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.

28. Chapter 28

Author's Notes: Hello there! So, this one took significantly longer than I'd originally anticipated, in no small part because it wound up taking a different turn from my initial plan once I really got into the meat of it. What can I say? Sometimes, my writing takes me in directions that even I hadn't considered at the start. You'll see what I mean later on in the chapter, and I'll go a bit more into detail on my reasoning behind it in the end-chapter author's notes.

Enjoy!

Chapter Twenty-Eight: No Need For Diplomacy!

March 28th, A.C. 1999

Making her way through the corridors of the Juraian light carrier Suzume, Mihoshi could not help but feel a sense of disorientation. She'd never really been the best when it came to finding her way around, and it always got worse whenever she was in a new place. The light carrier certainly counted, even if it was considerably smaller than the behemoth that was the Second Fleet's flagship. A kilometer in length, the Suzume was half the size of the Ōtaka, though it shared the same general hull shape and layout in its smaller form. In theory, that should have made it much easier for Mihoshi to navigate, but her weakness in that field remained readily apparent regardless of the ship's size.

"I hope I'm going the right way," she muttered under her breath as she paused to check a helpful holographic map that was being projected from emitters along the wall, "Heero did say to meet him in the officers' lounge, and that should be over here…"

It had been somewhat of a surprise when Heero had suddenly requested to meet with her in private. While he had always made an effort to regularly check in on her and the others despite his rather frantic schedule these days, it had actually been quite rare for Mihoshi to have quality one-on-one time with the young man who'd become her guardian and friend during her stay on Earth. Something was definitely up, and even though Mihoshi knew that she was hardly the sharpest tool in the shed, she still possessed enough wit to guess that the reason he wanted to see her was almost certainly related to where they were going and who they would soon be meeting with.

Heero had never really pushed Mihoshi to divulge any information regarding her family before. Then again, Mihoshi had never brought them up before now. Truth be told, she was actually more self-conscious regarding her roots than she let on. When compared to how influential and powerful people like her parents and grandparents were, it was hard for Mihoshi to not feel like a disappointment. Her family ruled one of the galaxy's great powers and were charged with administering law and justice across the stars. By contrast, she was just a lowly beat cop. Sure, she enjoyed that job and wouldn't trade it for anything, but when she took a step back and put it all in perspective it sure made Mihoshi seem like nothing but a letdown for the family, even though her parents had repeatedly reassured her that she was no such thing.

I guess I'll have a chance to see if they still feel that way pretty soon, she thought as she approached her destination, I just hope they agree to help us.

The door slid open, and Mihoshi nervously poked her head inside. "Uhm, Heero?"

"I'm here, Mihoshi," the young man replied, and she saws him standing by the observation window, "Please, come in."

"Okay," Mihoshi chirped.

The door shut behind her, and she cast a glance back at it. "I know you said you wanted to talk in private… is this place really okay?"

"Lady Funaho personally arranged with the ship's captain for us to have this room to ourselves a little while," Heero reassured her, "We won't be disturbed."

He then gestured to a nearby couch that faced the viewport. "Make yourself comfortable."

Mihoshi nodded before moving over and taking a seat, with Heero settling in to her left. An awkward silence hung between them, and Mihoshi began fidgeting.

For his part, Heero gave her a small smile. "You don't need to be nervous, Mihoshi. I didn't call you here because you've done anything wrong. You know that, right?"

"Oh, I do!" Mihoshi hastily answered, "I just… with where were going… what we need to do… I know you're counting on my help here. I just don't want to let you down."

"You won't," Heero promised, "You never could. I know that you've always meant well, Mihoshi. Whatever mishaps you've had while in my company or before, your heart's always been in the right place. I've never doubted that, and I'm sure Kiyone would say the same."

Mihoshi smiled, her face warming at the praise. "Thanks, Heero."

"Anytime," the young prince replied as he regarded her thoughtfully for a moment, "Mihoshi… how are you doing?"

Mihoshi blinked several times; she hadn't been expecting that. "Uhm… fine, I think?"

Heero was clearly doubtful. "Are you sure? This will be the first time you've been home in quite a while, right? I know I said earlier that you don't need to be nervous here, but there's nothing wrong with being a little apprehensive given just how long it's been since you last saw your family."

It was hard for Mihoshi to remember that Heero's Juraian powers didn't include mind-reading; he had a knack for reading people so well that it was downright disturbing sometimes. "Well, when you put it like that… I guess I'm a little worried. I mean, it'll be good to see Mom and Dad again. Same with Misao. If it was just a family visit, I guess it wouldn't be anything to really worry about, but with everything else that's going on… I don't really know how to feel about all of this."

"You're worried about dragging them into this mess, aren't you?" Heero surmised.

Mihoshi nodded. "I really don't want Kagato to go after them. I know we need their help, but if they get involved, it could make them targets."

"Kagato will have another thing coming if he tries to harm them," Heero vowed, "I'll consider protecting them from retaliation to be just one more reason for us to go after Kagato and take him down for good."

Mihoshi felt herself buoyed by his reassurance. "I guess that's the only way to really keep them safe. If Kagato gets the Array, then everyone's in danger. Stopping him will protect my family along with the rest of the galaxy. If they help us, then it'll make it easier for us to help them… I think. That's how this works, right?"

"More or less," said Heero, "By the way, you mentioned a 'Misao' along with your mother and father earlier. Who's that?"

Mihoshi perked up considerably, quite eager to move things along a brighter direction. "Oh, he's my brother!"

Now it was Heero's turn to blink in surprise. "You have a brother?"

Mihoshi smiled. "Yeah, a younger one! He's in the Galaxy Police, just like me."

"You never mentioned him before," Heero remarked, "Then again, I suppose I never asked. If he's in the Galaxy Police, isn't he more likely to be out on duty rather than at home when we arrive in the Seniwa Domain?"

Mihoshi pondered that for a moment. "Maybe, but… he joined up quite a while after I did, and he's still pretty new. I remember grandfather mentioning that he wanted to keep him on local duties for a while before sending him further out. He might be home when we get there, or he might not. I hope he is. I'd really like for you to meet him!"

"I'd like for that as well," said Heero, and Mihoshi felt her heart flutter at the warm look in his eyes, "What's he like?"

"Oh, he's just the sweetest little brother I could've ever hoped for!" Mihoshi gushed happily as fond memories of Misao floated through her mind, "He's always sending me messages while I'm out on patrol, asking if I'm doing okay; I think he worries a bit too much sometimes, but I know it's just because he really cares about me. He always tries to spend time with me whenever we're home together. I think he'll really like you, especially since you've taken such good care of me ever since I came to Earth!"

Heero nodded. "I hope he will. If you don't mind me asking, what does he do in the Galaxy Police? Is he a Detective First Class just like you?"

"I think he still is," Mihoshi answered, "but I don't know how much longer he'll stay there. He's a lot brighter than I am, so he'll probably get promoted soon if he hasn't already. Grandfather's always going on about what a promising career he has ahead of him."

"How would you feel if he moved past you in rank?" Heero asked, "Your younger brother outranking you might be a little awkward."

Mihoshi shook her head. "Oh, I wouldn't mind at all! I like my rank, especially since I get to keep working with Kiyone. I want Misao to go as far as he can in the Galaxy Police. He doesn't need to stay Detective First Class just for my sake."

Heero gave her a small smile. "That's a very mature way to look at it. I'm sure he'd appreciate hearing as much from you."

Mihoshi grinned. "He will. Next time he gets promoted, I want to throw him a big party! Me, him, Mom, Dad… oh, you could come too! So could the others!"

"I'd be honored to have such an invitation," said Heero, "Perhaps you could bring him out to Earth sometime. I imagine he's probably curious about where you've been these past few months."

Mihoshi sighed. "Yeah… he's probably been really worried. It's been so long since I've actually seen him… I hope he doesn't overreact."

"You sound more worried about him than your parents," Heero pointed out.

"Oh, I didn't mean it like that!" Mihoshi hastily replied, "Oh, I probably sound horrible, don't I?"

Heero held up a hand for calm. "Easy, Mihoshi. I promise you don't sound horrible at all. I was just a bit struck by your focus on Misao over them, that's all."

Mihoshi took a deep breath to steady herself. "Right. Well, I guess that's because Mom and Dad have always been more understanding of what my job involves and how long I can be away from them sometimes. Misao's still pretty new to life in the Galaxy Police, and he never really dealt well with me being away on patrol in the past. He gets really clingy whenever I come home. I mean, I don't really mind it most of the time since it shows how much he cares about me. Sometimes, though… it feels like a bit much."

Heero was quiet for a moment before responding. "Almost sounds like he's kind of possessive when it comes to you."

Mihoshi's brow furrowed as she mulled it over. "Well… maybe a little. Still, I promise he's a good guy. He really is! Please, give him a chance, Heero."

Heero gave her another small smile. "I will, Mihoshi. You have my word."

Mihoshi breathed a sigh of relief. "Thanks."

"Of course," said Heero, "That being said, I suppose I couldn't blame your little brother for fretting over you. The same goes for your parents. Even if they're much more accustomed to what your duties mean than your little brother, I imagine that they're still concerned whenever you're out on patrol, and you've been away for quite a while."

Mihoshi nodded. "You're right about that. Mom's always so cheerful, but I know that she worries deep down. Dad's a lot more serious than her, so he's probably more stressed. It'll be good to see them both and let them know that I'm okay. Same with my grandmother."

"What about your grandfather?" asked Heero.

Mihoshi shook her head. "He already knows I'm okay, remember? Since he's the Grand Marshall of the Galaxy Police, he gets access to all of the reports Kiyone files right away. I mean, if he's visiting when we arrive, then I definitely want to see him, but I'm not really worried about him. My parents and my great-grandmother are the ones we should be focusing on. Especially my great-grandmother."

Heero raised an eyebrow. "Why her in particular?"

"She's in charge of the Elder Associations," Mihoshi explained, "Basically, she runs the Kuramitsu Clan."

Heero nodded in understanding. "And the Clan rules the Domain… I see."

Mihoshi looked down in embarrassment. "I… I don't really know a whole lot about my family's politics, Heero. I never really got involved in that, so I can't give you much information. I'm sorry."

Heero placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "It's quite alright, Mihoshi. I won't lie; part of the reason why I wanted to meet you here was to learn about your family so that I could be better prepared for the coming negotiations, but it's not the whole story. I want to learn about who they are as people, Mihoshi, and I think your eyes are the perfect ones to do that through. More importantly… I want to know more about you, Mihoshi."

Mihoshi's eyes widened at that. "Really?"

Much to her surprise, it was now Heero's turn to look away, and he actually seemed guilty more than anything else. "Yes… and I should have made a greater effort on that front quite some time ago. All this time that you've been under my roof… apart from interrogation and some casual conversation, I've never really dug too deep into who you are. I simply took you in and tried to look after you, without really trying to understand you beyond a superficial level. I… I'm sorry, Mihoshi."

Mihoshi smiled before taking Heero's hand in hers. "Heero, you didn't do anything wrong. I… I know that I wasn't easy for you to take in. I'm so clumsy, and I kept making a mess of things in your apartment, and then at the countryside house… but you still let me stay despite all of that. I never felt like you ignored me or didn't care about me. You took time to talk to me, to ask me about my work and my life. You just had to balance that with everyone else, and I think you did a good job."

Heero sighed. "You're too kind, Mihoshi. I… I've shown favoritism. We both know that. Let's not pretend otherwise."

It was true, but Mihoshi didn't hold it against him, and she wanted to make sure he knew it. "Heero, it's okay. Everyone has people that they're closer to than others, that they connect better with; that's just how life works. I know that you care a lot about Ryoko, but I also know that you care about the rest of us, too. Although…"

Heero looked at her nervously. "Although what?"

Mihoshi shot him a mischievous wink. "My Dad might have something to say about just how close you've gotten to a certain famous pirate! He's the Chief Superintendent of the Galaxy Police, remember? I don't know how he'll feel about you protecting Ryoko, but I doubt he'll like it… unless I help smooth things over with him. I don't know if I'll be able to do that, though."

"Mihoshi…" Heero began.

Mihoshi then put her finger over his lips before smiling. "Just kidding, Heero! Things will be alright with my Dad, I promise. I'll tell him that Ryoko's changed and make sure he doesn't try to arrest her. Besides, she's pardoned now, remember?"

"Right," said Heero, and Mihoshi could detect the relief in his voice, "Thanks, Mihoshi. I owe you one."

"Spend more time with me, and we'll call it even!" Mihoshi chirped with a grin.

Heero chuckled. "I suppose that's fair enough."

She saw him then scratch his chin in thought. "Speaking of your father, there's something I've been meaning to ask your about him. Back when we were on Earth, you said that, as Chief Superintendent of the Galaxy Police, he basically runs the organization. Yet your grandfather is the Grand Marshall of the Galaxy Police, right? Isn't he further up the chain of command than your father? Am I missing something here?"

Mihoshi smiled sheepishly. "Oh, I guess I should've clarified that before, sorry! As Chief Superintendent, my Dad's in charge of the more administrative and civilian-oriented aspects of the Galaxy Police. Helping run the organization day-to-day and managing the regular patrols, contraband interdiction, emergency response operations; stuff like that. My grandfather's rank makes him both the overall leader of the Galaxy Police and the commander-in-chief of its actual fleet units. Whenever there's big operations against the most powerful pirates or major cooperative mission with the Seniwa and Juraian fleets, he's the one calling the shots. Does that help at all?"

Heero nodded. "It does, actually. Thanks for that."

"Anytime!" Mihoshi chirped, "Kiyone's normally better at explaining stuff like this, but I'll try my best if you have any other questions about the Galaxy Police."

"I'm more concerned with the members of your family that are part of it than the organization itself at the moment," said Heero, "Your father… assuming he can break free from his duties as Chief Superintendent and comes home in time to meet with us, do you think he'd be open to advocating for the Seniwa Domain to support our cause? I understand he might not have official power within the Domain, but he's still a member of the clan that runs it, so his word should count for something."

Mihoshi's brow furrowed. "Hmm… maybe. He's not as powerful as grandfather, but other members of the clan do listen to him. I think they do, anyway. My great-grandmother takes him seriously, at least. I'm sure he'll try to help, but if he's not there then we really should just focus on my great-grandmother."

"What about your mother?" asked Heero, "Does she have any influence in the clan?"

"Not officially," Mihoshi answered, "She's a bit like me, actually. Sometimes, anyway. She's actually really good with shipboard computer programs and security systems, but she doesn't show it off. She usually acts pretty spacey, so she mostly just handles cleaning. Everyone likes her, but she's not very powerful. I think she could help persuade Dad to pull some strings for us, and great-grandmother would probably at least listen to her, but she's not going to make the whole clan come onto our side."

Heero nodded. "I guess that really does leave us to focus on your great-grandmother, then. Do you know her well?"

Mihoshi shrugged. "Kind of? I haven't seen her very often since I joined the Galaxy Police, but she was very nice to me when I was still at home. She was always busy running the Elder Associations and the Domain, but she made time for me. She's kind, but she can also be a bit strict sometimes."

"I imagine that's unavoidable given that she's charged with leading a very powerful family and government," Heero remarked, "She probably had high expectations for you."

Mihoshi sighed as her shoulders sagged. "Yeah… and I didn't do a very good job of living up to them."

She felt a surge of heat come to her face as Heero gently put his arm around her. "I'd say you've done just fine, Mihoshi. You're a brave Detective First Class in the Galaxy Police. She should be proud of you for carrying on your family's legacy of service in that organization."

Mihoshi wasn't quite sure if she completely believed it, but Heero's praise made her feel good, and so she'd happily take it. "Thanks, Heero."

"You're welcome," he replied before studying her carefully, "Your great-grandmother… you don't think she'd side with Kagato, do you?"

Mihoshi's eyes widened in shock. "What? No, never! Once she learns what he's really after, I'm sure she'll want to help us out against him."

Heero scratched his chin. "I want to believe that you're right, Mihoshi. That being said… your family never knew about the Array, right?"

Mihoshi shook her head. "I don't think so."

Heero's brow furrowed. "That's what I figured. How do you think your great-grandmother would react to learning about a weapon like that?"

Mihoshi shuddered nervously. "I… I don't know. I doubt she'll be happy about it, of course. She's probably going to have a lot of questions."

"I can hardly blame her for that," said Heero, "Do you think she'd try to take the Array for herself?"

Mihoshi vehemently shook her head. "No, never!"

Heero eyed her keenly. "What makes you so sure of that?"

"She's just not that kind of person," Mihoshi insisted, "I know that's not much to go off of, but trust me, Heero; a weapon that terrible is something she would want destroyed no matter what."

"You're certain of that?" Heero pressed intently, "Mihoshi, a weapon like the Array offers its wielder incredible power. That power can be tempting to all sorts of people, especially those who already hold positions of authority. Your great-grandmother is head of one of the most powerful families, and by extension one of the mightiest nations, in the entire galaxy. The prospect of having a weapon like the Array under her command would surely be an enticing one."

"Not to my great-grandmother," Mihoshi firmly countered, "Heero, I know why you're worried, but please, you have to believe me; I don't believe that she would ever want the Array. It's too dangerous, and it threatens our family and the Seniwa Domain just as much as it does the rest of the galaxy. Once you meet her yourself, you'll see just how she really feels about something like that."

Heero closed his eyes for a moment, and when he opened them again, they held a very solemn look. "I hope that you're right, Mihoshi. I really do."

So do I, Mihoshi thought, I don't want anyone to have the Array. Great-grandmother will surely feel the same way.

Several silent seconds passed before Heero spoke again. "I suppose we'll find out if you are soon enough. Before we meet her, I don't suppose you have any tips for how to approach your great-grandmother, do you? Anything at all, no matter how small, would be a huge help, Mihoshi."

Mihoshi tapped her chin as she pondered it. "Well… don't try to be too formal with her, for starters. She might be the leader of the clan, but I don't think she actually likes all the ceremonies and stuff like that too much. She likes people who are direct and honest."

Heero nodded. "I can appreciate that. Any other pointers?"

Mihoshi fidgeted as she tried and failed to come up with anything useful. "I… I don't know. I'm sorry."

Heero shook his head. "No need to apologize, Mihoshi. You've given me more than enough. Thank you."

Mihoshi hoped he was right and not simply trying to be nice to her. "If you say so."

Heero gave her a reassuring pat on the back. "It's going to be alright, Mihoshi. I'm sure we'll be able to work out something with your family. From what you've told me, they all sound like good people. No matter how things play out, I'm looking forward to meeting them… and to seeing how proud they'll be when they see how much you've grown."

Mihoshi looked down in embarrassment. "Oh… I don't know about that. I don't think I've really changed all that much from when I last saw them. I'm still the same clumsy and spacey me, really."

"I disagree," Heero gently countered, "Ever since we left Earth together, I've seen how hard you've been trying to focus on this mission. You haven't made any costly mistakes that I'm aware of, and you've been invaluable in helping Kiyone pilot the Yagami during the past few operations. You may still have plenty to improve on, but you are making progress."

Mihoshi's eyes widened as she turned to face him. "You… you really think so?"

Heero gave her a very small smile. "Yes, I really do. You've come a long way just in the few months that I've known you, Mihoshi. I don't think I'm the only one who recognizes that. I imagine Kiyone's noticed your efforts at self-improvement, and I'm sure your family will as well. Have a little more faith in yourself, alright?"

Mihoshi eagerly nodded as she felt her confidence soar. "I'll try, Heero! I really will!"

"I don't doubt that for a moment," Heero replied.

Mihoshi then saw him lean forward for a moment, and his eyelids fluttered. He suddenly seemed a bit unstable, which gave her no small cause for concern.

"Heero?" she asked nervously, "Are you okay?"

The young man rubbed his eyelids and forehead. "I think so… just a little tired. I probably stayed up a bit later than I should've. I was trying to cram in some more information about the Seniwa Domain… I really should have listened to Funaho and focused on getting more sleep."

Mihoshi patted her legs. "We've still got a few hours before we arrive, right? Rest up a bit, Heero. Right here!"

Heero seemed a bit caught off guard by the gesture. "You don't mind?"

Mihoshi shook her head before smiling. "Not at all! Come on, what are you waiting for?"

He looked at her thoughtfully for a moment before slowly nodding. "I suppose it wouldn't hurt. If you're okay with it, that is."

Mihoshi reached over to grab Heero by the shoulders and gently pull him downwards. "I already told you that I am, silly!"

It was an impulsive move to say the least, and Mihoshi found herself taken aback by her own boldness. Still, Heero didn't resist, and soon enough he was lying on the couch with his head in her lap. Mihoshi felt a fresh surge of heat rushing to her face; how long had she wanted to do something like this with Heero now? Would he find it awkward?

Much to her relief, the answer to that second question very much appeared to be 'no', for Heero gave her another small smile as he looked up at her. "Mihoshi… thank you."

Mihoshi reached down and affectionately poked the tip of his nose. "Hey, no talking! It's nap time for you now, Heero."

The young man chuckled before closing his eyes. "If you insist, Mihoshi."

….

After emerging from the officers' lounge and parting with Mihoshi about an hour later, Heero found himself face to face with Ryoko. The pirate had a knowing look in her eyes, and Heero realized he had to tread quite carefully here.

"All rested up?" Ryoko asked, her tone strangely neutral.

"Just a brief nap," Heero answered cautiously, "No more than that, Ryoko."

Much to his relief, Ryoko then smiled. "Relax, Heero. Believe it or not, I trust Mihoshi. Never thought I'd say that about a cop, but she's not like most of them. Still had to check in just out of curiosity, of course."

Heero folded his arms. "You were spying on us. I thought I asked you to give us both some space."

Ryoko held up her hands. "Hey, it's not like that, I promise! I only peeked in once or twice, and it's only because I was worried about both of you. I know you're not the only one under a lot of stress right now."

Heero raised an eyebrow in genuine surprise. "You're concerned for Mihoshi?"

Ryoko suddenly became rather flustered. "Well… we're going to see her family, right? I know we need their help and all, and it'll probably be good for her to see them, but… they're another big and powerful family like yours, Heero. That… that can't be easy to live with. Lot of pressure, I bet."

Heero found himself smiling; the fact that Ryoko could show such empathy to someone who had tried to arrest her several months ago was a sign of great growth on the pirate's part, though he had to wonder if she realized it herself. "You're not wrong. That's part of why I wanted to see her in private. Having only recently learned just who my own family really is… well, I suppose I found a point of commonality with Mihoshi that I never realized we shared."

"I guess so," said Ryoko, "You two… are you going to be okay?"

Heero briefly glanced over his shoulder in the direction that Mihoshi had gone earlier before turning back to Ryoko. "I think so. That's not to say the coming meeting won't have its challenges, but I believe we're in a better place to face them now than we were before. More importantly, Mihoshi's family will get a chance to see just how much she's grown since they last saw her. If they're even half as proud as I am of how far she's come since you and I first met her, then I think things will go quite well."

Ryoko gave him a soft and warm smile. "You care about her a lot, don't you?"

"Yes," Heero replied as he met his bodyguard's eyes, "Just as I do for you and the others who came under my care… and who've stuck around despite how serious things have become."

Ryoko reached out and put a hand on his shoulder. "Of course, we all stuck around. Speaking for myself, meeting you was the best thing that ever happened to me. I think the others feel the same, or at least similar. You trusted and protected me even after you learned that I was a criminal. As for Mihoshi, you believed in her and were kind to her even after she showed us just how clumsy she can be. I bet that means a lot to her. I know it does to me. You're a really good guy, Heero. Anyone else tries to say otherwise, they answer to me… and Mihoshi. And the rest of your friends."

Heero put his hand over hers before nodding. "I won't forget that. Thank you."

"Anytime," said Ryoko before jerking her thumb over her shoulder, "Now, I don't know about you, but I'm a bit nervous about what's coming. When I'm nervous, I get hungry. Want to grab a quick bite before you have to go play diplomat? You look like you could use it."

Heero offered a self-deprecating chuckle. "That obvious, huh? I must really be letting my guard down around you nowadays if you can read me so easily."

Ryoko playfully punched him on the shoulder. "Don't worry, you're not going soft; I just know you better now. You can't hide things from me anymore, Heero!"

Heero felt a pang of regret lance through his heart as images of a particular fiery night from years ago flashed through his mind, and he closed his eyes to center himself. "Is that so? Perhaps…"

When he opened them again, he saw Ryoko looking at him quizzically. "What do you mean, 'perhaps'? Something up, Heero?"

The temptation to finally come clean was strong, but Heero told himself that now was not the time; he needed to make sure he was prepared for the coming talks with Mihoshi's family. Was that a valid excuse? Part of him felt so…

…and part of him very much felt not.

"Nothing important," he eventually said, "Come on, let's get to the ship's galley. It'll be good to have a quick snack before we arrive."

Ryoko looked like she wanted to pursue the matter, but apparently thought better of it. "Yeah. We'd better make it snappy."

"We should," Heero concurred as they set off at a brisk pace, "We've got a lot of work ahead, and it would be good to have a full stomach going into it."

….

"Are we sure about this whole 'no-armor' deal?" Duo asked as he followed the others through the umbilical that linked the light carrier with the Yagami, "We've never been to this planet before. I don't like the idea of showing up there unprotected."

"If we go there in full armor, we might send too aggressive a message," Hilde pointed out, "We're here to make allies, not enemies."

"At least they're letting us remain armed," Wufei chimed in as he patted the sword at his hip.

"Sidearms and blades are less in the way of armament than I would prefer," Trowa remarked.

"We'll probably have to give those up to the local security forces when they check us in," Quatre added, "I know none of us are going to like that, but we really do need to play nice here."

"There's no need to fret," Ayeka reassured them, "This is the heart of the Seniwa Domain that we're talking about, after all; we will be as safe there as we would be in the halls of Jurai's Royal Palace."

"Are you sure about that?" asked Quatre, "Have you been here before?"

"A handful of times," Ayeka replied nervously, "though admittedly, those were state visits, mostly ceremonial affairs… and they were quite some time ago."

"They were rather uneventful visits, if memory serves me well," Azaka commented.

"Let us hope that this visit will be similarly uneventful," Kamidake added, "I could certainly do with a bit less excitement."

"I'm sure things will go just fine!" Sasami cheerfully chirped.

"I hope you're right," said Heero.

Ryoko couldn't help but fidget slightly. "I know Jurai's pardoned me, but is the Seniwa Domain really going to honor that?"

"We've been over this already," Washu remarked, "The Kuramitsu Clan runs both the Domain and the Galaxy Police; per treaties with Jurai, they honor pardons granted by the throne. There are exception clauses, but none of those apply here. Besides, they wouldn't dare arrest a prince's Royal Guard; that'd be a serious diplomatic breach."

Ryoko saw Heero look over his shoulder and nod. "You'll be safe, Ryoko. If anyone tries to arrest you, they'll have to get through me first."

Ryoko smiled, though she was privately still a little apprehensive. "Now who's guarding who?"

"You really are worrying too much," Yosho chimed in, "I've delt with the Kuramitsu Clan in the past, and I can assure you that they are nothing if not pragmatic. They will understand that there are far more important matters to attend to than any outstanding warrants they may have for you."

"How comforting," Ryoko muttered before turning to the living starship perched on her shoulder, "Well, if things go south, you'll get me out of there, right Ryo-Ohki?"

"Meow!" her furry companion enthusiastically confirmed.

Her spirits buoyed, Ryoko turned her attention back to Heero. In the brief interlude between their meal and the final approach to the Seniwa Domain's capital star system, the young man had changed into attire more fitting the purpose of their visit. What he wore now was the same custom black uniform that had been tailored for his use during the debut ball. A pistol and his Master Key were secured firmly at his hip, and he cut just as dashing a figure now as he had that night at Lady Seto's estate.

I'm not normally one for stuffy formal wear, Ryoko mused with an appreciative smirk, but I think you should put this on more often, Heero. You make it look damn good!

Of course, it didn't take Heero long at all to catch her staring. "Something wrong, Ryoko?"

Ryoko winked. "Nothing at all, Your Highness."

Heero rolled his eyes. "Right. Keep your head in the game."

"You can't blame her for being a bit distracted, Heero," Funaho interjected with a sly smile, "You do cut quite a dashing figure in that uniform, after all."

"So I've been told," Heero muttered.

They all quickly made their way to the patrol cruiser's cockpit, which became quite cramped in short order. Ryoko didn't mind too much, though; after all, she made sure that she was pressed up nice and snugly against Heero. She shot a wicked smirk at Ayeka, hoping to get a rise out of the princess, but much to Ryoko's surprise her rival didn't even seem to notice. In fact, Jurai's crown princess appeared to have had similar intentions as Ryoko, albeit in her case using the confined conditions as an excuse to be very close to Quatre.

So, that's how it is, Ryoko thought, Ayeka… you've got quite a catch there. Good for you.

She really did mean that, though Ryoko wouldn't be saying as much to Ayeka anytime soon. As fiercely as the pirate had competed in the past with the princess for Heero's attention, it didn't mean that Ryoko was completely unsympathetic when it came to Ayeka's feelings. If the crown princess's affections could be satisfied with Quatre, then Ryoko would wholeheartedly support her. At the very least, it meant one less opponent for Ryoko to worry about when it came to holding the young prince's heart.

"How much further?" asked Heero as the cockpit doors closed behind them.

"We'll be dropping out of lightspeed in less than five minutes," Kiyone announced before turning to her partner, "Mihoshi, you've got our authentication codes ready for broadcast, right?"

Leaning over her console, Mihoshi's eyes narrowed for a moment before she turned to her friend and nodded. "Yup. All set."

Kiyone smiled. "Good. Last thing we need is for the capital's fleet to blast us out of the sky."

"You're flying a Galaxy Police patrol cruiser with a Juraian carrier and her escorts," Ayeka pointed out, "For the Seniwa Domain to open fire on you while in such reputable company would be utterly absurd."

"Seniwa's home fleet isn't that jumpy, is it?" asked Heero.

Kiyone shook her head. "No, but they're not slackers when it comes to local security, either."

"I communicated our intentions and flight plan to the Kuramitsu Clan's leadership well before our departure," said Funaho, "They know when and where to expect us. There may be a bit of tension with whatever flotilla's charged with meeting us, but nothing more than that."

Ryoko nodded at Mihoshi. "Just tell whoever comes at us that we've got one of the clan's daughters with us. That should be enough to keep them from shooting at us, right?"

"If we framed it like that, we'd come across as hostage takers," Quatre argued, "We're trying to be diplomatic here, remember?"

Ryoko shrugged. "Hey, just throwing an idea out there."

Mihoshi gulped nervously before looking at Heero. "You're not really going to use me that way, are you?"

Heero reached forward to place a reassuring hand on the cop's shoulder. "We're not. I promise."

Mihoshi smiled before turning back to her console. "Okay!"

She switches gears quickly, Ryoko mused, I wish I could do that. Worried the one second, then carefree the next even as we fly towards an entire fleet…

"Do you think we'll have time to sightsee?" asked Sasami, "I don't remember much from the last time Ayeka and I were out here. I'd really like to explore the planet a bit."

Washu gave Sasami an understanding smile before shaking her head. "I can understand that, but I'm afraid we won't have time for it. This visit's all business."

"We can have at least a little fun!" Mihoshi protested, "There's all sorts of things we can do at my family's home, and it's not like we're going to be spending the whole time in talks, right?"

Yosho scratched his chin. "If I recall correctly, the Kuramitsu Clan's main estate is built over a shallow but stable magma vein. The family maintains several hot springs, and the accommodations surrounding them are supposed to be quite lavish."

Ryoko perked up at that. "Wait, they got their own hot springs?"

"Yup!" Mihoshi chirped, "Oh, I hope Mom and Dad let us use them later. It's been so long since I've had a good soak in them!"

"That does sound pretty nice…" Hilde murmured.

"Hey, I won't say 'no' to that," Duo remarked.

"Let's stay focused here," Heero cut in, "We can enjoy ourselves after we've secured the Seniwa Domain's cooperation."

"A fine sentiment, Lord Heero," said Ayeka.

