Tenchi Muyo Fan Fiction ❯ Tears ❯ Attack! ( Chapter 3 )
[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]
By: kempodragon 
The house is attacked and Ryoko suffers a horrible fate.
Anime/Manga: Tenchi Muyo Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Drama | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 08.29.2001 | Pages: 2 | Words: 6.8K | Visits: 699 | Status: Work In Progress
The house is attacked and Ryoko suffers a horrible fate.
Anime/Manga: Tenchi Muyo Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Drama | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 08.29.2001 | Pages: 2 | Words: 6.8K | Visits: 699 | Status: Work In Progress
Tears: Chapter 3
It had been three days since everyone had left for Jurai. While Ryoko managed to keep busy with housework and caring for Mayuka, she found herself wishing she could have gone to Jurai. She missed her family dearly, and prayed that someday the "demon space pirate" would be forgotten and people would only see Ryoko Hakubi. Thankfully, Mihoshi,Kiyone and Washu were due back in two or three days. The silence made Ryoko think that unfriendly eyes were watching her, though she couldn't say why.
Unknown to her, the house was indeed being watched and had been for years. Ayeka's appearance over Kurashiki had been seen and heard by almost the entire city. Ryo-ohki's appearance and the grabbing of Tenchi's house had been witnessed by the neighborhood, and naturally, people had talked. Naval ships of several countries had tracked their flight into outer space, along with the various space facilities. When Ryo-ohki crashed into the Seto-Ohashi Bridge, it had been passed off as a meteor strike. Tracking data clearly showed that the bridge had been hit by something that was flying across the water however, and all the countries that had seen the two ships flooded the city with agents with orders to learn everything they could.
Listening to people talking, several facts emerged. The name Ryoko, which a woman's voice had been heard calling for her to come out, was also the name of a demon that was supposedly imprisoned in a cave next to a nearby shrine. The owner of the house that disappeared was the son-in-law of the caretaker of this shrine as well. Furthermore, when the shrine was visited, the missing house was discovered, along with several houseguests. There were too many coincidences, and a joint task force consisting mainly of Japanese and U.S. intelligence had been formed.
While some agents had bugged the house, others had begun to investigate the Masaki family. It became apparent that all of the houseguests were from another planet, but what was strange was the insistence by the one called Ayeka that Tenchi was related by blood to her. Subsequent checking of the birth records could find no proof, but did uncover something else. The caretaker's birth certificate was a complete fake and so were the records of all the other shrine caretakers, going back for centuries. An analysis of all the fake records showed that the same person had written every one, which would make Katsuhito Masaki centuries old.
Profiles were developed on all of the Masaki family. More than one agent scratched their heads at Ryoko and Ayeka's fighting over Tenchi. The kid seemed like a wimp and yet here were two beautiful women treating him like he was the hottest thing since Elvis or the Beatles. No one knew what to make of the strange animal that appeared later on, but the name Ryo-ohki was the name of other demon in the legend. When the family went to the Hot Springs Inn, a strange storm appeared and another woman had fallen literally into Tenchi's arms. She also joined the family and apparently flipped over Tenchi. A quick profile was made and it seemed like this woman was the definition of "airhead". The agents would have just treated her as no one of importance, when she mentioned she was with something called the Galaxy Police and evidently a person of some rank. That meant that sooner or later, people would come looking for her.
After the visit to the inn, a domed onsen, floating over the lake, had apparently been made out of thin air by Ryoko. Scientists were stumped as to how it been built and stayed above the lake. The fact at least one of these alien women possesed such technology had justified the surveillance and task force's budget was increased. When someone called Kagato appeared, cameras with telephoto lenses and long distance microphones had picked up the battle. It was clear that Katsuhito Masaki was the samurai warrior Yosho from the legend and that he too was from another planet. Psychologists also noted Ryoko's fear of Kagato and the strange power he had over her.
When Tenchi and the others had gone after Kagato, jaws had dropped at Ryo-ohki's transformation into a battleship. This creature was dangerous and Ryo-ohki's threat assessment was considerably upgraded. Ryoko was already considered a top threat because of her powers and to a lesser degree so was Ayeka. When Tenchi came back, he had yet another girl with him. Everyone on the task force was asking themselves what was this kid, some kind of girl magnet?
The new arrival called herself Washu, "the greatest scientific genius in the universe". What the agents called her was far less flattering. She found every single microphone and video camera hidden in the house and around the shrine in one night, while everyone else was asleep. What she didn't outright destroy, she somehow made only able to pick up that insipid children's show "Barney the Dinosaur". Washu became the bane of all the agents trying watch the house and most of them spent nights coming up with new ways for her to die. Any kind of electronic surveillance became almost impossible, because new bugs were found within a day. Finally, someone had the idea of watching through high powered lenses and lip reading what was said. While this resulted in less information, it was still better than nothing. One tidbit that was overheard was the fact Ryoko was Washu's daughter. This wasn't believed at first until Washu was observed changing into an adult and saying she was once married and had an earlier child.
When Mihoshi had been evidently recalled, Washu's power had been witnessed. She had easily dismissed the strange energy creature that almost destroyed the inn, and was considered a high threat afterwards. Because so many of the inhabitants were possesed of superhuman powers, it considered too dangerous to try acquiring any of the technology believed to be inside the house. Also, location of Washu's lab inside was unknown, until a television crew doing a documentary on the house's architecture had filmed part of the lab, including the location of the door. Agents had acquired a copy of the film, which had been dismissed as being science fiction. Everyone had been amazed at the glimpse of wonders in the lab, and were determined more than ever to find a way to raid the place.
The shrine had a lot of visitors over the years, including a woman who could pass for Ryoko's twin and a stern, authoritative man with two wives. This strange group were evidently Sasami and Ayeka's parents and rulers of a place called Jurai. This information reinforced the importance of proceeding with extreme care while watching the shrine. With so many people in the house at any time, it was decided to just watch and hope for a lucky break. Meanwhile, every scrap of information that could be found on the inhabitants was added the their profiles.
About a year ago, a new person joined the family. A teenage girl quite literally appeared out of nowhere and called Tenchi "Daddy". All of the task force agreed that none of the alien women could be the mother, quite simply because they all neutralized each other's attempts to get Tenchi. Ryoko's reaction to her was especially interesting, but no one could say exactly why. The next day she was gone, and everyone acted like she had died. A week later, the house was decorated like it was Christmas and Washu had brought out a newborn who had the same name as the girl. This child was also treated as Tenchi's, but no one claimed to be the mother. At first everyone shared in taking care of the baby, but it soon became evident that Ryoko had bonded with the infant. What was also interesting was the fact Tenchi started to seriously date both Ryoko and Ayeka at this time as well.
Recently, several things had happened. First, there had been a marked change in Ryoko's behavior. Then just a couple of days ago, almost the entire household had left, leaving only Ryoko,Mayuka and her pet Ryo-ohki. If the pattern still held, Mihoshi and her partner Kiyone wouldn't be back until next week. A chance like this wouldn't come again in who knows when. Planning immediately began for a raid on Washu's lab. Ryoko's habits were watched intensely for the next two days, while all information about her was reviewed for any clues about how she could be neutralized. Ryo-ohki was also watched, but she was considered less of a threat due to her limited intelligience. One piece of information that was quickly found was Ryoko's intense fear of being alone in the dark. Another fact that emerged was that alcohol had the same affect on her that it did on humans. This meant that similar drugs, namely tranquilizers would most likely also affect her. The dosage needed was the unknown factor, but everyone figured more was better. If Ryoko died as a result, well that was just too bad.
That night, the team setup where they would take out Ryoko. She had been observed performing a daily cleaning ritual in front of the shrine office. This was a perfect place for the ambush, because she would be out in the open and it was next to the cave where she had been imprisoned. Since the cave held her for so long once, it ought to be able to hold her again. The passage to the pool inside was reopened and the shooters got into their positions. A cargo truck was parked a little down the road, and would be brought to the house once the way was clear. Everyone then settled in to wait for morning.
