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.

20. Chapter 20

Author's Notes: Hello there! You know, I was hoping that 2021 might be a bit less crazy than 2020, but the first week alone… hot damn. Won't say anything more, pretty sure we've all had enough of real life for a bit.

Not much else to really say right now, save that there's going to be some pretty big Tenchi Muyo lore bombs dropped in this chapter. Most of you should know them when you see them. I'll save everything else for the end-of-chapter author's notes.

Enjoy!

Chapter Twenty: No Need For A Homecoming!

I know we got what we came for, thought Ryoko as she looked down at Heero, and that everyone made it out alive, but… well, this doesn't really feel like much of a victory.

The superficial injuries she'd sustained in the frantic fighting had been easily attended to, and Ryoko wasn't the slightest bit concerned with them. She wasn't the one who had collapsed; Heero had. It wasn't just him, either. While she hadn't outright passed out, Washu had definitely taken a mental beating thanks to having all the repository's data transferred directly into her head. She was lying in the bed next to Heero's, trying to sleep off what Ryoko could only assume was one hell of a headache.

They'd regrouped in orbit after the repository had detonated, with Ryo-Ohki transferring everyone back to the Yagami before boarding the ship herself. Once they were all aboard, the Galaxy Police patrol cruiser had wasted no time in jumping clear of the system. According to Kiyone, their current course would take them to the nearest Galaxy Police outpost; given everything that had transpired on their mission, there was simply no way she could avoid reporting in to her superiors now. Ryoko didn't like the idea of visiting a Galaxy Police base, and she could only hope that Kiyone would inform whoever was in charge that she was on their side this time. The last thing she needed to worry about was getting arrested.

Sitting on the opposite side of Heero's bed from her, Ayeka sighed and shook her head. "What a mess… I still cannot believe what happened down there."

"Yeah," Ryoko absently replied as she ran her fingers through Heero's hair, "We barely made it out alive."

"Are they going to be okay?" Sasami asked nervously as she looked back and forth between Heero and Washu.

"Of course, they will!" Mihoshi chirped, putting her hands on Sasami's shoulders, "They just need to rest."

Ryoko looked down at Heero's wounded leg. After they'd boarded the Yagami, they'd wasted no time in getting him out of his armor and to the infirmary. Heero's fellow human friends had proven remarkably adaptable when it came to new technology; they'd only required a bit of prompting from Washu to properly utilize the ship's medical instruments and supplies to tend to their comrade's wound. Ryoko could perfectly picture the wound beneath the bandages, and she was thankful that Ragyō's blade hadn't hit the bone or severed the limb.

Reckless idiot, she thought, although she did crack a small smile as she turned her gaze to the young man's face again, Heero, you really pushed your luck in that fight. Then again, if it weren't for what you pulled off at the end, both of us could've bought it this time.

"They've both certainly earned some rest," Yosho chimed in from a chair at the other end of the infirmary, "although I fear they might not get as much of it as they need. Kagato's game is still in motion."

"That cannot be so," Azaka protested, "He did not get the data from the repository!"

"We finally have a leg up on him!" Kamidake added.

Hilde, who was sitting by Washu's bed, nodded. "I know it was a close call, but we did secure the data and denied Kagato his prize. We've got the initiative here; he has to react to our next move."

Yosho shook his head. "We may have taken the lead in this race, but it is a narrow one. Kagato will not have put all his eggs in one basket. Even now, I wager he's already shifting to a contingency plan. We've bought ourselves some time, but little beyond that."

"So, what do we do with it?" asked Ryoko as she looked around the room, "There's still a game plan here, right?"

"Aren't we moving on to the second repository now?" asked Duo as the infirmary door slid open and Heero's fellow former colonial revolutionaries filed in, all out of their armor and back in their regular civilian clothes.

"We'll need a little bit of time to lick our wounds," Trowa pointed out, gesturing at Heero and Washu.

"Not to mention patch up our gear," Quatre added, "We'll need Washu's help for that."

"Shouldn't take too long once she's back on her feet," said Wufei, "She might have a penchant for crazy weapons, but she's definitely efficient when it comes to equipment maintenance."

Ayeka cleared her throat. "Lord Quatre, friends… while I share your desire to strike while the iron is hot, that may not be our best course of action. Even if Lord Heero and Miss Washu awaken in a timely manner and recover, there are new developments that must be taken into consideration."

"Like what?" asked Sasami as she looked around the group, "What did I miss while you were all down there?"

"A real mess," Hilde muttered.

Ryoko rolled her eyes as she felt her frustration begin to boil over. "Oh, you didn't miss much princess. Just a slog through tons of drones that were trying to kill us, followed by a fight with two insane aristocrats, two creepy assassin twins, and the most annoying bounty hunter in the galaxy! We almost died, I've got some insane power inside me that I can apparently only tap into when someone's in danger, and Heero's Juraian powers are all over the map! Did I leave anything out?"

"Dial it back," said Trowa, giving her a rather sharp look, "We're all on edge, but don't take it out on Sasami."

Ryoko took a deep breath; the young man was right. "Yeah… look, I'm sorry about that, Sasami. I just… we had a close call down there."

Sasami nodded, and much to Ryoko's surprise she actually smiled. "It's okay. It sounds like you really went through a lot. You should rest, Ryoko."

Now that the adrenaline and her power boost had faded, Ryoko was keenly aware of just how damn tired she felt. Part of her wanted nothing more than to just collapse on one of the empty infirmary beds and call it a day right here and now. Her concern for the young man lying unconscious before her was about the only thing keeping her from doing just that.

She shook her head before turning to face Yosho. "I can get rest later. I need some answers first. We all do, and since Washu's out of it too, you're the only game in town, old man."

Yosho nodded, glancing down at his grandson for a moment before meeting her gaze again. "I suppose so. I may not be able to give you all of the information you seek, though, especially if you have questions regarding your own power. Washu would be a much better source for that; I only have what little she's determined fit to share with me in private."

Ryoko glared at him. "But she still told you something, didn't she? That's more than she ever told the rest of us."

"Your mother keeps her most valuable cards held close to the chest," Yosho replied, "We both do. An old habit, and one that has bitten the two of us in the rear on more than one occasion."

"With all due respect, Lord Yosho, it is one that you and Miss Washu had best rid yourselves of," said Ayeka, her eyes narrowing, "Any secrets regarding Lord Heero or Ryoko's powers could endanger not just them, but the rest of us as well."

"I for one would like to know what was up with that weird white light thing that Heero summoned towards the end there," Duo chimed in, "Look, I'm glad it helped keep him alive, but seriously; what the hell was that? I've never seen him pull any crap like that before!"

"I'm going out on a limb here and saying that Heero's… uhm, Juraian heritage… is responsible for that?" Quatre ventured.

Yosho nodded. "Yes. It is the ultimate manifestation of the ancient power that flows through the royal bloodline. We call them Light Hawk Wings. As the name implies, there are more than just the one that my grandson generated today."

Sasami gasped. "What? Ayeka, is this true? Heero actually made a Light Hawk Wing?"

"Yes," Ayeka answered as she scratched her chin in thought, "It was only one, but even so… one was far more than he should've been capable of generating under the circumstances we found ourselves in down there."

"Care to elaborate?" asked Trowa.

"Perhaps a practical demonstration is in order first," said Yosho, "Ayeka, if you would be so kind?"

Ryoko raised an eyebrow. "Wait, are you serious? Ayeka, you know how to create these things?"

Ayeka actually looked rather nervous. "Lord Yosho… I don't think I'd be able to provide a very good example. Despite my best efforts over the years, I still have… difficulty with it. Besides, with us being so far from Ryu-Oh… I don't know…"

Yosho gave her a reassuring smile. "You needn't push yourself too hard here. A quick manifestation will suffice."

Ayeka sighed. "I don't know if I can even manage that much, but… I will have a go at it. If I may have a bit of space?"

Anyone who was standing close to her backed away a few meters; the infirmary wouldn't allow for much more than that. The princess took a deep breath, and Ryoko could sense the energy building up within her. She saw the sweat rapidly building on Ayeka's brow; this was requiring far greater effort from her than the barriers she normally deployed.

She then held out her hands, and Ryoko was astonished to see not one, not two, but three of the same strange white energy wings appear before her. They assembled in a Y-formation and began to spin, their brilliant light damn near blinding Ryoko and the rest of the audience. However, the wings began to flicker almost immediately, and mere seconds after they'd manifested, they vanished completely. For her part, Ayeka looked completely spent, slumping back against the wall and struggling to simply stay upright.

"Hey!" cried Quatre as he quickly came over to support her, "Are you all right?"

Ayeka nodded, although her breathing was labored and she looked quite shaky. "Yes… I just need… to sit down for a bit."

"How did you do that?" asked Wufei as Quatre guided Ayeka to a nearby chair.

"It's… a bit complicated," Ayeka replied, still struggling to catch her breath.

"We appear to have plenty of time on our hands for the moment," said Trowa.

Ayeka took another deep breath as she got comfy. "I suppose we do. To normally generate Light Hawk Wings, there are a few prerequisites. First, one must be a member of the Juraian Royal Family; the energy required only flows through our bloodline. Next, the royal in question must have forged a bond with a Royal Treeship. In my case, my bond is with Ryu-Oh. Normally, the Light Hawk Wings are manifested through the ship itself and used to defend the vessel, but a sufficiently disciplined and powerful royal can use their link with a Royal Treeship to summon them for personal defense. It is incredibly difficult to do, though, as my frankly pathetic attempt just now demonstrated. The amount of energy required to wield them is… well, to be blunt, almost bordering on that which we might associate with the divine."

"That's only natural, given that the Light Hawk Wings are connected to the goddess Tsunami," Yosho chimed in, "At their heart, they are constructs of pure energy… and sources of phenomenal power. While they are most commonly used in a defensive capacity, they have offensive utility as well. They and the Royal Trees are what lie at the heart of Jurai's power, and they are why the Empire has been able to assert its dominance across galactic civilization."

"To be able to generate Light Hawk Wings is considered a mark of greatness in the Empire of Jurai," said Azaka.

"Those who demonstrate such aptitude inevitably rise to prominence and power," added Kamidake.

"Is that so?" Hilde said as she looked at Heero, "What does that mean for our friend here?"

Sasami's eyes widened as she thought of something. "Wait a second… if creating Light Hawk Wings requires a connection to a Royal Treeship, then how did Heero create one? He doesn't have a bond with any Royal Tree, right?"

All eyes in the room turned to Ayeka, who could only slump down in her chair as she fought fatigue. "Yes, that is certainly the big question… one that I unfortunately do not have the ability to answer, Sasami. Frankly, I am beyond mystified by this development."

"In other words," said Ryoko as she looked down at Heero again, "what he did back there… it should've been impossible. How the hell did he…"

"I can answer that," a familiar female voice groaned, "but you might not like it. Same goes for the power boost that you got back there, Ryoko."

Everyone quickly turned to the other occupied bed in the infirmary to find that Washu had opened her eyes. She still didn't look good; she was rubbing her head from what Ryoko could only assume was a monster headache, and she was definitely a little on the pale side. Still, as she moved to sit up in her bed, Ryoko could at least be thankful that she was lucid now.

Hilde came over to her and put her hand on her shoulder. "Hey, should you really be getting up? I think you could use a bit more rest after what you went through down there."

Washu sighed. "Hard to rest when everyone's talking in here. Besides, there are some things that you guys should know, and the sooner we get them out in the open, the better."

"Only if you're sure that you're up for it," said Quatre, "There's no need to push yourself."

Washu shook her head. "Thanks, but I think I've put this off long enough. With what we're flying into, it'll be better if you're all up to speed on things."

Ryoko took that as permission to begin. "All right, then. What happened back there with me and Heero? I've felt a power surge like that once, and this one definitely exceeded it. I've got it under control now, but I'd really like to know what caused it in the first place. As for Heero, what the hell's up his energy? I get that he's part Juraian, but if he's generating power that he shouldn't be able to, we need to know what's going on before he hurts himself with it!"

Washu nodded. "In that case, I need a visual aid. Can someone go grab Heero's armor?"

"Why would we need that?" asked Trowa, "Heero's power comes from his bloodline, not the tech you gave him, right?"

"There's a bit more to it than that," said Washu, "I can show you what I mean once I have the armor."

"Go grab it, Duo," Wufei ordered.

Duo folded his arms. "Hey, who died and made you the boss?"

"Both of you go grab it," said Quatre, clearly not in the mood for bickering, "That's heavy gear; not a one-person job. Make it quick so we can get to the bottom of all this."

"Tell AIDA I sent you," Washu added, "She'll give you access to some equipment that'll make it easier to move."

The two young men left the infirmary, leaving the rest of them in uncomfortable silence. For her part, Washu shifted so she was sitting on the side of the bed, her gaze settling on the unconscious Heero.

Ryoko was surprised to see the red-headed scientist smile. "He went above and beyond my expectations today. Yosho, your grandson is really something special."

Yosho actually chuckled at that. "I'm not sure how he'll feel about that when he wakes up. I wager this has all been far more than he bargained for."

Trowa shook his head. "He's taken worse beatings. He always gets back up for more."

Quatre smiled. "Out of the five of us, Heero's by far the most resilient. We'd always chalked that up to whatever intense training he underwent to become a Gundam pilot. Knowing what we do now about him, though… well, it makes me wonder if his bloodline might've been giving him a boost there."

Yosho shook his head. "Unlikely. His power was dormant until he grasped Tenchi-ken. What he survived in your war, he did so with his own fortitude."

"There might be an exception to that," Washu countered as she looked at Trowa and Quatre, "The incident in Siberia… I've seen archived footage of it. That should have killed him. I'm sure his training toughened up to practically superhuman levels before you five launched Operation Meteor, but even that shouldn't have saved him from self-detonating his own Gundam while he was standing on it."

Ryoko's eyes widened in shock as she looked back and forth between Heero and Washu. "He did what?"

Ayeka likewise looked horrified at what Washu had just said. "You cannot be serious!"

"Believe me, we were as surprised then as you are now," said Quatre.

"I retrieved him in the aftermath," Trowa added, "He was a bloody mess. It always struck me as odd how cleanly he actually healed."

"That's just it," said Washu, her eyes narrowing, "He shouldn't have healed so cleanly. I've examined him for physicals; he's got his share of scars, but nothing major. His back should've been nothing but burns and scar tissue given his proximity to the blast, yet he healed remarkably well. I don't think that was just his superhuman toughness saving him; I believe that just enough of his Juraian power awakened to save his life and assist his recovery. After that, it went completely dormant again. That's just my theory, though."

"It does offer a more plausible explanation as to how he survived," Hilde murmured.

Ryoko shook her head, her mind still stuck on what she'd heard earlier. "Hold on, back up! Forget how he survived; why the hell did he pull a stunt like that in the first place? Was he actually trying to kill himself?"

"He was following our mission orders," Trowa answered.

"What horrendous orders would convince any of you to do something like that?" Ayeka asked, as aghast as Ryoko at what they were hearing.

"The mobile suits we piloted during our rebellion were incredibly powerful," Quatre elaborated, "Therefore, we couldn't allow them to fall into the hands of the government that we were fighting. The mission in Siberia that Washu referred to went horribly wrong; the very colonies that we were fighting for were suddenly threatened with outright annihilation. Unless we surrendered, the government was going to launch a missile attack on the colonies. None of us knew what to do… until Heero took action."

"No one, ally or enemy, expected him to do what he did," said Trowa, "The sheer shock that the self-detonation of his Gundam created was enough for the rest of us to withdraw and go into hiding. I doubt Heero had intended to survive, but fate had other plans for him. Seems his bloodline did, too."

"What'd we miss?" asked Duo as the doors of the infirmary opened again, with both him and Wufei maneuvering a floating gurney inside with Heero's armor on it.

Quatre shrugged. "Talking about the time Heero blew himself up in Siberia."

Wufei raised an eyebrow. "How'd that come up while we were away?"

"Apparently, Heero's alien heritage helped him survive that mess," Trowa answered.

Duo looked at Heero for a moment. "Huh… seems legit. Anyway, we brought the armor as requested. Now what?"

"Bring it over here," said Washu, "and flip it over; I need access to the back."

They did as she instructed, and Washu leaned over the armor. Her fingers found a small latch on the back of the neck, and as she pulled it back it revealed a small blue screen. Washu then pressed her thumb to the screen, and it turned green a moment later. A tiny square compartment opened up next to the pad, revealing a small red spherical gem absolutely radiating with energy.

Ryoko's breath caught in her throat. She'd never seen this thing before, and yet the power emanating from it felt very familiar.

It was the same power that she'd felt surging through her twice now.

"Ooh, shiny!" said Duo as Washu carefully withdrew the gem.

"What is it?" asked Wufei.

"So many things," said Washu softly as she studied the gem in the palm of her hand, "A key, an amplifier, a weapon, a memory, incredible power… all that, and so much more… and it's one of three."

"Any particular reason why you decided to sneak it into Heero's armor?" asked Quatre.

Washu closed her eyes for a moment. "Call it an ace in the hole. I would normally prefer to let Heero's Juraian power develop naturally, but that would take time. Time is a luxury we do not have. It was my hope that the gem would serve to accelerate his growth should circumstances become dire… as well as provide further evidence for a theory. I'd say it accomplished both today."

Sasami tilted her head quizzically. "I don't get it. What were you looking for?"

Ayeka's eyes widened slightly, and it looked to Ryoko like the elder princess had just found an important piece of the puzzle. "The Light Hawk Wing… that gem is how Lord Heero was able to manifest it!"

"Partially," said Washu, "It'd be more accurate to say that this gem pushed his power forward to the point that he could create a Light Hawk Wing. Think of it as an ignition switch, with the powerful emotions he felt at the time being the spark."

"What emotions were those?" Mihoshi wondered.

Ryoko looked down at Heero again. "I think I know… he wanted to protect me."

Washu nodded. "Just as you wanted to protect him. The feelings you two have for each other are strong… and they saved both your lives today."

Ryoko's eyes narrowed as she turned to Washu. "You said that gem's part of a set, right? Where are the other two?"

Washu held out her free hand, and there was a bright flash of red light. When the glare faded, Ryoko saw another crimson gem in her palm.

"Here's the second," said Washu before meeting her daughter's gaze, "As for the third… I implanted it inside you long ago, Ryoko."

Mihoshi gasped. "What?"

Ryoko wasn't nearly as surprised as the cop. "Thought so. Any chance I can get an explanation for why you didn't tell me? Feels like a pretty big deal, you know?"

"I wanted you to awaken the gem's power naturally," Washu answered, "Had you known about it, there's a chance that your emotions wouldn't have been strong enough or genuine in the hour of need, and it might not have activated."

Ayeka shook her head. "Miss Washu, with all due respect, emotional restraint is as alien to Ryoko as civilized behavior. I think her emotions would've been powerful enough today to awaken the gem even if she'd known about it in advance."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence," Ryoko muttered.

"Was that the same reason why you didn't tell Heero about the gem in his armor?" asked Duo.

Washu nodded. "Correct. I wanted nothing hindering a genuinely powerful emotion that could awaken the gem, and I deemed foreknowledge to be such a hindrance. In hindsight, perhaps I was overly cautious, but given what these three gems are, I didn't want to take any chances."

Ryoko saw Quatre's brow furrow in thought. "If just one gem in Heero and Ryoko was able to give them the kind of power that they displayed today… what could all three do?"

Washu smirked. "In Ryoko's case, quite a bit, to put it mildly. In fact, when I made her, it was with that eventuality in mind. However, she needs to fully master the power that one gem gives her before I'll grant her the second, let alone all three. We're going to be working on that in the weeks ahead."

Ryoko fought to suppress a shudder. The thought of Washu cooking up a training routine for her was not a fun one.

I'll be lucky if I live through whatever she's got in mind…

"What about Heero?" asked Trowa, "If one gem allowed him to create his first Light Hawk Wing, surely adding the others would give him the power to generate more, right?"

"Theoretically, yes," Washu replied, "but it wouldn't be a good idea. In Heero's case, that single gem was just meant to give his power a push at a key moment and prove to me that he had the capacity to generate Light Hawk Wings without a connection to a Royal Tree. From here on out, it'll be better if he refines his abilities without an enhancing artifact… especially if I'm right about what he could truly be capable of."

"Which is what, exactly?" asked Wufei.

Washu looked at Heero, and Ryoko was surprised by the shift in her expression. It was somber, almost regretful. Whatever it was, Ryoko doubted that it boded well.

"Heero should hear it first," Washu said after a moment, "and in private. After that… well, if he decides to tell the rest of you, that's his decision."

Ayeka scowled. "If this is something concerning Lord Heero, then I feel it's necessary that we hear it now. Your secrets have already endangered him enough!"

"No," said Yosho firmly, his eyes narrowing as he looked at Washu, "This one is different. Given the implications of it if her theory is correct, it would be best if my grandson was told discretely and given time to come to terms with it. Once he has done so, he is free to do with that knowledge whatever he pleases."

Ryoko glared at the two of them. "You think we're just going to let you off the hook that easily?"

"You don't get a choice in the matter," Washu replied in a tone that made it clear she was in no mood to argue the point.

Ryoko wanted to shoot back, but she also didn't want her mother to turn her into a frog again. Deciding that discretion was the better part of valor, she settled for glowering as menacingly as she could at them for a moment before turning her attention back to Heero.

This has all got to be way more than he ever bargained for, she thought as she laid her right hand over his left, Heero, I'm here if you need me.

I'm not going to leave you alone in this madness.

….

February 13th, A.C. 199

It had been a long day, and most of the gang had hit the hay quite some time ago. Compared to the crowd it had hosted earlier, the Galaxy Police patrol cruiser's infirmary now hosted only four people; the still-unconscious Heero, a resting Washu, a rather loudly-snoring Ryoko, and a quickly-fading Sasami. Midnight had passed not too long ago; it was rare that Ayeka let Sasami stay up so late, and the younger Juraian princess wanted to enjoy it as much as she could.

Ryoko should be back in her room, the Juraian princess thought as she adjusted the pirate's blanket with a smile, I guess she's really worried about Heero and Washu. She acts tough, but she really does care.

Since she hadn't spent the whole day fighting, Sasami had volunteered to keep watch in the infirmary while the others got some much-needed sleep. Ryoko had refused to leave her spot between Heero and Washu's beds, so Sasami had brought a blanket to her chair when the pirate had inevitably succumbed to exhaustion. The fearsome woman actually looked rather adorable like this; it was a side of her that Sasami seldom got to see.

Unfortunately, Sasami didn't get to enjoy it for very long. Although her part in the previous day's adventure had been limited to sitting aboard the Yagami while the others had done all the actual work, Sasami had been deeply worried about them, and that concern had worn on her. Although she had volunteered to watch over the infirmary while the others rested, in truth, Sasami was quite tired. She thought that she still had another hour or two left in her, but a sudden wave of exhaustion hit her, and Sasami realized that she'd be lucky to stay on her feet for another minute.

The princess stumbled as she made her way to the chair on the opposite side of Heero's bed. Her body felt inexplicably heavy, and Sasami all but collapsed into the chair. Her eyes shut a moment later, and she quickly slipped into a deep sleep.

Had her eyes remained open, she would've noticed a soft blue white light beginning to illuminate the room…

…and that it was coming from the triangular mark on her forehead.

….

Fast asleep now, Sasami was blissfully ignorant as the light began to solidify and take on a humanoid form. The glow intensified for a moment before fading, and if Sasami had been awake she would've seen a woman standing before her. A casual viewer could've been forgiven for mistaking the woman as perhaps another older sister of Sasami, for they shared the same red eyes, fair complexion, and teal hair. To top it off, said hair was even tied back into two long tails, although these fell down behind the woman's back almost to her feet and had a more elegant look to them than those of Sasami. That was where the similarities ended, though. This woman was considerably taller than Sasami, and clad in blue robes and a white cloak rather than the princess's simple kimono. Rather than sharing the triangular mark that Sasami had on her forehead, this woman actually had two split circular markings of the same color between her eyebrows. There was a regal air to her that the princess currently lacked, and a serene smile that spoke of the wisdom of eons in the mind that lay behind it. Faint blue-white light emanated from her, a heavenly aura that hinted at her divine nature.

The woman briefly turned around to look at the slumbering princess, taking a moment to ensure that her host was comfortable and safe. Satisfied that Sasami would not be waking anytime soon, she strode around the bed and placed her palm on Ryoko's forehead. There was a brief surge of light, and the pirate slumped down a bit further in her chair.

"Sorry," the woman whispered, "but for the moment, I must ensure that you remain asleep. I would certainly like to talk to you sometime, but now is not that occasion."

She then turned to the unconscious young man in the bed next to her. There was no need to worry about him waking up at the moment; she knew better than anyone the kind of power that he'd called upon today, along with the strain it had put on his body.

She leaned over him, gently caressing his cheek. "You went through a great ordeal today… and I fear your trials have only just begun. Still, if anyone has the strength to endure what lies ahead, I have no doubt that it is you."

"Glad to see that we're in agreement," came a familiar female voice from the other bed.

Turning around, the woman smiled as she saw Washu sitting up in her bed. "You really should be resting. I can tell that you need it."

Washu shook her head. "It can wait. Besides, if you truly wanted me to rest right now, you wouldn't be showing yourself here."

The woman nodded. "True enough, I suppose. We're well overdue for a chat, don't you think so?"

Washu chuckled. "Indeed, we are. It's been a long time…"

"…Tsunami."

….

Washu smiled. "I was wondering when you'd show yourself. Took you long enough."

Her fellow Choushin gave an apologetic smile. "Forgive me, but manifesting myself under my current circumstances is not easy. I must take great care when exerting my power, lest Sasami suffer for it."

Washu glanced over at the sleeping princess. "So, I was right about her. She is your reincarnation."

Tsunami nodded. "Yes, although I was forced to fuse with her far earlier than I had anticipated. The attack on the palace that so gravely wounded her left me with no alternative."

Washu gave Sasami a sympathetic look. "She doesn't know, does she?"

Tsunami shook her head. "Not consciously. I believe that there is a small part of her that is aware of my presence, but she does not fully comprehend it. For the time being, I believe that keeping her in the dark on this matter is the best way to ensure her safety."

Washu was skeptical. "If we were back on Earth, I might agree with you. Now, though? Our secrets are starting to catch up with us. I'm all for keeping my cards close to the chest, but we're going to have to come clean sooner or later."

Tsunami nodded somberly. "All too true. I fear that our grand project is on the verge of the abyss. The actions of your old colleague threaten that which we set in motion eons ago. An entire galaxy held at gunpoint… a frightening prospect to say the least."

Washu leaned back and sighed. "Tell me about it. To think that I once considered the Array to be my greatest accomplishment… I was such a fool. A weapon such as that should never have been conceptualized, let alone actually built. It ended the war, but it became a Sword of Damocles over the entire galaxy. Utter folly, and yet Kagato's enamored with it."

Tsunami's eyes narrowed. "At this point, I have to wonder if it's just Kagato that's so taken with it. You took efforts to erase his memories of the weapon, yet here he is, seeking it out. How is that so?"

Washu sighed. "He must've still possessed records that I wasn't able to track down and purge. It's also possible that his sister had enough knowledge of the project to point him in the right direction. She was usually out on the battlefield during the war getting her hands dirty, but I'm sure they discussed the Array on the occasions that she came home between campaigns. Either way, I didn't do nearly as good a job at covering my tracks as I thought I had."

"I'm not so sure that it was overlooked records or his sister that's the vector for this," said Tsunami, "While I am mostly dormant within Sasami, I do allow a trace of my consciousness to access her senses. Thanks to that, I was able to detect Kagato's presence when he entered the system. His power is greater than most of your companions may realize, even after today's encounter. In fact… I daresay it's great enough to have drawn attention from the upper plane."

