The Pirate's Soldier

by operation meteor

Heero's career as a Preventers operative takes a strange turn when he gets caught up in a fight between a Juraian royal and a notorious space pirate. As the two alien beauties settle in with him on Earth and more soon follow, the former Gundam pilot soon finds himself to be the target of their affections, with a certain lovely outlaw at the front of the pack! M for some language.

9. Chapter 9

Author's Notes: Phew, I've been a busy fanfic author lately! First I release a new chapter for my Wing/SEED fic, and now the update for this one. I'm on a roll, and it feels pretty good!

Enjoy!

Chapter Nine: No Need For A Royal Tree!

For what must've been the tenth time that hour, Ayeka looked over her shoulder and down the hall back towards the stairs. "I do hope that he's all right."

Washu rolled her eyes. "Oh, would you just relax already? How many times do I have to tell you that Heero's fine? It's just going to be a little while before he wakes up!"

Sasami smiled at her. "If Washu says he'll be okay, then I don't think we have anything to worry about!"

"It's not Heero's health she's worried about, you know," said Kiyone as she took a sip of her tea, "She's worried about Ryoko being up there alone with him."

Ayeka blushed furiously. "So… so what if I am? It isn't proper! Who knows what that fiend will do?"

"She won't do anything," said Mihoshi with a grin, "You saw the way she was holding him, Ayeka; she was worried about him just like the rest of us! She's just watching over him, I know it!"

Even that is too much, thought Ayeka, It should be I that watches over him, not that skank!

And yet, here she was, downstairs in the living room with the others while Ryoko was alone with Heero in his bedroom. Why had she acquiesced? She supposed that the simplest answer was that she didn't want to start a fight while Heero was asleep; the last thing that she wanted to do was disturb his slumber at a time like this.

Of course, there was more to it than that. While it had been Ryoko's criminal history that had brought the bounty hunter down upon their heads in the first place, a very small part of Ayeka actually felt that Ryoko had earned the right to watch over Heero because she had defeated Nagi. Despite her animosity towards the pirate, Ayeka really had been prepared to aid her in her fight against the bounty hunter, at least up until Nagi had threatened further harm to Heero should anyone interfere in the duel. It was a good reason to avoid engaging, but Ayeka still could not help but feel some small measure of shame over the fact that she had been unable to come to Heero's rescue in his hour of need. That had been left to her rival, and it left a rather bitter taste in her mouth.

"Do you really think that Nagi will come back?" asked Mihoshi.

Kiyone nodded. "She's got a reputation to uphold; she never gives up the hunt. She'll come back sooner or later. I just hope it's later; I'd like to have just a little bit of peace around here."

"I'm sure Heero would agree with that," said Washu.

"As would I," said Azaka.

"It would be nice to avoid major confrontations for the foreseeable future," chimed in Kamidake.

"I'm still surprised that Ryoko was able to beat her," said Kiyone, "I know that she's powerful, but Nagi's collared some serious bounties in her time. She's nailed people that the Galaxy Police haven't been able to touch; almost every bounty she's earned the past five years alone has been on either the Galactic-level list or the Most Wanted list. The scum with bounties of either classification are capable of some serious mayhem."

"Ryoko's bounty is at the Most Wanted level, isn't it?" asked Ayeka.

Kiyone nodded. "Yup. Didn't take her long to get up to that level, either; that was when she disabled three Galaxy Police cruisers that were pursuing her after she plundered a freighter registered to the Jurai Imperial Treasury."

"Ryoko can be pretty scary sometimes," said Mihoshi softly, "Like in the fight earlier."

Ayeka had to admit that Mihoshi had a point. She knew that her rival was fearsome and powerful, but what she had displayed today felt like an entirely new level of threat. Her viciousness and fury in the latter part of the duel had been rather unnerving; she'd had no idea that Ryoko possessed such hidden reserves of power, or that she was capable of tapping into them when she was immersed so deeply into her wrath.

She saw Washu's brow furrow in thought. "I wonder…"

"What is it?" asked Ayeka, "Do you know something, Washu?"

The mad scientist smirked. "Well… maybe."

"Care to clue us in?" asked Kiyone.

Washu shook her head. "Nope."

"Aw," pouted Mihoshi, "Why not?"

"Because I need more time and more data to confirm my hypothesis," Washu replied, "So I have no intention of sharing my insights with any of you at this time."

Ayeka scowled. "You're as fiendish as your daughter!"

Washu chuckled. "Oh, no. If anything, I'm much worse! Care for a demonstration, Ayeka?"

Ayeka's face paled as the frog incident flashed through her mind; she was quite eager to avoid a repeat of that fiasco. "No, not at all, no thank you! I shall take your word for it!"

Washu smiled. "That's what I thought."

Ayeka hated the fact that Washu could provoke such a reaction from her. It was completely beneath her standing as the crown princess of Jurai! Yet there was nothing that she could do to fight it, or at least nothing that did not risk making Washu follow through on her threats.

Ayeka was distracted by her sister getting up and heading to the kitchen. "More tea already, Sasami?"

Sasami shook her head. "Not for me. I'm going to take some up to Ryoko. I bet she could use some."

Ayeka nodded. "I see. Please check on Sir Heero while you're up there, all right? I expect you to tell me if his condition has changed even the slightest bit!"

Sasami smiled. "Sure!"

"Oh, for crying out loud, Ayeka," groaned Kiyone as Sasami disappeared up the stairs, "Give it a rest already! If Washu said he's going to be asleep for a few hours then I doubt anything will have changed by the time Sasami gets up there."

"You really should stop worrying so much, Ayeka," chirped Mihoshi, "It's bad for your health, you know?"

"She's right, Princess Ayeka," said Azaka, "What would your mother and father say if they saw you like this?"

"It's rather unbecoming of you," chimed in Kamidake.

She rounded on her guardians, glaring daggers at them. "And just what gives the two of you the authority to lecture me? Remember your place!"

Their lights blinked rapidly, and Ayeka knew that she had knocked them down a peg. "We're sorry!"

"Hey," pouted Mihoshi, "don't take it out on them!"

Ayeka folded her arms. "Why not? They are my guardians and servants; I may do with them as I see fit!"

Kiyone shook her head. "It's kind of childish, Ayeka."

Ayeka's eyes widened in indignation. "Childish? Me? You're in no position to make that observation! You're supposed to be protecting me along with them!"

"Protect you, yes," Kiyone shot back, "but that doesn't mean I can't criticize you. The Galaxy Police isn't another group of servants for you."

"Look," said Washu, "if you're that worried about him, just ask Sasami how he's doing when she comes back down."

Kiyone nodded. "Yeah, and then try to calm down for a little while. The rest of us could use a bit of peace and quiet after today."

Ayeka scowled. "Fine! Since it's clear that none of you share my level of devotion to Sir Heero's well being, I shall grace you with silence you do not deserve once my sister has delivered her report!"

She didn't have that long to wait; it was just about a minute later that she heard Sasami come down the stairs. Ayeka was on her feet before her younger sister had even entered the living room.

"Sasami!" she cried, "How is Sir Heero? Has he awoken yet?"

Sasami smiled and shook her head. "No, not yet. He's okay, though; Ryoko's sleeping with him. They look so cute snuggled up together!"

Ayeka froze, and her face became paler than snow. "What… what did you just say?"

Sasami blinked. "Ryoko's sleeping with Heero. Why? What's wrong, Ayeka?"

Ayeka was silent. Her response to her younger sister instead came in the form of clenched fists and grinding teeth. The mixture of shock, indignation, and rage that was rapidly building up within her would require release, and she did not want to unleash it upon Sasami.

She was so wrapped up in her gathering fury that she barely noticed the others react with wide eyes and dropping jaws. All that mattered were the mental images that were playing through her head, and they were quite explicit.

"That… that fiend!" she hissed, positively quaking with anger, "That foul tramp! Loathsome cur! I will not stand for this!"

She bolted from the room, making a beeline for the stairs. Ayeka didn't notice the others tripping over themselves and each other as they chased after her, and even if she had she wouldn't have cared. She practically flew up the stairs, and before she knew it she had zipped through the second floor and was on the third. In the blink of an eye she was standing before Heero's bedroom door, and she violently threw it open.

There was Heero, sound asleep in his bed. And right next to him, her head resting on his shoulder and her body pressed up tightly against his was the lady of the hour herself. For a moment Ayeka stood there, silently seething.

But only for a moment.

"RYOKO!"

….

Groaning as her sleep was abruptly interrupted by what sounded like the shriek of the damned, Ryoko rubbed her eyes as she tried to find the source of the infernal wailing. It only took a few seconds for her to locate it; it was standing right next to the bed.

"Oh, it's you," she mumbled as she started to close her eyes again, "Go away; I'm trying to sleep."

"I shall do no such thing!" Ayeka shouted at her, "Get out of that bed right NOW!"

Ryoko looked up at her and smirked. "What's the matter, Ayeka? Jealous?"

"Ryoko!" Kiyone scolded from behind the princess, "Just what the hell are you doing?"

"Why are you in bed with Heero?" asked Mihoshi, and Ryoko swore that the innocence in her voice had to be an act.

Ryoko smiled as she sat up. "Keeping Heero company, of course. I did say that I'd watch over him, didn't I?"

Washu chuckled. "Yeah, well, we didn't think you'd be getting quite so up close and personal with him in the process."

Ryo-Ohki hopped up onto the bed and sniffed the still sleeping Heero for a moment before turning to Ryoko. "Meow!"

Ryoko patted her on the head. "I know, right? He's pretty cute like this!"

"That is beside the point!" Ayeka fumed, "I should've known that you would stoop to this! You truly are a skank, Ryoko!"

"Ayeka!" Sasami scolded, "You shouldn't call people names like that!"

Kiyone shook her head. "And here I thought you were actually being nice and trying to make up for bringing Nagi down on our heads. I should've known that you'd have ulterior motives for volunteering to watch over Heero."

Ryoko smirked. "Oh, don't be like that. You're just jealous because you didn't think of it first."

She had the satisfaction of seeing the space cop blush. "That's not true!"

"Whether it's true or not is irrelevant!" snapped Ayeka, "Ryoko, get out of that bed!"

Before she could answer she heard a moan coming from behind her. Looking down at Heero, she saw his eyelids flutter; it looked like he was coming to.

"Damn it…" he groaned, "Who's strangling the cat?"

It was all Ryoko could do to keep from bursting out in laughter. That was certainly one way to describe Ayeka's angry screeching.

"Sir Heero!" Ayeka cried as she rushed forward, and Ryoko thought for a moment that she was about to get tackled by the princess.

"Meow!" cried Ryo-Ohki with joy.

"Are you okay?" asked Mihoshi.

He started to rub his eyelids and try to clear his vision. "I think so…"

Sasami smiled. "Thank goodness!"

Kiyone sighed. "So much for letting him rest a little while longer."

He slowly propped himself up on his arms and looked at Ryoko and the others. "What's going on?"

"Don't you remember anything?" asked Washu.

Heero closed his eyes for a moment before they snapped back open a split second later. "Nagi… Ryoko!"

He looked genuinely concerned as he said her name, and while that was quite touching to Ryoko she didn't want him stressing himself out right now, so she put her hands on his shoulders to reassure him. "Hey, it's okay, Heero! I took care of her. She's gone."

"For the moment, anyway," said Kiyone, "She did say that she'd come back eventually to take another shot at your bounty."

Ryoko shook her head. "It won't be anytime soon. I know how she works; she's going to put some serious time into retraining, not to mention scoring some more bounties and upgrading her gear, before she comes back for another round."

She saw Heero close his eyes again and sigh, taking a moment to collect himself. "I see. That's good."

He then started checking himself over and frowned a moment later. "My gun's missing. So is my knife."

"I'm sorry, Sir Heero," said Ayeka, "I do not know where your weapons are."

Ryoko's eyes narrowed. "I bet I know where they are. Nagi took them."

He looked up at her. "How can you be so sure?"

"It's how she is," Ryoko replied, "She takes souvenirs from people she enjoyed fighting after she defeats them. In a way, it's kind of a compliment; you must've done really well, Heero."

Heero shook his head. "Not well enough. She didn't even break a sweat in taking me down."

"Don't be so tough on yourself," said Kiyone with a smile, "You took on an opponent who outclassed you in technology, not to mention one that has experience in taking on very powerful fugitives. I may not have been there to witness your fight, but Nagi herself said that you handled yourself well. For better or worse, I think you made an impression on her."

"I'm not sure how to take that," he said as his hand found the mark on his neck left by Nagi's injector, "What did she drug me with?"

"A heavy duty sedative," said Washu, "Don't worry; it didn't do any damage to you. It's popular with bounty hunters because it lasts quite a while and doesn't inflict any harm to the subject, making it perfect for securing a live capture. Frankly, I'm surprised that you're already awake; I thought you'd be out of it for a few more hours at least."

Ryoko smirked as she looked at Ayeka. "Please. As if anyone could sleep through the royal brat's tantrum."

"You insolent cur!" Ayeka fumed.

Ryoko chuckled. "See what I mean?"

"Does it really matter?" asked Mihoshi, "What's really important is that Heero's awake now, so we know that he's okay!"

"I wouldn't be so definitive about that," said Washu, her eyes narrowing, "Heero, if you don't mind, I'd like to examine you down in my lab when you're up for it. It can't hurt to be too careful."

Heero nodded. "All right."

Washu then turned to Ryoko. "The same goes for you. You're up after Heero."

Ryoko's eyes widened. "What? No way!"

Washu gave her an evil grin. "What makes you think I'm giving you a choice in the matter?"

Ryoko gulped. She didn't know what sort of tricks Washu might stoop to in order to force her cooperation, but she was pretty sure that none of them would be pleasant. As much as she hated to admit it, it would be best to swallow her pride and go along quietly.

She looked down and grumbled. "Fine. Just don't make it as uncomfortable as last time."

Washu smiled. "Relax. You'll get to keep your clothes on this time, I promise."

"This time?" asked Heero, raising an eyebrow, "Am I missing something?"

Ryoko's face flushed deep scarlet. "It's nothing!"

"You'll be fine," said Sasami with an innocent smile, "Washu's the greatest genius in the universe, remember?"

"She's right!" said Mihoshi with a grin, "You both got pretty beat up, so it's best if she looks at you!"

Heero turned to Ryoko, and once again she was touched by what looked like genuine concern in his expression. "You were hurt? Are you all right?"

Ryoko smiled, and her heart fluttered at his compassion. "I'm fine, Heero. It's nothing that I can't deal with. I'm a pretty tough girl, remember?"

Heero nodded, although he didn't seem entirely at ease. "Right."

I really had him worried there, she thought, I wonder if I'm starting to grow on him…

"So," said Kiyone, "what comes next?"

"What do you mean?" asked Heero.

"I mean that you just had another visitor from beyond your star system," Kiyone replied, "and she wasn't exactly friendly. Plus there's a good chance that she'll be back again someday. Aren't you going to report that to your superiors?"

Heero closed his eyes in thought for a moment, and Ryoko got nervous. The young man before her had cut her a lot of slack with regards to her criminal background, but it hadn't actually hurt him until today. Heero had gone through considerable lengths already to keep Ryoko's past misdeeds out of the spotlight, but his fight with Nagi could very well have changed his calculus on the matter.

His eyes opened, and he shook his head. "No. From what I can tell, none of our injuries are life threatening, and you said that Nagi will be gone for some time. Nagi had already been here for three days before she made her move; the fact that she was able to make her landing without being spotted by our orbital grid means she probably got out unseen too. Preventers is none the wiser… and I'm inclined to keep it that way. Sally and Director Une have enough on their plates, and I don't intend to add to it."

Ryoko sighed with relief. Heero had her back again. That was another one that she owed him, and she knew that she was beginning to stack up quite a debt as far as he was concerned. She didn't know if he was keeping track, but she was, and she silently vowed to find some way to make up for it in the future.

Kiyone's eyes narrowed, but in the end she nodded. "All right, then. It's your call."

"Sir Heero," said Ayeka with a hint of apprehension, "Far be it from me to question your judgment in this affair, but this bounty hunter is truly dangerous. Would it not be wiser to alert Lady Sally and Director Une? For goodness sakes, she drugged you and then used you as a hostage! This cannot go unanswered! At the very least, we could have Kiyone send a message to the Galaxy Police regarding Nagi's misconduct, and they could pass that along to the Empire. Nagi would surely be charged with kidnapping and assault, and that's the very least that she deserves for attacking and drugging you!"