A chime came from one of the displays, and Ryoko saw Kiyone's brow furrow. "We're almost at our reversion point. Everyone, brace yourselves; we'll be dropping out of lightspeed shortly."

Sure enough, roughly a minute later there was a slight but noticeable jolt as the light carrier and the patrol cruiser that was linked to it came out of light speed. Around them, Ryoko could see the two light cruisers and four destroyers that made up the Suzume's escort likewise revert and fan out around the light carrier in a roughly circular formation.

"Suzume, this is Yagami," Kiyone spoke into one of her displays, "Requesting permission to detach."

"Permission granted, Yagami," replied one of the light carrier's female officers, "Proceed to take up point position and stand ready for authentication with local forces."

"Acknowledged," said Kiyone, "Yagami, out."

There was a slight pause before a light on Kiyone's console flashed green, and the Galaxy Police officer gently guided the patrol cruiser away from the light carrier. Taking her vessel out of the larger ship's shadow gave the others a clear view at the Seniwa Domain's capital and its immediate orbital neighborhood, and Ryoko's eyes widened considerably at the sight.

I knew Seniwa was a major power, she thought, but even so… I never imagined anything like this.

Ryoko had tried to pay attention when Washu had given her and Heero a brief overview of the Seniwa Domain as part of the preparation for this mission, but academic study had never been a strong suit of hers. For better or for worse, she learned by seeing and experiencing things for herself. In her time as a pirate, though she usually tried to steer clear of Seniwa space, she had occasionally crossed paths with their forces. Usually these were no more than border patrols or escorts for cargo ships, and often they were working together with Galaxy Police squadrons. They were small formations, isolated units, ones that Ryoko had tried to avoid engaging if at all possible.

Seeing an actual Seniwa Domain battle fleet before her now, Ryoko felt quite confident in saying that she had made the right move in avoiding picking a fight with them.

As the heart of the Seniwa Domain, the Seniwa star system was just as alive with traffic as Jurai had been. Much of it was civilian in nature, but the presence of the Seniwa Navy was impossible to miss. While most Juraian warships, including the light carrier, light cruisers and destroyers travelling with the Yagami, presented an outer wooden façade that belied the advanced technology beneath the elegantly crafted surface, the vessels of the Seniwa Navy were much more in line with those used by the Galaxy Police and other conventional forces in that they presented a sleek metallic surface and made no effort to hide what they were beneath any sort of artful veneer. Imposing dreadnaughts and carriers formed the centerpieces of the various battle groups spread out across the system, but unlike Jurai's Imperial Fleet, which struck Ryoko as being perhaps a bit top-heavy with capital ships, the Seniwa Navy placed greater emphasis on flexibility and speed rather than firepower and durability. Battlecruisers and light carriers were considerably more numerous than dreadnoughts and fleet carriers, and that wasn't even getting into the swirling schools of heavy and light cruisers, destroyers, frigates and corvettes. Silvery and slender T-shaped Sparrowhawk Interceptors flitted about like mosquitos, while bulky and ovoid Condor Bombers loomed menacingly behind them.

As if the display of military might wasn't impressive enough, the Seniwa Navy's presence in the Domain's home star system was augmented by a considerable number of Galaxy Police vessels. Most were patrol cruisers, many actually of the same class as the Yagami, but Ryoko's keen eyes immediately spotted heavier units as well. Streamlined destroyers were positioned at key points in the system as flotilla leaders, watching over incoming civilian traffic and taking the lead in scanning cargos for potential signs of contraband. A few of the law enforcement organization's heavier warships were also active in the system, with cruisers and their escorts working the outer perimeter as early-warning scouts and picket lines.

Ryoko heard Duo whistle. "Oh, man… these guys don't play around when it comes to defense, do they?"

"Good thing we're not here to pick a fight," said Hilde.

"Kiyone, we've got incoming," Mihoshi announced, "Galaxy Police and Seniwa ships."

"I see them," Kiyone replied as her brow narrowed, "Four patrol cruisers from the Galaxy Police, a heavy cruiser, fourth light cruisers and ten destroyers from Seniwa, along with multiple fighter squadrons. Heavier fleet units are concentrating behind them as a second line. Looks like our welcoming committee."

A chime came from the console, and a calm but stern male voice began speaking. "This is Captain Yasushi Ishihara of the Seniwa Navy heavy cruiser Ryūsei to the vessel presenting itself as the Galaxy Police craft Yagami. Transmit authentication codes within the next thirty seconds or be flagged as hostile."

"Mihoshi!" Kiyone hissed.

"Transmitting now," Mihoshi declared nervously as her fingers delicately walked across her console inputting the commands.

Captain Ishihara spoke again a moment later. "Transmission received, codes authenticated. Welcome home, Detective First Class Kuramitsu."

Mihoshi smiled. "Good to be back."

"Detective Makibi, may I?" Funaho chimed in.

Kiyone looked over her shoulder before gesturing for Funaho to step forward. "Go ahead."

Funaho moved up so that her voice would carry into the console's microphone. "Captain Ishihara, this is First Empress Funaho Masaki Jurai. Aboard the Yagami with me is Crown Princess Ayeka Masaki Jurai, Princess Sasami Masaki Jurai, and Prince Heero Yuy Masaki Jurai, along with their retinue. I trust that the pledge of escort and safe passage I received from President Moriko Kuramitsu will be honored in full?"

"It will, Your Highness," Captain Ishihara confirmed, "We have already received the agreed-upon signal from the Suzume; her flotilla will be permitted to fly with you to upper orbit of Seniwa, and our own vessels will escort your group. Once we reach the designated orbital point, the Suzume and the other Imperial Fleet ships will remain in geosynchronous orbit while the Yagami descends. Per our agreement, they will keep that position until your business here is complete and you have returned to orbit. Our own vessels will remain on standby to provide assistance if requested."

Funaho smiled. "Excellent. That will be all, Captain."

"Understood," Ishihara replied, "Ryūsei, out."

Yosho raised an eyebrow as he looked at his mother. "I can't help but notice that my name was left out."

Funaho shot her son a smirk. "You abandoned your obligations as Crown Prince long ago. You are simply here as 'Yosho' now, are you not?"

Yosho chuckled before inclining his head. "True enough."

"Still can't believe that they really would've flagged us as hostile within thirty seconds," Quatre remarked, "They clearly knew we were coming; they wouldn't really have gone through with their threats against this ship, wouldn't they? They had to have been notified beforehand that Juraian royalty would be aboard."

"Oh, they most certainly were," Funaho reassured him, "I know President Moriko quite well; she would have made absolutely sure that the commanding officer charged with greeting our flotilla knew who they were dealing with here. Had the authentication codes not been provided on time, I imagine that the good Captain would have announced his intent to board us, mostly to stall for time until proper authentication could be given or if I announced myself openly. The Seniwa Navy has its reputation to maintain, after all."

Washu shook her head in exasperation. "Military types… they all love to throw their weight around."

Funaho arched an eyebrow. "Admiral Fukunaga would beg to differ, and I can think of quite a few other officers within Jurai's military that don't fit your uncharitable characterization. More to the point, my great-grandson is a 'military type', as you put it; would you describe him as someone who likes to 'throw his weight around", as you so crassly put it?"

Washu rolled her eyes. "Look, you know what I mean. Drop it, alright? We've got bigger fish to fry right now."

Funaho inclined her head. "True enough."

Despite the assurances of safe conduct, Ryoko could not help but feel more than a little apprehensive as she watched the Seniwa Domain and Galaxy Police vessels form up around the Yagami and the Juraian ships. She knew it was mostly her pirate instincts coming into play; any smart outlaw would have kept themselves well away from military and law enforcement packing this kind of firepower.

Some of her anxiety must've slipped to the surface, for she suddenly felt Heero place a hand on her shoulder, and his voice was a soft murmur in her ear. "Relax. You're in no danger here. You're my Royal Guard, so you're under my protection and that of the Juraian throne. None of them are going to touch you. I promise."

Ryoko forced herself to take a deep breath before turning to Heero and allowing a small smile to grace her face. "I'm holding you to that."

Heero nodded. "I won't let you down."

"Any chance of us snagging some of this fleet for our operation?" Duo asked as they moved deeper into the veritable sea of gleaming silver and white warships that was the Seniwa Navy, "Wouldn't mind having them back us up when we go after the third repository."

"I wouldn't get your hopes up too high," Funaho replied, "We may be able to secure passage through the Domain's territory along with some further logistical and material support, but I doubt Seniwa will want one of her fleets involved in what they perceive as an internal Juraian affair."

"Given the weapon we're all going after, it's hard to argue that this is much of an 'internal' affair," Hilde pointed out.

"All too true," Washu grimly muttered.

As the Yagami and her escorts moved along, Ryoko leaned forward as she tried to get a good look at the planet that they were approaching. Unlike the lovely blue and green gems that were Earth and Jurai, Seniwa was a much harsher world. Her winters were fierce and lasted much longer than those of Jurai, with only a few months out of the year being anything other than snowfall and biting winds. That was reflected in what Ryoko saw up ahead; a mostly white orb, with patches of green and blue only visible near the equator. The planet itself normally wouldn't be all that impressive in Ryoko's eyes, save for the fact that it was surrounded by a massive orbital ring. This wasn't a natural ring of rocks and ice that other planets might have, but an artificial one that held the entire world within its embrace.

Ryoko couldn't help but whistle at the sight; she'd heard rumors, but this was her first time witnessing it in person. "So, that's Seniwa's World Ring, eh?"

Funaho nodded. "That's right. Feast your eyes on the single largest combined shipyard and orbital habitat in the galaxy. The crown jewel of the Seniwa Domain, and not without just cause. Most of her armada was constructed in that complex, and the yards still service both military and civilian vessels."

"Jurai may have the most powerful warships in the galaxy," Ayeka added, "but Seniwa has always had the edge in speed of construction. They're formidable players in the galactic ship market for a very good reason. It helps that both their home planet and the wider star system is incredibly rich in ores and mineral resources."

"And here I thought Earth's colonies were impressive," Trowa noted, "This is on a whole different level…"

"Given its importance, they probably don't offer much in the way of tours," Quatre remarked with a sigh, "which is a shame, because I'd love to see the place from the inside."

"Actually, the World Ring is one of Seniwa's most prominent tourist attractions," Kiyone countered as she glanced over her shoulder, "The military shipyards are off limits, of course, but there are entire sections of the ring that cater to civilians and commercial entities. They've even got entire built-in residential blocks and hotels. There are shopping centers, high-class restaurants, even specially designed parks that can simulate all kinds of natural environments. Got to support all the dockworkers somehow, after all. Much cheaper to just house them directly on the World Ring rather than have them commute from the planet every day."

"It's a really fun place to go," Mihoshi chirped, "I could ask my family to book us a tour sometime!"

"Perhaps when this is all over," said Heero, "I certainly wouldn't be opposed to it."

Looking around, Ryoko belatedly realized that the World Ring was not the only orbital construct here. Scores of secondary shipyards were scattered about, as were dozens of much smaller ring-shaped habitats. They were perhaps twice the size of the colonies that she'd seen around Earth, and as the Yagami passed beneath one of them Ryoko craned her head to get a good look inside the ring. What she saw was, in a way, nearly as impressive as the World Ring. Along the interior of the ring was not a wall of steel as she'd expected, but instead what appeared to be a transplanted natural habitat. There were green fields stretching for kilometers on end, cities with gleaming skyscrapers, and even entire lakes. All of it was protected from the unforgiving vacuum of space by a gleaming translucent containment forcefield of some sort. Ryoko had never seen anything like it before.

"What in the world…" she murmured as she took it all in.

Wufei smiled appreciatively. "Now that's one hell of a colony. That's got to be over thirty kilometers in diameter at least, and that habitat… is it really just one forcefield protecting it?"

"It's a multilayer containment field, actually," Kiyone corrected, "and there's a ton of redundant generators built in, along with emergency shutters that can seal it all off if the fields fail. Oh, and the diameter's actually a little more than forty kilometers, not thirty."

"You certainly seem well acquainted with this structure," Ayeka noted.

Ryoko saw Kiyone glance at her partner and smile. "Well, working with Mihoshi does have its perks… strange as it feels to say that."

Mihoshi looked over at Kiyone and blinked. "What do you mean by that, Kiyone?"

Kiyone shook her head before patting her partner on the shoulder. "Don't worry about it. Let's stay focused, shall we? We haven't landed yet, after all."

Mihoshi bobbed her head. "Okay."

Washu smiled as she looked up at the structure. "They've come so far since the drawing board, and they're still standing..."

"You know these things?" asked Heero.

"Of course," Washu replied with more than a hint of pride, "I designed them, after all."

Ryoko's head snapped around as she focused on her mother. "Wait, seriously?"

Washu chuckled. "You didn't think that Jurai was the only galactic power that valued my work, did you? My talents were in demand across the galaxy for tens of thousands of years!"

"I must say, I quite like this piece much more than some of the other examples of your work," Yosho chimed in as he gestured at the colony, "When your talents are put towards civilian endeavors rather than weapons of mass destruction, true wonders are born."

Washu sighed wistfully. "Can't argue with that, old friend."

"Is the World Ring one of your creations, too?" asked Heero.

"Partially," Washu replied, "I cannot claim credit for the concept, but I did help Seniwa in taking it from the drawing board to reality. Perhaps it would be more appropriate to call me a midwife for the project than a mother."

"The Domain owes you a great deal, either way," Ayeka noted, "The output of the World Ring's shipyards alone helped make them a galactic power."

"And those colonies look like they're much more pleasant to live on than Seniwa itself," Quatre added as his gaze focused on the planet, "No offense, Mihoshi, but your home planet looks like a very unforgiving place."

"Oh, it's not that bad," Mihoshi argued, "We have giant domed cities to protect us from the cold."

"I can back her up on that," said Kiyone, "They're very well built and have all the comforts you'd ever want. Going outside them during the winter isn't the smartest move, but you could live your entire life within them quite easily. Besides, Seniwa's summers are quite pleasant. Definitely worth sticking out the winter for."

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

Her focus returned to the World Ring, and the closer that the Yagami got to the construct the more that Ryoko could appreciate the sheer scale of it. It had looked small from a distance, but that was only because she just had the planet it surrounded as a size reference. As the Yagami and her escorts passed beneath the vast structure, the true enormity of it all finally sank in. The patrol cruiser was absolutely tiny in comparison, and even the light carrier Suzume and her accompanying warships looked like little more than specks against the vast sea of dark grey metal that was its outer hull. Massive slipways lined the surface above the Yagami, and Ryoko was floored to realize that each was large enough to easily house a fleet carrier or dreadnaught with plenty of room to spare. The ones she saw that were occupied did not house warships at the moment, though. Instead, massive transports were undergoing maintenance and repair in those berths, each attended to by a small army of workers in space suits, pods with manipulator arms springing out from them, and a wide variety of drones.

At the speed that the Yagami and her escorts were going, though, it only took a handful of seconds for them to pass beneath the enormous ring band and take up position in orbit between the World Ring and the planet itself. While the Suzume and the other Juraian vessels along with most of the Seniwa Navy and Galaxy Police escorts entered geosynchronous orbit, the Yagami began her descent. She was accompanied by two squadrons of Seniwa Navy fighters along with one of the Galaxy Police patrol cruisers, and the hulls of each began to glow increasingly bright as they entered the planet's atmosphere.

Here we go, thought Ryoko as she took a deep breath, I hope the Kuramitsu Clan is in a good mood when we land. We really need their help…

…and we can't afford to have them as enemies.

….

"Not the best conditions for a landing," Heero noted as the Yagami descended through whirling snow and buffeting winds.

"Are we still on course?" Ayeka asked nervously.

"Relax, you two," Kiyone casually replied, "I've put her down in much worse than this."

"Oh, like that time we chased those smugglers down into a hurricane!" Mihoshi chirped excitedly, "That got pretty dicey."

"It did," Kiyone deadpanned, "no thanks to a certain someone misreading the atmospheric weather charts and failing to notify me of the storm along our descent vector."

Mihoshi tilted her head quizzically. "Who could that have been? It was only you and I on the ship back then."

Kiyone rolled her eyes. "You know what? Just forget I brought that up."

Mihoshi smiled innocently. "Okay!"

"Not to nitpick, but I think you could've done a better job double checking those charts today," Duo remarked, "We're flying right through a blizzard here."

Kiyone shook her hand. "This is nothing. You should see how bad it gets during the actual storm season. Even top aces from Seniwa and the Galaxy Police won't risk flying into those monsters unless they've got no other choice. Trust me, this is nothing more than a mild flurry in comparison."

"We'll have to take your word for it," Trowa quipped.

"How much longer until we get there?" asked Sasami.

Kiyone checked her console. "Once we clear these clouds, we should be right over our destination. Probably a few more minutes at the most until we touch down."

Heero waited patiently for the patrol cruiser to complete its passage through the cloud layer. Soon enough, visibility outside the vessel's main viewport began to clear up towards the bottom, and Heero leaned forward to try to get a good look at what lay below. The snowfall remained thick, but the wind began to lighten up considerably, which did wonders for visibility.

"Oh, there it is!" Mihoshi declared eagerly, "Look, everyone! We're almost there!"

Narrowing his eyes, Heero could make out a large domed silhouette through the snowflakes. As the Yagami steadily drew closer, the true scale of what Heero was seeing slowly dawned on him. The dome, a massive structure composed of honeycomb-style black metal bars and large window, had to be at least sixty kilometers in diameter. It was difficult to make out much beyond the windows, partially thanks to the snowfall but also in large part because what lay past them was obscured by fog on the glass.

Probably due to the heat inside and the cold outside, Heero surmised, I wonder just how much energy goes to keeping this place warm. They'd need one hell of a power source. Geothermal, maybe? Yosho did mention an estate built over a magma vein earlier. With the technology that we've seen since leaving Earth, I suppose anything's possible.

His thoughts were interrupted by a female voice coming over the cockpit speaker. "Galaxy Police vessel Yagami, this is Seniwa Capital Flight Control, Tower Three. Please respond."

"Tower Three, this is Detective First Class Kiyone Makibi of the Yagami," Kiyone replied, "Reading you loud and clear."

"Transmitting final landing instructions now," said the flight controller, "Confirm instructions received?"

Kiyone turned to her partner. "Mihoshi?"

"One sec," said Mihoshi as she peered intently at her console before giving Kiyone a thumb's up, "Got it. Keep on this course and we'll be right over the field in minute."

Kiyone nodded before focusing on her own console. "Tower Three, instructions have been received. We'll begin final descent and landing shortly."

"Copy that, Yagami," said the flight controller, "Oh, and we have a message from President Moriko Kuramitsu for all aboard; welcome to Seniwa. We're looking forward to hosting you."

"Much appreciated," Kiyone replied, "Please pass along our goodwill towards President Moriko. We can't wait to see her. Yagami, out."

"Where exactly are we landing?" asked Duo, "I'm not seeing any openings in the dome."

"That's because ships don't land in the dome itself," Kiyone answered, "Seniwa dome cities are surrounded by multiple spaceports. We'll be touching down in one of them."

"The one that's usually reserved for the Kuramitsu Clan, actually," Mihoshi added, "They're giving us the VIP treatment."

Ayeka smiled smugly. "Well, I should certainly hope so."

"Just hang tight and stay still," Kiyone ordered as she focused on bringing the vessel down, "We're almost there."

Heero looked on over Kiyone's shoulder as she smoothly guided the patrol cruiser towards what looked like a giant grey bar that was branching out from the dome's southwest. As the vessel got closer, he saw multiple craft of various sizes moored along both sides of that bar, each one connected by much smaller disembarkation tubes. The sight reminded Heero somewhat of airports and spaceports back on Earth, with the main difference being the sheer scale of the operation and that of the craft involved.

"They keep them all out in the open during weather like this?" Quatre asked, "Running maintenance and repairs must suck for the crews."

"Any required exterior work on ships is actually done underground," Kiyone remarked, "See those large stretches of grey further out from the terminal? Those are doors, believe it or not. Vessels in need of serious work are taken through them into specialized berths. Any ships too large to fit through them have their work done in one of the orbital yards or the World Ring instead."

"A very impressive setup," Trowa chimed in.

"Well-run, too, by the look of things," said Wufei.

"Talk about scale," Hilde murmured in awe as they drew closer to the main docking terminal, "This thing's got to be at least several kilometers long."

"It would have to be in order to accommodate the kind of vessels typically used by the Kuramitsu Clan," Washu pointed out, "Basic shuttles aren't good enough for the Seniwa Domain's ruling family, after all. Gotta make a statement, you know?"

"Well, they're succeeding," Ryoko quipped, "Any of these ships would definitely leave an impression."

Heero couldn't argue with her there. Several of the vessels docked at the terminal were as big as the Yagami or larger. Each seemed to be of a different model, yet they all bore similar design features; smooth and sleek lines, gracefully flowing back towards robust engine banks. If Heero had to guess, he'd wager that they were all built by the same manufacturer.

A few seconds later, the Yagami slowly slid into position along the right side of the terminal, with Kiyone parking the craft comfortably between what appeared to be an ornate yacht and a large transport. Green lights flashed on Kiyone and Mihoshi's consoles, and Heero saw a crude image of the patrol cruiser appear on the display screen. A red cylinder inched out on the screen until it merged with the portside of the cruiser, and then both ship and cylinder turned green.

"That's it," Kiyone announced as she began powering down all but the most essential systems, "We're secured with the umbilical. Everyone ready?"

Mihoshi stood up and stretched her arms before glancing at Heero and giving him a nervous smile. "I think so. How about you, Heero?"

Heero nodded. "Ready as I'll ever be."

"I'll take the lead," said Funaho, "President Moriko and I get on quite well, and we want to make sure things get off on the right foot. Ayeka, Heero, Sasami; I want you three to stay close to me. Mihoshi, you should be towards the front as well. It would be good for your family to see you with me at the head of the procession. Everyone else, fall in behind us and take your cues accordingly. Speak when addressed, but try to keep any replies brief and cordial here since this is a public setting. Once we arrive at the estate, we can all let our hair down a bit."

Ryoko folded her arms. "Hey, what about me? I'm Heero's bodyguard, so I should be up front with him, too."

Funaho's eyes narrowed. "The Kuramitsu Clan might not take kindly to you holding a prominent position in our retinue. You've been pardoned, Ryoko, but your reputation remains largely that of an outlaw."

"Only until she gains renown in her new role," Heero cut in, "She's my Royal Guard, Funaho; she stays by my side."

Funaho looked back and forth between the two before conceding. "Very well, then. Let's get going."

The group filed out of the cockpit and made their way to the docking umbilical. Proceeding through the grey tube, they found a pair of guards waiting at the other end. Both were dark-skinned women with sandy-blonde hair in light blue uniforms, similar to those of the Galaxy Police but with scarlet trim rather than yellow and grey. Both had sidearms and stun batons holstered at their hips, though neither seemed in any rush to draw them.

Both bowed deeply as Heero and the others approached, with the one on the left addressing Funaho. "First Empress Funaho, we welcome you and your companions the Seniwa Domain and Seniwa City. President Moriko and her entourage await you inside the terminal."

Funaho smiled. "Excellent. Let's not keep them waiting, shall we?"

The guards bowed again before the one on the right tapped a key on a nearby wall console. The doors beyond slid open, and warm air flowed into the tube. Beyond, Heero saw a waiting area along with a broad concourse past that, but his gaze only briefly focused on taking in his surroundings as he and the others left the docking umbilical. Of far greater importance to him was the group that stood ready to greet his own, in particular the woman at its head.

At first glance, the group's leader appeared to be a markedly older version of Mihoshi, albeit with a much more seasoned and wise air about her. A tall woman with the same dark skin and blonde hair as the Galaxy Police officer, she was mainly distinguished from Mihoshi by her eyes being a noticeably darker shade of blue, while her full lips were curled in a warm yet guarded smile that Heero would not have associated with the open and innocent Mihoshi. Her garb was surprisingly plain and even familiar to Heero, consisting of a dark blue pantsuit that would not have looked out of place at all in a government or business office back in the Earth Sphere Unified Nation.

The woman stepped out from her group and bowed in Funaho's direction. "Welcome, First Empress Funaho. It's been far too long."

Funaho stepped forward and bowed as well. "Likewise, President Moriko."

There was a tense silence for a moment before both women broke out into broad smiles and moved to embrace each other. They seemed heedless of their respective entourages now, and to Heero the whole thing struck him more as old friends or schoolmates meeting for a reunion rather than an encounter between representatives of two galactic powers.

"You're looking quite well," Moriko remarked when they parted, "Still keeping in shape, eh? Your husband could learn a thing or two from you."

Funaho laughed. "Oh, go easy on Azusa! Misaki and I have made sure to keep him active. He's fitter than you give him credit for."

"I'll believe it the next time I see him," Moriko replied with a smirk, "Last time he and I met, he looked like he'd been doing too much sitting on the throne and not enough exercise, and he didn't exactly hold back at the feast if I recall correctly!"

"His appetite remains as voracious as ever," Funaho conceded, "So I've enforced a strict workout routine on him to compensate. Trust me; beneath those robes, his figure is quite strong."

A mischievous glimmer came to Moriko's eyes. "You and Misaki would know better than most there."

The two women shared sly chuckles before the First Empress gestured towards Mihoshi. "I'm quite pleased to say that today is more than just a reunion between us, my friend. Mihoshi, no need for you to stand on ceremony any longer."

"She's right," Moriko concurred with a loving smile, "Mihoshi, come here."

Mihoshi eagerly smiled and rushed forward, all formality forgotten as she threw her arms around Moriko. "Great-grandmother! I've missed you."

"Likewise, my dear," Moriko cooed as she embraced her great-granddaughter and patted her gently on the back of the head before releasing her, "Goodness, when I heard your ship first went down in the Outland Sector, I was tempted to send the Navy to find you. Your grandfather talked me down, though, and thankfully Kiyone found you not long afterwards. Speaking of which, where is she?"

"Here, President Moriko," Kiyone announced with a nervous wave.

Moriko beckoned her forward. "No need to be a wallflower here, Kiyone."

Kiyone looked at Funaho, who simply nodded. "It's quite alright, Detective Makibi."

Kiyone took a deep breath before stepping forward, and Moriko gave her what looked to Heero like quite a firm handshake. "On behalf of the Kuramitsu Clan, thank you for finding and looking after Mihoshi. I imagine it wasn't easy."

Seeming a bit more comfortable now, Kiyone smirked as she glanced at her partner. "Nothing ever is with Mihoshi, but I don't mind keeping an eye on her. I had a lot of help there, too."

"So I've heard," Moriko purred as her gaze finally turned to Heero, "Well, Funaho? When were you planning on introducing us?"

Funaho smiled proudly as she turned to Heero. "As soon as was proper. Heero, I'd like you to meet Moriko Kuramitsu, President of the Kuramitsu Clan's Elder Association and Chief Executive of the Seniwa Domain. Moriko, this is Prince Heero Yuy Masaki Jurai, my great-grandson."

"An honor, Madam President," said Heero as he stepped forward and held out his hand.

"Likewise," Moriko replied as she accepted it with a solid grip and shake while her keen eyes appraised him, "Your reputation precedes you."

Heero's eyes narrowed. "And what might that reputation be?"

Moriko smiled with more than a hint of amusement. "Depends on who you ask. I have my eyes and ears within Jurai's royal court, and they've been abuzz ever since your debut ball. Of course, I've known of you for considerably longer than that thanks to Kiyone's reports to the Galaxy Police. Jurai's nobles might see you as a wild card, and there's certainly truth to that, but it's hardly the whole story. A skilled pilot and soldier, a young yet seasoned peacekeeper… and a steady enough hand to manage as big a handful as my great-granddaughter, apparently. Thank you for that, by the way. From what I've learned, I have no doubt that Mihoshi and Kiyone were both as safe as possible under your observational custody."

Heero inclined his head. "That was my intention."

Moriko's eyes gleamed as she turned her gaze back to Mihoshi. "Speaking of my great-granddaughter, I'm hardly the only one here who's been waiting with bated breath for her arrival."

She then glanced over her shoulder and made a beckoning gesture. "Mitoto, no need to hold yourself back any longer."

Looking past Moriko, Heero saw another woman come forward. If Moriko's resemblance to Mihoshi was striking, then Mitoto's was on the verge of uncanny. Possessing the same dark skin, light blue eyes and blonde hair, and even a similar air of innocent optimism, Mitoto Kuramitsu could really be distinguished from her daughter in the details. Just like Mihoshi, Mitoto kept her hair tied back, but in her case, it was actually tied at a lower point on the back of her head than Mihoshi's, allowing it to fall further down her neck and back compared to that of her daughter. It was also secured with a blue ribbon while Mihoshi preferred a red one. She wasn't dressed quite as formally as either Moriko or Mihoshi, but Mitoto still presented a very clean and polished image with her tight white blouse, the ends of its sleeves secured by golden cufflinks, while her lower body was covered by a long red pantsuit skirt.

"Mihoshi… "Mitoto murmured as she stood before her daughter.

"Mother…" Mihoshi said softly, her voice barely more than a whisper.

There was a brief silence as the two women looked upon each other before looking at Moriko. Seniwa's Chief Executive simply smiled and nodded, and that was apparently all mother and daughter needed before cheering and enthusiastically embracing each other, all appearances of diplomatic ceremony and protocol be damned.

"I'm so glad you're safe!" Mitoto cried, and it looked like she was actually fighting back tears, "I missed you so much!"

Mihoshi smiled as she hugged her mother tightly. "I missed you too, Mom!"

When Mitoto finally released her, she turned to Kiyone and fervently grasped her hand. "Thank you so much for finding her, Kiyone!"

Kiyone smiled and shook her head. "It was nothing, ma'am. Besides, I didn't do all the work. Someone else was keeping her safe well before I found her."

Mitoto looked at Heero, her eyes running up and down his figure before her smile became a teasing one. "Oh, now I see why you didn't want to come home, Mihoshi!"

Mihoshi blushed furiously. "Mom…"

Mitoto then bowed deeply. "Thank you for looking after my daughter, Prince Heero. My family is in your debt."

Heero inclined his head. "You're very welcome, though I'd say you owe no debt to me. No need for formalities, either; you can just call me Heero. It's been a pleasure getting to know Mihoshi. She's a very fine officer, not to mention a very kind woman."

Mihoshi blushed again, though this time she smiled as she batted her eyelashes at Heero. "Oh, Heero… you don't have to praise me like that."

"You're the reason why Mihoshi's been gone so long?" asked a new voice, this one male.

Looking past the women standing before him, Heero saw a young man come forward. Heero found himself a bit taken aback at his appearance; he looked almost like a male version of Mihoshi. Granted, he had his hair cut noticeably shorter and was missing the ponytail, and his eyes were a slightly darker shade of blue, but overall, his demeanor still spoke to the same sort of innocence that Heero had long come to associate with Mihoshi. He was dressed quite well, cladding himself in light grey pants with high-heeled shoes, a dark blue and white shirt with a green vest over it. A sidearm was holstered at his hip, and Heero realized it was the exact same model used by both Mihoshi and Kiyone.

"And you are?" asked Heero, though he suspected that he already knew exactly who this was.

He got his confirmation a moment later. "Detective First Class Misao Kuramitsu."

Heero nodded and held out his hand. "Mihoshi mentioned you. You're her younger brother, right? It's nice to meet you."

Misao hesitated for a second before shaking Heero's hand. "Same to you… and thank you. For looking after my sister, I mean."

"You're welcome," said Heero.

The young man then turned to his older sister and smiled. "Mihoshi…"

Mihoshi spread her arms wide and beamed before seizing her younger brother in an affectionate hug. "Misao! I missed you!"

Misao held Mihoshi tightly, and the young man seemed to melt in her arms. "I missed you too, sis."

"Where are my manners?" Moriko remarked as she looked upon the rest of the royals in Funaho's party, "Princesses Ayeka and Sasami, thank you so much for coming here with Funaho. I've been looking forward to hosting you two again."

