I don't own Tenchi Muyo or any related characters ect ect. Plot IS mine though! No takies!

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"Kibishii! Kibishii!"

Ryoko rattled the bars on her, their clanging the loudest and angriest yet. When she'd asked her guards to get him, they'd refused- flat out ignored her, in fact. Now, she'd been calling for what seemed to be hours, and her voice was finally giving out. But she refused to stop, and with each unanswered call her temper increased.

Ryoko cried out every Juraian curse word she knew, and gave the cell bars one final vicious rattle. Somewhere in the semi-darkness a guard laughed, and Ryoko spat in the direction of the noise with a sneer. The spit didn't pass any further than the bars though; hitting the force field the room lit up as blue veins of light crawled across the surface. The guard was visible for a flash, standing across and to the left of her. No doubt the cell was attached to her DNA in some way. Every time she'd tried to reach past it her hand had crashed into the faintly glowing wall, but the guards had been given no trouble when they reached through the bars to harass her.

With disgust she turned away from the bars and sat with her back to it on the dull wooden bench hanging from the wall. Hugging her knees she picked at a tiny hole in the wall with a nail, grimacing to herself. All attempts and methods to calm herself down were barely working; which is why when the main door to her prison block opened Ryoko trembled as she suppressed the urge to throw aside all dignity and run to the edge of the cell screaming and swearing. She listened to the heavy footsteps as they slowly approached her cell, smirking triumphantly when the footsteps stopped behind her.

"So, Ryoko, you've called?" She turned slowly, peering over her shoulder. Kibishii stood there, in twisted regal glory, shadowed by Ikuji and Kakusu who stood like watch dogs behind him. Ryoko turned to face them, standing and coming to the bars.

"Mikio," she started. "It hasn't been 24 hours yet, so why are your guards talking about her as if she is dead?"

"Because she is," Kibishii replied simply. He had an air as if he had been talking about the weather. Ryoko felt her eyes widen despite her attempt to mask her emotions.

"Dead?" she echoed. Quickly she tried to inject power back into her voice. "But, she..."

"She was more...fragile that we expected," Kakusu offered, with a little crooked smile. "One blow to the head was all it-"

"Stop!" Ryoko grabbed onto the cell bars, furiously glaring at them through them. "It wasn't 24 hours! You broke your word! You-"

"Ryoko, please," Kibishii sneered. "You're making a spectacle of yourself." Ryoko bit her lip, feeling her anger being replaced with resentment. The King continued, "Besides, we didn't need your help with that anymore. We have the information that we need. Which is the real reason we're here, actually."

"What?" Ryoko's mouth fell open slightly, and she stared at them, almost in disbelief. "You have the information and you killed her anyw-"

"That's an unimportant factor." Kibishii interrupted. "Now, please Ryoko, if you will."

He motioned to the bars of the cell, and one of the guards standing at attention to his side moved forward and placed his hand on the hand console on the wall. The force field on the bars flashed sparks and then suddenly lashed out like a whip, striking Ryoko. It didn't hurt, but she suddenly found her body oddly numb, and her knees crumbling out from under her. She couldn't speak. She could barely hear.

Hitting the ground with a thud, she stared forward, her entire body buzzing from the shock of the force field. The door to the cell opened, and once more shackles were placed around her wrists. These were unlike the others; simple metal bands that clicked into frail looking circles around her wrists. However, in her paralyze she could barely stand on her own feet, let alone pull against them. She once more was escorted with the help of guards, this time out of the cell, and down the hall to another simple wooden door.

Inside was only a table and several chairs, all of them with the lack of grandeur that this part of the Jurian palace seemed to obtain. Ryoko was sat in one of the chairs and left there by the guards who exited the room. Already the effect of the force fields shock was wearing off, her body covered with an uncomfortable buzzing. Kibishii sat across from her, and Ikuji remained standing behind him. Kakusu however, as if in mockery of Ryoko's state, took the seat next to her with a grin.

"The ship's name is Yagami, isn't it?" he asked, his expression all the more gleeful as Ryoko lowered her eyes, refusing to answer.

"We know who is on that ship Ryoko," Kibishii told her calmly. She didn't lift her eyes, but her heart started to beat faster and she listened to him. Listened as hard as she could.

"Three females, one male. I have the location they left from. The time…" he paused for a moment, and Ryoko knew he was watching her, looking to see if his words had managed to get under her skin yet. "I have their names Ryoko."