"No," said Heero firmly, "We'll keep this between ourselves. Is that clear, Ayeka?"

Ayeka nodded. "As you wish, Sir Heero."

"Don't worry!" said Mihoshi with a smile, "If she comes back again, we'll fight her off together!"

Kiyone sighed. "It's not that simple, Mihoshi. She's a legally licensed bounty hunter. She's well within her rights to pursue Ryoko. Heero's mission may be to look after Ryoko, but by doing so he is still defending someone recognized as a wanted criminal by both the Empire of Jurai and the Galaxy Police. As much as I hate to admit it, Nagi did nothing illegal when she fought Heero."

"But she didn't have to cuff him and drug him like that!" Sasami protested.

Kiyone shook her head. "Sorry, but she was within her rights to do that as well."

The Detective then turned to Heero. "I respect your dedication to your mission, Heero, but if you continue to defend Ryoko then incidents like this will happen again. I'll do what I can to help you, but as a member of the Galaxy Police I'm bound by the rules and regulations laid down by my superiors, not to mention galactic law. I only have so much leeway to interfere in matters like this. The same goes for Mihoshi."

Heero nodded. "I understand. I knew what I was getting into when Ryoko told me about her past. That doesn't change my mission or my commitment to carrying it out. Ryoko, like the rest of you, is under my supervision. I won't let anything get in the way of me performing my duties as the operative assigned to watch over all of you."

Ryoko smiled. She knew that Heero was a tough guy, but his determination to stick things out was still impressive. It was good to see that he wasn't the kind of person who would back down just because trouble was coming his way.

You're nowhere near as powerful as me, Heero, she thought, and you don't have Nagi's experience or bag of tricks… but you've got guts. That counts for a lot from where I'm sitting.

Ryoko was surprised to see Kiyone smile as well. "I understand. Your devotion to your duty is on par with that which the Galaxy Police expects from its officers. I'll render whatever aid I can to you in your mission."

"Me too!" chirped Mihoshi.

Ayeka sighed before smiling too. "I suppose it can't be helped. As I am here thanks to your grace and charity, I shall do all I can to assist you in carrying out your duties as well, Sir Heero."

Ryoko smirked. "Even if that means watching my back, Ayeka?"

Ayeka folded her arms and scowled. "It would be for Sir Heero's sake, not yours! Don't go getting the wrong idea, you she-devil!"

"Come on, Ayeka," Sasami gently chided her sister, "You don't need to hide it; Ryoko's your friend, just like this rest of us!"

Ayeka looked nothing short of mortified at the suggestion. "Absolutely not!"

"For once, I'm with you," said Ryoko as she rolled her eyes, "Sorry, kid, but I'm not seeing me being friends with your big sister anytime soon."

Sasami shook her head. "That'll change. You'll see!"

"If it cuts down on the fighting, then I'm all for it," said Heero, "but I won't force the issue."

"It'd take a miracle worker to get these two to get along," said Washu with a chuckle, "I may be a genius, but I'm not going to try my hand at playing diplomat between them."

"I think that's a job for hostage negotiators," Kiyone quipped dryly.

"I'm with Sasami," said Mihoshi cheerfully, "I think the two of you could be best friends and just don't know it yet!"

"Dream on," Ryoko muttered.

"As if!" Ayeka huffed.

"I'll leave that to you two to decide," said Heero as he moved to get out of bed, "In the meantime, I could use a bite to eat."

Sasami's eyes widened. "That's right! You completely missed lunch! You must be starving, Heero!"

"Oh, dear," said Ayeka as she rushed forward to take Heero's arm, "Right this way, Sir Heero! I'll see to it that you enjoy a hearty meal!"

"Hey, hands off!" barked Ryoko as she grabbed Heero's other arm, "I'll take him downstairs and get him food!"

"No, you shall not!" snarled Ayeka as she pulled Heero towards him.

"Yes, I will!" growled Ryoko as she pulled back.

"Stop it, you two!" pleaded Mihoshi.

"You'll hurt Heero!" cried Sasami.

"Cut it out, you two," said Heero as he struggled to free himself from them, "I was just out of it for a little while, not crippled. I can make my way downstairs just fine on my own."

Ryoko and Ayeka reluctantly released him, glaring at each other all the while. Ryoko knew that she would have to keep a close eye on Ayeka over the next few days; who knew what she would try in her efforts to score points with Heero after the mess with Nagi.

"Some food will do you good," said Washu, "After that, it's straight to the lab. Ryoko, you're up after him."

Ryoko grumbled. "Fine."

Letting Washu examine her wasn't Ryoko's idea of fun, but she knew that it would be best to just get it over with. Once it was done she could go right back to Heero's side. Staying by him for a little while longer was the least that she could do after all the trouble he'd gotten into on her behalf.

….

Sitting at her desk, Washu smiled as Ryoko left the lab. "Well, that went smoothly enough."

Washu hadn't been lying to Ryoko when she'd said that she'd get to keep her clothes on this time. The same had gone for Heero, although it certainly had been tempting to convince him to strip down so she could examine him in intimate detail. Alas, she had restrained her impulses and let him keep most of his clothes on; in this case, her deviousness took a back seat to genuine curiosity.

The space pirate and the young man playing host to her were both points of keen interest for Washu. With the former, it was really quite simple; Washu wanted to keep track of how Ryoko's power had developed, and the clash earlier today had given her ample reason for a fresh examination of her daughter. The new strength that she had exhibited in the later portion of the fight indicated possible activity on the part of the gem that she had implanted within Ryoko, and Washu was just dying to know if it had begun to stir from its state of dormancy. As for the latter, it was based on part genuine concern for his health and part inquisitiveness. After all, she'd desired to study Heero's physiology for some time. He was an interesting male specimen of his species, and he seemed to be in peak condition. Her knowledge of humans remained limited, so this was an excellent opportunity to start filling in some gaps.

Her fingers dancing along the keyboard, she brought up the results from Ryoko's scans first. Her eyes narrowed as she zoomed in on the gem embedded within Ryoko's chest. The image showed a very faint pulse of power coming from it; its slumber was no longer a peaceful one. It wasn't awake yet, but it had been nudged in that direction.

"I thought so," she murmured, "It did react to her during the fight… but what was the trigger?"

An incredibly powerful emotion would be required on Ryoko's part to begin the process of awakening the gem. Anger was the most logical one given the nature of her fight with Nagi, but Washu suspected there might be more to it than that. Ryoko had been fighting to save Heero after all, and one didn't need to be a genius like herself to figure out that her daughter had some pretty strong feelings for the boy. Were they strong enough to contribute to the stirring of the gem inside her, though? That was a question that Washu could not quite answer as of yet.

For the moment, it didn't look like the gem would move further down the path to awakening without further prompting, and said prompting wouldn't come without a crisis of some kind. While Washu was all for some excitement, she felt that the events of today had been good enough for a while. Besides, if the gem fully awakened before Ryoko was ready, who knew what could happen? Her power as it stood now was considerable, but if it were amplified by the gem then it was difficult to say how she would react.

And that wasn't even including the fact that the gem within her was part of a set of three.

Washu moved Ryoko's results aside for the moment. She could come back later on and study them in greater detail. Now her attention turned to the data she'd collected from Heero Yuy. The young man had been quite cooperative with her. Skin, hair, and blood samples had been taken without incident, and he'd only raised an eyebrow when she'd asked him to take his shirt off. She might've been looking him over for lingering signs of wounds, but privately Washu couldn't deny that she'd just been unable to resist the urge to check him out a bit for her personal viewing pleasure.

He certainly keeps in shape, she thought with a smile, I wonder what that body of his is capable of in a more private atmosphere…

She shook her head. She was a scientist; the pursuit of knowledge took priority over any of her natural needs… even ones that had been denied for a very long time. Tapping a sequence on the console, she started sifting through the data she'd gathered regarding her host.

There were still traces of the drug Nagi had injected him with in his system, but they were quite small and would pass through his system well before the following morning. His physical injuries had actually been minimal. There had been a few bruises, not to mention some marks where Nagi's energy weapon had made contact, but beyond that he appeared to be in remarkably good condition. If nothing else, Heero was certainly a resilient young man, a quality that Washu definitely liked about him.

Confident that any immediate danger was past, Washu turned her attention to the samples she'd collected from him. They'd been put through her collection of scanning devices almost as soon as they'd been taken, so she already had results on the screen. This was the first time she'd gotten to study a human in such detail, and she wanted to make the most of it.

"All right, then," she said, "Let's start with the DNA."

Tapping a few keys on the console, she brought up the sample she sought, along with the results of the analysis…

…and her jaw dropped.

No…

That can't be right!

She quickly ran a diagnostic of the machine that had taken the scan; there had to be a glitch somewhere. The results came back negative, so she ran it again.

And again.

And again.

It took another two tries before she was forced to concede the truth; the device was working flawlessly.

But that didn't make what she was looking at any less world-shattering.

Most of the DNA strand was what she assumed normal human DNA looked like. It wasn't anything too special, but it was still different and unique in the way that only DNA could be, and Washu was mildly intrigued and looking forward to studying it in greater detail later on.

But it wasn't what was different and new that had her attention right now.

It was what was familiar that had her eyes glued to the screen.

It should've been impossible, but her instruments were not lying to her. She knew exactly what she was looking at.

Up until this point, she'd simply seen Heero Yuy as a rather intriguing individual. On a personal level he was a remarkable young man, and physically he was certainly easy on the eyes. Washu had wanted to learn more about him and understand what made him who he was, but she had viewed it as a leisurely study, a side project rather than something to devote the full weight of her genius towards.

That mindset had just flown right out the window.

This boy, she thought, No… this young man… does he have any inkling as to what he truly is? Somehow I doubt it…

One question had been answered.

Now she had countless more.

….

October 30th, A.C. 198

"He's at it again," Ryoko murmured as she looked out the window.

'He' was naturally Heero, and what he was at again was running laps around the lake. It was just part of a workout routine that he had gotten into the day after the encounter with Nagi. In addition to the running he had also started doing pushups, sit-ups, and squats. He'd also increased the frequency with which he'd been visiting Katsuhito's shrine for sparring matches to the point that it was a daily occurrence.

A ways down the couch from her, Ayeka followed her gaze and sighed. "Goodness, what in the name of Tsunami has gotten into him? He shouldn't be pushing himself like this after that mess with Nagi. If anything, he should take some more time to rest and make sure that he is fully recovered!"

It wasn't often that Ryoko found herself in agreement with Ayeka, but privately she had to admit that the royal brat was right. Heero really should've been taking it easy rather than working up a sweat like this. This wasn't just a regular exercise routine; there was an intensity behind it that had her concerned.

"He's not that kind of guy," said Washu as she walked into the room.

"What do you mean?" asked Sasami.

"His cage was rattled," Washu replied as she sat down on the couch and took a sip from her cup of tea, "Nagi beat him, and even if she thought he put up a good fight I bet it was still pretty one-sided. He can't sit still after something like that, so he's training."

Ryoko shook her head. "It won't do him much good. I mean sure, Heero's a pretty tough guy, but Nagi's just out of his league. It doesn't matter how much he trains; he can't match her, especially when it comes to technology."

Washu nodded. "I think he's aware of that, too. He still feels like he has to do something to make up for that gap, though."

"Miss Washu," said Ayeka, "is it truly all right for him to be exerting himself like this? I understand that what Nagi drugged him with wasn't life threatening, but even so…"

Washu shrugged. "He's in no danger, although I'd prefer that he take it easy for another day or two just to be on the safe side. I doubt he'd listen to me if I said as much to him, though."

Ryoko nodded. "Yeah. He can be pretty stubborn sometimes."

It's normally part of his charm, she thought as she looked out the window, but right now all it's doing is making me worry.

It was supposed to be a low-key day, and so far it mostly had been. Kiyone and Mihoshi were currently out on patrol, but everyone else was just lounging around the house. The only exception was Heero, much as it had been for the past few days.

Nagi might be gone, but her presence still lingered. It was felt not just in Heero's new workout routine, but in other ways as well. For one, Ryoko hadn't failed to notice how Washu had taken a keener interest in the young man after their medical exams. Ryoko didn't know what the crazy redhead had in mind, but she doubted that it was anything good.

There was also Ayeka. Not only was she working even harder to find ways to help Heero, but it was now easier than ever for Ryoko to tick her off. The reason was obvious; she was still sore about the bounty on Ryoko's head bringing Nagi down upon them and resulting in Heero's capture. It didn't matter that it had been temporary and Heero had suffered no lasting harm; Ayeka still blamed the entire affair on Ryoko, and it was hard for the pirate to deny that she had a point. It didn't make her any less willing to fight with the princess, but it did give Ayeka more ammunition to use against her.

Heero might still be willing to stick his neck out for her, but that didn't stop the feelings of guilt that persistently clung to Ryoko's heart. He'd gotten hurt because he'd stood up for her, and it would be all too easy for that to happen again; Ryoko had no shortage of enemies, after all. It wasn't like her to get so hung up about something like this; typically she was as selfish and impulsive as they came. The consequences of her actions rarely mattered to her, and collateral damage was hardly something she normally concerned herself with.

But with Heero, it was different.

Damn it, she thought, I'm going soft. I don't know why, but when it comes to this guy… I just can't help myself.

She sighed before standing up and heading for the door. Her actions immediately drew the attention of the others, who looked at her curiously.

"Just where do you think you're going?" asked Ayeka as Sasami poured her a fresh cup of tea.

"Outside," she said, "Someone's got to talk some sense into him. Might as well be me."

….

Kneeling at the edge of the lake, Heero cupped some water in his hands and drank. His run was going well; he hadn't pushed himself like this in a while, and he'd worked up a decent sweat.

I've become complacent, he thought, his mind flashing back to his tangle with Nagi, I was able to take on Kiyone and Mihoshi before, and it made me overconfident. I can't let that happen again.

The fact that Nagi outmatched him in technology and had trained specifically to fight and capture beings like Ryoko was beside the point. On an intellectual level, Heero had known when he'd challenged Nagi that his odds of winning were almost nonexistent, but for her to have beaten him with seemingly little effort still stung. It didn't matter that she had complimented his abilities even as she defeated him; she had completely outclassed him and given Heero the most one-sided fight that he'd had in a long time.

So here he was, trying to establish a new workout routine to keep himself sharp. Out here his options were limited. There was no firing range for him to practice marksmanship at, and he lacked the advanced combat training facilities that were available at Preventers HQ in the capital. Fortunately Heero was self-sufficient and capable of improvisation. He had already rearmed himself; Nagi may have stolen his knife and pistol, but he'd made sure to have extra weapons sent to the house right after moving in to cover exactly that sort of possibility. His sparring matches with Katsuhito were one way that he'd found to make sure his reflexes never dulled, while the new exercise regimen he had worked up was a good way to maintain his conditioning. However, he doubted that it would do him much good if Nagi returned. She still far outmatched him on the technological level, and if he wanted to stand a chance against her he would have no choice but to rely on his guests for help.

That last part bothered him. Since Heero was charged with watching over Ryoko and the others it felt like it was his duty to protect them when things got dicey. It didn't matter that Ryoko and Ayeka had incredible and unique powers that made them capable combatants in their own right, nor did it matter that Mihoshi and Kiyone were trained officers of the Galaxy Police who could hold their own in a fight. Even Washu didn't strike Heero as entirely defenseless; it was impossible to tell what sort of tricks the legendary mad scientist had up her sleeves. Sasami was really the only one who seemed to require protection, and Heero was sure that Ayeka would have Azaka and Kamidake focus on defending her younger sister if it came down to it. He was surrounded by women whose gifts and skills made them quite formidable in a fight, and yet he remained determined to be their first line of defense.

Old habits die hard, he mused, I'm still not quite used to being responsible for people with abilities like theirs. It's hard to shake the mindset that I have to be the one that handles the fighting.

As a Gundam pilot he'd been used to fighting alone. Even after encountering his fellow colonial freedom fighters it had at first been difficult to coordinate action with them. Sure, eventually he and his fellow Gundam pilots had gotten used to working together, especially during the latter part of the war, but it was hard for Heero to extend that sort of trust beyond people like Duo, Trowa, Quatre, and Wufei. Now here he was, surrounded by women who would make his friends' jaws drop if they demonstrated their powers to them, and he was still determined to handle their defense on his own.