Ayeka bowed and smiled. "As we have been looking forward to this visit, President Moriko. It is a pleasure to be in your company once more."

"Are you going to give us sweets when we get to your place like last time?" asked Sasami eagerly.

Ayeka looked aghast at her younger sister. "Sasami, now is hardly the time for such childish requests!"

Moriko laughed and waved off Ayeka's protests dismissively. "Oh, no need to be so fussy, Ayeka! Sasami, I've got whole bags of those candies you loved so much last time waiting for you back at the estate."

"Yippee!" Sasami cheered.

Moriko winked at Ayeka. "You're welcome to have some as well, Ayeka. I do seem to recall that you were rather fond of them."

Ayeka sheepishly smiled. "Well, I suppose I cannot deny that they were quite yummy."

"You wouldn't perhaps have a few for me as well, would you?" Yosho asked with an amused smile, "It's been a very long time since I last enjoyed the confectionary delights of the Seniwa Domain."

Moriko looked at him appraisingly for a moment before granting him a knowing smile. "Indeed, it has been… Yosho. Funny, though; I can't seem to recall having seen your name on the guest list for today."

"Discretion was deemed wise," Yosho explained, "I've been away from the wider galaxy for an extended period, after all."

Moriko appeared like she might inquire further, but ultimately settled for a simple nod. "I'm sure there's an interesting tale behind that, but now's hardly the time or place for it. As before, you are more than welcome in Seniwa. We have not forgotten the aid you lent us all those centuries ago against those rather pesky pirates that were harassing our shipping along the border we share with Jurai."

Yosho sighed wistfully. "Ah, those feel like innocent days."

"Indeed, they do," Funaho remarked as she looked around, "You've got a good chunk of the family here, Moriko, but I'm not seeing Nakita among them. I would've thought that he'd want to see his daughter as soon as she landed."

"Oh, he very much would have liked to," Moriko replied, "but he was delayed by work. He should be at the estate when we arrive, though. I'm sorry that he couldn't be here to greet you, Mihoshi."

Mihoshi smiled and shook her head. "It's okay. Knowing he's waiting at home is good enough for me."

"That's the spirit!" Mitoto chirped as she patted her daughter's back.

Moriko laughed softly. "Oh, I missed having you two together! Mitoto, Mihoshi… you and your daughter truly are kindred souls. Having both of you under my roof again… well, I imagine there will be quite a few more smiles in the household now."

She then looked past Mihoshi and Moriko, and Heero saw her eyes narrow. Following Moriko's gaze, a nervous pit formed in Heero's stomach when he saw who she was looking at; Ryoko.

"You're keeping some interesting company these days, Mihoshi," Moriko remarked, "Galaxy Police officers don't usually let space pirates walk around without handcuffs."

Ryoko clenched her fists. "You want to arrest me? Try it."

"I would much rather she did not," Heero cut in as he interposed himself between Moriko and Ryoko, "You are surely aware, Madam President, that Ryoko has been pardoned by the Emperor himself. She is here as my Royal Guard, and I would consider any hostile action against her to be action against me."

Moriko folded her arms and eyed Heero carefully. "And just how would you respond to such a hostile action, Prince Heero?"

"You have your eyes and ears in Jurai," Heero replied, his tone dropping into a low and menacing growl as his right hand dropped to the Master Key at his hip, "You surely know what happened at the debut ball Lady Seto hosted for me. Seiryo challenged me and came off the worst for it. Attempt to arrest Ryoko, and any officer or guard who tries to carry out that order will have to contend with me first."

A tense silence fell over everyone, and Heero saw Moriko's guards place their hands over their weapons. He kept his gaze fixed squarely on Moriko's; if someone was going to blink first, Heero wanted to make damn sure that it wasn't him. It was perhaps a more confrontational stance than he should've adopted, especially given the purpose of his visit to Seniwa, but he wanted to make sure his hosts understood his position regarding Ryoko with zero room for ambiguity.

After what felt like forever but was probably no more than a few seconds, Moriko eventually smiled and inclined her head. "I see the reports regarding you were accurate. You are a bold one, Prince Heero. Very direct… I like that."

"Do we have an understanding, then?" Heero asked.

"We do," Moriko confirmed, allowing Heero and the Seniwa guards to relax considerably, "You are correct in that we're well aware of the pardon granted to Ryoko upon her becoming your Royal Guard. Per our treaty with Jurai, we will honor the Emperor's pardon of her."

"Damn right, you will," Ryoko grumbled.

Moriko's eyes narrowed. "That being said, should she commit any new crimes in Seniwa space, we will not take kindly to that. I trust you do not require further elaboration on that front."

Heero shook his head before turning to Ryoko. "No, I don't. Ryoko?"

Ryoko rolled her eyes. "Fine, I'll behave. Happy?"

"Very," Moriko answered with a smirk as she looked back and forth between Heero and Ryoko, "Well, well… taking one of the galaxy's most infamous pirates and making her your first Royal Guard… you really know how to shake things up, Prince Heero. Not one for tradition, are you?"

"Not when it gets in my way," said Heero.

Moriko smiled deviously before turning to Funaho. "Just the answer I was hoping for. Oh, Funaho… you've got a real gem in this one. I see more than a hint of you in him. You should be proud."

"I am," Funaho replied with a smile.

"With all due respect, Madam President," said Heero, "we didn't come here for pleasantries and idle chatter. There are urgent matters that we need to discuss."

Moriko inclined her head before gesturing towards the broader concours. "Of course. Please, follow me. I have transportation prepared to take us all to the family estate. Once you've all had a chance to settle in, we can begin our talks in earnest."

….

Sitting across from Mihoshi in the hover-limo's luxurious main passenger space, Moriko smiled as she gestured out one of the windows. "Is Seniwa City as you remember it, my dear great-granddaughter?"

Mihoshi nearly jumped out of her seat; her gaze had been so focused on what was outside of the hover-limo that she'd all but banished her companions from consideration. "Oh, yes! It looks like it hasn't changed at all since the last time I was here."

"It's comforting to come home and see that it remains the same, isn't it?" Mitoto remarked.

Mihoshi nodded. "It is."

Sitting to Mihoshi's left, Misao folded his arms and frowned while shooting a quick glare at Heero. "I just wish you hadn't brought so many people with you. I was hoping that you and I could hang out together, just the two of us. You know, like we used to do."

Mihoshi gave her younger brother an apologetic smile. "I wish we could, Misao, but I'm not here just to catch up. I'll make time for the two of us as soon as I can, though. I promise."

"Once this whole affair's been put to bed, I'd say that Mihoshi deserves a vacation," Funaho chimed in from her spot next to Moriko, "What do you say, old friend?"

Moriko nodded. "I'd be all for it, though officially that wouldn't be my call to make. Her father and my son are the ones in high places within the Galaxy Police, so we'd have to run it by them. I'm sure they'd be amenable, all things considered."

"I don't suppose you could include me there too, could you?" Kiyone cautiously interjected, "If it's alright that I ask that, anyway."

Moriko smiled. "Of course, Kiyone. If Mihoshi's earned one, then you certainly have as well."

Kiyone inclined her head. "Much appreciated."

Moriko then turned to Heero and Ryoko. "You and your Royal Guard would be more than welcome to spend some leisure time here as well, Prince Heero. Seniwa City alone has much to offer."

"I can imagine so," said Heero as he nodded at the passing cityscape, "What you're able to cram inside your domed cities is impressive."

"Packed a bit tight, don't you think?" Ryoko asked as she looked up at the looming skyscrapers that lined both sides of the road that the hover-limo was currently heading down.

Mihoshi couldn't argue with that. Although Seniwa City's dome was the largest of all the domed cities on the planet, that still meant there was only so much space for construction to go around. As a result, tall buildings close together was something of an unfortunate necessity. Traveling down on the ground between them made for a somewhat intimidating experience, like one was going through an artificial canyon.

Moriko simply shrugged off Ryoko's remarks. "It can't really be helped. Besides, this is the business and financial district; corporations from across the Seniwa Domain have their headquarters located here. I promise that you'll find the Kuramitsu Clan's estate grounds to be much more open."

"I'm looking forward to seeing them again," said Funaho, "It's been far too long since my daughters and I last had the pleasure."

"Speaking of your daughters," Moriko noted, "I took the liberty of having the household staff set them up with the same room they shared during their last visit. I understand they enjoyed it the previous time. They treated it as something of a slumber party, if I recall correctly."

Funaho smiled. "I'm sure they'll appreciate the thought."

Mihoshi turned back to look out the rearview mirror. The Juraian princesses, along with the rest of the group that had been aboard the Yagami, were traveling behind them in a longer hover-limo than the one that Mihoshi and company were in. She felt a bit uncomfortable over the fact that the group had been split up; Mihoshi had become so accustomed to seeing everyone aboard the Yagami as part of one team, and it seemed wrong to partition them when they all worked so well together. Alas, it couldn't be helped.

"On the topic of thoughts," Moriko remarked as she turned to Heero, "I've been wanting to get yours on a particular topic, Prince Heero."

"What topic would that be?" asked Heero.

Moriko smirked, and Mihoshi suddenly became rather uncomfortable. "On my great-granddaughter, of course."

Heero looked a bit puzzled. "I provided those thoughts back at the terminal, didn't I? With respect to Mihoshi, have I not already made my opinion on her clear?"

"You said she is, and I quote, 'a very fine officer, not to mention a very kind woman,'" Moriko stated, "I appreciate those words, as I'm sure does Mihoshi, but they're a bit generic, don't you think?"

"I think they were fine!" Mihoshi hastily chirped, "Heero, you don't have to go any further."

"Oh, but I insist," Moriko pressed with a positively gleeful smile, "Especially since, if my understanding is correct, you two met under less-than-ideal circumstances. In fact, they were rather hostile, weren't they?"

Mihoshi blinked in confusion. "How do you know about that?"

"Kiyone's reports, remember?" Moriko pointed out.

"Kiyone wasn't present when Mihoshi and I first met," Heero argued.

Moriko shook her head. "No, but as she was a Galaxy Police officer searching for her partner, part of her duties in such a task would be to debrief her partner and then file a report, and that report would include whatever her partner told her about her time away. Kiyone, I believe your report made passing mention to an 'initial altercation' of some sort. Given that Mihoshi had just crashed on a planet that the Galaxy Police had no previous contact with, I imagine that 'altercation' was a bit more intense than you made it out to be."

Kiyone sighed. "I forgot how good you were at reading between the lines, Madam President."

"Kiyone," Mihoshi murmured as she looked at her partner, "You told me you wouldn't mention the fight I had with Heero, Ryoko and Ayeka."

Kiyone shook her head. "I told you that I'd try to smooth things over regarding that topic in the report so that our superiors wouldn't take any action. That's not the same as not mentioning it altogether. I worded things so that the whole incident would come across as a misunderstanding."

"Which is the truth," Heero interjected, "When we first encountered Mihoshi, we had no idea that she was even with the Galaxy Police."

"Or that 'she' was even a she," Ryoko murmured, "Hard to tell with that damn suit of combat armor, after all."

Moriko's eyes gleamed with excitement. "Ah, so there was a clash! And it must have been a rather fierce one if you were using your combat armor, Mihoshi."

"It wasn't that bad," Mihoshi muttered sheepishly, "and I didn't do very well, anyway."

"I would like for those who fought you themselves to be the judge of that," Moriko countered as she eyed Heero and Ryoko expectantly, "Well, let's have it. How did Mihoshi acquit herself?"

Ryoko shrugged. "For a beat cop, she didn't do too bad. At least made us work for it a bit."

Heero nodded. "She definitely did. Ryoko, Ayeka and I might've overcome your great-granddaughter, Madam President, but it was very much a team effort. She fought well."

Mihoshi looked down in embarrassment. "No, I didn't. You, Ryoko, Ayeka… you three beat me easily."

Ryoko reached over and gave Mihoshi a light punch on the shoulder. "Hey, give yourself a bit more credit, you ditz! If Heero and I say you did well, then you did well."

Heero concurred. "Ryoko's right, Mihoshi. Were you perfect? No. Your attacks in that fight were relatively straightforward; you definitely could've done with a bit more finesse and tactical consideration. Still, you came at us fully determined to win and take Ryoko into custody. You did your best, and you should hold your head high because of it. If you think that we overcame you too easily, then let that serve as motivation to better yourself. Everyone should always be working to improve their skills. That goes as much for Ryoko, Ayeka and myself as it does for you."

Funaho inclined her head. "Well spoken, Heero."

Mihoshi found herself blushing at Heero's words, though that didn't stop her from smiling. "Oh… thank you, Heero. You too, Ryoko. I'll keep working hard with my training. I promise."

Heero gave her a small smile in return. "I know you will."

"And I'll help you out with it," Kiyone added as she patted Mihoshi on the shoulder, "You're my partner, after all; it's the least I can do for you."

Mihoshi looked around at her friends as warmth spread through her. "You guys… you're the best."

"You're too kind," said Heero before turning to Moriko, "Satisfied, Madam President?"

"For the moment," Moriko answered as she looked back and forth between Heero and Mihoshi, smiling all the while.

Mihoshi then saw Misao scowl at Heero. "You know, you're lucky to not be in prison right now. Attacking a Galaxy Police officer is a felony offense."

"Misao, it wasn't like that!" Mihoshi protested, "It was a misunderstanding."

"She's right, Misao," Kiyone chimed in, "I know how protective you are with Mihoshi, but I read her report, and what you're calling for is out of line. It was a first contact scenario with some unexpected variables. All things considered, I'd say it got sorted out reasonably well. No one died or was seriously hurt. It's not worth pursuing charges, especially against the man that sheltered your sister after the confrontation."

Misao folded his arms. "What about the fact that he gave shelter to a pirate? That's another offense."

"Earth has no treaty with the Galaxy Police, the Empire of Jurai, or the Seniwa Domain," Heero noted, "We're under no obligation to recognize the laws of any of those entities or extradite their criminals. Ryoko crashed on Earth and was taken in by the Preventer organization as a guest, just as Ayeka was. She committed no crime against the Earth Sphere Unified Nation, and she was placed under my observational custody. My duty was to watch over and provide for her, not arrest her."

"You still should've handed her over," Misao pressed, "If not to Mihoshi, then to Kiyone when she arrived."

Kiyone shook her head. "Just drop it, Misao. I settled this matter with Heero months ago. As far as the Galaxy Police is concerned, he's in the clear. Besides, Ryoko's been pardoned now, remember? All outstanding charges against her are null and void."

Mihoshi leaned forward and gave her little brother a pleading look. "Misao, I know that you just met him and don't trust him yet, but I promise you that Heero's a really good guy! Give him a chance. I think you'll like him once you get to know him. I mean, his job with the Preventers makes him kind of like us in the Galaxy Police. The three of us have something in common just with that."

Misao eyed Heero warily. "I don't buy it. Maybe your agency works in law enforcement, but I know plenty of police officers, and you don't feel like one. You're something else… something dangerous."

"On that much, we can agree," Heero conceded as he appraised Misao, "You have sharp instincts. They must serve you well in your position with the Galaxy Police."

Misao seemed somewhat taken aback by the compliment. "Well… they do… and they're telling me that I should keep an eye on you right now."

Heero shrugged. "If that's how you feel, then I'm not about to stop you."

The rest of the ride through Seniwa City passed in relative peace. Outside the hover-limo, Mihoshi watched as the imposing towers of the downtown districts gave way to upper middle-class apartment complexes, which didn't cast nearly as much of a shadow as the earlier buildings. Soon, those apartments gave way to the much fancier condos and homes favored by the elite of Seniwa City, and in the distance, there was something rare indeed in the dome cities of the Domain's home planet; large stretches of green, all concentrated around what even at this distance was clearly a sizeable mansion.

Mihoshi smiled at the sight. "Almost home…"

Open space within a domed city was considered to be the ultimate luxury, and no estate was more luxurious in all of Seniwa than that of the Kuramitsu Clan. Rolling hills dominated by lush vegetation that was kept alive by the dome's artificial lighting and irrigation were sprawled out around a four-story mansion and several accompanying annexes. Unlike Juraian architecture trends, which tended to favor a blend of nature and classical themes, Seniwa Domain building styles emphasized cutting edge modernity. The Kuramitsu Clan mansion was a shining example of that. The mansion at the end of the long, gated driveway was a dark grey structure with smoothly curved edges and a sleek slanted roof. Great fan-leafed trees flanked the driveway and were dotted all across the estate grounds, and their presence combined with the great warmth provided by the dome city's climate control systems gave the whole place a very tropical feel to it. Its large windows gleamed in the artificial light, always kept cleaned to a mirror sheen. The upper two stories both had frontal balconies, and Mihoshi knew from memory that the back was the same way. A large garage was situated to the left, while a sizeable residence for the mansion's support staff was on the right. The hover-limos pulled up to an entryway that was flanked by black metallic statues of famous figures from the Kuramitsu Clan's prestigious lineage, and multiple attendants were standing by.

Pressing her face against the window, Mihoshi's smile grew as she caught sight of a familiar face coming out the front door. A tan-skinned man with greying hair and brown eyes, he was dressed in a finely pressed overcoat that was predominantly a mix of dark and light green, with its center breaking that mold with a long white vertical stripe marked by a series of four yellow downward facing triangles. His posture was ramrod straight, and his feet were clad in finely polished black shoes. Only the grey collar at his neck gave hint as to what he was wearing beneath the jacket, though Mihoshi cared less about the man's attire than she did about the man himself.

"Dad!" she cheered.

"Good, he was able to get away in time to greet us," Mitoto remarked, smiling as she looked at her daughter, "He's been very worried about you, Mihoshi. Seeing you come home like this will set his heart at ease."

"And hopefully get him to stop constantly fretting at the rest of us for a while," Moriko muttered with a smirk as one of the servants opened the door for her, "Well, let's not keep him waiting."

Stepping out of the vehicle first, Moriko then moved aside so Mihoshi could quickly follow. She blew right past her great-grandmother and made a beeline for her father.

"Daddy!" she chirped before throwing her arms around him, "I've missed you!"

Nakita Kuramitsu was normally a rather stern and disciplined man, both on duty and not, but his heart wasn't made of stone. He readily returned his daughter's embrace, patting her warmly on the back as he held her.

"Mihoshi," he said with a smile, "I've missed you, too. Thank goodness that you're alright. The company you have been keeping these past few months has had me… concerned, to say the least."

Mihoshi shook her head as her father released her and gestured towards Heero as he and the others filed out of the hover-limo, while the rest of the entourage exited the one behind it. "There's no need for that, Dad. I had Heero watching over me while I was on Earth. He took very good care of me!"

Nakita turned to the young man, his eyes narrowing as he studied him carefully. "So, this is the local security officer I've heard so much about… interesting."

"Our guest is royalty as well, Nakita," Moriko reminded him, "Due deference is necessary."

"No, it's not," Heero interjected as he stepped forward and held out his hand, "Not towards me, at least. It's an honor to meet you, Chief Superintendent Kuramitsu."

Nakita inclined his head before taking Heero's hand in what Mihoshi knew from experience to be a very tight grip. "Likewise, Prince Heero."

Mihoshi watched Heero, curious to see if her father's strong grip would phase him, but the young man didn't seem to react at all to it. "I appreciate you breaking away from your duties to meet with us like this. I'm sure that your position places great demands on you. We'll try not to take too much of your time."

Nakita shook his head. "It's no imposition. I was due for a few days away from the office anyway, and plenty of my work can be done from the estate. Besides, given your rank and the company that you travel in, my not being present could be taken as an insult."

"We're hardly that petty, Chief Superintendent," Funaho remarked as she approached him, "Had you not been able to make it, I assure you that it would have been more than understandable. The Jurai Royal Family certainly appreciates the responsibilities you hold in the Galaxy Police. Nevertheless, I'm pleased indeed to be able to see you in person like this. I hope you've been well."

"Well enough," Nakita replied, "Welcome to our estate, First Empress. It's been too long since our home last enjoyed your company."

Funaho smiled and inclined her head. "You're too kind."

"Why don't we give our guests a tour, dear?" Mitoto suggested as she strode forward and planted a kiss on her husband's cheek, "The attendants can take their belongings to the guest quarters."

Nakita nodded. "I think that's a great idea."

After Nakita had been introduced to the rest of the entourage, he and his wife guided them into the mansion. Mihoshi felt positively aglow as she and her friends were led through the halls and rooms that she had grown up in. The spacious foyer, hallways covered in plush rugs and lined with exotic foreign hardwoods polished to perfection, the luxurious guest room and more all brought back a flood of happy memories. Mihoshi could fondly recall hours spent playing with her little brother, with hide and seek being a particularly favored game of theirs given just how well the mansion was suited for it. She idly wondered if Misao might want to play a round while she was here, if only for old times' sake.

He might see that as a bit too childish for him now, she mused, but I might be wrong. I hope I am.

The tour took them up to the top floor of the Kuramitsu Clan mansion and out onto the uppermost back balcony. From there, Mihoshi and the others had a picturesque view of the grounds behind the mansion, and they were really something special. The back patio alone was sprawling, a large spread of stone tiles with the capacity for hundreds of guests, with the space lined by colorful potted plants from worlds across the Seniwa Domain. Beyond that was a path that led to an area lined with bamboo walls, which hid the estate's expansive hot springs from prying eyes. Other trails would take those who walked them on winding treks through the grounds beyond, up into the hills and through enough lush vegetation to give the impression of being in the midst of a thick jungle rather than on the property of one of the most powerful and wealthy families in the entire galaxy.

"You all must be tired from your trip," Moriko remarked as they wrapped up the tour and headed downstairs, "I would hate to push things straight to business without giving you even the slightest of reprieves. If you'd like, I can have the staff bring us refreshments out back. A dip in the hot springs can be arranged later before you retire for the evening, and we can commence talks in earnest tomorrow morning."

Ryoko stretched her arms and smiled. "Now you're speaking my language, lady."

"We'll happily take you up on that offer," Funaho confirmed.

Moriko glanced at Sasami before smirking at Funaho. "I don't suppose Princess Sasami is at the point where you'll allow her to partake in some of the stronger beverages we keep, is she? It can always be a bit hard to tell with you Juraian Royals."

Sasami blinked and looked at Funaho. "Uhm… what kind of drinks is she talking about?"

Funaho shook her head. "The kind that your mother would very much not want you having right now. I'm afraid I must decline on her behalf, Moriko."

Moriko shrugged. "That's a pity. Ah, well. More for the rest of us, then."

"But I want to try these strong drinks!" Sasami protested.

Trowa put a hand on her shoulder. "Trust me, Sasami, you're not missing much."

Sasami put her hands on her hips and pouted. "No fair! Why do adults get to try all the interesting stuff?"

"Because our bodies can take it," Ayeka answered, "Yours cannot yet. Not yet, at least."

Ryoko smirked. "Speak for yourself, Ayeka. I've seen you drink; you're as lightweight as they come."

Ayeka scowled, and the air around her crackled with sparks. "Like you're any better in that regard!"

Ryoko folded her arms and smiled smugly. "I am a better drinker than you, and you know it!"

"I'll prove otherwise here and now!" Ayeka snapped.

"No, you will not," Heero firmly interjected as he stepped between them, "We're here for diplomacy, not for drinking contests. Whatever you two drink here, you will do so in moderation. Is that understood?"

The princess and the pirate stared daggers at each other for a moment before finally relenting, with Ayeka begrudgingly being the first to back down. "As you wish, Lord Heero."

"Fine," Ryoko grumbled, "Ruin my fun, why don't you?"

"Shame" Moriko quipped with a chuckle, "I was looking forward to the spectacle. Ah, well. I'll find other ways to keep myself amused."

Once again, Mihoshi couldn't help but notice how her great-grandmother's gaze seemed to flicker back and forth between her and Heero, and her lips curled upwards in the smallest hint of a smile. Mihoshi didn't consider herself to be the most observant of people, but even she could pick up on cues from those that she was familiar with, and she'd definitely seen that look from her great-grandmother before. It was one she gave when she saw something that she wanted.

Mihoshi could only hope that, whatever it was, it didn't make things any more complicated than they already were.

….

While Heero had briefly partaken in the refreshments on offer, the long flight out to Seniwa had left him feeling rather restless. Assuring Ryoko that he would be alright, he'd set off along one of the paths leading out into the lush flora behind the mansion. He was on a loop that wouldn't take him too far from the dwelling, and he had to admit that even a relatively tame path like this one had plenty to recommend it. Heero had already lost count of the different types of flowers in bloom that he'd passed in his little stroll, and the songs of various birds enlivened the atmosphere even further.

It's almost a shame that we're here on business, he mused, I wouldn't mind the chance to explore these grounds in much greater detail.

Rounding the corner, Heero was surprised to see none other than Moriko herself standing in the middle of the path. She was unescorted, and given that she was already facing him it was pretty clear that she'd known he was coming.

"Quite a pleasant little path, isn't it?" Moriko remarked as she gestured at the surrounding flora, "Not a particularly arduous one, but it's nice if one's just looking to stretch their legs a bit."

Heero's eyes narrowed. "If you came the opposite way, then you moved very quickly to intercept me at this point. I thought you were playing hostess for the others."

"Mitoto and Nakita are filling in on my behalf now," Moriko replied, "They're more than capable of keeping the others entertained for a bit. Besides, I play host to any number of gatherings a week. Nothing against your companions, but I do like to break away for a bit to avoid the monotony of routine. This path is quite convenient for that purpose."

Heero folded his arms. "You didn't pick this path out of boredom or convenience. What do you want with me?"

Moriko smiled. "As extensive as the Juraian Royal Family and its various branches are, it's still not exactly common for them to suddenly present a new prince to the galaxy like they have with you, let alone one directly descended from the main family line. The fact that you hail from the Outland Sector only makes you even more of a curiosity. Funaho would not have brought you along for the negotiations if you were not a central player in this affair, so I'm quite keen on understanding you before we really get into the thick of things. After all, the fate of the entire galaxy may very well rest upon your actions."

Heero shook his head. "I'm afraid you're drastically overstating my importance in all of this. Prince or not, in the end I'm just a security operative from a backwater world."

Moriko smirked. "You'd like for the galaxy to believe that, I'm sure, but your bearing suggests very much otherwise. The fact that you managed to draw so many unique beings to your side likewise speaks to there being something more to you than meets the eye."

"Just a series of happy accidents," Heero countered, "No more and no less."

"I'm not entirely convinced of that," Moriko shot back, "Lady Luck will make her throw of the cosmic dice as she sees fit, but there is a fine line between simple happenstance and a guiding hand. Given your circumstances, it's hard to say where one ends and the other begins."

Heero eyed her warily. "Just how much do you know about what's really going on here?"

"More than you might think," Moriko answered as her eyes narrowed, "but less than I would like. Funaho is quite skilled at playing coy as a diplomat, but I've known her long enough to be able to read between the lines. Even if that weren't the case, the Seniwa Domain is as much a competitor with the Empire of Jurai on the galactic stage as we are an ally, and we've been watching each other like hawks since the moment we first came into contact with each other. Suffice to say that we were watching with extreme vigilance when the Empire had its civil war… and when that war ended quite abruptly a thousand years ago. The Emperor was quite careful with his information control, but there are some things that are simply too massive to hide. The simultaneous deaths of over a hundred prominent worlds within the Empire would be one of those things."

Heero's brow furrowed; he could read between the lines too, and Moriko's subtext might as well have been in bold and all caps. "Then you understand what Kagato is really after, I take it?"

"Oh, yes," Moriko confirmed, "The good Doctor Washu Hakubi's secret magnum opus, as it were. Though for all her genius, I must wonder if she really thought things through when she conceived of the technological terror that now threatens to hold the entire galaxy hostage."

"On that much, we can agree," said Heero, "No matter how brutal a war might be, there are some lines that should never be crossed. I think Washu recognizes that now."

"I imagine she does," Moriko concurred, "She's had plenty of time to consider her actions. Still… if you or I were in her position all those centuries ago… who can say what choice we might have made? The Imperial Civil War raged for two thousand years, after all. There were those in both Jurai and Seniwa who feared it might never end. Countless beings lived and died knowing nothing but the war. Can you really blame someone like Washu for resorting to desperate measures to finally end it?"

Heero pondered the question for several seconds. "Given her circumstances… it's difficult to say. It's easy to judge with the benefit of hindsight, but to be there in the moment, living with the constant carnage in the background… even if I disagree with her decision, I can understand why she made it. I've seen more than enough of war over the course of my life, and that life's been quite a short one in the grand scheme of things. Two thousand years of it… that's a whole different level of Hell."

Moriko eyed him curiously for a moment before gesturing at the path. "Would you care to walk with me for a bit? I find a good stroll can be conducive to thoughtful conversation, and yours is a mind I'd very much like to pick."

"Very well, then," Heero replied warily.

Falling in beside her, Heero let Moriko take the lead. She set quite a leisurely pace, perhaps overly so; she clearly did not want to complete the circuit before she'd finished plying him with whatever questions she had in mind.

"I imagine this is all quite a bit much for you to take in," Moriko began as she gestured broadly around them, "Seniwa, I mean. From what I understand, it wasn't all that long ago that you didn't even realize we existed."

"That's true," Heero conceded, "though the same could be said regarding my awareness of Jurai, or lack thereof before Ayeka and Ryoko landed on my world. Suffice to say that both Jurai and Seniwa have left quite powerful impressions in my brief experience with them."

"Jurai has no doubt left the stronger one out of the two, if only by virtue of you having spent more time there," said Moriko, "Still, no doubt someone with as keen a set of eyes as you picked up quite a bit on your way down here."

Heero nodded. "If you're fishing for compliments, then I can pay you a few. Seniwa's home fleet is quite the potent force, and its supporting infrastructure even more so. I was told that the Domain possessed the finest shipyards in the galaxy, and now that I've seen the World Ring, I know that it's not an idle boast. It's clear to me how your nation rose to be Jurai's peer on the galactic stage, and it's more than earned that position."

Moriko inclined her head. "How kind of you to say as much. Truth be told, the Seniwa Domain's always been a bit self-conscious about its status in the wider galaxy. There are certain elements of the elite that have never quite gotten over the fact that Jurai became a major power before we did, even if we've since competed as peers for thousands of years now. No amount of prosperity and power ever seems to be enough for those old fools as long as they still perceive us as playing second fiddle to Jurai. It can be quite aggravating to deal with them, so I'm always appreciative of an outsider's perspective."

Heero's eyes narrowed. "Funaho mentioned those elements… they're not going to be a problem, are they?"

"Not directly," Moriko answered, "Politically, they're a fringe clique with little in the way of real power. Any decision I and the Elder Associations make cannot be challenged by them head-on. That being said, some of them are high enough in the food chain to have access to information and resources that could be useful to an outside actor looking to make a play."

"That outside actor being Kagato," Heero surmised, "I take it he's been attempting to make inroads, then."

"Yes," Moriko confirmed, "Of course, he's being careful about it. He only acts through intermediaries, and he layers them to preserve plausible deniability. Nevertheless, the links are there if one knows where to look."

"Why would he focus his efforts on a fringe clique rather than you?" asked Heero, "If he's looking for influence or to bring Seniwa onside, wouldn't it be much more practical to reach out to those who hold the most power within the Domain?"

"In theory, you'd be correct," Moriko replied, "However, in practice, I suspect Kagato's smart enough to recognize that as a doomed enterprise. I've held the reins of power in the Kuramitsu Clan and the Seniwa Domain for a long time now, which means that my policy preferences are well-established. It's broadly known that I favor maintaining our ties with the main line of Jurai's Royal Family. That relationship has served Seniwa well on both economic and security matters, and I see only continued mutual gain in preserving those ties. Kagato may be well-known for a cadet branch Royal, and there are those within Seniwa who seem to be rather taken with his charisma and intellect, but I know him better than them."

"You have personal experience with him?" Heero prodded.

Moriko nodded. "I do. As I have hosted Funaho and other members of the Royal Family in Seniwa itself, so has Jurai played host to me on numerous occasions. An official state visit, or an informal one, always results in festivities amongst the Empire's aristocracy. It's unavoidable; the Royal Family is well known for the elaborate balls it puts on, especially when Lady Seto is the one running the show. Those draw guests from across the Empire, which has granted me the opportunity to chat with quite a few members of Jurai's elite. Kagato would certainly count among their number, his current treachery notwithstanding."