The next morning, Ryoko got up and started with what she thought would be a normal day. After bathing and breakfast with Ryo-ohki and Mayuka, she headed to the shrine. She would perform the morning cleansing and then start housecleaning. Mihoshi,Kiyone and Washu were due back tomorrow morning, and she wanted to be able to enjoy a little family get together when they arrived. After setting Mayuka's basket on the porch out of the warm sun, Ryoko told Ryo-ohki to stay with her and prepared for the ritual.
Suddenly, Ryoko was hit by four shots in the neck. Angrily, she started summoning her powers when her vision blurred and she felt incredibly weak. She swayed and was hit by another four shots. Her eyes rolling back, Ryoko fell to the ground unconscious. The shooters came running out of their hiding places, and shot with her four more darts. Each dart contained a trank dosage that would kill an ordinary human. Amazingly, Ryoko was still breathing and appeared to be just sleeping. Quickly, two men grabbed her and headed toward the cave.
Ryo-ohki, who was in her child form, had seen Ryoko hit, but when she tried to help her mistress, several other men stepped in and blocked her. One man pulled out a pistol with a laser sight, and targeted Mayuka. "Don't even think about turning into a ship Ryo-ohki.", said the man,"or your friend's little baby dies. Ryoko isn't dead and, if you do what you are told, no one will get hurt." Frightened by the man's words and tone, Ryo-ohki waited for the stranger to continue. "Now then, I'm going to stay right here and keep an eye on you while my friends take care of business. I've also got a sniper covering me, so don't think of trying to take me out." With that statement, a shot was placed just above Mayuka's head. Mayuka screamed, and Ryo-ohki tried to calm her. The man patiently waited for the two agents to return from securing Ryoko in the cave.
Meanwhile, Ryoko's captors, Jackson and Malone, were working their way down to the pool. The passageway was steep and slippery, and neither wanted a mishap. Finally, they reached the edge of the pool and were about to throw her in, when Malone had an idea. Ryoko was that bitch Washu's daughter and here was a perfect chance to pay her back for all the trouble she had caused them. Jackson agreed and with a cruel smile on both their faces, they advanced on the helpless woman.
Thirty minutes later, they were tying the rock back together, thus closing the passageway. The two men then rejoined the group at the shrine and reported Ryoko was now neutralized. The man covering Ryo-ohki and Mayuka then spoke into lapel mike and gave the raiders the all-clear. Everyone except him headed toward the house and the lab. When the team entered the house, they spread out to check the different rooms before heading for the lab. In the living room, the television's upgraded reception was discovered, and it was immediately moved into the truck. Other rooms had only minor items, though the Galaxy Police uniforms in Mihoshi and Kiyone's room were of definite interest. These were also grabbed and everyone then headed to the lab.
At the shrine, Ryo-ohki was becoming desperate. She was roughly 6-7 years old in human terms and was having a difficult time with all of this. Mayuka was crying, both from needing to be changed and because Ryoko wasn't there to take care of her. Ryo-ohki had seen Ryoko change Mayuka enough times that she felt she could do it, but the stranger scared her. The stranger, whose name was Roberts, said,"Change the brat's diapers and shut her up." Ryo-ohki then picked May up and carefully changed her diapers. Mayuka quieted down, but she still whimpered, sensing that her mother was missing. Ryo-ohki then tried to figure out what to do. She remembered that her mother Washu and her Galaxy Police friends were headed home, and it might be possible to reach them. They would know what to do and so she acted on this idea. Accessing her communication systems, she first tried to pick up Yukinojo on her own. She sensed the ship, but couldn't get a clear signal.
Ryo-ohki then thought of Funaho, Yosho's ship tree. Linking with the great ship, she was able to boost the reception enough that she could open a comm channel with Yukinojo. Immediately, Ryo-ohki sent out a distress signal with all the power that she could. It was received and Ryo-ohki waited for someone to tell her what to do.
Back at the house, the team had entered the lab. The security systems were immediately activated, but there were no alarms sounded. Washu's AI systems controlling the lab were far in advance of anything on Earth, and could sense the threat level of an intruder and implement appropriate countermeasures without alerting the intruder. Quickly sizing up the team, the AI began separating and capturing them one at a time. It noted the fact there were more outside, but since they didn't attempt to enter the AI merely filed each of their pictures away for reference. Once all of the intruders were captured, the AI sent out a coded signal to Washu's holocomputer.
The two men outside the lab were getting worried by the silence. The team was supposed to check in at regular intervals, and two check ins had already been missed. After a hour had passed with no word, they contacted Roberts at the shrine. He agreed that something had most likely happened to them, but didn't want to abandon his men or the mission just yet. The television and the uniforms were just the tip of the iceberg and he wasn't about to let anything get in his way. Roberts then had an idea. Since Ryo-ohki and Mayuka were members of the household, why not use them to gain access to the lab? "Change of plans kid. You two are going to help me find out what's in that lab. It's obvious that there's some sort of security system, and I figure it's programmed not to hurt you or the baby. I'm going to have my gun pointed at the brat's head, so no heroics."
Ryo-ohki picked up May and the three of them headed toward the house. Once there, the other two men also targeted Mayuka. Forming a wedge, with Ryo-ohki and Mayuka in the center, Roberts at point and the other two on each side, they all entered the lab. The AI saw them and transmitted this info to Washu. Since it couldn't capture these three without endangering Mayuka or Ryo-ohki, the AI locked the door behind them and then linked up with Ryo-ohki's comm systems. It directed her on a long tour of the lab, while it waited for the arrival of Washu. Ryo-ohki's distress call and the silent alarm had been received, and both the Yukinojo and the Hinase, which had arrived in the Sol system at the same time, were headed at top speed to Earth.
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Earlier on Yukinojo
While Kiyone was helping Washu and Minagi wrap Mayuka's birthday gifts, Mihoshi was on the bridge standing watch. Most people thought of her as the definition of "dumb blonde", but this was farthest from the truth. Mihoshi possessed a genius level intellect and an incredible eye for detail. Her cheerful, bubbly personality was what people saw most of the time. Only when she was working a case or confronting a criminal did she become all business. At the Academy, her classmates thought it was her grandfather's influence that got her in, not her own scores on the entrance exams. Actually, the Grand Marshal had been dead set against her entering, for just that reason.
When she passed the exams with a perfect score, he did use his influence once. He made sure Mihoshi had Chief Instructor Bodai, the toughest instructor in the Police Academy. His reputation for fairness and integrity was unquestioned, and if Mihoshi passed or failed, it would be on her merits. Bodai noted her analytical skills and taught her the importance of attention to detail. She proved to be an excellent marksman on the firing range and had a talent for interviewing and interrogation. The only mark against her was her clumsiness in high stress situations. Oddly, her actions would result in resolving the situation, almost as if she was possessed of an incredible lucky streak. It was very unnerving to witness though, but Bodai figured this could be fixed with Mihoshi having a good partner. He had given her high marks and she had graduated at the top of her class.
Out in the field, finding a partner proved to be a problem. Word had spread among the ranks of her identity and most officers didn't want to have the Marshal's granddaughter as a partner. Even though Mihoshi was a fully capable officer in own her right, the thought that she might be killed and they would have to face the Grand Marshal scared away many veterans. Also, she had gotten a choice assignment to Central based upon her abilities, but it still generated a certain amount of resentment. As a result, Mihoshi went through a lot of partners, usually lasting a few months at most. On her own, she amassed an impressive arrest/conviction record, but she felt like a pariah at times. She desperately wished for someone she could trust and who would accept her as a police officer.
It was during the Galactic energy crisis that she met her first real partner, Kiyone Makibi. She had graduated before Mihoshi, also at the top of her class, and wanted to advance strictly on her merits. While she found Mihoshi's cheerfulness irritating, she treated Mihoshi like any other cop, and didn't hold her heritage against her. Mihoshi began to open up to Kiyone and she was determined to keep her as a partner. Kiyone's apparent death had shattered Mihoshi and she suffered a nervous breakdown. When Mihoshi finally recovered, she was changed in several ways. She had become childlike in both personality and conscious thought. Her detective skills operated on a subconscious level and she misinterpreted orders to what she wanted to hear. Also, she was now a complete klutz. Mihoshi was so accident prone that everyone avoided her rather than get hurt.
