A/N Tenchi Muyo! is owned by AIC and Pioneer and not by me. (ending dry and dull disclaimer)
The ideas in this story are mine though and if you'd like to use or borrow them, contact me first at [email protected] or [email protected]
Note: Three Gems of the Light Hawk is a complete alternate universe, similiarities may include characters, places and a few events that ended differently, please keep that in mind as you read. Thanks to DaTexan and JohnnyG for betaing.
Note: This story has been inspired and helped by a few different sources, one of them is Odyssey by William "Thundergod" Nichols and The Pirates of the Carribean: Curse of the Black Pearl (although I did have the idea before that movie came out) I hope you enjoy the story.
Three Gems of the Light Hawk
Chapter Two
By RingPrincess
There was deadness to living in outer space. Jurians rarely noticed life's coldness in their large ships piloted by their sentient trees. Life surrounded them making the very essence of the ship. It was those without tree ships who noticed it most acutely, especially if they had ever once traveled on a Jurain Tree ship. Non-Jurain spacers endured then became inured to the lifelessness, and some even preferred that life with its metallic and plastic artificialness. However space, even for Jurians is still a dangerous environment and with little to do in that environment a space farer can get into trouble much more serious than a simple black hole.
"Two weeks?" Tenchi's jaw dropped.
"Action, adventure, that is all that young people want to hear about. How is it in all those stories of great deeds one never hears about the weeks and weeks worth of travel time involved?" Washu shook her head. "We'll reach our first destination in two weeks, Prince Tenchi."
"Two weeks, what am I to do for two weeks?" Tenchi exploded.
Washu shifted position on her burgundy, floating cushion, whatever patience she had gone. 'I am not putting up with a brat of a prince who didn't think about the consequences of what he was doing. Young people these days, that old woman at the hot springs was right,' she thought. 'Time to set a few things straight.' She took a deep breath. "Prince Tenchi, I do not know what you think your position is on this ship. Nor do I care. What I have to go by is a contract given to me by the Holy Council of Jurai. In this contract my duty and the duty of my daughters is to render you aid for the indeterminate amount of time this quest could take. According to that paper we are not your entertainers, nor are you in charge. I did not take this job for the money or for the favor I could gain from you and the noble houses of Jurai. Jurai is doing this to curry favor with me. And this quest will not and cannot be done without me. To put it simply I do not need Jurai they need me. Further more, Prince Tenchi, you are an adult and I do not care what you do between stops on this trip. Just do not interfere with the running of this ship. If you do not like it you can leave. Are we clear?"
Tenchi nodded, blood rushing to his face.
"I believe you have something that needs doing." Washu turned away, her holo laptop appearing before her.
Tenchi swallowed hard and wasn't sure if he should bow or salute. So he did neither and left the room as quickly as he could. There was plenty of space on the Souja to seek solitude. His face burned as he walked down a long corridor.
'On Jurai I prided myself on being better than the average noble.' The pillars on the "bridge" beckoned. He found one to see space from and settled against it, the coolness seeping through his pants and shirt. 'Then I act like those nobles I despise the most.' His eyes fixed into the depths of blacking making up space. 'Guess I don't have everything figured out.'
There was no true way to tell time. Tenchi's mind churned, rarely spitting out something coherent.
'Grandfather Azusa was pleased, actually smug with even the idea of this quest. He's wanted me out of sight for some time and this conveniently does that. And does so for an unknown period of time,' he shook his head. 'My task was clear. I was and am to retrieve the three gems of the light hawk with the aid of Washu Hakubi. Who has made it clear to me that I need the help, whether I want it or not. Then I am to return to Jurai with those gems and take them to the Tsunami tree; the Ship of Jurai. It seemed simple and clear cut, the reality is anything but.' He sighed, and rested the back of his head against the pillar. 'I haven't got enough information and the one who does just told me to go screw myself and I deserved it.'
"Did Mom give you one of her 'go think about it' lectures?" Minagi sat down next to him.
Tenchi jerked forward and flushed slightly. "Yeah," he rubbed the back of his neck, trying to make the hairs lay down flat. "Does she do that often?"
"Often enough," Minagi shrugged. "She generally gives them if you deserve it and because she does care about you."
"Well, I deserved it, the caring part I'll think about." Tenchi sighed.
"Don't beat yourself up too bad over it. We all make mistakes." Tenchi opened his mouth to say something. Minagi interrupted before he could, "And don't say 'I shouldn't.'" Tenchi's teeth clicked together as his jaws shut. "Nobility isn't perfect nor does it have to be. If nobles were perfect how could they govern and interact with the people." Minagi paused. "But it doesn't work that way, does it?"
Tenchi stared at Minagi's profile. "No, because royalty very rarely interacts with the people in an honest fashion. They harbor the illusion that they are royalty because they are better than everybody else."
"Or the other way around," she murmured.
"Then interacting with the people they govern would be beneath them and many use that very excuse."