Heero eyed her with caution. "And what's your impression of him?"

Moriko tapped her chin in thought. "One cannot deny his brilliance. That the likes of Washu deigned to work with him long ago speaks highly of his abilities, and his mental acuity has hardly faded since their partnership ended. He's applied himself well in more than just scientific pursuits; his political acumen is not to be underestimated. While his bloodline has granted him power, it's how he's been able to use that power which has propelled him to his current heights. Looked at with only those considerations, one might be tempted to see him as a valuable ally. However, scratch beneath the surface, and you find the ambition that's helped fuel his rise… and that ambition is not easily satisfied."

"He might argue it differently," Heero remarked, "From what I've seen, part of him seems to genuinely believe that he has a grand purpose before him, to pull Jurai out of its current ossified structure and bring it forward into a new age."

"Oh, I'm sure that he's been telling himself such things," Moriko replied, "No one wants to be thought of as the villain in their own story, after all. Even the most self-serving of politicians will still create the fiction of noble intent, and their ego may help convince them to believe that. You don't really buy it, though, do you?"

Heero shook his head. "I don't. Regardless of what noble intent he may have, he's ultimately after power, and not just over Jurai. What he seeks would grant him the power of life and death over every world in the galaxy. There's nothing remotely noble about that."

"On that, we agree," said Moriko, "Put simply, Kagato's current trajectory is not only a threat to Jurai's Royal Family; what he's after would endanger the Seniwa Domain as well. I, for one, have no intention of standing by while he pursues such power."

"Then you'll help us?" Heero asked in cautious optimism.

"I would certainly like to," Moriko answered, "How much I can, though, is not entirely in my own hands. You strike me as a smart young man, Prince Heero, so I'm sure you have an understanding of politics. You'll find that many aspects of it are universal. In short, while I'm inclined to lend you aid, I must be able to make the case to the Kuramitsu Clan's Elder Associations, and by extension the majority of Seniwa's ruling elite, that providing said aid advances the Domain's broader interests… and that the Domain gains something of value in return. The level of aid we grant, therefore, must be perceived as being in proportion with what benefits we're expected to gain."

"Diplomacy's all about give and take," said Heero, "I knew that going in. Let's cut to the chase, then; you want something from me specifically in exchange for your help, otherwise you wouldn't be out here right now. You should know that I might not have the power to give you what you want. I might be a Prince of the Royal Family's main line, but my position within Jurai is hardly secure enough to begin granting favors to foreign heads of state."

Moriko nodded. "Of course. Rest assured that I would not ask anything of you that you're not able to deliver on."

"Funaho's supposed to be the one leading negotiations on behalf of Jurai," Heero added warily, "Something that you're surely aware of. What could I possibly give you that the First Empress of Jurai cannot?"

"That depends on what you want from me in return," Moriko replied, "It's all about perceived gain versus perceived cost, remember? You may not hold the power to represent Jurai in the same manner that Funaho does, but you can represent Earth. Kiyone's reports indicated that you are quite highly placed within the security apparatus of your world; you're one of their top operatives, and that grants you influence."

"Only in as far as I can convince my direct superiors to see things the same way I do," Heero countered, "We've been through quite a bit together, and they do trust me, but that doesn't give me carte blanche to offer Seniwa everything that Earth has at its disposal. More to the point, I'd expect Earth to be a decidedly junior player here when compared to Jurai. Why ask what Earth can give you when Jurai can surely give you more?"

"A good politician always keeps their options open," Moriko answered, "If what I want from you in your capacity as a Prince of Jurai is too high a price, then I'd want to see what I could get from you as a representative of Earth as a backup. Just because one doesn't get what they want the most out of negotiations doesn't mean that those negotiations have to be fruitless. I'd hate for you to have come all the way out here for nothing, and I don't think I'm presuming too much in believing that you'd share the sentiment."

"No, you're not," Heero conceded, "You still haven't answered my question; what can I give you that Funaho can't? What are you after with me?"

Moriko smiled. "What I've wanted for Seniwa for a very long time now. I'd like for ties between the Domain and the Empire to be further strengthened. Given that our respective societies are dominated first and foremost by incredibly powerful families, there's a very simple and direct way to accomplish that. You, as a newly announced Prince of the main line, are in a unique position to facilitate it."

Heero's eyes slowly widened as he realized just what Moriko was really after here. "You… you're proposing…"

"A match," Moriko finished for him, "You can have everything that you came here for and more. Not merely safe passage through Seniwa space, but also intelligence, logistical support, even the backing of our fleets. We can conclude these negotiations here and now, Heero Yuy Masaki Jurai, with you gaining everything you want and a good deal extra… if you agree to marry my great-granddaughter."

….

"Ah, this is great!" Ryoko sighed contentedly as she stretched her arms while sitting down with her back against one of the large rocks that formed the edge of the hot spring, "Who needs the guest rooms? I could fall asleep in here! How about you, Heero?"

She turned towards the young Preventer operative, who was sitting a little off to her right, and saw him starring silently at the water. He was much the same now as he had been when he'd returned from his little walk with Moriko in tow, barely so much as speaking to anyone. Heero seemed lost in thought, and Ryoko didn't know what to make of it.

She reached over to tap him on the shoulder. "Hey, Heero, you okay?"

She saw him blink a few times before he finally looked at her and nodded. "Yeah… sorry. It really does feel good in here. After the flight out, I think a good soak's just what I needed."

Ryoko's gaze swept up and down his athletic frame, only finding herself slightly irked by the towel around his waist. Granted, everyone was wearing one for modesty's sake, though Ryoko didn't really get the fuss. She would have been perfectly comfortable without one, and more than happy to strut her stuff for all to see, but the others had insisted on a minimum level of decorum, so she had reluctantly wrapped herself in one as well.

I guess I shouldn't complain too much, Ryoko thought as she looked around, not when Mihoshi's family is treating us to this.

She'd been to her share of hot springs before; the ill-gotten gains from her pirate raids meant that she could afford to splurge at resorts on remote worlds whose authorities didn't care too much about who their clientele was as long as said clients paid well. Still, the Kuramitsu Clan hot springs were a cut above the rest. The main one that Ryoko, Heero and their companions were in now was so large that it almost felt like a small lake, with several small waterways branching off into lesser pools for those who might want a bit of privacy. Various fern-like plants and palm trees drooped lazily along the perimeter, along with several different kinds of flowers. At the entrance were a line of wash stations situated next to the entrances of the changing rooms, and the entire area was surrounded by a bamboo wall. Scattered spouts of water arced out from fountains built into stone statues of fish and birds, while the chirping of insects and croaking of frogs could be heard faintly beyond the perimeter.

"Make the most of this opportunity," Funaho remarked as she settled in, "The Kuramitsu Clan's private hot springs are renowned far and wide. We're quite lucky that they're letting us use them tonight."

"Good way for them to soften us up before negotiations tomorrow," Wufei quipped as he scrubbed his shoulders.

"That wasn't the impression I got from President Moriko," Quatre countered as he sat down next to Ayeka, "I think she genuinely wants us well-rested before talks begin tomorrow."

Ayeka smiled. "I concur, Lord Quatre. I was initially under the belief that we'd begin negotiations today, which I don't think would have been ideal. Tonight's bath will do wonders for us all and help us come into tomorrow's talks with rested bodies and clear minds."

"Do we really have time to be relaxing like this?" Trowa asked after he had finished dipping his head in the water, "Kagato's marshalling his forces even now. What's to stop him from heading off while we're taking it easy?"

"I assure you, that won't happen," said Funaho, "My own sources and Jurai's Imperial Fleet Reconnaissance Forces have Kagato's loyalists and his seat of power under surveillance. He still needs a good deal of time to prepare the necessary warships and personnel before deploying. Our own forces are on standby for launch the moment movement from them is detected, and the commander of the Suzume will send word through President Moriko's private staff if we need to leave here in a hurry."

"Try not to worry so much, Trowa," Sasami chimed in as she rubbed his shoulders, "Stressing out like this isn't going to help you."

Trowa looked back at her and nodded. "You're right. Thanks, Sasami."

Sasami smiled. "Of course."

Off to one side of the spring, Ryoko saw Duo put an arm around Hilde as the couple sat down and leaned back against a large rock. "Bet you never imagined we'd be doing something like this when we left Earth, eh?"

Hilde chuckled as she rested her head on Duo's shoulder. "Bathing in a hot spring on another planet, you mean? Yeah, can't say that I saw this one coming. I'm not complaining, though. Mihoshi, your family's estate is really something else."

"Aw, thanks!" Mihoshi chirped as she lifted her right leg out of the water to stretch it, "I've been wanting to show you guys my home for a long time now. I'm glad you like it."

The great-granddaughter of Seniwa's President then turned to Heero. "You do like it, don't you, Heero?"

Ryoko watched as Heero looked at Mihoshi for a long moment before a very small smile appeared on his face. "I do, yes."

His gaze lingered on the ditzy Galaxy Police officer for a few more seconds, with Ryoko looking on in confusion. Sure, she knew that Heero had been worried about Mihoshi before coming out here, and Ryoko shared the sentiment, but the young man's focus had seemingly been drawn to the cop repeatedly ever since the walk he'd taken earlier. Had the pirate-turned-Royal Guard missed something?

Her family's support is crucial to the coming attack on the next repository, Ryoko reminded herself, Heero probably just wants to make sure that things go well. Keeping Mihoshi happy means her family will be happy, and that will help us. Yeah, that's what's going on here.

That's what she told herself, anyway. It wasn't as if Ryoko was jealous of the increase in attention Heero was granting Mihoshi. Nope, it totally wasn't that at all.

Oh, who was she trying to fool here? Of course, it was that. Part of it, anyway.

Ryoko was a selfish woman; greed came with the territory when one became a pirate. She was as covetous with Heero as she would be of a juicy score, and she had been fighting off her competition since literally the moment she, Heero and Ayeka had their fateful three-way encounter over Earth months ago. That competition had quickly expanded as more women from beyond the Sol System had found their way to Earth, with Mihoshi being among them, yet Ryoko had never considered the Galaxy Police officer to be a serious rival. An enemy in their first meeting, perhaps, but that had been sorted out quickly enough. Besides, the cop was just too sweet and naïve for Ryoko to really see as competition. If anything, she had slowly grown to like Mihoshi, even if the girl's clumsiness and ditzy nature could be a pain in the butt at times.

Still, odd friendship aside, Ryoko could not help but feel a bit wary of Mihoshi. Maybe the attention Heero was giving her now really was just for the sake of the mission. Ryoko wanted to hope as much, but her guard was still up. She knew Heero well; despite the aloof and calm demeanor he affected most of the time, he had a warm heart. He could empathize with others and genuinely cared for all the women who had wound under his protection, so the possibility of his affections growing beyond Ryoko was definitely there.

I'll just have to keep an eye out, she thought, I mean, at least it's Mihoshi that he seems to be focusing on, not Ayeka. I can live with that… even if I might not like it.

She looked on as Heero's words brought a smile to Mihoshi's face. "Good. After you hosted me for so long back on Earth, it's only right that I return the favor. If there's anything you need while we're here, just ask. Oh, that goes for the rest of you, too!"

"Much appreciated," Yosho chimed in, "although I hardly think that we'll want for much of anything during our stay. Your family's hospitality has always been superb, Mihoshi."

"You're too kind, Yosho," Mitoto remarked as she stepped into the spring alongside Misao, the two of them gravitating towards Mihoshi and Kiyone.

"Do you need help washing, sis?" asked Misao, a bar of soap in hand.

Mihoshi waved her little brother off. "Oh, it's fine, Misao. I can take care of myself, you know."

Misao's shoulders slumped in disappointment. "Oh… okay."

Kid's definitely got a sister complex, Ryoko thought as she resisted the urge to shake her head, Juraians like to marry kin, Mihoshi's brother is too clingy with her… what is it with powerful families and weird relationships? Glad Heero didn't turn out like other Juraian Royals…

"Where's President Moriko?" asked Ayeka as she looked around, "I would've expected her to join us tonight."

Mitoto shook her head. "She would've like to, but I'm afraid she got stuck in a last minute holo-meeting with senior members of the Elder Associations. She asked me to send her apologies and promises that you'll have her undivided attention tomorrow."

"Will we be meeting members of these Elder Associations during our stay here?" asked Quatre.

"Maybe for a ceremony once the talks are concluded," Mitoto answered, "but not for the negotiations. As President, Moriko speaks with the authority of the Associations and the Domain as a whole. She's Seniwa's representative for these talks, while my husband will represent the Galaxy Police."

Ryoko saw Heero lean forward in sudden interest. "What's the Galaxy Police's position when it comes to Kagato? How much do they know regarding his intentions?"

Mitoto shook her head. "I'm sorry, Prince Heero, but you'll have to ask my husband about that yourself tomorrow. I don't speak for the Galaxy Police. Neither does Misao."

"Not officially," Heero noted as his gaze focused on Mihoshi's little brother, "but you both surely have opinion on the matter, don't you?"

Mitoto sighed. "I don't have much familiarity with this Kagato matter. I try not to get involved too much in politics outside of ceremonies. I… I don't really have the head for it. Sorry."

"No need to apologize," Heero reassured her, "I didn't have much of a head for politics myself until rather recently. Necessity and my newly-discovered family have proven to be effective teachers."

Misao eyed Heero curiously. "You really had no idea that you were a member of Jurai's Royal Family?"

Heero shook his head. "Until quite recently, I was completely in the dark. Had fate been otherwise, perhaps I never would've found out at all."

"I don't believe that, Lord Heero," Ayeka chimed in, "With your power, I think you would've discovered your true nature sooner or later. I'm simply thankful that you did so in the presence of those that could help you truly understand your heritage."

Heero nodded in the crown princess's direction. "That makes two of us."

He then turned his attention back to Misao. "You never answered my question, Misao. What are your thoughts regarding this affair with Kagato?"

Misao shook his head. "I don't know all that much about it. I might be a Kuramitsu, but my position within the Galaxy Police is just that of a Detective First Class like my sister. My assignments don't tend to involve Royal Family politics."

"What do they involve?" Heero asked.

Misao eyed him warily. "Why do you want to know?"

"Curiosity," Heero answered as he nodded at the boy's sister, "Mihoshi spoke quite highly of you on our journey out here. I'm interested in learning where your talents have landed you."

Misao looked at Mihoshi with what Ryoko could only describe as puppy dog eyes and a hopeful smile. "You… you praised me to him?"

"Of course!" Mihoshi chirped, "I wanted Heero to know how proud I am of you."

Ryoko watched as the boy's face took on a rather noticeable flush of heat. "Oh… thank you."

Yup, she thought, sister complex all the way. At least Heero seems to have found a way to use that.

Misao cleared his throat before addressing Heero. "Since I'm still a relatively new officer, I'm mostly assigned to running patrols within the Seniwa Domain itself. Traffic control, occasional search and rescue, smuggling interdiction; those sorts of duties. It's nothing really impressive by Galaxy Police standards. Once I've built up a greater level of experience, I should then start getting assignments further afield."

Mitoto shook her head. "I'd prefer if your father and grandfather kept you in Seniwa space. I worry so much when Mihoshi's out on patrol in the Outland Sector."

"Mom, I can't stay on local patrol duties forever," Misao protested.

"It can be scary sometimes," Mihoshi pointed out, "being so far from Seniwa space, I mean. Still, it's also very exciting to see new star systems."

Mihoshi then turned to Kiyone and smiled. "Besides, if you're assigned a good partner, then patrolling far from home becomes a lot less scary."

"Who's your partner, Misao?" Kiyone asked.

"Mashisu Makibi," Misao answered, "She's a Detective First Class, just like me."

Ryoko raised an eyebrow as she looked at Kiyone. "Makibi? Family member of yours?"

Kiyone scratched her chin. "Name's not ringing any bells. I try to keep track of all my family members that are in the Galaxy Police, but it's a pretty small pool. My dad, an uncle and aunt, a cousin or two, and that's pretty much it. Makibi's a more common last name in the galaxy than you might think, so this Mashisu isn't likely to be a relation of mine."

Misao shook his head. "She isn't. I asked her about you since I knew you were Mihoshi's partner, and Mashisu said she didn't know you."

Kiyone shrugged. "Figures."

"What's she like?" asked Mihoshi eagerly, "Do you two get along well?"

Misao smiled. "We do, actually. She's smart, a good pilot, and very observant. I trust her to watch my back."

"That's all you can ask for with a good partner," Kiyone remarked.

"You should bring her by the house sometime," Mitoto suggested with a smile, "We could host you two for dinner. I'm sure Mihoshi would love to meet her, too."

Misao looked at his sister. "Would you?"

"Of course!" Mihoshi chirped.

Misao smiled. "Well, in that case… I'll give her a call tomorrow and see if she's available. I know she has family in Seniwa City, and she mentioned visiting them while we're here."

Mitoto was beaming. "Wonderful! Oh, I'd better start figuring out what to have made for her. What does she like?"

Ryoko tuned out the ensuing chatter between the respective Kuramitsus and looked surreptitiously at Heero. Once again, he seemed to be studying Mihoshi intently. What was up with that? Sure, Ryoko was willing to admit that Mihoshi was a lovely woman despite her klutzy nature, but Heero wasn't the type to be captivated by physical beauty alone. So why this sudden interest from him in her? Ryoko could not figure it out.

And that made her uneasy.

….

Night had fallen over the Kuramitsu Clan's estate, with most of its residents and guests having already retired to their quarters. Under other circumstances, Heero would have been among them, but he had a very pressing matter to attend to. So it was that he had quietly pulled the First Empress aside following their bath and arranged for a private rendezvous.

When Heero was certain that he and his great-grandmother were alone on the mansion's topmost balcony, he folded his arms and shot her a piercing glare. "You knew this was going to happen, didn't you?"

To her credit, Funaho did not play dumb. "Ah, I see Moriko's already made her proposition, then. She moved much quicker on that front than I thought she would."

Heero's glower only intensified. "How long has this 'proposition' been in the works? How long have you kept me in the dark?"

"For some time now," Funaho confessed, "When I reached out to Moriko through our mutual backchannels, she broached the topic after only a few exchanges. I knew she was monitoring our recent political upheavals with keen interest, and I suspected that her gaze would be drawn to you. It did not take her long at all to confirm my suspicions."

"So, these 'negotiations' that we're to partake in now include altar diplomacy," Heero remarked, "Seeing as my hand is now one of the bargaining chips here, I'd very much like to know why I wasn't made aware of this before our departure."

"You had already made your discomfort with the prospect of a political marriage known," Funaho answered as she fixed Heero with a penetrating stare, "Had you been aware that these negotiations could go in that direction, would you have still gone along with this diplomatic mission?"

Heero needed a few moments to consider his response. "I… I would still have partaken in the negotiations. The stakes are too high to not reach out to a potential ally as powerful as the Seniwa Domain. Moriko made it clear to me that marriage between myself and Mihoshi is only one aspect of these negotiations. It's only one potential deal out of many that can be made. Therefore, a political marriage need not be the sole outcome of these talks. Other agreements can be reached."

"They can," Funaho conceded as she eyed Heero keenly, "The permission for our fleets to pass through Seniwa Space, which is the official and primary purpose of our visit here, can be gained without committing you to a marriage pact; I've already confirmed as much with Moriko in private. However, the door to so much more can be opened through such a pact… and you know it, Heero. It's why, for all your discomfort at the idea of a politically arranged marriage, you've yet to completely discard the possibility of entering into one."

Heero turned away and leaned against the balcony railing. His gaze turned to the lush grounds behind the mansion, but his attention was in fact directed inward and deeply conflicted.

"It's… true," he reluctantly admitted after a moment, "What President Moriko offered in exchange for me marrying Mihoshi… it might be the key to us decisively crushing Kagato. Navigational rights are all well and good, and we could secure further intelligence and logistical aid through negotiations that don't involve me committing to a marriage, but… she offered concrete military support, Funaho… and we need it. Kagato's loyalist fleet isn't going to be the same as that pirate armada he sent against us last time; it'll be a Juraian fleet, crewed by Juraians and composed of the latest warships that the shipyards serving his forces have to offer. I don't know if it'll be a peer-to-peer match for the force that we'll be taking to the third repository, but the possibility certainly exists. Fighting such a force by itself would be a challenge, but we'll also be contending with the defenses of the third repository. It's a three-way fight, and those can get ugly, Funaho."

The First Empress somberly nodded. "Military matters may be more your forte than mine, but I've worked closely enough with the likes of Admiral Fukunaga and other such officers over the centuries to gain more than a passing understanding of them. I know that the fight we'll be getting into from here on out is going to be a brutal one, and not just the battle for the third repository. Even assuming we get the data we're after, that repository is not the end of this affair. There is still the Gate of the Arbiters, which is ultimately what we're seeking to find at that repository; the one guaranteed path to the Array's control center. I have no doubt that such an installation will be even more thoroughly defended than the repositories, and that's not even getting into the control center itself."

"Exactly," said Heero, "Funaho… you saw the Seniwa Domain's Home Fleet on the way in. You saw the World Ring, just like I did. If this is the kind of force that they have committed to defending their capital, and the infrastructure needed to build and maintain it, then what's the full extent of their military might? The potential battlefield support that they can offer us… it's not something I can dismiss out of hand."

"I thought you'd say that," Funaho replied, "That's part of why Seniwa's Home Fleet put on such a display of force for our arrival; I put in a request to Moriko that she show off a bit, and she obliged. I figured that if you be given a taste of Seniwa's military power, it would put what we might gain through a marriage alliance into a perspective that you'd recognize and appreciate."

Heero inclined his head in respect. "You understood how I see the world thanks to my past experiences and used it accordingly. Well played."

Funaho smiled. "Thank you. So, did my move pay off? Are you leaning towards accepting Moriko's proposition?"

Heero's brow furrowed. "I'm… not opposed to it outright."

"I'd call that a step in the right direction," Funaho remarked.

"Don't rest on your laurels just yet," Heero admonished, "I haven't said 'yes'."

"What's holding you back?" asked Funaho, "You clearly recognize that what we have to gain from such an arrangement would be invaluable to our greater task. The Seniwa Domain is the galaxy's second major military power, rivaled only by the Empire of Jurai. You have a unique opportunity to bring both those powers into closer alignment and unleashing their might against an enemy who threatens all."

"I know that," said Heero as he struggled to get his thoughts in order, "Intellectually, it's an easy call. Still…"

Funaho stepped forward and placed a hand over Heero's on the railing. "What's really troubling you, Heero? Please, be honest with me. Whatever it may be, I can help you with it. That is, I can if you'll let me."

Heero rubbed his forehead, grimacing as he tried to articulate the jumbled mess that was roiling about in his head. "We've been down this road before… only then, you suggested I marry Ayeka. Rejecting her only to turn around and take Mihoshi's hand… it's more than a bit hypocritical."

"Not necessarily," Funaho gently countered, "If I recall correctly, part of your refusal to consider that option was because Ayeka and you are related by blood. Though a match between such kin isn't frowned upon in the circles of Juraian nobility, I understand that you have an aversion to it thanks to the culture in which you grew up in. I may disagree with your stance on that matter, but that doesn't mean I can't respect your own beliefs. Since you don't share such a close blood tie with Mihoshi, there's no hypocrisy in accepting a marriage with her after refusing to contemplate one with Ayeka."

Heero sighed. "Even so, if I went through with it… I don't know how she'd react."

Funaho smiled. "You're afraid of hurting her."

Heero nodded. "Yes."

"Not without good cause, either," Funaho remarked, "I think it's clear to both of us just how fond Ayeka has become of you. Of course, the same can be said for all the women who came under your care. If you went through with this match, I imagine that Ayeka's heart would ache, but she would also understand. Some pain would be unavoidable, but I know that you're not the type to inflict it deliberately. So does Ayeka. Give her a bit more credit, Heero. I daresay she's earned that much from you."

"She certainly has," Heero concurred.

Silence fell again until Funaho spoke up a few seconds later. "Ayeka's feelings and thoughts of hypocrisy aren't all that hold you back here, are they? What else troubles you, Heero?"

Heero looked out across the estate grounds for a moment. "Mihoshi… she doesn't know about any of this, does she?"

Funaho shook her head. "Moriko believed it wise to keep her in the dark. Given Mihoshi's rather… shall we say undisciplined nature, I'm inclined to agree with her on that."

"I understand her concerns there," said Heero, "but it's not right to leave Mihoshi out of the loop. This isn't just my decision; it would be hers as well. It's only fair to let her know what's going on so she can make up her own mind."

Funaho inclined her head. "I can talk to Moriko about raising the matter with Mihoshi in private. Since you're clearly considering this in good faith, allowing Mihoshi the chance to do the same is appropriate. Still… once she learns of this, I don't think she'll be able to keep it private. Even if a decision might not be made at the moment, I can imagine her spilling the beans to your compatriots in short order. I would think that you'd want this to remain private until you both come to a decision."

"That's be preferable," Heero admitted, "but even so, Mihoshi deserves the same opportunity to think this over as what I've been given."

"Then perhaps it'd be best if she hears it directly from you," Funaho suggested, "You've earned her trust thanks to you looking out for her while she was on Earth. She clearly holds you in high esteem, so I think that she'd appreciate the gravity of the situation and the need to keep things under wraps until a decision's been made if you were the one explaining it all to her."

Heero nodded. "I'll tell her tomorrow morning. I don't know how long the talks are going to take here, but I at least want Mihoshi to have some time to think things over."

"High-level negotiations like these can run for days or longer," Funaho pointed out, "I'm sure Moriko's not expecting a decision out of either you or Mihoshi right away. Even given our own time constraints, we should be fine. Take the time that you need."

"Right," Heero murmured.

Funaho watched him for a few seconds before speaking again. "I suppose that still leaves the elephant in the room to consider… or in this case, the pirate."

Heero closed his eyes for a moment before meeting Funaho's gaze. "Ryoko… what do I tell her? That I'm even considering this… it feels like…"

"Like you're betraying her?" Funaho finished for him.

Heero slowly nodded. "Yes."

Funaho smiled. "I expected that. It's not too surprising. After all… you love her, don't you? For all that you may care for Mihoshi and the others, Ryoko's always been at the center of your heart."

"Love…" Heero muttered tentatively, as if the very word was fragile, "I… I do. Ryoko… I love her. I have for… well, for quite some time now."

Funaho moved her hand to his shoulder. "I know, and I'll wager that the others do, too. Why else were you so determined to make her your Royal Guard? It clearly went well beyond trust in her or faith in her abilities, regardless of how well earned both may be. You've been determined to protect her from the beginning, and it's clear as day why. I must admit, the thought of a notorious criminal winning my great-grandson's heart is an odd one, but I can't say that I'm opposed to the notion."

"She's more than her criminal record," Heero countered, "So much more."

Funaho nodded. "Clearly, otherwise you would not feel so strongly about her. I'd love nothing more than to pick your mind for hours on end to find out what made you fall so hard for her. Perhaps I will when this is all over, but that's not what you need right now. What you need is an answer to this feeling of betrayal you're now experiencing… and the solution is one that we've discussed before, believe it or not. It would need a bit of tweaking given the current circumstances, but it could still work."

Heero blinked in confusion. "What solution is that?"

"Marry them both," Funaho replied, "One for love, one for politics. It's not uncommon for Juraian royalty to take more than one spouse. Just look at my husband. Instead of another Juraian princess, you'd be taking a member of the Kuramitsu Clan as wife along with your beloved Ryoko."

Heero needed a minute to wrap his head around that. "You're… you're serious about this?"

"Completely," Funaho confirmed, "It's absolutely a valid solution, Heero, and one that your position entitles you to take. Granted, it would be wise to take Mihoshi as your first wife so as to avoid causing an affront to the Seniwa Domain, but after that there'd be no issue with you wedding Ryoko as well. It would raise eyebrows amongst the galactic elite, but none of them would be in a position to stop you."

Heero took a deep breath as he struggled to process it all. "Marry them both… this is crazy."

"Only if you continue to view the situation through the lens of someone from your world," Funaho countered, "You're still accustomed to seeing the universe through the culture you grew up in, but you're more than just a human; you're Juraian as well. I know that you've been working hard to understand this side of your heritage, and that Ayeka's done much to help you with that, but you're still not completely accepting all that it can grant you. Such hesitation is natural, of course; you only recently learned that you're part Juraian and a Royal, after all. Still, you need to broaden your horizons and take in the full breadth of what both Earth and Jurai have to offer. In your Juraian heritage lies the solution for both your mission and the struggle of your heart."

Heero slowly nodded. "I get that… intellectually, anyway. I guess it's still taking some time to properly sink in, though."

Funaho smiled apologetically. "I would normally want to give you more time to really come to terms with it all, but I'm afraid time is something of a limited commodity for us right now. You know the choices that lie before you, Heero. If you reject Moriko's offer, then we're back to conventional negotiations, with anything we can get beyond navigation rights being a bonus. If you accept her proposition, though, we get far more than just what we came for; we gain a potentially decisive advantage over our enemy. Given the stakes involved here, can we really afford to shoot for anything less? I wish that this choice did not fall upon your shoulders, but it does."

"Mine and Mihoshi's," said Heero, as much to himself as to the First Empress.

Funaho inclined her head. "I don't envy either of you the burden that you now face. Nevertheless, you both will need to make a choice, and it will need to be much sooner than either of you would prefer."

"Believe me," Heero replied somberly, "I know that all too well."

….

As Heero's Royal Guard, Ryoko had been given a room that connected to his through a side door built into the wall between them. While she'd certainly hoped that Heero would take advantage of it during their stay here for a bit of late-night fun, Ryoko had still been surprised when she heard him knock at the door. Given how distracted he had appeared during the earlier bath, Ryoko figured that Heero would probably just want to rest tonight and get his thoughts in order. So it was that Ryoko found herself equal parts excited and worried as she rushed to open the door for him, and when she saw his face, it became clear that the latter was the appropriate response.

"I didn't wake you, did I?" he asked in an almost hesitant manner.

Ryoko shook her head. "No. What's wrong? You don't look so good, Heero."

Heero sighed. "That obvious, huh?"

"Yeah," Ryoko replied before reaching out to tenderly take his hand in hers while offering what she hoped was a compassionate smile, "You need to talk? I've got all night for you. Always do."

Heero slowly nodded and gave her the smallest of smiles in return. "I'd like that."

Ushering him inside, she gently guided him over to the bed. On another night, Ryoko would already be clawing at Heero's clothes in a frenzy to get them off him, and she knew from experience that he'd be returning the favor with equal fervor, but now was hardly the time to let passion run wild. Something had Heero genuinely troubled, and Ryoko would not rest until she'd helped him deal with it.

Gotta narrow it down first, she thought as the two of them sat down together on the side of the bed, I mean, what's the list now? Honing his powers, keeping his friends safe, negotiating with Seniwa, stopping Kagato from igniting a civil war and threatening all life in the galaxy… lots to unpack there. No pressure, right?

Taking all that into account, it was a miracle that Heero could still maintain a relatively calm demeanor, even if the cracks were definitely starting to show. Ryoko's problems felt downright tame in comparison. How Heero was keeping himself together, she couldn't even begin to guess. Ryoko imagined that she would've crumbled under the pressure a long time ago. As things stood now, she was still pretty damn stressed out, but the knowledge that someone dear to her had it worse helped Ryoko keep her bearings.

"What's going on?" she asked after a few seconds.

Heero looked down at the floor for a long moment, breathing deeply as he tried to center himself. Though it surely wasn't intentional on his part, Ryoko's concern could not help but grow at the sight. If Heero needed this much conscious effort to work up the nerve to speak, then whatever was gnawing at him had to be really bad. Ryoko could only hope that she wasn't in over her head here.

Eventually, Heero shook his head. "I… I'm sorry. I… don't really know where to start."

Ryoko gently squeezed his hand. "It's alright. Take all the time you need. I'm here for you."