"Looks like you could use a break," said a familiar female voice from behind him.

He turned around and saw Ryoko standing there. "I'm fine."

She shook her head. "No, you're not."

"I know my limits," said Heero, a little more forcefully than he'd intended, "This is nothing."

"Maybe normally," Ryoko replied, "I know that you're in shape, but that's not the point. Not this time."

"Then what is?" asked Heero.

"You should still be taking it easy," said Ryoko as she stepped forward, "I know Washu said that whatever Nagi drugged you with was probably out of your system by now, but that doesn't mean you should be pushing yourself like this. You need to rest more, Heero!"

"No, I don't," said Heero, "This is what I need, Ryoko. I think I know what my body requires better than you do."

Ryoko sighed. "I like you, Heero, but sometimes you really are a stubborn bastard, you know that?"

Heero raised an eyebrow; this was the first time he'd heard Ryoko talk to him like this. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means exactly what it sounds like!" said Ryoko, sounding more than a little exasperated, "Heero, I know what you're doing, and it's not going to work. Just because you start working out more doesn't mean that you'll be able to take on Nagi the next time she shows up!"

Heero shook his head. "Who said that I'm trying to match her?"

"I do!" she cried, "Heero, you can't do that! I know that you're strong, but going up against her is a fight you can't win! She went easy on you this time, but if you try to take her on again she might take the gloves off next time. Heero, you could get yourself killed!"

"My duty is to watch over you and the others," he replied firmly, "If that means putting my life on the line, then so be it. That's my mission."

"It's not worth your life!" Ryoko protested, "Heero, do you have any idea what it would do to the rest of us if you died protecting us? None of us could live with that! I couldn't live with that!"

"Ryoko…" he said softly, his eyes widening ever so slightly.

He knew that she cared about him, but he'd never seen her as concerned over his well-being as this. It was such a stark contrast to the normally selfish and laid-back side of her that he was used to seeing. Heero was well aware that there was more to Ryoko than that, but for her to display such genuine compassion and worry was really something else.

He looked down, ashamed that he was stressing her out like this. "What would you have me do? I appreciate your concern for me, Ryoko, but I have my mission and I'm not going to abandon it just because the threats we might face outmatch me."

She actually smiled. "I know, and I'm not asking you to. Believe it or not, I really do appreciate how willing you've been to stick up for me like this, no matter how much trouble it causes you. You've got some serious guts, Heero. It takes a ton of courage to pick a fight with Nagi like you did. I just don't want you to get into a fight like that alone. I want to help you, Heero… and I'm not the only one."

"On that, you are quite correct," said another familiar female voice.

Looking past Ryoko, Heero saw Ayeka approaching them.

"Sir Heero," she continued, "although I personally do not feel that Ryoko is deserving of such protection, the bravery and gallantry that you have shown in defending her speaks to great nobility within you. It is my great honor to know that you would demonstrate such qualities in defending someone under your charge, and I am sure that you would show that same dedication and valor in protecting me as well. That being said, I cannot in good conscience allow you to throw yourself into fights that you have no hope of winning on your own."

Ryoko folded her arms. "I can't believe you and I actually agree on something."

"A rarity, I assure you of that," Ayeka shot back, "Sir Heero, forgive me, but from this moment onwards I insist that you refrain from taking on adversaries from beyond your world alone. Any battles such as these must at the very least include Ryoko and myself; I refuse to allow you to put yourself in such danger without proper support!"

"Is that how things are done in the Empire?" asked Heero, "From what I understand, I thought guardians like Azaka and Kamidake were supposed to take action before a royal like yourself gets involved in a fight."

"Azaka and Kamidake are a valuable first line of defense," Ayeka replied, "but I am more than capable of aiding you in battle, and it is far from unusual for a member of the Royal Family to partake in combat. More to the point, we are not in the Empire now. I am a guest on your world, and it would be horrific form for me to allow my host to risk his life on my behalf when I am perfectly capable of rendering assistance!"

"In other words, we'd both feel like crap if you got yourself hurt or killed because of us," said Ryoko with a smirk, "We're not asking you to stop fighting; I'm pretty sure I can speak for both of us when I say that we like how you're will to stick your neck out for us. We just want you to let us help you out instead of trying to handle every new enemy alone."

Heero looked out over the lake. "It's not that easy. I'm used to fighting on my own."

"Is that because… of your past as a member of the colonial rebellion?" asked Ayeka nervously.

Heero nodded. "Yes, as well as my normal operations with Preventers. I typically handle solo ops."

Infiltration, assassination, sabotage, he silently added, They're not exactly group activities…

Ryoko patted him on the shoulder. "Well, this is different. You've got some pretty powerful ladies backing you up here, so why don't you let us pick up some of the slack? We owe you that much for all the trouble we've caused you."

"Indeed," said Ayeka with a smile, "You needn't handle ever new threat on your own, Sir Heero… and you needn't push yourself so hard as if our defense rests solely on your shoulders."

Ryoko rolled her eyes. "What she's trying to say is that you don't need to exercise to the point that you pass out just because Nagi beat you in a fight. You're already plenty strong as it is, Heero. There's no shame in you losing to her. Hell, it was pretty tough for me to beat her, and her and I have been fighting each other for years now. She's as persistent as Ayeka!"

"I'm going to ignore that," said Ayeka as she folded her arms, "Sir Heero, exercise is all well and good, but what you are trying to do with this new workout routine goes beyond that. Forgive me, but I do not care if you think that it is within your limitations; you cannot continue to push yourself like this every single day. It is not healthy!"

"Exactly," said Ryoko, "Heero, you need to ease up on yourself! If you want to train and keep in shape that's fine, but you need some downtime too. You're not going to do us any good if you burn yourself out!"

Heero sighed. "So you just want me continue on as though my loss to Nagi never happened? If I'm not stronger the next time we face an enemy like her then I'll be just as useless as I was this time. I can't accept that."

"And we are not asking you to," said Ayeka, "Sir Heero, even if you lack the powers that Ryoko and I possess, I assure you that you are far from useless in a fight. You proved that in our initial encounter with Mihoshi; it was thanks to your cunning that we were able to capture and disarm her."

Ryoko smiled. "She's right. You're quick on your feet, Heero, and you're pretty sharp. I bet that's why Nagi was willing to compliment you; she recognized your talent."

"Indeed," said Ayeka, "and that talent of yours is invaluable. By yourself, you may not be able to match the kinds of foes that come from beyond your star system, but if you work with Ryoko and me then I truly believe that your gifts will be more than useful in such a situation."

"Exactly," said Ryoko, "We'd make a really good team, Heero. You just have to be willing to let us get our hands dirty."

Heero took a moment to study the two women before him. Their desire to help him truly was sincere, and he honestly wasn't quite sure how to react to it. Would it really be so wrong to rely on them more in the event of another crisis? Wouldn't he still be fulfilling his mission objectives even if he let them put their lives on the line should another enemy appear?

I don't know how, he thought, unable to suppress a small smile, but it seems I've stumbled across some extraordinary women…

"All right," he said finally, "If the two of you are really sure about this… then I won't try to handle things myself next time there's trouble. I'll come find you two, and whatever the situation is we'll deal with it together."

Ayeka smiled and sighed with relief. "Thank goodness."

Ryoko put her arm around him. "You won't regret it, Heero. Trust me."

Heero nodded. "Okay."

"Now," said Ayeka, "why don't we head inside? The weather may be pleasant right now, but that does not change the fact that you should still be taking it easy, Sir Heero."

"Yeah," said Ryoko, "besides, you're missing Sasami's tea. It's pretty good."

Heero chuckled. "She's worried too, isn't she?"

"We all are," said Ryoko, "and you sitting down and relaxing with the rest of us will make everyone feel better."

"Quite true," said Ayeka.

Heero nodded. "All right. Let's go."

….

November 1st, A.C. 198

Sitting down on the wooden patio, Kiyone smiled as the cool autumn breeze gently caressed her face and hair. "Ah, this is the life! I'm so glad we took today off."

It was strange how much she was starting to enjoy her quiet post on Earth. Sure, the patrols she and Mihoshi had to fly through the Sol System were some of the dullest of their career, but it was nice that they had such a pleasant planet to come back to at the end of the workday. Maybe the homeworld of humanity was way out in the galactic backwoods, but in a way that remoteness was something of a benefit. It simply felt calmer out here than other parts of the galaxy, especially when compared to the hustle and bustle of the Core Systems and Galaxy Police Headquarters. Of course, part of that was probably due to the fact that the house she was staying at was out in the countryside.

It was early afternoon, and the household had just wrapped up lunch. Mihoshi had wasted no time in getting sucked into another one of those crime dramas that she had become addicted to since her arrival on this planet, and while Kiyone could sometimes appreciate their appeal at the end of the day they just weren't her thing. Since she was an actual cop it was just too hard for her to resist critiquing everything that the shows just made up about police procedure. Granted, her only experience in how law enforcement officers on Earth conducted themselves was with Heero, but even with that limited exposure she was pretty sure that police on this planet had to do much more paperwork than what was shown in the hour-long episodes.

I guess that's one of the downsides of working the beat, she mused, I just can't enjoy shows like that the way I used to when I was a kid.

That wasn't to say that she was completely uninterested in incredible variety of television shows that humans apparently spent many hours watching. Everyone in the household seemed to have found at least a handful that they enjoyed, and Kiyone was no exception. The history programs she had found were rather engaging, especially since she was rather keen to learn more about the kind of world she was operating from now. There were also a few fantasy dramas that Kiyone had become fond of, although they were a little too dark for her partner's taste. If given a few cups of sake, she would even admit that a rather old one had become a personal favorite of hers, although she had become upset when her favorite male character had been killed towards the end of the first season.

Poor Ned, she thought with a rueful smirk, It really doesn't pay to be honorable in Westeros, does it?

"Care for some company?" asked a familiar male voice from behind her.

She looked up and saw Heero standing in the middle of the open sliding doorway. He was holding two cups of team, wisps of steam wafting up from them.

Kiyone smiled. "Sure, especially if one of those is for me."

Heero nodded as he sat down and passed one of the cups to her. "Compliments of Sasami. She's getting even better at making tea."

Kiyone took a sip and closed her eyes, savoring the flavor. "Can't argue with that."

She then turned to him. "So, what you brings you out here? Not that I mind hanging out with you, but what's the occasion?"

He nodded over his shoulder. "I need a little break from the… festivities."

Following his gaze, Kiyone couldn't suppress a giggle as she saw Ryoko, Ayeka, and Mihoshi fighting over the remote. "You're not going to step in?"

"I'm sitting this one out," he replied as he took a sip.

"Are you sure?" she asked, "Things could escalate."

Heero shook his head. "Not this time. I've seen enough of their fights to know when they'll keep it low key. A few sparks might fly, but it won't go past that."

Kiyone nodded. "Well, I trust you. You do seem to have a pretty good handle on the three of them."

"I've had plenty of practice," said Heero, and Kiyone thought she detected a hint of amusement in his voice.

Kiyone laughed. "No kidding. If things were different I'd recommend you to my superiors as a hostage negotiator. You've certainly got the patience for that kind of work."

"Maybe," said Heero, "but I lack the diplomatic talent needed for a role like that."

Kiyone shook her head. "I disagree. You read people pretty well; that's half of the job right there."

"It's still not my thing," said Heero, "I know the scope of my abilities. I'm the guy that's called in when negotiations break down and my superiors need things resolved before a massacre happens."

"Has that happened often?" asked Kiyone, more than a little curious.

"Even once is too often for situations like those," said Heero grimly, "Let me put it this way; if I'm called in, it usually means there's going to be a body count before the night's over."

Kiyone winced; she hadn't meant for the conversation to go dark like that. "I see…"

Heero shrugged as he indulged in his tea. "That's why I'm actually enjoying this new assignment; I don't have to kill anyone. It's not the kind of mission that I'm used to, but if it means there's no bloodshed then I'm perfectly fine with it."

Kiyone smiled. "That's a good way to look at it. I'm impressed; most young men in the Galaxy Police want to get put on the assignments where they'll see the most action, regardless of the danger or whether or not they might have to use lethal force. You're much more restrained and mature when compared to them."

Heero sighed. "The ones who crave action likely haven't had much experience with actual combat. If they knew what it really meant then they would think twice."

"I've been meaning to ask you about that," said Kiyone, "Combat, I mean. Based on what I've heard from the others it sounds like you've seen some serious fighting, although you didn't really tell them all that much. Are you ex-military?"

"Not in the usual sense," Heero replied, "I wasn't part of a formal military, but I did take part in a war. With regards to my current employers, you could say that Preventers is somewhere between a police force and a military. I'm not the only combat veteran who's part of the organization; a lot of our members used to be soldiers, although lately recruitment efforts have trended towards drawing more people from traditional police forces into our ranks."

Kiyone nodded. "I understand. The Galaxy Police is similar in that respect. We're not an official military, although in terms of numbers and firepower we're pretty similar to one. However, we're not your run-of-the-mill cops either. I guess it's kind of a hybrid organization, really."

"How do you handle recruitment?" he asked, "Mihoshi didn't strike me as ex-military, and while you're more professional than her you lack that vibe too. I also don't think that she was a cop before joining the Galaxy Police."

"You're right about that," said Kiyone, "The Galaxy Police casts a pretty wide net when it comes to recruiting. Sure, they scout talent from planetary police forces and look for applicants with former law enforcement or military experience, but the majority of newcomers to the Academy are actually completely green. For many people across the galaxy, our organization is their first experience in being part of a law enforcement agency."

"How do you screen applicants?" asked Heero, his eyes narrowing, "If you just let anyone get into the Academy wouldn't your system be overrun?"

Kiyone smiled, pleased to see how quickly he'd identified a potential problem; he was definitely sharper than she'd thought when she'd first met him. "There are a series of physical and academic tests that applicants have to go through before they're accepted into the academy. We also look for promising students by reviewing transcripts and aptitude evaluations potential trainees would have taken in school. That's how I got scouted initially; I was at the top of my class, and the screening tests after that were easy for me."

Heero nodded. "I bet. I could tell when we fought that you had a lot of talent. I think you'd do pretty well in Preventers."

That was high praise indeed, coming from him. "Thanks!"

"Sure," Heero replied, "So, what's your ultimate career ambition? You're not the type that would settle for patrol postings out in the galactic backwoods, after all."

Kiyone chuckled. "You're right about that. Well, if my career ever regains upward momentum, I'd like to get into the Special Tactics Division."

"What's that?" asked Heero, looking genuinely curious.

"Think of it as like your Preventers organization, but as a subdivision of the Galaxy Police," said Kiyone, "They don't handle small cases. Their missions focus mainly on counter-terrorism, hostage rescue, storming fortified locations, and deep cover operations. The Special Tactics Division has branches located across the galaxy so they can respond to a crisis at a moment's notice, and they often work closely with Jurai's military. If they can't get a job done, then that means the situation's typically at a point where the Empire's going to deploy the Imperial Fleet."

"In other words," said Heero, "they're one of the last options before a crisis turns into a full scale war."

Kiyone nodded. "Pretty much. The Empire's got their own special forces that they deploy for similar situations, but often they'll let the Galaxy Police dispatch a team first; it looks better to have our organization try to resolve the situation before bringing in the military."

"That makes sense," said Heero, "I imagine that there are plenty of regions out there that would resent direct interference from the Empire. In cases like that, the Galaxy Police can act as an intermediary."

Kiyone smiled. "Exactly. The Empire of Jurai may be the most powerful nation in the galaxy, but even they recognize that they can't throw their weight around with reckless abandon. Relying too much on shows of force from the Imperial Fleet breeds resentment, especially among the Outer Systems who have grievances with the capital. A response from the Galaxy Police rather than the military can help keep things cool."

"What if the Empire decides to make a move in a situation where the Galaxy Police normally have jurisdiction?" asked Heero.

Kiyone sighed. "Unfortunately, the Empire would be able to overrule us. We have a good working relationship with them, but that doesn't change the fact that they outgun us by a ridiculous degree. Jurai is also a source of funding for the Galaxy Police; they support us with a portion of the revenues collected by the Imperial Treasury. They're not our only source of income, but pissing them off and loosing that revenue stream wouldn't do us any favors. In short, if the Emperor wants something, the Galaxy Police doesn't have much room to oppose him."