"You don't, you try."
"I still carry the same attitudes, the same mannerisms."
"Yet, you try. You see past them and want to change them."
"I don't have much of a choice."
"Not on this trip." Washu affirmed stepping around 'his' pillar. She eyed him for a moment. Tenchi raised his eyes to meet hers, wondering what was going on. "Ryoko's right," she said. "You need a haircut."
--
Washu examined the back of Tenchi's head critically, turning her head from side to side.
"Much better," Ryoko reached over her mother's shoulder to run her fingers through the black shorn hair.
Washu glanced at Ryoko out of the corner of her eyes. "Glad it is acceptable, Lil Ryoko."
Ryoko snatched her hand back and glared at her mother.
"I know my opinion doesn't count in this matter, but may I see?" Tenchi complained to the large mirror in front of him.
"Oh, sure," Washu grabbed a mirror from the table and spun the chair around. "Here."
He sighed. "It feels weird."
"Respectable Academy students do not have mullets, however popular the style may be on Jurai." Ryoko crossed her arms, thinly veiling her distaste for the hairstyle.
Washu shrugged.
"Ahh, good point." Tenchi put the mirror down. "The Academy has always been more strict in matters of appearance." 'Thanks for the information, Ryoko. Two weeks to the Academy, I swore it was closer than that.'
"It doesn't change your looks much though." Ryoko frowned, ignoring her mother's glare. ::It was a slip, sorry.::
::Keep a closer watch on your tongue in the future.:: Washu snapped.
::Ease off, mom.:: Minagi soothed. ::He was going to find out sooner or later.:: "You could have used an energy sword. It would've changed his looks," Minagi snickered, "drastically."
"And it would be quicker." Ryoko grinned, turning her head. ::He needs to know some things mother. He is the reason why we're on this trip.::
::He should have learned them from me.:: Washu remonstrated. ::Just be careful in the future.::
Tenchi pushed himself up and out of the chair, avoiding the pile of hair on the floor. He began to brush himself off.
"Then what would you two have to make eyes at," Washu helped Tenchi. She looked knowingly at the twins. They began to sputter and Tenchi grumbled under his breath, turning red.
"Hmm," Washu hooded her eyes. "Well, there is that option as well. You are over three hundred."
Tenchi shrugged, patting himself to make sure every hair was gone. "It takes time." His face slowly returned to its normal color.
Ryoko sighed. "This will have to do for now. The raid can't wait."
"That is Tenchi's decision, Ryoko." Washu stared narrowly at her daughter. Tenchi looked between then.
"As he observed earlier, what else does he have to do?"
"It would get him out and about, mom." Minagi smiled.
"Good cultural lessons," Ryoko added.
"Forget culture, good education." Minagi snorted.
"Besides, that freighter is way off from where it should be," Ryoko snarled.
"The Haimatsu family does seem fond of having their vessels take detours." Washu nodded.
"The Haimatsu family is a Noble House!" Tenchi gaped.
"And we're pirates." Minagi used a thumb to point at Ryoko and herself.
"You can't just hijack a Haimatsu ship."
"For a Prince, you're incredibly naïve." Minagi propelled him out the door. "And it isn't hijacking, it's looting."
"And you want me to help." Tenchi tried looking over his shoulder at her.
"Precisely," Ryoko grabbed his arm to help drag him forward.
"It's illegal."
"That's the point," Minagi winked.
"He seems to be having a hard time grasping this," Ryoko said in an aside to Minagi.
"I'm a Prince."
"Who cares?" Ryoko sighed.
"But, but…" Minagi chanted.
"Remember, your opinion doesn't matter," Ryoko said matter of factually.
"That's comforting."
"It should be, think of all the fun we're going to have together," Minagi bounced, still pushing him forward from the small of his back.
"Someone's going to recognize me."
"I highly doubt it." Ryoko's voice lowered into a monotone.
"Stop being so pessimistic." Minagi said.
"It's still illegal."
"That hasn't changed in the last few minutes." Ryoko stopped abruptly making Minagi run into Tenchi. Ryoko pressed herself up against him and began to draw circles on his chest, her golden eyes darting between his brown eyes and what her hand was doing. "Tenchi, no on will recognize you because no one will even think that you'd be a pirate."
"Trust us," Minagi purred, pressing her body against his back.
Sweat beaded on Tenchi's forehead. "Girls…"
"Great, you're coming." Ryoko brightened.
"That's not what I…"
Minagi resumed pushing him forwards. "You don't want all our hard work to go to waste. How sweet of you."
"Hard work?"
"Okay, mom did help. Can't do much around here without the Greatest Scientific Genius in the Universe." Ryoko draped an arm about his shoulders.
"It's a conspiracy," Tenchi moaned.
"You should be used to them," Minagi stopped pushing and moved to his free side, draping her arm about his other shoulder.