Washu knew where she was going with this. "I had considered that… and I have to admit, it's a distinct possibility. When last I checked, she hadn't come down to the third dimension in the manner that we had, but after so long, it's possible she may have decided to intervene in an effort to move the grand experiment along. Kagato… he could be Tokimi's candidate."

"As Heero is ours?" asked Tsunami.

Washu raised an eyebrow. "So, I'm not the only one out of the three of us that thought Heero might be it, am I? What did it for you? Tenchi-ken? The Light Hawk Wing?"

"None of the above," Tsunami replied, "I sensed something within him well before his powers were openly confirmed. It was the day he met my host, if you must know."

Washu chuckled. "I should've guessed as much. Of the three of us, you're the one with the strongest connection to Jurai and its Royal Family, so it makes sense that you'd pick up on his potential before me."

Tsunami gave her a surprisingly pixyish smile. "You might be the greatest scientific genius in the universe, but there are a few fields that I have the advantage in."

Washu rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah, rub it in, why don't you? Milk it for all it's worth."

Tsunami actually giggled at that. "A tempting prospect! I've had so few opportunities to indulge myself over the past several millennia. Even less so once I fused with Sasami."

"Better get it out of your system while you can," said Washu as she studied her, "I'm assuming this whole projection thing you've got going here has its limits."

Tsunami nodded. "There are some notable restrictions. I cannot do this while Sasami is awake; the amount of energy I draw from her is simply too taxing. Also, afterwards Sasami will require considerable rest, so do not be surprised if she is rather late in rising."

"Ayeka's going to freak out in the morning," Washu muttered.

"She might be upset with Sasami, but she'll have no cause for true alarm," Tsunami countered, "Sasami's vital signs won't be disrupted, and it'll be easy even for a panicking Ayeka to tell that she's still breathing fine. She'll simply be in a much deeper sleep than usual. That's one of the reasons why I try to do this sparingly; I don't wish to disrupt her natural rhythm too often. She's still very much a growing young lady, after all."

Washu smiled as she glanced at the sleeping princess. "She is, and a real sweetheart to boot. You could definitely do worse for reincarnations. Speaking of that, I take it that as she grows, eventually she'll take on more aspects of you. Is that right?"

"Yes," Tsunami replied, "and not just with regards to physical traits. Right now, we exist as two separate consciousnesses, but as she matures our identities will gradually begin to merge. Essentially, she will become me in time, and all my memories will be hers."

Washu sighed. "That might be a bit much for her."

"I'll ease her into it to the best of my abilities," said Tsunami, although she did look rather remorseful, "but yes… it will be a trying experience. If it's not too much to ask, I'd greatly appreciate it if you'd be available for her to seek counsel. I'm sure that her family will do what they can, but you can give her context and information that they lack."

Washu shrugged. "Can't promise much of anything at the moment. We'll have to see how this all shakes out."

Tsunami nodded as she turned towards Heero. "I suppose you're right. That being said, I fear Sasami will have it easy compared to our candidate. He still doesn't know what his true role in all this is, does he?"

Washu shook her head, feeling more than just a pang of guilt. "I've been trying to figure out a way to tell him. It's not easy, you know? He's already been plunged into a huge mess, and we keep hitting him with one surprise after another. I know he's strong, but I can't imagine what all's been going through his head the past few days. He needs some breathing room. Besides, you and I could still be wrong; maybe Tokimi's right and Kagato's the one we've been looking for. If she's actually chosen him, that is."

Tsunami's eyes narrowed. "You don't truly believe that your old colleague is the one any more than I do. Even if he were, we still could not back him. Not knowing what we do about his ambitions."

"Of course," said Washu, her gaze lingering on Heero, "All our hopes… they really do lie with him now, don't they?"

"Him and your daughter, I believe," Tsunami replied as she glanced back and forth between Heero and Ryoko, "The gem you placed in her, and the two you showed the others today… you didn't tell them the full truth about what they actually are."

"I gave them enough for the time being," Washu argued, "Once Ryoko's proven that she's capable of fully handling at least two gems and is ready for the third, then I'll fill her in on what I left out."

"Do you really think she has that capability?" asked Tsunami.

Washu smiled. "She's my daughter, remember? I have no doubt whatsoever that she can do it. It's simply a matter of time and training now."

Tsunami smiled as well. "Motherly pride… it suits you quite well."

Washu gave the snoozing Ryoko a pat on the head. "Well, I owe it to her. Wasn't there for the majority of her life… I really do need to try and make up for lost time. So many things I need to make up for these days…"

Tsunami sighed. "In that, you are not alone. Kagato might be the most immediate problem, but the truth of the matter is that our grand design for this universe helped set the stage for what has transpired. If Tokimi's hand is truly guiding our foe's actions, or at least providing the inspiration for them, then the threat to the galaxy is one that comes from within our own house. We were negligent in not keeping tabs on each other, and I fear that mistake could potentially cost this realm everything."

"Only if we don't step up to the challenge that lies ahead," said Washu firmly, "We've got our work cut out for us, but there's still a chance to turn the tide. Kagato's held the initiative up until now, but this time he didn't get his prize. We have the data for the next repository, which means the ball is now in our court. The tune's ours to call, and he'll have to dance to it."

Tsunami nodded. "A rare opportunity. I assume you already have a plan to make the most of it?"

Washu nodded. "I do. Not sure how the others will feel about it, though… especially Heero. Things are going to get uncomfortable for him rather quickly, although there might also be a bright side in it for him. At the very least, he'll be popular where we need to go next."

Tsunami's eyes widened slightly as she realized what Washu was getting at. "You intend to take him to the capital. Is he ready for that?"

Washu shrugged. "Probably not, but we don't really have a choice in the matter. Thanks to the data I got today, I know what's waiting for us at the next repository. Ryo-Ohki and Yagami aren't going to cut it for the next round; we're going to need a fleet just to get through the outer defenses. Given that our entourage includes a long-lost crown prince, his grandson, and the current crown princess and her younger sister, we've got a crowd with the potential for serious influence with the Emperor. We need firepower, and Jurai's got plenty of it."

Tsunami smiled. "It will be nice to see the capital again, although we unfortunately won't have much time to take in the sights. Meeting the Emperor and his wives… that is going to be interesting. They'll all be happy to see Yosho, Ayeka and Sasami; that's a given. Heero, though… I imagine that's going to be a very entertaining encounter."

Washu smirked. "My thoughts exactly."

The smile faded from Tsunami's face as she studied the unconscious young man again. "I know he's resilient, but even so… it's going to be overwhelming for him. Being thrust into a family at the center of an Empire that he didn't even know existed until a few months ago while in the midst of this mission… there are quite a few ways that this all could go quite badly. His world has abandoned monarchy, so I imagine he won't be too keen with the Empire's system of governance."

Washu shook her head. "I wouldn't worry about that. Heero's had plenty of time to talk to Ayeka about the Empire; he at least has an idea as to where she's from and what things are like. He's got the sense of professionalism required to focus on the mission and shelve whatever personal misgivings he might have about the government in question."

"True," said Tsunami, her eyes narrowing, "but there's a difference between learning from a distance and seeing things up close. More to the point, whether he likes it or not, he's no longer just a peacekeeping agent or a soldier. He's a legitimate heir to the throne, and that is going to cause quite a stir once word gets out. It won't take long for the court to begin sizing him up, and you know as well as I do how nasty royal politics can get."

Washu nodded. "I do, but I don't think we have anything to worry about here. Heero's more than just a handsome face and a good fighter, after all. He wouldn't have survived this long without being intelligent; he can read a room and see what's up. Anyone who tries to manipulate him at court is going to be in for a rude awakening."

"I hope you're right," Tsunami replied, "Depending on how well he adapts to his new circumstances, it does raise some intriguing possibilities. I'm sure you've already thought of most of them."

Washu smirked. "I might have one or two that I particularly favor."

Tsunami giggled. "I don't doubt that! Of course, they all really depend on what our young friend here actually wants. He does not strike me as the sort who would willingly seek power."

"He's not," said Washu as she regarded Heero, "but… that just might make him the perfect candidate for it."

Tsunami raised an eyebrow. "Is that what you're really after with him? Nudging him towards rulership, perhaps with your daughter as his consort?"

Washu grinned. "I can think of worse outcomes!"

"I'm sure we both can," said Tsunami, "but at this point, they're largely academic. If Kagato succeeds in his quest for power, our aspirations for our merry group of companions will become a moot point."

Washu's eyes narrowed. "I know. Don't worry; I've got my eye on the ball here. I might drop a few suggestions and plant a seed or two if the opportunity presents itself, but our top priority remains stopping Kagato. What our candidate does once that's been accomplished… well, only he can make that call."

"Yes," said Tsunami as she looked down at Heero again, her form beginning to flicker, "I'd very much like to know his thoughts on the matter, but that'll have to wait until another time. I'm afraid I must bid you farewell for now; I can only project myself for a limited amount of time in this current state before I risk doing harm to Sasami. Please continue to watch over and guide our friends, for they're very much going to need it in the weeks ahead."

Washu nodded. "I will. Any chance we'll be able to chat again soon?"

"I must give Sasami sufficient time to recover first," Tsunami replied, her form growing dim as her voice became softer, "and as I said earlier, this form of projection isn't something I can do too often. It was good to speak with you again, old friend. Good luck."

Her projection vanished a moment later, and Washu saw the light emanating from the triangular marking on Sasami's forehead cease as well. The infirmary looked much as it had before Tsunami had manifested herself, save for the fact that Washu was still sitting up in her bed and quite deep in thought.

She looked at Heero and Ryoko, both blissfully unaware of what had just transpired. Neither of them had asked to be caught up in this mess, and yet here they were now, firmly at heart of it.

I don't think either of you ever counted on being thrown into the role of galactic savior, she thought, and yet…

…the fate of us all may ultimately rest on the two of you.

Forgive me.

….

February 14th, A.C. 199

Heero felt like he was making his way through a thick fog as he slowly began to regain consciousness. His head was a complete mess, a jumble of disjointed thoughts and fragmented memories of the desperate clash at the repository. There were brief flashes of clarity, particularly when it came to what had happened with Ryoko and himself towards the end of the fighting, but Heero was having trouble making sense of it.

Gradually, the fog began to recede as bright white light intruded. His eyelids fluttered a few times before that light started to resolve itself into something much more recognizable; the infirmary of the Yagami. It was blurry, but as the minutes went by his vision slowly began to sharpen, with two dark blurs in particular becoming familiar figures. One was Ryoko, sitting beside his bed, slumped forward with her head resting on his chest. The other was sitting upright in the bed next to his; Washu.

The red-headed scientist glanced at him a couple seconds later and smiled when she saw that his eyes were open. "Hey there, sleepyhead. How are you feeling?"

"Been better, been worse," Heero mumbled as he rubbed his forehead with one hand while running the other through Ryoko's hair, "How long was I out?"

"A couple days," Washu replied, "Don't worry, you didn't miss much. Kiyone's got us on course for a Galaxy Police repair dock and outpost; Yagami is in need of some work before we take her any further. We should be arriving in a few hours."

Heero glanced down at the woman drooling on his chest. "That might be a problem. I have to imagine whatever warrant they have on Ryoko's still in effect."

Washu shook her head. "It is, but from what Kiyone's said, the outpost we're heading for is one of the most remote installations owned by the Galaxy Police. There's a skeleton crew overseeing it, but most of the actual work there's been handed over to automation. If they try to force the issue, I'm pretty sure we can take them."

"Speak for yourself," Heero muttered as he fought a wave of dizziness, "I'm not exactly feeling up for a fight right now."

"Who's fighting?" Ryoko mumbled as she began to stir.

Washu rolled her eyes. "No one, Ryoko. Go back to sleep."

The lovely pirate did no such thing. She slowly shifted her head as her eyelids fluttered for a few seconds before snapping open when she saw that Heero was awake. She quickly sat up and wiped her mouth on her sleeve before throwing her arms over Heero's shoulders and embracing him.

"Heero!" she cried out as she squeezed him, "You're awake! God damn it, why do you have to worry me like that?"

Heero couldn't help but smile as he gently returned the embrace. "Sorry. You haven't been here this whole time, have you?"

"You're damn right I have!" she snapped as she let go of him.

She was clearly trying to be angry, but her relief at him being awake clearly outweighed whatever fury she felt towards him. Her fists clenched the blanket for a moment before she forced herself to let go and took a deep breath.

"What else was I supposed to do?" she said, "We get clear of the damn repository and then you pass out on Ryo-Ohki! Do you have any idea how badly I freaked out when I saw that? I could barely get her docked with Yagami; that's how scared I was for you!"

"He wasn't in any real danger," Washu interjected, "I told you that several times; his body was just worn out from how he'd exerted himself. Generating a Light Hawk Wing without a connection to a Royal Tree will do that to a guy."

Heero sat up and looked back and forth between Ryoko and Washu. "A Light Hawk Wing? Is that what that weird barrier was that covered my left arm during the fight?"

"Yes," Washu replied, "although to refer to it as only a barrier is rather crude."

"Excuse me for not knowing everything about the strange power of my bloodline," Heero quipped.

Ryoko shot Washu a glare. "Yeah, what he said."

Washu smiled. "Sorry… I know you're just trying to process everything that's happened, and a lot's been thrown at you over the past few days. I'm afraid it's not going to get any easier for you as we move forward."

Heero had expected as much. "If this was an easy assignment, I wouldn't be on it."

Washu chuckled. "I suppose you're right about that."

Ryoko shook her head. "I'm still having trouble wrapping my head around it all. What a mess…"

Heero couldn't argue with her on that front. "No kidding. Here I thought things got crazy in our old war."

Ryoko's eyes narrowed. "Speaking of which, got a bone to pick with you on that. What the hell were you thinking when you blew up your own Gundam while you were on it?"

Heero was actually thrown off guard. "Where did you hear about that?"

Washu raised her hand. "From me."

Heero turned to the red-haired scientist. "And how did you learn about that incident?"

Washu smiled. "I hacked Preventers' database to get a copy of their file on you. It was back when you, Ayeka and I took that trip out to the capital when the Royal Tree Ryu-Oh breached the surface of the lake."

Heero shook his head. "I suppose I shouldn't be surprised, but even so… Lady Une would go ballistic if she ever found out about that."

Washu shrugged. "If you're going to report me, it'll have to wait until you're back in the Earth Sphere."

Heero shrugged. "I'm not too concerned about that. We've got bigger fish to fry. I'm sure you had your reasons."

Ryoko folded her arms. "Just like you had your reasons for trying to kill yourself? You were seriously willing to go that far for a damn mission?"

Heero sighed. "That was a long time ago. Things have changed since then."

Washu's eyes narrowed. "How much, though? She's right to be concerned about you, and she's not the only one. You know as well as I do that your new mission is far more important than the war you fought before. If you were willing to self-destruct your own Gundam and potentially end your life in that conflict, just how far will you go now that it's not just Earth but the entire galaxy on the line here?"

"I fully intend to survive," Heero firmly replied, "but I'll do what I must to make sure our mission is accomplished."

Ryoko grabbed both his shoulders and forced him to face her. "I'm not accepting that. I don't care how important this mission is! Heero, promise me right here and right now that you will survive this mess with me!"

Heero's eyes widened when he saw the look in Ryoko's. For the first time in possibly ever, there was genuine fear in her gaze. Whatever she'd learned about his old war while he'd been unconscious had truly freaked her out. It was a completely different side of the notorious space pirate. Even the powerful enemies that they'd faced down in the repository hadn't elicited such a reaction from her. She was more afraid of what Heero would do to himself in the name of the mission than what their formidable foes would do to them the next time they met in battle.

What flashed through his mind next wasn't thoughts of the desperate fight in the repository, his feelings for Ryoko, or anything involving the past few strange months of his life. Instead, it was the last battle of his old war…

...and what he'd vowed to himself and his friends when he'd saved the world.

"I will survive!"

Those words echoed in his mind. He'd spoken them back then with such utter surety despite the fact that, statistically speaking, his odds of survival in those circumstances had not been particularly favorable. Now the odds against him and his friends were likely even worse, yet here was Ryoko, demanding that he make that same vow, a promise that realistically he could not guarantee that he could keep.

That hadn't stopped him back then though, right?

And for the sake of the woman who had come to mean so much to him over the past few months, he wouldn't let it stop him now.

He gently cupped Ryoko's chin in his right hand. "Ryoko, I've got no intention of dying on this mission. No matter what happens, I'm going to get all of us through this alive. That's a promise."

Ryoko smiled before leaning forward to kiss him. "I'm going to hold you to that, so don't you dare let me down."

"Aw, how sweet!" Washu cooed, "Quite the adorable pair of lovebirds you two have become!"

Heero saw Ryoko's face flush red, and he felt a brief surge of heat as well. They were lucky that it was just the three of them in the infirmary; Heero didn't want to think of how Ayeka would've reacted had she been present to witness Ryoko kissing him.

"You mind keeping this between the three of us?" he asked the eccentric scientist.

Washu grinned. "My lips are sealed."

"They'd better be," Ryoko muttered under her breath.

We can only hope…

Heero saw Washu's eyes narrow for a moment, and it looked like she was studying him and Ryoko. It was impossible to tell what was going through her mind, and Heero doubted she'd tell them no matter how nicely they asked.

The strange look in her eyes only lasted a second, although Washu still looked quite serious as she spoke again. "Well, now that you're awake, I'm sure you've got a million questions about what the hell happened to you down there."

"Definitely a few at least," Heero admitted, "Let's start with the big one. That strange barrier that covered my arm… you called it a Light Hawk Wing. What the hell is that and how did I summon one?"

"Simply put, it's the ultimate manifestation of the power that your bloodline wields," Washu answered, "Light Hawk Wings are phenomenally powerful energy constructs capable of resisting any attack; even Juraian Master Keys cannot pierce them."

Heero nodded. "An impenetrable shield… that's handy."

Washu smiled. "Yes, but they're so much more than that. Their most common application is indeed that of defense, but that is simply scratching the surface. Wielded to their fullest extent, Light Hawk Wings are capable of mind-bending feats. You have no idea the kind of power that could be at your disposal, Heero."

"Been getting that a lot lately," Heero quipped.

Washu scowled. "You know, the only reason I let you get away with that kind of backtalk is because you're cute."

Heero couldn't help but chuckle at that. "Lucky me."

They were interrupted by the door to the infirmary opening, with Ayeka stepping through a moment later with a water bottle in her hand. "Ryoko, I'm sure you haven't had a drink in the last six hours, so you'd better… Lord Heero!"

The Juraian princess threw decorum to the wind and rushed over, almost bowling over Ryoko in the process. She threw her arms around Heero, her momentum so great that she nearly knocked Heero right out of the bed.

"Oh, Lord Heero, I was so worried!" she cried as she embraced him, "Thank Tsunami that you're finally awake!"

Heero gave her what he hoped was a reassuring pat on the back. "I'm all right, Ayeka. Thanks for stopping by."

Ayeka smiled as she released him. "It's the least that I could do."

Washu smirked. "She's been in here almost as much as Ryoko. Amazingly, despite countless hours of bickering, they haven't destroyed the infirmary yet!"

"Small favors," Heero muttered.

Ayeka folded her arms as she shot a glare at Washu. "Well, of course I'm not going to pick a fight in the middle of Lord Heero's convalescence. I'm not nearly as crass as your daughter, Miss Washu!"

"You sure sound like you're trying to pick a fight right now," Ryoko grumbled.

Heero put a hand on the pirate's shoulder. "Stand down."

Ryoko rolled her eyes before smiling. "Don't worry, Heero. I'll wait until we're on an actual planet before I take a swing at her. Don't want to bang up Yagami, after all."

"You have the restraint of a saint," Heero dryly replied.

"Hardly the way I'd put it," Ayeka huffed before passing the water bottle to him, "Lord Heero, please drink up! Surely you need it."

"Hey, I thought that was for me!" Ryoko snapped.

"That was before I learned that Lord Heero had awakened," Ayeka countered, "He is still bedridden, while you are quite capable of mobility. If you wish for refreshment, go grab some yourself."

"And leave you and Washu alone with Heero?" Ryoko shot back, "Not a chance!"

"Ryoko can have it, Ayeka," said Heero, "I'll grab myself something to drink later."

Ayeka looked concerned. "Lord Heero, with all due respect, you're hardly in any condition to move right now. After what happened down in the repository, you really must remain in bed for at least a few more days."

Privately, Heero suspected she was right. He tried moving his legs under the blanket, but their response was sluggish. Hell, his whole body still felt quite heavy. Moving around under his own power was going to be difficult to say the least. Still, Heero suspected that he didn't have as much time to rest as Ayeka might want him to.

"The sooner that I'm up and about, the better," Heero replied, "Our enemies aren't going to sit back and wait for me to make a full recovery, after all."

Washu smiled. "Actually, the ball's in our court now. It's true that we need to move quickly, but we're the ones setting the pace. Kagato has to react to us now rather than the other way around."

Ryoko nodded. "She's right. We got the data; he's got squat. That means you've got time to rest up, and you should definitely take it."

Heero shook his head. "I appreciate the concern, but I think we all know that I can't afford to do that. You saw my duel with Kagato's sister; it was all I could do just to keep myself alive during that fight. If my abilities don't improve before our next encounter, then our chances of victor won't be looking so good. I need to further my understanding of this power I've inherited, and I need to do that quickly."

He saw both Ayeka and Ryoko turn to Washu. Following their gaze, Heero saw Washu close her eyes for a moment and take a deep breath. Heero realized that he must've missed something important while he was out, and he suddenly felt quite uncomfortable.

The somber look that Washu gave him when her eyes opened didn't help matters. "Yes, I suppose you do… which means that we need to talk. In private."

She looked at the princess and the pirate, and Heero expected the two of them to argue. Much to his surprise, though, they both nodded in agreement, which only served to set off alarm bells in Heero's head; something was definitely wrong here.

"I'll inform the others that you've awakened," said Ayeka, "but I'll also request that they refrain from entering the infirmary until Miss Washu gives the okay."

Ryoko patted Heero on the shoulder as she stood up. "I'll be outside. Heero… if you want to talk afterwards, I'll be there for you."

"Thanks," said Heero, trying to hide his concern and confusion.

The two ladies left the infirmary, leaving Heero alone with Washu. The legendary scientist smiled, but it wasn't a warm gesture. In fact, it struck Heero as almost apologetic.

"Why the long face?" he asked, "You're looking at me like I'm terminally ill."

Washu sighed. "Nothing like that, but… well, by the time we're done here, I think you'll find that the 'old' Heero, as it were, is dead. Whether you like it or not, once you've heard what I have to say… the life you once knew will be over."

….

For a long moment before she even spoke, Washu carefully regarded the young man sitting in front of her. There was always the chance that she could be wrong about him; it certainly wouldn't be the first time she'd made a mistake these past thousand years. She and Tsunami could both be completely off in their assessment of him, although Washu really didn't want to think about what that meant for their situation if that was indeed the case. Still, something deep down told her that they weren't wrong about him. Most of it was simply instinct, something that Washu didn't like relying on; she preferred hard data over her gut. Even so, hard data was in short supply, with the one notable exception being what she had seen from Heero down in the repository.

He has no bond with a Royal Tree, unlike Ayeka and Yosho, she thought, and yet he was still capable of generating a Light Hawk Wing. Granted, he had one of my gems to provide a boost, but even so… if I was wrong about him, then he wouldn't have been able to create a single Wing even with the aid of that gem, right? The fact that he could do so, even if it was only one, should support my theory… I just wish I had more than that single data point to go off of. I need to be really careful here.

Not for the first time, Washu wished she could read minds. Heero's face betrayed very few hints as to what was going through his head at the moment, and knowing his mental state would make the conversation that lay ahead much easier. There were glimpses of apprehension and curiosity in his expression, but only the barest traces of them. The young man had quite the poker face, and Washu idly wondered what might've been had he chosen the life of a professional gambler rather than the path he was on now.

The uncomfortable silence between them was eventually broken by the Preventers operative. "The life I once knew will be over? I think you're a bit late to the party on that. My old life went out the window the moment Ryoko and Ayeka entered the Sol System."

Washu couldn't help but chuckle at that. "In a way, I suppose you have a point there. Even so, you adapted, and you kept your role as a Preventers operative. In watching over them and your growing assortment of alien guests, you were still acting in a manner that was consistent with your position as a guardian of Earth's precious peace. However, once you and I are through here today… well, you may find that you're no longer able to go back to such a humble role. Your place in the galaxy will not allow it."

Heero folded his arms. "Are you referring to the fact that I'm a member of the Juraian Royal Family? I have no intention of getting involved in the Empire's affairs, at least not beyond doing what I must to ensure that Kagato is defeated and the Judgement Array is destroyed. There's no reason why I can't return to Earth once this mess has been dealt with."

Washu shook her head, pitying the young man in front of her. "Oh, Heero… there is so much more going on here than just dynastic politics and petty power struggles within the Empire. Believe me, if the family drama and intrigue were the only things at play, then this situation would be much simpler."

"Then what am I missing?" Heero asked, "I figured you and Yosho were still holding out on me, but it seems that there are more secrets you two are keeping than I had initially suspected."

Washu nodded. "Oh yes, and some pretty big ones at that. In hindsight, you should've been filled in quite some time ago, but with the way things have been going and what we're likely flying into… well, now would be a good time to bring you fully into the loop. I know that you're resilient, but even you will need time and space to fully process what I'm about to tell you."

"Well, I've got nowhere to go and nothing better to do at the moment," Heero replied, "If you've got a story to tell, then you have a captive audience."

"Indeed, I do," said Washu, "Tell me, Heero; what are your beliefs when it comes to the creation of the universe? Where do you think it all began?"

Heero raised an eyebrow. "That's a bit out of left field, isn't it?"

Washu's eyes narrowed. "Not at all. In fact, it's central to this whole affair."

It took a moment before Heero could respond. "You're being serious here, aren't you?"

"More now than I've ever been in my life," Wash answered, "and that has been a very long life, to put it mildly."

"All right, then," said Heero, "Honestly, I've never paid it much attention. Humanity's scientific community has settled on the Big Bang, and the various religions of the Earth Sphere all have their own take on the subject. It was never a debate that I had any reason to get involved with, at least if you don't count any of my missions that had to do with neutralizing religious extremists. If you're asking for my stance on the subject, my answer is that I simply don't have one. I never believed it to have any bearing on what I do or my place in the world, so I didn't consider it to be worth all the fuss."

Washu smiled. "A practical answer; I expected as much from you. Unfortunately, your belief that it has no bearing on your place in the world is very much mistaken. You see, the very reason why all that you recognize as reality was brought into being…"

"... was so we could find you."

….

Heero blinked a few times; he couldn't have heard that right. "Say that again?"

Washu sighed. "I know how it must sound, but I promise you that it's the truth."

Heero shook his head. "I've seen plenty of people who think that the universe revolves around them; I'm sure they'd have no problem buying what you're selling. I'm not one of them, though."

Washu nodded. "That's to your credit. However, that doesn't change the heart of the matter. I suppose I shouldn't be laying something like that on you without providing some context, though."

"That would be nice," Heero quipped.

Washu leaned forward slightly. "Heero, what if I told you that every single religion that's ever been concocted by humanity is completely wrong about the origins of the universe?"

"I wouldn't exactly be surprised," Heero deadpanned, "The bit where I'm supposedly what it all revolves around is something of a twist, though."