"Sounds like your organization's compromised," said Heero, his eyes narrowing, "You can't be a completely neutral arbitrator if the Empire's holding your purse strings."

Kiyone shook her head. "The Empire may have some leverage on us, but they still respect our autonomy and reputation. I know that it's not a perfect system, but it has helped keep the peace for thousands of years. Our partnership is mutually beneficial; Jurai supports our operations, and we stop brushfires from becoming a larger conflict. Without this arrangement the Empire would be putting down rebellions across the galaxy with military force on a regular basis. The cost in lives and capital would be enormous, and long-term it would threaten the Empire's very survival. Our role in preserving galactic order is recognized and honored by the Royal Family, to the point that we even have representatives in the palace court."

"But that status ultimately depends on who holds the throne, right?" asked Heero, "If a particular Emperor or Empress was hostile towards the Galaxy Police, they could ignore or remove whatever influence you may have in Jurai and use the power of the fleet to enact whatever agenda they desire."

"That wouldn't happen!" Kiyone protested, "Any sane ruler would recognize the value of our partnership. The Emperor or Empress who decided to cast us aside would be sowing the seeds of their eventual ruin! With us out of the picture galactic order would inevitably collapse!"

Heero nodded. "I'm not arguing with you there. I'm simply pointing out a potentially fatal flaw in the system. Perhaps the current Emperor and past monarchs have honored and valued the alliance between Jurai and the Galaxy Police, but you have no way to guarantee a potential shift in the attitude of whoever sits on the throne. That's the danger of autocracies; everything ultimately comes down to the individual at the top of the pyramid. If they're not of a rational and benevolent mindset, then the door is open to tyranny and misery."

Kiyone closed her eyes. She hadn't really thought too much about the Galaxy Police's arrangement with the Empire of Jurai until now. Her instructors in the academy had always stressed the value of what was termed the 'special relationship' between Jurai and the Galaxy Police, and the arrangement between the two bodies had been in place for so long that it was considered more or less a fact of life. It was really just taken for granted that the Empire would continue to cooperate with the Galaxy Police to keep the peace and that whoever sat on the throne would want to make sure that the 'special relationship' remained in good working order.

When she looked at it the way Heero was describing it, though, it was hard to deny that he had a very good point. The continued functioning of the whole system hinged upon whoever sat upon the throne of Jurai. Since the Royal Family was quite strict about the qualities it expected from whoever would ascend to the throne there hadn't been much concern on the part of the Galaxy Police as to whether or not a potential new monarch would be fit to rule. Indeed, succession was always considered to be an internal affair that the Galaxy Police was not to exert any influence over whatsoever. There were no real checks or balances against an Emperor or Empress who did not have the interest of the people or the current galactic order at heart. If a tyrant took the reins then there was nothing the Galaxy Police could do to resist them short of armed insurrection.

"Kiyone," said Heero, causing her to open her eyes and look at him again, "if the ruler of Jurai acted against the Galaxy Police and their subjects, what would your organization do about it? What would you do about it?"

She looked down. "I… I don't know. What you're talking about… it's without precedent. The Empire and the Galaxy Police have existed for millennia, but nothing like what you're describing has ever taken place. The closest that I can think of would be the Imperial Civil War, but that was several subordinate branches of the Royal Family trying to overthrow the main branch. In that crisis the Galaxy Police remained loyal to the main branch and helped them hold the throne. The subordinate branches weren't revolting because of any abuses of power on the part of the main branch; they simply wanted to rule the Empire themselves. It was a rebellion sparked by petty jealousy and the lust for power, not a noble revolt against a tyrant."

"Perhaps," said Heero, "but there's no guarantee that it would be the same way in the future. From what Ayeka's told me, the Empire of Jurai is an overall benevolent power, but it's still an absolute monarchy. If it ceased to be a force for good in the galaxy, would your superiors go along with it? If they did, would you follow them or stand against them?"

"Those are questions that I hope to never have to answer," Kiyone replied somberly, "I really can't say more than that, Heero."

Heero nodded. "I understand. It's not easy choosing to go against the power of a ruling government, especially one that you've been loyal to in the past. I hope that you'll never be confronted with that choice."

Kiyone's eyes narrowed. "Did you face that choice?"

"Yes and no," he said, "I did face off against this world's rulers in the past, but I had no past loyalty to them. After all, I was from the colonies that they lorded over so ruthlessly. Later on in the war, though, I also ended up fighting against colonial rebels as well. Both sides were twisted by the desire for power and revenge. Ultimately it was the regular people of Earth and the colonies that faced the greatest threat from our war, and in the final campaign it was them that my allies and I sought to protect."

"Wait a minute," said Kiyone, "You took on both sides?"

Heero nodded. "Yes. Elements of the colonial rebellion became as brutal as those they sought to liberate the colonies from. Their plans evolved to the point that they would've slaughtered countless innocent people to achieve their ends. I couldn't support that, so I opposed them. It wouldn't be the last time, either."

She waited for a moment, but he didn't elaborate. Kiyone supposed that she shouldn't have been surprised; whenever the topic of his past came up, Heero rarely went into detail. A vague response was what he typically gave before waiting for the others to give up and move on to a different subject. Of course, that simply made Kiyone want to know more about what he'd experienced in the past, and she knew that she wasn't the only one of the girls living with him that felt that same curiosity. What he had just said was actually considerably more than what he'd offered in the past; he must've been feeling a little more generous than normal. Perhaps it was his way of returning the favor for her telling him more about the Galaxy Police.

"Well," she said, "you seem to have come through it all no worse for the wear. I'm sure the global government is glad to have you on their side now."

"I imagine they are," Heero replied, "and as long as this government continues to protect the peace and serve the people of both Earth and the colonies, it'll stay that way. If that changes down the line, I'll do what I must to make them correct their course."

Kiyone smiled. "It sounds like you don't have any doubts at all about taking them on if you have to. You've got some real courage and conviction, you know that?"

Heero shook his head. "Hardly. It's simply the path I know best."

He's way too casual about this, she thought, It's like fighting is second nature to him. Just what the hell did he see and do in his war?

Before she could ask she heard a soft buzzing coming from Heero's pocket. The young man reached in and pulled out his phone, checked the caller identification and answered.

"This is Heero," he said, "What's up, Sally?"

He was quiet for a moment while his superior spoke. Since it wasn't on speaker Kiyone couldn't hear what Sally was saying, but from the way Heero's eyes narrowed it looked like it was important.

"Can you send pictures?" he asked a few seconds later.

He was silent again for a little bit before his phone buzzed again. She saw him remove the phone from his ear and flip it sideways. Looking over Heero's shoulder, Kiyone's eyes widened when she saw the picture on the screen.

It was an image of a small lake, one that was probably just slightly bigger than the one in front of the house they were currently staying at. It was pretty, although nothing too special in and of itself. However, what really grabbed Kiyone's attention was what was at the center of the lake. She could see what appeared to be a small tree growing out of the middle of the body of water.

Is that what I think it is?

She lost sight of the picture a second later when Heero brought the phone back to his ear. "All right. I can ask Ayeka about it; I imagine she'll have a pretty good idea as to what that's about. How is Sasami's ship doing?"

There was silence for a few seconds before he spoke again. "I see. That makes sense; hers wasn't underwater, after all. So, what do you want to do?"

He was quiet again for a minute or so before speaking again. "Are you sure about that? I would've thought that the Director would be against that."

Kiyone watched intently as he listened to whatever Sally's reply was before talking. "Well, I suppose that would be possible."

He then glanced over at her before speaking again. "Yes, it can work. I have someone in mind that can handle it."

Kiyone was puzzled and could only continue to listen as he wrapped up his conversation with his superior. "Okay, I'll start making arrangements. We should be able to head out tomorrow morning. Heero, out."

He ended his call and immediately turned to Kiyone. "I need a favor."

I have a bad feeling about this…

….

Ayeka's eyes widened when she saw the picture on Heero's phone, and she couldn't help but smile. "Ryu-Oh! She's come so far in such a short time!"

It was a great relief to see that her ship's recovery process had reached the point where the Royal Tree within now breached the surface of Lake Genval. To Ayeka's knowledge, instances of ships with Royal Trees crashing in bodies of water were quite rare, so she had been more than a little apprehensive as to how the lake might affect Ryu-Oh. Based on the photographic evidence Heero had provided her, though, it appeared that her fears had been misplaced.

It's further along than I thought, she mused, I can't believe it's already breaching the surface of the lake. This is wonderful!

Of course, the Royal Tree at the heart of Ryu-Oh still had a very long way to go before it would be ready to serve as the core of a ship again. This was one of the downsides of the vessels used by the Royal Family; they were incredibly powerful, but if severely damaged it could take quite a long time before they would be prepared to fly again.

Looking up, she saw Heero nod. "I thought so. So this is something that's supposed to be happening."

"Oh, yes!" said Ayeka, "I expected it would eventually. Forgive me, Sir Heero; I realize now that a tree popping up in the middle of a lake so close to your world's capital is probably something of an inconvenience. I really should've given you more warning."

Heero shook his head. "No, you're fine. You did tell us that your ship had a special healing process, after all. We really should've done more to prepare for it eventually breaching the surface of the lake."

"What about my ship?" asked Sasami, "Is it okay?"

"From what I understand," said Heero, "it's doing fine. The tree from your ship has put down roots and is growing well. It was Ayeka's that really caught our attention, though; we never imagined we'd see it do something quite like this."

"What excellent news!" said Azaka.

"I'm so glad that both Royal Trees are doing well!" chimed Kamidake.

"Mind if I take a look?" asked Washu.

Heero nodded and passed the phone over to her. Ayeka saw the infamous scientist's brow furrow for a moment as she studied the image.

"Fascinating," she said as she handed the phone back to him, "I always knew these trees were resilient, but this is really something else. I wouldn't mind the chance to study it up close, although given its proximity to the capital I guess that's out of the question as well."

"Guess again," said Heero, "We're heading out tomorrow; my superiors want your take on this development."

Washu's eyes widened. "Are you serious?"

Heero nodded. "Yeah. It's not just you, either. Ayeka, you're coming along too; Sally wants you to see it up close since you have a connection with it."

Ayeka could hardly restrain herself. "Are you serious? Oh, how wonderful! It'll be so good to see your world's capital again!"

Ryoko folded her arms. "Hey, what about me? Don't I get to come along on this little trip of yours, Heero?"

Heero shook his head. "Sorry, but Washu and Ayeka are the only ones that are coming to the capital with me."

Ryoko's eyes practically bulged out of her head. "What? You can't be serious!"

"Why don't I get to come along?" asked Sasami.

"Meow!" cried Ryo-Ohki, sounding more than a little disappointed.

"That's not fair!" pouted Mihoshi.

Kiyone shrugged and looked at Heero. "I told you they'd react like this."

"I was more or less expecting it," he replied.

"Hold on a moment," said Ayeka, "Detective Makibi, how did you know about this before the rest of us?"

Kiyone smiled. "Heero was sitting outside with me when Sally called him."

Ryoko scowled at her. "And just what were you two doing outside alone together?"

"Talking," Heero replied casually, "Why?"

Ayeka eyed Kiyone, more than a little suspicious. The Detective hadn't displayed any overt signs of romantic interest in Heero, but then again Ayeka hadn't considered her a threat before and so she had neglected to observe her. Was the Galaxy Police officer positioning herself to become another rival for the young man's affections?

She is not like Mihoshi, she thought, and while she is not fiendish like Ryoko, I would wager that she possesses plenty of cunning. Detective Makibi, if you are to be my adversary in the arena of love, then just how formidable a foe shall you prove to be?

She saw Kiyone smirk at the pirate. "Hey, you were busy fighting the others for the remote, and Heero wanted some peace. You sent him right out to me, really."

"Why, you little…" Ryoko growled.

"Now, now," said Mihoshi nervously, "Try not to fight, you two. It's bad enough when you argue with Ayeka, Ryoko. You don't need to fight Kiyone too!"

"I will if she gives me a reason to," Ryoko grumbled.

"That's enough," said Heero firmly, "I need you both to get along, especially since I'm leaving Kiyone in charge while I go to the capital with Ayeka and Washu."

"Why her?" Ryoko protested, "What makes her so special? I thought you trusted me, Heero!"

"I need someone who's proven that they're responsible and level-headed to keep an eye on things while I'm away," Heero replied, "Of those of you who'll be left back here, Kiyone's proven herself to be the most mature. I'll be giving her a spare phone so she can keep in touch with me, and I expect the rest of you to cooperate with her. Is that clear?"

Ryoko sighed in defeat, but not before shooting one last glare at Kiyone. "Fine."

"Don't worry, Ryoko," said Sasami, "It'll be fun!"

"She's right!" chirped Mihoshi, "Although I still wish that I could go back to Brussels. Heero, can you bring me back some souvenir food?"

"Oh, I'd like some chocolate!" cried Sasami, "Please, Heero!"

"If it's not too much to ask, I wouldn't mind a little something as well," said Kiyone, "I didn't get to experience your world's capital like the rest of them, after all."

"Hey!" snapped Ryoko, "You'd better bring something back for me, too!"

Heero nodded. "I'll keep my eye open for sweets to bring back for you."

Sasami ran forward and hugged him. "You're the best, Heero!"

Ayeka smiled. Her young sister did have a soft spot for sweets, and it was nice to see that Heero was willing to indulge it. Then again, she would expect nothing less from him at this point; he always did his best to be accommodating to his guests.

"Sir Heero," she said, "What time tomorrow shall we be leaving?"

"Our flight's a morning one," Heero replied, "It'll take a bit of time to get to the airport, so we'll have to get up before dawn. Make sure to pack your things and go to bed early tonight."

Ayeka nodded. "I shall."

Washu smiled. "I'll be ready bright and early. There's no way that I'm missing out on this. It should be fun!"

Ayeka heartily agreed with that. Not only would she get the chance to experience the incredible metropolis that was Brussels, but she'd get to do so without Ryoko or any of the others vying with her for her host's attention. Sure, Washu would be along for the ride, but she hadn't been nearly as flirtatious and aggressive as Ryoko; she did not appear to harbor serious intentions of romantic advancement towards the young man. Ayeka would have a clean shot at getting closer to Heero and finding the key to his heart, and she fully intended to take it.

….

November 2nd, A.C. 198

Washu smiled as she took a sip from her cup of wine. "Not bad. When you said we were flying first class, you weren't kidding, Heero."

She'd initially been a little concerned about the level of accommodations they'd receive on the flight over to Brussels. The primary means of air travel on Heero's world was laughably primitive; jets such as the one they were aboard now had been obsolete for eons. Her opinion of their mode of transportation had thus been a little low at first, but now that they were seated and airborne her mood had shifted considerably.

The aircraft itself was actually rather impressive given how far down it was on the technological scale. It was a large double-decker airliner, with four large jet engines mounted on each wing. Thanks to funding provided by Preventers Heero, Washu and Ayeka were traveling on the upper deck in considerable luxury. The seats were quite comfortable, were cable of reclining, and had foot rests that could extend outwards with the flip of a switch. Cup-holders were built into the arms, and after their successful takeoff the flight attendants had wasted no time in giving Washu and the others drinks to put in them. There were folding tables that swung out from the side of each chair's right arm for each occupant to put food or other items on, small screens were built into the ceiling so passengers could lean back and watch one of the in-flight entertainment programs while listening to the content through headphones provided by the staff, and to top things off there was plenty of room to walk around once the flight attendants had given them the go-ahead. Washu had grabbed the window seat for herself, and she was glad that she had; the view was quite lovely.

"Well," Heero replied as he pulled a book out of his travel bag, "I'm glad that you're enjoying yourself. It's going to be a long flight, so you might as well make yourself at home."

"Our takeoff was quite smooth," said Ayeka as she stretched out in her seat, "I'm glad to see that whoever is piloting this craft appears to be skilled. This is quite an impressive machine. Do you travel this way often, Sir Heero?"

"Only if my organization foots the bill for it," he replied, "Usually I fly economy-class if I take civilian airliners. Most of the time Preventers will provide its own jets for transportation, though."

"Why didn't they do that this time?" asked Washu.

"A Preventers plane at a civilian airport tends to draw attention," said Heero, "Travelling like this helps us keep a lower profile."

Ayeka nodded. "Very wise. Your organization's discretion and discipline is quite impressive. I can think of a few of my own government's agencies that could learn a thing or two from yours."

