Chapter Six

"So, welcome to Project Eradicate."

Kenichi's eyes glittered with humour as he pushed open the door of the plush, penthouse office, ushering his companion inside as he slid the door shut behind them. "At least, it probably has a far more official name than that now – but that's what I like to call it. You won't regret it, Kane-kun – just think of the service you're doing for all of Earth's people, while you're earning your paycheque."

"For all of Earth's people." Kane's eyes narrowed, his mind flitting back to the report his friend had shown him that day in the park. "No kidding. Letting Space Pirates run riot across this planet is like giving a homicidal maniac a gun and wishing him a good day. How can anyone be so stupid as to trust in her – or in any of them? Masaki must have his brain screwed in wrong – it's complete madness!"

"He probably doesn't know as much as you or I do." Kenichi dropped down into an empty chair, casting him a grin. "Father knows you're coming, by the way – he'll be here as soon as he gets out of his meeting. When I told him I had a good friend who was interested in the same things we were, he was glad to have you come here – he reckons that as many people as we can enlist, the better. This may turn out to be a war, at the end of the day – when they attack us, we don't want to be unprepared."

"Or if we can prevent an attack altogether." Kane said quietly. "You didn't see the nightclub fire, Ishida. That noone died was a miracle. If what these monsters are capable of is worse than that…"

"Much worse and more, I'm afraid, my son."

At that moment the partition door separating the office from a rear corridor slid back, revealing a man in his middle forties, hair beginning to show the first signs of grey and his dark eyes behind black rimmed spectacles. He wore a smart, expensive suit, and at the sight of Kane, he offered a broad smile.

"Well, Kane-kun. And it's been some time, hasn't it? I didn't realise that you were the friend Kenichi mentioned."

"Kane's been intimately acquainted with the alien problem, shall we say." Kenichi said with a lazy smile. "His friend has been rather seduced by one – by the Ryoko pirate girl your people have been researching. Apparently he also saw the fire in the nightclub downtown – all in all, he's probably better positioned to speak about the situation than I am, considering he's met the problem face to face."

"Literally." Kane clenched and unclenched his fists, nodding his head. "Ryoko is a menace, of that I'm completely certain. But Ishi…but Kenichi-kun showed me the reports of the other pirate – Haki – and the things that he's done, too. This is a real threat to us, isn't it, Ishida-san? We're really in a dangerous position."

"It's hard to really know who to trust and who not to." The elder Ishida nodded his head, sinking down into a seat behind his desk as he nodded his head. "Although I have to tell you, we're not without allies. Many governments are embracing these aliens publically, but investigating them privately. It's by no means a whitewash – even here in Japan, my sources indicate that they're keeping close tabs on those of the settler people they're aware of. People such as Professor Hakubi – the scientist who helped develop Earth's new defences. So far, of course, people such as she have proven useful to this planet, and have posed us no particular danger – for that reason, the United Nations are willing to keep using her and her talents if and when it should prove necessary. However…"

"However, there are others." Kenichi said meaningfully. "And then there's that planet. Jurai."

"Jurai." Kane's eyes narrowed. "Isn't that the world which Masaki's alien comes from, or some such thing?"

"That's a little hazy…there doesn't seem to be that much information on Ryoko's background in the Galaxy Police files, although it could simply be that we're not being given all the data." Ishida senior shrugged his shoulders. "Kane-kun, you and my son have been friends a long time, I know that. But this is a risky, tricky business…and you need to be aware of that before you become any more involved than you are. There are people – operatives – from many countries around the world forming an alliance, and the purpose of this alliance is quite simple – to eradicate dangerous alien life from our planet, and to restrict and control the actions of any we deem safe to remain. These people – some of them – have very deadly powers that people here do not. If you become involved…there is always a risk. And of course, there is also the matter of ultimate discretion. On these two points…if you don't believe you can be one hundred percent committed – we should end this discussion now."

Kane hesitated for a moment at the gravity in the man's tone, then he nodded.

"I'm committed." He said frankly, as images of his confrontation with Tenchi flitted through his brain. "I'm not so easily fooled as Masaki and some of the other idiots around the place – I know that Ryoko woman is a threat and I'm sure that she's not alone. I'm with you with this one hundred percent, Ishida-san. Just tell me what I can do."