Washu chuckled. "Yes, well, I was quite surprised myself when I realized that you might be the one that we were looking for all those eons ago. Even now, there's still the possibility that I'm wrong… but seeing as one of my fellow goddesses also backs my assessment, I don't think I am."

Heero had to be imagining things here. "You mind backing up a bit? You lost me at the whole 'goddess' thing."

Washu smiled. "I have a better idea."

Heero saw her close her eyes for a moment before holding out her right hand. For a second he wondered if he was supposed to take it, but then he saw two small orbs of light appear in her palm. The light faded a few seconds later, with two tiny crimson spheres resting in her hand.

Heero's eyes narrowed as he studied them. He'd never seen them before, yet for some reason, they actually felt familiar. Focusing on them for a few seconds, Heero soon realized that the energy they were giving off was ringing a bell. He'd sensed it just a couple days ago, and it had come from two distinct sources. One was Ryoko when her power had surged, while the other was himself…

...when he'd summoned the Light Hawk Wing.

"What are these?" he asked.

Washu gave him a surprisingly melancholic smile. "Depends on who you ask. Someone like Kagato would say that they are the keys to phenomenal power, and that is indeed one of their functions. What they really are, though, are memories of a bygone age… of a time when reality as you would recognize it simply didn't exist. A time when the third dimension that you call home was merely a blank canvass, with three bored beings from a higher plane wanting to find an answer to a question that had been puzzling them for eons."

The two gems in her hand gave off an intense flash of light, forcing Heero to momentarily shield his eyes. When the light faded enough that he could see again, the infirmary had vanished entirely. Surrounding Heero and Washu was a black void; there was literally nothing but the two of them for as far as the eye could see.

"Before life or matter as you would understand them came to exist in this plane of reality, three beings stood above it," said Washu, "That there were only the three of them and literally nothing else was something of a mystery, to put it mildly. Obviously, the three of them had come from somewhere, but their own origins eluded them. They pondered this puzzle from the highest plane for a long time, but never arrived at a satisfactory conclusion."

Three orbs of light appeared overhead; one green, one blue, and one red. They gradually descended and spread out into a very loose triangular formation before settling into a slow orbit around Heero and Washu.

"If anyone from the plane of reality that you currently inhabit were present, this is probably what the three higher beings would've looked like to their eyes," Washu continued, "If you had been present, Heero… perhaps you still would've perceived us as such, but… well, if my hunch is right, I think you would've seen our true forms."

Heero did not miss the key words there. "Our true forms? You mean… you were…"

Washu slowly nodded. "I've told you that I'm old, Heero. What I never told you, though, was just how old. From your perspective, I suppose you could say…"

"...I'm timeless."

The three orbs of light circling them began to pulse. As the intensity of the light increased, Heero was once again forced to shut his eyes. It faded just a few moments later, and when Heero opened his eyes again it took every last bit of restraint he had to keep his jaw from dropping.

"You…" he whispered, struggling to comprehend the full implications of what he was seeing.

The orbs of light had transformed themselves into three quite beautiful women, and Heero's eyes had immediately locked onto the one that was most familiar. She actually looked taller than the form he was accustomed to, and her bearing was surprisingly regal, but there was no mistake; it was definitely Washu.

She cleans up nicely, he thought, taking in the strange yet quite elegant purple gown that she wore, along with the golden collar around her neck and the ornate loop that held her hair up, I suppose that would be child's play for her, though, if what she's revealing here is any indication of her true power…

Heero wasn't even trying to hide the fact that he was staring at her true form, and he earned a smirk from Washu for it. "I was quite the looker back in the day. I'd like to think I still am; there are only two other women in all of existence who can say that they've aged as gracefully as me!"

"And I suppose I'm looking at them now, right?" said Heero as he turned his gaze to the other figures.

Washu nodded. "Yup. Does one of them in particular look familiar to you?"

She had to have known the answer to that question before she'd even asked it. Heero's eyes had already locked onto the second woman, and it wasn't hard at all to figure out why she felt familiar to him. She was taller than the girl that had come to Heero's mind, with a very serene air to her as opposed to the cheerful and innocent nature of the maiden in question, but there was no mistake; if Heero had been asked to imagine Sasami as an adult, the woman he was looking at now would've fit the bill down to practically the last detail.

"It can't be…" he murmured, "Sasami?"

"Yes and no," Washu replied, "It's a bit complicated."

"I've got time for the rundown," said Heero, still struggling to take in what he was seeing.

"Her name is Tsunami," Washu replied, "Does that ring a bell?"

It actually did, although it took Heero a moment to figure out why. "Ayeka mentioned her to me before… referred to her as some sort of guardian entity for Jurai."

"She's not exactly wrong," said Washu, "The Empire of Jurai rose to prominence thanks to her granting the founders of that nation an aspect of her power in the form of the Royal Trees, but there's much more to it than that. Ayeka wouldn't know that; nowadays, I'd wager that those who understand Tsunami's true nature and origins are very few and far between, even within the highest echelons of the Empire."

"What's her connection to Sasami?" asked Heero.

Washu smiled. "Essentially, Sasami is Tsunami's current incarnation within this plane of reality. Simply put, Sasami is playing host to her, and as she grows up her spirit and that of Tsunami will slowly merge. Long story short, Sasami will become Tsunami at some point, inheriting all of her knowledge and power."

Heero's eyes narrowed. "Does Sasami know about any of this?"

Washu shook her head. "No. She'll learn in due time, but for now… well, it's better if she remains in the dark. Once she becomes aware of her true nature, her life will change forever. I'd like for her to be able to enjoy her innocence at least for a little while longer."

Heero was skeptical. "Is that really an option? With the way things are progressing, any advantage we can get is crucial. If Sasami is the host of Tsunami, then it sounds like she's more involved in all of this than would be apparent at first glance. Whatever power she possesses could help."

"Sasami herself wouldn't be able to wield it, at least not yet," Washu countered, "Besides, right now Tsunami's most important task is simply keeping Sasami alive. Her spirit wasn't meant to inhabit Sasami this early; she was forced to fuse early in order to save her life following an attack on the palace. Tsunami's power is immense, Heero, and Sasami's body can't really take it as she is now. Trust me; we'd be doing far more harm than good."

Heero nodded. "All right. Still, I'd at least like to speak with her. If she's tied to Jurai and the Royal Family, then it sounds like whatever power I have bears a connection to her."

Washu actually smirked at that. "You'll get your chance, and perhaps sooner than you'd think. I had a pleasant little conversation with her the first night after our return to the Yagami. She's quite interested in you!"

Heero raised an eyebrow. "You're not pulling my leg here, are you?"

Washu grinned. "Nope! I swear to me, I'm being completely honest with you here."

Heero rolled his eyes. "How long have you been saving that line for?"

Washu chuckled. "Way too long! Goddess humor is much harder to pull off than you'd think."

"I'll take your word for it," Heero muttered.

Washu sighed. "That being said, you're probably going to have to wait a little while before Tsunami will be able to talk to you. She can manifest herself as a sort of astral projection, but doing so does take a toll on Sasami. Nothing that causes permanent damage or anything like that, but it does require that she allow a little down time between manifestations. Seeing as she just spoke to me pretty recently, it could be anything from a few days to several weeks before she'll be able to contact you. Possibly longer. I'm not sure as to what all her limits are at the moment."

"I suppose we'll find out in due time," said Heero as he looked at the last of the three women orbiting around them, "In the meantime, who is she?"

While the first two women had looked familiar to him, the third one most certainly did not. Firm and imposing, she had a much colder feel to her than either Tsunami or Washu. She was definitely striking in appearance, with long brown hair that was tied up in a single tail that fell behind her almost to her knees, and dark blue-ish purple eyes that looked as though they could swallow anything within their depths. She was clad in an elaborate maroon gown with green trim, with long purple gloves emerging from its sleeves and a short but broad white cape held in place by a crimson ovoid brooch and an odd golden hoop that was set in a wide circle around her neck. She had an air of authority and power about her, and even if Heero hadn't understood that he was looking at a goddess he still would've been more than capable of realizing that she wasn't to be trifled with.

"Ah," said Washu, "That would be Tokimi. The third of us Choushin… and the one that I'm most concerned about at the moment."

"Why is that?" asked Heero.

"I haven't been in touch with her for a very long time," Washu admitted, "In my current corporeal form, establishing contact with her is difficult, to say the least. It'd be so much easier if she reached out to me, but she has not seen fit to do so. Combine that with recent events, and I'm starting to get worried."

Heero's eyes narrowed. "Do you think she could be helping Kagato?"

Washu gave a rueful chuckle. "You jumped to that conclusion quite quickly… the same one that Tsunami and I both considered as well. It's a distinct possibility. If she is supporting him, then it's likely for the same reason that Tsunami and I wish to support you."

Heero shook his head. "I don't see how that's possible. Kagato's after a weapon capable of wiping out all life on multiple worlds simultaneously. We're out to destroy that weapon. Our purposes are about as mutually exclusive as you can get. Whatever Tokimi's motives, I doubt they're the same as yours and Tsunami's."

"Actually, I'm afraid you're wrong there," Washu countered, "This is going to sound strange, but I believe that Tokimi might see Kagato the same way that Tsunami and I see you. The two of you… you have the potential to be what we've been looking for all this time."

Heero blinked a few times. "You've lost me."

"Remember when I said that the three of us had been puzzling over just how we came into being?" Washu asked, "We did not know if we would ever be able to find the exact answer that we were looking for, and eventually we concocted an experiment. We decided that if we could not conclusively determine who or what had preceded us, we could at least determine if there was the potential for a being that could surpass us. So, we pooled our collective powers and brought to life the realm where our experiment could play out. Essentially, what you recognize as the physical universe could be considered as nothing more than one giant laboratory."

Heero did not like where this was going. "So… you're saying that you brought our plane of reality into existence… as one giant test?"

Washu sighed. "A crude way to put it, but I suppose that's not inaccurate. We believed that it was possible for the being we sought to be born within this new realm given enough time and some nudging in the right direction. Once the groundwork was laid, the three of us then split up and took our own approach to the problem. In my case, this involved confining my memories and power into three small gems and then descending to this new physical universe. I then spent the eons relearning what I had once known."

Heero shook his head. "That sounds rather counterproductive."

Washu smiled. "Think of it this way; all the knowledge that I'd possessed prior to the experiment had not allowed me to answer the question that the three of us had spent so long puzzling over. That prior knowledge base had told me that what we sought was an impossibility. In sealing away that knowledge and starting from scratch, the idea was that it would force me to think outside the box. Using that approach is how I came to create Ryoko and Ryo-Ohki."

"Was Ryoko intended to be this person that you and the others were searching for?" asked Heero.

"At her conception, I had considered this," Washu admitted, "However, as my work proceeded, I realized that I couldn't create through artificial means the being that we sought. Instead, my focus shifted to making Ryoko and Ryo-Ohki as vessels capable of harnessing my power. My hope for them was that, through their own independent actions, they might help facilitate the conditions that would lead to the creation of the being we were searching for."

Heero's eyes narrowed. "So, that's why you abandoned your own daughter after creating her and left her with only Ryo-Ohki as a companion? You definitely won't be winning the 'Mother of the Year' award anytime soon."

Washu looked down for a moment, and to Heero she appeared genuinely remorseful. "I know. In hindsight, the way I went about things with her and Ryo-Ohki… well, I didn't do either of them any favors. The only consolation is that they eventually met someone who cared for them as deeply as I should have from the beginning."

"Who's that?" asked Heero.

Washu met his gaze again and smiled. "Why, it's you, of course. I know that it doesn't excuse what I did, but I truly am grateful that you were the one that they met when they first came to Earth, Heero. Perhaps they may have started as unwelcome guests, and I know that they made your job difficult, but you still took them in. You watched over them, gave them a place to stay, showed them a life where they didn't have to be on the run and constantly look over their shoulders. In the few short months that you've known them, you've done more for my daughter and her companion than I ever did. Looking back on it all… I think that they were meant to find you. I'm certainly happy that they did."

Much to his surprise, Heero actually found himself blushing at that. "I just… wanted to help. I know the galaxy sees her as a criminal, but… she deserves better. They both do."

It would've been all too easy for her to tease him, but instead Washu simply nodded. "I agree. If there was ever a young man that I'd want my daughter and her pet to end up with, it'd definitely be you. I don't think I need to tell you just how much you mean to her, Heero. As for what she means to you… well, you'd know that better than anyone else, wouldn't you?"

There was no avoiding what she was getting at. "How long have you known?"

Washu giggled. "You mean how long have I been aware that you two were sleeping together when you thought you could get away with it? Since the very beginning! You two might have slipped it past the others, but did you really think you could fool the greatest genius in the universe?"

Heero couldn't help but chuckle. "Well, can you fault us for trying?"

Washu shook her head. "No, I certainly can't. Don't worry; I won't go spreading the word around. However, you two might want to be a bit more careful about how you express your feelings for each other. You've got some pretty sharp friends, especially when it comes to your fellow former Gundam pilots; I'm sure at least a couple of them already have suspicions about the two of you."

Heero nodded. "I'll keep that in mind. I'm hoping that they've got more important things to worry about than my love life at the moment, though."

"I'm pretty sure we all do right now," Washu concurred, "That being said… what your bloodline holds, and with how I created Ryoko… if the two of you started a family… well, that would be very interesting. You'd essentially have my power and that of Tsunami joining together! Yes… that would be fascinating to say the least."

Heero was rather eager to steer the conversation away from that particular line of thought. "Right. In any case, you said that the three of you split up after creating the universe in order to independently carry out your visions of this experiment, right? If your plan was to wipe your own slate clean and start from scratch so that you could approach the puzzle from new angles, what about the other two? Tsunami's linked to the founding of the Empire of Jurai; was that her way of continuing your experiment?"

Washu scratched her chin in thought. "To tell you the truth, that's always been a bit of a mystery to me. I believe that whatever interactions she had with the founder of the royal dynasty were made with the goal of furthering our overall design, but I don't know if she actually meant for a galaxy-spanning Empire to spring forth from that particular seed. The thing is, Tsunami's pretty hands-off compared to me. Rather than actively tinker like I would, she prefers to plant seeds and then watch them come to fruition. She might provide the occasional nudge or two, but by and large she's actually rather passive."

Heero raised an eyebrow. "So, you're telling me that she created a galactic superpower accidentally?"

Washu shrugged. "Stranger things have happened."

Heero shook his head. "Strange might be understating the matter. How many other 'seeds' has she planted in this manner?"

"Hard to say," Washu conceded, "We didn't exactly keep in contact, so it's not like she gave me regular updates on how her part of the plan was going. Our conversation while you were recovering was our first in a very long time. However, I can tell you this much; her 'seed' with the royal family has resulted in the energy that flows through your bloodline, along with the power that inhabits Juraian Royal Treeships. I think this particular 'seed' was one that she invested a considerable portion of her power into. It would help explain why she was mostly dormant throughout the Empire's 150,000 year history after granting such gifts upon Jurai's founders."

Heero's brow furrowed. "And her current limitations resulting from her residing within Sasami means she can't exert much active influence over our current state of affairs, right?"

Washu nodded. "Pretty much. For better or worse, she has to act through proxies now. Sasami, Ayeka, Yosho… and you. Actually, at this point… it might be you more than any other member of the Royal Family now."

Heero sighed. "I'd like to say it's an honor, but seeing as no one bothered to inform me of any of it until countless lives were put at risk, I hope she'll understand if my feelings on that are a bit mixed."

Washu smiled. "I don't think you'll need to worry. Of the three of us, Tsunami's always been the most compassionate and patient. When she does finally speak to you, I think you'll find her to be very empathetic and open-minded."

"I suppose I could do worse for a deity," Heero quipped, "Humanity's thought up more than its share of petty and vengeful gods over the millennia. Compared to that, you and Tsunami come off as far more benevolent."

Washu chuckled. "I've read up on some of your human religions and their ideas of the divine. No offense, but the gods your species comes up with are a pretty low bar to clear."

Heero had to smirk as he imagined how some of the religiously-motivated terrorists he'd dealt with as a Preventers operative would've reacted to learning what he'd learned today. "None taken."

Washu looked down for a moment. "Unfortunately, if I'm right about what Tokimi's up to, it might only be two out of the three of us that fit the benevolent category."

Heero didn't like the sound of that. "Why? Does she have a different idea of how to carry out the experiment you three came up with?"

Washu shook her head. "Actually, you could say that it's the other way around, or at least, it used to be. Tsunami and I deviated from our original plan, while Tokimi stayed behind to carry it out."

Heero raised an eyebrow. "What was the original plan?"

"Once the universe had been brought into being within the third dimension, we had intended to use our power to cause chaos in the fabric of space and time to either create the superior being that we sought or to make them reveal themselves," Washu answered, "Tsunami and I both ultimately decided that this wouldn't produce what we were after and wanted to experience this new universe for ourselves in order to better understand it and therefore have a clearer idea as to how the being we were searching for might come into existence. Tokimi stayed behind on the upper plane to execute our original scheme. For the longest time, I'd believed that she had remained there, but recent events have caused me to reconsider that notion."

"You think she's allied with Kagato?" asked Heero.

"I have no proof," Washu admitted, "but his recent actions… his rising ambitions for the Array after we used it to end the Imperial Civil War… I think there might be more than just his own desires at play here. Kagato always was ambitious, but he did still possess some restraints, lines that he would not cross. Perhaps it was simply the pure power represented by the Array that corrupted him, but looking back… it almost feels as though there was another hand guiding events. Using the Array was an atrocity, even if it ended the war… and yet, when I think back on it, it was also the kind of disruptive event that could fit within Tokimi's vision of our original plan."

"Is that who we're really up against?" asked Heero, "A goddess that's simply using Kagato as a means to an end?"

Washu shook her head. "That's not quite right. If Tokimi is supporting Kagato, and that's by no means a sure thing at this point, it's likely because he is that end for her… just as you are for Tsunami and myself."

And now they'd reached the heart of the matter, and Heero didn't like it one bit. "You know it's insane, right? I can believe that you're one of these three goddesses that created our universe; my life's gotten crazy enough over the past few months that I'm willing to keep an open mind on that. However, the idea that I'm potentially the reason it was made in the first place? I don't see how that can possibly be right."

Washu nodded and gave him a sympathetic smile. "I can understand why you'd feel that way. I'm sure it sounds absolutely nuts. However, after what I saw from you down in the repository… I really do think that you're the one we've been looking for, Heero."

Heero's eyes narrowed. "Why? Because of the Light Hawk Wing? That's simply because of my bloodline and the gem you hid inside my armor."

"No," Washu replied, "Heero, you need to understand this; what you did down there should have been impossible. Members of the Jurai Royal Family can only summon Light Hawk Wings once they've forged a bond with a Royal Tree, and you do not have such a connection. Your grandfather has Funaho, Ayeka has Ryu-Oh, and there are plenty more where they came from. You, though? You have no such bond, and yet you generated a Light Hawk Wing anyway. The gem I hid in your armor was meant to test a theory, and it succeeded. It didn't grant you power; it simply acted as a catalyst to accelerate the growth of the power that you already possess. There is only one reason I can think of that you were able to generate a Light Hawk Wing… only one that is even remotely plausible."

Her gaze was locked with his, and Heero had never seen her look as serious before as she did now. "Heero… you are the being that was meant to surpass us."

….

Moment of truth, thought Washu as she carefully studied Heero, although… I suppose that might be premature. Everything I've just dropped on him… well, it won't be surprising if he rejects it at first.

She knew he was resilient, but even so, Washu had given him a lot to take in. She hadn't been exaggerating when she'd told him that his old life was over. No matter how he might try to go back to it when this was all over, with the sheer power that had only recently begun stirring within him, it would be impossible. As hectic as the past week or so had been, it would be positively tranquil compared to the madness that Washu knew lay ahead.

A long moment passed before she saw Heero shake his head. "It's crazy… you do know how utterly nuts this all is, right?"

"I never said it'd be easy to process," Washu replied, "and I'd honestly be shocked if it didn't sound crazy to you. That doesn't change the fact that everything I just told you is the absolute truth."

Heero's eyes narrowed. "You don't know for certain that I'm the one you're after. You said that Tokimi might be backing Kagato because he's this… superior being, or whatever. You and Tsunami could be completely wrong about this. You probably are wrong."

Washu shook her head. "No, I really don't think we are. In fact, after what I've seen from you over the past few days, I'm more certain than ever that we're right. Tell me, Heero; how's the leg?"

Heero raised an eyebrow. "What's that have to do with any of this?"

"Humor me," said Washu.

She watched as he touched where he'd been stabbed by Kagato's sister mere days earlier. "It feels… completely fine. There's no pain whatsoever. I'm barely even feeling any scar tissue."

Washu smiled. "Thought so. The technology in this med bay is sophisticated, but even so, a wound like that normally would leave a major scar. Juraian royals heal quite well, but even the power of your bloodline normally has limits when it comes to that sort of thing. You, though? With the way you've healed, you'd be hard pressed to guess that you were stabbed with a Juraian Key."

Heero shook his head. "I've always healed quickly. It means nothing."

Washu sighed. "Heero, don't do this. Denial doesn't suit you, and we both know it."

Heero looked down for a few moments before he spoke again. "My grandfather… how much does he know about all of this?"

"Pretty much everything," Washu admitted, "You may not believe me, but we really have wanted to tell you for a while now. It was just… difficult to figure out how to break it to you."

"Difficult for the greatest genius in the universe?" Heero quipped.

Washu shrugged. "Hey, even I've got things that give me trouble. Scientific research is my specialty. I'm not so good when it comes to heavy emotional baggage, and you've got quite a bit of it."

"What gave you that idea?" asked Heero.

Washu's eyes narrowed. "I told you earlier; I've read your file. Preventers might not know everything about you, but their knowledge base is still quite thorough. Their dossier on you also included a psychological profile, and I've made some edits and updates to the copy I pilfered from them. You're good at projecting a calm and cool front, but you've got enough emotional trauma bottled up to keep a shrink busy for years. Hell, Preventers' own shrinks have taken more than a few shots at you, but you've gotten pretty good at stonewalling them over the course of your career."

Heero rolled his eyes. "They think that just because I didn't have a conventional childhood that I might be a loose cannon. Director Une and Sally have a much higher opinion of me than the psychologists on their payroll. There's a reason that Preventers gave an assignment as sensitive as managing humanity's first official contact with extraterrestrial life to me rather than another operative."

Washu nodded. "Several reasons, actually… and you seem to have missed a few. Your direct superiors may have greater trust in you than the therapists working for Preventers, but they are still concerned about you. You might not believe this, but your time watching over Ryoko, Ayeka, and the others has actually been a boon for your mental health. It's started you down a much healthier path than the one you were on before, but there's still a long way to go."

Heero folded his arms. "All right, I'll bite. What's the 'baggage' that you're so worried about?"

Washu sighed. "Where to begin? You didn't know your birth mother, your biological father raised you without revealing your parentage, you were brought up as a guerilla fighter and learned to kill when most children would've been in elementary school, you came of age as an insurgent fighting against an authoritarian regime, and you were operating as a counter-insurgency operative and assassin before you met my daughter. Your life has been as far from conventional as one can get, and while I don't share the shrinks' belief that it makes you unstable, I do think that concern is warranted. For the first time in your adult life, you've finally learned about your biological family and have only just learned that the old man who's been your neighbor for the past few months is actually your grandfather. Combine that with everything else you've discovered about yourself over the past week or so, and I'd say you're a tangled up knot of emotional tension that needs more than just a simple therapy session or two!"

"And that's why you waited to tell me any of this?" Heero asked, "You were afraid that I might be too much of a mess inside to handle it? Leaving me in the dark for so long was so much better?"

Washu sighed. "No, it wasn't. Heero, I made a mistake. Your grandfather and I both did. I've got no problem admitting that. Even so… with all you've already gone through… we weren't sure if you were ready."

"Somehow I've got the feeling that Kagato doesn't care if I'm ready or not," Heero pointed out, "Events are in motion now, Washu. If I really am as central to all of this as you believe I am, then telling me everything from the start would've been the smart choice."

"I didn't have enough evidence at the time to be sure of things," Washu argued, "You creating the Light Hawk Wing was enough to clear that last hurdle. Heero… what you are… what your true potential could be… I don't think you understand the ramifications. Do you know why I sealed my power and memories when I came down to the third dimension? It wasn't just so I could come at things from a new angle. The kind of power that was at my command… one slip up and I could've erased entire planets from existence, and I wouldn't have needed the Array to do it! The same goes for Tsunami and Tokimi. If that's what we're capable of, then what do you think you could potentially do once your true power awakens?"

Heero shook his head. "I'm nowhere near that, and we both know it. It took everything I had to simply survive the fight at the repository. I don't have anything close to the kind of power that you say I do."

"That's because you've only recently begun to tap into it," Washu countered, "Heero, I don't think you comprehend just how far you've come in just a short amount of time. You've gone from wielding Tenchi-ken and awakening your Juraian power to summoning your first Light Hawk Wing in the span of just a couple of weeks! It can take decades, sometimes even centuries, for a Juraian royal to develop their power in such a manner. Ayeka can summon three Light Hawk Wings thanks to her connection with Ryu-Oh, but it takes everything she has and she can only do it for a couple seconds at the most. You, on the other hand, were able to summon and maintain one for a prolonged period of time, and you're still trying to figure out the basics of your power. Your growth rate is exponential, and it's only going to climb even faster once you knuckle down with Yosho and truly start training. What you could truly be capable of, and how quickly you'll progress once you really begin to understand your power… it's honestly terrifying."

Heero closed his eyes for a moment, and Washu was relieved that he at least seemed to be giving the matter serious consideration. "So… if my power continues to grow, then eventually I could reach a point where I'd put the others at risk if I don't have proper control… and my emotions play into that. Does that sound about right?"

"In a nutshell, yes," Washu answered, "Heero, I'm not proposing that I play shrink for you right here and now. What you've gone through in life… it's not something that can be worked out overnight. I only want you to understand the true ramifications of the power that you potentially hold, because I have no doubt that it's going to be the key to ending this crisis. All our hopes really do rest on you."

Heero gave a rueful chuckle. "No pressure or anything, right?"

Washu gave him what she hoped was an apologetic smile. "I know you never asked for any of this. Believe me, I wish we were all still back on Earth enjoying our idyllic life at the countryside safehouse. It was charming, fun, and secure. We might've driven you crazy more often than not, but you were genuinely happy. Don't deny it."

He actually smiled at that. "I was. That kind of life was so new to me… it helped me realize what I'd been missing before. For the first time, I felt like I finally understood what people meant when they compared peacetime to the era of conflict that had preceded it. Watching over all of you might have initially been a task given to me by Preventers, just another mission… but it became so much more. Those days in our little home nestled in the mountains of Japan… I think they were the happiest time of my life. What I wouldn't give to go back there… for this whole mess with Kagato and the Array to just be one giant bad dream."

Washu sighed. "That makes two of us. We can wish all we want, but it doesn't change our present reality. All we can do is move forward and face the threat head-on, both for our own sakes and for those that we care for. I know that you embarked on this mission as a member of Preventers, but you're no longer working just to maintain peace in the Earth Sphere, Heero. Like it or not, your responsibility is well beyond that now."

Heero nodded. "How'd that old comic book line go? With great power comes great responsibility, or something like that? If my potential power really is what you believe it to be, then I suppose the accompanying duty must be equally great. Not exactly what I was expecting when we set out on this little adventure."

Washu put her hand on his shoulder. "I know it's not what you asked for, but for what it's worth… of all the possible candidates we could've found, I think you are the one that's best suited to wield the power that Tsunami and I believe you possess. If you truly are the being that was meant to surpass us… then I know for a fact that the universe we created is in good hands."