She was relieved to see him smile again, if only faintly. "You are… you have been since the moment we met. You… you have no idea how much that's meant to me these past months, Ryoko."

Ryoko smiled in return. "Hey, after all you've done for me, it's the least I can do. I know that looking after me hasn't exactly been easy, but you've put up with me like a champ. I owe you bigtime for that."

"No, you don't," Heero argued, "I've enjoyed every second of it. It's strange… when all this started, back when you, Ryo-Ohki and Ayeka first came to Earth… I had no idea just how much you'd change my life… and it's definitely been for the better. A bit more chaotic at times than I'd like, but definitely for the better. For the first time in… maybe ever, really… I could genuinely say that I was happy. Regardless of how crazy things have gotten since then, I wouldn't change a second of it."

"Except for maybe this whole Kagato business?" Ryoko pointed out, "I think we both could've done without him trying to take Washu's superweapon and holding the galaxy hostage."

Heero chuckled. "Good point. Even so… as dire as the situation is, it also led to some incredible things. Learning who I really am, getting to see the galaxy beyond the Earth Sphere… I wish it had been under better circumstances, but still… it has been a considerable silver lining to this whole affair."

"I guess that's a good way to look at it," Ryoko conceded as she mulled it over, "I mean, I've been living a life of luxury ever since we came to Jurai. Never imagined I'd get to see the inside of the palace… well, except maybe for the dungeons. Same with Seniwa. Only time I thought I'd see the Domain's capital was if I got captured and brought here for trial, but look at me now? Here I am, inside the mansion of the second most powerful family in the galaxy, and I'm a guest instead of a prisoner. It's weird, but definitely something special… something that I wouldn't be able to experience if I hadn't met you."

"Maybe," said Heero, "Fate sure had some strange turns in store for the two of us, didn't it?"

Ryoko shrugged. "Fate, luck, whatever you want to call it. We made our choices, and here we are."

Heero nodded. "We have… and there will be plenty more choices to make before this is over. Some of them with pretty big consequences."

He looked down at the floor again, and a pit formed in Ryoko's stomach, one that wasn't helped in the least when Heero spoke again. "I knew that… when I decided to embrace the power that comes with my title as a prince of Jurai… that my choices would have far greater ramifications going forward. Still… I wasn't ready for the one that I found here. In hindsight, I should've been, but… well, you know what they say about hindsight."

"What choice?" Ryoko asked nervously, "Heero, what's going on?"

Heero took a deep breath. "When I went off earlier today… I was approached on the path by President Moriko."

Ryoko's eyes narrowed. "What did she want? She knows that negotiations are supposed to be with all of us, not just you, right?"

"I'm sure she does," Heero replied, "That didn't stop her from presenting a proposition. It would allow us to bypass all these negotiations and get what we want, along with a great deal more. Not just the navigation rights, but intelligence, logistical support, even the aid of Seniwa's fleets."

Alarm bells started going off in Ryoko's head. "What did she ask for in exchange?"

Heero closed his eyes for several seconds, and when he opened them again to meet her gaze, Ryoko couldn't help but notice the torn look in them. "To increase ties between the Seniwa Domain and the Empire of Jurai in a manner that hasn't been done before. She wanted me… to marry Mihoshi."

Ryoko's head snapped back, and she blinked several times as her mind struggled to process what she'd just heard. "Hold up… say that again?"

Heero sighed heavily. "You heard me right the first time, Ryoko. President Moriko will give us all the aid we could possibly ask for against Kagato in return for me taking Mihoshi as a wife."

Ryoko leaned back on the bed, propping herself up on her elbows as she comprehended what Heero had just said. "You… and Mihoshi… a marriage?"

Heero slowly nodded; it looked like he was still having trouble coming to terms with it as well. "That was the deal. Turns out President Moriko and Funaho have been talking about this for a while now. Would've been really nice to get a heads up on that before we left Jurai."

"And you just found out today…" Ryoko muttered, "What the hell…"

The two of them were quiet for several seconds, with Ryoko's head absolutely abuzz. Her imagination ran wild, showing her scenes of an elaborate ceremony, of Mihoshi walking down the aisle in a beautiful white dress with Heero waiting for her at the altar. A sharp pain lanced through her chest as she belatedly realized just why Heero had been studying the ditzy cop so keenly in the bath earlier.

"Heero…" she eventually said as she struggled to articulate her thoughts, "You're… you're not seriously considering going through with this… are you?"

Heero took a deep breath before meeting her gaze. "Under any other circumstances, I'd dismiss the notion out of hand, with no offense to Mihoshi. However… this is about way more than just what I want. You know the kind of fight that's waiting for us; the clash with Kagato's loyalists is going to be a lot bloodier than the battles we've had with the repository defenses and that pirate fleet. While the Juraians loyal to the throne might be competent and determined, against a peer foe I'm still expecting heavy losses. If we just enter regular negotiations with Seniwa, we'll probably get the navigation clearance we need, maybe a bit of extra intel on the side, but that'll still leave only our forces taking on Kagato's. Accepting President Moriko's offer, though… you saw Seniwa's fleet on the way in just like I did, Ryoko. That's a lot of firepower. Given what we're fighting for here… can we really afford to turn that down?"

The argument made sense logically, but Ryoko didn't like what it meant. "So… you really are thinking about saying yes."

"I haven't made up my mind," Heero countered, though his tone was shaky, "Not yet."

"But you're leaning that way," Ryoko argued, "I can tell. I know you, Heero."

Heero sighed heavily. "You do… better than anyone else now."

Ryoko's shoulders slumped. "Does Mihoshi know about this?"

Heero shook his head. "Not yet. I was going to tell her tomorrow."

"Why not tonight?" Ryoko asked, trying to keep her tone from slipping into bitter jealousy, "Hers is the hand you need for that fleet, right? The sooner she says yes, the sooner you get it."

"I'm not going to force this on her," said Heero as his eyes seemed to bore into Ryoko's soul, "When I tell her, it'll be so she can make up her own mind. We'll both have time to figure that out. Besides… however much I might care for her… there's someone else who holds a dearer place in my heart, and it's her that I need to talk this through. Ryoko… I need you to hear me out. Please."

Ryoko took several deep breaths to calm herself; no matter how upset the situation made her, Heero didn't deserve to have her snapping on him. Even so…

…how was she supposed to stay calm when he dropped something like this on her?

Unable to face him, she looked down at the bed. "Heero… what do you want from me here? Permission? You're a grown man and a prince of Jurai; you can marry whoever the hell you want."

"It's not like that," Heero argued, "Not entirely, at least."

"Then what is it like?" Ryoko growled as she clenched the bedsheets in her fists, trying with all her might to contain the storm of anguish and despair raging within her heart.

She was only dimly aware of Heero getting up from the bed. Raising her head, Ryoko was taken aback to find Heero suddenly kneeling on the floor in front of her.

"Ryoko," he began, "The reason why I haven't said yes to this proposal… is because Mihoshi isn't who I really want to marry. If the choice were solely up to me, if it weren't for this damn Kagato mess that we're trying to clean up, I wouldn't even be considering this. Marriage was never something I really gave much thought towards. To be honest, I never thought that I'd live long enough to experience that. Still, the few times I did imagine it… it's going to sound silly, but I pictured it being for love. Of course, I used to think that I wouldn't find anyone that I could enter into that sort of relationship with… but that was before I met you."

Ryoko's eyes widened, and she blinked repeatedly as her heart and mind both went into overtime processing just what Heero was getting towards. "Heero… are you…"

His gaze met hers again, and Heero next words were ones that Ryoko only now realized she'd been waiting for what felt like an eternity to hear. "Ryoko… I love you."

….

For all the battles and close brushes with death that Heero had experienced over his admittedly short life, he had never found himself more terrified than he was now. His romantic knowledge might have been limited, but even he had enough sense to realize that making such a confession to Ryoko after bringing up the potential arranged marriage to Mihoshi was hardly the smoothest move. Part of his mind was chastising him for how badly he'd played things, but Heero had been acting far more on his emotions than on any sense of logic. His heart and brain had clashed, and the former had beaten out the latter.

You idiot, he mentally berated himself, what the hell were you thinking? You pull this stunt now of all times?

So preoccupied was Heero with what he believed to be a monumental screwup on his part that he didn't catch the subtle increase in tension in Ryoko's arms and legs that signaled imminent action. As a result, he was caught completely off guard when his Royal Guard leapt off the bed and tackled him to the floor. Blinking in shock, Heero could only lay back in stunned disbelief as Ryoko's right hand went behind his head before she leaned down to claim his lips in a fierce kiss.

It took him a moment to register what was happening and what it meant, so it was a good thing that instinct took over for Heero. As his mind processed Ryoko's response, his arms were already taking her into a possessive embrace, pulling her closer as his mouth opened to accept an assault from her tongue. Reaching up so that his right hand cupped the back of the pirate's head, Heero gripped her hair tightly by reflex as Ryoko readily returned the favor.

When the need for air finally forced their lips apart, he looked up at her in wonder. He felt her heavy breath on his face, saw the radiant shine in her amber eyes and the flush of scarlet in her face. He was keenly aware of her straddling his hips, her legs squeezing his sides with incredible strength as she looked down upon him with the most beautiful smile Heero had ever seen.

"Ryoko…" Heero murmured, at a complete loss for any other words.

"Talk later," Ryoko uttered breathlessly before getting off him and pulling him to his feet.

As soon as Heero was upright, Ryoko whirled them both around and pushed him back onto the bed. Leaping atop of him, she clawed at his clothes in a maddened frenzy, and Heero readily reciprocated. All his worries regarding Mihoshi and her family were shoved firmly to the back of his mind. They could wait for later.

He had something much more important to focus on right now.

….

Heero might have thought that his relatively recent experience in love-making with Ryoko would've had him prepared for the frenetic passion she brought to tonight's endeavor, but she'd gone above and beyond here. His breathing was heavily labored as he lay on his back with one arm around his Royal Guard, basking in a heady afterglow that put anything he'd felt before to shame. His entire body was heavy with an exhaustion that rivaled what he'd experienced following his fiercest battles, yet the warmth flooding him made it more than worthwhile. The sensation of Ryoko's lithe yet curvy body nestled up against his right side and panting just as heavily as him beneath the bedsheets was downright heavenly, and not at all what he'd been expecting to feel tonight given the heavy tidings he had brought her.

He looked over at the incredible woman sharing his bed, trying to think of something to say but coming up completely blank. In a way, Heero's head was still just as much a jumbled mess as it was when he'd first knocked on Ryoko's door, but now it wasn't out of dread or pressure. Funnily enough, the great apprehension he'd felt before was mostly gone now. He was mostly just confused more than anything else, though not in a bad way.

Of all the ways that tonight could've gone, Heero mused as he instinctively ran his fingers through Ryoko's hair, this wasn't one of the outcomes that I anticipated. Not that I'm complaining. Still… where do things go from here?

Ryoko smiled before leaning over to plant a soft kiss on his lips. "Took your breath away, eh?"

Heero slowly nodded as words finally began to form in something approaching coherence. "You… could say that. I… I guess that answers one question I had tonight."

Ryoko giggled as she adjusted herself beneath the covers so she lay directly on top of Heero, her arms folded and planted on his chest so she could prop her chin up on them and look down on him with a schoolgirl's glee. "What question was that?"

"If… if you feel the same way about me," Heero answered as he reached up to tenderly caress her cheek, "I… I had a hunch, but… it's nice to know for sure. Especially considering what I told you before my… confession."

Ryoko rolled her eyes before winking playfully at him. "I've always thought that actions spoke louder than words. Still, if you need to hear the words to know for sure…"

She leaned forward to kiss him again, this time allowing her lips to linger on his for a few seconds longer before pulling away and smiling again. "I love you, Heero. Have for a long time now… and always will."

Heero closed his eyes and sighed with both relief and fresh nervousness. "Even after… what I told you? About… about this deal with President Moriko… and Mihoshi?"

Ryoko scooted herself forward and pressed her forehead against Heero's. "When I say always, Heero, I mean always. Nothing is going to change that. After everything you've done for me since I landed on Earth… I don't think I could love anyone else the way I do you. Even if I wasn't pledged to you as your Royal Guard, I'd still stay by you for as long as I could… preferably for the rest of your life, if you'll have me."

"I very much will," Heero vowed with a small smile, "if you'll have me."

Ryoko wrapped both of her arms around Heero and scratched at the back of his neck. "Of course, I will. Although…."

A fresh lump formed in Heero's throat. "Although…"

His concern proved to be in vain when Ryoko smirked a moment later. "If I'm staying by your side, then so is Ryo-Ohki. We're a package deal, after all. Think you can handle that?"

Heero chuckled as the fresh tension immediately bled away. "I'm sure I'll find a way to manage."

They lay there gazing contentedly at each other for a few minutes before Ryoko spoke again. "So… this whole situation with Mihoshi and her family… how are you going to play it? Even with how you feel about me, with what her clan can bring to the table against Kagato, you'd be foolish to brush the deal aside."

Heero blinked in confusion; Ryoko suddenly seemed much more at ease with Moriko's proposal now than she had been earlier. "I… I do have an idea. It's part of why I wanted to see you tonight. There's a solution that I think can make us all happy, though it does involve a compromise."

"Figured you had a plan," Ryoko remarked casually, "Well, lay it on me."

Heero tilted his head in puzzlement. "You're… a lot more accepting of this now than you were before. What gives?"

"Nothing like a good screw to burn off stress," Ryoko replied with a chuckle, "A hot roll in the hay always helps me clear my head. You've noticed it too, haven't you?"

Come to think of it, Heero's head was starting to feel a lot clearer now than it had been before their enthusiastic tumble on the bed. "I guess so."

"Then what are you waiting for?" Ryoko prodded, "Come on, let's have it. What bright idea do you have for working this mess out?"

"It's Funaho's idea, actually," Heero admitted, "Rather than choose between my heart and my mission, she said that there's a way for me to have both. In this case, 'both' means you and Mihoshi."

He saw Ryoko's eyes widen as she put the pieces together. "You want to marry us both."

Heero slowly nodded, anxiously bracing himself for a potentially fiery reaction. "I do. Polygamy isn't something that I'd normally embrace, but as a prince of Jurai it is an option open to me, and hardly an unprecedented one. Just look at the current Emperor; two wives and the Empire treats it as completely normal."

He expected Ryoko to protest, but much to Heero's surprise she simply nodded. "Yeah, that would work. The nobles might raise a stink about you making me one of your wives, but they can't stop you. Maybe the Emperor would fuss a bit, but if Funaho's the one who suggested this to you, then I bet she could talk him down."

"You're really okay with this?" Heero asked, somewhere between disbelief and relief.

Ryoko shrugged. "I mean, it's not exactly my first choice; I'd rather have you all to myself. Given the situation, though, it's our best option. If you agreeing to marry Mihoshi gets us Seniwa's fleet, then that's a damn good deal."

Heero blinked several times as he looked up at her in bemusement. "Huh… I wasn't expecting you to be so… accepting about this."

Ryoko smiled. "I might not be thrilled about the arrangement, but I understand why you have to take it. This isn't a choice that you're making lightly; you wouldn't have come to me tonight otherwise. You're taking it seriously, and you cared enough about how it would impact me that you wanted to talk to me about it before popping the question to Mihoshi. I'm not the kind of girl who's going to give you grief over this. I can tell it's been eating you up inside all day. Yeah, I'm not exactly thrilled about it, but I can live with it. After all, I'll still get to marry you, right? I might not be your only wife, but I can learn to deal with that."

Heero allowed himself a relaxing exhalation; this was going much better than he'd dared to hope. "I appreciate that. Still, let's not get ahead of ourselves here. Remember, Mihoshi still doesn't know about any of this, and I'm not going to force her to accept the proposal. She has agency here, and we'd do well to respect that."

Ryoko rolled her eyes. "Oh, come on, Heero; do you really think that she'll say 'no' when you bring this up to her? Forget the fact that you're a Juraian prince; she'd say 'yes' just because it's you, Heero. Just like I would. Hell, I think I'm pretty safe in saying that all of us who stayed with you on Earth would be down for marrying you."

"That's… a bit presumptuous," Heero cautiously pushed back, "I don't think I've done anything to earn that level of affection and devotion."

Ryoko laughed. "Right, apart from housing us, looking after us, showing us all a good time, keeping us all fed, and genuinely caring for our well-being! No, those are all small things that clearly don't mean much to the likes of us. Us girls wouldn't want to marry you just because you took care of us for months on end and acted like you'd give anything to keep us safe and happy. That'd be silly, wouldn't it?"

"Your sarcasm isn't helping here," Heero deadpanned.

"Look, you get my point," said Ryoko, "I know you want to make sure Mihoshi has just as much say in this as you, and that's cool. Let's be real, though; the odds of her turning you down are pretty damn small."

"That certain of it, are you?" Heero asked.

Ryoko nodded. "Totally."

Heero shrugged. "Well, I'm not going to count my chickens before they hatch. I'll lay it all out for her tomorrow morning, and we'll go from there."

"I can be there with you, if you want," Ryoko offered, "If you want support, I mean. Since you want to marry both us, it makes sense."

It was a tempting offer, but Heero turned her down. "Thanks, but I think it'll be better if I approach her alone. She's probably going to need a bit of space and privacy to process it all."

"Fair," Ryoko conceded, "Kind of a dick move for her great-grandmother to make the proposal to you while leaving her in the dark, though. You'd think she'd play it the other way around. I thought family always came first with these big-wig aristocrat types."

"President Moriko was probably concerned about Mihoshi's ability to keep a secret," Heero pointed out.

"That's true," Ryoko admitted, "Still doesn't feel right, though. She's using her great-granddaughter as a pawn to tie her family into yours."

"That's dynastic family politics for you," said Heero, "It can be a cruel game. I've learned that the hard way these past few weeks."

Ryoko's brow furrowed. "Speaking of family politics… President Moriko's probably expecting more out of this arrangement than just you putting a ring on Mihoshi's finger. If she really wants to play this game, she's after a long-term connection to the Royal Family. Heero… I'm pretty sure she's expecting you and Mihoshi to have kids at some point."

"She never mentioned that when she approached me with this proposal," Heero countered.

Ryoko rolled her eyes. "Come on, Heero. You've got a good brain inside that handsome head of yours, and it's not cute when you play dumb. Even if she didn't say it explicitly, with a marriage like this, isn't it kind of implied? Part the whole noble family politics deal is continuing the family and setting it up for future success, right?"

Heero sighed; as much as he had been hoping to avoid this particular topic, he knew that Ryoko was right. "It is. I… I guess I was just trying not to think about that part."

"I figured that," said Ryoko, "Still… if you go through with this, it's not like you'll be able to avoid it. Jurai and Seniwa's ruling families joined together through marriage? The entire galaxy's going to be watching like hawks for an heir."

"Since when did you become an expert on noble family politics?" Heero quipped.

Ryoko lightly and playfully slapped Heero across the cheek. "I'm not. This is basic stuff, Heero, you know it. You're supposed to be the smart one between the two of us, remember?"

Heero chuckled ruefully. "Not the way that I'd put it. I feel like I'm just stumbling from one crisis to the next. I'm in way over my head here."

"Hey, that makes two of us," Ryoko pointed out, "You think I know what the hell I'm doing here? I'm a pirate, not a princess or noble! I'm just making it up as I go along."

Heero smiled as he looked up at her. "Maybe… but you're picking things up pretty quickly. You should give yourself a bit more credit."

Ryoko smiled in return before leaning down to plant a light kiss on his lips. "I could say the same for you."

They held each other's gaze for a long moment before Heero spoke again. "Ryoko… would you want any? Kids, I mean."

She blinked several times before answering. "Me? I… huh. I'm honestly not sure. Hey, I thought this was supposed to be about you and Mihoshi! Why put me on the spot like this?"

"Because if this works out, I'll be marrying both of you," Heero reminded her, "What both of you want matters to me. I owe you both equal consideration. So… would you want children, Ryoko?"

She looked down at him thoughtfully for a few moments. "Maybe, but… would you, Heero?"

"I honestly never imagined myself having any," Heero replied softly, "Then again, I used to think I wouldn't live long enough to marry someone, let alone two people. Not to mention my only experience with a parent is Odin Lowe. He… I guess I could call him a good father, though our circumstances weren't exactly ideal. I… I don't think I know enough about how a family's supposed to work to be a good father."

Ryoko shook her head. "No offense, Heero, but that's a load of crap. Maybe you think that, but look at what you've done with all of us. Me, Ryo-Ohki, Mihoshi, Ayeka, Sasami, Kiyone, Washu, the two giant tin cans; you kept us all under one roof without burning the whole place down! Hell, we're all still together even now. You're the glue that's kept us all tight through this whole mess. Maybe we're not a normal family, but I say we are a family just the same. All under your care, and you've done a damn good job of it."

Heero's eyes widened slightly as he processed it all. "Huh… that's not a bad way to look at it, actually. Still… you might be giving me a bit too much credit there. More often than not, I felt like I was out of my depth trying to manage you all. Still do, really."

"That just means we're keeping you on your toes," Ryoko countered with a wink, "Can't let you get complacent on us."

"Clearly," Heero quipped with a wry smirk, "If nothing else, you make sure that my life isn't boring these days."

"And just think of how crazy it'd be if a kid of ours was thrown into the mix," Ryoko remarked with a cheeky grin, "Your brains, my impulses, both of our powers? Boy or girl, they'd be a recipe for entertaining chaos!"

Heero found her newfound enthusiasm rather infectious. "They most certainly would."

His mind began to wander, and a whole host of strange yet exciting new images flashed through it. Boys and girls with his eyes and Ryoko's hair, or vice versa, running around the countryside safehouse back on Earth. Children with his hair and Mihoshi's skin color and eyes joined in, with the parents of all along with their friends struggling to keep the barest semblance of order. On the one hand, it was a positively daunting picture for Heero, and yet…

…part of him actually wanted to see it come to fruition.

"Ryoko," he eventually said softly, "If we go through with this… would you really want children? Somewhere down the line, I mean, not right away."

His Royal Guard was quiet for several long seconds before she slowly smiled. "Yeah… I think I would. You?"

"I'm… not opposed to it," Heero answered cautiously, "I… I guess I just need more time to get used to the idea of it."

"Well, we've got plenty of time," Ryoko reassured him, "I don't know about, but I'd rather hold off on the whole kids thing until after we save the galaxy and destroy Washu's superweapon. Sound like a plan to you?"

"It's one I can get behind," Heero answered.

Another thought crossed his mind, along with several indecent images, and Heero felt a fresh surge of heat rush to his face. "Ryoko… if Mihoshi says yes to this, and her family does expect her and I to have offspring… well, you know that means. Are you going to be okay with me and Mihoshi… well… you know?"

Ryoko sighed before offering Heero a mischievous smirk. "Well, I'm not exactly happy about having to share you. I am a pirate, after all; greed comes with the territory… and you're the juiciest bit of booty I've ever claimed."

Heero rolled his eyes. "Ryoko, try to be serious here. Please?"

"Alright, alright," Ryoko replied before smiling, "If this all works out and you tie the knot with both of us… then I can learn to share. Wouldn't be fair for the two of us to marry you only for me to get you all to myself in the bedroom, no matter how much I might want that. It's only right that Mihoshi gets some of that quality time with you, too… and if I have to split you with someone, I can think of worse people than her. Mihoshi's a sweetheart. Not very bright, but definitely the nicest cop I've ever met. She's going to be under just as much pressure as you here, and she deserves to be happy. You've treated me right ever since we got together, and I know you'd treat her the same way."

Heero's relief was palpable, but he still wanted to make sure he and Ryoko were on the same page. "So… you're good with this, then."

"I am," Ryoko confirmed with a devious glimmer in her eyes, "on one condition."

"And that is?" Heero asked warily.

Ryoko grinned. "That I get to join in sometimes. As fun as it is when you and I slip away for a bit of private time, I've been wondering what it might be like to have a third join the party. I bet you and I could have all sorts of fun with Mihoshi!"

Heero exhaled; if this was Ryoko's only demand, then he'd rest easy. "Alright… but only if she agrees to that."

"If you're the one who brings it up with her, then she will," Ryoko reassured him, "I've seen the way she looks at you, Heero. She thinks the world of you, and you could have her eating out of the palm of your hand with no effort at all. Hell, she might get turned on by that."

Heero chuckled as he reached up to ruffle Ryoko's hair. "Let's save the discovery of any new kinks until we make this official, alright?"

"Why wait?" Ryoko asked with a sultry smirk, "You think Mihoshi's the type to put off sex until marriage? I sure as hell aren't, and neither are you, you handsome devil!"

"Let me rephrase that, then," said Heero, "We'll hold off on any… adult fun between the three of us until we know she's comfortable with this arrangement. Remember, we're not forcing this on her. Her great-grandmother might be comfortable keeping her in the dark, but that's not how we are going to treat her. She gets a choice, just like us."

"Kind wish you'd let me be there when you offer that choice to her, just so I can see the look on her face," Ryoko remarked with an amused shake of her head, "Poor girl's not going to have a clue what hit her."

"Maybe, but she'll at least have chance to absorb it in privacy," Heero gently countered, "The same privacy that I granted you tonight."

Ryoko smiled before leaning down to kiss him on the cheek. "Yeah, yeah, you've made your point. I won't stick my nose in or eavesdrop on you two tomorrow. I trust you, Heero… and I trust Mihoshi, too. Just be careful when you break this all to her, okay? It's going to turn her whole world upside down, and she's going to have a lot of questions."

"I'll be as gentle as possible," Heero reassured her, "Can't make any promises as to how she'll take this, but I'll do what I can to help make it easier for her."

"That's good," Ryoko murmured as she tried and failed to stifle a yawn, "You're… you're a good guy, Heero. Never forget that."

She then slid off him and nestled up along his right side, laying her head on his shoulder. "Now, we should both get some sleep. We're going to have a really busy day tomorrow."

"Can't argue with that," Heero replied with a soft smile.

….

March 29th, A.C. 199

When she'd answered the knock at the door, Mihoshi had expected to find perhaps her brother or mother on the other side. Instead, she'd found Heero, who had seemed uncharacteristically nervous when he'd greeted her. That alone should have raised alarm bells for her, but Mihoshi initially brushed it off as just stress; Heero was certainly under a lot of it here. She likewise did not question it when he'd asked if she'd like to walk with him that morning, assuming that he probably wanted to ply her with additional questions about her family before the day's negotiations got underway. It was a bit earlier than she'd like, and she normally would've preferred to get breakfast first, but Mihoshi figured that a bit of morning exercise would make the meal taste that much sweeter. So, Heero had waited patiently for her to get cleaned up and dressed before the two of them set out on one of the trails meandering through the lush grounds behind the Kuramitsu Clan mansion.

The walk started pleasantly enough, with Heero mostly leading the conversation, checking on how she was doing much as he had while on the journey out to Seniwa. A bit of idle chit chat between the two had followed, with Mihoshi greatly enjoying this chance to have such a leisure stroll with him before the day's business began. It was only when Heero had brought them both to a pause at one of the break areas along the trail that Mihoshi finally realized something was up, and her suspicions only grew as he guided her to one of the benches. He seemed even more apprehensive now than before, which didn't serve to dampen Mihoshi's nerves. What could have Heero so worked up that even she could see it?

And then he dropped the bombshell, flipping Mihoshi's entire world upside down.

It was a good thing that Heero had made sure she was sitting before revealing her great-grandmother's proposal, because otherwise Mihoshi would've fallen flat on her ass in stunned disbelief. As it was, her head began to positively spin, and the world around her became a nauseating blur. She felt a sudden downward rush, and then blackness swept over her.

When light returned, she found herself looking up at Heero, her head in his lap. Realizing that she'd fainted, Mihoshi attempted to rise and apologize, but Heero would not have it. Instead, he gently but firmly pressed down on her shoulders, urging her to take a minute to breathe and collect herself. It actually took her several minutes before she felt able to sit upright again, but Heero made no move to rush her. If anything, was rather anxious as Mihoshi slowly brought herself upright.

"Don't force yourself," he said, "If you need a bit more time, I get it. I know I just dropped a lot on you."

"I… I'm fine," Mihoshi replied, though she didn't really believe that.

Neither did Heero. "You're in shock. That's natural. Just focus on breathing right now."

Mihoshi did just that while leaning forward and planting her head in her hands. She rubbed her forehead furiously, as if the gesture would somehow straighten out her thoughts. It did no such thing, of course. She was dimly aware of Heero placing a hand on her back and gently rubbing it, which at least gave Mihoshi a different sensation to focus on.

"Easy there," he said softly, "Deep breaths. Try leaning back a bit. There's no rush here. Take all the time you need."

Mihoshi did so, looking up at the sky and the distant ceiling of the domed city. Artificial morning mist dominated her view, mercifully shielding her eyes from harsh light. That mist seemed like a perfect metaphor for her mind at the moment; a haze had set in over her thoughts, and Mihoshi felt like she was groping around in the dark.

It took several minutes for her to form something approaching a coherent sentence. "I… I don't… I can't believe it. Great-grandmother… she… she really said that? How… how long…"

"Have I known?" Heero finished for her, "Since yesterday afternoon. For what it's worth, I think my reaction was little better than yours. I… I'm sorry, Mihoshi. I should have come to you the moment she made the proposal. I just… I didn't know what to do. I needed time to figure things out. Guess I still do. Can't blame you for needing the same."

Mihoshi fought to swallow a sudden lump in her throat. "She… she told you first… but didn't tell me."

Heero slowly nodded. "Yeah. I can't imagine that feels good. If it's any consolation, I do think that she should've told us both at the same time out of fairness. She didn't, though, so… well, here we are."

Mihoshi's shoulders slumped. "I… I don't know what to do."

She was caught off guard by Heero reaching over to take her hand in his. "It's alright. I'm not going to force you to make a decision right now. There's time, and your choice matters just as much here as mine."

Mihoshi felt a sudden rush of heat to her face as she turned to meet his gaze. "Choice… Heero… what's your choice? Would you… would you want to marry me? I… know how you feel about Ryoko… everyone does. Would you really want to marry me too?"

She watched with her heart in her throat as Heero took a deep breath. "I won't lie to you, Mihoshi. If this was purely a romantic matter… then my affections there would be for Ryoko. What your great-grandmother is offering in return for this match is why I didn't turn her down straight away. That being said, I do care deeply for you as well. You're a very kind and loving woman, Mihoshi… and you've made my life a lot brighter ever since you dropped into it. You look at the world with the kind of optimism that I'd like to have more of. In a way, you have a light that I lost a long time ago… and would like to have again, if I can."

Heero closed his eyes for a moment, and when he opened them again, Mihoshi was struck by how they seemed to peer straight into her soul. "I guess what I'm trying to say is… yes. I really would want to marry you. Yes, the aid that President Moriko is willing to provide in exchange for that marriage is a factor, but that doesn't change the fact that I genuinely enjoy your company. Sure, there are times when I might wish that you were a bit more mindful of your surroundings or had a better sense of coordination, but I also know how hard you're always working to improve yourself in those areas. Even if you weren't, they're just as much a part of you as your compassionate and optimistic nature is. They help make you… well, you, Mihoshi… and my life's all the better for having you in it. All of you, Mihoshi. So, yes, I really would want to marry you."

He then squeezed her hand. "However, that's only if you consent to this. Like I said earlier, I wish President Moriko had informed both of us at the same time of this proposal; it's not fair at all that I got to know before you. This choice is for both of us, and I want you to have as much time as possible to consider it like I have. It's not a decision that either of us should make lightly."

"Right," Mihoshi murmured.

There was silence for a minute or two before Heero spoke again. "If you want some space…"

"No!" Mihoshi hastily cut him off before blushing furiously, "I… I mean…"

She took several deep breaths to calm herself before giving Heero a weak smile. "I… I want you to stay with me. Please. I… I don't think I can deal with this alone."

Mihoshi's head began to spin again as a fresh wave of nervous nausea swept over her. She felt like she might pass out again from the stress, only to be steadied by Heero putting his arm around her.

