Bodacious Space Pirates: Crystal Tokyo!

Two: Christmas.

"Tis the season to be Pirates!" Marika Kato sang.

"Fala la la la la la la la!" other pirates sang.

"Let clear out all their lockets!" Marika continued.

"Fala la la la la la la la!" other pirates added.

Chiaki Kurihara rolled her eyes, "MUST you?"

"Don't be a grouch," Marika teased cheerfully, "it's nearly Christmas."

"And Pirates and Lockets doesn't even rhyme," Chiaki added.

"Meanie," Marika laughed.

They reached the hatch, each group waiting in position on each side of the hall. "Ok, hacking the lock now," Misa noted, attaching the device.

"Remember, this is not a staged event," Marika reminded them. "We go in, grab the target, and get out." she summarized the plan.

(As professional, contracted pirates, they were often hired to 'stage' pirate attacks by cruise lines. They would arrive, scare everybody, mock rob them and leave. Thrilled the passengers and the fees were nice for their bottom line.)

"Do you REALLY think it'll be that easy?" Kane asked mildly.

"Well, we can hope," Marika admitted.

The doors slid open, and Marika peeked in.

"FIRE!" a slightly panicked voice yelled.

"Eeep," Marika ducked as weapons fire lit up the hallway.

"You were saying...?" Kane sighed.

"Yeah, yeah.. get 'em!" Marika ordered as they returned fire.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Later, on a barren moon base...

"Dashing through the dough, in a one horse open sleigh," Marika sang.

"Dough?"

Marika ignored that as she continued, "Over hills we go, PIRATES all the way!"

"MARIKA." Misa groaned.

"I am surrounded by cranky people," Marika snickered.

It was mid Dec, and they had had a run of small jobs. Today, they were hitting the base of a rival band of space pirates. Apparently they had stolen a 'holy relic' and the worshipers had hired them to get it back.

(There pirates were also muscling in on their territory. This raid would remind them that was a bad, BAD idea. So that was a bit of a two for one, really...)

"How far are we?"Marika asked.

They had downloaded a map of the mining facility that the new pirates were using as a base. The mine had a main sorting chamber that they were figuring was the pirates main HQ. Of course they could be wrong, which was why they were searching too.

"Should be just ahead," the huge cyborg Schnitzer noted.

Up in orbit above them, The Barbarossa and Odette II were engaging the enemy Pirates. Because of that there were only a few men left in the tunnels. Hopefully no one would get the idea to defend the 'holy relic'.

"No security at all?" Kane asked, frowning, "it might be a trap."

Bullets whizzed by as Schnitzer looked.

"Yup, it's a trap," Marika agreed. "GET 'EM!"

Thankfully there weren't that many goons. Even better, the 'holy relic' survived. The group walked up to the roughly human sized box, decorated in red and white, with bold lettering on the front and sides.

"What does 'Coca Cola' even mean anyway?" Misa asked.

"No idea," Marika waved it off, "now, let's get this thing back home!"

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"Merry Christmas," Ririka Kato cheered as she toasted her daughter and Chiaki.

"Thank you for having me over," Chiaki said a little nervously, sitting on the couch beside Marika.

Yes, Chiaki was a confident pirate and a Captain of her own vessel. But this was her girlfriend's MOTHER. And a legendary pirate herself.

"It's fine, it's fine," Marika reassured her as they went inside together.

"Thank you for coming," Ririka smiled warmly. "You're having a party for your three vessels tomorrow, right?" she asked as everyone sat in the living room.

"That's the plan," Chiaki agreed. "We're taking over Lamp Cafe, it'll be a tight fit but everyone should make it."

"Did you want...?" Marika started.

"No, no," Ririka said, shaking her head. "I've got a work party to go to too."

Chiaki honestly felt relieved the older woman wasn't coming, but she wasn't going to say something like that aloud.

Ririka refilled their drinks, as they waited for dinner to finish. "So, I was wondering," she mused, "Marika, when are you making Chiaki a honest woman?"

Chiaki nearly choked on her drink.

"MOM!" Marika yelped.

"What?" Ririka grinned at them as she said, "You two have been dating for years. And you know I don't object..."

"We've been very busy," Chiaki said firmly. She hesitated a moment before confessing, "If it helps, we ARE engaged."

"WHAT," Ririka yelped. Marika and Chiaki revealed they were each wearing their rings on matching necklaces.

Marika sheepishly explained, "I got my ring caught on my uniform gloves... we both decided wearing them like this is safer."

Ririka hugged both girls, very firmly. "When you set a date, let me know. Someone's going to have to plan the wedding..."

'Oh geeze...' Chiaki mentally groaned.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"Merry Christmas!" Jenny Dolittle toasted the group, cuddling her lover and wife Lynn.

"Sorry you were running around so much," Lynn apologized.

"You were busy," Marika accepted that.

In fact Jenny and Lynn had been on Earth, visiting Crystal Tokyo and negotiating with businesses there. Rumors were swirling about powerful new warships that would be escorting Earth ships, and none of them really wanted to be facing them. So the three ships were looking into other business opportunities.

"Any news?" Chiaki asked.

"We saw actual footage of the Swordbreaker ships," Jenny sighed, "they're as dangerous as we thought. Conventional beam weapons are useless, as are missiles."

"Seriously?" Marika yelped.

"It could be faked," Chiaki noted.

"Why though?" Lynn asked.

No one could really argue that, sadly.

There was much drinking, eating and partying, and eventually they dispersed to local hotels or homes, depending.

"So what did you get me?" Marika asked as they unlocked their apartment.

"Come on, it's in here," Chiaki smiled as they walked to the bedroom.

"Hiiiii," a voice purred as the door opened. Gruier Serenity was stretched out on the bed, nearly naked, her long blond hair flowing around her.

"Gruier?!" Marika yelped.

"Merry Christmas, love," Chiaki purred from behind her. "We're both your present... better get unwrapping..."

To be continued...?

Notes: Yes in the far future the knowledge of what Coca Cola is has been lost.

Gruier is the OTHER yuri romance option for Marika in the anime. She's a space princess who after being saved by Marika follows her to her school and ADORES Marika. In another fanfic I had them be a triad marriage...

I also need to figure out how Gruier is connected to Queen Serenity on Earth...