"Ah, you're just as decisive and strong a young man as I remember." Ishida senior's eyes twinkled at this, and he nodded, gesturing for his son to lock the door. Kenichi did so, and Ishida sr. pulled open the drawer of his desk, extracting some folders and dropping them down onto the wooden surface. He flicked open the first one, pulling out some documents.

"Then you need to know as much as we do." He said softly. "You're in a good position, because you've met the aliens in close contact – you know a little bit about them, and I'm sure you could find out more, if you were willing to pay particular attention. But let me give you the background – what the general belief is now, after having pieced together all the filtered information from our people in the Galaxy Police."

Kane nodded slowly.

"I'm listening." He said evenly.

"Firstly, you were there the night of the fire in downtown Osaka, you've said that yourself." Ishida sr. selected a glossy image from his pile, pushing it across the desk towards the young graduate. "This man…do you think you've seen him before?"

Kane glanced at the photo, and his eyes widened.

"Seiryo Tennan." He murmured. "The Galaxy Police Officer, the one who…"

"Came hunting Tenchi Masaki and the Space Pirate Ryoko." Ishida nodded. "Yes, that's what I thought…it's good to have a firm confirmation."

"He was involved in the fire in the club too." Kane said, touching the picture absently with his index finger. "But he came on Galaxy Police business – didn't he? And aren't you saying that the Galaxy Police are our allies in this? That they're hunting the pirates too – and that some of them are Earth-born, so want to protect this world as much as we do?"

"It's not so simple." Ishida shook his head. "You have to realise, Kane, that the Galaxy Police is what it sounds like – an intergalactic conglomeration of races, species and nationalities, from planets all over the universe. To many of them, Earth is just another backwards rock – some don't even know we exist. The few who do are people we're coming to rely on – however, how much their loyalty has been tainted by time in space it's impossible to say."

"So…what about this man?" Kane asked. "This Tennan man. What about him?"

"Well, it's interesting." Ishida rubbed his chin. "According to my sources – Seiryo Tennan is no longer a member of the Galaxy Police. And furthermore, there was no official raid on the Earth by the Galaxy Police at the time that he and his ship were sighted here."

"What?" Kane paled. "But…"

"Equally, in official terms, the Space Pirate Ryoko is currently under probationary pardon." Ishida added. "Therefore there have been no attempts to hunt her down by them for some time."

"He didn't come after Ryoko – he came after Masaki." Kane said softly. "I remember – he fought Ryoko, but he…he wanted Tenchi. He…he called him by name."

"He called him by name…" Ishida reflected. "That's interesting also. I've not been able to find out anything much about Tenchi Masaki and what his connection is to all of this. For an ordinary Earth boy, the Galaxy Police seem to be quite closed-lipped on him. Equally, none of them know why Seiryo Tennan should have been compelled to come to the Earth seeking him, without the confirmation or backing of the organisation. There are rumours…many, many rumours. But I think…no, I prefer not to put stock in rumours over fact. And there is one piece of fact that I find very compelling…considering how much we've been told that Jurai are now our protective allies."

"Which is?" Kane set the picture aside.

"Seiryo Tennan is Juraian." Ishida admitted. "And more – from what I can gather – he's an important Juraian. He's not just another space cop – he's titled nobility in some position of authority on his home planet. A close ally of the Emperor, even – and a personal representative of the Emperor's younger niece – the Lady Sasami."

"Which implies that a conspiracy is stinking its way through the universe." Kenichi said frankly, as Kane stared. "Yep, Kyoda-kun, you're putting the pieces together – shut your jaw though, huh, and put your mind in gear? Seiryo Tennan is a Juraian. He attacked the Earth and it wasn't on Galaxy Police orders. So it must have been on Juraian ones. Which means…"

"All this pretence of friendship is a blatant farce. A definite hoax, even from that moment." Kane gritted his teeth. "That they tried to frighten us into submission – or they set us up so that we would believe Jurai were coming to our rescue. All of that on television – the fight in the mountains, the words of that Princess girl…it's all been a carefully constructed drama? Is that what you're saying? That Seiryo Tennan - and maybe even that Ryoko witch - did this for Jurai's benefit, in order to make the Earth a better candidate for colonisation?"

"That's what it looks like." Ishida agreed. "Now you see why I talk in such forbidding terms about what all of this means. These are not stupid people – if we can even call them people. They are arrogant and more, they have a long history of colonising unsuspecting planets."