Shudders ran down her spine, but she wasn't sure if she'd moved noticeably. She finally gathered the effort needed and looked up and into the face of Kibishii, who seemed to be pleased and relaxed. They stared at each other for a moment, neither's expression changing. Ryoko knew this was a challenge, and tried to keep as blank as possible. But along with the feeling returning in her limbs came her anger from before, and her frustration, and everything else she'd kept in throughout the whole ideal. She couldn't give the men a single thing to use against her.

"Why are you bothering to tell me this?" she finally asked, her words coming slowly past her still tingling lips.

"Ah, yes, the 'bad guy' telling his secrets. I'd like to think I'm not that clichéd Ryoko." Kibishii told her with a laugh. "No, see, I need your assistance."

She said nothing. "You see," Kibishii continued, "In knowing their names, I also now know their history. And in knowing that, I know their relationship to my wife, and to Sasami, and most importantly...I know their relationships with you Ryoko."

"If they come here, my wife will let them come. I have no reason to stop them that will not confuse or concern her. And then they will tell her about you, and what ever other…heroic information to change the circumstances that they might have. So, I cannot have them here. And this is where you come in, Ryoko."

At this point Kibishii stood up, moving across the table to sit in the chair on the other side of Ryoko. When he spoke, he sounded like the King she'd used to know- kind, and sympathetic, and a man just trying to do his best. The tone sickened her. "Ryoko, I need you to go and convince them that they should not come."

"What makes you think they'll listen to me? They no doubt know that Sasami is dead, and that something is up. They've probably figured something is rotten with the whole situation."

"That man though," Ikuji spoke up gruffly. "The Masaki guy. He's your lover, right? Get him to tell them to go away."

Ryoko stared across the table wide eyed at Ikuji. Her face was flushing, she could tell. The harder she tried to stop it the hotter she felt her skin become.

"Ooh Looks like you hit a nerve there Ikuji," Kakusu chortled, his tone teasing. He then turned to look slyly at Ryoko. "I went a little in depth on him, since you share the same last name and all. I hope you don't mind." He said, waving his hand at her.

"So there you are Ryoko, you know what you have to do." Kibishii said, as if they'd all just decided on it together. "You need to keep them away. And this man is your key. Draw him out, and change his mind. Break his heart. Hurt him. Do whatever it takes to keep him and your friends out of this...ah, sticky situation."

Ryoko was quiet for a moment. "I... I can't..."

"You have to." Kibishii stood up, walking away from her. "He'll get hurt here Ryoko. He'll get killed."

"He's too strong to be hurt by you."

"Oh really?" The intrigue in Kibishii's voice sounded dangerous. "Ryoko, can you really not see that doing this for us is saving this Masaki more pain than you could ever cause him? If he comes here and I manage to get my hands on him, then there will be no end to the suffering I could cause."

"And how do you know I won't just leave with him when I see him?"

There was a pause, and Ryoko noticed Kakusu and Ikuji's eyes both briefly flick towards the form of Kibishii, standing with his back to all of them. Was this part of the delicate plan that even they had not been informed on?

"Because Ayeka will still be here," he said finally. He turned to look at them all then, and his eyes had lost their malicious playfulness, replaced now with a stony look of resolution. "Here is the deal Ryoko. You keep Masaki, and that ship from coming here, and Ayeka will be safe and I will make sure you get off free. If you don't come back, don't succeed in making them go away, or ever tell anyone about this, not only will Ayeka die, but I will make sure that death will be the fate of everyone and everything that has ever been dear to you. And after they are gone before your eyes, I will make sure that you die in the slowest and most antagonizing way possible."

After a moment of silence in the room, he laughed. "Do you doubt me, Ryoko? How do you think Sasami came to her most unfortunate end? She certainly couldn't keep her secret." He walked towards her, aura menacing.

When he stood above Ryoko she didn't move. She was staring at her hands now, her lips tight and pale. How could he speak so casually of murder? If she had ever bragged about a death due to her own actions before then, during her space pirate days, it had only been to cover up the nagging voice of a conscious. But he seemed so casual with his words. Was he that good at lying? Or was he truly unaffected by Sasami's blood on his hands?

He sneered at her. "It isn't like I find her death taboo to speak of." His words jabbed right at her thoughts, hitting a stinging nerve. "Unfortunate, yes. But just business, as far as I'm concerned. Do not think your fate is anything else Ryoko." She turned suddenly cold. What was it about this man that made his words seem so inevitable?