"Let's not put the cart before the horse," said Heero, "Speaking of my potential true power is all well and good, but without proper training, it doesn't mean all that much."

Washu smiled. "Oh, don't worry; where we're going, you'll get plenty of that."

Heero raised an eyebrow. "I'll get the training I need at a remote Galaxy Police outpost? Am I missing something here?"

Washu shook her head. "The Galaxy Police outpost is just a temporary stop so we can service the Yagami. No, Heero, I'm talking about our destination after that. You've already met your grandfather and your grand half-aunts; how do you feel about meeting the rest of the family?"

Heero's eyes widened slightly. "We're going to Jurai? What about the second repository?"

Washu tapped the side of her head. "About that… you know all that data I downloaded from the first? It included some data on the defenses for the second. Long story short, Yagami and Ryo-Ohki aren't going to be nearly enough to get us through the outer ring. We're going to need a fleet, and luckily for us, we happen to be traveling with a few young ladies whose father commands the largest navy in the galaxy!"

Heero went quiet for a moment, and when he spoke again it seemed more like he was talking to himself rather than Washu. "We're going to meet the Emperor… my great-grandfather… I didn't think we'd be heading for the capital so soon."

Washu shrugged. "For what it's worth, neither did I. I wanted to have the data from all three repositories before making that move, but it looks like we're going to have to adjust. Seriously, the defenses for the second repository make the first look like nothing more than your local mailbox. We're going to need some serious firepower and numbers to crack this particular nut."

Heero's eyes narrowed. "I thought the purpose of this mission was to deny the Array to not just Kagato but anyone that would seek its power. From what you told us about the Imperial Civil War, the Emperor seems to qualify as someone we don't want having this thing. He's already used it once, after all."

Washu sighed. "Believe me, I'm not exactly thrilled about bringing the Emperor into this affair so soon, but our hands are tied. We need help, and we've got just the right family connections needed to get it."

Heero closed his eyes for a moment. "Family or not, once he knows that the Array's involved, things are going to get much more complicated. It's one thing for us to clash with Kagato and whoever might be supporting him, but if things go wrong here we could end up fighting against the entire Empire."

Washu grimly nodded. "Yes, we could. That's why we need to play our cards very carefully when we get to the capital. I'd recommend spending some time with Yosho and Ayeka on the way there; you need to brush up on the Empire's culture and court politics quickly. I know that you're no stranger to navigating the halls of power, but Jurai's a very different beast compared to the Earth Sphere Unified Nation."

"Knowing what we're walking into definitely won't hurt," he concurred, "I'll still be an outsider, but at least I won't be flying blind."

Washu smiled. "No, you certainly won't be. As for the outsider bit… I wouldn't be so sure about that. You may not consider yourself culturally Juraian, but once they sense your power… well, let's just say that you may find some very interesting doors opening. I guarantee that word's going to get out about your lineage sooner rather than later. It might be your first time stepping foot inside the capital, but I doubt you'll be treated as an outsider for long. In fact, I wager that you'll be a hot commodity."

"You actually sound like you're looking forward to this," Heero muttered.

Washu grinned. "Oh, believe me; I very much am!"

….

February 16th, A.C. 199

About damn time, thought Ryoko as she watched the Galaxy Police space station fade into the distance, I'm surprised they didn't try to arrest me while we were there.

They'd arrived at the outpost the day before yesterday, and Ryoko had been twitchy ever since. She didn't have any pleasant memories associated with law enforcement, at least none before she'd begun spending time with Kiyone and Mihoshi. Spending a good day and a half inside a dock run by the Galaxy Police while a few of their mechanics and robots serviced the Yagami had been more than a little nerve-wracking, even though Kiyone had repeatedly reassured her that she'd specifically ordered that the few officers present make no move to apprehend her. At least the station had been sparsely staffed, with Ryoko being able to at least slightly comfort herself with the thought that if a fight had broken out she would've been more than capable of wiping the floor with the hapless grunts that would've made up the opposition. Still, it felt good to be leaving the outpost in the dust, although the fact that they were now heading for Jurai itself was hardly an improvement.

At least most of her companions were in good spirits. The general mood aboard the Yagami had brightened considerably once word of Heero waking up had spread, and the atmosphere was mostly one of cautious optimism. The two princesses were naturally excited to be going home, Mihoshi wouldn't shut up about sight-seeing and souvenirs, Kiyone was actually tolerating her partner's incessant chatter, and Heero's old friends were looking forward to seeing the heart of the most powerful nation in the galaxy. Even Ryo-Ohki seemed to have a little bounce in her step, although Ryoko figured that was from Sasami spoiling her by doubling her carrot ration in celebration of Heero's recovery.

Of course, the relatively good mood that the others were in only served to sharpen the contrast between them and the notable few that weren't in such high spirits. Heero in particular had been brooding ever since his talk with Washu, and things weren't much better with the eccentric scientist herself. Yosho had also seemed rather withdrawn over the past few days, although that hadn't stopped him from continuing to help Heero with his training.

I don't want to badger him or anything, she thought as she turned away from the viewport and made her way down towards the cargo bay, but still… Heero, what's eating you? I told you that you could talk to me, and I thought we were close enough that you'd take me up on that offer!

She doubted things would get much better when they made it to Jurai. Ryoko wasn't looking forward to visiting the imperial capital by any stretch of the imagination, but she was prepared to tolerate it for the sake of her friends and the mission. Ayeka had given her a guarantee of safe passage, and while Ryoko would normally be skeptical of such an offer she knew that the fussy princess wanted to make sure that they could all work together to stop Kagato, and keeping the law out of her hair would go a long way towards accomplishing that. She was more worried about what would happen with Heero when they reached the capital rather than herself at this point; it was bad enough that his talk with Washu had him distracted, and things would likely get worse once he finally met the rest of the royal family.

Ryoko was no shrink, but even she could see that something had to give. Heero needed some sort of outlet for whatever was bothering him, and Ryoko was prepared to offer him that. Of course, he had to meet her halfway, and right now he wasn't doing that. It was time for an intervention, or at least a wakeup call.

When she entered the cargo bay a few moments later, it didn't take her long to find Heero. He and Yosho were sitting in front of the house, and as she drew near Ryoko could sense the eb and flow of their Juraian energy. From the way Heero's brow was furrowed, whatever training Yosho had him going through was clearly more difficult than it looked.

"Don't try to control it," said Yosho, "This power may be the providence of our bloodline, but we should not presume to be its masters. If you seek to dictate terms to it, you will only throw more hurdles in your path. You are not its ruler, but merely a humble guide."

"So, I'm relying on its whims, then?" Heero asked, sounding a little frustrated, "I need something a bit more consistent if I'm going to be wielding this power in battle."

"Your Juraian energy responds to your needs; it's more than capable of recognizing when you are in combat and must wield its power," Yosho replied, "However, to think of it as merely a weapon is to fundamentally misunderstand its relationship to you. This is the energy of life itself, not a tool. There are those who have sought to use it as nothing more than a blunt cudgel, and they were able to do so in the past, but in the process they greatly diminished their power. They became mere shadows of what they could have been. I do not wish for you to share that fate."

Heero raised an eyebrow. "Are we talking about Kagato here?"

Yosho shook his head. "Not quite. There was a time, long ago, when he did take that approach to his power, but I was able to convince him that he was limiting his potential through such an approach. Looking back, mentoring him in the proper use of his Juraian energy was likely a mistake. Had I allowed him to continue with his original tendencies, he would not be nearly as powerful as he is today."

Heero shrugged. "No sense in ruminating on the past. What's done is done. All that matters is stopping him in the present."

Yosho nodded. "Yes, you're right. Now, let's try again. Take a deep breath and relax. Allow the energy to flow naturally; remove all obstacles from its path."

Ryoko watched as Heero closed his eyes, and a few seconds later she could sense his power surging. Her eyes widened in shock as she realized just what she was feeling; the depths of his energy were much larger than she'd originally believed. Had he always possessed this kind of raw power just slumbering within him, waiting for the right moment to awaken?

That whole time we were with him before the attack, she thought, none of us sensed anything like this!

A faint aura of blue and white light began to emanate from Heero. It began to pulse, slowly at first, but quickly picking up the pace. Unfortunately, it might've been too quickly; Ryoko saw sweat rapidly building up on Heero's brow, and his breathing was becoming strained. Ryoko could sense the energy racing through him… and she immediately realized that it was too much for him to handle.

"Heero, dial it back!" she cried out as she rushed forward.

Yosho's brow furrowed. "Do not fear it. Trust it. Go with the flow, and it will even out."

Ryoko put her hands on Heero's shoulders, and she could feel the wild energy coursing through him. "Old man, I don't think that's going to work here! He needs an outlet before it rips him apart from the inside!"

Yosho reluctantly nodded and drew Tenchi-ken from his belt. "Heero, grab the sword now!"

Heero's right hand flashed forward in the blink of an eye to seize the weapon. The Master Key's blue blade immediately sprang to life, broader and thicker than normal and pulsing brightly. Ryoko and Yosho both backed up a bit as Heero stood up, giving him room to take a few swings with the sword. She breathed a sigh of relief as she felt the excess energy flow out through Tenchi-ken and into the air around them; disaster had been averted.

Yosho sighed and shook his head. "I've heard of the occasional royals who experienced something like this, but nothing on the same scale."

Once his energy had subsided to a more manageable level, Heero extinguished the blade and handed the weapon back to Yosho. "I don't understand… what the hell was that?"

"You're afraid of the power that lies within you," Yosho replied, "That's creating an imbalance, and it's blocking your attempts to accept and comprehend the energy flowing through you. I know you felt uneasy when we began your training at the start of this trip, but it wasn't quite like this."

Ryoko immediately put two and two together. "It's because of whatever you talked about with Washu a couple days ago, isn't it?"

Heero hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Yes."

Yosho closed his eyes for a moment. "I see. I suppose I should've anticipated this sort of reaction. It's understandable, but even so… if you cannot work past this, Heero, then I fear that what lies ahead for all of us is catastrophe and ruin."

Ryoko glared at the old man. "Hey, what the hell's that supposed to mean? This isn't Heero's fault! He never asked for whatever power he inherited from you, and if you'd been honest with him from the beginning he'd probably already know how to control it!"

Yosho shook his head. "I'm afraid it's a bit more complicated than that. Were he simply another Juraian royal, this would be a relatively simple matter to work through. His true nature makes this a much more delicate state of affairs, though."

Ryoko looked back and forth between Heero and Yosho. "True nature? What the hell are you talking about?"

"I need a break," said Heero suddenly, heading for the exit, "I'll be in the lounge."

Yosho made no move to follow, but he did turn to Ryoko with a look that almost struck her as pleading. "He should not be alone at this time… and I fear that I am not the one who can truly help him at this moment. The one he needs right now is you, Ryoko. Go after him. He may try to brush you off at first, but persist, and I believe he'll let you in."

Ryoko sighed. "For the record, I'm not doing this for you."

Yosho actually smiled at that. "I know."

With that, Ryoko stormed out of the cargo bay. She didn't know what exactly was going on with Heero, but she was going to find out whether he liked it or not.

….

"Come on, pull it together," Heero told himself as he looked at his reflection in the viewport, "Too much is riding on all of this."

That much was certainly true, but it wasn't that simple. Washu hadn't been lying when she'd warned him that what she had to tell him would change his life; he just wasn't anticipating the impact to be so immediate. In his training sessions with Yosho on the way to the first repository, Heero had felt like he'd been making at least some tentative progress towards understanding the power of his bloodline. Now that he had the proper context, though, that sense of accomplishment had gone right out the window.

He wanted Washu to be wrong, but his heart was telling him that she wasn't. After all, if she was mistaken and Kagato was the one that she, Tsunami and Tokimi had been looking for… well, then their mission was all but doomed. Heero was all for a fight against long odds, and he was sure that his friends would be up for the challenge, but even he could recognize when a battle truly was impossible for them to win. If Washu was right about him being the one that she had sought, then it at least meant that Kagato, while still powerful, wouldn't be an insurmountable foe.

Of course, it also meant that Heero had a potentially and literally universe-shattering amount of power at his disposal, and that terrified him. It reminded him of the risk that Wing Zero had posed to both himself and those around him before he had mastered the ZERO System, only this was orders of magnitude worse. Wing Zero could destroy entire space colonies with a single shot; what in the world could Heero's power do if it ran wild?

It was in the midst of those unpleasant thoughts that he heard the lounge door open behind him, and a familiar female voice spoke softly a few seconds later. "Hey… you okay?"

Heero didn't need to turn around to know that it was Ryoko… just as he knew that she'd see right through any lie he might attempt. "No… not particularly."

"Thought so," she replied as the door shut behind her and she drifted over to him, "At least you're admitting it. I thought I'd have to force even that much out of you."

Heero ruefully chuckled. "I can be stubborn, but even I know a futile struggle when I see one. You're quite determined when you put your mind to it… it's one of the things I admire about you, really."

His words must've caught her off guard, because Heero actually saw Ryoko blush for a moment. "Oh… thank you. Hey, wait a second; don't think you're going to distract me with a compliment or two!"

Heero shook his head. "I wouldn't dream of it."

Ryoko nodded at a couch that was facing the viewport. "Want to take a load off? You look like you could use it."

"Sounds good," he answered.

The two of them sat together, with Ryoko waiting a moment before putting her hand on his shoulder. "Heero… what happened back there? I've seen you train with Yosho before, and I know you're still trying to figure out this Jurai power or whatever, but you were never in danger of losing control in the past. This was different. What's going on?"

Heero looked down. "It's… difficult to explain."

"Try me," Ryoko countered, "I want to help, Heero, but you have to meet me halfway here."

Heero closed his eyes for a moment as he struggled to find the words for what had happened earlier. "Ever since we began this mission, I've been trying to understand my power and learn to control it. Now that I've summoned a Light Hawk Wing, Yosho wanted me to incorporate that into my training. I need to learn to summon it at will; what happened down in the repository was as much the product of my raw emotions in that situation as it was the gem that Washu hid in my armor boosting my power."

Ryoko nodded. "I'm with you so far. Makes sense for you to want to fine-tune that ability; it's not much use to you if you can't call it when you really need it, after all."

"Right," said Heero, "So I've been combining what Yosho's taught me so far with what I experienced down in the repository, but… the energy that's required for it is far greater than any I've consciously tried to handle so far. During the fight I was operating pretty much on instinct; I didn't really stop to think about the kind of power that I was wielding. I just wanted to help you and get all of us out of there alive. Now that I'm actually trying to focus and deliberately call upon that sort of power, though… as it builds up, it reaches this point where it starts to just… rush through me. It's like this enormous river that I've dammed up, and I'm trying to open locks in the dam to let the river flow, but…"

"You're afraid of losing control once the river starts flowing," Ryoko finished for him.

Heero nodded. "Pretty much. I know Yosho keeps saying that it's not about control, but rather accepting and following the flow. Even so, to just let that kind of power run free… it's unnerving, to put it mildly. The consequences could be devastating… for everyone."

Ryoko's brow furrowed. "What do you mean? I'd understand if you were worried about what your energy could do to you, but I don't see how it might pose a threat to the rest of us. You've got an outlet with your grandfather's Juraian sword, and I'm sure Washu's got more of those knives that channel your power as well if you need them."

There was a long moment of silence before Heero spoke again. "If my power was just that of the Juraian Royal Family, that would likely suffice. However… there's a very good chance that it's significantly more than that. More than I'd ever dared to imagine. If I'm not careful and it slips the leash, you would all be in grave danger."

"I'm assuming this is where Washu comes into the picture, right?" Ryoko ventured, "Heero, what did she tell you? I promise I won't say a word to anyone else if you tell me. I want to help you, but I need to know what you're really dealing with first."

Heero hesitated for a moment. What Washu had told him before still sounded utterly insane, and yet he could tell that she'd been telling the truth. He was still struggling to come to terms with it, but despite Heero's fears, deep down he suspected that Washu's hunch about him was on the money.

Whether you believe it or not is almost beside the point, he told himself, You need to get a handle on this power of yours and become stronger, otherwise Kagato has already won. That means you need to work through this block of yours, and telling someone else the truth would be a good way to start. If ever there was someone you could confide in for something like this…

...it'd be her.

Heero took a deep breath before meeting Ryoko's gaze. "What I'm about to tell you… it's going to sound completely nuts. I'll understand completely if you don't believe me; I'm still having trouble coming to grips with it myself."

Ryoko gently took his hand in hers. "Heero, there's no one in this galaxy that I trust more than you. Whatever's going on, I can tell that it's serious for you, so the least I can do is hear you out and trust you. I'll stay here and listen for as long as you need me to."

Heero slowly nodded. "In that case, get comfortable, because this is going to take a while."

….

It didn't actually take as long for Heero to get through everything Washu had told him as Ryoko had initially thought. That being said, there was still a long moment of silence once he finished and she tried to take it all in. He'd been right about it sounding crazy, but Ryoko knew that Heero wouldn't lie about something like this… and she doubted Washu would, either.

I always knew you were something special, Heero, she thought as she looked at the young man, but I never imagined anything quite like this. Then again, you clearly never did either.

She took a deep breath as she struggled to put her thoughts in order. "Man… no wonder you've been out of it lately. That's one hell of a bomb she dropped on you."

"So... you really believe it?" Heero asked, looking surprisingly apprehensive.

Ryoko smiled. "Heero, of course I believe you. Yeah, it all sounds insane, but I told you that I trust you, and that hasn't changed. I owe you that much after all you've done for me, and it's not like you ever asked to get caught up in all this madness. You're just trying to survive. We both are."

She was relieved to see him actually chuckle, with some of the tension slowly leaving his face. "Yeah, you've got that right. Still, believing me is one thing, but what about what Washu believes? A being beyond the three that created the known universe… and that's supposed to be me? I… I don't know if I even want to try to wrap my head around that."

Ryoko put her arm around him and pulled him in close. "It's definitely not something you'd expect, but… Heero, I don't think Washu would believe something like this lightly. Whatever she's seen in you since you two met has been enough to convince her that you're who she's been looking for. She sounds pretty certain… and if she's willing to go all in on it, then I don't think I can argue with her. I know she can be annoying, but she's definitely got both of us outclassed in the brains department."

She felt a surge of heat rush to her face as Heero laid his head on her shoulder. "The greatest genius in the universe, huh? How many times has she rubbed our noses in that? Looks like it really was more than bravado. Assuming she's right… what am I supposed to do?"

Ryoko ran her fingers through his hair. "The same thing you've always done, Heero; what you believe is right. I know you said Washu told you that knowing this would end your previous life, but I think she's wrong about that. No matter what kind of power you have, you're still you, Heero. You're still the same guy that accepted a notorious pirate like me… still the same guy that I can't get enough of."

"I want to believe that," Heero replied, "I really, really do. Still… if Washu's right about the kind of power that I could possess, then that means everyone around me is in danger if I don't get a handle on it. Washu said that the reason she sealed her power in the three gems and why Tsunami went dormant is because they wanted to avoid collateral damage. Their power made the universe, which means it can destroy it. If they felt that they had no choice but to deprive themselves of that kind of power just to avoid threatening creation, and I'm supposed to be the one that surpasses them… what could my power do if it runs wild?"

"It won't," Ryoko reassured him, "I know this is all new territory for you, Heero, but if anyone has the discipline to use this kind of power and keep it from wreaking havoc, it's you. I can prove it to you, too."

Heero looked up at her. "Really? How?"

Ryoko smiled. "Easy. If Washu made me as a vessel for her power, then I'm already commanding quite a bit of energy. Look at me; I'm impulsive, reckless, and wild. You don't see my power running out of control and hurting everyone around me, do you?"

Heero shook his head. "No, although… if Washu's right, then I think you've only been scratching the surface of what you're truly capable of."

Ryoko shrugged. "You're probably right about that. I'm sure I'll learn more as this journey of ours continues, and you will as well. We're both going to have to get stronger if we want to stop Kagato, and that means accepting the power that we hold within us. If someone as undisciplined as me can keep her energy from hurting others, then you have nothing to worry about."

Heero chuckled. "I wish I had your confidence."

"Tell you what," said Ryoko, "Next time you train with the old man, let me know so I can be there with you. I know you'd never do anything to put me in danger, and if you're still afraid of losing control, I can help pull you back from the edge. What do you say?"

Heero nodded, and Ryoko's heart fluttered when he looked up and smiled at her. "Sounds good… thank you, Ryoko."

She leaned over and kissed his cheek. "Don't mention it. Before you go back for another round, though, I think you need to relax a bit. Let me help you with that."

"How so?" asked Heero.

She patted her lap. "Lie down. Close your eyes for a bit. I think a little nap will do you some good."

She couldn't believe she was suggesting this, and she felt her face flush crimson as Heero actually did what she'd told him to. Looking down at him, she couldn't help but smile. She was sure he could see her blushing, and she didn't care.

"I could get used to this," Heero murmured as he reached up to caress her cheek.

"That makes two of us," Ryoko replied, "Rest now, Heero. I'll watch over you… always."

….

February 21st, A.C. 199

"I suppose that's enough," Ayeka mused aloud as she carefully studied her reflection in the mirror, "Makeup should only be a light touch for something like this. Throwing too much on might send the wrong impression. Oh, but what if Father sees that as me no longer caring about my appearance at court?"

"Ayeka, come on!" Sasami pouted, tugging at her kimono, "Kiyone said we'll be there any minute now!"

Ayeka sighed. "Very well. I suppose I'll just have to hope for the best."

The two Juraian princesses made their way towards the bridge of the Yagami, Ayeka's mind abuzz with anticipation. Had it really only been a little more than half a year since she'd last seen her homeworld? It felt like so much longer.

If only we were returning under better circumstances, she silently lamented, I would've liked to show Lord Heero and Quatre the splendor of Jurai without the threat of Kagato looming in the background. Oh, well. It cannot be helped.

Sasami giggled as Ayeka set a brisk pace. "You're really excited, aren't you?"

"Of course," Ayeka replied with a smile, "It's been quite some time since we last saw Mother and Father, not to mention Jurai itself. So much has happened… I don't feel like the same person that I was before I came to Earth. I wonder if Mother and Father will even recognize me…"

Sasami shook her head. "Don't be silly, Ayeka. Of course they'll recognize us!"

Her innocence remains, more or less, Ayeka mused, Mother and Father will be pleased to see that. As for myself… well, one problem at a time, right?

Perhaps she hadn't changed physically, but Ayeka certainly felt different on the inside. Between all she'd learned of governance from spending time with Heero on Earth and what had been revealed to her regarding the truth of her father's actions in ending the Imperial Civil War, Ayeka saw both the Empire of Jurai and herself in a very new light. Whether she liked it or not, she couldn't go back to being just the happy and obedient daughter who only sought to make her parents proud and claim her place in the Empire. She wanted to look at Jurai with new eyes, fully aware that what she might find now had the potential to not be to her liking.

That could all wait for just a bit longer, though. First they had to gain clearance to land on the homeworld itself. Fortunately, being royalty had its perks. Since leaving the Galaxy Police outpost after repairing the Yagami, they'd carved a straightforward course towards the heart of the Empire. Naturally, the most direct routes had Imperial and Galaxy Police checkpoints set up at key travel junctions, and normally those could be quite the hassle to get through. Once Ayeka had made it abundantly clear that she and her sister were aboard the patrol cruiser, though, what little red tape remained proved to be merely a minor nuisance to deal with.

I still can't believe those customs officials had the nerve to doubt my identity, she mentally fumed as she recalled their experience at one of the early checkpoints, I know I've been away for a while, but seriously? Every Galaxy Police and Juraian outpost has access to the same galactic information network, so it's not like they'd have difficulty confirming just who I really am. At least we only had that headache at one checkpoint rather than all of them.

When the two of them reached the bridge, they found the patrol cruiser's modest command room and cockpit to be rather crowded. The entire group was crammed in, with the sole exceptions being Azaka and Kamidake, who had taken up posts just outside the entrance. The swirling maelstrom of blue and white visible on the screen indicated that the Yagami still had its FTL drive engaged, which was definitely a relief to Ayeka. It wouldn't do for her to be late to witnessing their arrival in her home star system, after all.

"Excuse me," she said as she nudged her way through the crowd, "Two princesses coming through!"

"Hey, watch it!" snapped Ryoko as Ayeka bumped into her.

Ayeka shot a glare at the pirate; by rights, the scoundrel shouldn't have been anywhere near the heart of the Empire. "You should be the one to watch it, Ryoko. If I am not visible front and center when we make contact with the Home Fleet, they're liable to shoot us down on the spot!"

"No, they won't," said Kiyone, "They've already got our transponder ID thanks to the checkpoints; they know we're coming and who we've got on board."

Ayeka sighed, the wind escaping from her sails. "Well… I should still be the one to speak to whichever warship hails us."

"Are we there yet?" asked Sasami.

"Almost!" chirped Mihoshi.

"Finally, we'll get to see what the big deal is," said Duo, "I've got high expectations for this 'Jurai' of yours."

"It's the heart of a galaxy-spanning empire," Hilde reminded him, "I'm sure it won't disappoint."

"How long do you think it will take to get to the palace?" asked Trowa, "I imagine they must have some sort of screening process in place; even if we're accompanying royalty, they're going to be wary of bringing so many outsiders into the core of the Empire."

"If they want us to go down to a world we've never been to before unarmed, we're going to have problems," Wufei added.

"We might not have much of a choice in the matter," Quatre argued, "Their house, their rules."

Ayeka shook her head. "I'll vouch for all of you with palace security. While I normally would prefer that we leave any weapons behind, I can understand your reluctance to go unarmed given the circumstances. The guards won't be happy about it, but they'll abide."

"Good," said Heero, "The last thing we need here is a fight."

Ryoko cracked her knuckles. "Speak for yourself. I wouldn't mind busting some stuffy palace guard heads. These guys have probably never had a real fight in their lives!"

"I wouldn't be so careless," Yosho chimed in, "Back in my time, palace guard units were routinely rotated between the capital and field assignments in order to keep their skills sharp, and their training regimen is quite intensive. Of course, it's entirely possible that things have changed in my absence."

Heero sighed. "Competent or not, we're not here to tussle with them. If you need to fight with someone, Ryoko, we can have a sparring match later."

Ryoko grinned. "Works for me!"

Ayeka studied Heero intently for a moment. In the first couple of days following his recovery, he'd been withdrawn and, dare she say it, moody. Ayeka had wanted to help but wasn't sure what the best manner to approach him would be… only for him to emerge from his funk without her intervention a short while later. She wasn't sure what had happened, but given that Heero had been spending much more time with Ryoko than usual, she could hazard a guess… and she didn't like what it implied.

"The guards aren't worth your time," said Washu, derailing Ayeka's train of thought, "If you want a real fight, pick one with Misaki. I'll pay good money to watch that!"

Ayeka was aghast. "Washu, you want Ryoko to fight with my mother? What in the name of Tsunami is wrong with you?"

Washu grinned, and Ayeka didn't like it one bit. "Your mother's more than capable of taking care of herself, Ayeka. Take my word for it."

Sasami giggled. "You better be nice to my sister, Ryoko, or Mother will let you have it!"

Yosho chuckled. "Indeed, she will. Misaki can be rather overprotective when it comes to her children. Provoke her at your peril, Ryoko."

"All right, all right," Ryoko grumbled, "I can take the hint."

Heero turned to Ayeka. "Your mother… she's only one of the Emperor's two wives, right? My great-grandmother is the other… Funaho, yes?"

Ayeka nodded. "Correct. Are you nervous about seeing her? It's completely understandable."

"You don't need to be worried, Heero," Sasami chimed in, "Funaho is really kind! I'll bet she'll be happy to meet you!"

