smile. "Thank you for coming to Nagatabi, Ryoko. Now he knows everything, he can be at peace. And so can I. You can tell our story, when you get back to your world. And people will know that he didn't kill me after all. Will you do that for us? Please? Make sure people understand?"

"We'll make sure the record is put straight." Tenchi said quietly. "I owe you that much, for helping us as much as you have. But what about you, Mirei? Now that you know who you are, are you still staying aboard Nagatabi?"

"No." Mirei shook her head. She giggled, a child-like smile touching her lips. "I'll go with him, soon. But when I do, Nagatabi will be a dead, empty ship once more. I can't show you how to get back to where you belong. You'll have to find your own way, I'm sorry. I don't know the way back."

"We'll find it." Ryoko said. She faltered, then held out a hand and Tenchi took it, squeezing her fingers between his ghostly grip. "Thank you, Mirei. You said you wanted to help, and I guess you did. I suppose there's more to the superstition than I ever thought - but now Hotsuma's at peace, there's nothing to stay here for."

Mirei shrugged.

"I never did find my doll." She said regretfully.

"Is that why you stayed behind?" Ryoko stared. "Because of a toy?"

"My mother gave it me, before she died. And I lost it the night I was killed." Mirei agreed. "And then, when it all happened...I was trapped here, like he was."

Ryoko smiled.

"The doll is in the supply deck." She said quietly. "I found it there, earlier this evening. It had been knocked beneath a grate, but it was there, all the same. You can take it with you, now. And then you can go, too...to wherever it is you go, after you die."

"Somewhere beautiful." Mirei said softly. "Mother told me that, before she went to sleep. That it was beautiful."

She offered them another smile, then she clasped her hands together, sinking down through the floorboards of the hallway and out of sight.

For a moment Ryoko and Tenchi just stared at each other. Then Tenchi offered her a smile.

"I guess that's our cue to leave." He murmured, as the bright lights and pretty decor of the Nagatabi began to falter and fade into the dusty, neglected rooms of a dead ship. "Washu said it would be tough to get back. Do you think you can find your way?"

"I don't know, but I guess I get to try." Ryoko said ruefully. "What about...what about you?"

"Don't worry about me." Tenchi grinned. "I found you, coming this way. I can go wherever you go, and Washu said you had a natural predisposition to doing this kind of thing, anyway."

"Really?" Ryoko blinked. "Another Kii trait?"

"I think so." Tenchi agreed. He squeezed her hand. "Okay. I guess I'll see you - back on the Earth."

"On the Earth." Ryoko echoed, nodding. She faltered, then kissed him firmly on the lips.

"To help you find your way back, lover." She whispered playfully. Then she closed her eyes, focusing every inch of her thoughts on the Earth and the quiet mountain home that had become her safe haven. As the Nagatabi began to blur and fade around her, she felt Tenchi's grip on her fingers loosen. Then she was flying through space, zipping and dancing across the cosmos as she beamed towards the Earth. Closing her eyes even tighter, she clenched her fists together, hoping that it was enough to bring her safely back to where she belonged.

For a moment, her mind was a whirl of colours. And then there was nothing but darkness.

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

"Ryoko!"

Tenchi sat up on his pallet, breathing hard as he ripped free Washu's restraints and cables, struggling to get to his feet.

"Woah boy!" Washu put out her hands to restrain him. "Where do you think you're going?"

"To Ryoko. I have to...I have to make sure she got back okay." Tenchi fought against her grip, and Washu sent him an amused smile.

"Unless you're going for a long space-walk, you're going to sit tight and wait for Nagi to pilot us home." She said chidingly. "Patience. Am I to understand that you found her, then?"

"Yes." Tenchi drew a deep breath into his lungs, suddenly aware of how cold and weak he felt. He shivered involuntarily, and Washu handed him his shirt, helping him to pull it over his shaking body as she wrapped an additional blanket protectively around his shoulders. "Yes, I did."

"And was I right? Was it the pirate, keeping her there?"

"Sort of." Tenchi frowned. "Washu, Hotsuma was there. He seemed...real. More real than I did. He didn't know he was dead - he really thought he'd rescued Ryoko from an explosion. He was haunting Nagatabi - you were right about that. Him and the little girl - the one who befriended Sasami. The Mirei girl Nagi mentioned. Only he didn't kill her - Nagi, he was framed. Mirei showed me everything. He couldn't rest because he'd been wrongfully accused and slaughtered for something he didn't do - and we promised Mirei that we'd set the record straight. Ryoko and me, I mean."

"You're babbling, Tenchi. Shut up." Washu said firmly. "Save it for when we get back. You're tired and in shock, and you need to conserve your energy. You've been very brave, but your body isn't built for this kind of thing."

"But I'm telling you the truth." Tenchi protested. "Mirei was killed by that Shank guy - the one who attacked Ryo Ohki in the first place. Hotsuma was just in the wrong place at the wrong time."

"Really." Nagi's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "That's interesting to know. I wonder if his reward money might be raised if they add child murder to his already impressive list of crimes."

"Nagi, this isn't about money." Tenchi scolded. Washu laughed.

"To Nagi, it probably is." She said simply. "I have no doubt that, when she finally reels him in, Nagi will have Shank confessing to everything and anything before she hands him over to the Galaxy Police."

"You can say that again." Nagi agreed, cracking her knuckles contemplatively. "I'll make sure I mention it to him."

Tenchi sank back against the pallet, closing his eyes.

"I wish I knew Ryoko was safe." He murmured. "She came so close to bonding with him again, Washu. He wanted her to and she almost did. If Mirei hadn't been there, I don't think I'd have talked her around. She thought we were all dead...Ryo Ohki too."