"I'm sure Director Une would appreciate the praise," said Heero as he flipped a page in his book.

Curious, Washu leaned over to get a look at the title. "Democracy's Midnight: The Fall of the Weimar Republic… what's the Weimar Republic?"

"Technically," said Heero, "Weimar Republic wasn't the real name. Officially it was called the Deutsches Reich, but it became known as the Weimar Republic because its constitution was written in the city of the same name since there was too much unrest in the actual capital to do it there."

Washu nodded. "Okay. You still haven't answered the question."

"Right," said Heero, "It was the democratic government of a nation in central Europe called Germany. This was from the time before the people of our world were brought together into a single unified state."

"From your book's title," said Ayeka cautiously, "I take it this 'Weimar Republic' met a tragic end."

Heero nodded. "It was destroyed from within. The government that followed was known as the Third Reich. It rebuilt the country's armed forces until they were powerful enough to launch a war that consumed the world for six years and killed tens of millions of people. At the end of the war its leaders committed suicide, were captured, tried and executed, or went into hiding."

"Sounds depressing," Washu quipped dryly, "Why read about it?"

"To understand how a democracy can become a dictatorship," Heero replied, "The fall of the Weimar Republic and the rise of the Third Reich is one of the greatest tragedies of human history. Countless lives were lost because the Republic was destroyed from the inside by men who went on to wage a war for global conquest and extermination. In order to avoid repeating the disasters of the past, it's best to study those calamities so we can learn to recognize the signs that fresh ones may be approaching. Only through education and vigilance can we prevent atrocities like those committed by the Third Reich."

He turned another page before continuing. "It's also one of the reasons I agreed to work with Preventers. If this government begins to turn down that dark path, I want to be in a position where I can act to stop it. I won't let this government become the same as the one I fought against."

Washu smiled. It was good to see that her handsome companion wasn't just another government lapdog. He wasn't loyal to politicians or institutions; he had the nerve and principle to do what he felt was right, even if it meant going against the powers that be. At this point, she honestly expected nothing less. More importantly, given the startling new information her scanning devices had provided her after his medical examination, Washu was convinced that the young man sitting next to her was born to be more than a mere agent of the state.

He definitely wasn't born to just keep the peace on a backwater planet like this, she mused, I can think of at least a few people in the Empire that would take more than a passing interest in him…

Ayeka didn't seem to share Washu's approval of Heero's willingness to go against his world's government. "But… did you not swear an oath of loyalty to your organization and the institution that it defends?"

"No," Heero replied casually, "Sally and Director Une knew that I would never have signed on if that kind of oath had been required. They appreciate my talents and trust my judgment; they know that if I've turned against them then the government's taken a very wrong turn somewhere, and they would act to address that. None of us are the type to blindly follow orders and ignore the larger picture. If our government becomes a threat to the peace and freedom of the people then we will act to set things right."

Ayeka looked down, appearing more than a little conflicted. "I… I see."

Poor girl, thought Washu, I can't say I'm too surprised, though. She's royalty, after all; unflinching loyalty and obedience to the crown is probably second nature to her. I doubt she can even begin to imagine why someone like Heero might feel compelled to revolt against his superiors…

In the end she simply shrugged. Whether Ayeka could ever understand that sort of ethical dilemma and the courage it took to go against the established order was really irrelevant. All that mattered to Washu was that Heero understood it and knew exactly how to handle it.

"Well," said Washu, "I hope it never comes to that."

Heero nodded. "As do I."

Letting him get back to his book, Washu took another sip of her wine. She continued to study the young man out of the corner of her eye. The more time she spent with him, the more intriguing he became, and that wasn't including the startling discovery she'd made back in her lab. She was becoming more and more convinced that it hadn't been a coincidence that Ryoko had dragged Heero into the cave where she had slumbered for centuries and had subsequently liberated her. For him to have encountered both her and her daughter, along with two members of Jurai's Royal Family and two officers of the Galaxy Police was something far more than the simple whims of Lady Luck. There was something much more powerful at work here. This boy, whether he realized it or not, had been touched by destiny long before the arrival of Ryoko and Ayeka.

I wonder, she silently mused, if this is your doing…

…Tsunami.

….

Ayeka smiled as the flight attendant took her empty meal tray away. "Oh, that was simply superb! Thank you very much, Sir Heero!"

"Don't thank me," Heero replied as he returned the folding table to its previous position and pulled out his book again, "Preventers is paying for all this, so thank Sally when we see her in Brussels."

Ayeka nodded. "I shall."

The accommodations of the aircraft she found herself about continued to amaze her. At what she had believed to be just before the halfway point of their flight the crew had handed out menus and taken orders for lunch. Ayeka had been impressed by the variety of choices that were available given their circumstances, and she had happily indulged in a meal consisting of salmon, rice, shrimp, and a roll on the side.

Oh, if only Sasami could have come along, she thought wistfully, I know that she would love every moment aboard this aircraft! Well, almost every moment; she does have difficulty sitting still for prolonged periods of time…

On the other side of Heero she saw Washu smirk. "If they're paying, we might as well run up a decent bill. I hope that's not the last meal they serve."

"There should be a smaller one a couple hours from now," said Heero, "By the time that comes around we shouldn't be too far from the capital."

"The service has been impeccable," said Ayeka, "I do hope we get the same carrier for our return flight."

Heero nodded. "If Preventers booked us through this company for the trip to Brussels, I imagine that they'll set things up with them again when it's time to head back. Our logistics and travel managers prefer to keep things simple."

Ayeka nodded. "I see. By the way, I meant to ask this earlier, but where shall we be staying during our time in the capital?"

"My place," Heero replied, "It'll be much easier to have the three of us there than to book us at a hotel. Besides, without the others it'll be much roomier."

Ayeka smiled again. "Excellent! I truly did enjoy the time we spent at your apartment; it'll be wonderful to reside there again, even if it's just for a week or so."

"It's that nice, eh?" said Washu, raising an eyebrow.

Ayeka nodded enthusiastically. "Oh, absolutely! The back balcony offers a superb view of the capital, and the interior is very nice."

Washu shrugged. "As long as it's got room for me to set up shop, that's all I care about."

"Just don't make any permanent changes," said Heero, "We're not staying long, after all."

Washu smiled. "Relax, Heero. I won't do anything that'll reduce the property value."

"That's comforting," he quipped dryly as he flipped a page in his book.

The conversation faded there, with Heero getting absorbed in his reading while Washu turned her attention back to the view out the window. For Ayeka, entertainment wasn't hard to find. She'd already watched one of the in-flight programs, and there were magazines tucked into slots built along the sides of the chairs that she could skim through as well. However, Ayeka wasn't interested in either of those options at the moment.

She continued to study Heero, although she was careful to do so discreetly. Their conversation from earlier regarding his book and his reasons for reading it hadn't faded from her mind in the hours since they'd spoken, and she had decidedly mixed feelings about it.

He studies the past to protect the future, she thought, I can certainly admire the sentiment, but this particular area, and Sir Heero's intentions regarding his own government… oh, I don't know how to handle this!

For a peacekeeping officer to go against the nation that he was meant to protect and serve was an alien concept to Ayeka. In the Empire of Jurai, the attitudes held toward such individuals were very clear; they were traitors. There was no room for negotiation on that matter. It didn't matter what they proclaimed their motives to be; if they went against the crown that they were sworn to serve, then nothing less than death was their lot, and it would be a well deserved end. Those who turned against their Emperor were deemed vile and unredeemable characters. They would go to their execution reviled as monsters without a shred of honor and dignity, and none would mourn their passing.

That was the attitude that was ingrained into Ayeka as the crown princess of the Empire, and yet she could not find it within herself to hold Heero in such contempt. She could tell that he had been completely sincere when he had spoken of his willingness to fight against his government should he feel that it had gone down the wrong path. It was not a task that he might undertake in the name of personal ambition and lust for power and glory, but a mission that he would impose upon himself because he truly believed it to be what was best for the people that he ultimately strove to protect. In taking an action that would be deemed inexcusable by her culture he would nonetheless retain his honor and nobility, of that Ayeka had no doubt. In her eyes he would remain a just and valiant young man, which jarred sharply with what she'd been raised to believe. Despite every instinct Ayeka had to the contrary, it was impossible for her to not find his motives admirable and worthy of praise rather than derision.

She was torn, to put it mildly. Her upbringing was at war with everything new that she had learned on this world in the presence of this unique young man. The ideals and norms ingrained into her by her native culture violently clashed with the affection and gratitude that she had towards her host and it was the latter that had the edge. He was no rogue, scoundrel or villain, although the Empire would certainly consider him to be one if he acted on what he considered his duty to do what was right even if it meant turning against his masters. Although he lacked the title, in Ayeka's eyes Heero was truly a knight in every way that counted.

How strange, she mused, to find such quality in one whom Jurai would consider a mere commoner. I've met lords and ladies who were not worthy of their inherited titles and never would be, but out here in the galactic backwoods I've found a young man who could put distinguished knights to shame.

The contradictions that surrounded him made Ayeka all the more curious as to what Heero's background truly was. He'd refused to go into meaningful detail beyond the fact that he was once part of his world's colonial rebellion and yet now served the reigning government. She could only begin to imagine what the real story behind it all was, and she found herself desperate for any scrap of information in order to give herself some real context to place the incredible young man into.

Perhaps the time they would be spending together in the capital might give her the opportunity to learn more about him? While Ayeka had initially viewed it as simply a chance to get closer to Heero and turn his affections towards her, this trip also presented the possibility of her discovering key details about his mysterious past and how it had shaped him into the man he now was. She had an opportunity to uncover secrets about Heero that could give her a vital advantage over Ryoko in the battle for his heart, and she would be a fool to waste it.

….

"So this is your old pad, eh?" said Washu, "Not bad."

"Thanks," Heero replied as he shut the door behind them.

Ayeka smiled. "It's good to be back here. I really did miss this place, even if it started to get a little crowded."

Heero actually had missed it too. It wasn't like him to get sentimental over something like a residence, but this apartment had really been his first semi-permanent residence. He hadn't exactly been torn up over relocating to the countryside house in Japan, but it was nice to be back in his old abode, even if it would only be for a little while.

It was actually only late afternoon, and Heero had been mildly surprised when they'd met Sally at the airport and she'd given them a ride straight to his apartment. He'd assumed that his superiors would've wanted him to take Ayeka and Washu straight to Lake Genval, but Sally had told him that investigating Ryu-Oh's tree could wait until tomorrow. Heero certainly wouldn't complain about that. While there had been plenty of advances in jet airliner technology over the years, that didn't change the fact that the flight had still been a long one, and Heero definitely welcomed the chance to rest and recuperate before heading out to the crash site. Before leaving Sally had given him the keys to a black sedan that was parked in the apartment's underground lot; he'd be using that to take Ayeka and Washu to the crash site the next day.

"Ayeka," said Heero, "the room you used before should be ready for you and Washu."

"Save it," Washu replied, nodding at the living room, "I'll just camp on the couch."

"Are you sure?" asked Heero.

Washu nodded. "I'll be fine."

"Well," said Ayeka, "it will be nice to have the room to myself. Sir Heero, I don't suppose there is still food here for us to eat, is there?"

Heero shook his head. "When we moved to the new place I asked Sally to have a crew clean out the apartment so nothing would spoil. We'll have to order out for dinner tonight. I know a place we can stop by for a quick breakfast tomorrow morning before we head to the crash site. Once we're done at the lake we can do a shopping trip and stock up on food for the rest of our stay."

A few minutes later he had unpacked his bag and was back in the living room. Ayeka had done the same, while Washu was idly exploring the apartment. Pulling out his smart phone, Heero called a local pizza company, placed an order, and then turned on the television to pass the time until the food got there.

"Sir Heero," said Ayeka nervously, "when Lady Sally spoke to you regarding Ryu-Oh's Royal Tree breaching the surface of the lake, did she say whether or not it had caused… difficulties for your organization?"

Heero shook his head. "We've had Lake Genval under watch ever since the crash, and have kept people away from your ship. It's caused some irritation with the locals, but nothing that Preventers can't handle."

Ayeka smiled. "I'm glad to hear that."

They spent a few minutes watching the news before Washu joined them. "So, when are we checking out Ryu-Oh?"

"Pretty early tomorrow morning," said Heero, "So go to bed early tonight."

Washu nodded. "Got it."

"How long do you think we'll be spending at the lake tomorrow?" asked Ayeka.

Heero shrugged. "I really couldn't say. Sally didn't give me a timetable, so it could be a long day."

"I hope they've got food over there," said Washu.

"There should be a command post set up on the shore," said Heero, "If they're following protocol then they should have food and drink on site. Otherwise, a staff member will probably be sent out at some point to pick up lunch, and maybe dinner depending on how late we're out there."

"It sounds like an efficient system," Ayeka commented.

"It's a pretty basic setup," Heero replied, "but it's flexible and works for most situations. This isn't a crisis scenario, which means things will actually be pretty relaxed on site. At most security personnel will just be working to keep any prying eyes from the media or curious citizens away."

Washu nodded. "Probably for the best. Most people on your planet aren't anywhere near ready for contact with life from beyond this system. You're one of the rare exceptions, Heero."

Heero shrugged. "Whether the people are ready for that kind of knowledge or not isn't my place to say. I've always adapted to survive, so adjusting to you and the others hasn't been that big of a challenge for me."

Ayeka smiled. "Your flexibility in the face of unfamiliar circumstances serves you well, Sir Heero. I'm most grateful that it was you who I first encountered when I arrived on this planet. I doubt anyone else would've handled the situation nearly as well as you did."

Heero couldn't help but smirk as he recalled that fateful day. "I don't know. I did shoot at you when we first met, after all."

"Well, given the circumstances, I've never held that against you!" Ayeka quickly replied, "After all, I did shoot at you as well in that encounter. I do wish that we had met under better conditions, but it all worked out well in the end, didn't it?"

Washu raised an eyebrow. "Huh. I never thought I'd hear you be so flexible over something like that."

"Sir Heero was doing his duty and defending his world when Ryoko and I stumbled into this system," said Ayeka, "I harbor no ill will towards him for that. We all survived the encounter, and that is what matters."

Heero nodded. "You're right."

"I do wish that my ship hadn't crashed and suffered such extensive damage," Ayeka continued, "but she's been healing nicely, and I'll get to check up on it tomorrow. I do hope that Sasami's vessel is doing all right. Will we be inspecting hers at all while we're here?"

"I'm not sure," said Heero, "From what Sally told me it sounds like we'll just be focusing on yours. You can ask her tomorrow when we head out to the crash site."

"What I'd like to see," said Washu with a smile, "is the place your organization calls home. Any chance of us swinging by Preventers HQ while we're here, Heero?"

Heero shook his head. "I don't see why we would need to go there. The reason we're here is at the lake, not at HQ. If Director Une or Sally wants us to go there then they'll tell us."

Washu sighed. "Fine. I'll just have to find some other way to amuse myself."

"Knowing you, I'm sure you won't have a problem with that," muttered Ayeka.

Washu's eyes narrowed. "You trying to say something, Ayeka?"

Ayeka's face paled. "Oh, no, nothing at all! It's just your imagination!"

Heero couldn't help but feel slightly amused by the exchange. If there was anyone that seemed to be able to inspire fear in Ayeka or Ryoko, it was Washu. The memory of their initial meeting and the 'frog incident' always seemed to be lingering at the back of their minds. As far as Heero was concerned, it was good to see that for all of the power Ayeka and Ryoko possessed there was still someone out there who could trump them, or at least intimidate them. Of course, he would rather avoid a repeat of the 'frog incident' altogether; who knew what it would take to convince Washu to change them back to their original forms if it happened again? He hoped he wouldn't have to find the answer the hard way.

The talent that Washu had displayed so far, combined with the reaction Kiyone had had when she had first realized Heero was sheltering her, did raise some serious questions. Heero had done his best to find answers for them during his one-on-one interview with Washu, but the knowledge he had won had plenty of gaps in it. At the heart of the matter was one overarching concern; why had she been confined and exiled in the first place? What had she done that had warranted that sort of sentence? Had she made a discovery that threatened the ruling powers in the galaxy, or had she constructed something that had terrified them and pushed them to extreme action? The possibilities were endless, and Heero was all too aware that the answer could potentially have consequences for Earth. However, he doubted Washu would be forthcoming about the real reasons behind her imprisonment and exile anytime soon.