Ayeka smiled. "Sasami is right, Lord Heero. Your apprehension is natural, but I assure you that you have nothing to fear. Both my mother and your great-grandmother get along quite well; they'll both give you a warm welcome. I have no doubt of that."

She hoped it was enough to reassure him, although she'd understand if it wasn't. While Heero had taken to training with both Yosho and Ryoko to improve his control over the power inherent in the royal bloodline, Ayeka had been surprised when he'd approached her for a different sort of instruction outside of those sessions. She'd spent the past few days telling him about members of the family that he was very likely to meet today, along with providing him more information about the Empire of Jurai as a whole. As Ayeka had expected, Heero was a quick learner, but she hadn't failed to notice his slight hesitation whenever their lessons had turned to those that he was directly related to. He tried hard to hide it, but it was clear that the prospect of meeting his great-grandparents was weighing heavily on him.

Lady Funaho and Mother will welcome him with open arms once they learn the truth of his identity, she thought, Father is a more complicated matter. I'm sure he'll be cordial, but if he learns of Lord Heero's past as a member of a rebellion… it's difficult to say how he'll take that. There's also the matter of his place in the line of succession to consider.

She saw Heero nod, but Ayeka could tell that he was still concerned. "I hope you're right."

"We're coming up on our reversion point," Kiyone announced, "You guys might want to brace yourselves. Mihoshi, is our beacon running?"

"IFF transponder is working fine," Mihoshi confirmed, "and the clearance codes from the last checkpoint are set for broadcast. We're looking good!"

"All right, then," said Kiyone, "If our codes are no good, we'll find out when they try to blow us out of the sky."

"You're a real ray of sunshine, aren't you?" Duo quipped.

"I've learned to expect the worst in my line of work," Kiyone replied, "Coming out of FTL in five… four… three… two… one... now!"

The blue-white swirl in front of them shifted to much more familiar black as the Yagami reverted back to its sublight drives. Amidst the backdrop of twinkling stars was a blue and green orb that Ayeka hadn't seen in quite some time; her homeworld. The planet actually wasn't all that different from Earth at first glance, although the two criss-crossing orbital rings were definitely something that Heero's homeworld had lacked. From what Ayeka had been taught, the rings hadn't always looked so neat, and it was only once Jurai had become a proper space-faring power that the Empire had set about transforming them into something much more aesthetically pleasing. While the rings had originally just been orbiting rocks, they'd been supplemented over the years by thousands of sensor and weapons satellites to aid in the defense of the planet.

The rings weren't the only things orbiting the planet. From their current vantage point alone, Ayeka could count at least a hundred or so facilities floating over the world. Some were sprawling hourglass-shaped complexes, forty kilometers from end to end and twenty-five in diameter at each base. These were colonies that had been established by the Royal Family themselves in order to relieve their homeworld when it had become overpopulated, each one housing anywhere from two to four million inhabitants. Others were smaller, sleeker, and bristling with weaponry; defense stations commissioned by the Imperial Fleet to protect the heart of the Empire.

Speaking of the Imperial Fleet, to call the military presence in the Jurai system 'impressive' would be a severe understatement. The force charged with defending the capital, officially designated as the Home Fleet, was composed of several hundred warships at any one time. Of course, many were small corvettes and destroyers meant to patrol the system in such mundane roles as commerce protection, scouting and traffic assistance, but from there things rapidly escalated. Light and heavy cruisers backing up the patrol craft formed the first serious line of defense, their designs ranging from five-hundred to nine-hundred meters in length depending on their intended role. If a threat was sufficient enough that it required a response that was both quick and powerful, battlecruisers and fleet carriers were on standby at key points within the system, running typically between one to two kilometers in length and either armed to the teeth or packed to the brim with space superiority fighters and strike craft. In the unlikely event that even these assets proved inadequate, then waiting in the wings were the battleships. Considerably tougher than the battlecruisers and carriers, not to mention noticeably longer at anywhere from three to five kilometers depending on the class, these sturdy beasts of war formed the backbone of the Juraian battleline, their banks of heavy energy weapon batteries capable of savaging nearly any opposing warship and reducing surface fortifications to molten slag.

The Home Fleet as a whole was indeed formidable, but as far its individual vessels went, one stood above all others; the command ship. A lumbering leviathan at no less than nine kilometers in length, the super dreadnought Tenʼnō loomed over the capital like a whale idly drifting along an ocean current. The lead ship of her class, she was quite elegant despite her immense size, presenting a gracefully curved profile that gradually narrowed as one approached the bow. Like all Juraian military vessels, she appeared to be made of wood, and indeed at her heart was one of the many saplings spawned from the original Royal Tree Tsunami-no-ki. However, her archaic outward appearance belied her incredible toughness; entire fleets could pound away at her and struggle to so much as dent her armor even after they'd pierced her shields. She was lined with so many batteries of heavy laser cannons that it was said her broadsides were akin to solid sheets of energy flying across the void. A main hangar and several smaller ones were nestled within her belly, housing not only swarms of fighters and bombers but also shuttles and even large landing craft for embarking troops and heavy vehicles in the event of a surface campaign.

Kagato's arrogance has grown to enormous proportions if he thinks he can challenge the might of the Royal Family, Ayeka thought as she gazed upon what was only a fraction of the Empire's vast military, I don't know what he has in his corner that's convinced him he can survive a confrontation with our fleet, and once my father learns the truth, Kagato will soon find our armada bearing down on him. He has no hope of victory!

As vast as the Home Fleet was, though, her vessels actually did not make up the majority of the ships in the system. Commercial traffic dominated the space around the capital, ranging from small and rickety old freighters on their last legs belonging to desperate independent traders to mammoth cargo ships and passenger liners and everything in between. As the heart of a major galactic power, Jurai was naturally a major center of commerce, tourism, and diplomacy. One could take just a brief glance and find samples of vessels from nearly every corner the galaxy, and indeed it had been something of a favorite pastime for Ayeka when she was younger to watch the various ships coming in and out of the system whenever her father had deigned to take the family out on the royal yacht for a leisurely cruise. She idly hoped that perhaps they'd have the chance to do so with the guests she had in tow, although of course their mission had to come first.

"Ah, it's been so long since we were last here!" chirped Mihoshi, "Kiyone, do you remember?"

Kiyone groaned as she scanned the surrounding vessels. "Don't remind me. I'm still amazed that we managed to survive the fleet review after we almost rammed the flagship. Mihoshi, leave all of the piloting to me, you got that?"

"Okay!" Mihoshi cheerfully replied.

Duo whistled as he took in the view. "Hot damn! Here I thought Earth had a lot of traffic…"

"Unbelievable…" Quatre murmured in hushed awe.

"You can say that again," Hilde muttered.

"Good thing they're on our side," said Trowa.

"Hopefully," Wufei quipped.

Ryoko shuddered. "I don't like this. I'm used to running away from ships like this, not flying right towards them."

"It'll be alright," said Heero, glancing at Ayeka, "Your safe passage has been guaranteed. There won't be any problems, right, Ayeka?"

"None whatsoever," Ayeka reassured them.

Ryoko glared at her. "I'm holding you to that."

Washu shook her head at the display of military might. "The Empire hasn't changed a bit. No wonder Kagato's become so disillusioned…"

Ayeka turned to her. "What exactly is that supposed to mean?"

"They're so eager to flaunt their mighty fleet," Washu elaborated, "Subtlety has its merits, you know?"

Yosho chuckled. "Says the woman who designed the weapon that now threatens the entire galaxy…"

"A weapon that most people don't even know exists," Washu countered, "Unlike Jurai, I know when to hide my toys!"

"Gonna need you all to cut the chatter for a minute," said Kiyone, "We've got company."

The image on the main viewscreen shifted, showing a small flotilla heading their way. Her eyes narrowing as she studied the assorted ships, Ayeka counted a light cruiser and three escorting destroyers; a fairly standard mixture for a patrol group. A dozen pinpricks of blue-white thruster fire rained down from the cruiser's ventral hangar bay, doubtlessly from its squadron of fighters. The tiny craft fanned out and approached ahead of the larger vessels, and soon they were close enough that Ayeka could make out their tuning fork-like fuselages and thus was able to identify them as JI-45 Whirlwind Interceptors. While they were only armed with a pair of laser cannons and had very light shielding, they were devilishly agile and more than capable of picking apart something like the Yagami with a coordinated attack. Of course, with the light cruiser and destroyers backing them up, all the fighters would have to do is hit the Galaxy Police patrol cruiser's engines before pulling back and enjoying the show.

"We've got an incoming transmission from the cruiser!" Mihoshi chirped.

"Put it on," Kiyone ordered, "Let's get the show on the road."

A dark-haired man in a light grey uniform appeared on the main bridge monitor. "Galaxy Police vessel Yagami, this is the light cruiser Torinashi of the Jurai Imperial Fleet. Respond immediately!"

Kiyone took a deep breath. "This is the Yagami. We read you, Torinashi. If you'll check our beacon, you should see that we're transmitting official Juraian customs codes. Our presence is authorized in this system."

"Yes, yes," the man replied dismissively, "Your codes are good. You are to provide proof that Princesses Ayeka and Sasami are present aboard your ship and in good health immediately. If you fail to comply then you will be disabled, boarded, and detained for interrogation."

"That escalated quickly," Duo muttered.

Ayeka stepped forward, pulling Sasami by the arm so that both of them were well in range of the cockpit's internal cameras. "Light cruiser Torinashi, this is Princess Ayeka Masaki Jurai."

"And I'm Sasami!" her sister chimed in, "Oops, I mean Princess Sasami Masaki Jurai!"

I should've known she'd slip on the formalities, Ayeka thought, Sasami just doesn't take such things as seriously as she should.

She could reprimand her sister later; the man on the screen now deserved a scolding first. "As you can see, we are both quite well, and I'm sure as much was reported by the officials at the last checkpoint. Your threat to Detectives Makibi and Kuramitsu is completely unwarranted, and you will apologize at once! If you fail, then I will bring up your thuggish conduct with His Majesty, and I can assure you that my father will not take kindly to threats against those who have brought his two daughters home."

The officer's face paled considerably. "There's no need for that, Princess! Allow me to express my profound relief that you are safe, and ask for forgiveness from the Detectives for my brashness."

"Aw, that's sweet!" cooed Mihoshi.

"Apology accepted," said Kiyone curtly, although Ayeka thought she detected just a hint of a satisfied smirk on her face, "Now, are we clear to proceed? I imagine the Emperor is eager to see his daughters again."

"Yes," the man replied, "We have been assigned to act as your escorts until you reach low orbit. We're transmitting your new flight plan; please do not deviate from it."

"Acknowledged," said Kiyone as she checked her display, "New course received; adjusting heading."

"Welcome to Jurai," said the officer, "and welcome home, Princesses Ayeka and Sasami. Torinashi, out."

Glancing over at the sensor display, Ayeka saw the blips representing the light cruiser, destroyers and fighters shift as they took up positions around the Yagami. One of the destroyers moved out ahead, while another slipped beneath the patrol cruiser and the third took up position behind it. The light cruiser adjusted its heading until it was running parallel and over the Yagami, while the fighter formed a loose circle around the assembled ships. Ayeka didn't consider herself a naval expert, but she knew from experience that this formation was more ceremonial than practical. Doubtlessly multiple other warships were monitoring their progress and adjusting themselves accordingly to intercept any real potential threats before they got anywhere close to the procession.

Kiyone glanced over her shoulder at Ayeka and smiled. "Thanks for putting him in his place, Ayeka. Not going to lie; I've met more than a few Juraian captains like that over the years. It's nice to see one get what he deserves."

Ayeka winced. "On behalf of the Empire, I apologize for that man's conduct, and that of any other who have acted in such a manner towards you and Mihoshi over the years. I understand that our military might has made us prideful, but seeing it from the other end… well, suffice to say that it wasn't pretty."

"No need to apologize," chirped Mihoshi as she gestured at the sensor display, "They're escorting us now, so everything worked out!"

"In more ways than one," Washu chimed in, and Ayeka saw her smirking at Yosho.

For his part, Yosho smiled. "Yes. That officer only mentioned Ayeka and Sasami; it would seem that word of my return has yet to get out."

"He didn't mention Heero either," Ryoko pointed out, "Looks like your secret's safe for now."

Ayeka saw Heero's brow furrow. "Is it? Kagato has to know that releasing that knowledge would shake up the capital, and he strikes me as the kind of man who could take advantage of such a disturbance. Does he think holding onto the secret gives him an edge?"

Washu shook her head. "I wouldn't dwell too much on it. Your lineage is going to be out in the open before the end of the day in all likelihood. Kagato knows how court gossip works. No need for him to leak the information when it's guaranteed to get out after we meet with the Emperor anyway."

Ayeka didn't like the implication. "Are you suggesting that my father would allow such sensitive information to leak after a private audience? I can assure you that would not happen!"

"It's not your father leaking the information that we're worried about," Washu countered, "It's simply the inevitable result of court gossip. Even if the Emperor himself doesn't announce that Yosho has returned and Heero is his descendant, others are going to start figuring things out. One way or another, word of Yosho's heir will begin to spread. We need to prepare for that sooner rather than later."

"Agreed," said Heero, looking at his fellow former colonial revolutionaries, "We also need to be prepared on the off chance that we don't get a warm reception down on the surface. Washu, have AIDA let us into the lab; we're going to gear up."

Ayeka's eyes widened. "Lord Heero, I assure you that your armor and weapons will not be necessary. The capital is the safest place in the entire galaxy!"

"You're forgetting that our enemy is a high-ranking member of the Empire's aristocracy," Heero pointed out, "I'm sure Kagato has allies at court, and I'm not going to give them a free shot at us. Washu?"

Washu nodded. "I'll send a message to AIDA so she'll know you're coming. Better hurry; our escorts have us taking the scenic route, so if you're quick then you'll still get a nice view of the planet before we start our descent."

"We'll try not to take too long," said Heero as he led his human companions out of the cockpit.

Ayeka wanted to protest, but she was stopped by Yosho putting a hand on her shoulder. "Let him do as he wishes. This may be our home, but it is not his. He has every right to be suspicious and take precautions."

"I'd certainly be paranoid about walking into the palace without protection," Ryoko argued, "Then again, if I had it my way, I wouldn't be going anywhere near the capital in the first place."

"But this is Lord Heero's debut at court!" Ayeka pressed, "If he shows up looking like he's prepared for war, what kind of message will that send?"

Washu smiled. "One that says he's not to be trifled with. I imagine that any military officers that encounter him today and learn of his identity later will come away with a positive impression. That could be quite useful later."

Ayeka folded her arms and glared at her. "Just what exactly are you planning?"

Washu shrugged. "Nothing. Just imagining certain possibilities."

Ayeka knew that was a lie, but she suspected that even if she called her out on it Washu wouldn't give her a straight answer. She could only hope that whatever Washu had in mind wouldn't prove to be disruptive. The situation was delicate enough already, and Ayeka was sure that it would only grow more complicated all too quickly.

I never imagined that my homecoming would be under circumstances such as this, she thought wearily, I just hope that there's still time to stop this situation from spiralling out of control. A family reunion will be nice, but unfortunately I can't let myself get caught up in that. There's work to be done, and I suspect we'll have precious little time for catching up and resting.

….

"I'm all for being prepared," said Hilde as she slipped on her helmet, "but are we sure this isn't overkill? We're walking into their capital geared up for a tactical strike here. Not sure if our hosts will approve."

"They don't get a choice in the matter," Heero gruffly replied as he checked his weapons.

"If all goes well, we won't have to use any of this gear today," said Quatre while testing his shields, "I'm all for diplomacy, but we also need to show them that we're not out here on a lark."

"We're representing Earth here," Wufei reminded her as he examined his sword for any potential maintenance issues, "As far as they're aware, we're a backwater world that they could stomp at their leisure. We can't take the Empire in a straight-up fight, but if we can at least send a message that we're capable of putting up a struggle and that they're better off playing nice with us, that's something."

"Even though all they'll have to do is talk to the princesses to realize that the kind of tech we're wearing now doesn't come from Earth?" Duo pointed out as he tested the flexibility of his right gauntlet, "They've probably got reports about our world from the Galaxy Police, too. It won't be hard for them to put two and two together and figure out that we got this gear from Washu rather than created it ourselves."

"Hopefully they'll have more important things to worry about at the moment than comparing the tech Washu gave us to anything they know about Earth's level of development," said Trowa, "I would think that an impending coup and the looming threat of a superweapon would take priority over a distant world that poses no danger to the Empire."

Heero nodded as he scanned the diagnostic readings on his HUD. "We'll need to strike a balance here. We want them to see us as allies, but we can't let them walk all over us even if they're in a clear position of superiority. Play nice if you can, but don't be afraid to show some teeth."

He then walked over to a nearby console and grabbed a chip. "AIDA, you up for a field trip?"

The blue holographic pixy of Washu's artificial intelligence appeared in the air before him a moment later. "My master didn't mention anything about me leaving the lab today."

"That's because it's not her idea; it's mine," Heero replied, "I want every advantage possible going into this meeting. We worked pretty well together during the last mission, and I wouldn't mind having your analytical capabilities on hand again."

AIDA smiled. "While I'd normally want to run this by the good doctor first, there is that charming human expression about it being easier to beg forgiveness than ask permission. Besides, it's not often that a girl gets an invitation to see Juraia while on the arm of a handsome young man… or in my case, right next to his head. Yes, I'm in. I'll leave one of my subroutines in the lab in case Washu requires my services. Please insert the chip in that port so I can download myself, and then you know how the rest works."

Duo chuckled as AIDA's hologram disappeared. "Since when did you become such a charmer, Heero?"

"I've spent the past few months living with six alien women, a living starship, and two royal bodyguards," Heero deadpanned, "I've learned to be a diplomat when the occasion calls for it."

He inserted the chip as AIDA had instructed, and a chime came from the console a moment later. Heero then slid it into the slot in the back of his helmet, and there was a brief flash of blue light across his HUD as his companion made herself at home.

"Ah, good to be back!" she chirped in his ear, "Let's see… hardware looks good. Vitals… oh, wow! Your energy signature is much more active than it was the last time I was in here. Your training with Yosho and Ryoko is paying dividends already."

"I still have much to learn," Heero muttered, "Let's not get ahead of ourselves here. Washu didn't slip that gem of hers back inside the armor, did she?"

"Nope," AIDA answered, "From here on out, she wants your power to grow naturally. The gem was just meant to provide a little boost at the right place and time."

Heero nodded as he looked at the others. "All right, then. Everyone ready?"

"Yes," said Trowa.

"Not every day we get to visit an alien capital," Quatre chimed in, sounding quite excited.

Wufei shrugged. "I just hope there's no big ceremony or anything like that. I know this is a giant interstellar empire we're talking about here, so some pomp and circumstance is probably unavoidable, but they'd better not drag it out. I really don't like that kind of stuff."

"It's a royal homecoming," Hilde reminded him, "Pomp and circumstance come with the territory."

"Might as well try to enjoy the party," Duo chimed in, "Just think of us as heavily armed tourists!"

"And make sure that you stay armed," Heero firmly ordered as they headed for the lab's exit, "Ayeka's family may hold the throne, but we have to assume Kagato has allies here. No matter what happens, don't let anyone get between you and your weapons."

"It's not just Ayeka's family, though," Quatre pointed out, "Heero… this is your family we'll be meeting, too. I understand taking precautions, but even so… is this really the kind of message you want to send them? We're going to need their help to accomplish our mission. We don't want to rub them the wrong way."

"Survival comes first," said Heero, "Once we know who we can actually trust, then we can worry about the message we're sending."

They made their way back to the cockpit, and Heero could feel the others looking at him the entire time. They were making a bigger deal out of his connection to Jurai's Royal Family than he was, and they still didn't know what Washu had told him during his recovery from the first repository raid.

I imagine they'd find the family drama a lot less entertaining if they knew that the power I've inherited from them was potentially linked to the dawn of the universe as we know it, he mused grimly, I wonder what they'll think when they learn just what I could actually do thanks to this bloodline…

"Hey, you okay?" AIDA whispered in his ear, "You seem a bit on edge."

"It's been a trying past few days," Heero murmured, "Washu kept you in the loop, didn't she?"

"More or less," AIDA admitted, "I'm sure you've got a lot on your mind right now, and meeting long-lost family probably won't make that any easier. Listen, I'm not exactly programmed to be a shrink or anything like that, but if you want to talk, I'm here."

She sounded genuinely concerned, and Heero was surprised to find her offer was actually somewhat comforting. "Thanks."

"Of course," she replied, "My primary purpose is to be Washu's assistant, but she was adamant that I'm to help you in any way that I can. Whether it's analysis in the field, hacking security systems, or simply monitoring your wellbeing, my services are at your disposal."

"In that case," he said, "mind if I ask you something? What do you think about… well, me? My place in all of this, I mean."

"If you're asking whether or not I think the good doctor is right about what you have the potential to become, then my answer is that I believe she is," AIDA answered, "and the galaxy should be grateful that it's you. I'm sure you have misgivings over all of this, but if there was anyone that I would wish to command great power, it would be you, Heero. You have a good head on your shoulders, and I'm not just saying that because I currently occupy the helmet that's on it!"

"I'll take your word for it," said Heero as they approached the bridge, "I just hope that I can live up to your expectations."

"You have nothing to worry about," AIDA reassured him, "Washu and I both know that your journey has only just begun, and we don't expect you to master your power overnight. You will struggle and make mistakes just like anyone else, and that's okay. Just remember that you're surrounded by people who will do all they can to get you back on your feet when you stumble and fall. You're not alone, Heero. You never will be as long as we have anything to say about it."

The door to the police cruiser's cockpit slid open a moment later, and the others made way so Heero could move up to the front while his companions filed in behind him. Their timing had been perfect; the blue-green orb of Juraia was so close now that it practically filled up the entirety of the viewscreen, and Heero was sure that their descent would begin soon.

"Everything okay?" he asked Kiyone.

She briefly glanced over her shoulder at him and nodded. "We're still on the course they gave us and proceeding ahead. I just hope I'm reading their coordinates correctly. If I'm right about this, then they want the Yagami to touch down at the palace itself. I was honestly expecting them to direct us to the capital's main spaceport."

Ayeka smiled. "If you're worried about whether or not the palace can accommodate the Yagami, I assure you that your fears are misplaced. There will be room to spare, I promise you that."

"I just hope we don't make them regret it," Kiyone muttered as she glanced at Mihoshi, who seemed too caught up in the view to notice.

Glancing at the sensor display, Heero saw the escorting destroyers and light cruiser begin to back off. Meanwhile, the squadron of fighters reorganized themselves into a diamond formation around the Yagami, with six craft forming the forward wedge while the remaining half dozen took up the rear.

"All right, time for final descent prep," said Kiyone, "Mihoshi, are the shields angled properly?"

Mihoshi leaned over her console to check. "Yup, good to go! Thrusters are green and the forward hull is showing no problems."

Kiyone glanced at another display. "We're still on course, and Palace Control's showing a clear flight lane. They're really rolling out the red carpet for us."

Ayeka smiled. "They'd better be."

Kiyone looked over her shoulders. "We'll be hitting the upper atmosphere in less than a minute. You all had better brace yourselves."

"At least we won't have to make this landing under fire," said Yosho.

"Meow!" cheered Ryo-Ohki from her perch on Sasami's shoulder.

Ryoko glanced at her. "What are you complaining about? All you had to do was tank a few shots and dodge the rest. You've handled worse!"

"Ryo-Ohki's a delicate girl!" Sasami cooed as she patted the living starship on the head, "All that excitement at the repository was too much for her. She wants a break from getting shot at."

Hilde giggled. "Hard to blame her for that!"

Ryoko folded her arms. "She's not that delicate. I think she just got soft while we were on Earth."

"Well, she was living it up in the countryside," said Quatre.

Duo gave Ryo-Ohki a playful poke. "Enjoyed the good life on Earth, you little fuzzball? Bet you were in heaven! All the carrots you could ever ask for…"

"Catherine would've spoiled her if she'd had the chance," Trowa chimed in, "Washu, I don't suppose you could make another one of her, could you? Catherine would probably love to have such a creature for a pet."

Washu grinned. "We'll talk about that when the mission's over. I'm not sure how Director Une would feel about me handing out alien pets to humans."

Wufei chuckled. "The Director would probably throw a fit. She's got enough to keep hidden from the world without worrying about people spotting living starships at the circus."

"No joke," Heero muttered.

"Your government's really going all out on keeping awareness of life beyond Earth a secret," AIDA chimed in, "They really ought to just throw in the towel and announce first contact already. The cat's going to be out of the bag sooner or later. Might as well get out in front of it."

"That's a decision for people who are way above my paygrade," Heero replied, "I'll let them figure it out."

A shudder ran through the ship as the Yagami hit the upper atmosphere, and the forward viewscreen began to glow red. No alarms came from the console though, and Kiyone didn't appear the least bit concerned, so Heero was reasonably sure he could relax and leave everything to her.

You don't know the first thing about piloting a ship like this, he reprimanded himself, Get a grip on your instincts and let the woman who flies this vessel for a living do her job.

The shuddering increased as their descent continued, but it was nothing out of the ordinary for atmospheric reentry. If anything, it was actually quite smooth when compared to shuttle flights that Heero had been on back in the Earth Sphere. The energy shielding that was common to ships in the wider galaxy definitely seemed to make reentry easier, and whatever alloys went into the ship's hulls were probably several steps above what humanity was currently using as well. Heero wished he'd kept himself up to date on the progress of Preventers' investigation and reverse engineering of the ship that Mihoshi had crashed on Earth; it would be interesting to see what kind of craft humanity eventually came up with after they finished researching the Galaxy Police vessel.

The shudders began to subside after a few minutes, with the red glow on the forward viewscreen dying down as well. There wasn't much of a view at the moment; they'd come down in a patch of heavy clouds, with Kiyone guiding the ship purely through instruments at the moment. A few small dark blurs briefly flitted past, likely birds scrambling to get out of the way of the large crimson vessel.

Kiyone smiled as she checked their heading. "All right, we're still in one piece. A nice, boring descent; just the way I like it."

"Got an update from Palace Control!" Mihoshi announced, "They want us to make for Docking Bay 3. They're sending new course data now."

Kiyone's eyes narrowed as she studied the display. "Got it. What the…? Huh… this will be a new one. I'd heard the stories, but I've never actually looked the place up myself."

"Something the matter?" asked Heero.

Kiyone shook her head. "No, it's nothing like that. The Jurai Royal Palace is… well, let's just say it doesn't adhere to what you and I might consider as 'conventional' architectural rules."

Ayeka smiled. "Quite so. I promise that you're all in for a real treat."

"How much further do we have to go?" asked Ryoko.

"Shouldn't be too much longer," Kiyone replied, "According to the flight plan, we should be coming up on it in just a couple minutes. In the meantime, it looks like we're about to pass over the capital city. Once we clear these clouds, we should have a good view of it."

That came a few moments later, everyone crowded forward to get a good look. The city that was sprawled out below them wasn't quite what Heero had been expecting. Having lived in the Earth Sphere Unified Nation's capital of Brussels since he'd first taken a job with Preventers, Heero had come to associate that city with what any sort of capital must look like, even though mentally he knew that alien nations like Jurai were under no sort of obligation to meet that standard.

What he could make out from their current altitude wasn't the towering skyscrapers that humanity was so fond of, but rather a series of much lower buildings interspersed with surprisingly large patches of greenery. Juraians apparently went to great lengths to incorporate as much of nature as possible into even their most urbanized areas, at least if what he could see from the Yagami was any indication. It went a long way towards explaining the giant colonies orbiting overhead; Heero imagined that those had been constructed in no small part so that the Empire could preserve as much of the natural beauty of its homeworld as possible. There was at least one major river running through the city, and Heero saw what appeared to be several artificial tributaries branching off from it.