"Do we have a deal Ryoko?"

How could he ask her to hurt those she loved? Even to protect them?

"Answer me."

In the end he was threatening her. In the end he was only using her to protect himself.

"Very well then Ryoko."

Why did she feel so cornered by this man? More so than anyone had ever made her feel before.

She looked up at the movement to her side, to find Kakusu over her, moving to unlock her shackled wrists. With a click they fell into her lap, settling on the dirty fabric. She looked up to see that the three men were leaving now, standing in the doorway of the room. Behind them were guards, standing with full attention.

"You'll be lead to your room now." Kibishii told her off handedly. "I trust you will not fight, and you will not run. You should know the result if you do. We'll fetch you tomorrow," with that the three of them left.

Ryoko sat there for a moment more, not entirely sure what had happened. She hadn't answered him. She was positive that she'd done nothing to show accenting to his plan. Kibishii was horridly certain in his control of her, to leave her like that. She could fight now, and run. But she looked over to the waiting guards, and knew they were in on it. How many more were? How quickly would a rebellion reach the King's ears? How much longer would his retribution take?

Standing on her own was almost foreign to her. Placing the handcuffs on the table, Ryoko took a few uncertain steps towards the door. With each one, she half expected to be jumped by the guards, to be stopped, to be questioned. But when she got to the door way one of the men there asked her in an almost cordial way to follow him.

Unsure of what else to do, she fell in step behind him. Two of the other men walked behind her, but they kept a respectable distance. The entire thing was surreal; she wasn't entirely sure what was happening.

They walked through the halls of rough stone, through doorways and into places she didn't recognize. But as they walked the condition and quality of where they went got better, until once more they walked in smooth decorated halls that Ryoko recognized to be the main level. At the end of one hallway they unlocked a simple door for her, and she found herself in a well-lit room, with a large bed, and a bathroom, and the curtains flowing gently in the breeze of an open window. Taking a few steps in she looked around, and then turned back to look at the guard.

"A bath has been drawn, and there are food and fresh clothes on the table." He then shut the door, and at the click there was the sound of the men walking away and then silence.

Ryoko went to the door, opening it and looking out. It wasn't locked, and no one was there. Pulling her head back in and shutting the door she then went to look at the food. It was all warm and fresh. Much to her shock, in a small porcelain pitcher was some type of sweet smelling Juraian alcohol. In a final attempt to find something unsatisfactory, she went into the bathroom and tested the water in the deep tub. It was clean and steaming hot.

Unsure of what to do, she went and sat on the bed. It sank under her weight, plush and welcoming. She was unguarded and well cared for. It didn't fit with how she'd been treated before then. The difference was eerie. Was the whole thing a bribe to make sure she would obey them? After consideration she knew it wasn't. Kibishii knew that he had her in such a place that there was little reason to keep her physically restricted. The restriction was all mental now.

Once more her thoughts returned to Kibishii's offer, his threat. If she let Tenchi and the others come, they would be hurt; killed even. If she left with them, he would kill Ayeka, and her friends. Her chest tightened at the thought. Was she really so cold hearted that she would risk the lives of her friends?

Ryoko stood with sudden passion, looking around the room. Years ago, she might have said yes. But now, there was too much at stake. It felt naïve, to trust all of Kibishii's promises. But there seemed to be no logical course. Somewhere deep in her heart, she had full knowledge that if Tenchi, if anyone, set foot onto Juraian soil, they would be hurt. If it could be prevented she'd do it.

With a rattling deep breath she went into the bathroom. Without hesitation she started stripping out of her dirtied clothes, letting them drop into a pile at her feet. She then kicked the pile into a corner, stepping into the water. It was hot enough to scald, but she lowered herself in quickly, wincing at the heat.

There was a slick brown bar of soap sitting in a corner, and she grabbed it up and started to scrub at her skin. She cleaned her entire body, even working suds into her long knotted hair and pulling at the tangles until her fingers ran through without meeting resistance.

When she was finally finished her skin was pink and raw. The water in the tub was a murky brown. When she couldn't find a towel she went into the bedroom and tore the top blanket off of the bed and started to dry herself with that instead. Ryoko found herself suddenly angry. How dare Kibishii use her against her own friends?

Plans started to rush through her head, each one more dangerous and illogical then the last. Storming the castle, taking on all the guards, somehow winning the day. Of course they could do it, they had done it before. How was this different then any other time they had risked their lives?

