MASAKI TALES Vol. V - QUEST...
Author: Daferge
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Disclaimer: Tenchi Muyo! is a copyright AIC/Pioneer Ltd...
All respective characters are property of their original owners...
All original characters and ideas are property of the author...
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Chapter 12... End Game...
( The masaki home... )
The upstairs closet door slide open and an elderly male in a dark robe stepped out, one of his arms disappeared into a sort of black curtain that covered the door way...
Looking around he noticed a dark haired female standing across the hallway...
Lady Washu had told him he would be met when he got here, but he hadn't expected it to be one of prince Tenchi's wives...
Smiling he bowed slightly to her and she bowed back...
Before he could inquire, he noted that more of his arm was becoming visible, so he moved back slightly...
As his hand appeared, so did another hand, a female one, then an arm and finally a rather young female...
Unlike him, this was her first encounter with any thing like their mod of transportation...
Walking through doorways to get from one place to another...
He'd had to request Prince Tenchi's help in getting her to pass through the first doorway, from his room on Avalon to the sub-space 'transfer island'...
It had been Tenchi who stepped through the doorway ahead of her to prove it was safe...
Then, leaning halfway out, he'd taken her hand and led her through, to the small grass covered island that served as the system's transfer station...
An elderly male had been there to welcome them...
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Merlin, the male in the robe, was well aware of why the young lady was scared...
Washu had informed him as he led her to the first doorway, about Leela...
It seem that she had been among those revived from stasis chambers to help Washu search for important data in Avalon's huge library...
It seem that Leela was a member of what were called 'pure telepaths', members of the human race capable of reading other peoples minds at short distances...
After a number were force to help in a plot against the Juraian throne, an out cry arose and they found them selves being hunted down and killed...
A strange female (Tokemi) had appear suddenly to arrange for her and a few others to board an old star ship headed to a sanctuary called Avalon...
To mask her ability so she wouldn't give herself away, she was given a small tiara to wear...
It had acted like a shield, blocking her reading other minds, ether accidentally or on purpose...
And if caught, execution on the spot...
Common practice for those day...
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But that was the past...
Merlin smiled, the young girl was now on the safest planet in the galaxy...
In the home of the most powerful family in the galaxy...
Soon to be surrounded by some of the most powerful people in the Galaxy...
What could possible happen?...
Little did he know what was going on else where...
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( Distant spaceport... )
A small group of young people were entering the busy space terminal on Tigega VII...
The planet was a well known tourist world and actually had a number of spaceports to deal with the different classes of visitors...
There were a number of automated ports that dealt with off-world goods coming in and some local goods being shipped out...
Before tourism, it had been a poor world, having been stripped of every gran of resources...
Now most of the world's population depended on off-world goods, paid for by the tourist trade...
There were also half a dozen spaceports, like this one, to handle the tourist...
Situated across the world, there was one at each of the major tourist sites...
Tens of thousands of travelers passed through here each day, 24 hours a day...
Sometimes each hour on special days...
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Today was a slow time and only a light crowd was in the building...
Mostly small tourist groups on their way to or from the nearby amusement park, one of several situated around the Juraian Empire...
While most of the groups contained young children, a few consisted of only older adults...
One small group could have come through at the 'upper class' spaceport...
For those in the upper elite class, there was the special elegant spaceport at the planet's North pole, where those in the higher, upper classes went...
But going there tended to drawn too much attention, for those wishing to pass unnoticed...
For that was where most of the galaxy's paparazzi tended to hang out, waiting for famous people to pass through...
While some liked getting their image taken, there were others who didn't...
Ether way, there was a chance to make a few coins...
The Galaxy news networks were always willing to pay for the 'right' image...
As were the Galaxy tabloids...
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And in recent years the Juraian Royal family had acquired a following unheard of in the past...
Hundreds of publications dealing with what they were doing or even wearing were in great demand...
One small publication, of facts and rumors, about the new Crown prince's wedding to three of the most famous and powerful females in the Galaxy, sold more copies than there were citizens IN the whole Juraian Empire...
( The Crown Prince had a copy at his home, signed by all those who had attended the wedding, including both Queens, the Emperor and even the Galaxy Police's Grand Marshal... )
( The Queens and Grand Marshal also had copies... )
In fact, the most watched entertainment crystal in centuries was an official copy of the Crown Prince's recent duel with two of his wives...
There was even a collection of comments from famous sword masters from across the Gaalaxy, adding their praise at the end...
( The Queens, with Washu's help, had created the crystal in an effort to forestall any revised versions that might come out... All the Royalties from the sales were going to a number of charities around the Empire... )
And since the recent attack on the Royal family, any sightings, be it official or rumored was now of interest and considered News worthy...