After it was clear that no one would take Mihoshi as a partner, the Marshal gave her the newest, most advanced ship in the fleet, the Yukinojo. The AI was advanced to the point of self-awareness and had an inhuman amount of patience. Yukinojo needed every bit of patience and understanding in dealing with Mihoshi and any lesser AI would have had a nervous breakdown of it's own. Mihoshi had been demoted by this time, and assigned to the Seventh Headquarters. It was hoped that such a remote assignment would keep her out of trouble, but as usual, Mihoshi managed to find trouble on her own. First, Kagato had entered the Sol system, then she had managed to get herself stranded on Earth in violation of Galactic and Jurain laws. Against all odds, Mihoshi hooked up with the Jurain Crown Prince and Princesses and Space Pirates Ryoko and Ryo-ohki no less. She participated in the destruction of Kagato and learned so much information about Jurai's secrets that the report had to be heavily censored. Captain Nobeyama and the Commander of the Seventh Headquarters were secretly relieved when Mihoshi asked to stay on Earth.
Several years later, Ryoko, while on one of her rare trips with Ryo-ohki, had found Kiyone alive. The sight of Kiyone alive had jolted Mihoshi almost back to her original self. Kiyone had originally blamed Mihoshi for being stranded, but the years had burned away her anger. When she learned what happened to Mihoshi, she had agreed to be Mihoshi's partner again. Kiyone needed a quiet assignment while she rebuilt her life, and staying at the Masaki household fit bill perfectly, peaceful yet stimulating enough to keep from being bored. Ryoko by this time had stopped fighting with Ayeka, so Kiyone lucked out there.
The partnership worked better than expected the second time around. Soon they acquired a reputation for being one of the most effective teams in Galaxy Police. They were both promoted and offered the chance to return to Central, but they elected to stay on Earth. Kiyone and Mihoshi were part of the Masaki family now and the thought of leaving the home permanently was unbearable. Now they spent their time on patrol as members of the Special Investigation Unit, with their choice of any case they wanted. Yukinojo for his part was vastly relieved with both Mihoshi's change and Kiyone's appearance.
Today had been a pleasant surprise when Minagi had joined them on the way home. She hadn't visited the family in over a year, and was happy to hear that Ryoko and Washu had made peace with each other. The rift between them had been a source of great distress to Minagi, and she was glad that they finally worked out their differences. Minagi was amazed at the news of Ryoko raising a baby and acting like an adult. She was looking forward to meeting her niece and finding out what a baby was like. Even though Minagi was technically Ryoko's daughter, being a clone made from Ryoko's and Washu's former assistant Yakage's genes, she found it easier to consider herself Ryoko's sister and Washu her mother. Minagi had come aboard Yukinojo to help Washu, and both ships were moving at cruising speed to Earth. They would park behind the moon and use shuttles to descend to the planet in order to keep the ships existence hidden from everyone else. Earth was still a restricted planet and it was forbidden for them to reveal their true identities as aliens to the general population.
Everything was quiet onboard when alarms went off in both Yukinojo and Washu's holocomp. Opening a comm link with Ryo-ohki, everyone watched in horror at the attack on Ryoko and Mayuka being used as a hostage. A few hours later, the security system reported the capture of the majority of the team, but Mayuka and Ryo-ohki were being used as shields by three more men. That left the sniper unaccounted for, and Ryoko's fate was still unknown. All agreed that Mayuka and Ryo-ohki's rescue had to come first, even Ryoko would have agreed had she been there. Minagi volunteered to capture the sniper, to which Kiyone and Mihoshi acceded. Analyzing the placement of the shot gave her a fair estimate of his location, and Minagi quickly boarded her shuttle.
Everyone else then discussed how to rescue the hostages. These men were professionals and all three would have to be taken out simultaneously. The extreme riskiness of this idea placed it as a last resort. Negotiating seemed like the best option, and Mihoshi was chosen to do the job. People were always underestimating her and she would definitely put the raiders at ease. Washu then told them all she knew about the surveillance on the house. Always before, they had been satified with just keeping an eye on the house, but she never expected them to go this far. Using tranquilizer darts on Ryoko was understandable to a point, but threatening a baby like that was unforgivable. Washu then talked with Ryo-ohki, telling her they would arrive shortly and to obey the raiders for now. Mayuka was crying now, having not been fed since morning, and she was very hungry.
Minagi reached the home first and immediately began searching for the sniper and the spotter. She had landed in the fields behind home, flying out of the sun and therefore practically undetected. Flying just above the trees, she moved in a wide loop to a point just behind where she thought the sniper team was. Reaching out with all of her senses, Minagi homed in on their hiding spot. The snipers were very good at concealing themselves, but their presence still created a disruption in the natural balance of the forest. It was this disruption that Minagi's warrior instincts, honed to a fine edge under the tutelage of her father and master Yakage, picked up and she soon pinpointed the snipers' location.
The sniper and his spotter had been watching the house, waiting for word from Roberts, the team leader, that the mission was complete and they could head back to the pickup point. Their surprise was complete when an energy blade suddenly appeared and sliced the rifle in half. Scrambling from their hiding place, they were confronted a woman who they thought was Ryoko. They quickly noticed the crescent scars on her cheeks and realized that this was one of the regular visitors, the one called Minagi. The spotter tried to call Roberts, but with consummate skill, Minagi destroyed the radio without harming him. They both aimed their pistols at her, and Minagi calmly sliced through both weapons, again cutting just shy of their fingers.
Minagi then deactivated her blade and waited. The sniper team drew their knives and attacked. Yakage had also trained her in unarmed combat, and the two men were soon unconscious but unhurt. Leaving the equipment untouched, Minagi then picked up the team and headed back to her shuttle where she secured them. Kiyone had told her to touch as little as possible, because the area would be considered a crime scene, and only a trained forensics team would be allowed near the spot. She then reported the capture to everyone on Yukinojo and headed to the house.
With the all clear, Washu,Kiyone and Mihoshi boarded their shuttle. They landed by the lake and went inside the house with Minagi. Once inside, Washu unlocked the lab door and contacted Ryo-ohki. Washu told her to lead the men to the door and be ready to protect Mayuka. A servant droid was sent with a bottle for Mayuka to tide her over until she could be properly fed. The raiders were startled by the robot, but when they saw the bottle they allowed it to come near. Mayuka's crying was irritating everyone and they welcomed anything that would shut her up.
Following Washu's instructions, Ryo-ohki fed and burped May. May quieted down considerably and she soon fell asleep. Ryo-ohki then lead the raiders back to the door. When they saw Washu, the GP's and Minagi, the two guards quickly closed the distance between them and Mayuka while Roberts calmly faced the door.
"Well, well, if it isn't the Galaxy Police and Miss Washu come home early.", he said, "I see Ryoko's twin, Minagi has also come along. Looks like we have a little problem here. You've got my men and I've got the baby everyone's so attached to.". Mihoshi replied,"As a Galaxy Police officer, I must tell you that we are not allowed to let you have advanced technology. Doing so would result in a upset of the planet's developement. You are already in serious trouble with the use of Mayuka Masaki as a shield. Threatening the life of an infant is a serious crime under Galactic Law. Mayuka is also a Princess of Jurai and therefore in the line of succession. There will be repercussions if she is harmed."
Roberts then said,"Don't worry about the brat being harmed. Right now, her and Ryo-ohki are the best possible shield we got. You can't do anything against us without endangering them, so I figure we have the upper hand here." Mihoshi relplied,"If you turn them over to us and tell us where Ryoko is, we are willing to let you and your men leave in peace. You found out about our origins on your own, so none of our laws concerning contacting the native poplulation were broken. A high level contact through your United Nations can be setup so Earth can eventually join the Galactic Union. However, I must warn you that we are only forbidden to reveal our identities to the population as a whole. Individual contact is allowed and that person is then considered a Galactic citizen and subject to Galactic Law. Persist in this course and you will most assuredly be arrested, tried and convicted in a court of law. All of your actions have been recorded, ever since you attacked Ryoko this morning, so you may believe what I am saying."