"Poor Ryoko." Washu frowned. "That must have been a cold, bleak future to contemplate. She's begun putting so much stock recently in relationships of one kind or another - thanks to your influence, I think. To lose either you or Ryo Ohki would have been a harsh blow, but to lose the both of you..."

"Well, she hasn't." Tenchi sighed. "So long as I haven't lost her."

He opened his eyes, glancing across at the ship's enigmatic pilot.

"Nagi, how long till we reach the Earth?"

"Not long." Nagi replied off-handedly. "As soon as Washu-san said you were coming out of it, I wheeled Ken Ohki round and he's a fast craft. It's not a long trip, not flying direct. And we're both getting more than a little bit familiar with the route, recently. We'll be there before you know it - so no more whining, please. I've just begun to think of you as a man. Don't make me revert my opinion of you back to snivelling boy."

Tenchi stared at her, then a smile touched his lips.

"Sorry, Nagi-san." He said contritely. "I guess it's the shock talking."

"Well, tell it to talk a little less, and we'll be fine." Nagi told him frankly. "All right, Ken Ohki. Prepare to enter Earth's orbit and head right for the Masaki shrine."

"There'll be carrots in it for you, if you make it a quick and safe descent." Washu added. Ken Ohki let out a joyous yowl, speeding up his pace, and Nagi rolled her eyes heavenwards.

"Carrots." She muttered. "Honestly. Sometimes, Ken Ohki, I despair of you."

Ken Ohki mewed defiantly as the Earth's surface came starkly into view, and even from his position on the pallet, Tenchi was able to make out houses, rivers and trees as the small, jagged craft plotted it's course towards the imposing, white-capped mountains in the distance. Before long they were hovering above the shrine, and Nagi gave the order to her ship to beam them down onto the soft grass beneath. Almost as soon as he touched the ground, Tenchi was up on his feet, pushing his exhaustion and dizziness out of his mind as he scrambled across the shrine complex towards the path that led to the house. Washu called him back, but he paid her no heed - only one thought was in his mind.

As he reached the front door he faltered, gripping hold of the door frame as he struggled to catch his breath. Then he entered the building more sedately, knocking on the door of Washu's lab. To begin with there was no answer, then Yume swung open the door and he pushed past her without seeing her, ignoring her exclamation of relief as he plunged into the furthermost point of the lab.

As he reached the entranceway, he paused, unsure as to what he would find, but as he stepped forward, he heard someone call his name. As his gaze fell on the figure that had lain so still on the makeshift bed, joy flickered into his brown eyes and he hurried forward, finding his second wind as he registered that not only was she alive, she was awake, too.

"Tenchi!" As he dropped down at her side, Ryoko flung back her bedcovers, throwing herself bodily into his arms and he gripped hold of her tightly. Her body shook with tears as the tension of the past few days poured out of her and for a moment he just held her, stroking her hair as she let her emotions run free.

At length she pulled back from him, meeting his gaze with a sheepish one of her own.

"Geez, would you look at me?" She said, embarrassed. "Crying like a baby...how pathetic!"

"It's not pathetic." Tenchi assured her. "I'm half inclined to follow your example, except of course that Washu and Yume would walk in on the pair of us howling and they'd never let us live it down."

Amusement glittered in Ryoko's tired amber eyes, and she hugged him tightly once more.

"Oh, but I thought you were dead." She whispered. "And you have no idea what a nightmare really is, Tenchi, until you start to live it."

"Well, it's over now." Tenchi told her gently. "For both of us, thank Goodness. I've missed you...I was worried."

"I don't care if this isn't the real world." Ryoko decided. "It's all confused at the moment - I don't know what's real and what isn't. But even if this is a hallucination, I want to stay here. Whichever world you exist in, Tenchi-kun. That's where I want to be."

"This world is real." Tenchi said with a grin. "I promise."

"Either way, I'm staying in it." Ryoko murmured. "You're here...and so is Ryo Ohki. I can feel her, prickling at the back of my mind."

She paused, raising her gaze to his.

"And Washu? Otosan? Lord Katsuhito?" She asked. "Are they all right, too? I really don't remember what happened after Shank fired his cannon. I mean, assuming that everything that happened since Hotsuma found me wasn't real."

"Ryo Ohki was hurt, but she wasn't destroyed. Nagi came to our rescue, and she's helped you too, bringing Washu and I into space and allowing us to use Ken Ohki as a base for me to come to try and get you back." Tenchi replied. "Thanks to her, we're all back together."

"Nagi, huh?" Ryoko pursed her lips, looking rueful. "I suppose there's a strange kind of logic to that. It wouldn't be the first time she'd saved my life."

She stretched, stifling a yawn.

"I could sleep for a week." She said regretfully. "And much as I'd like to do it with you, I doubt that Washu would allow it."

An amused smile touched Tenchi's lips at this, and he touched her cheek gently.

"No, me either." He agreed. "And you're not the only one that's tired. Washu will probably want to run all kinds of tests on the both of us, and Ryo Ohki will be in here as soon as she can find her way. So I'll let you get some sleep, and go take a nap myself. We can talk later. We've all eternity to talk, in fact."

"For sure." Ryoko yawned again. "I guess so. All right. Sweet dreams, my Tenchi. Still be here, okay, when I wake?"

With that she settled back down on her pillows, closing her eyes, and Tenchi stood, drawing the blankets gently over her slight form. A tender look entered his brown eyes as he watched her sleeping, and he nodded his head.

"I promise." He murmured. "I'll always be here, Ryoko-chan. Whenever you need me."