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Images of the popular Princess Ayeka and her sister Sasami, returned after centuries hunting her older brother Prince Yosho, were in great demand...
And there were never enough images of Prince Tenchi, especially with his wives, Princess Ayeka, princess Ryoko or princess Mihoshi...
So when visiting the local planet, lady Tennyo Masaki thought using the tourist spaceport than the VIP spaceport...
Her escorts were a tad worried but for the recent addition of a pair Guardian 'log' for her protection, with the Emperor's approval...
Extra security during her little 'field trip' for the Emperor...
As Tennyo and her group passed through the small crowd of tourist below, the two Guardians hovered above, hidden by small clocking fields designed by Washu...
Above and invisible, they could scan the crowd for trouble and protect her, without drawing attention to her...
The fields used a good deal of power and thus only good for short periods...
When she got the chance, both Azaka and Kamidake, Ayeka's former Guardians, now Sasami's, would be 'upgraded'...
In fact Washu got permission to clone Azaka and Kamidake's AIs for new Guardians...
Azaka and Kamidake, jrs...
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They were in direct contact with her via a special comm unit similar to the type her brother and wives used, without the unlimited range...
So, when they detected the presence of a substance used in explosives, they informed her and awaited orders...
Seeing all the other people present, she decided to continue as if nothing was wrong...
Letting him reveal himself and then isolate him in a stasis field...
This would expose the plot, as well as conceal the fact that it had been detected well in advance...
Thus protecting Royal Family security measures...
They would continue to observe the 'suspect' and only move when and if he did...
IF the plot was aborted, they were to trail them, collecting any data on them and any one else involved...
The info being turned over to Lady Seto and Queen Funaho later...
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When they reach an area that was heavy crowded, Tennyo was informed that the 'subject' appears to be making his move...
So she wasn't surprised when a clocked figure rushes from the crowd yelling " Death to the Royal Juraian scum!... "...
The male sheds his cloak to expose the vest made of explosives...
A mistake...
Tennyo smiles as he is enclosed in a stasis field and frozen in time...
The crowd that was startled by the attack had started to panic, but then had stopped when nothing happened...
The males in her little group form a small ring with the two Guardians around the frozen figure and the group's females...
Every one smiling...
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A young girl stares up at one of the Guardians and starts to reach up to touch it, but her mother moves to stop her...
However, Tennyo is there and she smiles at the mother, shaking her head...
Then she bends down to the girl and whispers to her...
" Go ahead and touch... He won't bite... "...
The young girl reaches up and touches the Guardian, then smiles...
" It feels just like wood?... "...
Tennyo smiled...
" That's because it's created using wood from ancient trees deep within the great forest of Jurai... "
(True for the most part, but the wood for these came from an Earth forest )...
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" Would you like a ride?... "
The girl looks at her mother, who smiles and nods her head...
Tennyo sent a mental command and a seat formed on the Guardian's trunk...
A young male comes over and lifted her into the seat, securing her with several straps...
Grabbing onto the bars that had formed on each side of the seat, the young girl was wide eyed as the Guardian lifted up above the crowd and began to slowly float around the enclosure...
The young girl giggling the whole time, Ohs and Ahs coming from the crowd...
This helped distract the crowd's attention away from the frozen attacker as the other Guardian quietly clocked it's self and the attacker...
This allowed it to leave unobserved, going back to their ship, where a security team was waiting to disarm the explosives and secure the prisoner...
And to check him for any devices meant to prevent his being taken alive...
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When the Guardian returns, the young male releases her and helps her to the ground...
Back on the ground she rushes to her mother and gets a hug...
" It was so wonderful... You should try it... "
And she pulls her mom toward it...
But Tennyo cuts her off...
Smiling and seeing how scare the mom was she speaks up...
" That would be great, but it can only lift small packages... "
She saw the relief on the mothers face...
" Other wise I'd have it fly me around a lot... "
She heard the Guardian reply on her comm unit...
" And just what were all those test flights for?... "
If Washu had given it a face, Tennyo knew it would be grinning at her...
It seem the Guardian had Azaka and Kamidake's sense of humor, too...
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She watched as the girl moved to the tree and bowed her head...
" Thank you for a wonderful ride... "
" You are welcome... "
Many in the crowd have shocked expressions when they hear the Guardian reply and bowed back...
The seat and bars are gone...
The young girl sighed and smiled sadly at her mom...
" Too bad no one back home will believe this... "
Tennyo chuckled as the young male handed her something...
Holding up a small device, she put a small crystal in a small slot...
An image appeared above it and forms into an image of the Guardian...
Soon the girl approached and after getting permission, she touched it and was then lifted into the seat...