As long as she continues to cooperate, he thought, nothing else matters. If we get through this trip without a major incident then I'll consider it a success.

Of course, it's never that easy whenever these ladies are involved…

….

November 3rd, A.C. 198

"We're here," said Heero as he parked the car and turned off the engine.

In the passenger seat next to him, Ayeka smiled. They'd gotten up early, just like he'd said that they would, but she wasn't tired in the least. She imagined that their breakfast had something to do with it; Heero had taken them to some place called a 'pancake house', and the food there had been absolutely superb. Thanks to that Ayeka was in a good mood and ready to tackle whatever the day threw at her.

"All right!" said Washu from the back seat, sounding rather excited, "Let's get to it!"

Following Heero's lead, Ayeka and Washu exited the car and headed towards a group of what appeared to be a few dozen people. They had set up shop next to a series of docks where a few small boats were docked. A cluster of portable awnings had been set up, and beneath them were tables, folding chairs, and what to Ayeka's eyes appeared to be computers and other scientific equipment. A woman detached herself from the crowd, and Ayeka immediately recognized her.

"Lady Sally!" she said, "It's good to see you again!"

"Thanks," Sally replied with a smile, "You're looking well, Ayeka. Very professional."

Ayeka had Heero to thank for that. She was actually wearing what was considered on his world to be business attire. The outfit was a crisp, dark grey pants suit that Heero had actually bought for her back while they were still residing in the capital, but she had never had the occasion to actually wear it. Washu wore a similar outfit, although in her case she had actually fabricated it overnight while Heero and Ayeka had been asleep. The two of them hadn't even bothered to ask how Washu had created it; they didn't need to hear more bragging about how she was 'the greatest scientific genius in the universe.' As for Heero, he was just wearing his Preventers jacket over his usual attire.

Ayeka bowed. "Thank you. Sasami sends her regards; she wishes that she could've come out here to visit you."

Sally nodded. "Sorry about that. For security's sake, we wanted your group to be kept as small as possible."

Ayeka shook her head. "Oh, it's not trouble; I understand completely. Your organization did a superb job with our travel arrangements, so I have no complaints."

Washu smirked. "I'm surprised you wanted me included with the group. You guys must really be desperate!"

Sally sighed. "Well, I can't argue with that. The truth is, all of this is far beyond anything we've ever seen before. It's just one surprise after another when it comes to your ship, Ayeka."

"Can we see it for ourselves?" asked Heero.

"Of course," said Sally, "A boat's already been prepped. Come with me."

The three of them followed her towards the docks. As they walked through the operations area Ayeka was keenly aware of the assembled scientists, aides, and security guards watching her and Washu. She felt a little uncomfortable at being the subject of such scrutiny and picked up her pace a little as a result.

Sally seemed to pick up on her discomfort. "Sorry about this. They all knew that what crashed here wasn't from this world, but they weren't really told what to expect regarding you or Washu."

Ayeka shook her head. "Oh, no, it's fine. As a member of Jurai's Royal Family, I'm used to drawing the attention of others."

Washu shrugged. "I don't care what they think of me. I'm just here to check out Ryu-Oh."

Sally smiled. "You'll get your chance shortly."

A few minutes later they were at the dock. Ayeka saw an inflatable boat with an outboard motor attached to it waiting for them. There was a tube-like device sitting in the middle of it, along with a small monitor, but otherwise it was empty. She felt a little nervous as she looked at the craft; was this thing really a safe mode of transportation?

Sally hopped down into the craft without hesitation and took up position by the motor. "Come on; get in."

Washu smiled. "Wow. This thing's so primitive it's practically a novelty. I'm game!"

She entered the craft, and was followed by Heero. He then turned and held his hand out to her.

"Come on," he said, "It's safe, I promise."

Ayeka nodded and smiled. "All right."

She reached out and carefully took his hand. His grip was strong but surprisingly gentle, and as he pulled her forward he put his free hand on her waste to steady her as she came into the boat. Even so, she couldn't entire keep her balance; the floor of the boat seemed depressed as her feet touched it, and she slipped forward. Her face went right into Heero's chest, but thanks to him she didn't completely fall over.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

She looked up at him and felt a surge of heat rush to her head; her face was mere centimeters from his. "Oh… yes. Thank you, Sir Heero!"

What has gotten into me?, she thought as she tried to regain her composure, What is it about this young man that makes me so bashful? Sir Heero…

He sat down on the edge of the boat and patted the spot next to him. "Here; I'll make sure you don't fall in."

"Very well, then," she replied.

As Sally fired up the motor Ayeka carefully sat down next to Heero. It felt very unnerving to have nothing behind her back should she lose her balance, but her fears were soon put to rest as Heero put his arm around her. Ayeka couldn't help but blush, and Heero was quick to notice.

"Is something wrong?" he asked.

Ayeka smiled, her face only growing redder at his attention. "Oh, no, not at all!"

Washu chuckled, and Ayeka could've sworn she heard her mutter under her breath. "No kidding"

"All right," said Sally as she untied the boat and pushed off from the dock, "Let's go!"

The craft got underway with surprising speed, and for a moment Ayeka feared that she would fall into the lake despite her guardian's efforts. Her apprehensions were misplaced, though; Heero's hold on her remained steady even as the boat raced towards their objective. The thought of how Ryoko might react if she could see Ayeka and Heero now flashed through her mind, and the image of jealousy and impotent fury on the pirate's face was quite pleasing.

Perhaps this is not my preferred way to get some quality time with Sir Heero, she thought as drops of water sprayed up at her, but I could certainly do worse.

It only took a couple minutes before Ayeka could spot their destination. Peaking up through the surface of the lake like a hand grasping for a lifeline was the Royal Tree that was the core of Ryu-Oh. It was rather slender, but Ayeka knew that this was only the uppermost part of the tree, and the handful of branches and leaves sprouting on it were a sign of things to come.

Sally slowed the boat down until they were floating just a few meters from the tree. "We still can't figure out how it managed to grow until it breached the surface. Do you two have any ideas?"

Ayeka nodded. "Royal Trees are remarkably resilient. When deprived of direct sunlight they can take in light from other sources. The light that filtered down through the water would likely have sufficed, although that is not an ideal source. The tree would've focused on drawing as much nutrients from the lakebed and the water as possible in order to boost its growth, racing to the surface as quickly as possible in order to give itself a better source of light."

"She's right," said Washu, "The fact that this is a fresh water lake is a plus; it makes it much easier for the tree to gather nutrients. If this were salt water then the tree's growth would be severely hampered. In fact, I'm not sure if there's a recorded case of one actually surviving in those kinds of conditions. They're quite hardy, but they do have their limits."

"All right," said Sally, "So, how does this one look? Is it healthy?"

Ayeka nodded and smiled. "Quite so. The leaves sprouting like this are definitely a good sign. Ryu-Oh will continue to grow for quite some time to come, but this is remarkably good progress."

"It'll only get more and more visible," said Washu, "It's going to be impossible to hide it from people."

Sally sighed. "I was afraid that you would say that. Oh, well; the Director and I will figure out some way to deal with that."

"Lady Sally," said Ayeka nervously, "will any of those potential measures involve harm to Ryu-Oh?"

Sally shook her head. "No, not at all. The Director figured that you would want the tree to remain intact, and we'll do all we can to ensure that it stays safe and healthy. You have my word on that."

Ayeka breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you."

"However," said Sally, "I do believe that we'll have to move it eventually. After all, you said that this is part of Ryu-Oh's recovery process, right? That means it will become a ship sooner or later. That's definitely something we can't just leave sitting out in the open."

Ayeka nodded. "Of course. However, I'm afraid you misunderstand the nature of Juraian Royal Tree Ships. It is true that the tree is the heart of the vessel, but it does not just naturally grow to the point that it becomes a ship. For that final stage to occur requires a team of Juraian craftsmen in order to rebuild the hull and properly integrate the tree with the rest of the vessel. If left here to its own devices the tree will continue to grow, but in order for it to become an actual vessel it needs outside help."

"So," said Sally, her eyes narrowing, "may I assume that at some point you'll be contacting the Empire to request such a team be sent out here?"

Ayeka smiled. "Well, if such a thing would be possible to arrange in cooperation with your government, yes."

Sally sighed. "I'm not sure how Director Une will take that."

"Oh, it won't be anytime soon!" said Ayeka, rushing to reassure her, "It'll be a good long while before Ryu-Oh is ready for that. When the time comes, I will be sure to consult with you so we can create a satisfactory plan that will not inconvenience you or your government too much."

Washu rolled her eyes. "You can try all you want, but the Empire's always an inconvenience to whatever part of the galaxy it sticks its nose into. Earth will be no exception."

Sally shrugged. "Well, we'll just have to deal with that when the time comes. If Ayeka's still here when that happens I imagine that'll help out a bit."

Ayeka nodded. "Oh, absolutely! I would be more than happy to act as a liaison between our two governments should the need arise, Lady Sally."

Sally smiled. "Thanks. It always helps to have a friend that's close to the top of a foreign power. I'm sure that Director Une would appreciate the sentiment."

"Sally," Heero cut in, "do you still need us out here? I'm not sure what more we're going to accomplish."

Sally turned to Ayeka. "Is there anything else that you can tell me about Ryu-Oh?"

Ayeka shook her head. "As of right now, I'm afraid not. My knowledge of the inner workings of Jurai's Royal Trees is not comprehensive."

Sally nodded before turning to Washu. "What about you?"

Washu's brow narrowed in thought. "Well, I'd like some more time to observe Ryu-Oh and gather data samples of my own. I also want to examine the data that you've acquired so far."

"Of course," Sally replied, "We were planning on having you out here for at least a few days, so you'll have plenty of time to go over the material we've gathered so far. I'll take us back to shore and introduce you to our research team."

"What about Ayeka and I?" asked Heero.

Sally smiled. "Well, the way I see it, the two of you are on vacation now. I can arrange for separate transportation to get Washu back to your apartment later, so if you and Ayeka want to head off and relax for a while I've got no problem with it."

Ayeka was practically beaming as she turned to Heero. "Oh, that's wonderful! Sir Heero, if it's all right with you, I would love the chance to explore more of your capital city with you!"

Heero nodded. "That's fine. It sounds like we'll have plenty of time for that over the next few days."

"It's settled, then," said Sally as she started up the boat's motor again and turned them back towards the shore, "Let's go."

Ayeka smiled the whole way back, leaning into Heero as he kept his arm around her to prevent her from falling into the water. How lucky had she just gotten? Now she would have Heero entirely to herself while Washu studied Ryu-Oh. She couldn't have asked for a better opening to get closer to him.

Just watch, Sir Heero, she thought as they headed towards the shore, I'll show you that I can understand you better than Ryoko ever could. She's too selfish to be worthy of your affection! I, on the other hand, possess the compassion and wisdom that a man such as yourself truly deserves!

….

"Well," said Heero as he shut off the car, "this is our first stop."

Looking over at his passenger, he saw Ayeka's eyes widen as she saw their destination. "Most impressive! So this is the home of your government's ruling body?"

Heero nodded as he opened the door. "Come on, I'll give you a tour."

They had parked in the government employees' lot for the ESUN's Parliament Building. The structure's size and design was truly fitting of its designation as the house of the legislative body that governed the Earth Sphere. It was built in the popular style of government buildings, with a marble exterior and ornate neo-classical columns adorning the main entrance. A large dome dominated the center of the structure, with annexes branching off from all sides in a sprawling complex designed to house all the support staff for the representatives that made up the legislature. The sheer scale of the building was imposing to say the least; it was larger than the capital's main soccer stadium, and that was a coliseum capable of seating well in excess of one hundred fifty thousand screaming fans.

"Is it really all right for the two of us to just walk in there like this?" asked Ayeka as they approached the broad stairs that led up to the main entrance, "I'd hate to be the cause of any disruption of governing affairs."

Heero shook his head. "It'll be fine. The representatives won't even notice us."

"And what of your chief executive?" asked Ayeka, "I believe his title is… President, yes?"

"That's correct," Heero replied, "He's actually not even in the capital today; he's attending a trade and development summit being hosted up in the L1 colony cluster."

Ayeka nodded. "I see. I must admit, I would like to visit one of your orbital colonies someday… if it's not an imposition to you, of course!"

"We'll see," said Heero cautiously, "Making those kind of travel arrangements would be a little more complicated than what was required to get us to the capital. I don't know if Director Une would be willing to back something like that."

Ayeka smiled. "I understand. While I would be most grateful for the chance to tour one of your colonies with you, I have no desire to cause trouble for either yourself or your superiors. There is more than enough down here on the surface of your world for me to experience with you."

Heero nodded. "I appreciate your willingness to cooperate like this. I'm sure you weren't nearly as constrained back in the Empire, so I am grateful that you've been so accepting of the limitations we've had you and your sister under."

"Oh, it's quite all right," Ayeka replied, "Actually, you've been quite accommodating to Sasami and I considering all the trouble our arrival on your planet has caused you and your superiors. Perhaps our freedom of movement was greater back in Jurai, but if accepting some restraints means that my sister and I can remain in your company then I am more than willing to make that sacrifice!"

"Thanks," said Heero, "Well, are you ready?"

Ayeka nodded. "Lead on, Sir Heero."

They passed by the front columns and went through the entrance a few seconds later. The first thing they were confronted with was the security checkpoint. There was a line of people waiting to get through the scanners, but Heero just flagged down a guard and showed him his Preventers identification. That was all it took to get him and Ayeka expedited through the checkpoint, and a few minutes later he had his companion set up with a guest pass.

"That went well," said Ayeka with a smile, "For a moment I feared we would be stuck with the rest of the crowd there for a while."

"Well, you're with me," said Heero, "and since I'm employed by Preventers I have special privileges. One of the most convenient ones is my security clearance; it's good for getting past cumbersome hurdles like those checkpoints."

"Indeed," said Ayeka, "So, where shall we go next?"

"Parliament should be in session right now," Heero replied, "Do you want to observe from the gallery?"

Ayeka's eyes widened. "You can't be serious! Do you mean that your governing legislature just lets people watch it handle affairs of state like some sort of public spectacle?"

"It's not quite like that," said Heero, "Come on, I'll show you."

He led her down the main corridor for a little ways until they came to a row of elevators. The two of them waited for a few seconds for one to arrive, and then Heero had it take them up three floors. Once they arrived he led Ayeka through a series of hallways until they reached one of several open observation boxes that were spaced around the central chamber that housed Parliament.

"Right this way," he said as he held the door open for her.

Ayeka gasped as she stepped inside. "Oh, my…"

It was hard to blame her; the view was pretty impressive. The observation box was well positioned to give the audience it contained a clear view of the entire ESUN Parliament. There were several descending rows of chairs, each well furnished and quite comfortable. Out beyond the railing the chamber opened up into a grand vista. Since the Parliament was composed of both representatives from regions on Earth as well as the colonies one would naturally imagine a rather expansive meeting area for them, but Heero knew that anyone visiting for the first time would still be struck by what they saw here.

The central part of the circular chamber that housed all the delegates and their aides when Parliament was in session was absolutely enormous. A full soccer field could've been laid out in the middle with plenty of room to spare. At the far end was the upraised stand where VIP speakers such as the President could address the assembled body, and draped upon the wall as a backdrop was the flag of the ESUN. The banner consisted of a dark red field with a wreath-enclosed golden disc containing two concentric circles bisected by an X, representing the planet as viewed from above either the North or the South Pole. Smaller stands flanked the side of the VIP podium where aides or other dignitaries and notaries would position themselves while the main speaker addressed the legislative body. Laid out before the upraised stand were scores of curved rows of desks and chairs where the assembled representatives and their immediate support staff sat, with aisles carved out like spokes on a bike wheel so individuals could move to the center of the chamber.

"Quite the view, isn't it?" asked Heero as he joined Ayeka by the railing.

Ayeka nodded. "Indeed. Very lively too, by the looks of it."

Heero couldn't argue with that. The entire Parliament was in attendance, which meant that an almost constant thrum of human activity was occurring just below them. Representatives were huddling with their colleagues and staff in clusters; no single speaker currently held the floor.

"What's on the legislative agenda for today?" asked Ayeka.