She let the blanket drop and went to the clothes on the table, putting on the simple off white pants and tunic. She then turned her attention to the meal. She was ravenous looking at the food in front of her, but her hand forwent the food and instead picked up the alcohol that sat there. She drank a few large mouthfuls of it, wrinkling her nose at the taste. It had been a very long time since she had gotten drunk, as it was irresponsible to do so being a captain. But now she downed the liquid with little regard to consequence.

She felt the first signs of delirium taking over her, which quickly turned into a rush. The room spun gently and her skin flushed red. Jurai was known for several of their strong liquors. This must have been one of them.

"You Juraians sure as hell know how to make your alcohol!" Ryoko cried out, spinning on the ball of her foot only to get tangled in the blankets still on the floor. As she stumbled the bottle fell from her hand, and went falling through the air in front of her. It hit the ground right before she did, shattering like glass. Her right palm, out to catch her, landed on the shards seconds later.

Ryoko stared. Perhaps it was the alcohol, but she couldn't feel what she was seeing. There was a pool of blood forming slowly under her hand. The strange euphoria was gone. Taking its place was emptiness, and a simmering shame under that. Lifting her hand she slowly turned it over. Pieces of the bottle fell from her hand, covered in blood and cracking more when they landed. On her hand were several small bleeding cuts; in heel of her palm a particularly large piece of glass was still stuck, puncturing the skin at least an inch. She moved her hand closer to stare, and the wound squirted blood weakly.

Though she still felt nothing, her hand was trembling as she pulled the shard from her palm, wincing in reaction to how much of the glass had been embedded in her flesh. She let it fall to the floor, and then crawled to her feet, and from there went to the bed. Sitting herself down, she bent over to grab the blanket that had tripped her off the floor. Shaking it feebly to get any shards that might have flown onto the fabric off, she wrapped a corner around her palm and squeezed.

What kind of person was she? Was she really so weak that instead of using her anger to form a plan out of everything, she just let herself get drunk? It was shameful. Using her unhurt hand she pulled some of the blanket up over her feet and closed her eyes.

Deep down, she knew why she felt angry; why she'd been so irresponsible. She felt backed into a corner by Kibishii's threats, and was acting out in response. No matter how she tumbled it in her mind, he had her twisted around his finger. If she'd been younger, more willing to take chances… maybe then the thought of risks, of fighting her way around this wouldn't have weighed as heavy on her as it did now. Years away from the violent space pirate life style had mellowed her out and given her a greater respect of life, and living.

Oh, how Ryoko wished she was still on Earth with Tenchi. Those few hours before the world had been turned upside down on her had been so amazing. She felt angry tears starting to burn in her eyes at how everything had been so swiftly pulled out from under her; at the unfairness of it all. If she had still been there, who knew where their relationship would have lead? To the places she used to imagine and dream about before everyone had left?

But now, even that would be gone. Ryoko opened moist eyes to look out the window of her room, and up at the darkened Juraian sky. The first few stars of twilight were just starting to twinkle. The Juraian sky looked so much like Earth's, and yet they were so far away.

In her heart, Ryoko knew what she had to do. Ayeka would never believe Ryoko if she tried to enlighten her on Kibishii's true self. She didn't even know what dangerous dealings Sasami had gotten herself into. How could she prove the king otherwise? He played the part of a grieved husband so well, as if he had a mask he could put on and off as he needed to. She seriously doubted Ayeka could be told. She would tell Kibishii, who would surely find some way to punish for that.

Of Tenchi and the others, their sense of Justice was too grand. Ayeka wasn't in immediate danger but they would still feel the need to rescue her from the king. If Ryoko showed up with stories of power abuse and royal plots they would surely get involved. If they did, Ayeka was in danger.

If there was another way to it, Ryoko couldn't see it. Kibishii had her feeling so trapped. It was as if he had indeed thought of every possible outcome and choice. The most painful thing was how he had Ayeka in his hand. If somehow she could show Ayeka the true Kibishii, she was sure that Ayeka would help. Ryoko closed her eyes once more, turning her face down towards the bed.

Ayeka wouldn't help her. Bitter at the thought of Ryoko being behind Sasami's death, the queen had barely spoken to her since her arrival. So she would go about it as Kibishii had asked. If nothing else, she would assure the others momentary safety. Her heart twinged.

Could she really send Tenchi away? She reached out carefully, to brush her fingers against the red stone she wore. Tenchi had done much for her. As much as it hurt she knew that in the end keeping him out of this, away from it, was all she could do.