Roberts paused to consider her words. Allowing them to leave peacefully meant that they didn't want to arrest them if they could. Arresting them would probably raise as many problems for the GP's as would other intelligience agencies finding out about the Masaki household for Roberts. It was in the interest of both sides to resolve this quietly and everyone pretend nothing happened. That was how the game was played and Roberts had been through similar situations in the past. What bothered him was Mihoshi's statement that contact would be initiated with the U.N. . That meant everyone would learn the truth and it would most likely result in the Masaki household becoming a diplomatic embassy with all the rights that it entailed.
The dilemna that he faced was should he take up Mihoshi's offer or should he use Mayuka as a bargaining chip for at least some of technology they had found. The TV's reception capabilities alone would keep the scientists busy for years along with the material of the uniforms. It galled him to know they were so close and have it snatched away from their grasp. However, time was on the GP's side and all knew it. Keeping the baby targeted at all times while watching the others was extremely hard on the three of them. Any mistake by anyone and the kid would be either dead or out of the line of fire, at which point there'd be no stopping the aliens. It was a tense situation as both sides waited for each to make any move. Unknown to both sides, fate was about to play its own hand.
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Ryoko awoke to a blackness that was beyond any words to describe it. There was no light of any wavelength that she could detect, from infrared to x-ray and beyond. She thought she was having a nightmare about the cave, when she realized that this was no dream. She felt the cold, bone chilling water all around her, the hard stone underneath her, and knew she was imprisoned once more in the place that she had swore never to be imprisoned again. Desperately, she tried to move and found that her muscles were like lead. Ryoko tried to use her powers and was unable to do anything. She couldn't fly, teleport or even create some light. Trying to contact Ryo-ohki she heard only silence. The only sound she could hear was the incessant dripping of water into the pool.
It was just like the first time she had woken up in the cave, 700 years ago. Who had done this? Becoming more terrified by the minute, Ryoko tried once more to free herself from this hellhole. She had to get out of here, before she went mad. Again, she met with failure. Ryoko felt the darkness closing in like a physical presence. It pressed down on her, smothering her completely. She tried to hold it at bay with images of her family, playing with Tenchi and May, fighting with Ayeka, laughing with Sasami. The darkness simply swallowed the memories and again Ryoko was faced with her worst fear. She then tried her last trick, the thing that had saved her before. Desperately she tried to project her astral body. To her absolute horror, this option was also denied her.
Now terrified beyond all reason, Ryoko screamed. She trapped in the darkness, with no hope of seeing anything again. Her heart beat faster than a hummingbird and she started hyperventilating. Someone, anyone please help me!! I'm so cold and scared. Mommy, where are you? Tenchi? Ayeka? Sasami? MOMMY???
By this time the tranquilizers had been flushed from her system, but they were no longer needed. As the raiders had guessed, Ryoko's fear had taken hold and she was effectively her own jailer. What they didn't know about was her link with Washu. Even though she believed that no one could hear her, Ryoko's screaming was being heard loud and clear by Washu, Minagi and Ryo-ohki.
At the lab, Washu suddenly clutched her temples. Minagi also put her hands to her head while Ryo-ohki miyaaed in pain. Ryoko was broadcasting her terror with all of her strength, and it was like a sledgehammer pounding inside of their heads. Washu tried to break through to her daughter, but all she was able to receive was images of darkness and sensations of cold. A sick feeling that quickly turned into a murderous rage came over her as she figured out where Ryoko had been taken. " You BASTARDS!!!", she screamed," She's in the CAVE!!!" Washu then launched herself at the raiders, heedless of her own safety, wanting only to hurt the people who had hurt her daughter.
Time seemed to slow to a crawl. The raiders turned to deal with this threat, but quickly realized Mayuka was no longer covered. Minagi had kept her head despite the pain, and teleported to May and Ryo-ohki the instant the raiders were distracted. Grabbing them both, she teleported them to safety. Mihoshi and Kiyone both fired and in just over a second, the three men were out cold, having been stunned by the GP's pistols. Minagi appeared with Mayuka crying in her arms, while Ryo-ohki ran crying to Washu. Both of them had been through severe stress and trauma, and needed desperately to feel safe and secure again. Gently, Washu handed the two children over to Mihoshi and Kiyone. As much as she wanted to comfort them, she knew that Ryoko needed her help even more.
Washu had indeed told Ryoko the truth about that night in the lab, but there was another reason she did it. She had wanted to know how deep Ryoko's fear of the dark ran, and what would happen if her daughter found herself trapped and alone in dark. The lab was indeed very dark, but there was still some light that Ryoko had been able to see. Washu had needed the light for the video camera. Also, the lab was warmer and dryer than the cave. Even so, Ryoko had been reduced to begging and sobbing in almost no time. For weeks afterward, she'd had nightmares so bad that she would wake the whole house with her screaming. Even the counseling sessions with Yosho hadn't broken the cave's hold over her. Every time they'd tried to get Ryoko to talk about the cave, she'd curled up into a ball, actually shivering with cold. Washu dreaded what would happen if Ryoko ever found herself in the cave for real and now that day had arrived.
Once more tried Washu to reach her daughter, and let her know that she wasn't alone. The contact was much fainter this time, and Washu began to panic. "Minagi, take me to the cave RIGHT NOW!! We have get to Ryoko before it's too late", Washu cried. Minagi grabbed Washu and the two of them flew at top speed to the cave. Washu maintained the link, desperately calling Ryoko. Just before they reached the entrance to the cave, the link went silent. Washu was unable to hear anything from Ryoko, and she feared the worst.
Inside the cave, they saw the counterweight had been tied with a steel cable. Cutting it with one slash of her sword, Washu was entering the passage before it fully opened, Minagi right behind her. She practically flew down to the chamber. Summoning a ball of light, Washu lit the cave brighter than noon. Ryoko lay in the the pool unmoving, her eyes fixed and open. Her mind had been unable to cope with the the thought of being trapped once more in the cold darkness, and she had gone into a state of shock, withrawing from reality. Quickly, Washu pulled Ryoko out of the pool and lay her down on the edge.
Pulling towels and blankets from subspace, she pulled Ryoko's clothes off and began drying her. Ryoko's skin was ice cold, both from the water and her reaction to the dark. It was absolutely essential that she get warm. Ryoko could survive in space because she didn't need to breathe and outer space was full of energy that she could draw on. In the cave, Ryoko had been cut off from all sources of energy, and only the Masu bonded to her genes had provided the energy she needed to live. Laying in the freezing water for all those centuries had chilled her to her very core, almost inducing hypothermia. Even now, Ryoko didn't like cold, damp weather as it brought back too many memories.
While drying her off, Washu noticed blood on the towel. Stopping for a moment, she took a closer look at her daughter. Washu gasped when she saw bruises on Ryoko, bruises that shouldn't be on her. Washu activated her holocomp and ran a medical scan. The blood drained from her face as she read the report. Trying to deny what was onscreen, she ran several other tests, praying it was a mistake. All the tests revealed the same brutal facts. Tears sprang from her eyes and, in a voice filled with pain ripped from the very depths of her soul, Washu screamed,"NNNNNOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!".
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Afterword: As I said in the previous chapter, things would get very dark for Ryoko. Chapter 4 will deal with Ryoko recovering from her state of shock and begin to explore the repercussions of the raider's arrest. The Masaki's reactions to the news will also be dealt with. I will state now that in later chapters, Roberts, Jackson and Malone will stand trial along with the rest of the team. The trial will be the media sensation of the galaxy, as I'm sure you'll understand why.