Pulling out his smart phone, Heero went to the ESUN's public website and went to Parliament's subsection. "There are a few infrastructure bills that are supposed to be voted on in a little while. Looks like they mostly have to do with expanding the solar power grid in the Middle East and Southeast Asia. Nothing controversial; they'll pass easily. After that they'll be discussing an increase in funding for education and agricultural development in central Africa, along with the associated taxes to help pay for it. There shouldn't be any trouble there either. Overall, it looks like a pretty average day for the assembly. Sorry there's nothing exciting on the agenda."

Ayeka smiled and shook her head. "Oh, it's quite all right! I'm honored just to be here with you, Sir Heero. It truly is a privilege to be able to witness your government at work, even if it is just regarding mundane issues. That does bring me back to my earlier question, though; does your government truly just allow anyone to walk in like we did and witness their proceedings?"

"It's not quite like that," Heero replied, "Our government does operate on the principle of offering the people as much transparency as is reasonably possible, but there are limits. You and I got in here so easily because of my security clearance; were it not for that, we'd probably still be stuck in that line back at the entrance. The staff here do arrange for public tours. Most of the time they're made up of tourists visiting the capital or students on field trips. Security for setting events like those up is rather stringent. To compensate, there are public broadcast networks that are devoted to showcasing Parliament's day-to-day proceedings for those who wish to follow them. More often than not, observation boxes like the one we're in now are typically occupied by members of the press or people invited here by individual representatives."

Ayeka nodded. "I see. I presume that there are legislative proceedings that are not available for public consumption, yes?"

"You're correct," said Heero, "although that's usually only for committee meetings that involve sensitive matters such as security."

"Would my sister and I fall under that category?" asked Ayeka, "You and your organization have already gone to considerable lengths to keep our arrival here a secret, so I must imagine that we don't exactly come up on the legislative agenda."

Heero nodded. "You're right about that. To tell you the truth, not a single member of Parliament knows about you, Sasami, or any of the others. The list of individuals in the know includes the President, a few members of his Cabinet, and Preventers personnel that are directly involved with you, such as myself and Sally. Director Une and the President are both well aware of the potential problems that could arise if your existence were revealed to the public, so they've been extremely careful about keeping that information compartmentalized."

"While I can appreciate the necessity of maintaining a veil of secrecy over me," said Ayeka, "I do find it striking that none of the members of your elected legislature are aware of the existence of myself or the others. Far be it from me to question the methods of Director Une, but… is this truly the right way to handle my situation? If your Parliament truly represents the people of your world, should not at least one of them be made aware of my existence? Obviously I would not want them to spread that knowledge around if it would be of ill consequence to you, but is leaving the entirety of the legislature in the dark on this matter really in keeping with the principles of your government?"

Heero shrugged. "You're asking the wrong guy. It's enough for me that this arrangement keeps the peace and ensures the safety of you and the others. Anything beyond that's not my concern."

"I understand," Ayeka replied.

He watched her study the politicians below for a few minutes before she turned to him again. "Your system of governance… it's a multi-party democracy, yes?"

Heero nodded. "That's correct. I'm assuming there are no political parties in the Empire, right?"

"Quite correct," said Ayeka, "Groups of nobles may form unofficial factions depending on their interests, but none have founded an actual party, and there are certainly no such institutions among the common people. Political parties are outlawed in the Empire; they're viewed as a divisive and destructive force."

"Sometimes I feel that way myself," said Heero, "but they do serve a purpose. They're part of the means through which regular people can express their will in our government. By forming political parties people can achieve more in a representative democracy because it makes it easier to act as a group and coordinate an agenda. In a vibrant multi-party system like ours almost anyone can find a party that reflects what they believe in, at least to an extent, and they can vote for representatives that they believe will serve their interests as one of their constituents."

"Is there currently a dominant party?" asked Ayeka.

Heero nodded. "The group with the current majority in Parliament is the Earth Sphere Democratic Unity Party. The President is also a member of the party."

"I see," said Ayeka, "How long have they been in power?"

"Since the revival of the multi-party system following the end of the old regime," said Heero, "Their policies have centered on their commitment to the new democratic order and peaceful unity between Earth and the colonies. They've put a great deal of effort into reconstruction and development projects designed to help the world heal the wounds caused by the prior conflicts, which has made them very popular with the working class and those who were victims of the brutality and repressiveness of the old regime. They're also dedicated to promoting equality between the people of Earth and the colonies, so they have broad support throughout the Earth Sphere."

"Do you support them, Sir Heero?" Ayeka asked cautiously.

"I'm not an official member," Heero replied, "I actually haven't registered with any political party, and have no intention of doing so. That being said, I do favor most of their policies. I believe that under their leadership the Earth Sphere has a chance to truly move forward and make amends for the crimes and mistakes of the past."

"Are… are there any past actions in particular that you wish for them to address?" she inquired tentatively.

Heero studied his companion carefully. Why was she so hesitant now? Was she really trying to learn about his world's politics and history, or was she after something else? Ayeka might not act as devious or mischievous as Ryoko, but Heero knew that she was still a very intelligent woman, and there was the real possibility of ulterior motives behind her line of questioning.

After a moment he nodded. "Yes… the ones that led to people like me taking up arms against the old order. The colonies suffered extensively under the exploitation and repression of the United Earth Sphere Alliance. There are still plenty of unhealed wounds from that time period. Forced labor, crushed workers' rights, brutal suppression of protestors, assassinating dissidents; the people of the colonies have plenty of reasons to distrust any Earth-based government. If there is to be lasting peace between Earth and the colonies, then the people who reside up in space need to have a real and meaningful say in how this world is governed. They also need the resources to help the colonies recover after so many years of being used as just another source of labor and capital by the rulers on Earth."

Ayeka nodded, and she looked quite somber. "I understand… no, forgive me; I shouldn't say that. I was born into a position of great status and wealth, so I could never understand what it would feel like to live under an iron-fisted regime like the one you're describing. That you are willing to serve another Earth-based government after what the prior one did to the colonies that you lived in speaks very highly of your character, Sir Heero. I hope that the current administration understands how truly fortunate it is to have you in their employ, and that they do everything within their power to reconcile with your colonies and grant them the equality and justice that they deserve. That is the very least that they can do to show their gratitude for your service."

"Ayeka…" he said softly, his eyes widening ever so slightly; where was this coming from?

He was already feeling a bit off balance, but she surprised him still further by reaching over and gently grabbing his hand. "Sir Heero, if there is anything that I can do to aid your world in healing the scars from the war that you endured, you need only to ask. I would consider it a great honor to play a role in helping both your planet and your colonies move forward into a future of peaceful cooperation and friendship, especially if it would save you from having to suffer through another conflict."

Heero couldn't help but smile ever so slightly. "I appreciate that, although I'm not sure how Sally or Director Une would take it. They'd prefer that you maintain a low profile while you're here."

"Of course," said Ayeka, "and I am more than willing to go along with their desires for the sake of peace and security in your world. However, I do not wish to simply sit idle here and enjoy the luxuries provided by your organization. I would like to find some way to return the great courtesy that you and the rest of Preventers have shown me. I am sure that if I spoke with father and mother something could be arranged. The Empire is vast and powerful, but it does not have to act publicly to exert its will. If contact could be made behind the scenes between an Imperial envoy and representatives of your government then I am confident that some form of compensation for your services can be provided."

Heero shook his head. "That's not necessary, Ayeka. I'm not doing this for a reward, and neither is my organization."

Ayeka smiled. "I'm well aware of that, but the offer stands regardless. I for one refuse to give the impression that my house, holders of the throne since the founding of the Empire of Jurai, is incapable of gratitude or recognizing when a debt is owed. As crown princess of Jurai, I will do all in my power to make sure that my government knows of the kindness and hospitality that you have demonstrated since my arrival here. The Royal Family will not forget the service that you have rendered us, and should the time come that you ever require our aid, know that I personally will lobby my father and mother to make sure that our debt to you is repaid."

Heero chuckled. "That might be hard to arrange. My world lacks the technology to efficiently communicate across the vast distances between star systems. We'd have no way to contact the Empire even if we wanted to."

"I would be more than happy to see that samples of Juraian communications technology are provided to establish such a link between our societies," Ayeka countered, "It would be no trouble at all, of that I can assure you."

Heero nodded. "You should talk to Sally about that. I can't see her or Director Une refusing that kind of an offer."

"I'd be more than happy to approach them with such a proposal," Ayeka replied, "You need only to ask, and it shall be done, Sir Heero."

"I'll keep that in mind," he said as he stood up, "Well, I think we've spent enough time here. Do you want to tour the rest of the complex?"

Ayeka smiled as she rose next to him. "Lead on, Sir Heero."

….

November 4th, A.C. 198

Taking a swig of her beer, Ryoko leaned back on the couch and groaned. "Ah, man, this freaking sucks! Why the hell do I gotta be stuck back here? It's not fair!"

Over in the kitchen, Kiyone rolled her eyes. "So you keep saying. How long are you going to keep whining about it? They've only been gone about two days."

"Come on, Ryoko!" chirped Mihoshi, sounding entirely too cheerful for Ryoko's liking, "It's not really that bad! It's kind of fun having the place to ourselves like this!"

"Says you, airhead," grumbled Ryoko, "You don't have a care in the world, do you?"

"Ryoko, be nice," Sasami chided as she helped Kiyone make lunch, "You really shouldn't complain so much. This is for the best, so we might as well try to make the most of it. Heero did say that he'd bring us back some souvenirs, so it's not like he's forgotten about us."

"He's likely forgotten about us," said Azaka with a mechanical sigh, "I did not hear him say that he would bring souvenirs back for you and I, Kamidake."

"Indeed," said Kamidake, "Sometimes I wonder if anyone remembers that the two of us live here as well."

"Can it before I turn you two into firewood," growled Ryoko.

"Lay off the guardians," said Kiyone, "It's not their fault that you've been in a crappy mood since Heero and the others left."

"Meow!" cried Ryo-Ohki from her perch on the table, nodding in agreement.

Downing more of her beer, Ryoko glared back at the cop. "Well, what do you expect? Ayeka's got Heero all to herself for who knows how long!"

"No, she doesn't," said Mihoshi, "Washu's with them!"

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" Ryoko quipped, "It really doesn't, Mihoshi!"

Not even alcohol has managed to help improve Ryoko's spirits ever since Heero, Ayeka, and Washu had departed two days ago for the capital. She'd been moody and foul from the moment the trio had gone out the door, and the efforts of Sasami, Mihoshi, and Kiyone to brighten her up had just made things worse. How could they expect her to be cheerful when at this very moment her rival was halfway across the world and had complete freedom to work her charms on Heero?

Damn you, Ayeka, she silently fumed, I swear, I'm going to get back at you for this!

Ryoko hated how worked up she'd gotten over this, but she just couldn't help herself. She thought that she wasn't the type to get all hung up over one guy, but that had been before she'd met Heero. All this time she'd been trying to get him wrapped around her finger, and yet Ryoko found that it was instead she who was getting flustered and hot under the collar. Heero was a natural at playing hard to get, and in fact Ryoko was sure that he was doing so completely unconsciously. Whether the young man was aware of it or not, he had a hold on Ryoko's heart like no other guy before him. The more tantalizing and cryptic clues he offered about himself, the deeper Ryoko wanted to dig and find out just what really made him tick.

She'd felt that she'd been making progress, especially in light of how he'd been willing to take on Nagi to protect her. He clearly felt something for her; Ryoko had a hard time buying the idea that he kept standing up for her just because he felt like it was his job. He'd been more understanding with her and willing to learn more about her than any other guy before, and Ryoko had wanted to return the favor in her own way. However, now all the progress that she'd made was under threat thanks to Ayeka, and there was nothing that she could do about it. She was sorely tempted to take Ryo-Ohki and fly straight to the capital, and the only thing that was stopping her was the knowledge that a flight like that would cause no end of headaches for Heero once his superiors learned of it.

Damn it, Heero, she thought, This is what you do to me! I wouldn't give a damn about the consequences of a public flight with Ryo-Ohki normally, but with you… damn it!

She slammed her fist against the table, crimson sparks of energy dancing around her fist. "Aaagh, son of a bitch! I swear, when Ayeka gets back here I'm going to make her spill the beans on every dirty trick she pulled when she was with Heero!"

"Sounds like someone's jealous," said Kiyone, "You know, for how much you and Ayeka fight, you two have at least that much in common."

"Screw that!" Ryoko snapped, "I'm nothing like that stuck-up royal brat! I didn't get where I am today because of relying on powerful parents like she did!"

"No," Kiyone countered, "Just through overwhelming power that few are able to counter. Oh, wait; Ayeka has that going for her too. Besides, if Washu really is your mother, then in a way you did get this far in part because of a powerful parent."

"Don't tell me that you actually believe that psychotic quack!" cried Ryoko, "There's no way that she's my mother!"

"Now, now, Ryoko," chided Mihoshi, "Why would Washu lie about being your mother? It's not very nice to say things like that about her, you know?"

"She's right!" said Sasami, "You just need to spend more time with her, Ryoko! That's how mothers and daughters bond!"

Ryoko folded her arms. "Yeah, like that's going to happen."

"Meow!" whined Ryo-Ohki.

Ryoko scowled. "Oh, come on! Don't tell me that you're siding with them! I thought we were a team here!"

She heard Kiyone chuckle. "If your little furry partner thinks that we have a point, shouldn't you listen to her?"

"Shut up!" snapped Ryoko as she finished off her beer and stood up, "I'm going out. Being cooped up with you is a buzz-kill."

"Don't go too far!" called Sasami as she headed for the door, "Lunch will be ready soon!"

"What are you, my mom?" asked Ryoko with a roll of her eyes.

"No, silly," said Mihoshi, "That would be Washu!"

Ryoko could've torn her hair out in that moment. "God damn it, Mihoshi!"

She slammed the door behind her and stomped out towards the lake. She wasn't the type to go out and admire the scenery, but right now she just wanted to get away from her housemates before she killed one of them.

"How the hell did I get stuck living with these wackos?" she grumbled, "What did I do to deserve this?"

Having Heero around was really the only thing that made living in this crazy household worthwhile. His absence had disturbed the natural order, and if he didn't come back soon then Ryoko couldn't guarantee that the place would be left standing for much longer.

"Damn it, Heero," she groaned, looking longingly up at the sky, "You're not supposed to leave me here like this. If you stay away too long I don't know what I'm going to do! Get back here!"

Preferably before I murder someone…

….

November 6th, A.C. 198

"Oh, my goodness!" said Ayeka as Heero passed what appeared to be a stick with the top half engulfed by a pink fluffy substance, "What in the name of Tsunami is this?"

"It's called cotton candy," Heero replied, "I thought you might want to try some."

It was an assumption that was quite correct; Ayeka had seen several passersby holding the strange food and was curious about it, but she hadn't openly voiced a desire for it. She was impressed at how her guardian had picked up on that despite her not saying that she wanted to try the odd treat; it spoke highly of his observational abilities that he was able to discern what she wanted from strictly subconscious visual cues.

She took a hesitant bite and was nearly overwhelmed by the subsequent sweetness. This treat was absolutely divine!

"How do you like it?" asked Heero.

Ayeka grinned. "Oh, it's absolutely superb! I've never tasted anything like it!"

Heero nodded, apparently pleased by her enthusiastic reaction. "It's pretty popular, especially at venues like this."

The venue in question was the massive Unity Stadium, the primary sports arena within the capital. The coliseum was the heart of Brussels' entertainment hum, and while Ayeka had seen the arena from a distance during the time she'd spent living in the capital prior to the move to Japan she had never been inside. While Ayeka had attended a few sporting events before coming to Heero's world, they had always been in the role of crown princess of Jurai, and as thus there had always been certain ceremonial expectations of her. This was the first time she'd ever attended such an event as just another civilian, and it was quite an exciting experience.

They were currently in the middle of what Heero had called 'half-time', which Ayeka understood to be a momentary lull before the main event resumed. Said event was a sporting match of a game that Heero had called soccer. While Ayeka was not the most avid of sports fans and did not follow most physical contests in the Empire, it had been easy enough for her to follow along as Heero had described the rules and objectives of the game. The teams that were participating in today's exhibition match were from Germany and France, two different regions of the same continent that Brussels was on as well. Currently the score was tied, with both sides having scored two goals apiece.