"Then I'll stay," he said softly, gently smiling in return, "for as long as you need me to."

Overwhelmed, Mihoshi could do nothing but lean into his embrace and rest her head against him. "Thanks. Can… can we just sit like this for a while?"

"Will it help you?" asked Heero.

Mihoshi nodded. "It will."

"Then we'll stay like this," Heero replied as he held her close, "for as long as you want, Mihoshi."

"I'd… like that," Mihoshi muttered as her eyelids fluttered, "I'd like that a lot."

Before she knew it, she'd fallen asleep in his arms.

….

In a darkened room illuminated only by active holoprojectors showing images captured by the Kuramitsu estate's various hidden security cameras, President Moriko smiled as she saw Heero watch over her great-granddaughter in her impromptu nap. The sight of the young man gently holding Mihoshi in his arms and allowing the softly snoring girl to rest her head against his chest was quite touching, not to mention confirmation in Moriko's eyes that she had made the right call.

"He truly is a gentleman," Seniwa's leader remarked before looking over her shoulder, "Here I thought you might have gone overboard in your praise for him, Funaho. If anything, you undersold him to me."

Behind the President, Jurai's First Empress spread her arms while indulging in a faux-innocent smile. "I don't know what you're talking about, Madam President. I simply gave you my honest opinions on my great-grandson; no more, and no less."

Moriko chuckled. "Please, we both know better than that. You gave me just enough information to supplement what I already knew and whet my appetite while leaving me hungry for the main course. I know your games, old friend. I've been on the receiving end of them often enough over the centuries."

Funaho inclined her head. "Well, there are so few that I can properly play them with nowadays. You have the experience and talent to keep things interesting."

Moriko raised an eyebrow. "Going for the flattery angle now? I thought you were more subtle than that."

"Is it flattery if the praise is genuine?" Funaho asked with a pixyish smirk.

"From you, it's always a double-edged sword," Moriko replied, "and I wouldn't have it any other way."

Funaho stepped forward to stand side by side with Moriko and get a better view of the holo-screen. "They are quite cute together, aren't they?"

"Positively photogenic," Moriko concurred, "The press will love them, as will the people."

"Best not to count one's chickens before they hatch," Funaho gently admonished her, "Neither have agreed to this match yet, after all. Even if they do… well, your precious photogenic couple will more than likely end up being a trio."

Moriko's brow furrowed for a moment before realization hit her. "Ah, you refer to the pirate? Interesting… so that's why he made her his Royal Guard, hm? Explains why he seemed so protective of her at the spaceport. Well, he's a Juraian prince; taking multiple wives is his prerogative. That marriage will get the gossip mongers twisted up, so if nothing else it should give the likes of us no end of entertainment."

She expected her old friend to play along, but Funaho's expression was surprisingly severe. "These are our great-grandchildren, Moriko; they deserve greater consideration from us than this. What we're asking of them is no small thing. The pressure upon them both is immense. They're more than just pawns in this chess game of ours and should be treated accordingly."

"And they will be," Moriko reassured her, "I'll be pulling out all the stops on the charm offensive once things become official. The Kuramitsu Clan and our vassals will fall in step behind them, and I'll pull the appropriate strings with the media. They'll be positively adored in Seniwa; the very least that they deserve, given that they'll be helping you and I bring this long-sought foreign policy goal of ours finally to fruition."

She fixed the First Empress with a piercing stare. "You wanted this to happen; this is what it took. Don't tell me that you're getting cold feet now."

Funaho shook her head. "Nothing of the sort. You and I have long been in alignment on the matter of Jurai-Seniwa cooperation, and remain as committed to the project as you. I'm simply cognizant of the personal price we're asking the instruments of our plan to bear. I hope that you are as well."

Moriko allowed herself a weary exhalation, and her gaze was not without pity as she looked upon the image of her great-granddaughter resting in Heero's protective embrace. "I am. While I freely jumped at the opportunity that your situation presented, I'll admit that I had hoped it would be longer before a day like this might come. I know how much serving in the Galactic Police has meant to Mihoshi. It's given her a sense of fulfillment that the rich life of a noblewoman never would. More importantly, it's long kept her clear of the nasty political games that our kind must play on a daily basis. As strange as it might sound, her being out in harm's way as an active officer has actually preserved her innocence. I do not rob her of it lightly."

"Does her mother and father know about this?" asked Funaho.

Moriko nodded. "I told them both this morning. To be honest, I was a bit concerned that they'd get to Mihoshi before Heero. Luckily, it seems your great-grandson moves quickly. Another point in his favor."

Funaho nodded. "He's a very thoughtful young man, but when he decides on a course of action, he acts decisively."

"He's a soldier through and through," Moriko mused aloud, "He'd do quite well in Seniwa's military, or the Galaxy Police for that matter."

Funaho smirked. "Thinking of trying to poach him? I'm afraid Jurai has first claim on him."

Moriko chuckled. "Getting a little defensive there, eh? If things go according to plan, then Jurai will have to learn to share him with Seniwa. That's the whole point of this, right? Jurai and Seniwa sharing with each other what makes us powerful and wealthy in the hopes that we'll both prosper from it? That we can offer more to both each other and the wider galaxy when united than we ever could apart?"

"True," Funaho conceded before tapping her chin in thought, "although… some might be more willing to share than others."

Moriko folded her arms. "You foresee trouble?"

"Possibly," Funaho answered, "I couldn't help but notice yesterday that Misao seems awfully… attached to his older sister. Almost bordering on possessive, really."

Moriko laughed. "You're worried about that boy? Don't be. Misao might be overly fond of Mihoshi, but he's not going to be a problem here. He's loyal to the family and Seniwa, and his parents will convince him of the necessity in this match. If he has raw feelings beyond that? Well, he's a big boy now; he can learn to deal with them."

Funaho looked skeptical. "Perhaps it would best to watch him carefully, just in case."

Moriko shrugged. "If you insist. Frankly, I don't think Misao is who we really need to be worrying about here. If anyone might cause issues, it'll be the clan's hardliner clique. They bitch and moan at even the slightest hint of improving ties between Seniwa and Jurai. A marriage between a prince of the Empire and an heir of the Kuramitsu Clan will send them through the roof."

"I thought you had successfully marginalized them," said Funaho.

"For the most part, yes," Moriko replied, "but that doesn't mean they can't find ways to make things difficult. I've had them under cover surveillance since you and I initiated our backchannel talks, and they've done little more than grumble so far. If anything will trigger a more substantive response from them, it will be this."

"How big of a wrench can they throw into the works?" asked Funaho.

Moriko scratched her chin in thought. "Difficult to say. While most of the major media outlets are aligned with my faction, there are a few who enjoy scratching the reactionary itch of the isolationists and Seniwa supremacists. I've long suspected the hardliners within the clan of funding them, but my operatives have never been able to reach a conclusive answer; too many shell companies and phantom intermediaries to sift through. I suspect they will use their allied publications and broadcasts to raise quite a stink, but my own PR apparatus should be able to mitigate the worst of the damage on that front."

"I'm less concerned about them attempting to sway public opinion against the match than I am them trying to torpedo it outright," Funaho remarked, "Maybe they don't have the political sway that you do, but they're still members of one of the galaxy's wealthiest families. That kind of money buys more than just favorable press coverage."

Moriko's eyes narrowed. "You suspect that they'll try a more direct approach? Perhaps put out a hit on the bride and groom to be?"

"The thought had crossed my mind," Funaho confirmed, "It wouldn't be the first time that Heero's had to contend with assassins. We actually thwarted an attempt on his life before coming here, and the thugs were put up to it by Juraian nobles aligned with Kagato. Nothing's stopping him from reaching out to the hardliners within your clan and putting them up to a similar scheme."

Moriko shook her head. "And in doing so cooperate with a Juraian cadet branch Royal? They hate your family too much for that, cadet branch or otherwise."

"Normally, I'd be inclined to agree with your assessment," said Funaho, "but these are hardly normal times. This scheme of ours, if it goes through, would represent a seismic shift in the balance of galactic power. Jurai and Seniwa are currently considered friendly rivals; we're in competition with each other while still willing to cooperate on matters of mutual interest. Should Heero and Mihoshi agree to this marriage, then it would represent the two strongest nations in the galaxy moving into true alignment. That's going to rattle quite a few cages, including those belonging to individuals who cannot let bygones be bygones. You and I might hold the hardliner clique in disdain for their retrograde views, but it would be unwise to underestimate them. Given that our scheme is anathema to their worldview, a radical reaction on their part is not outside the realm of possibility."

Moriko took a moment to consider it. "Perhaps so, but if they genuinely become desperate enough to engage with Kagato… well, it takes two to tango. Your network has him and his sister under observation, right?"

"We have eyes on the forces loyal to them and those that might be leaning their way," Funaho corrected, "but slipping agents directly into their personal retinues has been a great challenge. We're forced to rely more on signals intelligence than on the ground assets, unfortunately. It'll be impossible for them to make a military move without us catching signs of preparation, but their personal actions and movements are much more difficult to track and predict. Don't fool yourself, Moriko; if Kagato wants to reach out to the disgruntled elements within the Kuramitsu Clan, he has the means to do so. We would be wise to plan for worst case scenarios."

Moriko sighed heavily. "I wish you weren't right, old friend. Those damn old fools… I have the hardest time wrapping my head around their worldview. Is their pride and longing for a semi-mythical glorious past really worth sabotaging what could potentially be the biggest diplomatic breakthrough between Seniwa and Jurai in the past several centuries? Can they really not see that they, as members of the Kuramitsu Clan, would stand to benefit from the ever-closer ties with Jurai that would result from this match? New trade and security treaties, reduced travel restrictions for facilitating greater commercial and cultural exchange, sharing technology and scientific knowledge to further advance progress… all of that and more could be the eventual fruit from this union if we play our cards right, but they would burn it all down before it even got off the drawing board."

Funaho smiled sympathetically. "If it makes you feel any better, Jurai's not without its own backwards thinkers. Heero had to contend with one during his debut ball, and that's just scratching the surface. I expect the Empire to have its own turmoil within our elite to contend with once this match becomes public knowledge… assuming Heero and Mihoshi consent to it, of course."

Moriko inclined her head. "Of course."

She turned back to the holo-image of the young dynastic heirs that were at the center of these machinations and smiled. "For all that you and I have plotted and schemed to get this far… whether or not our deepest desires are realized ultimately comes down to those two. We set up the board and maneuvered the pieces into place, yet now the game's in their hands. Care to place a bet on the outcome for old times' sake?"

Funaho smirked. "If you're invoking old times, then shouldn't we invite Washu before making our wager?"

"Didn't you keep her in the dark as to our intentions?" Moriko asked.

Funaho chuckled. "I did, but let's not kid ourselves, Moriko; she knows us both very well. If you think she hasn't already figured out what our scheme here is, then perhaps you really have lost a step or two in your old age."

Moriko raised an eyebrow. "Calling me old? That's rich coming from you, Funaho. How many millennia are you going on, now? It gets so hard to keep track with you Juraian Royals."

Funaho laughed. "Alright, I'll give you that one! Truth be told, I have a hard time remembering myself these days. I honestly care less for the time that's already passed than I do for the time that remains before me. Whether its measured in years, decades, centuries… or even further millennia, should I be so lucky… I simply want my family and friends to survive it with me for as long as they can."

"A fine sentiment," Moriko concurred, "If you're up for a morning drink, I have an old vintage I've been meaning to pop open for some time now. What do you say? Raise a glass of wine to our long years past and, hopefully, future?"

"One for that," Funaho replied before smiling at the image of Heero and Mihoshi, "and one for the hope that the younger generation will carry on our work into a brighter tomorrow."

….

"Feeling better?" asked Heero as he saw Mihoshi's eyelids flutter open.

"I think so," she muttered as she stretched her arms, nearly clocking Heero in the face while doing so.

A flush of red went across her face. "Oh, sorry! Uhm… how long was I out?"

Heero graced her with a gentle smile and small shake of his head. "Not very long. I'd say probably about twenty minutes at the most."

Mihoshi sighed in relief. "That's good. We should probably head back, though. The others might be wondering where we're at."

Heero nodded. "Good point."

The two of them stood up, but they did not start walking right away, with Heero instead looking intently at Mihoshi. "Are you going to be alright today?"

Mihoshi smiled. "I'll try to be. I've got a lot to think about… and someone else that I need to talk it through with before I make a decision. Is that okay?"

"Of course," Heero replied, "I think I already know who that's going to be, too, and I trust her to remain discreet about this."

"She definitely will be," Mihoshi reassured him.

She saw Heero's brow furrow slightly. "There's someone that I need to discuss this with, too. Knowing her, though… well, she probably saw this coming. I guess I'll know one way or the other soon enough.

Mihoshi began to fidget under a new wave of anxiety. "Uhm… when do we make our final decision?"

Heero let out a deep exhalation. "It should probably be by tomorrow at the latest. I'd prefer for us both to have more time to think it over, but that's not really a luxury you or I have here."

Mihoshi nodded. "Tomorrow, then… I can do that."

Heero gestured at the trail. "Shall we get going, then?"

"In a sec," said Mihoshi, suddenly looking down at the ground before glancing up at him, "Hey, Heero?"

She looked a bit nervous to Heero, like she was working up her courage for something. "What is it, Mihoshi?"

She smiled a moment later. "Thanks."

Heero blinked in confusion. "For what?"

He got his answer when Mihoshi leaned forward to plant a quick yet tender kiss on his lips. "For being so kind to me about all of this. For… for being you, Heero."

Heero gave her a small smile in return, and he had the satisfaction of seeing her face take on a deep scarlet hue. "Anytime, Mihoshi."

….

It was a good thing that Kiyone was already sitting when Mihoshi dropped her bombshell, because she was quite certain that she would have fallen flat on her ass in utter astonishment otherwise. As it was, her eyes widened, her face paled, and her jaw dropped so abruptly that Kiyone was faintly amazed that it didn't fall off altogether.

Well, she thought numbly as her mind struggled to process it all, I guess that explains why it didn't feel like today's negotiations went anywhere. There was another deal being worked on behind the scenes that none of us were told about…

After hours on end of talks in the estates spacious and luxurious main conference room, Kiyone had been hoping to decompress with a relaxing bath, a filling dinner, and an early rest. That hadn't happened, though. Instead, Mihoshi had quietly pulled her aside after the meeting and taken her to one of the mansion's lounges up on the second floor. Once servants had poured drinks for the two of them, Mihoshi had bade them to leave the room so she could deliver her stunning news to Kiyone.

Sitting across the table from her, Mihoshi looked more nervous now than Kiyone had ever seen in the time that they'd spent together. "Uhm… sorry to drop this on you. I… I know it's a lot. Still… I need your advice, Kiyone. You're… you're not mad at me, are you?"

Kiyone blinked in confusion. "Why would I be mad?"

"Well, Heero told me about the proposal this morning," Mihoshi answered as she tapped her fingers together in apprehension, "and I didn't tell you until now. I know partners are supposed to tell each other important things like this, and I do trust you. It's just… I needed some time to think about everything before I told you."

Kiyone shook her head before reaching across the table to take Mihoshi's hand in hers. "Mihoshi, I promise that I'm not mad. Just shocked more than anything else."

Mihoshi let out a deep exhalation, and her demeanor relaxed considerably. "Oh, good. I was really worried there."

"It's not me you should be worrying about," Kiyone replied as she rubbed her forehead, "I can't believe President Moriko and Empress Funaho cooked up something this crazy and kept us all in the dark. They completely blindsided us here."

She then looked at her partner again. "Mihoshi… how are you holding up? This craziness can't be easy for you to deal with."

Mihoshi's shoulders slumped. "Well, Heero was really nice about it when he told me. Still… it's a lot, Kiyone. I… I've never had to make a decision like this before."

"No kidding," Kiyone muttered, "You always wanted to be a cop. Bet you never thought that you'd get caught up in noble family marriage games, eh?"

Mihoshi shook her head. "No.. I… I don't know what to do."

"Can't blame you there," said Kiyone as she leaned back and looked up at the ceiling, struggling to put her thoughts in order, "Not exactly an easy call to make."

"What do you think I should do, Kiyone?" Mihoshi asked.

Kiyone closed her eyes for a moment; whatever advice she gave could impact the rest of her friend's life. This was a monumental choice for Mihoshi, and while Kiyone was glad that she'd come to her for advice, that didn't mean she was comfortable with the thought of having influence over a decision like this.

It's not just her future at stake here, Kiyone reminded herself, but possibly that of the entire galaxy. Still… feels wrong to weigh Mihoshi's personal life as less than that.

She took a few minutes to mull it over before prodding Mihoshi with a question. "Let's start with this; is Heero the kind of guy you would want to marry?"

Even as the words left her lips, Kiyone wanted to slap herself. What kind of a question was that? Objectively, the answer was easy. In just the past few months that she and Mihoshi had known him, Heero had provided them shelter, made sure they never went hungry under his care, took the time to talk and check in on them when he could, had shown them what he could of his home planet and the colonies orbiting it, and in general had just been a standup guy. He was brave, compassionate, and intelligent. Sure, he might be a bit too aloof and withdrawn at times, but even those traits could be considered as perks; they meant that someone could experience much needed peace and quiet around him, and that he could respect someone's need for space. He was a skilled pilot and soldier too, which meant he had the means and will to protect anyone close to him. Throw on top of all that the fact that he was quite easy on the eyes and a prince of Jurai…

…well, what girl wouldn't want to marry him? Had the offer been presented to Kiyone, she probably would have jumped at it.

It wasn't about Kiyone, though. She wasn't the involved party here; Mihoshi was. Even so, Kiyone had a pretty good idea as to which way her partner would lean.

Sure enough, Mihoshi gave her confirmation just a moment later. "Well, yeah. I mean, he's treated me so well ever since we met. I thought he might be a bit scary at first since he's so quiet and all, but he's actually really kind. He's been so patient with me, too, even though I was always making a mess for him back on Earth. I… feel like he really cares, Kiyone. Maybe it's not romantic for him, but his heart is still warm… and maybe it could become romantic for him in time. Either way, I could be happy with him. I… I am happy with him."

Kiyone smiled. "That's good. I mean, I think we all know who he's actually in love with, but Heero's always made sure to watch out for all of us in his own way. If you went through with this and married him, I'm sure he'd do all he could to make sure you're happy. Still… is that really okay with you? Marrying him even though you know he loves someone else?"

"We talked about that," Mihoshi replied, "and… yeah, it is. There's more than one kind of love, after all."

Kiyone's smile grew slightly. "That's true."

She then tapped her chin in thought. "It's not just about your heart, though. Mihoshi, if you go through with this… you might not be able to keep working as a Galaxy Police officer anymore. You'd be made a princess of Jurai. You'd have an entirely different life going forward."

Mihoshi shook her head. "I could still be part of the Galaxy Police. No one's saying anything about me having to leave."

"No, but things would change for you," Kiyone pressed, "Do you really think that you'd be able to go back to being a beat cop with me after something like this? Even if your name remains on the official books of the Galaxy Police, you wouldn't be doing patrols or other normal duties anymore. Your safety would be too important because you'd be seen as a link between Seniwa and Jurai."

Kiyone took a deep breath as she looked her partner in the eyes. "Mihoshi… we wouldn't be able to work together anymore."

It felt strange to utter those words. Several months ago, Kiyone might've celebrated doing so. After all, it meant she would be free of a partner whose various mishaps had put her career into a tailspin. She could finally shine on her own merits and begin properly climbing the ranks. In a way, the proposed match between Heero and Mihoshi promised to give Kiyone what she thought she'd always wanted.

Yet now, with the promise of that freedom finally before her…

…why was Kiyone suddenly having second thoughts?

You're going crazy, she told herself, Mihoshi's practically dropping what you've wanted for so long into your lap on a silver platter. Why are you hesitating now of all times? You get to ditch her as a partner without being the bad guy, and she gets to marry a prince of Jurai. This is a win-win! You'll both be happy!

Would they really, though?

Mihoshi could be a pain; there was no getting around that. Being a klutz and general airhead wasn't exactly a recipe for success as a Galaxy Police officer, and Mihoshi prior mishaps had come with a considerably blast radius that Kiyone was inevitably engulfed in. However, through those crazy mishaps, Kiyone had unwittingly forged a strange yet fulfilling friendship with her partner. Mihoshi's faults were legion, but so were her virtues. She was kind, caring, genuinely devoted to duty in her own way, and always gave her best effort to any work that came her way. Even if those efforts very often went awry, Mihoshi still tried, and that counted for something in Kiyone's book. She never jockeyed for position with Kiyone; she was firmly dedicated to making their partnership work. How many tales had Kiyone heard of police partnerships where both officers involved constantly tried to one-up each other in the seemingly eternal rat-race for promotion and pay bonuses? Mihoshi didn't give a damn about any of that. She just wanted to do her job and help people. In a profession that had entirely too many cynical and self-serving elements for Kiyone's sake, Mihoshi's honesty, her genuine desire to protect and serve, was downright refreshing.

And if she went through with this proposed marriage, Kiyone would lose that.

As all this went through Kiyone's mind, she almost wasn't aware of Mihoshi's counter. "It doesn't have to be like that, Kiyone. I mean, maybe I wouldn't be able to do patrols or arrests with you anymore, but we could still work together."

Kiyone blinked in confusion. "How?"

Mihoshi smiled. "Well, if I marry Heero, that'll make a princess. That means I'd have the right to my own Royal Guard if I wanted one. That could be you!"

It was a suggestion that caught Kiyone completely flat-footed. "Huh… would that actually work? I thought only direct bloodline royals got Royal Guards."

"I'm not sure," Mihoshi confessed, "but I bet Heero could make you one of his. Then you could protect both of us."

Trade the Galaxy Police for being a Juraian prince's Royal Guard? It was such an odd and outside the box notion to Kiyone, yet when she actually thought about it, she could definitely see some perks. She had the skills for it; no special powers, but plenty of combat experience. Galaxy Police training included courses on protecting VIPs, so she could certainly adapt that to such a role.

I'd get to live the highlife, too, she mused, I mean, I'd be on the clock as a protector, but even so… there are definitely worse gigs out in the galaxy.

Such a job might have its perks, but it also meant that Kiyone would be leaving the life she was used to behind. No more long-range missions as an officer, no more running down smugglers and pirates or stopping to help civilians whose ships had broken down due to mechanical failure. As hard as the work might be, it was also work that Kiyone genuinely enjoyed. Could she really give that up?

Then again, it really wasn't about her right now; how this all impacted Mihoshi was what Kiyone wanted to keep her focus on. "I guess that's true. Knowing him, if I asked him to do that, he probably would. Forget about that for a moment, though. Mihoshi… do you really want to do this? I know you're under a lot of pressure, especially with what the match can gain us in our fight against Kagato. Still, you shouldn't be forced into this. If you don't think you can do this, please tell me… and tell Heero. If you're afraid, then we can tell him together. I'm pretty sure that he would understand if this is all too much for you."

She watched as her partner closed her eyes and took a long, deep breath. There was silence for several long and agonizing seconds before Mihoshi opened her eyes and smiled. It wasn't the sort of smile that Kiyone was used to from her; not chipper and carefree, but instead mature and resolute. Kiyone found it quite striking.

She really has grown a lot over the past few months, Kiyone thought, Mihoshi… maybe you really are ready for this.

She got confirmation of that from her friend a moment later. "I do, Kiyone. If doing this means I can help us all, then I will. This isn't really about my happiness here; it's about all of our survival."

Kiyone nodded. "That's a good way to look at it. Even so…"

Mihoshi shook her head, her smile growing slightly with the gesture. "Kiyone, don't worry about me. It means a lot to me that you do, but you don't have to here. I've made up my mind. I'm going to do this. Besides, remember who I'm marrying here. This is Heero that we're talking about. He's always done his best to make all of us happy. I know he'll do so here. Well, he will if he decides to go through with this. He said he needed to talk to someone else before he made a final decision. When he has his answer, I'll have mine for him."

Kiyone reached across the table to take Mihoshi's hand again. "Well, whatever you both end up doing, I promise that I'll support you all the way. After all, that's what partners do."

….

Standing on the fourth-floor balcony and leaning against the railing, Washu could not resist a satisfied smile as Heero laid out Moriko's proposition. That smile remained even when the young prince shot her a piercing glare that would have caused lesser beings to recoil.

"You knew this was in the works, didn't you?" Heero accused.

Washu spread her hands in an innocent gesture. "Knew? No. Suspected? Hoped? Yes and yes."

Heero folded his arms. "If you had suspicions, then why didn't you warn me? Even if intel's not confirmed, it's still good for a soldier to have so they can keep all possibilities in mind."

"A fair point," Washu conceded, "As a scientist, I prefer to act on verifiable and testable data. While I might have hunches like anyone else, I wish to have solid evidence supporting them before I make a move. The suspicions I had of Funaho and Moriko's intentions were merely guesses based on what I know of their past actions and policy preferences. While that knowledge pointed towards possible scenarios, I could be certain of none of them. There were only more probable and less probable scenarios, and I wanted to keep my options open rather than prematurely lock in on one and base my plans around a possible mistake."

Heero shook his head. "You still should've clued me in. I could've at least prepared for this."

"Could you really, though?" Washu countered, "You've only reluctantly begun to explore your heritage, let alone truly take on the responsibilities of a Juraian prince. In fact, you've already made your wish to avoid playing the political marriage game quite clear."

"I have," said Heero, "yet I'm being compelled to play it anyway."

"No one's forcing this match upon you," Washu replied, "You can still turn Moriko down. It won't keep her from negotiating with us in good faith for what we need."

"It's not that simple, and you know it," Heero shot back, "What we need is far more than permission for Jurai's fleet to pass through Seniwa space. You know what kind of battle we'll be flying into here; having Seniwa's navy on our side would give us a crucial edge over Kagato's forces. Can we really afford to turn that down given what's at stake here?"

Washu's eyes narrowed. "You're the military man, Heero; you already know the answer to that."

"I do," Heero admitted, "and so do you. Moriko's offer was made in terms that I understand perfectly. I might be new to politics, but her deal can be measured by warships, which is something I know quite well."

"Put in those terms, it sounds like you already know choice you're going to make," said Washu, "In light of that, why come to me? Surely it wasn't just to accuse me of partaking in a scheme that I wasn't brought in on."

She watched as Heero leaned against the railing and took a deep breath while looking out over the lush lands behind the mansion. "No, it wasn't… and I'm sorry. I came to you for guidance, but I'd hardly call it fair to attack the one I'm seeking guidance from."

Washu smiled gently as she reached over to lay a hand over his. "No need to apologize. You're in a position that, mere months ago, you could never imagine yourself being in. You've had one curb ball after another thrown at you in a very short amount of time, and you haven't really been given the opportunity to come to terms with it all. It's perfectly understandable that you're frustrated and lashing out. Actually, you're barely even doing that; all things considered, you've been handling yourself very well given the circumstances. Still, even someone as strong and disciplined as you can only take so much before it all becomes overwhelming."

Heero turned to look at her for a long moment before slowly nodding. "I suppose you're right. Whatever way I thought things would go once we left Earth… this wasn't in the cards."

"Your mindset back then was still firmly that of a Preventer operative," Washu pointed out, "Your focus was purely on completing the mission in terms that you understood; hunting down valuable assets to keep them out of enemy hands and eliminating that enemy when the opportunity presented itself. That is still our mission if you want to keep looking at things in such a crude framing, but we're at a point now where accomplishing it may mean embracing methods and viewpoints that you've never considered before."

Heero's eyes narrowed. "You're saying that this isn't a mission I can complete as I am now."

"Not quite," Washu replied, "As you were when all this started, perhaps. Now, though… well, look at you. You're giving serious thought to Moriko's proposal. You're looking at all the implications, and not just those concerning yourself; you're equally worried about the impacts it'll have on those close to you, on the world government that employs you, and on the wider galaxy. You may not realize it, Heero, but you've already taken an enormous step towards becoming someone new, someone who can resolve this crisis. That transformation's incomplete, though. You're on the cusp of it, yet you hesitate… because fully embracing it means that your old life will be at an end."

Heero's gaze turned skyward, and it was all too easy for Washu to imagine him looking beyond the domed roof of the city and towards the world that he had left behind. "Transformation… that might really be what this all comes down to. No matter how I look at it in my head, how many scenarios I try to game out, they all come to the same conclusion. The mission is too important to leave anything to chance. We need every edge we can get, and if President Moriko's willing to put the Seniwa Navy on the table, we must take it. In doing so, though… I'll no longer be able to go back. Not to Preventers, or at least not to the normal missions I once took for them. My life won't belong to them. It'll belong to Jurai and Seniwa."

"That is one way to see things," Washu remarked, "but, if you ask me, it's a very self-limiting perspective. Yes, should you go down this path, you'll have duties to both Jurai and Seniwa that will be unavoidable. However, by the same token, it expands your horizons vastly. You'll be in a position of influence within the galaxy's two premier powers. Your potential impact could be immeasurable."

Heero shook his head. "Doubtful. I might go along with political game for the sake of the mission, but I know my limitations. When it comes to actually playing it, I'm a rank amateur at best."

Washu shook her head. "You're far better at it than you give yourself credit for. Look at how you've handled yourself since coming to Jurai. Just take the debut ball, for example. You went there with a very specific purpose; create a powerful first impression that would bring the Empire's military onto our side. Suffice to say, you accomplished that task in spectacular fashion."

"By beating the crap out of a noble," Heero quipped, though not without a wry smirk, "As personally satisfying as the experience might've been, even I know that politics isn't usually conducted in such a… physical manner."

Washu nodded. "That's true, but it misses my point. You acted decisively, cutting the Gordian Knot and winning the support we needed that very night. Not every political puzzle can be approached with brute force, perhaps, but your direct approach has other perks. It means that people can quickly understand exactly where they might stand with you and what you're after. It's a sort of brutal honesty that's quite rare in politics, and you'll find that those who genuinely want to serve the public and make life better for people rather than simply enriching themselves are drawn to such frank conduct. You already have a reputation within Jurai as a skilled warrior and pilot thanks to your martial deeds, but your conduct at the debut ball and in other such political arenas has given you another sort of reputation; one as a straight shooter, someone who's genuine in their intentions and willing to cut through the excessive etiquette and niceties that are so stifling in aristocratic society in order to get results. In such strict and hierarchical realms like Jurai and Seniwa, that kind of approach will gain you enemies, but it will also gain you powerful allies."

She then smiled. "Besides, do you really think that you'd be lacking for mentors in the finer political arts? You already have Funaho and Seto in your corner, and I can all but guarantee that Moriko would step in as well; she has long sought the chance for exactly this sort of bond between Seniwa and Jurai, so she would be heavily invested in your success in navigating both political realms. She's been deftly managing the politics of both Seniwa as a whole and the Kuramitsu Clan for centuries, Heero. Just imagine what she could teach you."

"I guess that's true," Heero conceded, "Even with her help, though, it'd be a steep learning curve."

"And you think you couldn't tackle it?" Washu rhetorically asked, smirking all the while, "Even now, Heero, you still don't give yourself enough credit."

"I'd rather err on the side of humility than arrogance," Heero quipped.

"Understandable, but not necessary here," Washu replied, "and I think you know that. You're nothing if not adaptable, Heero; the past several months are proof enough of that."

"Maybe," said Heero, his voice softening, "but… I'm not the only one that would have to adapt here."

Washu inclined her head. "You're worried about Mihoshi, I see… and Ryoko. Going through this, all three of you would be thrust into a world far beyond anything you all knew before. Mihoshi might have been born here on Seniwa and in the cradle of Kuramitsu power, but her chosen career path took her well clear of its intrigue and pressures… probably for the best, knowing that girl. Still, with you being there alongside her every step of the way… I think she'd surprise you. She's already come along quite a bit since meeting you, Heero."

She was relieved to see a very small smile appear on his face. "She has… and she can go further. Still needs to work on her awareness and balance, but she's getting there."

Heero then took a deep breath before meeting her gaze. "Is it wrong to admit that I'm more worried about Ryoko than Mihoshi?"