Chief Instructor Bodai and the documentary of the house are from vol. 7 of the "No Need for Tenchi" manga trade paperback. Both the manga and the OVA's clearly show Ryo-ohki is able to use her communication and sensors while cabbit form. I haven't been able to watch the Mihoshi Special as it wasn't included on the DVD release (gggrrr!!) so I had to base my assessment of Kiyone on a summary of the Special and Manatsu no Eve. Ryoko's rescue of Kiyone is a story idea that I plan to write later on.
It had been three days since everyone had left for Jurai. While Ryoko managed to keep busy with housework and caring for Mayuka, she found herself wishing she could have gone to Jurai. She missed her family dearly, and prayed that someday the "demon space pirate" would be forgotten and people would only see Ryoko Hakubi. Thankfully, Mihoshi,Kiyone and Washu were due back in two or three days. The silence made Ryoko think that unfriendly eyes were watching her, though she couldn't say why.
Unknown to her, the house was indeed being watched and had been for years. Ayeka's appearance over Kurashiki had been seen and heard by almost the entire city. Ryo-ohki's appearance and the grabbing of Tenchi's house had been witnessed by the neighborhood, and naturally, people had talked. Naval ships of several countries had tracked their flight into outer space, along with the various space facilities. When Ryo-ohki crashed into the Seto-Ohashi Bridge, it had been passed off as a meteor strike. Tracking data clearly showed that the bridge had been hit by something that was flying across the water however, and all the countries that had seen the two ships flooded the city with agents with orders to learn everything they could.
Listening to people talking, several facts emerged. The name Ryoko, which a woman's voice had been heard calling for her to come out, was also the name of a demon that was supposedly imprisoned in a cave next to a nearby shrine. The owner of the house that disappeared was the son-in-law of the caretaker of this shrine as well. Furthermore, when the shrine was visited, the missing house was discovered, along with several houseguests. There were too many coincidences, and a joint task force consisting mainly of Japanese and U.S. intelligence had been formed.
While some agents had bugged the house, others had begun to investigate the Masaki family. It became apparent that all of the houseguests were from another planet, but what was strange was the insistence by the one called Ayeka that Tenchi was related by blood to her. Subsequent checking of the birth records could find no proof, but did uncover something else. The caretaker's birth certificate was a complete fake and so were the records of all the other shrine caretakers, going back for centuries. An analysis of all the fake records showed that the same person had written every one, which would make Katsuhito Masaki centuries old.
Profiles were developed on all of the Masaki family. More than one agent scratched their heads at Ryoko and Ayeka's fighting over Tenchi. The kid seemed like a wimp and yet here were two beautiful women treating him like he was the hottest thing since Elvis or the Beatles. No one knew what to make of the strange animal that appeared later on, but the name Ryo-ohki was the name of other demon in the legend. When the family went to the Hot Springs Inn, a strange storm appeared and another woman had fallen literally into Tenchi's arms. She also joined the family and apparently flipped over Tenchi. A quick profile was made and it seemed like this woman was the definition of "airhead". The agents would have just treated her as no one of importance, when she mentioned she was with something called the Galaxy Police and evidently a person of some rank. That meant that sooner or later, people would come looking for her.
After the visit to the inn, a domed onsen, floating over the lake, had apparently been made out of thin air by Ryoko. Scientists were stumped as to how it been built and stayed above the lake. The fact at least one of these alien women possesed such technology had justified the surveillance and task force's budget was increased. When someone called Kagato appeared, cameras with telephoto lenses and long distance microphones had picked up the battle. It was clear that Katsuhito Masaki was the samurai warrior Yosho from the legend and that he too was from another planet. Psychologists also noted Ryoko's fear of Kagato and the strange power he had over her.
When Tenchi and the others had gone after Kagato, jaws had dropped at Ryo-ohki's transformation into a battleship. This creature was dangerous and Ryo-ohki's threat assessment was considerably upgraded. Ryoko was already considered a top threat because of her powers and to a lesser degree so was Ayeka. When Tenchi came back, he had yet another girl with him. Everyone on the task force was asking themselves what was this kid, some kind of girl magnet?
The new arrival called herself Washu, "the greatest scientific genius in the universe". What the agents called her was far less flattering. She found every single microphone and video camera hidden in the house and around the shrine in one night, while everyone else was asleep. What she didn't outright destroy, she somehow made only able to pick up that insipid children's show "Barney the Dinosaur". Washu became the bane of all the agents trying watch the house and most of them spent nights coming up with new ways for her to die. Any kind of electronic surveillance became almost impossible, because new bugs were found within a day. Finally, someone had the idea of watching through high powered lenses and lip reading what was said. While this resulted in less information, it was still better than nothing. One tidbit that was overheard was the fact Ryoko was Washu's daughter. This wasn't believed at first until Washu was observed changing into an adult and saying she was once married and had an earlier child.
When Mihoshi had been evidently recalled, Washu's power had been witnessed. She had easily dismissed the strange energy creature that almost destroyed the inn, and was considered a high threat afterwards. Because so many of the inhabitants were possesed of superhuman powers, it considered too dangerous to try acquiring any of the technology believed to be inside the house. Also, location of Washu's lab inside was unknown, until a television crew doing a documentary on the house's architecture had filmed part of the lab, including the location of the door. Agents had acquired a copy of the film, which had been dismissed as being science fiction. Everyone had been amazed at the glimpse of wonders in the lab, and were determined more than ever to find a way to raid the place.
The shrine had a lot of visitors over the years, including a woman who could pass for Ryoko's twin and a stern, authoritative man with two wives. This strange group were evidently Sasami and Ayeka's parents and rulers of a place called Jurai. This information reinforced the importance of proceeding with extreme care while watching the shrine. With so many people in the house at any time, it was decided to just watch and hope for a lucky break. Meanwhile, every scrap of information that could be found on the inhabitants was added the their profiles.
About a year ago, a new person joined the family. A teenage girl quite literally appeared out of nowhere and called Tenchi "Daddy". All of the task force agreed that none of the alien women could be the mother, quite simply because they all neutralized each other's attempts to get Tenchi. Ryoko's reaction to her was especially interesting, but no one could say exactly why. The next day she was gone, and everyone acted like she had died. A week later, the house was decorated like it was Christmas and Washu had brought out a newborn who had the same name as the girl. This child was also treated as Tenchi's, but no one claimed to be the mother. At first everyone shared in taking care of the baby, but it soon became evident that Ryoko had bonded with the infant. What was also interesting was the fact Tenchi started to seriously date both Ryoko and Ayeka at this time as well.
Recently, several things had happened. First, there had been a marked change in Ryoko's behavior. Then just a couple of days ago, almost the entire household had left, leaving only Ryoko,Mayuka and her pet Ryo-ohki. If the pattern still held, Mihoshi and her partner Kiyone wouldn't be back until next week. A chance like this wouldn't come again in who knows when. Planning immediately began for a raid on Washu's lab. Ryoko's habits were watched intensely for the next two days, while all information about her was reviewed for any clues about how she could be neutralized. Ryo-ohki was also watched, but she was considered less of a threat due to her limited intelligience. One piece of information that was quickly found was Ryoko's intense fear of being alone in the dark. Another fact that emerged was that alcohol had the same affect on her that it did on humans. This meant that similar drugs, namely tranquilizers would most likely also affect her. The dosage needed was the unknown factor, but everyone figured more was better. If Ryoko died as a result, well that was just too bad.
That night, the team setup where they would take out Ryoko. She had been observed performing a daily cleaning ritual in front of the shrine office. This was a perfect place for the ambush, because she would be out in the open and it was next to the cave where she had been imprisoned. Since the cave held her for so long once, it ought to be able to hold her again. The passage to the pool inside was reopened and the shooters got into their positions. A cargo truck was parked a little down the road, and would be brought to the house once the way was clear. Everyone then settled in to wait for morning.
The next morning, Ryoko got up and started with what she thought would be a normal day. After bathing and breakfast with Ryo-ohki and Mayuka, she headed to the shrine. She would perform the morning cleansing and then start housecleaning. Mihoshi,Kiyone and Washu were due back tomorrow morning, and she wanted to be able to enjoy a little family get together when they arrived. After setting Mayuka's basket on the porch out of the warm sun, Ryoko told Ryo-ohki to stay with her and prepared for the ritual.