"Which means we probably have to kill them, if they come here, before they can do anything to hurt us." Kenichi said casually.

"And get them angry at us?" Kane stared. Ishida smiled.

"I'm glad you're not as impetuous as my son, Kyoda." He said reflectively. "But Kenichi does have a point. At least, we have to be very careful about who and what we trust in, at least until we have a better awareness. My feeling is that if Jurai are going to make a move, this Tennan man may resurface…or one of the Princesses, as some kind of gesture of friendship. They are young women, but from all I've heard about this Ryoko – I don't think we can assume they're at all delicate, fragile or helpless. They may be as much demons as she is. I've certainly heard that the Juraians at least revere the younger girl as something like a Goddess – for whatever bizarre reasons of their own, I'm sure. But it pays to be well prepared."

He smiled at Kane.

"I need you to keep an eye on these people." He said softly. "If you can."

"You want me to patch up my fight with Masaki?" Kane looked startled. "And then spy on them for you?"

"Can you?" Kenichi asked, and Kane hesitated. Then, slowly, he nodded.

"I can try." He said frankly. "If all of this is at stake…I…I can try."

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So, planet Jurai at last.

Kiyone stepped pensively down onto the smooth surface of the docking bay, casting a glance back at Yagami as she sealed the security locks, preparing the craft for a potentially lengthy stay as she contemplated the conversation she had had with Mihoshi before leaving headquarters.

"Your friend is probably feeling pretty sucky." The blond woman had observed, in between bites of raw fish. "So if you want to stay there a while, it's all right. I can cover for you, you know, and I'm getting really good at the training we've been doing. It will be all right and I won't tell the Chief where you're gone, I promise. Not a word. You can count on me."

"I hope I can, but either way, I don't see what else I could've done." Kiyone sighed, shrugging her shoulders as she reached in her belt for her badge, flashing it at the Juraian security patrols as they saluted her and wished her safe conduct within the protected zone. "At least that's one thing - the Galaxy Police are generally so under Jurai's thumb that they don't mind us coming here to visit. It would be a lot more complicated if I'd had to get clearance - I don't want to have Seiryo's situation broadcasted across all of the security systems this planet possesses. Although I'm sure people know, I can't think that he'd want all of that attention."

She stepped into a transport car, keying in absently the pass code as she waited to be taken down to the surface proper, drumming her fingers impatiently on the perspex window as she gazed out across the planet's perfect, carefully designed landscape. In the distance, the royal Tenju tree soared above everything else, and absently Kiyone wondered whether or not she might steal a visit with her royal friends whilst she was on their home world.

"I suppose it depends how everything is with the Tennans." She reflected. "I've never seen Seiryo look quite like...that before. Like he didn't know where he was or what he was doing. I know he loved his mother a lot...I guess we'll see how much comfort my company really is to him after all."

She eyed her reflection in the steel of the car with a rueful grimace.

"I'm not cut out for comforting, more interrogation." She admitted aloud to herself. "But this is going to have to be an exception. For all his power and influence, I'm not sure Seiryo has many people he can count on just as friends...if he called me over everyone, then I guess he probably doesn't. So I'm going to have to be it, and hope for the best. At least Mihoshi didn't insist on coming along. She's got a more sympathetic heart than me, but she's so prone to being tactless, I'd be afraid of what she might say."

At length the car stopped and she stepped out into the Juraian atmosphere, making her way across the lush, green landscape in the direction of the Tennan estate. It had been a while since she had visited her friend's home, since most recently they had encountered one another by means of spacecraft, but little had changed in the time she had been away.

"But then not much does change on Jurai, ever." She mused to herself. "When you've got a stable magical and political situation, why bother?"

"Kiyo-neesan! Kiyo-neesan! You've come!"

An excited voice made her pause, turning to see an excited figure hurrying towards her, robes flying and brown hair whipping out around her face as she headed across the grass. As she reached the Detective's side, the newcomer grabbed Kiyone by the hands, squeezing them tightly.

"Nii-chan said you were coming, and you have." She whispered. "You've come to Jurai."

"Tokimi." Kiyone's expression softened, and she nodded, offering the girl a warm smile. "Yes. To see him, mostly, but you and Suki, too. Did you come to meet me?"

Tokimi nodded.