Selfish or selfless? She wasn't entirely sure anymore.

The next thing she knew, pale early morning sunlight was streaming through the gaps in the curtain. Lifting her head, she found that during the night she'd been moved and covered with a new blanket. The broken glass had been swept away, and a fresh platter of food had replaced the one untouched from the night before. Even her hand had been tended to and carefully bandaged.

She got warily out of bed and sat at the table. Carefully she ate some of the rice and soup in the small bowls before her, trying to combat the aching remnants of the hangover she'd mostly slept off. Her body felt numb. Today was the day.

When she couldn't stomach any more food she pushed the tray away and sat solemnly with her hands in her lap. Time crept by slowly, and the light out her window brightened. With it came the sound of movement within the castle. For everyone else it was just another morning on Jurai. For her, the start of an enormous task.

At the knock on the door Ryoko stood, and went to open it. Kakusu stood there, a grin playing over his face. Behind him were several guards.

"We've come to gather you, m'lady," he said in a way that was almost mocking. There was a look in his eyes, a type of sadistic playfulness. He held out his hands and cupped in each was a handcuff with the ratchet open.

"Wrists please."

Ryoko stared at him for a moment, face blank. Her stomach writhed as she placed her hands out and let him close the two halves over her wrists. There was a thin chain between the two cuffs, and she realized that they were just for show. She was to play the part of escaped prisoner.

Even though the handcuffs had been fastened, Kakusu hadn't removed his hands from around her wrists. He leaned towards her, using his hold on her to pull them close together. As much as Ryoko wanted to lean away from his face, one she was coming to hate, she couldn't with his grasp so tight. His eyes and expression, normally so careless, had gained a tint of something much more serious.

"You will be placed in a self piloting shuttle that will lead you to a small abandoned Juraian space port near one of our outer orbiting moons. We have calculated the speed of your vessel so that you will be close enough to your friend's ship to have them answer your distress call. Somehow get your man off the ship and convince him to bring them back to the Earth Quadrant. Once you've done that, return to the ship and it will bring you back here. Clear?"

Ryoko nodded, anything to get her away from his face, and tugged back slightly. But Kakusu tightened his grip and pulled her closer still in reply. His breath was hot on her face, and smelled of something smoky and sickly sweet. She turned her face away as best as possible and closed her eyes.

"I do not envy you if you fail this Ryoko Masaki," he whispered. "The futures of quite a few lives are balanced on your actions today." Finally he let her go, and she pulled away and took a step back with a look of disgust at him. He was simply smiling, hands behind his back.

"And as a final memo," he began, "The First Queen Ayeka will be spending the entire day in the countryside with Kibishii and Ikuji. If I catch word of anything going wrong on your side, I cannot promise her safety. So no mistakes." He wagged a finger at her as if scolding a child, and then left with two of the guards who had been standing behind him.

Another man stepped forward, and motioned down the hall in the same direction. "Follow me please."

Ryoko took the first tentative step forward, feeling sicker then when she'd woken up in the aftermath of Kakusu's speech. She wanted to just collapse onto the floor and scream. But there was a strange numbness overtaking her body at the same time. A resolve for what had been set before her.

The shuttle was waiting for her in a private empty bay, that looked to house small private use shuttles for the Royal family. The door was open and waiting and with a heavy heart she the walked up into the craft, turning to watch the door close. With the final click of the door and the sound of the airlock she was alone, and took the pilots seat as the shuttle navigated itself out of the palace and into orbit.

She closed her eyes, until the shaking of the ship as it exited the atmosphere stopped, and then opened them to see the view screen was on. The vastness of space and stars filled her eyes. The sight had once made her lonely, and then once upon a time had brought her great joy. But now the twinkling stars only reminded her of her purpose to be in space. It brought cold to her heart, which seemed to squeeze it like fingers.

On the computer screen in front of her a timer ticked. 1 hour 28 minutes until interception.

-------------------- END CHAPTER 9

Wow! It's been a while, hasn't it? Hopefully the next one won't be nearly as long a wait! I'd like to thank everyone who has stuck with me, and with Bitter Reunions. It's been quite a journey (how many years now?), but with this chapter we've reached the beginning of the final leg of this story. For those who have been afraid I might not finish, I can assure you that I will. It is just a question of how long it will take, haha. I have never managed to finish a chapter story before now, so it is my own personal goal to finish the final chapter of this story and have them all posted here. So please wait for me, okay?

Thank you again,

Astrael.