Suddenly, Ryoko was hit by four shots in the neck. Angrily, she started summoning her powers when her vision blurred and she felt incredibly weak. She swayed and was hit by another four shots. Her eyes rolling back, Ryoko fell to the ground unconscious. The shooters came running out of their hiding places, and shot with her four more darts. Each dart contained a trank dosage that would kill an ordinary human. Amazingly, Ryoko was still breathing and appeared to be just sleeping. Quickly, two men grabbed her and headed toward the cave.
Ryo-ohki, who was in her child form, had seen Ryoko hit, but when she tried to help her mistress, several other men stepped in and blocked her. One man pulled out a pistol with a laser sight, and targeted Mayuka. "Don't even think about turning into a ship Ryo-ohki.", said the man,"or your friend's little baby dies. Ryoko isn't dead and, if you do what you are told, no one will get hurt." Frightened by the man's words and tone, Ryo-ohki waited for the stranger to continue. "Now then, I'm going to stay right here and keep an eye on you while my friends take care of business. I've also got a sniper covering me, so don't think of trying to take me out." With that statement, a shot was placed just above Mayuka's head. Mayuka screamed, and Ryo-ohki tried to calm her. The man patiently waited for the two agents to return from securing Ryoko in the cave.
Meanwhile, Ryoko's captors, Jackson and Malone, were working their way down to the pool. The passageway was steep and slippery, and neither wanted a mishap. Finally, they reached the edge of the pool and were about to throw her in, when Malone had an idea. Ryoko was that bitch Washu's daughter and here was a perfect chance to pay her back for all the trouble she had caused them. Jackson agreed and with a cruel smile on both their faces, they advanced on the helpless woman.
Thirty minutes later, they were tying the rock back together, thus closing the passageway. The two men then rejoined the group at the shrine and reported Ryoko was now neutralized. The man covering Ryo-ohki and Mayuka then spoke into lapel mike and gave the raiders the all-clear. Everyone except him headed toward the house and the lab. When the team entered the house, they spread out to check the different rooms before heading for the lab. In the living room, the television's upgraded reception was discovered, and it was immediately moved into the truck. Other rooms had only minor items, though the Galaxy Police uniforms in Mihoshi and Kiyone's room were of definite interest. These were also grabbed and everyone then headed to the lab.
At the shrine, Ryo-ohki was becoming desperate. She was roughly 6-7 years old in human terms and was having a difficult time with all of this. Mayuka was crying, both from needing to be changed and because Ryoko wasn't there to take care of her. Ryo-ohki had seen Ryoko change Mayuka enough times that she felt she could do it, but the stranger scared her. The stranger, whose name was Roberts, said,"Change the brat's diapers and shut her up." Ryo-ohki then picked May up and carefully changed her diapers. Mayuka quieted down, but she still whimpered, sensing that her mother was missing. Ryo-ohki then tried to figure out what to do. She remembered that her mother Washu and her Galaxy Police friends were headed home, and it might be possible to reach them. They would know what to do and so she acted on this idea. Accessing her communication systems, she first tried to pick up Yukinojo on her own. She sensed the ship, but couldn't get a clear signal.
Ryo-ohki then thought of Funaho, Yosho's ship tree. Linking with the great ship, she was able to boost the reception enough that she could open a comm channel with Yukinojo. Immediately, Ryo-ohki sent out a distress signal with all the power that she could. It was received and Ryo-ohki waited for someone to tell her what to do.
Back at the house, the team had entered the lab. The security systems were immediately activated, but there were no alarms sounded. Washu's AI systems controlling the lab were far in advance of anything on Earth, and could sense the threat level of an intruder and implement appropriate countermeasures without alerting the intruder. Quickly sizing up the team, the AI began separating and capturing them one at a time. It noted the fact there were more outside, but since they didn't attempt to enter the AI merely filed each of their pictures away for reference. Once all of the intruders were captured, the AI sent out a coded signal to Washu's holocomputer.
The two men outside the lab were getting worried by the silence. The team was supposed to check in at regular intervals, and two check ins had already been missed. After a hour had passed with no word, they contacted Roberts at the shrine. He agreed that something had most likely happened to them, but didn't want to abandon his men or the mission just yet. The television and the uniforms were just the tip of the iceberg and he wasn't about to let anything get in his way. Roberts then had an idea. Since Ryo-ohki and Mayuka were members of the household, why not use them to gain access to the lab? "Change of plans kid. You two are going to help me find out what's in that lab. It's obvious that there's some sort of security system, and I figure it's programmed not to hurt you or the baby. I'm going to have my gun pointed at the brat's head, so no heroics."
Ryo-ohki picked up May and the three of them headed toward the house. Once there, the other two men also targeted Mayuka. Forming a wedge, with Ryo-ohki and Mayuka in the center, Roberts at point and the other two on each side, they all entered the lab. The AI saw them and transmitted this info to Washu. Since it couldn't capture these three without endangering Mayuka or Ryo-ohki, the AI locked the door behind them and then linked up with Ryo-ohki's comm systems. It directed her on a long tour of the lab, while it waited for the arrival of Washu. Ryo-ohki's distress call and the silent alarm had been received, and both the Yukinojo and the Hinase, which had arrived in the Sol system at the same time, were headed at top speed to Earth.
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Earlier on Yukinojo
While Kiyone was helping Washu and Minagi wrap Mayuka's birthday gifts, Mihoshi was on the bridge standing watch. Most people thought of her as the definition of "dumb blonde", but this was farthest from the truth. Mihoshi possessed a genius level intellect and an incredible eye for detail. Her cheerful, bubbly personality was what people saw most of the time. Only when she was working a case or confronting a criminal did she become all business. At the Academy, her classmates thought it was her grandfather's influence that got her in, not her own scores on the entrance exams. Actually, the Grand Marshal had been dead set against her entering, for just that reason.
When she passed the exams with a perfect score, he did use his influence once. He made sure Mihoshi had Chief Instructor Bodai, the toughest instructor in the Police Academy. His reputation for fairness and integrity was unquestioned, and if Mihoshi passed or failed, it would be on her merits. Bodai noted her analytical skills and taught her the importance of attention to detail. She proved to be an excellent marksman on the firing range and had a talent for interviewing and interrogation. The only mark against her was her clumsiness in high stress situations. Oddly, her actions would result in resolving the situation, almost as if she was possessed of an incredible lucky streak. It was very unnerving to witness though, but Bodai figured this could be fixed with Mihoshi having a good partner. He had given her high marks and she had graduated at the top of her class.
Out in the field, finding a partner proved to be a problem. Word had spread among the ranks of her identity and most officers didn't want to have the Marshal's granddaughter as a partner. Even though Mihoshi was a fully capable officer in own her right, the thought that she might be killed and they would have to face the Grand Marshal scared away many veterans. Also, she had gotten a choice assignment to Central based upon her abilities, but it still generated a certain amount of resentment. As a result, Mihoshi went through a lot of partners, usually lasting a few months at most. On her own, she amassed an impressive arrest/conviction record, but she felt like a pariah at times. She desperately wished for someone she could trust and who would accept her as a police officer.
It was during the Galactic energy crisis that she met her first real partner, Kiyone Makibi. She had graduated before Mihoshi, also at the top of her class, and wanted to advance strictly on her merits. While she found Mihoshi's cheerfulness irritating, she treated Mihoshi like any other cop, and didn't hold her heritage against her. Mihoshi began to open up to Kiyone and she was determined to keep her as a partner. Kiyone's apparent death had shattered Mihoshi and she suffered a nervous breakdown. When Mihoshi finally recovered, she was changed in several ways. She had become childlike in both personality and conscious thought. Her detective skills operated on a subconscious level and she misinterpreted orders to what she wanted to hear. Also, she was now a complete klutz. Mihoshi was so accident prone that everyone avoided her rather than get hurt.