Washu shook her head and smiled. "Not at all. I'd call it honest… yet another quality of yours that I admire. I think I'm not the only amongst our strange little circle that understands why you would feel that way. You care for us all, I know… but in the end, only one of us truly holds your heart in her hands. For me, at least, it's reassuring to know that you hold my daughter so dearly that you would fret just as much for her sake as for yours in a situation like this. I can think of no other person that I'd want her to be with, Heero."

Heero sighed heavily. "I've already taken her so far out of her comfort zone. Bringing her to Jurai, diving into royal politics, making her my Royal Guard… and she's gone along with it all. Without hesitation… without fear."

"I'd nitpick on that last point," Washu argued, "Ryoko feels fear just like you and I do, Heero… and, just like us, she's willing to face it and overcome it for what she believes in... or, in your case, for who she believes in. For who she loves. Should you all go through with this, then your new lives would indeed be challenging for all involved; Ryoko would be no exception. Yet, do I think she would take the plunge regardless? Absolutely… and I think you know that, too."

Heero slowly nodded. "Yeah… I do."

"Keep that faith in her," said Washu, "You know she's earned it, just as you've earned hers."

"I will," Heero vowed.

Washu patted him on the back. "Good. You two have already overcome quite a few hurdles, and there'll be plenty more in your path going forward. Stick together, trust each other, and I don't think anything in this galaxy will be able to stop you."

Heero smirked. "Not even a potential mother-in-law with a penchant for building superweapons?"

Washu laughed heartily. "Consider that incentive to not break my daughter's heart!"

She was pleased to hear Heero laugh as well, albeit not as loudly as her. "Fair enough."

The young man's expression became serious again as he met Washu's gaze. "Knowing what Ryoko will be getting into with this… you'll abide by it? No reservations?"

"I always have reservations," Washu replied, "I'm just better at hiding them than most. Even so, this is her decision, not mine. Whatever path she chooses, I just want it be one that she can live with."

"I'll do all I can to make sure it is, regardless of her choice," Heero promised.

Washu smiled in gratitude. "I know you will. Meeting you is the best thing that ever happened to my daughter, Heero; I know that beyond a shadow of a doubt. No matter what happens going forward, I can rest easy knowing she'll face it with you by her side."

"Can I consider that your blessing, then?" asked Heero.

Washu chuckled. "Is that what all this is really about? Would you seriously let me stop you two if I objected?"

"Of course not," Heero answered firmly, "but I'd still ask for it, regardless. She's your daughter, after all. It's only right."

Washu slowly nodded. "So she is… and so it is. Well, if you're asking me to make it official, then here you go; you have my permission to make her one of your wives, Heero."

Heero bowed. "Thank you, Washu. I wish I could make her the first, but given the diplomatic considerations here…"

"We can't afford to snub Seniwa by making Mihoshi second princess consort," Washu finished for him, "especially if first princess consort is a recently pardoned pirate. Don't worry, Heero; while I share your sentiment regarding my daughter, I understand the practicalities and politics inherent in this situation perfectly."

"I figured as much," said Heero, still sounding noticeably relieved, "Even so, I appreciate that."

"I'm not about to give you grief over something like this," Washu reassured him, "If Ryoko's already made peace with it, then I can do so, too."

She then tapped her chin in thought. "You know… of all people that you could've come to about this, why me? Not that I'm complaining, but I would've imagined that Yosho would be the one you'd seek out for counsel. He was in your shoes a very long time ago, or at least close to them."

"I had considered discussing this with him," Heero admitted, "However, I don't actually think he would've been of much help."

Washu tilted her head quizzically. "What makes you say that?"

"When you say he was in my shoes once," Heero answered, "I don't think that's completely accurate. After all, he stayed out on Earth for centuries rather than face his responsibilities as crown prince of Jurai."

"He wasn't exactly on Earth by choice," Washu countered, "Kagato and Ragyō attacked him, and he crashed on your world, remember?"

"Yes," Heero replied, "and on Earth, he found your stasis pod. His ship might've been trashed by the fight and the landing, but if he were to awaken you, I think it's fair to say that you could've helped him get off planet."

"Would've been a fair bit of work," Washu conceded, "but since the Royal Tree Funaho was still intact, definitely not impossible."

"Thanks for proving my point," Heero continued, "Yosho knew you well; if he really wanted to get back to Jurai, all he had to do was free you from your stasis pod and strike up a deal. I doubt that would've been difficult given the circumstances."

Washu nodded. "At that point, we both owed each other, so helping him get off world after he freed me from my stasis pod would've just been setting us even."

"Whatever debts were between you two are irrelevant," said Heero as his eyes narrowed, "The point to all of this is that he had a way home in the form of you, and he didn't take it. He was more than happy to leave the Juraian court life behind. Can't really say that I blame him for it, but you can see why that makes me less inclined to go to him for advice on something like this."

"I guess that's fair," Washu admitted, "Still, I do think that you're being a bit too hard on him. Sure there's not something else at work there?"

Heero sighed. "Maybe. Truth is… I'm not really sure how to talk to him these days."

Washu raised an eyebrow. "Really? I've sat in on your sparring matches with him, and you two seem to have no trouble communicating."

Heero shook his head. "That's different. That's in a setting where we're focused on a specific task, one that's related to the mission. Outside of that… I don't really know how to describe it, but…"

The proverbial lightbulb clicked on in Washu's mind. "You don't know how to approach him as family, do you?"

Heero's brow furrowed in thought for a moment before he nodded. "I think that's it. I know it sounds weird, especially since I can go to someone like Funaho, who's also family, for counsel without issue. It just feels like something's different with me and him, though."

Washu took a few seconds to mull it over. "Is it maybe because you see Funaho as something more along the lines of a mission advisor? A source of intel, a means to equip you with the knowledge needed for the operation?"

Heero blinked a few times. "That… that's actually a good way to put it. I know it sounds heartless since she's my great-grandmother, but I think that's really how my mind sees her right now. With my grandfather, it's a little blurrier."

Washu's eyes narrowed; she had a strong suspicion as to what lay at the root of this issue. "It comes down to trust, doesn't it? You still haven't quite gotten over how he hid his ties to you even after recognizing you as his descendant."

"I think that's it," Heero confirmed, "Don't get me wrong; in training or actual combat, I trust him. Outside of it, though, and in matters like this… part of me still has doubts about him. I find myself wondering if there are other key bits of information he's been keeping from me."

"I would argue that his past is his own, much like yours," Washu pointed out, "Do you really need to know every detail about his life?"

"Of course not," Heero replied, his tone softening, "I don't expect that level of disclosure from him, and it wouldn't be right to ask for it in the first place. It'd be pretty hypocritical, given what I've kept hidden… from him and the rest of you."

"At least you're self-aware enough to recognize that," Washu remarked, "I can understand where you're coming from. I mean, look at all I hid from Ryoko. She's got every right not to trust me. I'm trying to build bridges with her, but that takes time. Still, we all have to start somewhere, right? Your grandfather's a good man, Heero. Sure, he made some mistakes, but I've made the same ones and worse, yet you still come to me for counsel. I'm not saying that you need to seek out his advice on this particular topic… but don't shut him out on other matters. Give him a chance. You'll find that he's got a lot to offer, and I'm not talking about more swordsmanship lessons."

Heero paused for a moment before nodding. "I will."

Washu took a deep breath. "So… you think you're ready for this?"

Heero shook his head. "No, I don't… but whether I'm ready or not is beside the point. I know what the choice before me is, as do Mihoshi and Ryoko. We'll convene privately tomorrow morning to make our final decision… and then we'll break it to the rest of you."

Washu smiled proudly. "If it helps, there's no one I'd rather trust with a decision like this than you. Yeah, maybe it's unfair that it got dropped on you, that you got put into this sort of position to begin with, but of all the people that the galaxy's fate could rest on, it could do far worse than you."

Heero chuckled bitterly. "I'm not sure if that's the ringing endorsement you think it is."

Washu shrugged before fixing him with a firm gaze. "Eh, maybe I could've worded it better, but the point still stands. This is your moment, Heero. It's your time to decide who you're going to be going forward. The soldier's life may be the one you know best, but your horizon is so much broader… and you can do so much more that simply serve and fight."

Her eyes narrowed as she stared at him intently. "Put aside the soldier. Become who you were born to be."

….

March 30th, A.C. 199

Standing in the spacious conference room off to the side of the wide and finely polished circular table, Ayeka could not keep from glancing nervously at the expensive and ornate wooden doors on the far side. "Where is he? It's not like Lord Heero to be late. Should one of us go look for him?"

"We do still have about five minutes or so before we're scheduled to begin today's talks," Funaho pointed out, "Given the importance of our business here, I'm sure Heero will arrive on time."

"It's not just Heero that's missing, though," Sasami remarked with more than a hint of worry, "Ryoko and Mihoshi aren't here, either."

"Kiyone, have you seen your partner?" asked Wufei.

Kiyone nodded. "We had breakfast together. She said that she had something to take care of afterwards, but that it wouldn't take her too long. Might have something to do with why Heero and Ryoko are late, but I couldn't say for sure."

Ayeka eyed Kiyone carefully. The officer's explanation seemed innocent enough, but Ayeka still felt like something was off. Kiyone appeared stiff, and her gaze kept going towards Moriko.

Kiyone's much more familiar with Mihoshi than the rest of us, Ayeka reminded herself, I suppose if anything was truly wrong with her partner, Kiyone would be seeking her out right now rather than stay here with us. Still… I have a bad feeling about this.

President Moriko herself was also proving to be a person of interest for Ayeka. The leader of Seniwa and the Kuramitsu Clan was downright relaxed compared to those around her, and the smile she wore was a bit too confident for Ayeka to be comfortable with. She clearly knew something that the others didn't.

Most of the others, anyway. Ayeka's tutors had long ago taught her the value of cautious and covert observation of others during any formal setting, and she did not fail to notice how President Moriko would periodically glance Funaho's way and smile. It was a smile that Funaho would return, along with a very small nod. Those two were clearly on the same wavelength, but whether or not that boded well for everyone else remained to be seen.

"They'll be here," Washu chimed in, "You can count on it."

Focusing on the notorious scientist, Ayeka found something odd about Washu's demeanor. Unlike Moriko and Funaho, Washu seemed to be in a more contemplative state of being. Her hands were clasped before her, and her gaze was focused downward, or perhaps, more accurately, inward. Ayeka wondered what had her so preoccupied; there was certainly no shortage of possibilities.

"I hope so," said Azaka, "They're cutting it awfully close."

"Did Lord Heero not pay attention to Princess Ayeka's lessons on royal etiquette?" Kamidake fretted, "Being late to a diplomatic meeting is a serious breach of protocol!"

While Ayeka shared her protectors' concerns, she still frowned in disapproval. "Lord Heero has been most attentive in every conversation I've had with him, and he's striven to learn as much as he can about being a proper Royal as is possible in such a short period of time."

"He is nothing if not studious," Yosho added.

"Whatever it takes to get the mission done," Duo muttered, "That's Heero in a nutshell."

"I hope he's okay," Hilde remarked, "Maybe one of us should go find him. Just to be safe."

"Trowa and I can go," Quatre volunteered.

Trowa nodded. "It couldn't hurt to do a quick sweep of the area."

That was when the conference room doors opened. It should have set Ayeka's fears at ease. After all, standing in the doorway was Heero, with Ryoko on his right and Mihoshi to his left. They'd cut things awfully close, but they had made it just in time.

And yet…

The way Heero's gaze first went to President Moriko and then Funaho, along with the way that the two women smiled and nodded, tripped an alarm in Ayeka's mind. The same went for how his gaze then met Washu's, with the latter looking at him with what struck Ayeka as an almost resigned and sympathetic air. At the same time, Ayeka saw that Mihoshi was hardly her usual cheerful and chipper self. Her expression was almost as serious as Heero's, and while it could have just been because of the general gravity of the situation, Ayeka could not help but feel that there was more to it. Ryoko, too, seemed unusually somber, repeatedly looking at both Heero and Mihoshi in clear worry, yet resolutely nodding when both of them looked back at her.

Heero cleared his throat as the doors closed behind him and his companions. "My apologies for our tardiness. I hope we haven't delayed things too much."

"Not at all," Funaho reassured him, "You're just in time."

President Moriko gestured to the table. "Shall we commence today's proceedings?"

"Not just yet," Heero replied before gesturing at Mihoshi, "We have an announcement to make, and I believe that it's more convenient for all involved that we get it out of the way now. It'll simplify today's talks considerably, or at least put them on a more productive path."

President Moriko's smiled again, and Ayeka did not like it. "You've made your decision, then."

"We have, great-grandmother," Mihoshi confirmed.

"Then let us have it," said Funaho.

Ayeka's head snapped back as she looked frantically back and forth between Seniwa's leader and Jurai's First Empress. "Decision? A decision on what? President Moriko, Lady Funaho, what exactly is going on here?"

"Shortly after we arrived on Seniwa, President Moriko approached me in private with a proposition," Heero elaborated, "One that, were we to give a favorable answer, would net us far more than just the navigation rights we're here for. We would gain the Seniwa Domain as a full ally in our efforts against Kagato, with support including logistical, intelligence, and direct military aid."

Duo whistled. "Damn!"

Quatre's eyes narrowed. "What's the proposition, Heero? What is Seniwa asking for in return?"

"Just how big of a catch is involved here?" Trowa asked warily.

Heero took a deep breath, and Ayeka's heart practically leapt up into her throat. "President Moriko seeks to deepen the ties between Seniwa and Jurai's respective ruling families."

Sirens blared in Ayeka's head; she knew dynastic politics well enough to understand what that entailed. "Lord Heero… you can't mean…"

Heero slowly nodded. "In exchange for the full support of the Kuramitsu Clan and the Seniwa Domain… Mihoshi and I will be betrothed."

….

The room went dead silent at Heero's announcement. While Funaho, Moriko and Washu remained relatively at ease, even relaxed, everyone else looked as though a bomb had just detonated on the conference table. Then again, given what Heero had just dropped on them all, he supposed that was an appropriate reaction.

I knew that we would be making waves today, he mused as he looked around the room, I thought I was prepared… but I guess it's impossible to completely prepare for something like this.

He surreptitiously glanced at the women flanking him. Mihoshi, remarkably enough, looked like she was mostly holding herself together. Sure, her nervousness was unmistakable, but it was mostly confined to the tense way that she held herself. She was stiff, her hands clasped behind her back so that people could not see them fidgeting, but her head was held high and her gaze fixed straight ahead. As for Ryoko, the concern in her gaze was evident for all to see, but she remained by Heero's side, just as determined as him and Mihoshi to see this strange turn of events through to the finish.

The silence in the room was broken, somewhat unsurprisingly in Heero's eyes, by Duo, who looked like he had just been smacked upside the head. "Uhm… you wanna say that again, buddy? Could've sworn I heard something crazy."

"You did," Heero replied matter-of-factly, "but in this the 'crazy' something you heard is the truth. The deal offered by President Moriko was that Mihoshi and I wed in exchange for the fully backing of the Seniwa Domain, including their navy. Given the gravity of the situation, I felt it prudent that we take all the help we can get."

Quatre whistled. "Can't argue with that assessment, but still… this is really how you want to play it, Heero?"

"I didn't think we were here to play a matchmaking game," Trowa quipped, "Political marriage isn't your style, Heero."

Heero shrugged. "I never imagined that I'd be entering into one, but here we are."

Wufei chuckled. "I can't wait to see the looks on Director Une and Sally's faces when they find out about this."

Hilde looked more than a little worried. "Heero, Mihoshi… are you two sure about this?"

"We are," Mihoshi answered before turning to Heero for affirmation.

Heero didn't hesitate to give it. "The two of us talked it over, both yesterday and this morning. While we might've both wanted more time before making a final decision, that's not an option available. This is our choice, and we'll see it through."

Kiyone smiled. "And we'll be behind you all the way."

"It's the least we can do, given the burden you're both taking on for all our sakes," Washu added.

"The Royal Family of Jurai will offer its full support to this match," Funaho chimed in.

"Such a momentous occasion!" Azaka proclaimed, "A union between the Jurai and Kuramitsu lines… we're witnessing history here!"

"What an honor to be present for the announcement!" chirped Kamidake, "Wouldn't you agree, Princess Ayeka?"

Heero worked hard to suppress a wince. While the Guardian clearly meant well, he was almost certain that his words would not help Ayeka here. In fact, Heero was almost as worried about her reaction to this news as he had been about Ryoko's when he'd broached the proposal to her.

Focusing on Jurai's crown princess, Heero's heart ached as he watched Ayeka clench her robes tightly. To her immense credit, she still retained the dignified bearing an heir to the throne, but the tension in her frame was impossible to miss. She sat stiffly, and her face seemed somewhat paler than usual. Her breathing was steady and controlled, yet it also seemed forced, as if it was taking everything she had to simply keep it all together.

Sasami reached over to take Ayeka's hand in hers, looking at her older sister with clear concern. "Ayeka?"

Ayeka looked at Sasami for a moment and took a deep breath before speaking. "This arrangement… this union… would indeed be in the best interest of Jurai and Seniwa. I cannot deny that, nor can I deny the historical gravity of such a union. Even so…"

She then met Heero's gaze, and while the anguish in her red eyes was clear as day, she refused to let it take over completely. "Lord Heero… you truly were not aware of this proposal before we set out to Seniwa?"

Heero shook his head. "President Moriko only approached me after we arrived at the mansion. I knew nothing of it beforehand, Ayeka. I give you my word on that."

Ayeka slowly nodded. "I… I see. And you, Mihoshi?"

"I didn't know until after Heero told me," Mihoshi quickly replied, flinching under the princess's gaze, "I promise it's the truth, Ayeka. Please… please don't be mad at me."

There was a very long pause before Ayeka shook her head. "I… I am not, Mihoshi. Neither you nor Heero knew about this until our arrival, so I cannot hold you responsible for it. I… I'm sure the decision was not an easy one for either of you to make."

She to Heero's Royal Guard. "I presume you didn't find out until Heero did, Ryoko?"

Ryoko nodded, and Heero was surprised to see her give Ayeka a genuinely sympathetic look. "Heero told me the night we arrived. Ayeka, I swear that I didn't know until before then."

"Mihoshi told me the day after," Kiyone added, likewise looking at Ayeka in both apology and pity, "She needed someone to talk to before she made a decision."

"And Heero did the same with me," Washu confessed, "While I had my suspicions regarding the setup, I didn't know anything concrete was in the works until Heero came to me for counsel."

Ayeka looked at her long-lost half-brother. "What about you, Lord Yosho?"

Yosho looked at her in silence for a moment before turning to Heero. The old man's expression was nearly inscrutable, but Heero thought he caught something in Yosho's eyes. Was it regret, perhaps? Regret for the choice Heero had to make…

…or regret that Heero hadn't come to him for counsel before making it?

"I was in the dark until just now," the shrine keeper finally said, "Heero… you do know what this choice means for you, yes?"

Heero slowly nodded. "I do."

The old man chuckled ruefully. "I wonder if you really do… I suppose time will tell."

"Speaking of time," Funaho interjected, "we really must work out when to hold the wedding ceremony."

President Moriko smiled. "As much as I'd like to have it done sooner rather than later, a union between our two houses demands a certain level of pomp and ceremony that our current time-crunch does not allow for. For now, the public announcement of such a match will suffice for Seniwa to grant you both navigation rights through our space and the support of our navy. We can worry about the actual marriage after the threat's been dealt with."

Funaho inclined her head. "Yes, I think that's for the best."

"When do we make the announcement?" asked Heero.

"Tonight," President Moriko answered as she eyed Heero and Mihoshi, "It won't take long to make the arrangements for a press conference. I daresay the cameras are going to feast on you two."

Heero's brow furrowed. "Is a match between our respective houses really going to be enough to sell your people on the need for military intervention in a Juraian power struggle? This is going to be ugly; a lot of people are not going to come out of this alive. You might understand the nature of the threat, President Moriko, but will your people?"

"We must tread carefully here," said Washu, "Knowledge of the weapon Kagato's after has been contained so far, and it's better if that remains the case."

"Yet many soldiers in both Jurai and Seniwa will be risking their lives to destroy it," Funaho remarked somberly, "As Jurai's Minister of Intelligence, I'm normally the one who worries about keeping secrets… but there are times when the veil must be lifted, especially when so many lives are on the line. If we're going to demand soldiers of both Jurai and Seniwa plunge into the coming inferno, then I believe they deserve to know what they're truly fighting for."

"I concur," Ayeka chimed in forcefully, "While I understand that knowledge of the Array and its role in ending the Imperial Civil War will inevitably cause a scandal for our family, we do not have the right to hide behind matters of state secrecy or security. Not when our commissioning of this weapon is what has put the galaxy at risk in the first place."

Washu nodded. "I can respect that sentiment, but for the moment, we should still be cautious. If information on the exact specifications of the Array leaks, it could trigger a galaxy-wide arms race."

"Washu has a point," Heero conceded as he looked at Funaho and Moriko, "Perhaps we can thread this needle? Maybe a general announcement regarding a weapon of mass destruction left over from the Imperial Civil War? Enough to make the threat clear without giving too much away?"

Funaho and Moriko shared a glance before both turned to Heero, with Jurai's Minister of Intelligence speaking first. "That's possible. A delicate approach with little room for error, but it can be done."

"Agreed," said Moriko, "Prince Heero, if you, Empress Funaho, and Washu would see me in private after this meeting, I believe we can hammer out a suitable compromise."

Heero nodded. "Understood."

Moriko grinned and gestured at the table. "Well, I'd say that we're off to a great start here, but we still need to hash out the details of this new alliance. If you and your companions will take their seats, Prince Heero, we can get to work on that."

….

While the planet Jurai was justifiably considered the crown jewel of its namesake Empire, the Royal Family's homeworld was hardly the only gem to be found. Kiryūin, the homeworld of the cadet branch family of the same name, was likewise a splendid specimen of a planet, albeit in a different manner. The fourth of eleven planets orbiting the star at the heart of its system, it was slightly further out from said star than Jurai was from its. As a result, the world was considerably colder, though not the extreme extent of planets like Seniwa. Winters were long to be sure, but spring, summer and fall were still very much active seasons on the planet, and though much of its northern and southern hemispheres were dominated by snowy plains, sprawling glaciers and frigid mountains, the landmasses closer to the equator did find regular respite from the cold without the need for large domed cities.

Kiryūin might have been a tough world, but it was also a beautiful one. It was renowned for its spectacular naturally occurring light shows in the northern and southern regions, with multicolored bands stretching much further out from the poles than their counterparts far away on Earth. Like Seniwa, it could also count extensive networks of hot springs as a claim to fame, and the planet enjoyed a thriving tourist industry as a result. The planet's true source of wealth, though, was a formidable combination of vast mineral and ore reserves, mines for which practically honeycombed the planet, and its prestigious universities. The former fueled industries such as thriving orbital shipyards and massive civilian infrastructure projects, while the latter churned out the brilliant minds needed to take those resources and funnel them into works worthy of the scions that ruled the planet.

As they were both incredibly wealthy nobles, Kagato and Ragyō maintained more than one residence on the planet. Their 'public' estate, where they would host the sort of gatherings that were expected of high-ranking aristocrats, was located in the planet's capital city, but it was not the domicile that the siblings preferred to actually live in. They maintained it as a handy meeting ground for conversing with their subjects and allies and as a public façade for the media to eat up to their hearts content, but most of their time on world was typically spent at a very different residence, one far removed from the eyes of both the paparazzi and hoi polloi.

Nestled within the central mountain range that dominated much of Kiryūin's northernmost continent, Kagato and Ragyō's private residence was unlike any other in the Empire. Accessible only by air or a long and winding road leading up from the foothills and guarded by multiple security checkpoints, the estate that the Kiryūin family had christened as 'White Coven' was equal parts personal retreat, fortified redoubt, and a work of art. If one were to take the road up, they would find their path culminating in a broad circular enclave that had been cut into the mountain. Much of that space was dominated not by a building, but by gardens and open fields that should have been impossible to maintain in such an environment but were protected and nurtured by an invention of Kagato's own designed. He had designated it as a climate control field, an invisible barrier that surrounded the residence and regulated factors such as temperature, air quality, wind, and even how much sunlight filtered through. It was a marvel of engineering, yet Kagato considered it to be quite a modest creation when compared to the grand projects he had worked on both by himself and with Washu in times long past.

The main road cut through the center of that unnatural green space, culminating in front of a towering white structure shaped like an unfurled hand fan. Ten stories tall at its apex, the structure was merely the front of a vast complex that extended deep into the mountain itself. Any hover vehicles that took the road up were subsequently parked in a large garage built into the mountainside on the left side of the residence, while those who came by starship would instead be ushered by a dedicated air traffic controller to a hidden hangar that was constructed within the cliffs to the right of the fan-like structure. While said hangar could not hold craft as large as Kagato's Silver Hand, it was more than capable of housing multiple smaller vessels with space to spare.

Within the residence itself, any visitor would immediately be struck by the contrast between it and the estate that the Kiryūin family maintained in the planetary capital. While the capital mansion was richly adorned with the finest rugs and carpets, its walls lined with expensive and priceless artworks, and its columns lovingly engraved with intricate designs, the interior of White Coven was downright spartan. Kept immaculately clean, its white walls looked more like what one might expect to find aboard a starship; plain and unassuming, but durable and functional. There was precious little in the way of adornment or ornamentation here. The rooms were well-appointed, but nowhere near as lavishly as what could be found either in the planetary capital estate or in most other noble family residences throughout the Empire.

It wasn't that Kagato or his sister scorned such luxuries. Rather, it was that the two of them had a different idea concerning what kind of 'luxuries' they wanted in their private abode. For Ragyō, those luxuries took the form of a training complex buried deep within the estate, with which, amongst other amenities, came drones custom made by Kagato himself and programmed with the techniques of hundreds of legendary master swordsmen. His sister's idea of luxury also encompassed an elaborate bathhouse that put even the sprawling pool on the Silver Hand to shame. Kagato suspected that she could be found indulging in the latter rather than the former at the moment; Ragyō tended to maintain a strict regimen when she was home, and at about this time her daily training should've wrapped up.

Although I suppose it wouldn't be out of the question for her to go longer, he mused, since she's intensified her training as of late. I suspect we have the Empire's new Prince to thank for that…

While Kagato would partake in the sparring arena on a regular basis, White Coven's martial facilities weren't what he liked best about the estate. To Kagato, the mountain retreat's luxuries were embodied in two very special traits. The first was a series of laboratories, testing facilities, archives and storage vaults that extended very deep into the mountain. They were where he and a handful of carefully screened colleagues would gather and collaborate to bring his latest brilliant conceptions to life, at least when he didn't wish to be alone in that glorious altar to science. The second was the chamber he occupied now. To a casual observer, it wouldn't look like much; a domed room with a single chair in the middle, alongside which was a strange slender black stand with a translucent blue-white orb perched at the top. That orb was actually a state-of-the art holo-image projector, capable of casting live feeds from news organizations across the galaxy along the walls so that Kagato could track multiple developments in real time. The chamber also served as a private communications room where he could converse with many of his subordinates and allies simultaneously with complete security. In addition to that, the holo-image projector was also programmed to display detailed maps for Kagato to study, whether those be of individual biomes, planets, star systems, or the entire galaxy itself. The projector responded to only the voices of Kagato and his sister, and only the two of them could access the chamber itself.

At the moment, only a single broadcast was playing, and much to Kagato's chagrin it wasn't a live feed; he'd actually been taking some much-needed rest when the news he was studying now had dropped. That did not make the recording of Seniwa's President Moriko any less fascinating…

…especially since it involved her announcing the engagement of her great-granddaughter and Jurai's new Prince.

Both were present at the press conference, dressed in fine formal wear and putting on the image of a picture-perfect couple. The young Prince looked as focused and stoic as ever, while the Galaxy Police officer he was now set to marry seemed nervous but resolute. The young woman even managed a smile and wave for the cameras that were eating her and her fiancé up, though Kagato could not help but note that President Moriko was not allowing either of them to take any questions.

Standard practice, no doubt, Kagato mused, I imagine she's working overtime to ensure favorable coverage, and the bride and groom-to-be will surely get coaching in how to handle future media encounters.

Kagato couldn't help but notice another familiar face standing with President Moriko; none other than Jurai's First Empress. If that wasn't a demonstration of the Royal Family's firm commitment to the match, then nothing was. Funaho had a measured but clearly satisfied smile on her face, and Kagato could hardly blame her for that. What was unfolding on the holo-image before him was history in the making, not to mention a serious problem for Kagato. While his personal familiarity with the First Empress was mostly limited to encounters at formal events and a handful of private elite gatherings, Kagato knew her reputation as a formidable and shrewd Minister of Intelligence. This newly-announced impending union between Jurai's Royal Family and Seniwa's ruling Kuramitsu Clan had almost certainly been in the planning for some time now, and its implications for galactic politics were nothing less than monumental.

"I should have anticipated a move like this," Kagato murmured, as disappointed in himself as he was impressed by his adversaries' bold move, "The boy's adapted far better to royal politics than I'd given him credit for."

Despite the new obstacle that this development represented for his plans, Kagato could not help but smile as he respectfully inclined his head towards the image of the young Prince. "Well played, Heero Yuy Masaki Jurai. Well played, indeed."

A chiming noise sounded, and the holo-projector cast a new image to the right of the news feed. It was plain blue text announcing an incoming call…

…one originating from Seniwa.

Well, that was quick, Kagato thought, although I suppose I should be thankful for that. A development like this requires a prompt response.

A female voice with an electronic tone then spoke. "Lord Kagato, do you wish to accept this call?"

"I do," he replied to the artificial intelligence that helped him manage both this specialized chamber and many other functions within the estate, "Put them through, please."

The face he expected to see when the image shifted was not the one Kagato found staring back at him. Instead of one of the bitter old men that made up the reactionary clique within the Kuramitsu Clan, Kagato saw the face of a much younger man, barely more than a boy in his estimation. There was a sense of familiarity to the tan-skinned and blond-haired youth, but Kagato had never spoken to him before and was not quite certain who he was beyond almost certainly being a member of the Kuramitsu Clan.

Fortunately for Kagato, the young man quickly put any questions regarding his identity to rest. "My name is Misao Kuramitsu. You are Jurai's Lord Kagato, yes?"

Kagato inclined his head, a thin but polite smile on his lips as his ever- calculating mind worked to determine how best to proceed. "I am, and I must confess to being a bit confused, Lord Misao. You are not one of the select few individuals within Seniwa to have access to this frequency… until now, that is."

The youth hastily bowed. "My great-uncle gave it to me just a little bit ago. He said you'd be the one who could help me."

Great-uncle in this case being the brother of the Galaxy Police's Grand Marshal, Kagato thought as the puzzle pieces rapidly began assembling into a coherent shape in his mind, Misao Kuramitsu… I have heard that name before.

Kagato's smile grew slightly as he realized just what sort of opportunity now lay before him. "Perhaps. I would require some elaboration as to what I'd be helping you with, though. You are the son of the Galaxy Police's Chief Superintendent, yes? I believe congratulations are in order regarding your older sister's newly-announced engagement."

Misao frantically shook his head. "Respectfully, this is not an occasion for congratulations. It's nothing less than a disaster for my sister and the rest of our family!"

The boy's feelings are raw, Kagato mentally noted, I guess he's quite close to his older sister. All the better for me; it will make him so much easier to use to my advantage.

Kagato couldn't let himself appear too eager, though, so he put on a show of bemusement. "I'm afraid that I don't quite understand, Lord Misao. I would think that an impending union between the great houses of Kuramitsu and Jurai ought to be nothing but beneficial to all parties involved. Seniwa and Jurai may be rivals, but they also enjoy close economic and security ties. A match such as the one between your older sister and Prince Heero Yuy Masaki Jurai would only strengthen those ties. I fail to see the 'disaster' that you speak of."

"Our family's setting her up with a brute!" Misao blurted out hysterically, "We've heard what you all call him in Jurai; the 'Warlord Prince'! My older sister deserves someone better than a thug!"