The atmosphere within the stadium was absolutely electrifying. Ayeka had been amazed at the devotion that both teams' fans showed, and judging by the opposing uniforms worn and flags waved across the stadium it would seem that enthusiasts for both sides had shown up in equal numbers. It had gotten downright rowdy on more than one occasion, with a few of the more fanatical fans getting ejected from the stadium for brawling with their opposite number. Those incidents had primarily occurred in the rows closer to the field, but since Heero and Ayeka had seats in one of the upper sections they were at no risk of getting caught in the crossfire. Heero himself didn't seem to favor a particular team, and Ayeka suspected that he was actually more interested in her reaction to the sporting spectacle than the match itself. It was a rather touching sentiment and she was grateful that he wanted to make sure that she was enjoying herself, but that cut both ways; Ayeka would prefer for her guardian to be able to relax and be as much of a spectator to the match as she was.

"Shall we head back?" she asked.

"In a moment," said Heero as they stopped at another concession stand, "I just want to get us some drinks first. Do you want anything?"

Ayeka nodded. "Water will be fine, thank you."

A most considerate host, she thought with a smile as she watched him purchase their drinks, I could not ask for a better escort…

She certainly couldn't ask for a better sightseeing guide. Ayeka had thought that she'd seen most of Brussels during her initial stay in the city, but ever since their tour of the Parliament Building Heero had continued to show her locations in the capital that they had not visited prior to their move out to Japan. The venues had a decidedly more cultural taste to them than previous sites, consisting mainly of art and history museums, with this soccer match being the standout exception. Ayeka had to wonder if Heero was attempting to tailor the sites they visited to her and appeal to her background as a member of Jurai's Royal Family. She certainly had appreciated the chance to experience a taste of art from several different eras of Earth's history, and she felt that more than a few of the pieces she'd seen would not have looked out of place in a museum somewhere in the Empire. Brussels was a veritable hub of cultural diversity if one knew where to look, and Heero clearly possessed that knowledge. It was as if Ayeka was getting a glimpse of his entire world compacted down into the form of a single city, and the only thing that was missing was what she assumed to be the unique culture and characteristics of the colonies that orbited the planet.

It wasn't just cultural tourism that they'd indulged in; Heero had made good on his promise to those who had been left back in Japan by making sure to pick up souvenirs for each of them. Ayeka had taken great care in helping him to select the treats that they would bring back to Sasami; she wanted to make sure that her sister got to indulge her sweet tooth, but at the same time she didn't want her to take it too far. In the end she was satisfied with the goodies Heero had purchased for Sasami, and she was sure that her sister would greatly enjoy them.

"Here you go," said Heero, snapping her out of her thoughts as he passed her a bottle of water, "Let's get going; we've only got a couple minutes until the match starts back up."

"Right behind you, Sir Heero," she replied.

They made their way through the hall and back into the main arena. Proceeding up the stairs, they quickly made it to their seats and settled in. Ayeka could already see the players from both sides emerging from the locker rooms; it would not be long before the match resumed.

"I do hope the spectators will refrain from further hostilities," she said.

Heero shrugged. "There'll probably be another incident or two before the match is over. I think some of the fans come to matches like these more for the fights in the stands than the action down on the field."

"Such a waste," said Ayeka, "The players putting on this sporting spectacle should be the objects of their attention, not drunken brawls with rival enthusiasts."

"I agree," Heero replied, "and I imagine the security staff would prefer that as well. Every year they come up with new means of crowd control, but the rowdiest ones will always find a way to start trouble. It's almost like a tradition, really; from what I understand there are people like that at pretty much every game, whether the matches are in the capital or not."

Ayeka folded her arms. "Well, I would most certainly appreciate it if they left the two of us out of their petty scuffles."

"As would I," said Heero.

"I mean, seriously," Ayeka continued, "Why would one spend good money to come to an event like this only to be belligerent and boorish? What utter fools they must be! Such ruffians and scoundrels should be barred at the gates!"

"Who're you calling fools?" said a male voice, with more than a bit of a slur to it.

Ayeka turned to see a tall, blond man glaring at her from the row in front of her. From the colors he was wearing he appeared to be rooting for the French team this round; his entire ensemble was a garish mess of blue, red, and white. Ayeka spotted a half finished beer in his chair's cup-holder, with more than a few empty cups scattered at his feet. The man was clearly inebriated well beyond any sense of public decency, and Ayeka felt that it was best to ignore him.

Unfortunately, the man seemed to take offense at that. "Hey! I'm talking to you, you stuck up bitch! What makes you think that you're so high and mighty?"

She pointedly turned her gaze away from him. "I don't have to explain myself to a drunkard such as yourself! Go sober up before addressing others in public, unless you are completely without a sense of dignity!"

The man's face was already flushed due to his state of intoxication, but now anger was added to the mix. "Quit talking like you're such hot shit!"

The man started to climb over his seat, and Ayeka did not know what to do. The drunkard was not a significant threat in and of himself; her power would be more than enough to deal with him under normal circumstances. However, if she unleashed her abilities at a venue such as this she would cause no end of trouble for Heero, and that was the last thing she wanted.

However, it appeared that her fears were ill-placed, for her host was already taking action of his own. The belligerent was only halfway over his seat when he was confronted by Heero, and Ayeka nearly recoiled when she saw the look on his face. Heero had always struck her as a firm yet fair young man, ever patient and very slow to anger, but the look in his eyes that she saw now was one-hundred percent ice-cold fury.

"Stand down," he said, his tone just barely above a venomous hiss, "Now."

Unfortunately, the blond man was too inebriated to recognize his peril. He continued to advance, and Ayeka watched her guardian with bated breath, wondering just how his frigid fury would be unleashed.

She did not have to wait long. As soon as the drunkard completed his climb, Heero was on him. In the blink of an eye his hand was at the blond man's throat, and Ayeka's eyes widened in shock as Heero effortlessly lifted him off the ground.

"Stand. Down." Heero repeated, and if words could kill Ayeka was sure that the drunkard would've been slain on the spot, "You will not get another warning."

"Sir Heero…" said Ayeka softly.

"You there!" yelled a man in a security uniform, "Release him at once!"

Heero almost casually tossed the man to the ground before turning to face the stadium staffer. "Is there a problem, officer?"

"What's going on here?" the man asked.

"This man was going to assault my companion," Heero replied, nodding at Ayeka, "He's had far too much to drink and needs to be ejected from the arena."

"That's not your call to make!" the guard replied, more than a little incensed at what he must've perceived as Heero's intrusion onto his turf.

"Actually, it is," said Heero as he reached into his pocket and passed his identification to the guard, "If you still dispute that, I would be more than happy to take the matter up with your superiors."

The guard's eyes widened as he read the card. "Holy crap…"

"Eject this man," said Heero as he took his card back and nodded at the blond drunkard, "I won't have him threaten my companion again."

The guard nodded and pulled the man up from the floor before escorting him out of the stands. Ayeka could not help but stare at Heero as he took his seat again, and she wasn't the only one; the incident had been impossible to miss, and many of the nearby spectators were looking at them.

"Sorry about that," said Heero, "Normally the rowdy ones sit further down. I didn't think one would be up here."

Ayeka forced a smile. "Oh, it's all right! Thank you for your assistance, Sir Heero!"

Heero nodded. "You're welcome."

Down on the field the match was resuming, but Ayeka hardly noticed. Her attention remained focused on Heero and the confrontation that she had just witnessed. She had seen him in fights before, but there was something different about what she had just seen. His dispatching of the drunkard had been effortless, efficient, and even ruthless. There had been no big display of martial prowess; he'd simply offered the man a single warning before going straight for his throat. What had made it even more unsettling was just how easily he had tossed the belligerent to the ground when the security guard had approached; it had looked more like he was just dropping a sack of potatoes instead of an actual person.

It was a reminder to Ayeka of just how little she truly knew about him. She believed Heero to be an honorable man and a noble soldier, but what she had just seen felt like a glimpse at a darker side to him. He was clearly an experienced combatant, but whatever fighting he had seen had left marks on him in more ways than one. In this incident he had clearly restrained himself, but Ayeka had a feeling that if Heero had not held back he could've crushed the man's throat with no effort whatsoever. He wasn't just a guardian; if push came to shove, Ayeka did not doubt that he would be more than capable of taking life. It should've been natural to think that when one considered the feats of martial prowess that he had shown so far, but imagining Heero as a killer for some reason presented Ayeka with a very chilling mental image.

No, she thought, quickly banishing the vision from her mind, Sir Heero is not like that. Yes, he is a soldier, but he is also a noble and compassionate young man. When he fights it is in the defense of others and this incident is no exception. He is not some assassin; when he takes life it is as a soldier must, and only as a last resort. Yes, I am sure of that…

"Are you okay?" Heero asked, "We can leave if you're not comfortable here."

Ayeka shook her head and smiled again. "Oh, no, I'm quite well! Besides, I would hate for the money you spent on these tickets to go to waste. Let's enjoy the rest of the match, shall we?"

Heero nodded. "Very well."

She tried to force the confrontation out of her mind and focus on the game, but she wasn't entirely successful. The image of Heero lifting the drunkard by the throat continued to hover in the back of her mind.

She prayed that she would never have to witness that again.

….

November 9th, A.C. 198

Taking a sip from her wine glass, Washu smiled as she leaned back on the couch. "Ah, nothing like a good drink after a meal. This is some great stuff, Heero!"

Heero nodded as he partook in his beverage as well. "Thanks. I honestly forgot I had this bottle stashed away here. I know I didn't grab everything when we moved out to Japan, but I thought I at least cleaned out the liquor cabinet."

"It's quite a lovely vintage," said Ayeka, "We should take the rest of it back with us tomorrow."

"Feel free to put it in your bag," said Heero, "and don't forget to make sure you've got everything else packed up. It'll be a long flight back, and if we leave anything here the costs to ship it out to Japan will be pretty steep."

Washu chuckled. "You mean you don't get free shipping with Preventers?"

"Not if it's not a vital operational expense," Heero replied.

Washu rolled her eyes. "Cheapskates."

"Hardly," said Ayeka, "The amount they spent to bring us out here must've been considerable. Given those costs, trying to cut back on other expenditures is more than reasonable."

"Ayeka's right," said Heero, "Our budget's large, but we still have to prioritize our spending. If we don't then we'd have Parliament's Security Oversight Committee breathing down our necks, and they're not pleasant to deal with."

Washu smirked. "Gotta keep the bureaucrats happy, huh? It doesn't matter what planet you end up on; governments never really change."

Good thing the only government officials I've had to deal with on this world are Heero and his superiors, she mused, They certainly seem much easier to work with than the administrators in the Empire and the GIS…

It was hard to believe that it was already almost time to head back to the home they shared in the sleepy mountain countryside of Japan. The amount of access she'd been given to Ryu-Oh and the data Preventers had gathered on her was exhilarating, and Washu had loved every second she'd got to study the Royal Tree under such unusual conditions. While it was true that she'd been forced to work with incredibly primitive equipment by her standards, Washu had simply viewed that as an added challenge to be overcome with her usual style and flair. The near constant state of awe the human scientists assisting her had exhibited was an added bonus; it was so nice to finally have some proper appreciation for her talents, even if she'd been forced to settle for the adoration of people who were centuries behind the rest of the galaxy when it came to technological advancement.

While she'd passed along what she'd learned to the government researchers, Washu had made sure to save a copy of the data for herself. She planned on going over the material in detail the trio returned home, and she wanted to make sure that she wasn't missing anything. Washu wasn't quite sure how she would apply the data to her current research, but she had no doubt that she would find a way sooner or later.

After all, she thought with a grin, I am a genius!

Studying the data on Ryu-Oh would certainly be enjoyable, but that wasn't the only information that she would be examining later on. Her work with the researchers aiding Preventers had given her access to the peacekeeping agency's network, and while she'd primarily used it as a means of helping her forward reports to Heero's superiors, Washu was also well aware of another utility that such access could provide. While the other researchers had been distracted pouring over the data on the Royal Tree, Washu had quietly installed herself a backdoor into the system. Granted, her current access was really just surface level, but it would not be hard for her to work her way past all the security firewalls and find the data that she'd really come out here for.

Taking another sip of her red wine, Washu then faked a yawn. "Man, I'm beat. I think it's time to hit the hay. We do have to get up early tomorrow after all, right?"

Heero nodded, although Washu thought she caught a hint of suspicion in the young man's eyes. "Agreed. We should get some rest."

A few minutes later Heero had cleaned out their wine glasses and put them away. Ayeka bid them goodnight and went off to her room, while Washu had lain down on the couch. Heero went off to his bedroom, but not before sparing one last glance at Washu.

She gave him a devious smile in return. "What's up, handsome? Thinking about giving me some company tonight? You won't hear me complaining!"

Heero shook his head. "No. Goodnight, Washu."

The red-haired genius winked. "Sweet dreams, Heero!"

She watched as the young man closed his bedroom door, the smile still on her face. It was so much fun to tease him like that, and she knew that in that regards she wasn't that much different from Ryoko.

Like mother, like daughter, or so they say, she thought with a chuckle, I suppose some things really are genetic.

She spent a little while just staring at the ceiling, trying to pass some time until she could be reasonably sure that Heero and Ayeka had fallen asleep. What she was about to do wasn't something that she wanted an audience for, especially considering that one of them just so happened to work for the organization that she was about to hack.

About a half an hour passed before Washu decided it was as good a time as any. Sitting back up, with a wave of her hand a transparent monitor and keyboard appeared out of thin air. Her fingers immediately started dancing across the keyboard, and within just a few minutes she'd reached the backdoor she'd set up earlier in Preventers' system.

"All right," she whispered, "Let's see what you got."

Working her way through the first few layers of security was easy; she had a formidable array of specialized programs to help her out with that. The deeper she got, though, the trickier things became. She couldn't help but silently salute the peacekeeping organization's cyber security staff; for such a primitive world, their network defenses were rather formidable.

Impressive, she mused with a smirk, in an amateurish way, that is. Allow me to show you how a genius operates, Preventers!

It took a little longer than she had originally planned on, but eventually she saw her screen go green in confirmation; she was in.

"Perfect," she murmured, "Now, where are you hiding… aha!"

With her current access she could download everything in the system, but she wasn't after that. Washu was no common cyber thief; she was an electronic cat-burglar who was after one specific item, and she had found it. Downloading the target file, she then beat a hasty retreat out of the system. Checking to make sure that she hadn't been discovered, she disconnected entirely from the network and allowed herself a satisfied smile.

Now, she thought, it's time to open my prize!

She pulled up the file onto the main screen, and the title flashed before her.

Preventers Personnel File: Operative Heero Yuy, Code Name: Zero

Content Classification: Top Secret

Operative Combat Rating: Hyper-lethal

"Hyper-lethal, huh?" whispered Washu with a smile, "I wonder why he gets that rating?"

Let's find out!

Preview for next time!

Ryoko: Heero, you're back! Let's celebrate by getting hammered!

Ayeka: Hands off Sir Heero, you tramp!

Sasami: Welcome back!

Mihoshi: Yay, you're home! Did you bring treats?

Ryo-Ohki: Meow!

Azaka and Kamidake: Welcome back, Princess Ayeka!

Washu: I'm impressed, Kiyone; the house is still standing.

Kiyone: What are you implying, Washu?

Heero: It's good to be back. Thanks for watching the place, Kiyone. Hopefully things will settle down for a while now.

Washu: Fat chance of that! Feast your eyes on my latest invention; a device that lets the user create their dream world!

Ryoko: Are you serious?

Ayeka: Oh, how wonderful! I'll build a world that's perfect for Sir Heero and I!

Ryoko: Hey, back off! I'm going to build a world for me and Heero, and I'll make you the villain just for kicks!

Mihoshi: I want to make a world!

Kiyone: A world without Mihoshi… that would be nice…

Sasami: Uhm… everyone should try to calm down… but then again, I want to try out a dream world too…

Washu: Hey, back off! It hasn't been fully tested yet, so don't go getting any ideas.

Ryoko: Next time, in Chapter Ten: No Need For Time And Space Adventures, Part One!

Heero: A dream world for me… what would that even look like?

Washu with a devious smile: That's what I want to find out!

Author's Notes: Well, if you're fans of Tenchi Universe, then you'll enjoy the next two chapters. In case you can't tell from the preview, they'll be paying homage to the Time and Space Adventures mini-arc from that series, and I'm pretty excited to start working on them!

Hope you all enjoyed the chapter! Please review!