After it was clear that no one would take Mihoshi as a partner, the Marshal gave her the newest, most advanced ship in the fleet, the Yukinojo. The AI was advanced to the point of self-awareness and had an inhuman amount of patience. Yukinojo needed every bit of patience and understanding in dealing with Mihoshi and any lesser AI would have had a nervous breakdown of it's own. Mihoshi had been demoted by this time, and assigned to the Seventh Headquarters. It was hoped that such a remote assignment would keep her out of trouble, but as usual, Mihoshi managed to find trouble on her own. First, Kagato had entered the Sol system, then she had managed to get herself stranded on Earth in violation of Galactic and Jurain laws. Against all odds, Mihoshi hooked up with the Jurain Crown Prince and Princesses and Space Pirates Ryoko and Ryo-ohki no less. She participated in the destruction of Kagato and learned so much information about Jurai's secrets that the report had to be heavily censored. Captain Nobeyama and the Commander of the Seventh Headquarters were secretly relieved when Mihoshi asked to stay on Earth.
Several years later, Ryoko, while on one of her rare trips with Ryo-ohki, had found Kiyone alive. The sight of Kiyone alive had jolted Mihoshi almost back to her original self. Kiyone had originally blamed Mihoshi for being stranded, but the years had burned away her anger. When she learned what happened to Mihoshi, she had agreed to be Mihoshi's partner again. Kiyone needed a quiet assignment while she rebuilt her life, and staying at the Masaki household fit bill perfectly, peaceful yet stimulating enough to keep from being bored. Ryoko by this time had stopped fighting with Ayeka, so Kiyone lucked out there.
The partnership worked better than expected the second time around. Soon they acquired a reputation for being one of the most effective teams in Galaxy Police. They were both promoted and offered the chance to return to Central, but they elected to stay on Earth. Kiyone and Mihoshi were part of the Masaki family now and the thought of leaving the home permanently was unbearable. Now they spent their time on patrol as members of the Special Investigation Unit, with their choice of any case they wanted. Yukinojo for his part was vastly relieved with both Mihoshi's change and Kiyone's appearance.
Today had been a pleasant surprise when Minagi had joined them on the way home. She hadn't visited the family in over a year, and was happy to hear that Ryoko and Washu had made peace with each other. The rift between them had been a source of great distress to Minagi, and she was glad that they finally worked out their differences. Minagi was amazed at the news of Ryoko raising a baby and acting like an adult. She was looking forward to meeting her niece and finding out what a baby was like. Even though Minagi was technically Ryoko's daughter, being a clone made from Ryoko's and Washu's former assistant Yakage's genes, she found it easier to consider herself Ryoko's sister and Washu her mother. Minagi had come aboard Yukinojo to help Washu, and both ships were moving at cruising speed to Earth. They would park behind the moon and use shuttles to descend to the planet in order to keep the ships existence hidden from everyone else. Earth was still a restricted planet and it was forbidden for them to reveal their true identities as aliens to the general population.
Everything was quiet onboard when alarms went off in both Yukinojo and Washu's holocomp. Opening a comm link with Ryo-ohki, everyone watched in horror at the attack on Ryoko and Mayuka being used as a hostage. A few hours later, the security system reported the capture of the majority of the team, but Mayuka and Ryo-ohki were being used as shields by three more men. That left the sniper unaccounted for, and Ryoko's fate was still unknown. All agreed that Mayuka and Ryo-ohki's rescue had to come first, even Ryoko would have agreed had she been there. Minagi volunteered to capture the sniper, to which Kiyone and Mihoshi acceded. Analyzing the placement of the shot gave her a fair estimate of his location, and Minagi quickly boarded her shuttle.
Everyone else then discussed how to rescue the hostages. These men were professionals and all three would have to be taken out simultaneously. The extreme riskiness of this idea placed it as a last resort. Negotiating seemed like the best option, and Mihoshi was chosen to do the job. People were always underestimating her and she would definitely put the raiders at ease. Washu then told them all she knew about the surveillance on the house. Always before, they had been satified with just keeping an eye on the house, but she never expected them to go this far. Using tranquilizer darts on Ryoko was understandable to a point, but threatening a baby like that was unforgivable. Washu then talked with Ryo-ohki, telling her they would arrive shortly and to obey the raiders for now. Mayuka was crying now, having not been fed since morning, and she was very hungry.
Minagi reached the home first and immediately began searching for the sniper and the spotter. She had landed in the fields behind home, flying out of the sun and therefore practically undetected. Flying just above the trees, she moved in a wide loop to a point just behind where she thought the sniper team was. Reaching out with all of her senses, Minagi homed in on their hiding spot. The snipers were very good at concealing themselves, but their presence still created a disruption in the natural balance of the forest. It was this disruption that Minagi's warrior instincts, honed to a fine edge under the tutelage of her father and master Yakage, picked up and she soon pinpointed the snipers' location.
The sniper and his spotter had been watching the house, waiting for word from Roberts, the team leader, that the mission was complete and they could head back to the pickup point. Their surprise was complete when an energy blade suddenly appeared and sliced the rifle in half. Scrambling from their hiding place, they were confronted a woman who they thought was Ryoko. They quickly noticed the crescent scars on her cheeks and realized that this was one of the regular visitors, the one called Minagi. The spotter tried to call Roberts, but with consummate skill, Minagi destroyed the radio without harming him. They both aimed their pistols at her, and Minagi calmly sliced through both weapons, again cutting just shy of their fingers.
Minagi then deactivated her blade and waited. The sniper team drew their knives and attacked. Yakage had also trained her in unarmed combat, and the two men were soon unconscious but unhurt. Leaving the equipment untouched, Minagi then picked up the team and headed back to her shuttle where she secured them. Kiyone had told her to touch as little as possible, because the area would be considered a crime scene, and only a trained forensics team would be allowed near the spot. She then reported the capture to everyone on Yukinojo and headed to the house.
With the all clear, Washu,Kiyone and Mihoshi boarded their shuttle. They landed by the lake and went inside the house with Minagi. Once inside, Washu unlocked the lab door and contacted Ryo-ohki. Washu told her to lead the men to the door and be ready to protect Mayuka. A servant droid was sent with a bottle for Mayuka to tide her over until she could be properly fed. The raiders were startled by the robot, but when they saw the bottle they allowed it to come near. Mayuka's crying was irritating everyone and they welcomed anything that would shut her up.
Following Washu's instructions, Ryo-ohki fed and burped May. May quieted down considerably and she soon fell asleep. Ryo-ohki then lead the raiders back to the door. When they saw Washu, the GP's and Minagi, the two guards quickly closed the distance between them and Mayuka while Roberts calmly faced the door.
"Well, well, if it isn't the Galaxy Police and Miss Washu come home early.", he said, "I see Ryoko's twin, Minagi has also come along. Looks like we have a little problem here. You've got my men and I've got the baby everyone's so attached to.". Mihoshi replied,"As a Galaxy Police officer, I must tell you that we are not allowed to let you have advanced technology. Doing so would result in a upset of the planet's developement. You are already in serious trouble with the use of Mayuka Masaki as a shield. Threatening the life of an infant is a serious crime under Galactic Law. Mayuka is also a Princess of Jurai and therefore in the line of succession. There will be repercussions if she is harmed."
Roberts then said,"Don't worry about the brat being harmed. Right now, her and Ryo-ohki are the best possible shield we got. You can't do anything against us without endangering them, so I figure we have the upper hand here." Mihoshi relplied,"If you turn them over to us and tell us where Ryoko is, we are willing to let you and your men leave in peace. You found out about our origins on your own, so none of our laws concerning contacting the native poplulation were broken. A high level contact through your United Nations can be setup so Earth can eventually join the Galactic Union. However, I must warn you that we are only forbidden to reveal our identities to the population as a whole. Individual contact is allowed and that person is then considered a Galactic citizen and subject to Galactic Law. Persist in this course and you will most assuredly be arrested, tried and convicted in a court of law. All of your actions have been recorded, ever since you attacked Ryoko this morning, so you may believe what I am saying."