Kagato scratched his chin. "If I recall correctly, Lady Mihoshi spent several months in the care of this young man before he became known as a 'warlord prince' in Jurai's aristocratic circles. The Kuramitsu Clan seems to have had no problem with her being in his company while she was on Earth. In fact, she seems to have fared quite well while in his care. If he's a 'thug' as you so claim, he's hardly treated your older sister in the manner that one might expect from a brute."

"Mihoshi always tries to please everyone," Misao insisted, "She wants everyone to think that everything is okay no matter how bad things get! I know she's secretly afraid of him, but she just won't say it."

The fear and paranoia are strong with this one, Kagato thought as he resisted the urge to smirk, Misao Kuramitsu… you're not even trying to make this difficult. I almost feel bad about taking advantage of you like this.

Almost.

"I'm sure Mihoshi's just going along with this engagement because our great-grandmother wants it," Misao continued, his pitch growing higher in correspondence to his ever-increasing panic and despair, "but this is so beneath our family! If the Kuramitsu Clan is going to join with the house Masaki Jurai, we deserve better than their newest prince in return. This match is an insult to our family!"

Kagato had to fight hard against the temptation to laugh. The boy was clearly casting about for excuses when his motives were obviously much pettier in scope. While Kagato didn't know Misao personally, he had taken time to brush up on the Kuramitsu Clan ever since he'd learned that one of its members was in the presence of Washu and her compatriots. Whispers out of his contacts within the clan's hardliner clique was that Mihoshi's little brother had an almost unhealthy level of attachment to her. Fear of losing his sister to a man that Misao hardly knew was almost certainly at the heart of his frantic reaction and subsequent reaching out to the clan's reactionaries and, by extension, Kagato himself for help.

Ever the natural politician, though, Kagato played his audience to the hilt, offering the boy reassurance in the knowledge that there was someone who completely sympathized with his plight. "I understand, Lord Misao. Why, if my dear sister were compelled into an engagement with such a brute, I'd be absolutely beside myself with grief."

That was a bold-faced lie, of course. If anything, the prospect of a match between Heero and Ragyō was actually quite an intriguing scenario, especially when Kagato considered the potential power of any offspring such a union might produce. It was a very unlikely set of circumstances that would have to unfold in order for such an outcome to be reached, of course, but it was fun to think about…

…and he suspected that his sister would not be opposed to the idea, either.

Kagato kept all that to himself, of course, instead putting on a show of listening patiently as Misao all but prostrated himself before him. "Please, you must help me! This match is a travesty for both Seniwa and Jurai."

Kagato inclined his head. "To be sure, Lord Misao. Leaving aside any pros and cons to the match, though, why come to me with these objections? I do not rule Jurai, after all. As both the Empire's governing sovereign and the great-grandfather of the groom-to-be, I would think that Emperor Azusa would be the proper party to raise your concerns with if you believe that your own family will not heed your counsel."

Misao shook his head. "If he was going to object, we would've gotten word from Jurai already. The fact that First Empress Funaho was present means this match has the blessing of the Jurai Royal Family. The Emperor's not going to counter his first wife and make her look foolish on the galactic stage."

Credit where it's due, Kagato mused, the boy's not completely hopeless when it comes to politics. His read on the Emperor is pretty much spot on.

"You may be right in your assessment of His Majesty," Kagato conceded, "but that still leaves unanswered the question of what you think I can do to change this state of affairs?"

"My uncle said that you secretly oppose the sitting Royal Family," Misao replied, "If you help us derail this match, it would be a blow against your rival."

"It would," said Kagato, "but I would be taking a great risk to strike that blow. Should I not demand appropriate compensation given the inherent dangers of such action?"

Misao gulped nervously. "Well… what would you want from us?"

"Without revealing too much over this channel," Kagato answered, "suffice to say that I would like the Kuramitsu Clan's support and eventual alliance. We can start, though, with Seniwa's non-interference in my own plans."

Misao eagerly nodded. "That's not too much to ask."

Kagato's brow furrowed. "Are you in a position to make such an offer and follow through on it, though? No disrespect intended, Lord Misao, but you do not rule Seniwa or the Kuramitsu Clan. Power over both belongs firmly in the hands of President Moriko, and she doesn't strike me as being about to step down anytime soon. More to the point, if the press conference was any indication, she is fully on board with the match between your older sister and Prince Heero."

"That's why I need you or your resources to disrupt the match," said Misao as his voice dropped into a conspiratorial tone, "If Heero can be… sidelined somehow…"

Kagato steepled his fingers together, a plan already forming in his mind, though with perhaps a detail or two that Misao would not like and didn't need to know about. "I don't believe further words are needed, Lord Misao. I can 'sideline' the young prince for you, and I can do so quite quickly. Within the week, if all goes well."

Misao's eyes widened. "That soon? How?"

"Best if you don't know too much," Kagato replied with a conniving smile, "You'll need deniability, after all. For the moment, there are just a few things that I need from you in order to make this scheme a reality."

….

Nagi usually made a point of keeping her various employers at arm's length. She'd take the contract from them, hunt down and capture the target, deliver said target to the designated receiver, claim her reward and move on to the next job, maybe after taking a vacation depending on how sweet the payout was. Priding herself on professional detachment and independence, Nagi normally would not allow herself to get drawn too deeply into any single paymaster's operations. If they paid well and didn't make unreasonable demands, she might make herself available for repeat hiring, but she typically wouldn't go beyond that. She certainly would not turn an employer's mansion into a base of operations.

Yet, here she was, partaking in a sparring match with one of her clients in the sophisticated training center that had been built into their mountain retreat. Nagi had absolutely no objections to the facility itself. The chamber she and Ragyō were dueling in now was just one of several that made up an impressive combat practice complex. This particular room was simpler than the others, consisting of barely more than a very wide-open steel-grey hexagon where various combatants could go head-to-head without any obstruction, yet even this relatively plain chamber came with various special features. Temperature and climate could be adjusted so that the combatants could duel on what looked like grassy plains, shifting desert sands or frozen tundra. There were various hidden doors set into the walls from which advanced training drones could come out, each one equipped with all manner of exotic weapons to test every trainee to their limits. Even the lighting could be finely tuned so that the combatants could duke it in near blinding conditions, total darkness, and everything in between. The other rooms were even more advanced, capable of recreating dense forests, rocky badlands, or even being flooded to provide training in aquatic combat.

She did not have any objections regarding her sparring partner, either. When one worked in a dangerous profession like bounty hunting, keeping oneself in top shape was essential. Having a training opponent who could still push Nagi to her limits was something to be valued, and Ragyō more than fit the bill. Kagato's sister was highly aggressive in combat, much like Ryoko, but the cadet branch royal combined that aggression with skill and technique refined over centuries to create a fighting style that was as efficient and precise as it was downright vicious. Her twin white blades were almost constantly lashing out at Nagi from nearly every conceivable angle, keeping the bounty hunter on the backfoot. The range advantage that Nagi had from the whip-mode of her saber meant little when Ragyō could simply catch and tangle the whip on one blade before pulling the bounty hunter in with surprising strength given her lithe figure and take a stab at her with the other sword. As such, Nagi seldom used the whip against her foe now, making do with both the saber and a weapon that she'd picked out from amongst the exotic implements of death stocked in the sparring chamber. It was quite plain compared with the rest of the collection; a slender parrying dagger whose sharp blade was enshrouded in a layer of violet energy, much like Nagi's saber. Thanks to that dagger, Nagi was able to fend off Ragyō relentless whirlwind of strikes, though creating openings with which to go on the offensive was a much more challenging proposition.

No, her problem was not with the accommodations or her companion, at least not directly. It was how deep Nagi was in with her employers now. Looking back on it all even as she continued to fend off strikes from her sparring partner, the bounty hunter knew that she'd crossed lines that could never be uncrossed. The raid on Earth for Washu's memories alone should have been a massive red flag, but the money had been too good to pass up. That job had certainly made her queasy, yet she still could have turned back after taking that paycheck. She'd let herself get drawn into another job, though, and that one had led to her helping Kagato shoot up a Galaxy Police task force before heading down to attack Heero and the others over the contents of the first repository. It was true that no members of the Galaxy Police task force had escaped, but that fight had almost certainly been observed by the Yagami, which meant word of Nagi's deeds had very likely gotten back to the law enforcement agency's top brass. Frankly, she was surprised that a bounty hadn't been put on her head yet, and Nagi assumed that it was only a matter of time before that changed.

I'd deserve it, too, she thought while parrying a lightning-fast string of slashes and thrusts from her opponent, I've brought in scumbags for lesser offenses, after all. Best bounty hunter in the galaxy attacks the cops and gets a price on her head… only fitting, I suppose. Wonder who's going to take first crack at it when they finally post the bounty? Got plenty of rivals in the field who want to cut me down to size…

Her musings almost cost her the match as Ragyō's right blade slipped through Nagi's guard and came within millimeters of her face, with only a last-minute dodge saving the bounty hunter from acquiring a new scar, and her opponent wasted no time in taking her to task for it. "Tsk tsk… I wouldn't think that you should require a lecture on focus. You really ought to know better, bounty hunter."

Nagi's only reply was to catch Ragyō's left sword with her parrying dagger before countering with her saber in a thrust aimed at the aristocrat's neck. Her opponent was able to swat the strike aside with her right blade, but it was a very near thing.

Close enough, at the very least, to elicit a smirk from the bounty hunter's sparring partner. "That's more like it."

The response from Kagato's sister was a ferocious offensive, with her twin white blades unleashing staccato bursts of thrusts both high and low. Keeping those strikes from hitting home stretched Nagi's defensive swordsmanship to its limits, and it took all her concentration simply to intercept the thrusts with her blades while keeping her balance. Nagi was keenly aware of the intent here; Ragyō was looking to force a misstep on her part, which would be all that the noble required to end the match.

From the sidelines came a cheer from Ken-Ohki. "Meow!"

I appreciate the vote of confidence, Nagi thought while continuing to fend off her opponent's attacks, but I wouldn't blame someone for betting against me here.

For all Nagi's pride in her abilities, her cool professionalism meant that she always kept a very realistic appraisal of her skills in comparison to those of her opponents. Being able to accurately gauge oneself against whoever they were going up against was crucial in the bounty hunting field; it was what separated the good hunters from the dead ones. Those with too high an opinion of their capabilities would almost inevitably seek out a bounty that was far more dangerous than they were prepared for, and that would be the end of them. The successful bounty hunters were those who could match themselves up with prey that they understood to be at least within their skillset to challenge. It didn't mean that the best hunters wouldn't chase after targets who weren't incredibly risky; Nagi was no stranger to that. Rather, it meant that the good hunters had an accurate understanding of the level of danger they would likely be facing and could therefore prepare accordingly or decide that discretion was the better part of valor. In this case, Nagi would freely admit to being uncertain as to where she stood when compared to her current foe. She was good, but her opponent had more than earned her reputation as one of the finest swordfighters in the galaxy. This contest was on Ragyō's home turf and terms, which usually wasn't how Nagi preferred to confront her prey. Being honest with herself, the bounty hunter begrudgingly recognized that the likely winner of this contest would not be herself.

That did not mean she would go down without a fight, of course. Nagi might not have been in the sword fighting field for as long as Ragyō, but she was hardly an amateur with the blade, either. Meeting a thrust from Ragyō's right blade with her parrying dagger mid-strike, Nagi was able to disrupt the aristocrat's momentum and get in a counterattack. She made a low sweep with her saber, going for the noblewoman's legs. The cadet branch royal had to jump to avoid the strike, but she used that opportunity to bring both of her white blades down in a powerful aerial attack that Nagi didn't even try to block. The bounty hunter instead rolled to the side and aimed a quick thrust at Ragyō's neck as the aristocrat came up to her feet, and her opponent could only deflect the attack with the narrowest possible margin.

Their blades locked together, and Nagi saw Ragyō smile and lick her lips. The hunger in her eyes was impossible to miss; she was feeding off the contest that Nagi was giving her. As much as that look creeped Nagi out, part of her could appreciate it. Any skilled fighter wanted their talents recognized by a peer, and this certainly counted.

Before either of them could make another move, Kagato's voice came over the sparring chamber's speakers. "Pardon the interruption, sister, but may I borrow Nagi for a moment?"

Ragyō's brow twitched in irritation. "Can it wait, brother?"

"I'm afraid not," Kagato answered, "My sincerest apologies."

Ragyō scowled in the direction of the closest speaker before pulling back and deactivating her blades. "If you interrupt my fun again, brother, I will expect you to come down here and make up for it. It's been a while since I've tested your skills, after all. Perhaps you need a refresher given your indecisive performance in the last battle."

"I suppose it couldn't hurt," Kagato replied, "but it will have to wait until later. Nagi, if you would be so kind as to join me in my comms chamber? There's a new job that I would like to discuss with you. I promise that the compensation will be more than worthy of your talents."

"We'll find out soon enough," the bounty hunter answered as she deactivated her weapons, sheathing the saber before moving to hand the parrying dagger over to Ragyō.

To Nagi's mild surprise, the cadet branch royal refused the weapon. "It's yours, now."

Nagi raised an eyebrow as she looked back and forth between the blade and her sparring partner. "You sure? It's a fine weapon, so if it's on offer then I'm not about to refuse, but you don't want it returned to the collection?"

Ragyō smiled. "What good is a weapon if it's only allowed to sit and gather dust? You wield it well, and I prefer my blades to be in the hands of those who can properly handle them. Consider it a token of my family's appreciation for the talents you've employed on our behalf."

Nagi shrugged before sheathing the parrying dagger and checking to make sure it was firmly secured at her hip. "Thanks, then. I imagine it'll get a chance to shine in real combat soon enough."

Ragyō's grin was downright bloodthirsty. "Oh, I'm certain it will."

"Right," Nagi muttered before turning to her living starship, "Ken-Ohki, let's go!"

"Meow!" the cat-rabbit eagerly replied as he rushed over and hopped up onto Nagi's left shoulder.

Setting a brisk pace, the bounty hunter left the training hall and headed for one of the mansion's elevators. Kagato's custom communications and media observation chamber was only a couple floors above the training complex, though still underground. Nagi had been invited inside only a handful of times, most recently in the preparatory phase before the raid on the second repository. Kagato had been spending a lot of time in the chamber as of late, doubtlessly speaking with his allies and gathering support for the next operation.

Hopefully he's done with the pirates, Nagi thought, I, for one, would prefer actual military forces backing us up for the third repository as opposed to a diversion from scum like that. Won't have to worry about my 'allies' taking a shot at me this time….

When she reached her destination Nagi moved to knock on the door, but it slid open before her knuckles could even touch the paneling. "Please, enter."

Nagi did so, finding Kagato occupying the only chair. Looking around the domed room, the only active projection she currently saw was a basic map of the galaxy highlighting the claimed territory of the two major powers, Jurai and Seniwa. The former was represented by green stars, and the latter by purple.

"Thank you for coming so promptly," Kagato said as the door shut behind Nagi, "A rather interesting development has just taken place, and we must act quickly if we're to steer events back towards our liking."

"What's going on?" asked Nagi.

Kagato smiled. "Jurai's newest Prince has been quite busy as of late. It was just announced that he's engaged to an heir of the Kuramitsu Clan. I believe you know her; she's one of the Galaxy Police officers you encountered on Earth."

An image of the dark-skinned, blonde woman that she had seen during both of her visits to that backwater world flashed through Nagi's mind. "That beat cop, eh? Never pegged her for being highborn… that's interesting. I take it that young man and his allies are trying to secure support from Seniwa beyond navigation rights, then?"

Kagato steepled his fingers before him. "Indeed. They wouldn't need a marriage alliance just to secure passage for a Juraian fleet through Seniwa territory; that could be gained through more conventional diplomatic means. Moving to tie the Royal Family by blood to the Kuramitsu Clan would only be necessary to secure martial aid. They're trying to get the Seniwa Navy onside for their attack on the third repository."

Nagi nodded. "Makes sense. They must know that they'll be facing your Juraian loyalists during the next battle, and they're going to be much harder to deal with than that pirate rabble you assembled last time. They want an edge, and Seniwa can give it to them. I've seen their warships in action, and they're nothing to take on lightly."

"Without a doubt," Kagato concurred, "The Seniwa Navy regularly takes part in joint-security operations with both Jurai and the Galaxy Police to handle the worst of the pirate fleets in the galaxy, so they have plenty of combat experience. Their combined armada might not be quite as large as Jurai's or be able to equal them in a brute force broadside exchange, but I daresay they make up for it with a much more flexible battle doctrine and tactics. They have their share of heavy hitters, but from what I've observed they tend to place greater emphasis on rapid strikes and exploiting breakthroughs. If Jurai's fleet is a war hammer, then Seniwa's is a saber."

"Not a bad way to put it," said Nagi, "Definitely makes things trickier for you."

"For us," Kagato pointedly amended, "You're in this up to your neck, bounty hunter."

It was true, but Nagi wasn't about to openly admit it. "Our deal's the same as before; you pay me for each fight. The second you don't pony up the money is the second that I'm out."

Kagato smirked. "Out to where, though? I highly doubt that Jurai, Seniwa, and Galaxy Police territory is welcoming to you after what you have done. The only way that will change is if I can take the throne."

"There are still regions of the galaxy where none of those powers hold sway," Nagi pointed out, "I can lose myself out there easily enough."

Kagato chuckled. "Oh, I'm sure you could… and you'd be no better than the criminal scum you've spent your life hunting. I suppose there's a fitting irony in the galaxy's greatest bounty hunter being reduced to a fugitive seeking a distant backwater to hide out on. If you can live with it, then I'm certainly no one to stop you. However… I think we both know that the life of a crook cowering in the shadows and constantly looking over her shoulder for hunters isn't for you."

Nagi shot the aristocrat a withering scowl. "You don't know me."

Kagato casually shrugged, but the piercing look in his eyes chilled Nagi to the bone. "Maybe, maybe not. Best we maintain our professional relationship so neither of us has to find out, hm?"

Nagi's eyes narrowed in response to the veiled threat, but she accepted Kagato's call for a truce nonetheless. "Yes, that would be for the best."

Kagato smiled. "I thought as much. Getting back to the matter at hand, how familiar are you with Seniwa space? A career as storied as yours has surely taken you out that way on occasion, yes?"

"I've taken my share of jobs in their territory," Nagi confirmed, "Seniwa runs a tight ship when it comes to law enforcement, but even they have criminals that slip through their fingers."

"Have you been to Seniwa itself?" asked Kagato.

"A few times," Nagi answered, "Mostly to drop off bounties and upgrade my equipment. Where are you going with this?"

"The job I have in mind for you would involve a trip to the Domain's capital," Kagato explained, "It's imperative that we disrupt the announced match between Jurai's new Prince and the heiress of the Kuramitsu Clan, and your talents will be crucial in accomplishing that."

Nagi eyed Kagato warily. "How exactly would I be employing those talents? Who's the target?"

Kagato's smile grew. "The target is Heero himself. You've tangled with him enough by now to know what he's capable of. In addition to spoiling this marriage, we need to remove him as a threat. You can do both at once."

Nagi folded her arms and shot Kagato a withering glare. "You seem to be laboring under a mistaken impression about me. I'm a bounty hunter, not an assassin. If you want the boy dead, you've got those two death cultists on your payroll; give the job to them."

Kagato shook his head. "Actually, it would be you who are mistaken, Nagi. I don't want you to kill Heero. I want you to capture him and bring him here. There is much that my sister and I would like to discuss with him, and the battlefield's hardly an appropriate place for such conversations."

Nagi raised an eyebrow. "If all you want is to talk, why not offer a truce and extend an invitation?"

"You don't really think he or any of his compatriots would accept that, do you?" Kagato shot back.

Nagi shrugged. "Probably not. I'd call them fools if they did."

"And that would be an accurate assessment," said Kagato, "Hence why your particular skillset is necessary here."

"Where on Seniwa is he staying?" asked Nagi.

"At last report, the Kuramitsu Clan's estate in the capital," Kagato answered.

Nagi's brow furrowed. "Where he'll be surrounded by not just his friends, but top notch Seniwa security. Just getting to him undetected alone would be a challenge, but subduing him and getting him out of there without drawing attention? I've taken on plenty of hard jobs before, but this one's in a league of its own. I don't even have intel on what sort of security measures I'd be up against."

"I have a source inside that's already agreed to provide the necessary data," Kagato reassured her, "You will have up-to-date schematics of the estate and all of its defenses, down to the patrol routes of every guard."

Nagi folded her arms. "What about getting to the capital in the first place? If Seniwa is moving into alliance with Jurai against you, then your enemies have almost certainly shared the fact that I'm on your payroll. The moment Ken-Ohki comes across a Seniwa Navy patrol, we'll be identified and flagged as hostile. Even if we could slip through the Domain's outlying regions undetected, the moment we enter Seniwa's home star system, the game's up; the fleet presence there is just too heavy. Ken-Ohki's incredibly versatile and powerful, but he can't turn invisible."

"Meow…" Ken-Ohki murmured as his ears flattened in shame."

Nagi reached over to give her companion a reassuring scratch on the head. "Not your fault, partner."

"That's why you won't be using him for this job,' Kagato replied, "I have a craft that can get you through any customs patrols and fleet pickets. For the infiltration stage, it can be programmed with any number of IFF transponders, and its profile matches that of a fairly common courier ship. Its onboard computers carry current clearance codes that will get you a pass from any Seniwa Navy ship that you broadcast them to should they approach for an inspection. As for the exfiltration, it's equipped with a cloaking device, so even when your cover is blown, you'll be more than capable of hiding from pursuit."

"Where is this ship?" Nagi asked, "Also, if it's so useful, why haven't you employed it already?"

"The ship's stored in one of the hangars that my research complex uses for prototype craft," Kagato calmly countered, "As for why I haven't used it yet, I was saving it as an ace in the hole. I don't want to burn all my cards while the play's still ongoing, and this performance still has quite a way to go before it reaches the climax."

"If I have to fight, is it armed?" asked Nagi.

Kagato nodded. "It is. I wouldn't advise engaging anything on the scale of a fleet with it, but its weapons will be more than sufficient to fend off anything fast enough to chase you. Very few craft in the galaxy should be able to chase this ship in the first place, though. I took great care when designing the vessel's engines to squeeze out every last possible bit of power from them. Even your precious Ken-Ohki would be hard-pressed to keep up with it."

Ken-Ohki hissed at Kagato, prompting the noble to raise his hands. "No offense intended, my little friend. Simply a statement of fact."

"I'll be the judge of whether or not that's 'fact' when I fly it," Nagi quipped.

Kagato smiled. "You'll take the job, then?"

"What's the payout?" Nagi inquired, "If I'm going to be kidnapping a Juraian Prince in the middle of Seniwa's capital, the reward had better damn well be worth the risk."

"One hundred million," Kagato answered with a smirk, "Does that sound like a sufficient sum?"

Nagi had to fight hard to keep her poker face intact. She'd had clients who would fret over a reward that was a tenth of the size Kagato was offering, yet he'd just thrown out the sum like it was chump change.

Put that on top of what I've already got stashed away, Nagi mused, and I could get out of the game for real. Set myself up in one of the corporate worlds out beyond Jurai, Seniwa or the Galaxy Police… no one would know me, and I could live in comfort for the rest of my days. It's one hell of a job, but for that prize…

She glanced over at Ken-Ohki and saw that he was fidgeting nervously. Nagi couldn't blame him. Despite his cute animalistic nature, Ken-Ohki was pretty bright. He knew how his mistress thought, and he could weigh risk and reward just as well as she could. His apprehension mirrored Nagi's, but the payout dangling before her was so astronomical that the bounty hunter could not resist.

Even so, she was not about to let Kagato see that. "One hundred million, eh? That's not bad."

"You undersell it, and you know it," Kagato remarked, "No other bounty hunger in the galaxy could ever hope for such an offer."

"No other bounty hunter in the galaxy would even dream of taking on a job like this," Nagi pointed out, "Can't say that I blame them; no matter how big the reward, what good is it if you're not alive to spend it?"

Kagato shrugged. "I suppose for your profession, that's a fair outlook. I'm under the impression, though, that you most certainly are good enough to pull this job off successfully and enjoy the ensuing reward. That is, if you'll take it."

Nagi thought long and hard. Supposedly, she could walk away, but was that really an option here? Kagato had straight up told her that he wanted a Royal abducted; that alone qualified as conspiracy against the throne, which meant him letting her walk away with that knowledge in her head represented considerable legal and security risk. It was knowledge that Nagi could probably leverage for a plea deal, maybe even amnesty if she included everything else she'd learned about Kagato's operations.

Which was why, she realized, that Kagato wasn't going to let her walk out of here with a refusal. Simply by offering her the job and giving her what details he had, the cadet branch royal had already bound her to it. Realistically, there was only one choice she could make now. Well, she could try to escape, but she suspected that the ensuing fight would not be one that she could win. She was alone with Kagato right now, but by himself he was a formidable fighter, and Nagi suspected that he had means of summoning his sister the second things went south. That wasn't even getting into the mansion's security systems; Nagi wouldn't be surprised if Kagato had a way of locking the entire place down should she try to flee.

"I will," she eventually said as she fixed him with a withering glare, "but you had better be good for it."

Kagato spread his arms in an innocent gesture. "Have I ever stiffed you on a payment?"

"No, you haven't," Nagi admitted even as she continued to scowl at him, "If you do, then I'll get what I'm owed another way, if you catch my drift."

Kagato smiled. "Rest assured that the funds will be transferred to your account the instant you've delivered the prize."

"I'll hold you to that," Nagi said, "Now, how do I get to this research complex hangar? Place is a damn maze."

"I'll guide you there personally in a little while," Kagato promised, "Before I show you the ship that you'll be using for this job, though, I'd like to introduce you to a very important ally. She will be coming with you for this assignment."

Nagi bristled. "Who is it? One of the assassin twins? I though the purpose of this job was to take the prince alive."

"And it very much is," Kagato replied, "Neither of the twins will be accompanying you; my sister desires them to stay here as sparring partners for her, and she's even extended a credit line to them for that purpose. I have someone else in mind, and I promise that her abilities will prove to be most useful in this endeavor."

Nagi folded her arms. "What would those abilities be?"

Kagato smirked. "Perhaps it'd be better to show rather than tell."

"Does that mean I can reveal myself now?" a new voice asked.

Nagi immediately drew her saber, and her eyes darted around the room. Kagato was the only other occupant that she could see, but that voice had been distinctly not his. For one, it was female. Two, it had a very strange quality to it. On the surface, it had been slightly high in pitch, as if it were that of a young lady, yet it had a deep undertone behind it. It was almost two voices in one.

"What the hell's going on here?" Nagi murmured as Ken-Ohki hissed on her shoulder.

"I assure you, your weapon is not needed here," said Kagato before turning to face a seemingly empty space on the other side of his chair, "Yes, if you would be so kind as to show yourself, I'm sure our huntress would be most appreciative."

"Finally," the strange female voice said, "I was wondering if we'd ever get to this point."

The air on the other side of Kagato's chair suddenly rippled, and a humanoid being stepped out of the rift. Nagi was rather taken aback by what she saw; the figure was a little girl, perhaps Washu's height or even smaller. Her pale face was sharply contrasted by dark brown hair and deep purple eyes, with the former cut relatively short save for long locks that framed her face. Where her hair met her forehead was a rather strange headpiece consisting of a golden orb with two bright orange feathers popping out of it in a V-shape. She wore a dark burgundy and black dress with green trim, while her shoulders and upper torso were covered in a red and cream-colored semi-cape and her hands and forearms were concealed by long and deep purple gloves. She didn't stand, but actually hovered about a meter or so above the floor, and she studied Nagi with keen interest.

"Do you really think she's up for this?" asked the strange being.

Kagato smiled. "You know her record by now just as well as I do. Short of my sister or myself, there isn't anyone in the galaxy more suited to this task than her."

"I suppose we'll find out for sure soon enough," said the strange being as she floated over in front of Nagi and elevated herself to be eye-level with the bounty hunter, "One way or the other."

She then smiled when her gaze fell upon Ken-Ohki. "Ah, one of my colleague's creations! You seem to have taken good care of him. That's encouraging."

"Meow…" Ken-Ohki grumbled as he eyed the mysterious girl warily.

Nagi refused to lower her saber. "Who are you, girl?"

The strange female placed her hands on her hips. "Girl? Is that all the respect I'm due?"

"Until I know who you are, yes," Nagi quipped with a glare.

The stranger and Nagi stared each other down for a moment before the former chuckled. "So, you do have backbone. That's good. Very good."

"Thanks," Nagi deadpanned, "Now, I'm still owed a name. I'm assuming you have one?"

The stranger smiled again before curtseying. "Of course, where are my manners? My name…"

"… is Tokimi."

Preview for next time!

Sasami: Congratulations, Heero and Mihoshi! I'm so happy for you two!

Mihoshi: Aw, thanks, Sasami.

Heero: That means a lot, Sasami. Thank you.

Ayeka: Lord Heero, Miss Mihoshi… I apologize for my behavior earlier in the meeting. I will do my utmost to support you both in the time ahead.

Duo: So, you get a smoking hot wife and a babe of a bodyguard out of this mission… Heero, you lucky bastard!

Hilde, with a menacing growl: Duo…

Ryoko: Make that two wives when this is all over.

Trowa: Excuse me?

Wufei: Do they sell cameras in Seniwa? I forgot to bring one, and I'm pretty sure that Sally and Director Une are going to want wedding pictures.

Quatre: Let's not get ahead of ourselves here. We're just at the engagement stage; the wedding's not going to happen until after Kagato's been dealt with.

Kiyone: That just means we all need to make it through this so we can all party together at the reception.

Washu: Kagato's not going to make reaching that point easy.

Nagi: Good luck reaching it at all.

Washu: Next time, in Chapter Twenty-Nine: No Need For A Royal Abduction! Tokimi, you bitch!

Tokimi: Is that any way to speak to your fellow Choushin? We should be above such foul language, old friend.

Washu: Shut up and give my daughter back her boyfriend!

Author's Notes: You know, when I started this whole story, my intent was to subvert the classic Tenchi harem narrative by having Heero only end up with Ryoko, hence the fic name being what it is. However, as I wrote this chapter and really got into the politics of it all, I realized that my original plan wasn't going to survive contact with Seniwa. These negotiations in large part boiled down to the relationship between two incredibly powerful dynasties, which meant dynastic politics took center stage here. Political marriages are an integral part of dynastic politics, and I realized that meant the leader of the Kuramitsu Clan would want an engagement between their house and Jurai's Royal Family as a reward for their meaningful support against Kagato. That means Heero is going to have to get used to having two lovely ladies on his arms… and in his bed. Oh, however will he cope? *Cue Author-sama giving his main character the most envious of glares before flinching like a wimp in the face of Heero's death-glare* Lucky son of a bitch…

So, what becomes of the fic's central couple? Well, they adapt to becoming a trio! Adjusting is definitely going to take some work, but I'm honestly excited for the fresh challenges the developments here pose.

Unrelated note, the appearance I gave Tokimi in this chapter is based on her chibi form. It's not the only one she'll be taking in this story, I just thought it'd be a fun form to have her in for her first physical interaction with the main cast here.

On another unrelated note, regarding the World Ring of Seniwa, I based that off of the main orbital shipyards over the planet Kuat in the Star Wars Expanded Universe. For the uninitiated, the company Kuat Drive Yards (which basically owns the planet and its entire star system, along with multiple other worlds) was the primary manufacturer of warships and ground vehicles (working with its subsidiary Rothana Heavy Engineering) used by the Grand Army of the Republic during the Clone Wars, and they also secured the mind-bogglingly lucrative contract to expand that force into the military juggernaut that served the Galactic Empire. Those Star Destroyers that we all know and love, from Venator to Imperial to Executor-class and everything in between, along with all those walkers? Yup, you've got KDY to thank for that.

Hope you all enjoyed the chapter. Feel free to review, stay safe, and I'll see you all next time!