Rather pretty, he thought, I wouldn't mind the chance to explore it on foot, assuming we have the time for that sort of thing. Cities on Earth could learn a thing or two from the way it's laid out.

"Nice place," said Duo, "Wonder what the night life's like..."

Hilde sighed, and Heero could imagine her rolling her eyes beneath her helmet. "We fly halfway across the galaxy on a mission to stop a madman from seizing a superweapon, and you want to go clubbing. Typical."

"Depending on how things go with the Royal Family, we might have the time for it," Quatre pointed out, "You never know if negotiations will bog down or not."

"They most certainly will not," said Ayeka firmly, "I will do all I can to ensure that they go smoothly."

"Here's hoping," Trowa muttered.

"If things go south, maybe we'll have to fight our way out," said Wufei.

"You actually sound like you're hoping for that!" Duo accused, "What the hell is wrong with you?"

Wufei shrugged. "Negotiations are boring. Nothing wrong with wanting a little entertainment, right?"

"If we survive this mission, we're going to have a long talk about what you consider to be entertainment," Duo grumbled, "Seriously, you have issues, Wufei."

"Coming up on the palace," Kiyone announced, and Heero saw her eyes widen slightly, "Oh… wow! Those stories really weren't exaggerating, were they?"

Following her gaze, Heero immediately saw what she was talking about. He actually had to look back and forth between the viewscreen and the display showing their current course to make sure he was seeing things correctly. Sure enough, where Kiyone was looking and taking the Yagami to matched the destination coordinates, but that didn't make processing what that destination actually was much easier. The Royal Palace of Jurai…

...was a tree.

A giant tree.

It took Heero a few moments to fully comprehend the scale of it. When his mind finally managed to settle on an approximate number and reassure itself that it wasn't crazy, Heero still needed another second or two to really appreciate what it meant. If his estimate was correct, the tree had to be at least five kilometers high and more than one in diameter. It was no wonder that the capital city was actually a good distance from it; what Heero had initially assumed were rolling hills surrounding the tree were probably outlines of its roots, or at least those that ran close to the surface. The foliage that spread out from the top was truly massive in the area it covered, with Heero guessing that it likely spread a couple kilometers at least in diameter.

If the moment of dumbstruck silence in the cockpit was any indication, Heero's companions were having just as much trouble processing what they were seeing as he was. Although his fellow former Gundam pilots and Hilde were all in full armor, it was easy enough for him to imagine what their faces probably looked like beneath their helmets. Heero couldn't blame them; despite his best efforts to retain his composure, his eyes had noticeably widened at what he was seeing before him.

AIDA giggled in his ear. "I never thought I'd get to see you like this! Quite the sight, isn't it?"

"I'll say," Heero muttered.

"Hot damn…" Duo whispered.

Trowa shook his head. "The palace is a giant tree… now I've seen everything."

"That thing must be ancient," said Quatre.

Ayeka nodded. "Indeed, Quatre. The Tenju that the Royal Palace of Jurai resides in is over 150,000 years old. According to legend, it marks the spot where the goddess Tsunami made her pact with the first Emperor of Jurai, and it was made from the body of Tsunami-kami-sama, the true form of the goddess. The Masaki line has possessed it ever since; a sign of our connection to the goddess and a symbol of our divine right to rule."

"I'm surprised it's still standing," said Wufei, "150,000 years of serving as a palace and not one fire's broken out inside of it? What are the odds?"

Yosho chuckled. "It would take far more than a simple fire to fell the Tenju. It is quite durable, I can assure you of that."

Hilde shook her head. "I've seen pictures of tree houses before, but this takes the idea to a whole new level. You must've had a fun childhood growing up in a place like this."

Sasami giggled. "It's a great place to play hide and seek in. So many good hiding spots!"

Ayeka sighed. "Perhaps it's a bit too well suited to games like that. Goodness, you gave mother quite the scare more than once when you found a particularly tricky hiding spot. The scoldings I got from her for not setting stricter rules for our games…"

Ryoko licked her lips. "This place is the ultimate prize for the galactic crime world. All the priceless treasures that must be inside… I've fantasized about breaking in here more than once. Never thought I'd get to just fly right into the front door."

Heero couldn't help but smirk as he turned to her. "Behave, Ryoko. We're trying to make allies here; robbing the Royal Family's not going to help with that."

The lovely pirate smiled. "All right, but only for you, Heero!"

Washu chuckled. "Good luck trying to swipe anything from this place. The security's no joke. Even if Ayeka convinces the guards that it's okay for us to keep our weapons, I guarantee that they'll be watching us like hawks the entire time we're here."

"Where exactly are we supposed to land?" asked Heero as he studied the tree, "This place is huge, but the Yagami isn't exactly small herself."

"That's a good question," said Kiyone as she checked her display again, "We're on the course that Palace Control specified, but that's just taking us straight for the tree. I'm not seeing anything that looks like a docking bay."

Ayeka shook her head. "There is no need to be concerned. Maintain your heading, Kiyone, and the docking bay will be revealed soon enough."

Kiyone raised an eyebrow but didn't press the issue. Heero couldn't blame her for being nervous; the tree was growing more prominent in the forward viewscreen with each passing second, and while the Yagami was a surprisingly maneuverable ship for its size it didn't exactly turn on a dime, especially in atmosphere. The closer they got to the tree, the less wiggle room they had if they suddenly needed to alter course to avoid a collision.

Fortunately, only a few seconds went by before they saw a section of the tree's surface begin to open up in front of them. From a distance it looked quite small, but when Heero compared its size to that of the rest of the tree he realized that it would fit the Yagami quite comfortably. Running lights flared to life along the rim of the entrance, and inside Heero could make out what he presumed was a berth for the ship.

Kiyone checked her display and breathed a sigh of relief. "Plenty of clearance. Here I was worried it'd be a tight fit."

"Looks like our friends are heading home," chirped Mihoshi as the escorting fighters peeled away, "Bye!"

"Mihoshi, focus," said Kiyone, "We should be getting a transmission from Palace Control any second now."

Mihoshi checked her console again and nodded. "Oh, yeah, there is one! Looks like a final course set to feed to the autopilot."

"Send it to me," said Kiyone, "I'll lock it in."

Heero saw Kiyone's fingers dance across the console for a few seconds. "All right, done. Autopilot will handle the rest from here. Heero, do you want Mihoshi and I to come with you guys or stay with the ship?"

"I don't want to stay here!" Mihoshi pouted, "I want to see the palace! Heero, please let me come with you!"

Heero nodded. "You can both come. I think it'd be good for the Galaxy Police to be properly represented in our meeting with the Emperor. Just remember that we're not here to sightsee, all right?"

"Yay!" cheered Mihoshi.

Heero turned to Kiyone, who gave him a knowing smile. "Don't worry, Heero; I'll keep an eye on her. Can't make any promises beyond that, though."

"I know," said Heero, "Just do what you can."

"If the ship's autopilot will be handling the docking from here, then we should all proceed to the hatch," Ayeka suggested, "It would be wise for us to present a prepared and orderly procession for our hosts."

Heero nodded, taking one last look at the forward viewscreen before heading for the door. "She's right. Let's get going."

"You ready to meet your esteemed family?" AIDA whispered as he led the others out of the cockpit, "All set for your debut as a prince of Jurai and potential heir to the throne?"

"No," Heero readily admitted, "but let's get on with it anyway."

….

I know Juraians have a thing for trees, Ryoko thought as the starboard hatch of the Yagami opened up, but this is a bit overboard.

It was hard to believe that they'd just docked a Galaxy Police cruiser inside a giant tree, but they had done exactly that, and with room to spare. With the hatch now completely open, Ryoko could get a good look at just where they'd parked. The docking bay was a curious mix of metal and wood, with the high interior walls of the massive tree itself stretching both up and down as far as Ryoko could see and then some, but with the berth where the Yagami was situated being made of much more conventional metal alloys. The whole facility was a strange mesh of modern and ancient, which Ryoko supposed was a good metaphor for Jurai in a nutshell. The Empire was old and prided itself on the power granted to it by its long-lived Royal Trees, but even Jurai had to embrace current technologies if it wanted to keep its lofty position in the galactic hierarchy.

A long gangway had extended up from the dock to the hatch. Waiting at the other end were no less than two dozen guards, decked out in gray uniforms and armed with sleek-looking rifles, along with sidearms holstered at their hips. A woman with black hair tied back in a long ponytail stood at the head of the group, her brown eyes narrowing sharply as she studied them. Her rifle was slung over her shoulder, but Ryoko couldn't help but notice how her right hand constantly hovered over her sidearm. Whoever she was, she was clearly ready for a fight if one broke out.

"Nice welcome," Washu muttered.

"About what I expected," said Ayeka from her position at the head of the group, "Well, it's time for introductions. Please follow my lead and we should make it to my father without incident."

It irked Ryoko to have to take orders from Ayeka, and she had to bite back a sharp remark. The mission depended on things going smoothly here, so she could hold her tongue and swallow a bit of her pride.

The things I do for you, Heero, she thought as she glanced at the young man, I'll behave, but I'm not going to be happy about it.

The woman at the head of the guards stepped forward as the group reached the bottom of the ramp. "Princess Ayeka, Princess Sasami; welcome home. I'm Captain Suzume Shoji of the Palace Guard. His Majesty sends his greetings and is looking forward to seeing you both, as do Empresses Funaho and Misaki."

Ayeka bowed and smiled. "The feeling is mutual. It has been too long since we've last seen our Mother and Father, as well as Lady Funaho."

"Will you take us to them?" Sasami asked eagerly, "I've missed them both so much!"

"As have I," added Azaka.

"I do hope His Majesty remembers us!" chirped Kamidake.

Suzume smiled. "His Majesty and both Empresses have missed the two of you as well, Princesses. However, I'm afraid that His Majesty is attending to affairs of state at the moment. My contingent and I have been instructed to escort you and your retinue to the Gardens of Serenity so that you may await his summons."

Ryoko's eyebrows twitched in frustration. "Listen, lady, we flew halfway across the galaxy for this. We're not here to sightsee or drop off the Emperor's kids; we've got damn important business here!"

Yosho stepped forward. "Forgive our companion, Captain Shoji. I'm afraid the long journey has worn on her considerably."

Ryoko felt Heero's hand on her arm. "Ease up. We'll get the audience we need soon enough."

Suzume's brow furrowed as she looked at Ryoko and the others. "Imperial Customs reported that you had a rather eclectic retinue, Princess… I see that they weren't exaggerating. I'm sure that you have your reasons for keeping such company, but I must be reassured that they are not a security risk before allowing them to proceed… especially seeing as several of them appear to be heavily armed."

"I give you my word that my companions pose no threat to His Majesty or the Empresses," Ayeka hastily answered, "Eccentricities aside, they are allies of Jurai, ones that we will have great need of in the crisis that lies ahead. My friend here was perhaps crude, but she was also correct in her assertion that we are not here simply to see my father. You said that the Emperor is attending to affairs of state at the moment; I can assure you that our business here is very much that, and of the utmost importance. We have already been engaged in combat by those who wish to topple the Empire on our journey, so my companions being armed is a necessity."

"These are all very good friends of ours!" Sasami added, "Heero looked out for us while we were on Earth; you can trust him and his friends!"

Suzume looked around. "Which one of you would be this 'Heero' that the Princess speaks of?"

"Me," said Heero, taking a step forward.

Suzume folded her arms as she looked him up and down. "I see. You'll understand if I have reservations about a man who arrives in the Royal Palace of Jurai in full armor, especially when he also bears the weapons of a soldier."

"Of course," Heero replied, "Nonetheless, the armor and weapons are non negotiable. The threat to the Empire comes from within its own aristocracy, and we have every reason to believe that our enemy has allies and informants even in a place as secure as this. I won't be leaving myself open to an attack, and neither will my companions."

Kiyone stepped forward, with Mihoshi quickly following. "Captain Shoji, I'm Detective First Class Kiyone Makibi of the Galaxy Police. This is my partner, Detective First Clash Mihoshi Kuramitsu. If it helps, the Galaxy Police will vouch for everyone here. No one within this group is a threat to the Royal Family. Far from it; we're here to help the Royal Family and the Empire of Jurai as a whole. The threat it faces is immense, and it's in our interest for the Emperor to be informed of it so that he can take appropriate countermeasures."

Ryoko bristled as Suzume's gaze fell on her again. "This 'threat' you speak of must be quite dire indeed if you're willing to work alongside a notorious pirate. I would normally not question a princess's choice of companions, but this is a bit much, Your Highness. I can accept most of your retinue, but the pirate must either remain aboard the Yagami or surrender herself into the custody of the Palace Guard."

"That's not going to happen," Ryoko growled.

Suzume looked over her shoulder, and the guards behind her swiftly moved forward. Fanning out in a crescent motion, they raised their rifles in unison, each and every one of them taking aim squarely at Ryoko.

"I suppose there is a third option," said Suzume with a smirk, "Given the toll you've wreaked upon Imperial shipping in the past, I doubt the Emperor would complain if the palace became your grave."

Sparks of crimson energy crackled along Ryoko's fingertips. "Take your best shot."

Washu sighed. "Typical…"

"Oh dear," murmured Azaka.

"A most troubling development!" chirped Kamidake.

Yosho picked that moment to step forward. "Captain Shoji, I can understand your reluctance to allow someone with Ryoko's background to roam the palace even under escort. However, I can assure you that she is not an enemy. In the event that she does act out, I can guarantee that she wouldn't be able to do much; I'm more than capable of stopping her myself."

Suzume raised an eyebrow as she studied him. "And you are who, exactly?"

Yosho smiled. "On Earth, I went by the name of Katsuhito. In the Empire, I went by another name. You seem to be part of one of the younger generations of the Palace Guard, so it may not carry much weight with you… but perhaps when combined with a practical demonstration of what comes with it, I can change your mind."

Suzume looked more annoyed and confused than anything else. "Just what are you playing at? I have no time for games, old man!"

Ryoko smirked as she saw Yosho's right hand dip inside his robe; she had a feeling that she knew what was coming. "He might be old, but you might want to think twice about insulting him, lady!"

Yosho held out his left hand to forestall any further remarks while his right pulled out the hilt of Tenchi-ken from his robe and held it up for the Captain to see. "Younger generation or old guard, I'm sure you were taught enough to recognize this."

Ryoko had the satisfaction of seeing Suzume's eyes widen in shock. "It can't be… the lost Master Key! How did you come by this treasure of the Royal Family?"

Yosho smiled. "Simple; it is mine."

Suzume recovered her wits and glared at him. "Liar. The prince who last wielded it vanished centuries ago. If you possess his Master Key, it can only be through foul play!"

Ryoko heard Duo chuckle behind her. "Oh, man… who wants to tell her? Not it!"

"I don't think she'd believe you anyway," Trowa deadpanned.

"Guys, we shouldn't be joking around here," Quatre cautioned, "We need to make friends, not enemies, remember?"

"Speak for yourself," said Wufei, "I'm just going to sit back and enjoy the show."

Yosho's smile took on just a hint of a smirk. "I promise you that I am telling the truth… and here is the proof."

His grip on the hilt tightened as he pointed it upwards, the azure blade of the Master Key sprang to life. Suzume actually took a step back, and the guards arrayed behind her recoiled as well. The Captain's face paled as she put two and two together, and Ryoko was enjoying every second of it.

"You…" Suzume whispered as she looked at the old man in awe, "You're…"

For his part, Yosho simply nodded and smiled as he deactivated the blade. "I am Yosho Masaki Jurai, son of His Majesty the Emperor Azusa Masaki Jurai and First Empress Funaho Jurai. If Princess Ayeka's assurances of Ryoko's status as an ally are not sufficient for you, perhaps mine will be? If she steps out of line, you have my word that I will deal with her personally."

Ryoko smirked. "That should be fun. Bring it on, old timer!"

Yosho chuckled. "Believe me, I most certainly will."

Earlier in her life, Ryoko would've taken that as a threat. She supposed that it very much was, but coming from the old man that she'd gotten to know as her neighbor on Earth before discovering that he was Heero's grandfather, she now simply took it as a promise to pull her back should her criminal instincts begin to tempt her here. A fight between the two of them would certainly be interesting, but Ryoko had no intention of engaging in such a contest here. If she wanted to test her skills against the old man without threatening the mission, she could always ask him to spar later.

For her part, Suzume seemed suitably convinced and motioned for her subordinates to back down. "Very well… your Highness. Does the same go for your armored companions?"

Yosho nodded. "They are here as both comrades in arms and representatives of Earth. The last thing they wish for is to make an enemy of the Empire. I understand that allowing them to keep their weapons and armor does put you in an unfavorable position, but I must insist that they be permitted to keep their arsenals. Heero and Detective Makibi were not exaggerating the nature of the threat we face, I promise you that."

Suzume reluctantly nodded. "Understood. In that case, please follow me to the Gardens of Serenity."

As she led the group forward, her subordinates formed a loose circle around them. Ryoko bristled at being surrounded by guards who had aimed their guns at her earlier, but she forced herself to keep her cool. None of them were going to open fire and risk hitting two princesses and a prince, after all.

She saw Heero lean close to Yosho, and Ryoko was barely able to make out what he whispered to his grandfather. "I thought we were keeping your true identity a secret until we spoke to the Emperor. What gives?"

"Revealing my identity to avoid an incident with the Palace Guard is a small price to pay," Yosho replied, "More to the point, my identity was given away the moment we entered this system. My father has already sensed my presence; the rest is simply a formality. Besides, my identity isn't the one that we really need to be concerned with at the moment."

"If he's already identified you before we've even met him, then wouldn't the same go for… well, you know?" Heero pointed out.

Yosho shook his head. "Not necessarily. I'm sure that the Emperor has sensed it, but he likely won't be able to narrow it down until we meet him face to face. Unless word's already been leaked by our foe, the secret remains secure for the moment."

"Small favors," Heero muttered, sounding more than a little relieved.

Ryoko couldn't blame him. Royal politics weren't her strong suit, but from her limited experience thus far they were proving to be one massive pain in the ass. Heero was getting dragged into them now whether he liked it or not, and he had enough on his plate as it was.

Their procession exited the docking bay a few seconds later, and they found themselves making their way through the grand halls of the palace itself. The corridors were spacious, with their wooden walls arching up high above them to the point that some of the Empire's smaller starfighters could've flown through the hallways without so much as scratching their paint. Ryoko had always known that Juraians liked to do things big, and it was clear now that the giant tree the Royal Family called home was very much the source of that mentality, or at least a strong influence on it. It would've been nauseating by itself, but the abundance of plant life in the hallways did much to offset it. Flora ranging from simple potted flowers to small groves of trees lined both sides of the corridors they passed through, and Ryoko had to admit that the aromas given off by the various plants were quite pleasing.

Ryoko heard Duo whistle as they continued their trek. "Man, and here I thought the old aristocratic mansions and castles in Europe were fancy. They've got nothing on this!"

"It really is something else, isn't it?" said Hilde.

"It must have continually expanded over the course of centuries, or even millennia," Quatre noted as he looked around, "The tree could still be growing for all we know, and the palace could expand even further down the line."

Ayeka smiled. "Quite astute, Lord Quatre. Whether or not the Tenju has the capacity to grow even further is something of a debated subject within scholarly circles, but if it does to the point that the palace can expand even further then the Royal Family will most certainly take advantage of it."

"Assuming the weight doesn't cause the tree to collapse in on itself," said Trowa, "If it's really as old as you say it is, then it might not be able to take much more. I'm surprised it's able to support the palace to begin with."

Ayeka shook her head. "I can understand your skepticism, but you must remember that this is more than just a very large and old tree. The power of Tsunami flows through it, just as it flows through the Royal Trees that serve as the hearts of our ships. That power may not manifest itself in quite the same way, but it is still there. I can assure you that it will be a very long time yet before old age finally becomes a threat to the Tenju."

A few minutes later they reached a series of elevators, with Suzume leading them onto the largest one. It ascended quite quickly given the tree's height, with it only taking a few minutes or so to reach their destination. By the time the door opened, Ryoko guessed that they were close to the top of the tree. The hallways that they passed through now were smaller than those they'd seen earlier, although they were still more than spacious enough for a group of their size.

They reached the end of the corridor a few minutes later, with Suzume opening the door before stepping aside and gesturing for them to go through. "Welcome to the Gardens of Serenity."

Ryoko might not have been Jurai's biggest fan, but as she and the others walked through the door and into the garden she had to admit that they knew a thing or two about luxury. Although the Gardens of Serenity were still inside the Tenju, the combination of high ceilings with painted skies, lights tuned to match natural sunlight and what she could only assume were hidden fans providing an artificial breeze did a good job of conveying the illusion of an outdoor garden. There was a series of white stone walkways flanked by rows of bushes and flowers, while multiple streams flowed around them in a sequence of rings. Several fountains were interspersed amidst the greenery, along with a few open grassy areas where picnics or small games could be held. At the very center was a large white gazebo with a large round table surrounded by chairs in the center of it; the perfect setting for a fancy lunch or dinner party. In fact, even from this distance Ryoko could spot what appeared to be several plates already laid out, although she couldn't make out the exact contents. The pleasant aroma of cooked meat mixed in with that of the flowers and shrubbery of the garden itself did give her a few ideas, though.

"Please, feel free to look around and make yourselves at home," said Suzume, "Refreshments have been prepared, and if you require any assistance, just ask one of the guards. The Emperor will send for you soon enough."

Ryoko folded her arms. "Why do I feel like 'soon enough' really means we're going to be sitting on our asses here for a long time?"

Suzume glared at her. "As I've already explained, the Emperor has vital affairs of state to deal with. He cannot just set them aside, even for an event as important as the return of his offspring. I have no doubt that he is eager to see you all, but it will be at the proper time."

She felt Heero's hand on her shoulder. "Just drop it, Ryoko. We can wait for a bit."

Ryoko shot Suzume one last glare. "Fine. Just as long as we get our audience sometime today."

"I doubt my father will leave us waiting for too long," said Ayeka as she led the way forward, "In the meantime, we really should partake in the refreshments and relax for a bit. The Gardens of Serenity are a fine place to rest and rejuvenate both body and mind."

"Come on, Ryo-Ohki!" Sasami cheered as she rushed towards the gazebo, "Let's go eat!"

"Meow!" cried Ryo-Ohki.

"Hey, wait for me!" chirped Mihoshi as she raced off after her.

Kiyone smiled. "Typical… although a little snack does sound nice right about now."

"Might as well enjoy a meal on the Empire's dime," said Washu, "Not every day you get to mooch off the Royal Family."

Yosho chuckled. "I'm sure the Emperor will appreciate that sentiment."

"Heero?" asked Quatre, "What should we do?"

Heero shrugged. "Get comfortable, but don't let your guard down. We'll take turns eating; I want at least four of us fully armored at all times."

"Dibs on first go at the buffet!" Duo called out, already heading for the gazebo.

Hilde shook her head. "Why did I see that coming?"

"Because it's Duo," Trowa replied, "We all know him."

"He can have fun stuffing his face," said Wufei as he headed off to the right, "I'm going to make a perimeter sweep. You guys do whatever."

Might as well enjoy ourselves a bit, thought Ryoko as she followed Heero and the others into the garden, I have a feeling that we're going to be stuck here for a while…

….

"Everyone else has had their chance to snack," said AIDA, "You're really not going to partake?"

"I ate just before we entered the system," Heero replied, "I'm good for now."

"Right," said the AI rather dryly.

Heero raised an eyebrow. "Something you're trying to tell me?"

"Remember that your armor's sensors give me access to quite a bit of biometric information," AIDA answered, "You are anything but 'good' right now. A bit of food might help take the edge off."

"I'll pass," said Heero, although it came out a bit more forcefully than he'd intended.

AIDA gave a weary sigh. "So stubborn..."

Heero wouldn't admit it, but she wasn't wrong about him being on edge. That was why he was currently circling the Gardens of Serenity along the outermost path; he couldn't bring himself to sit still. His nerves weren't helped at all by the two-dozen armed guards scattered about the area. Captain Shoji herself had left, but her subordinates were still watching Heero and his companions like hawks, and while he understood the reasons why he very much didn't like it. While it would be logical to assume that the Royal Family would extensively vet anyone they were considering for a position within the Palace Guard, it was always possible that a spy could slip inside. Did Kagato have eyes and ears on them even now in the form of some sleeper agent within the security team assigned to monitor them? Heero couldn't rule it out.

It had only been a little more than an hour since Suzume had left them here, but it definitely felt like longer. Most of the others had settled in and were trying to relax with varying degrees of success. Heero's fellow former Gundam pilots and Hilde had spread themselves out to keep watch over all possible angles of attack, although with the way that they were leaning back in their chairs or against trees they were giving the impression to outside observers that their guard was down. Ryoko was laying down in the grass with her arms folded behind her head, and while it looked like she was trying to nap Heero could tell that she was way too tense for that. Mihoshi and Ryo-Ohki weren't straying far from the gazebo, occasionally swooping in to grab another snack from the table. Sasami was wandering about with Ayeka, the two of them clearly enjoying being back in what was to them a comfortable and familiar setting while Azaka and Kamidake floated behind them. Kiyone and Washu were sitting at one of the outer tables looking idly at a nearby fountain, somewhere between bored and at ease. Lastly, Yosho was sitting in the grass with his eyes closed, most likely meditating.

An unlikely assortment of guests for the Royal Family if there ever was one, Heero mused, I bet the guards are going to have fun with the gossip once they go on break.

"So, how's it feel?" asked AIDA, "Your energy, I mean. Jurai's more than just the ancestral homeworld for your bloodline; it's practically a wellspring of the power that flows within you. Don't tell me you haven't noticed anything."

Heero closed his eyes for a moment; she certainly wasn't wrong about that. "It's… strange. I didn't really notice it up in orbit or during our descent, but being on the surface now, and especially inside this tree… it's like my power's being both energized and stabilized. It's flowing through me like it would when I was meditating with the old man, but I'm not afraid of it spiraling out of control. The best way I can really describe it is that it seems to have reached a sort of equilibrium, although I don't know if that's entirely accurate. Still, it beats what I was feeling just a few days ago."

"Interesting…" AIDA murmured, "The good doctor had theorized something along those lines… she'll be pleased to learn that her hypothesis was correct."

"Her hypothesis?" Heero replied, "What exactly was she anticipating would happen to me when we arrived here?"

"Let's put it this way," said AIDA, "For you, Jurai is very much an alien world. It might share some superficial similarities to Earth, particularly with regards to the atmospheric conditions required to support life, but it is still very much outside your comfort zone. Bearing all that in mind, how do you feel now that you're on the surface? I'm not referring to your energy this time, but simply your emotions and instincts. Focus purely on whatever gut feelings you've had since we landed and tell me the first thing that comes to mind."

It took Heero a few moments to come up with an answer. "I never thought I'd be saying this about an alien world, but it feels… familiar. It doesn't make any sense. I've never been beyond the Earth Sphere; there's simply no way that Jurai should feel like this. It doesn't have anything to do with the physical similarities between Earth and Jurai, and I could see plenty of those even from orbit. I don't know why, but it's almost like…"

"A homecoming?" AIDA finished for him.

Heero's eyes narrowed; she'd come up with that way too quickly. "Yes. How did you reach that conclusion?"

"It was what the good doctor hypothesized," AIDA reminded him, "I'm just the messenger here."

"What does it mean?" asked Heero.

"You'll have to take that up with her," the AI answered.