Roberts paused to consider her words. Allowing them to leave peacefully meant that they didn't want to arrest them if they could. Arresting them would probably raise as many problems for the GP's as would other intelligience agencies finding out about the Masaki household for Roberts. It was in the interest of both sides to resolve this quietly and everyone pretend nothing happened. That was how the game was played and Roberts had been through similar situations in the past. What bothered him was Mihoshi's statement that contact would be initiated with the U.N. . That meant everyone would learn the truth and it would most likely result in the Masaki household becoming a diplomatic embassy with all the rights that it entailed.
The dilemna that he faced was should he take up Mihoshi's offer or should he use Mayuka as a bargaining chip for at least some of technology they had found. The TV's reception capabilities alone would keep the scientists busy for years along with the material of the uniforms. It galled him to know they were so close and have it snatched away from their grasp. However, time was on the GP's side and all knew it. Keeping the baby targeted at all times while watching the others was extremely hard on the three of them. Any mistake by anyone and the kid would be either dead or out of the line of fire, at which point there'd be no stopping the aliens. It was a tense situation as both sides waited for each to make any move. Unknown to both sides, fate was about to play its own hand.
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Ryoko awoke to a blackness that was beyond any words to describe it. There was no light of any wavelength that she could detect, from infrared to x-ray and beyond. She thought she was having a nightmare about the cave, when she realized that this was no dream. She felt the cold, bone chilling water all around her, the hard stone underneath her, and knew she was imprisoned once more in the place that she had swore never to be imprisoned again. Desperately, she tried to move and found that her muscles were like lead. Ryoko tried to use her powers and was unable to do anything. She couldn't fly, teleport or even create some light. Trying to contact Ryo-ohki she heard only silence. The only sound she could hear was the incessant dripping of water into the pool.
It was just like the first time she had woken up in the cave, 700 years ago. Who had done this? Becoming more terrified by the minute, Ryoko tried once more to free herself from this hellhole. She had to get out of here, before she went mad. Again, she met with failure. Ryoko felt the darkness closing in like a physical presence. It pressed down on her, smothering her completely. She tried to hold it at bay with images of her family, playing with Tenchi and May, fighting with Ayeka, laughing with Sasami. The darkness simply swallowed the memories and again Ryoko was faced with her worst fear. She then tried her last trick, the thing that had saved her before. Desperately she tried to project her astral body. To her absolute horror, this option was also denied her.
Now terrified beyond all reason, Ryoko screamed. She trapped in the darkness, with no hope of seeing anything again. Her heart beat faster than a hummingbird and she started hyperventilating. Someone, anyone please help me!! I'm so cold and scared. Mommy, where are you? Tenchi? Ayeka? Sasami? MOMMY???
By this time the tranquilizers had been flushed from her system, but they were no longer needed. As the raiders had guessed, Ryoko's fear had taken hold and she was effectively her own jailer. What they didn't know about was her link with Washu. Even though she believed that no one could hear her, Ryoko's screaming was being heard loud and clear by Washu, Minagi and Ryo-ohki.
At the lab, Washu suddenly clutched her temples. Minagi also put her hands to her head while Ryo-ohki miyaaed in pain. Ryoko was broadcasting her terror with all of her strength, and it was like a sledgehammer pounding inside of their heads. Washu tried to break through to her daughter, but all she was able to receive was images of darkness and sensations of cold. A sick feeling that quickly turned into a murderous rage came over her as she figured out where Ryoko had been taken. " You BASTARDS!!!", she screamed," She's in the CAVE!!!" Washu then launched herself at the raiders, heedless of her own safety, wanting only to hurt the people who had hurt her daughter.
Time seemed to slow to a crawl. The raiders turned to deal with this threat, but quickly realized Mayuka was no longer covered. Minagi had kept her head despite the pain, and teleported to May and Ryo-ohki the instant the raiders were distracted. Grabbing them both, she teleported them to safety. Mihoshi and Kiyone both fired and in just over a second, the three men were out cold, having been stunned by the GP's pistols. Minagi appeared with Mayuka crying in her arms, while Ryo-ohki ran crying to Washu. Both of them had been through severe stress and trauma, and needed desperately to feel safe and secure again. Gently, Washu handed the two children over to Mihoshi and Kiyone. As much as she wanted to comfort them, she knew that Ryoko needed her help even more.
Washu had indeed told Ryoko the truth about that night in the lab, but there was another reason she did it. She had wanted to know how deep Ryoko's fear of the dark ran, and what would happen if her daughter found herself trapped and alone in dark. The lab was indeed very dark, but there was still some light that Ryoko had been able to see. Washu had needed the light for the video camera. Also, the lab was warmer and dryer than the cave. Even so, Ryoko had been reduced to begging and sobbing in almost no time. For weeks afterward, she'd had nightmares so bad that she would wake the whole house with her screaming. Even the counseling sessions with Yosho hadn't broken the cave's hold over her. Every time they'd tried to get Ryoko to talk about the cave, she'd curled up into a ball, actually shivering with cold. Washu dreaded what would happen if Ryoko ever found herself in the cave for real and now that day had arrived.
Once more tried Washu to reach her daughter, and let her know that she wasn't alone. The contact was much fainter this time, and Washu began to panic. "Minagi, take me to the cave RIGHT NOW!! We have get to Ryoko before it's too late", Washu cried. Minagi grabbed Washu and the two of them flew at top speed to the cave. Washu maintained the link, desperately calling Ryoko. Just before they reached the entrance to the cave, the link went silent. Washu was unable to hear anything from Ryoko, and she feared the worst.
Inside the cave, they saw the counterweight had been tied with a steel cable. Cutting it with one slash of her sword, Washu was entering the passage before it fully opened, Minagi right behind her. She practically flew down to the chamber. Summoning a ball of light, Washu lit the cave brighter than noon. Ryoko lay in the the pool unmoving, her eyes fixed and open. Her mind had been unable to cope with the the thought of being trapped once more in the cold darkness, and she had gone into a state of shock, withrawing from reality. Quickly, Washu pulled Ryoko out of the pool and lay her down on the edge.
Pulling towels and blankets from subspace, she pulled Ryoko's clothes off and began drying her. Ryoko's skin was ice cold, both from the water and her reaction to the dark. It was absolutely essential that she get warm. Ryoko could survive in space because she didn't need to breathe and outer space was full of energy that she could draw on. In the cave, Ryoko had been cut off from all sources of energy, and only the Masu bonded to her genes had provided the energy she needed to live. Laying in the freezing water for all those centuries had chilled her to her very core, almost inducing hypothermia. Even now, Ryoko didn't like cold, damp weather as it brought back too many memories.
While drying her off, Washu noticed blood on the towel. Stopping for a moment, she took a closer look at her daughter. Washu gasped when she saw bruises on Ryoko, bruises that shouldn't be on her. Washu activated her holocomp and ran a medical scan. The blood drained from her face as she read the report. Trying to deny what was onscreen, she ran several other tests, praying it was a mistake. All the tests revealed the same brutal facts. Tears sprang from her eyes and, in a voice filled with pain ripped from the very depths of her soul, Washu screamed,"NNNNNOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!".
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Afterword: As I said in the previous chapter, things would get very dark for Ryoko. Chapter 4 will deal with Ryoko recovering from her state of shock and begin to explore the repercussions of the raider's arrest. The Masaki's reactions to the news will also be dealt with. I will state now that in later chapters, Roberts, Jackson and Malone will stand trial along with the rest of the team. The trial will be the media sensation of the galaxy, as I'm sure you'll understand why.
Chief Instructor Bodai and the documentary of the house are from vol. 7 of the "No Need for Tenchi" manga trade paperback. Both the manga and the OVA's clearly show Ryo-ohki is able to use her communication and sensors while cabbit form. I haven't been able to watch the Mihoshi Special as it wasn't included on the DVD release (gggrrr!!) so I had to base my assessment of Kiyone on a summary of the Special and Manatsu no Eve. Ryoko's rescue of Kiyone is a story idea that I plan to write later on.