"Nii-chan said you would come, so Tokimi waited for you." She said simply, slipping her arm through the Detective's as if it was the most natural thing in the world for Galaxy Police officers to turn up on Jurai for a social call. "Tokimi wanted to see Kiyo-neesan too. And talk. Talk very much...before Nii-chan talks."

"Talk?" Kiyone paused, casting Tokimi a surprised look as she took in the gravity in the girl's blue eyes. "Something I should know?"

Tokimi hesitated, then shook her head.

"Nii-chan hurts a lot." She said sadly. "Tokimi has not seen Nii-chan hurt like this before. But he is...alone in the gardens. And he is not...talking to Tokimi. Or Suki. He is...Tokimi is worried. Nii-chan...loved Lady Kaede very much."

"Yes, I know." Kiyone's expression became clouded, and she nodded his head. "He seemed very dazed, when I spoke to him. That's why I came - because I thought he might need some support. I know he's a very strong person, Tokimi-chan - and he probably thinks he has to be so for you both, too, at the moment. But he's pig-headed arrogant about such things from time to time, and I had a feeling he might try and...and shut it out, if he could. It isn't good for him to do that - so you and I, we'll have to find a way to make him talk."

"Yes." Tokimi nodded her head in agreement, a flicker of hope in her blue eyes. "I am glad you came, Kiyo-neesan. Tokimi can help fix some hurts. But not this hurt. This hurt is...bad hurt. And Tokimi knows...Tokimi knows it can make you...very sad. Very angry. And do bad things, if you let it stay."

Kiyone pursed her lips.

"I don't think Seiryo will let it go that far, but you're right about him bottling it up." She said at length. "It's all right, Tokimi. I'll see what I can do. He doesn't have to be strong for me, after all."

"Kiyo-neesan has not visited Jurai in a while." Tokimi said thoughtfully. "Why not? Why don't you come to see Tokimi and Nii-chan and Sasami on Jurai?"

"I have to work...I'm only here now because it's such a situation as it is." Kiyone said ruefully. "Why? You can't miss my company, surely? The last two times we've been in contact with one another, bad things have almost happened to you. Surely it's better when I'm not around?"

"Tokimi likes Kiyo-neesan." Tokimi shrugged, smiling in her happy-go-lucky, serene way. "That's all. Kiyo-neesan should come to Jurai more. People here like Kiyo-neesan a lot, too. Not just Tokimi. Sasami does, and Suki, and Nii-chan does. And everyone. So you should come to Jurai."

"Well, I'm here now." Kiyone said with a grin. "All right?"

"All right." Tokimi nodded her head.

"Seiryo's at home, I trust?"

"Yes." Tokimi chewed on her lip. "He wanted to...to go to the palace this morning, but Suki said to him no. Sasami says Nii-chan should not, too. That he should get better first, before he works. But Nii-chan wants to work. Tokimi...Tokimi thinks Nii-chan is afraid to be at home. With Kaede-sama. With memories. With bad, sad thoughts. Nii-chan wants to run away from them, Kiyo-neesan. Tokimi understands this, but it is not good. Tokimi...Tokimi ran away when Otousan died. Tokimi did bad things and was very sad, very ill, very big problem for Washu-neechan and everyone. Tokimi loves Nii-chan and doesn't like this to happen to him...so Nii-chan must get better first, before he tries to work again."

"No kidding." Kiyone nodded her head. "I understand how he feels too, Tokimi."

She frowned for a moment, then,

"I've been there too." She admitted slowly. "When I was eighteen or nineteen, I lost my older brother Keitaro. And I suppose I did run away from it - in a manner of speaking. I haven't been home a lot since then - it's just not a place I like to be, when he's not there any more to make me laugh. So I don't visit my family as much as I could do."

"Kiyo-neesan's nii-chan died?" Tokimi's eyes widened in horrified surprise, and Kiyone nodded.

"It was a long time ago now, but yes, he did." She agreed absently. "That was the first case I ever solved, you know, for the Galaxy Police."

"Tokimi didn't know." Tokimi looked solemn, and she squeezed Kiyone's hand. "Tokimi is sorry for Kiyo-neesan's grief...that Kiyo-neesan doesn't speak to family because of it."