"Great," Heero muttered as he glanced at Washu, "I'm sure that'll be a fun conversation."

"One that will probably have to wait for a bit," said AIDA, "Looks like we have some company, and quite prestigious company at that."

Heero turned towards the entrance to the garden, and he saw that two women had just walked in. He'd never seen either of them in his life, but like so much else on this strange planet he was struck by an odd sense of familiarity. One didn't have to be a genius to recognize that these two ladies were important, and it didn't take Heero long at all to realize why.

One of them was obviously Ayeka and Sasami's mother. She had their red eyes, along with Sasami's teal hair, although in this case said hair was tied back into a single long ponytail rather than a pair of tails. She had similar forehead markings too, albeit that they were rounder than Sasami's and also spaced a bit further apart. She wore a broad dark green cloak over a maroon dress, and although the cloak did obscure some of her figure it did offer just enough hints of curves in all the right places. Her smile was as warm and cheerful as that of Sasami, and if Heero hadn't been presented with the image of Tsunami by just a few days ago then he could've easily imagined the younger princess growing up to look more like her mother than one of the three goddesses that had created the universe. Speaking of her offspring, the woman's eyes had immediately locked onto both of her daughters, and she wasted no time in rushing forward to greet them.

The other woman held herself back, and unlike her companion, her gaze seemed to drift around the gardens for a bit. For a moment it landed on Yosho, and Heero saw her smile as the two of them met each other's gaze. Rather than move forward to join her companion and say hello, though, she continued to look around… and her gaze eventually met Heero's.

In that moment, Heero knew it didn't matter that he was wearing a helmet; the look in her eyes was all he needed to realize that she'd already figured out exactly who he was. He could sense an aura about her that reminded him very much of Yosho, and it was clear that the same power flowed through her. Unlike her companion, she would've had a much easier time passing herself off as human; her eyes were a more conventional hazel, and her long raven hair fell freely behind her while the locks that framed her face and went down to her hips were somewhat restrained with two pairs of white ties. There was a single ovoid marking on her forehead, but it didn't quite stand out in the same way as that of her companion or Sasami. She was garbed in a white, pink and purple kimono with a light blue cloak worn over it, and she wouldn't have looked out of place in the least at a traditional Japanese festival.

She smiled as she held Heero's gaze, and Heero didn't know what to do. Not a single word had passed between either of them, yet he knew instinctively just who she was. It struck him that if the two of them had a staring contest right now, he would definitely lose; he'd been thrown off his game, and her warm gaze had more than a hint of steel behind it.

"It only took an hour for the Emperor to send his best emissaries here," said AIDA, "He might be busy with affairs of state, but if he's sending his wives to meet us then it shows that he's taking our arrival more seriously than Captain Shoji might've believed. Lucky us."

"What should I do?" asked Heero.

AIDA giggled. "Isn't it obvious? It's time for you to meet your family!"

Taking a quick look around the Gardens of Serenity, Heero saw that everyone was starting to converge in the center as Ayeka and Sasami's mother hugged them so tightly it looked like both were about to pass out. The only exception was the raven-haired woman…

...who was heading straight for Heero.

His mind was whirling as he tried to figure out what the appropriate response would be. Heero was completely drawing a blank here… or rather, he was too nervous to think straight. The notion would've been utterly laughable just a few months ago, but a few months ago he didn't know that he was part of a family that ruled a good chunk of the galaxy.

Get it together. Focus.

Although he tried to keep the poker face up beneath his helmet, he clearly wasn't doing as good a job as he'd hoped if AIDA's whispering was any indication. "Relax. Take a deep breath. You have nothing to be afraid of here. In fact, out of all members of the Royal Family, this one might understand you better than most."

Heero didn't have time to ask what she meant by that; the woman was standing before him now. Her eyes widened ever so slightly as she looked at him, and the subsequent smile she gave him struck Heero as almost… motherly. Heero had no memory of his birth mother or any real experience with motherly figures in general, so he shouldn't have known just what such affection might feel like, but that was the way he felt right now. It made absolutely no sense; they hadn't even been properly introduced to each other. And yet, for reasons Heero couldn't even begin to explain, he felt safe with this woman.

She slowly reached out with her right hand, and Heero made no move to stop her as her palm brushed against the side of his helmet. "I understand your desire for caution, but I promise that you are in no danger here. Please… let me see your face."

Taking a deep breath, Heero slowly did just that. The cool artificial breeze wafting through the garden felt good against his skin, and the aromas of the various plants were quite pleasant. Not that Heero could be bothered to enjoy any of that at the moment; his focus was completely on the woman in front of him.

The woman's smile grew, her face positively aglow when she saw his face. "My, my… what a handsome young man you are. What's your name?"

"Heero Yuy," he replied.

"A lovely name," she said, "I always wondered if my son would carry on our line… you can't imagine how happy seeing you here today makes me."

Heero briefly looked over at the center of the garden, where Yosho was watching them quite keenly. "Your son… you mean my grandfather, don't you?"

The woman actually giggled at that. "Oh, so that's how far the line's gone since he went missing, hm? I suppose the grey hair he has now should've been a hint, although given that I don't have it yet, there is more than age catching up with him at play here. Well, that's something we can discuss later."

Heero nodded. "If you say so, Your Highness."

The woman shook her head. "There is no need for formalities in a setting like this… or between us in general, Heero Yuy. We're family, after all."

"Then what should I call you?" asked Heero, even though he already knew her name thanks to Ayeka's tutoring.

The woman's eyes widened slightly. "Oh my, I've completely forgotten to introduce myself, haven't I? How silly of me!"

She smiled as she briefly looked at Yosho before returning her gaze to meet Heero's again. "My name is Funaho Masaki Jurai, First Empress and mother of Crown Prince Yosho Masaki Jurai… "

"...which would make me your great-grandmother, Heero."

….

About time things got interesting, thought Washu with a smile as she surreptitiously watched Heero and Funaho, I was starting to get bored…

All things considered, they hadn't really been waiting that long, but Washu had been mildly concerned that she might fall asleep before anyone other than the guards came to check up on them. Luckily for her, the two Emresses had apparently been able to break away from whatever prior engagements they'd had relatively quickly, which definitely promised to spice up the afternoon. As it was, the sight of the Second Empress almost suffocating Ayeka and Sasami in her embrace was certainly amusing, but the real action as far as Washu was concerned was off to the side. Heero and Funaho were just far enough away that Washu couldn't quite make out what they were saying, but the fact that the First Empress had already convinced the Preventers operative to take his helmet off meant that things were off to a promising start.

Washu traded a knowing glance with Yosho; the two of them seemed to be the only ones at the moment who were aware of what was going on between Heero and Funaho. The rest of the group was watching with varying degrees of amusement as Ayeka and Sasami gingerly tried to extricate themselves from their mother's crushing grip, so far with very little success.

"Oh, my sweet little girls!" the Second Empress joyously cried out, "I've missed you so much! Why did you stay away for so long?"

"So… so sorry… Mother!" Ayeka gasped.

"We… missed you too!" Sasami squeaked.

"Oh dear," murmured Azaka.

"Should we intervene?" asked Kamidake.

"Aw, this is so sweet!" Mihoshi cooed.

Kiyone smirked as she shook her head. "Not the word I think Ayeka would use for it."

"Meow?" Ryo-Ohki tentatively chirped, looking more than a little nervous.

Ryoko smiled as she scratched her pet behind the ears, clearly enjoying her rival's discomfort. "Oh, don't worry, Ryo-Ohki. We should let Ayeka and Sasami enjoy this quality time with their mother. They both deserve it!"

"You fiend!" Ayeka snapped.

"I feel like we should do something here," said Hilde.

Duo shook his head. "Speak for yourself; I'm not jumping in there. That woman's got a grip!"

"Quatre?" asked Trowa.

Quatre cautiously stepped forward. "Uhm, excuse me… Your Highness? I don't believe we've had the pleasure…"

"Doesn't look like a 'pleasure' to me," Wufei dryly quipped.

Washu glanced at her friend. "Yosho, do you mind? As fun as this is, if we don't act then this could go on for hours. You know how she gets!"

Yosho chuckled as he stepped in. "Oh, yes, I do. Hello, Misaki. It's been quite some time. I'm sure both of your daughters are eager to catch up, but they'll need to be able to breathe in order to spend more time with you."

The teal-haired woman's eyes widened slightly as she finally released Ayeka and Sasami. "Oh, girls… are you all right? Was that a bit much?"

Ryoko shot Ayeka a devious grin. "No, that was perfect, wasn't it, Ayeka?"

If looks could kill, the glare Ayeka gave the pirate would've disintegrated her on the spot. "I will remember this, Ryoko…"

"Hey, there, Misaki," said Washu, "Long time, no see, eh?"

Misaki Masaki Jurai, Second Empress of Jurai, gave Washu a quizzical look. The scientist couldn't blame her; it had been several centuries since they'd last seen each other, after all. Still, eventually the proverbial lightbulb clicked on.

"Oh, Washu! It's really you, isn't it?" she exclaimed, "Goodness, how long has it been? I always wondered where your stasis pod landed…"

Washu smiled. "Turns out it touched down on the best possible planet, although I didn't realize that until quite recently. Earth's got a lot going for it, and I'm not just talking about the scenery."

Yosho nodded. "My exile there was quite comfortable. There are far worse planets to be marooned on."

Misaki raised an eyebrow. "Marooned? What exactly happened to you all those centuries ago, Yosho? You went missing without a trace!"

"That's a topic we can come to later," Yosho replied as he gestured to the others, "In the meantime, I do believe that you have guests to introduce yourself to."

Misaki looked around, her eyes widening slightly as she realized that she was at the center of a considerable crowd. "Oh, goodness, where did you all come from? I'm so sorry: I was so excited to see my girls again that I didn't even notice the rest of you. My name is Misaki Masaki Jurai, Second Empress of Jurai and mother of Princesses Ayeka and Sasami Masaki Jurai. I know Washu and Yosho, but I don't believe I've ever met the rest of you."

"Your Highness, surely you remember us!" Azaka chimed in.

"I would be heartbroken if you had forgotten us!" chirped Kamidake.

Misaki looked momentarily puzzled as she studied the two of them, but her confusion passed quickly enough. "Who… oh, my daughters' guardians! You were with them the whole time they were gone, right? Thank you so much for keeping them safe!"

"It was a pleasure," answered Azaka.

"We are as honored to serve the Royal Family as we are to receive your gratitude for protecting the princesses," Kamidake added, "However, we would be remiss if we did not mention the invaluable aid and shelter that we received from our host on Earth."

"Speaking of…" Ayeka murmured as she looked around the garden, "Where did… oh, there he is… with Lady Funaho? When did she get here?"

"She came with me," said Misaki as she followed her daughter's gaze, her smile growing when she laid eyes on her fellow empress and the young man she was conversing with, "Hey, sis! Who's your handsome friend?"

"That's Heero!" chirped Sasami, "He was the one that looked after us on Earth."

"Well, why didn't you say so sooner?" Misaki replied as she waved at her fellow empress, "Hey, Funaho, come over here and bring your new friend!"

Heero and Funaho approached, and Washu smirked as she saw that the young man looked rather confused. He hid it well enough, but it was clear that he wasn't quite sure what he was supposed to do in this situation. Funaho had him off his game, and Washu was sure that Misaki wouldn't make things any easier for him.

Ayeka smiled as the two of them drew near. "Lady Funaho, it's so wonderful to see you again!"

"Funaho!" cried Sasami as she ran forward to greet her.

Funaho embraced Sasami and ran a hand through her hair. "Sasami, I'm so glad you made it home safely! You're looking quite well; it seems we were all worrying for nothing. Ayeka, welcome back. Your father's greatly looking forward to seeing the two of you again. I'm sorry that he couldn't join Misaki and I here."

Ayeka shook her head. "It's quite all right. I'm sure Father will make his way here soon enough. In the meantime, I see you've already become acquainted with Lord Heero. The Royal Family owes him a great debt; he played host to Sasami and I while we were on Earth. He's a most considerate and watchful guardian… and a dear friend."

Washu watched with a mischievous smile as she saw Miskaki fix her eyes on Heero. This was going to be good.

"So, you were the one that looked after my daughters?" the Second Empress asked.

"The government that I work for gave us the resources necessary to live comfortably for the duration of their stay," Heero answered, "I was simply the operative in charge of taking care of them and keeping out of the public eye."

Kiyone smiled. "I'd say you did more than that. You had to manage the whole household, not just two princesses. Don't sell yourself short, Heero!"

"It was so much fun!" chirped Mihoshi, "You really made us all feel at home."

"He really did," Sasami confirmed, "Staying with Heero was like a vacation!"

Misaki beamed as she quickly embraced Heero. "Thank you so much for taking care of my girls!"

"You're… welcome," said Heero, clearly not expecting such a gesture from an empress.

It was rather amusing; even while in armor, Heero almost seemed to be shrinking in the grip of Misaki. Washu doubted that even the legendarily powerful hugs of the Second Empress could harm the gear she'd given Heero, but knowing Misaki it was entirely possible that she'd still take a shot at it.

Luckily for Heero, Funaho stepped in before things could get that far. "Misaki, while I'm sure my great-grandson appreciates your gratitude, I imagine he would also appreciate a bit of space. This is his first time visiting Jurai, after all; we shouldn't overwhelm him."

Misaki's eyes widened as she released Heero. "Wait… you mean… he's one of us?"

Heero glanced at Yosho. "I thought we were keeping that a secret for the time being."

Funaho nodded at her son and great-grandson. "Word won't spread beyond us, I promise."

Yosho looked around at the guards stationed throughout the garden. "No offense, but I'm not sure if that's a promise you'll be able to keep."

Funaho sighed. "I know you've been away for a long time, but the Palace Guard remains as loyal as ever. We have nothing to fear here."

"Whoa, back up a bit!" Duo interjected as he looked back and forth between Heero and Funaho, "Heero, did we just hear her right? This foxy dame is your great-grandmother?"

"Foxy dame?" Hilde grumbled as she gave him a good kick to the shins, "Duo, that's one of the empresses you're talking about, for crying out loud!"

Funaho actually giggled. "It's quite all right! Yes, I'm the First Empress of Jurai, mother of Yosho, and by extension Heero's great-grandmother."

"Don't take this the wrong way," said Trowa, "but you don't look old enough for that. I mean, if Yosho is your son, then why does he have gray hair while you very much don't?"

"He's got a point," Quatre chimed in, "I understand that Juraians age differently than us humans, but even so, it's more than a little odd."

"What gives?" asked Wufei.

Ayeka's eyes narrowed. "It's because Funaho has put down roots on Earth, isn't it?"

Mihoshi blinked. "What? I thought Funaho was the black-haired lady here!"

Kioyone shook her head. "No, she means the Royal Tree Funaho. Remember the big tree on the island out in the lake where we stayed on Earth?"

Mihoshi's eyes widened. "Ooh, that…"

"I don't get it," said Sasami, "Why would Yosho's Royal Tree taking root on Earth affect the way he looks?"

"It has been there for several centuries now," Ayeka answered, "Had Yosho's location been known, a recovery team would've been dispatched from the Empire, and Funaho could've been uprooted and restored as a proper Royal Treeship. All Royal Trees draw their power from Tsunami, and her power is strongest in the heart of the Empire. Earth is so far away from Jurai, so for Funaho to spend so much time out there… this is only a theory, but I believe that the power of Funaho has waned considerably over the centuries due to both the distance from Jurai and the span of time it's spent on Earth. That would in turn affect the person bonded to the Royal Tree, in this case Yosho."

Yosho shook his head. "You're only partially correct, Ayeka. Yes, Funaho being rooted on Earth for so long had played a role, but my current appearance is also by choice. Think about it; an eternally youthful man living at a shrine in the countryside? Even in such a relatively remote location, people would begin to talk. By contrast, who finds anything out of the ordinary with an old man tending to an isolated shrine? Allowing myself to take on such an appearance made maintaining my comfortable exile on Earth much easier than had I kept my true form."

Quatre looked at the two princesses. "If that's the case, then what about Ayeka and Sasami? Both of their ships crashed on Earth, and their trees have taken root as well. If they stay out there for too long, won't that end up affecting them?"

Funaho nodded. "It would, yes, but it will be quite a long time before those effects become noticeable. Once we've normalized relations with Earth, it'll be a simple matter to dispatch recovery teams and begin the efforts of removing the Royal Trees and restoring the ships that once housed them."

Misaki smiled. "We can also take a vacation there! I'd love to see the planet that my daughters spent so much time on!"

"Ooh, we can bring Father too!" chirped Sasami, "One big happy family getaway!"

Ayeka smiled as well. "That would be quite lovely, yes. Of course, we would only undertake such a trip after working things out with your government, Lord Heero."

"Earth as a royal vacation hotspot," Trowa muttered, "Just when I thought this mission wouldn't get any stranger…"

"Think of the opportunities, though," said Quatre, "After our leaders finally break the news to the rest of the Earth Sphere about the wider galactic community and the initial shock fades, there'll be so much potential for commercial and cultural trade!"

Wufei folded his arms. "You just want your company to get first bidding when it comes to all the new construction contracts that'll result from opening up the Earth Sphere to the Empire, don't you?"

"My company's uniquely suited to aid the ESUN in the necessary work," Quatre pointed out, "We're already major players in the orbital construction arena, and there will be a need for new facilities to accommodate arrivals."

"And you have friends in the Royal Family," Ayeka added with a wink, "I would be more than happy to work with your conglomerate in such future endeavors, Lord Quatre!"

"We're getting ahead of ourselves here," Heero interjected, "Diplomacy and trade with the Empire is all well and good, but it'll be a moot point if we can't accomplish our mission."

Ayeka sighed. "Of course, Lord Heero. Curse that traitorous Kagato! For him to threaten Earth along with the rest of the galaxy…"

"Uhm, should we really be talking about that here?" Kiyone asked nervously as she looked at both empresses, "Weren't we going to keep things quiet until our audience with the Emperor?"

Washu smiled. "Actually, we're quite safe in discussing it with the present company… although I do have my concerns about the guards. Funaho, I know that you vouched for them earlier, but even so… mind telling them to take a hike?"

Funaho reluctantly nodded. "If it'll set your mind at ease, then yes. Guards, leave us!"

"But, Your Highness…" one of them began to protest.

Funaho's eyes narrowed as she zeroed in on the dissenting guard. "Are you questioning a direct order from an empress?"

The guard's face turned almost as white as snow. "N-never, Your Highness! We'll withdraw immediately!"

Yosho chuckled as the guards beat a hasty retreat. "I'd almost forgotten that side of you… I have missed you, Mother."

Funaho smiled again. "As have I, my son."

"Ayeka, what's going on?" asked Misaki, "I know that you're not here just to see us. What does your visit have to do with Kagato? What's happened?"

Heero nodded at the gazebo. "We should get comfortable. It's kind of a long story."

"One that we'd best get through quickly," said Washu as she led the way, "The sooner our two new friends know the score, the better."

Let's see if the two of you are still as sharp as I remember, thought Washu as she traded looks with Funaho and Misaki, We're going to need all the powerful allies we can get, and both of you were close to the top of my list.

….

Ryoko couldn't help but fidget in her seat as Heero, Yosho and Washu filled Funaho and Misaki in on the current situation. Even though the guards had left, she was still on edge, and it had everything to do with the two empresses. Ryoko didn't know why, but every fiber of her being was telling her that neither woman was to be trifled with, and it had nothing to do with their titles.

They didn't send the guards away just because they didn't want an audience, she thought, I bet these two are more than capable of holding their own in a fight…

While Ryoko didn't necessarily think either of the empresses were potential enemies, she was definitely wary of them. Instincts aside, she was a pirate; she wasn't supposed to be sitting down for snacks and tea with people of their station, but instead robbing them blind. The whole situation felt very unnatural for her, but that had been the case ever since they'd landed on Jurai in the first place. Yosho and Washu seemed to trust them, and Heero had actually taken his helmet off with Funaho earlier, so all Ryoko could do was hope that the three of them knew what they were doing.

Heero was the one to finally wrap up their tale. "So, that's where we stand. We've got a bit of a lead in our race now, but I doubt it'll last long. If it were up to me we would already be heading for the second repository, but Washu says we're going to need a lot more firepower than we have right now if we want to crack it open."

Washu nodded. "Unlike the first repository, this time I know what we'll be walking into. There's no getting around it; we need naval support, and plenty of it. Seeing as we've been traveling in the company of royals and kept them safe, we were hoping to leverage that here."

Funaho and Misaki traded looks, and Ryoko realized that neither of them actually appeared surprised at what they'd just been told. The Judgement Array and Kagato's ambitions; neither had caught them off guard.

What do they know, thought Ryoko, and how long have they known it?

Yosho had clearly picked up on it as well. "The situation is dire, both for the Empire and the galaxy at large… but you were aware of that before our arrival, weren't you?"

Sasami looked back and forth between Yosho and the two empresses. "What do you mean?"

Ayeka's eyes narrowed as she focused her gaze on the First Empress. "Lady Funaho… what exactly have your spies been reporting to you?"

Ryoko blinked in confusion. "Spies? What are you talking about, Ayeka?"

Funaho sighed. "Forgive me for my lapse; I should've mentioned it earlier when I introduced myself. My most prominent title may be that of First Empress, but I am more than just one of the Emperor's wives. I'm also Jurai's Minister of Intelligence… and I'm afraid that what you've told me here today helps provide context to some rather disturbing recent developments regarding the Kiryuin branch family."

Misaki shook her head. "We suspected they were up to something, but this… it's far worse than we'd anticipated."

Washu leaned forward. "What have the two of you been hearing?"

"The Kiryuin branch family has been making overtures to other cadet branch royal and noble families," Funaho answered, "For a time, it looked like nothing more than the usual brand of politicking you find within the aristocracy. However, over the past few months they've begun to coalesce into an unofficial faction within the Noble Assembly. Several major corporate heads have been spotted at gatherings of this new faction, along with representatives of the Galaxy Police. At the same time, the military formations under the control of these families have begun concentrating within a sphere of influence that has the Kiryuin territories at their center. We've suspected for a while now that they were maneuvering for a power play of some kind, but we had no evidence regarding their true intentions. With what you've told us today, though, the puzzle piece we've been missing has now fallen into place."

Kiyone's eyes widened. "Wait, back up… you said the Galaxy Police are involved here? That can't be right!"

Mihoshi frantically shook her head. "It can't be… the Galaxy Police would never get involved with Kagato's plans!"

"Calm down," said Heero, his gaze focused on Funaho, "You said that they were representatives of the Galaxy Police; I'm assuming the actual leadership of the organization wasn't attending these gatherings, were they?"

Funaho shook her head. "No, they weren't. The members we've identified are in relatively high positions within the organization, but do not hold overall command authority. While it is of course possible that they are merely acting as emissaries of the Galaxy Police top brass, I do not believe this to be the case. My informants within the organization have kept me apprised of the attitudes of their leadership, and everything I know about them indicates that they wouldn't involve themselves in a scheme like this, especially given the damage it would do to the Galaxy Police's relationship with Jurai. We're most likely dealing with a rogue faction of officers here that Kagato somehow managed to entice into his orbit."

Ryoko smirked. "You've got spies within the Galaxy Police? I think I'm starting to like you, lady!"

Kiyone sighed with relief. "Okay, just some bad apples… we can deal with that."

Mihoshi smiled. "Yeah, I knew my grandfather wouldn't join someone like Kagato!"

"Who's your grandfather?" asked Quatre.

"Minami Kuramitsu," said Kiyone, "He's the Grand Marshall of the Galaxy Police, which is basically the head honcho of our organization. Sometimes I think it's thanks to him that Mihoshi and I still have our jobs after all we've been through..."

Duo whistled. "Damn! Didn't realize we were travelling with the chief's granddaughter!"

"Would the Grand Marshall be willing to help us?" asked Trowa.

Mihoshi nodded enthusiastically. "Oh, yes! I can contact him after we meet with the Emperor, if you want."

Wufei sounded skeptical. "It can't be that simple…"

Funaho nodded. "The Grand Marshall would be a powerful ally, but the Galaxy Police usually doesn't get involved in internal Juraian affairs. Their place is that of peacekeepers and upholders of intergalactic law between the major powers, and while they have a close working relationship with our fleet they still must present an impartial front to the galaxy as a whole. While I have no doubt that Grand Marshall Kuramitsu remains trustworthy and would render what aid he could, we would need to build an ironclad case first before he could legitimately intervene."

"We've already got an ironclad case!" Ryoko argued, "Kagato blurted out his plan to all of us when we met at the first repository! What more could you possibly need?"

Ayeka caught the pirate off guard by actually agreeing with her. "Ryoko is right, Lady Funaho. I was there, as were my bodyguards, Lord Yosho, Lord Heero and his friends from Earth, and Ryoko. Miss Washu and Hilde were retrieving the data while we confronted Kagato, but that still leaves you with no less than ten eyewitnesses to provide testimony."

"Eyewitnesses that Kagato can argue are all affiliated with the Masaki family and are therefore biased," Misaki countered, "I believe you, Ayeka, and I know that Funaho does too, but it's not us that you have to convince."

"Father will understand, won't he?" asked Sasami, "If you and Funaho believe us, then surely he will too."

"I have no doubt of that," said Yosho, "but while the Emperor wields phenomenal power, his authority does still have limits. Making a move against a family as prestigious and well-connected as Kagato's is not something he will undertake lightly."

"But the safety of nothing less than the entire galaxy is at stake!" Azaka protested.

"His Majesty would surely act decisively given the magnitude of the crisis at hand!" Kamidake added.

Washu sighed. "Pull your heads out of your collective asses and think for two seconds! Why did Kagato and I invent the Judgement Array in the first place? Anyone?"

"To end the Imperial Civil War," said Kiyone, "We all know that."

Washu folded her arms. "Exactly. Now, tell me, what do you think we run the risk of kicking off if we botch this?"

"A Second Imperial Civil War," Heero grimly answered.

Washu nodded. "Nice to see at least you still have your head screwed on straight, Heero. Yes, you're right; if things go wrong, even if Kagato doesn't get his hands on the Array, we've still got a pretty good chance of sparking a major galactic conflict. I can all but guarantee that a Juraian civil war won't stay an internal affair for long."

Funaho's eyes narrowed. "I'm afraid so. Jurai might be the galaxy's current dominant military and political power, but there are other nations out there that would almost certainly seek to intervene should they sense an opening. We must be cautious in how we deal with this matter lest we wish to spark a galaxy-spanning war."

"Caution is not something that Kagato appears to be bothered with!" Ayeka countered fiercely, "He is after a weapon that will allow him to hold every inhabited world in the galaxy hostage, and after our confrontation at the first repository I imagine that Earth just moved close to the top of his hit list! We cannot afford to let caution keep us from doing what must be done. There are too many innocent lives at stake here!"

Quatre put a hand on her shoulder. "Ayeka, calm down. I appreciate your concern for Earth, but Lady Funaho and Washu are both right about this. Our homeworld is in danger if Kagato gets his hands on the Array, but it'll almost certainly also be in danger if another major galactic war starts."

Duo nodded. "Earth might be out of the way as far as you galactic bigwigs are concerned, but I'd still rather not just pray that a major conflict passes us by simply because we're a backwater. Don't get me wrong; I'm all for busting heads, and Kagato's at the top of my shitlist right now, but we really need to be careful with how we handle this."

"Never thought I'd hear you be the voice of reason," Hilde quipped.

Wufei chuckled. "What's the world coming to?"

"Armageddon at the rate things are going," Trowa muttered.