It then showed the Guardian and it's small passenger lift up into the air and fly around...
It also shower the young girl hug her mom and then thank the Guardian...
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As the image died, Tennyo handed it to the girl who held it wide eyed...
She then threw arms around Tennyo's neck and hugged her...
As the girl returned to her mother, staring at the crystal in her hands, the boy handed her a 2nd crystal...
Tennyo handed this one to her mother...
" A backup... In case the first gets ruined... It includes her hugging me... "
The mother's eyes were wide now, it was an honor to just SEE a member of Royalty, to touch one or have them talk to you?...
She smiles and nodded her head...
Tennyo, smiling, held up yet another crystal...
" My copy... Which I shall be sure to show my little brother, Tenchi, when I see him... "
She thought the mother was going to faint, for she knew who "Tenchi" had to be...
A male caught her and held her up, her husband...
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It was now that Tennyo noted his pointed ears and tan, a good sign that he was from Seniwa, Mihoshi's home world...
The corner of his lip raised slightly...
" Just before we left to come here I had to attend a special session of the Royal council... It delayed our getting here and used up half the time we could stay... "
Tennyo had an idea which session he was referring too...
He continued as his daughter hugged him...
" Even so... I wouldn't have missed it for the world... We live next door to lord Kuramitsu and she was amazing... "
He actually smiled...
" We're headed home... Do you have any messages going that way?... "
Tennyo smiled...
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" No... But must you return so soon?... "
He continued to smile as he answered, sighing...
" My vacation is up soon... And I'm expected back at work... "
The young male handed her a crystal that she held up and looked at...
" What a shame... Here's a whole week's stay looking for a couple and their little daughter... "
She enjoyed watching people's eyes get wide...
Both husband and wife were staring at her now...
" But what about work?... "
The young male stepped up and held out another crystal,
" You'll find that you have special verbal permission for an extra week off... "
Silence...
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Looking first at his wife, he then turned to his daughter...
" What would you think of an extra week at the park?... "
The young girl was all excited...
" Can we?... Can we?... "
She hugged him as he nodded his head...
He looked at Tennyo...
" How?... "
Tennyo smiled...
" His majesty was quite happy to do Mihoshi a little favor after that section... "
The father's eyes widened...
" Mihoshi... I mean Princess Mihoshi did this?... "
Tennyo chuckled...
" She remembers you well and thought this might make up for disrupting your family vacation, with stupid family problems!... "
The father stared at her...
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" But how?... "
Tennyo smiled and put a finger to her lips...
" Family secret!... "
Both parents stared at her...
Mihoshi had left home in such a hurry, she forgot her special family 'phone'...
Other wise she could have talked to them herself...
As it was she was using the special communications unit back on the ship to contact Mihoshi at her family home, back on her home world...
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It seem that her transportation home wasn't due for another day - one of Galaxy Police's new super fast, unarmed courier ships...
A Washu special, 90% engine and 10% cargo, only a couple were in use so far...
Twice as fast as any other known, including Juraian and Airian ships...
It would get her and her escort home in a quarter of the time regular transports would ( other than Ryo-Ohki, that is )...
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As it was, she was spending time with her dear friend, princess Nihoshi when they contacted her, as well as both their fathers, lord Kuramitsu and the King...
It had been easy to make the request and with a few quick calls, get a quick response...
As Washu would say " It's all in knowing the right people... "
And if the people are family?...
Even faster...
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( the tree-ship Amelia... )
My Lady?...
Galaxy Police Detective Kiyone Tanaka set down the papers she was looking at...
" Yes?... "
It's time!...
Kiyone looked at the other female standing at her desk, Princess Sasami...
Making eye contact, she nodded...
She didn't have to say any thing for Sasami to know what came next...
In a few moments she would be giving the command to send thousands of people into battle...
And there was a good chance that few of them would survive...
Sasami tried to copy her big sister and show no emotion, but Kiyone saw sadness in her eyes...
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A small animal that had been asleep on the desk woke...
Looking around it saw Sasami's expression and hopped down to the floor...
An instant later a small female appeared and move to Sasami, hugging her...
Both Sasami and Kiyone smiled...
Ryo-Ohki had been through countless battles before...
As a powerful star ship, she'd even invaded the most protected planet in the Galaxy and gotten out again alive, Jurai...
What ever happen, she was there for her good friend, Sasami and the others...
Holding Ryo-Ohki Sasami looked up at Kiyone and they both smiled...
It was Kiyone who broke the silence...
" Contact the fleet and put us of visual... "
Yes, my lady!...
Kiyone sighed...
It begins...
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To be continued...
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Please feel free to comment and review for any errors...
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