"Well, like I said, it was a long time ago." Kiyone shrugged her shoulders. "And I think Seiryo's family matters more to him than mine ever really has to me - even if that sounds awful. Kei-nii was the bridge between me and them, in some ways - the thing we had in common. I don't think that's true of Seiryo, you and Suki. You're a proper family - you're not quite like mine. But I do know how he's feeling, sort of. And he's stubborn enough to pull away, but I'm sure inside he's hurting a lot, just like you said."

Tokimi nodded again, and Kiyone could see that her gentle companion was digesting this. They walked in silence for a while, but as they reached the gates of the Tennan estate, the Kii raised her expressive sapphire eyes to Kiyone's own, offering her a smile.

"Tokimi thinks Kiyo-neesan is a good thing to come to Jurai for Nii-chan." She said softly. "Nii-chan trusts Kiyo-neesan. Is friend of Kiyo-neesan. Nii-chan...does not like friends. He does not...people on Jurai...he does not like them. But he likes Kiyo-neesan. He respects Kiyo-neesan. I think...Tokimi knows Kiyo-neesan will help Nii-chan heal. And then it will be well again. Kaede-sama can sleep in peace with Tokimi's flowers and Tsunami's blessing and everything will be okay."

She tilted her head, a confidential look crossing her face.

"Tokimi made promise to Kaede-sama to make sure Nii-chan was all right." She added. "Tokimi promised. Kaede-sama asked Tokimi, "Make sure my son doesn't grieve too much for me, because it's my time to go join his father and he has a life still to lead." And Tokimi promised. Tokimi gave her word."

"You were fond of Kaede-sama too, huh?" Kiyone asked, and Tokimi nodded again.

"She was kind to Tokimi. Let her stay, and talked to her, when Tokimi brought her flowers for her room." She agreed. "Tokimi found many good flowers for Kaede-sama's spirit, too. She is happy, now. At peace, now. But Nii-chan cannot see that, so Nii-chan still hurts."

She gave her companion's hand a little tug, and despite herself, Kiyone felt a moment of apprehension as she glanced towards the front entrance of the impressive Juraian estate.

"Kiyo-neesan is coming?" Tokimi asked quizzically, and Kiyone nodded, pushing her doubts aside.

"I am." She agreed. "I'm here, because like you, I made a promise. I promised to come, so let's go, Tokimi. I'll help you keep your promise to Lady Kaede, if I can."

"I know." Tokimi's eyes lit up. "Tokimi has faith in Kiyo-neesan. All will be all right now you're here - Tokimi is sure!"

With that she skipped off ahead to open the door, and Kiyone followed at a more leisurely pace, not wholly convinced that her Kii companion's faith was entirely justified.

"Sometimes she sees things so simply." She reflected with a sigh. "But she has a lot of heart, and right now, Seiryo probably needs that more than anything."

"Kiyone?"

As she entered the front hall of the house, a voice called her name and she glanced up to see her friend watching her from the foot of the stairs. She swallowed her misgivings at his expression, gathering her resolve and stepping forward, holding out her hands to clasp his.

"Seiryo." She said softly. "I said I'd come, and here I am."

"You didn't need to come all this way because of me." Seiryo said quietly, but from the flicker in his teal eyes Kiyone knew that he was glad to see her. "I don't want you in trouble with Command."

"I don't care. They owe me leave time and besides, some things are important to me other than work, these days." Kiyone said lightly. "Don't start worrying about me, when I'm here to help you."

She cast him a glance, offering him a smile.

"You look a little better than you did when we spoke." She added, and Seiryo's lips twitched into a humourless, ironic smile.

"I suppose that's a good thing." he said evenly. "I was just heading to the memorial, to pay my respects. Will you...are you tired from your trip, or will you accompany me? Suki has already been, and Tokimi too. Now I must, or risk disrespecting someone who was important to me, although I confess I'm not anxious to do it quite so soon."

"Surely that would be intruding on your time with your mother?" Kiyone asked softly. Seiryo shook his head.

"I think I'd prefer the company." He admitted. "If you don't mind the trek."

"Then I'll come with pleasure." Kiyone nodded. "I'm not at all tired."

Seiryo glanced at her for a moment, then at Tokimi, and a look passed between them that seemed to convey some secret, private message. Then the nobleman bowed his head in Kiyone's direction.

"I appreciate your coming more than you know." He said softly. "The mausoleum is only a short walk away, and really, your company will be more than welcome."

"Lead the way." Kiyone offered him a smile. "Let's go."