Misaki shook her head. "Whether we strike immediately or take a cautious approach, ultimately the final call is one that only the Emperor can make. I know he's been concerned about the Kiryuin branch family and has wanted to curb their influence, and this will present an opportunity for him to do so. However, the Array throws a wrinkle into this."

"A considerable one," Funaho concurred as she looked at Washu, "Knowing you, I believe it's safe to say that you're seeking to do more than just stop Kagato. You want to destroy the Array, yes?"

Washu firmly nodded. "Building it was a desperate and foolish move. It might have ended the war, but the price was too high, and it has hung over the heads of everyone in the galaxy ever since. It is a mistake that has been allowed to linger on for far too long, and I intend to rectify it before this affair is over. Kagato will not have the Array… and neither will Jurai."

"It is for the best," said Yosho, "I know that Father originally commissioned the weapon, and that the Empire poured considerable resources into it, but it cannot be allowed to continue existing. Destroying it will finally turn the page on a shameful chapter in Jurai's history, Mother. Whether Father likes it or not, it must be done."

"I agree, but it might not be that simple," said Misaki nervously, "I know that he would never seek to use such a weapon again after the horrific blood toll that was paid the first time it was fired, however… its potential use as a deterrent force is undeniable. That will be a temptation for the Emperor… one that I'm afraid I do not know for sure if he will be able to resist."

"He doesn't get a choice in the matter," Heero interjected, his voice a low and menacing growl that caused everyone to stiffen slightly, "The Array is a threat, and our mission is to destroy it. Whether the Emperor wishes to aid us or seize it for himself will not stop me from carrying out my assignment and eliminating it."

Funaho and Misaki traded looks, and for a moment Ryoko was worried. However, the two Empresses smiled as they turned their gazes back to Heero, seeming both amused and impressed.

"Well, now," said Funaho, her eyes gleaming, "that's quite assertive of you. You're certainly a bold one, aren't you, Heero?"

Misaki actually giggled. "Oh, big sis… I think my mother would like this one!"

Ryoko saw Ayeka shudder. "Lady Seto… please don't tell me you're thinking of bringing her into this affair, Mother!"

Sasami perked up, seemingly oblivious to her older sister's apprehension. "Oh, will we get to see grandmother soon? It's been so long, I hope she's doing well!"

"I'll wager she is," said Washu with a smirk, and Ryoko didn't like the way that she was looking at Heero, "and yes, she most certainly would like this one. Tell me, is she still in the capital?"

Funaho laughed. "Of course! Come now, Washu; I know it's been a long time, but surely you haven't forgotten her love of the Empire's political games. I can assure you that she hasn't tired of the intrigue in the least!"

Washu chuckled. "Yes, of course. You'll have to arrange a meeting soon, then. She'll be a valuable ally in the days ahead."

Misaki smiled. "I'll give her a call later today. I think she'll be quite eager to host a little family get-together once she learns who's in town!"

Ayeka sighed. "Oh, dear…"

"What's wrong?" asked Quatre.

"She's your grandmother, right?" Hilde chimed in, "Wouldn't it be good to visit with her since you've finally returned home?"

"Lady Seto can be rather… demanding," Azaka added.

"And scary!" whimpered Kamidake.

"How bad are we talking here?" asked Duo.

Sasami shook her head. "She's not bad at all! I mean, she can get angry sometimes, but she's always been really nice to us!"

Kiyone's eyes widened slightly. "Wait a second… Seto… do you mean 'Devil Princess' Seto?"

Ayeka reluctantly nodded. "The very same."

Mihoshi blinked. "Wait, why's she called 'Devil Princess'? She's on our side, right?"

Ryoko felt a shudder go down her spine as she realized where she'd heard that particular name before. "Devil Princess Seto… oh, crap. This might be a problem."

She saw Heero turn to her. "What's the matter, Ryoko?"

"What exactly are we missing here?" asked Trowa.

Wufei shrugged. "Let's find out. Should be interesting by the look of things."

Ryoko sighed. "I only know of her by reputation, but… Heero, this Seto… she's pretty famous in the circles that I used to run in… and not in a good way."

"Lady Seto has an intense loathing for pirates," Ayeka explained, "She's led many punitive expeditions against them, all quite successful. Given Miss Ryoko's notoriety, I'll wager she'd most likely react poorly to meeting her, or even to simply learning that she's one of our companions."

"I can stay out of the way if you all need to talk to her," Ryoko quickly assured them, "She and I never need to meet."

Heero shook his head. "You're an important member of our group, and one of our most powerful fighters. Your ability to pilot Ryo-Ohki so skillfully was vital to breaching the defenses of the first repository, and I'm sure that won't be the last time your capabilities will be crucial to our success. You need to know what's going on, which means that for any high-level meetings we go to, you should be present."

Ryoko wasn't normally one to turn down praise, but she'd make an exception here. "Look, Heero, I appreciate that, but if just me being in the same room as someone like Seto is going to cause problems then it's probably better if I sit it out. Besides, you guys only really need me for firepower when the fighting starts; I'm not really cut out for big picture planning or negotiation."

"No," Yosho interjected, "Heero is right; you should be present. Lady Seto will simply have to overlook the ill-will she bears people like you for the greater good. She will not like it, but I can assure you that she will deal with it. She'll understand the stakes involved in this affair and will know that certain unpleasant decisions will need to be made by all parties involved."

Ayeka sighed. "Lord Heero, Lord Yosho, if this is what you want, then I will help you argue the case to Lady Seto."

Ryoko raised an eyebrow at that. "Hang on… you're volunteering to go to bat for me here? What gives?"

"Don't get the wrong idea," Ayeka huffed, "I'm simply trying to help out Lords Heero and Yosho. It's not like we're friends or anything. Do not mistake this kindness of mine as anything more than a necessary gesture for the sake of our mission."

Washu chuckled. "The princess doth protest too much, me thinks!"

Misaki smiled. "Aw, Ayeka, you made a friend while you were away! I'm so happy for you!"

"I am not friends with her, Mother!" Ayeka groaned, "Did you not just hear me say precisely that mere moments ago?"

Sasami giggled. "Don't lie, Ayeka!"

"Meow!" chimed in Ryo-Ohki.

Ayeka sighed. "Not you, too, Sasami…"

"This is sweet and all," Kiyone interjected, "but right now the only meeting that I'm currently concerned with is the one with the Emperor. I know the Captain said he was busy, but surely whatever business he has to attend to won't be an all day affair, right?"

Funaho shook her head. "No, not at all. I know you've had to wait for a while already, but I can promise you that it won't be for too much longer."

Misaki grinned. "Azusa is very eager to see Ayeka and Sasami again! Trust me; the second he's able to wrap things up, he'll send a messenger here."

"What do we do until then?" asked Mihoshi.

Funaho smiled and gestured at the garden. "Take advantage of this lull to catch your breath. You've all been through a great deal, and the road ahead will not be any easier."

"She's right," said Heero as he stood up, "Our meeting with the Emperor will come soon enough. Unwind while you can. I doubt we'll get too many chances to relax while we're here."

Ryoko's eyes narrowed as she looked at him; he seemed tense, although he was trying to hide it. "Where are you going? You okay?"

Heero nodded. "Yeah… just want to walk and stretch for a bit."

Ryoko knew he was lying, but it didn't feel right to call him out on it in front of the others. She watched as he left the gazebo and began roaming the gardens, and the others likewise began to slowly disperse into small groups or head off on their own. Soon it was just Ryoko and Ryo-Ohki at the table, with her furry companion hopping over to nudge her arm.

"Meow…" she softly murmured.

Ryoko sighed as she watched Heero. "I know, girl… I'm worried, too."

I'm probably going to be doing a lot of that while we're here…

….

Sitting cross legged in the middle of a patch of grass, Heero took a series of deep breaths. His eyes were closed, and his helmet lay on the ground beside him. As much as he valued AIDA's observations and suggestions, he needed a break from her voice for a bit so he could gather his thoughts.

So, my great-grandmother runs the Empire's intelligence apparatus, he mused, I suppose covert operations and espionage really do run in the family. My mother was an OZ operative, I was an insurgent and now a field agent for Preventers. Does that make us some strange royal family of the intelligence world? I bet historians will have a field day picking my lineage apart once it's finally declassified...

Of course, the fact that he was essentially part of a line of spies would probably be of less importance to said historians than the fact that he was a member of the royal family that ruled a good chunk of the galaxy. Then again, if he failed in his mission, then there wouldn't be any historians from Earth to study his lineage… and the current royal family probably wouldn't be around anymore, either.

"No pressure," he muttered to himself.

"It's certainly something you could do with less of," came a familiar male voice from behind him.

Looking over his shoulder, Heero saw Yosho and Funaho. "I won't argue with you there. Need something?"

Funaho smiled. "Do I need a reason to want to spend time with my recently-discovered great-grandson?"

"I know family is still something of a new experience for you," Yosho added, "but it's never too late to start. We still likely have a good deal of time before my father will be able to see us, after all."

Heero grabbed his helmet, tucked it under his left arm, and stood up; he was sure that there was more to it than that, but he'd play along for now. "All right, then. What did you have in mind?"

"Please, walk with us for a bit," said Funaho, "Just a simple stroll through the garden and some idle chatter."

"It's something you'll need to grow accustomed to," said Yosho, "Court intrigue disguised as leisurely garden strolls is something of a pastime for Juraian nobility. Better that you get some practice with it while amongst friendly company."

Heero sighed as the three of them started down one of the pathways, with his grandfather on his left and great-grandmother to his right. "I didn't come out here for court intrigue."

Funaho nodded. "I know, but it's something that you're going to have to deal with whether you like it or not. Both your mission and your bloodline make it inevitable."

Yosho chuckled. "Now you know why I decided to stay on Earth for so long."

Heero's eyes narrowed. "Tell me, how long can we realistically expect for my lineage to remain secret?"

Funaho shook her head. "Not long at all, I'm afraid. I understand your desire to keep it hidden, but Azusa will want to announce to the Empire that not only has his son returned, but that the Masaki line continues to grow. It's all part of the game."

"Can't you talk him into holding off on it for a while?" asked Heero, "At least until our mission is complete? You're his first wife; he must listen to you."

Funaho gave him an apologetic smile. "While my influence with Azusa is considerable, I'm afraid that it does have limits. Even if both Misaki and myself argue on your behalf, I do not know if it would be enough. The Emperor isn't the only one in the capital who would want word of your lineage to spread."

Yosho's brow furrowed as he regarded his mother. "You're referring to Lady Seto, I presume?"

Funaho nodded. "I'm glad that your mind remains as sharp as ever. Yes, she'll be very keen to make use of the fact that the Masaki family suddenly has another prince in the line of succession."

Heero didn't like the sound of that. "Make use in what way?"

Yosho chuckled, and the look in his eyes didn't help matters. "Is she still up to her old habit?"

Funaho actually laughed. "Do you really have to ask? She's done it for centuries, and she's not stopping anytime soon!"

"Done what?" asked Heero, not happy with the runaround, "Care to enlighten someone who's never been to Jurai before?"

"Lady Seto is renowned for more than just her animosity towards pirates," said Yosho, "She's the most prolific matchmaker in all of the galaxy."

The sinking feeling in Heero's stomach got so much worse. "Please don't say what I think you're about to…"

Funaho gave him a downright devious smile. "A new heir to the Masaki line? A previously unknown prince discovered in the galactic backwoods and brought to the heart of the Empire for the first time? Oh, Heero… like it or not, you're the most eligible bachelor in the entire galaxy. The second Lady Seto learns of you, she's not going to be able to resist playing her game!"

Heero shook his head. "I'm not here to indulge the whims of a bored aristocrat. In case you've forgotten, we have two insane cadet branch royals to take down and a superweapon to destroy."

"We are well aware of the stakes here," Yosho reassured him, "However, I'm afraid you don't understand Lady Seto. You see, with other nobles, they might play the matchmaker game for political advantage, and while Lady Seto does that too, her interest in the field expands well past court intrigue. For her… it's fun."

"You'll understand if I don't share the sentiment," Heero quipped.

"We do, but we're not the ones you'll need to persuade to back off," said Funaho, "You're going to have your hands full when we meet with her, and in more ways than one. If we want her help, you'll have to indulge her eccentricities."

Heero groaned. "Duo's going to have a field day when he hears about this… and that's not even getting into the others. I really don't like this mission."

"You won't have to commit to anything," said Yosho, "but don't turn her down out of hand. If she's going to back us, she'll want to get something out of it in return… even if it's just a thrill or two."

Heero sighed. "Why do I feel like the 'thrills' of royals are going to be the death of me?"

Funaho put her hand on his shoulder. "We'll be there with you, and I'll do what I can to limit the pressure she puts on you. I can't make any promises; Lady Seto is a force of nature within the Empire. She's fiendishly clever and quite tenacious when she sets her eyes on something. However, she'll also recognize the gravity of the situation and will understand that contending with Kagato and the Array takes priority here. She will help us, I have no doubt about that."

Yosho smiled. "Lady Seto might enjoy her games, but she also cares deeply for her family, and that will very much include you once she gets to know you. Get past her reputation, and you might even find yourself growing to like her as well. At least give her a chance. She can be demanding, but if she has high expectations it is because she believes that those she puts her faith in can rise to the occasion."

"Speaking of rising to the occasion," said Funaho as she looked back and forth between Yosho and Heero, "I was hoping for a little demonstration of just how far along you are with understanding the power of our bloodline, Heero. Yosho, can he wield Tenchi-ken?"

Yosho grabbed his Master Key and passed it to Heero. "See for yourself. Heero?"

Heero nodded as he accepted the weapon and took a few steps away from them. Raising the hilt of the Master Key, he focused his energy through the hilt, and the weapon's azure blade sprang to life a moment later.

It's becoming easier to activate it with each passing day, he mused as he studied the shaft of blue light, I'm having to think less and less each time. Soon it'll be instinctive… I guess I really am making progress.

He deactivated the blade and passed the Master Key back to Yosho before looking at Funaho. "Satisfied?"

The smile on Funaho's face was one of motherly pride. "Absolutely. While I'd definitely like to watch you practice with it sometime, this was more than enough for now."

Yosho nodded. "He's already quite the talented swordsman. I think you'll be more than impressed once you get the chance to observe his training."

Funaho's eyes widened slightly. "Is that so? High praise indeed coming from you, my son. I'll have to make sure that both Misaki and Lady Seto are able to observe as well; they'll be most interested in seeing his skills for themselves."

Heero nodded; if putting on a little martial arts performance was required to win allies, he was willing to play along. "I'll be ready whenever they are."

Funaho looked at her son for a moment. "Even when it's so far away, the power of your Royal Tree continues to serve you well… as it should, of course. I wonder… was part of why you brought your grandson here to endow him with one of his own?"

Heero blinked; had he heard her right? "Excuse me?"

He turned to Yosho, who had closed his eyes a moment in thought. "The notion has been on my mind as of late."

Heero looked back and forth between his grandfather and great-grandmother. "Hold on… you two can't be serious. I don't have time to sit around while a Royal Tree grows for me."

Funaho shook her head. "You wouldn't have to. There is a process through which a Juraian Royal is bonded to their Tree, and it is not what you seem to believe it is. Actually constructing a ship around it would be a more lengthy endeavor, but you wouldn't need the vessel to begin benefitting from the Tree's power."

Yosho held out Tenchi-ken in his palm again. "Remember what this truly is, Heero. We call these devices Keys because they are far more than simply weapons; they are the means by which we are bonded to our specific Royal Trees and are then able to be the ones that can exclusively access their power, with others able to use it only with our permission. By generating your first Light Hawk Wing during your confrontation with Ragyō, you've already demonstrated that your power does not rely on a Royal Tree, but it would be greatly enhanced by bonding with one all the same."

Funaho stopped dead in her tracks, and her eyes widening. "Wait a moment… Yosho, did I hear you correctly just now? Heero… has already created a Light Hawk Wing… and did so without bonding to a Royal Tree?"

Yosho smiled. "Yes. My apologies for not bringing it up when we explained recent events to you and Misaki earlier. We didn't wish to overwhelm the two of you with too much information, and we did want to get through our tale as efficiently as possible. I also believed that it would be best to brooch it with you in a more private manner before filling in Misaki and anyone else."

Heero shrugged. "Sorry that I didn't bring it up, but I was more worried about what our enemies are after rather than a strange power that I manifested in the middle of fighting one of them."

Funaho blinked a few times, and Heero could sense the wheels spinning away in her mind as she began to connect the dots. "A Light Hawk Wing without a connection with a Royal Tree… no wonder Washu never tried to leave Earth. Once she met you, I bet she couldn't resist studying you… and I can see why."

Her eyes narrowed as she looked at Yosho and Heero. "Listen very carefully… what you two just told me cannot be allowed to spread further. Who all amongst your group knows?"

Heero glanced at Yosho before turning back to Funaho. "The group knows, but word hasn't spread beyond us and now you. Of course, Kagato and those who were with him during the fight at the repository saw it as well. Why is it so important that this particular fact not go beyond our circle?"

Funaho took a deep breath. "You still have much to learn, Heero. I… I need some time to fully consider the ramifications of what the two of you just told me. You have my word that I will discuss this with you again quite soon, but in return you must keep this secret… even from Azusa. Do you swear to do so?"

Yosho put his hand on Heero's shoulder and gave him a small nod. The look in his eyes was all Heero needed to see just how grave his grandfather believed the situation to be.

He turned to Funaho again and nodded. "Very well. You have my word. I'll make sure to emphasise to the others that it must be kept secret as well; not even Misaki or the Emperor is to know unless you say otherwise."

Yosho sighed. "Ayeka will not like this. I do not know how long she will be able to keep it from her mother."

Funaho shook her head. "It will not be for long. It's not that I don't trust Misaki with this information. I simply wish for a chance to carefully consider the implications before we tell her."

"What about Father?" asked Yosho, "We can tell him at some point, yes?"

"Eventually," Funaho answered, "but we will need to be careful. I love him dearly, and he is a good man, but even so… I cannot say for certain how he will react to this. We will need to proceed with caution."

"That's been the case from the get-go," said Heero.

"It seems that we're walking a thinner knife's edge than I'd originally anticipated," Yosho mused aloud, "The situation's delicate enough as it is…"

"All too true," Funaho reluctantly concurred, "A storm is gathering, and I fear for the Empire's survival."

She met Heero's gaze, and he couldn't help but notice a hint of sorrow in her eyes. "Before this crisis is over… I cannot help but feel that the fate of Jurai may ultimately come down to you, Heero."

….

"So," said Misaki as she sidled up next to Quatre, "How exactly did you come to be acquainted with my daughters?"

Oh, dear, thought Ayeka, resisting the urge to shrink away in embarrassment, I see we're at the 'interview' stage now… Tsunami, grant me the strength to endure.

Whenever Ayeka had tried to introduce friends to her mother in the past, she would always want to interrogate them. She was friendly about it, or at least tried to be, but of course it was difficult for most people to keep their cool when one of the empresses was personally questioning them. Ayeka had always attempted to minimize such interviews, but her mother could be hard to dissuade even under the best of circumstances.

Fortunately for Ayeka, Quatre appeared to be handling her scrutiny with ease. "I'm a friend of Heero's, and it was thanks to my connection with him that I first got to meet Ayeka and Sasami. Between visiting the countryside safehouse where they were staying and inviting them up to my penthouse in the colonies for a party, I had the pleasure of getting to know them. You have two wonderful daughters, Your Highness, and you should be very proud of them."

Ayeka blinked at how fast her mother went from interrogator to gushing parent at Quatre's praise. "Oh, do you really mean that? Thank you so much! Wait, did you really host them for a party in one of your world's orbital colonies?"

Quatre smiled. "That's right. I maintain several residences, but I always host a winter holiday party at that particular penthouse. I'm glad that Ayeka and Sasami were able to attend; they both helped make an already pleasant evening even brighter."

"We spoke of Lord Quatre's position earlier, mother," Ayeka reminded her, "His family is at the head of a major industrial body in the Earth Sphere Unified Nation, with particularly heavy investment in the construction and maintenance of their orbital colonies. It's only natural that he would maintain multiple residences within them."

Misaki smiled. "So, you're rich, then?"

Quatre chuckled. "By Earth's standards, yes, although I have no doubt that my family and company's financial assets pale in comparison to those of the Juraian Royal Family!"

Ayeka was absolutely mortified. "Mother! It's hardly proper to by prying into Lord Quatre's finances, and they're not relevant to the current situation. For goodness sakes, have you lost all sense of propriety?"

Quatre shook his head. "Ayeka, it's all right, really. It's not like my status is a secret back on Earth, and if we're going to eventually get integrated into the wider galactic community then it's important for me to start establishing relationships with people like your mother and making myself a known entity."

Misaki winked at Ayeka. "Smart, rich, and cute? Ayeka, I think you've found yourself a keeper here!"

Ayeka felt her face flush deep red. "Mother! We hardly have that kind of a relationship! Lord Quatre is… he's a good friend."

"Aw, just a friend?" Misaki pouted as she looked back and forth between Ayeka and Quatre, "Here I had gotten my hopes up…"

Quatre smiled. "Sorry to disappoint."

Ayeka almost would've rather been fighting her way through the defenses of the first repository again rather than deal with the embarrassment that her mother was heaping upon her here. She knew that it wasn't intentional, but that wasn't much in the way of consolation. What made it even worse, though, was that her mother was making such insinuations about her and Quatre…

...rather than her and Heero.

It's not that I have anything against Lord Quatre, she hastily told herself, He's been nothing but generous and kind ever since I met him, an absolute gentleman if there ever was one. He's intelligent, financially successful, a superb soldier if recent events can be taken as any indication… and quite handsome. Still, if my mother must tease me about potential romantic pursuits and partners, I… I would've hoped Lord Heero might be her first candidate.

That's what she wanted to think, at least. Truth be told, her feelings regarding the man who had served as her guardian and host during her time on Earth had become considerably more complicated thanks to the surprise revelation of their familial connection. Ayeka had watched and read more than her share of romances as she'd sampled humanity's various entertainment genres, and she was aware that humans tended to frown upon such relationships between those with blood ties, but Juriain's didn't have quite the same stigma, at least to an extent. Marriages between cousins weren't exactly uncommon amongst the Empire's nobility, and there had even been arrangements in the works for Ayeka to marry none other than her own half-brother before Yosho had disappeared centuries ago.

She hoped that her father would not seek to revive those plans now that both her and Yosho were back in the capital. Her half-brother didn't seem like he wanted to push things in that direction, and neither did Ayeka. If all went well, Ayeka would be able to keep their father from bringing the matter up altogether. They had far more important matters to concern themselves with than royal marriage politics in any case.

Quatre's hand on her shoulder jolted her out of her thoughts. "Hey, are you all right? You're looking a little worried. You know your mother was just teasing earlier, right?"

Misaki looked concerned. "Ayeka, did what I said really bother you that much? I'm not going to force you into anything. I promise that it was just a bit of fun!"

Ayeka smiled. "Oh, it's okay. I suppose I've just been away for too long… I'd forgotten your particular brand of humor, Mother."

Misaki looked back and forth between Ayeka and Quatre. "I'm just glad that you were able to make a new friend. I know that's not easy to do when you're a princess. So many people act like they want to be your friend, but they only want to advance their own interests. It's good that you were able to find people on Earth who aren't like that."

She looked out across the garden, and Ayeka saw her mother's smile grow as her gaze found Sasami showing Trowa around. "And I see you weren't the only one to make a new friend, either."

Quatre nodded. "Sasami's in good hands with Trowa, I can promise you that. I'm just glad that he's been able to connect with her; sometimes I worry about him. He can be very quiet and doesn't branch out much beyond the people he already considers as his friends."

"Sasami's always been good making people feel accepted and safe," said Ayeka, "and she does so without even trying. She has a gentle and warm heart, and Trowa strikes me as a kind young man, even if he can be rather withdrawn more often than not. If Sasami can help him open his heart to other people just a little bit, then so much the better."

"I think Azusa is going to like all these new friends the two of you have made!" chirped Misaki, "He really has been worried about you and Sasami these past few months. Knowing that you've been surrounded by good people and making fond memories will help set his mind at ease."

Ayeka smiled. "I hope it does. While I know that we're hardly here to sightsee, I would still like the chance to show Lord Quatre and the others more of our homeworld. Under Lord Heero's care and that of his friends, I was able to explore their homeworld in comfort and safety. I would very much like to return the favor while they're here."

Misaki nodded. "Even after you meet with Azusa, it'll take time to marshall the resources needed for the next stage of your mission. I know your friends are really focused on stopping Kagato, but if you don't take the chance to relax while you're here then you're just going to burn yourselves out. Funaho and I will make arrangements so you can show your friends around."

Quatre smiled. "That should be fun! Any recommendations for where we should go first?"

"Well, obviously we need to give you the grand tour of the palace for starters," Ayeka answered, "After that, you definitely need to see the capital city. The great hall where the Noble Assembly meets, the nature preserves, the Royal Museum… oh, so many places, so little time!"

Quatre laughed. "We don't need a big itinerary, Ayeka! Just a few big ticket items while we're here is fine for now. We can always go on a more thorough tour after we've stopped Kagato."

Ayeka sighed. "I suppose you're right. Well, if we're just sticking to major attractions, then I suppose…"

Before she could get any further, the doors to the Gardens of Serenity opened. Looking at the entrance, Ayeka saw Captain Shoji walk in, wasting no time in heading straight for the gazebo. Within moments she was standing before Ayeka, Misaki and Quatre, and from the look in her eyes the princess didn't need to be psychic to know that it was time.

Suzume confirmed it a second later. "I thank you for your patience, Princess Ayeka. His Majesty is ready to see you and your companions now."

Ayeka took a deep breath and nodded. "Thank you, Captain Shoji. We shall not keep my Father waiting."

After all this time, I'll finally see him again. Father…

...please, lend us your aid!

Preview for next time!

Duo: All right, we finally get to meet the big man himself!

Hilde: I'd say be on your best behaviour, but I'm not going to kid myself here.

Trowa: As long as he doesn't get us thrown out of the throne room.

Wufei: Or land us all in a dungeon.

Quatre: The two aren't mutually exclusive.

Ayeka: Oh, hush now, there's nothing to worry about. Once Father sees Sasami and I, pleading our case and earning his support will be simple!

Sasami: Father will help us, I'm sure of it!

Azaka: His Majesty can't afford to turn a blind eye to this threat.

Kamidake: Kagato's days are numbered.

Kiyone: Fingers crossed.

Mihoshi: Hey, Heero, you okay? You've been awfully quiet…

Heero: It's not everyday you get to meet a great-grandfather that also happens to rule a large chunk of the galaxy, you know?

Ryoko: Hey, think you can get the old man to swing a pardon for me? I'll give you a very special reward tonight, wink wink nudge nudge!

Washu: Keep the hormones in check, lovebirds.

Ryo-Ohki: Meow!

Funaho: Next time, in Chapter Twenty-One: No Need For A Royal Audience! Time for Azusa to meet the newest member of the family!

Misaki: Oh, this is so exciting!

Yosho: Yes, this should be very interesting…

Author's Notes: Ah, I've been looking forward to this for a long time now! I'm giving Jurai something of a redesign in this fic, at least for some portions of it, while others will remain as they were in the original shows. You'll see what I mean as the story goes on. Showing off some of the fleet and orbital colonies was just the start.

Well, we've got two goddesses in the crew now! They've been there for quite a while, of course, but at least now Heero's in on the secret. As for the third, she's out there… and she'll make her first official appearance in this fic soon enough.

Take care of yourselves wherever you are. Don't do anything stupid; it might be a new year, but Covid's still very much a thing. Hope you liked the chapter. Please review, stay safe, and I'll see you all next time!