"And why are you resisting the conspiracy of two beautiful ladies like us?" Ryoko smirked. "Face it, you've lost."
"Don't worry, at least you get something comfortable to wear." Minagi winked.
--
Minagi spoke true. The outfit was comfortable. It bothered Tenchi that the under suit fit him like a second blue skin. Yet the high collar didn't restrict his breathing and the gloves would give him better grip than sweaty palms. He heard the door click shut and looked over to see Minagi leaning in the doorway.
"Don't forget the jacket and the cloak." She pushed herself away from the doorpost.
"Is this a standard look?" Tenchi gestured at Minagi's violet cape over her 'working' clothes.
Minagi ran her hands along his chest fingering the dark green appliqué and trim. She shook her head. "Actually, it was the fighting outfit of the house of Hakubi." Tenchi cleared his throat and Minagi moved back. "That was a long time ago."
"I've never heard of the Hakubi house." He shrugged into the jacket, adjusting the shoulder seams so that the one brown and one yellow sleeve would fit correctly.
"Of course not," Minagi grimaced. "Hold still." She drew a set of tiger striped on his face in a pattern that closely resembled her own, except his were all filled while her crescent tattoos were clear of paint. She added a large black strip across his forehead. Her eyes narrowed in concentration, one obscured by a sheet of clear lilac plastic attached by a purple button to a silver circlet.
"That tickles." Tenchi shivered.
"I've a few words of advice for you. Keep the hood up, use the face shield, keep your mouth shut and let Ryoko and I do the talking." Minagi tried to ignore his motions. "And hold still."
"I think I can handle that."
"Mom's dropping Souja back and we'll move ahead in Ryo-ohki." Minagi adjusted the black cloak to fall correctly. "You have heard of Ryo-ohki?"
Tenchi didn't answer. Watching Ryoko walk through the door fascinated him. First her foot appeared, then her leg then the rest of her. Ryoko winked, catching him staring. Then stared back, appraising his looks, "Damn, you're descent," she muttered. Tenchi flushed again and looked away.
Minagi cleared her throat. "Ryo-ohki…"
"Is the attack ship of Intergalactic Space Pirate Ryoko." Tenchi choked, his head swinging around to stare at Ryoko again.
Ryoko grinned. "Yes, I am that Ryoko as Minagi is that Minagi who Captains that Hinase." She shrugged. "And you are that Crown Prince of that Jurai. Doesn't matter though, we're almost ready." She held up a screen and circlet similar to Minagi's and her light blue screen. "One more addition," she slid the circlet under his hairline making a few adjustments until it fit properly. Tenchi raised an eyebrow as he saw the words on the gray screen seemed to be floating a few feet in front of him at a readable height. "And we're off." Ryoko and Minagi grabbed his arms and teleported to Ryo-ohki.
--
Captain Hamaki leaned back in the command chair sighing contentedly. So far it had been a good run, there had been no problems reported and he hoped it would stay that way. The crew was proving to be the reliable and dependable people he had wanted for this trip. Well worth the extra cost that had gone into their hire.
"Captain, I have a sensor anomaly on the aft scope." The ensign spun his chair around to look at the captain.
Hamaki looked down his nose. "Tell me more."
"It appears to be some sort of ghost. Constantly blipping in and out," The ensign cleared his throat. "It's getting closer."
Hamaki stood up and walked to the ensign's station and looked over his shoulder, watching the scopes. "Congratulations ensign, you have seen what no other ensign I have worked with has seen. She must be getting sloppy. Navigation, hard starboard and come to a stop."
"Aye Captain."
--
"He's stopped." Ryoko shook her head. "Meaning he saw us coming. Good."
Minagi moved next to her sister. "Quit stating the obvious, we wanted him to see us, remember?"
"Mreow?" Ryo-ohki drew out.
Tenchi looked about wildly. Minagi placed a hand on his arm. "It's just Ryo-ohki."
"Keep going," Ryoko nodded. "And eject the crystal once we're within range."
"Mew Mow!"
"Now open communications," Ryoko smirked.
--
"Communication lines have been opened." The communications officer's hands moved. "We have visual."
Hamaki placed his hands behind his back, "Space Pirate Ryoko."
"Captain Hamaki, I see you've recovered from our last incident." Ryoko chuckled. "And went right back to your old ways."
"My wife has vowed revenge for what you did."
"The price of doing business." Ryoko shrugged. "Speaking of business, I see you have spared us the trouble of stopping you."
"Incoming Captain," the ensign reported.
The Captain's fingers twitched behind his back and the weapon's officer fired a torpedo. "And I have now stopped you." He smiled pleasantly as the screen faded into static.
"Ryo-ohki has disappeared from the scopes." The Ensign shouted. "We must have got her."
"My wife will be disappointed…"
The ship shuddered and groaned.
"Hull integrity breached." Red and amber lights flashed and sirens began to wail.
"Where?" The Captain barked.
"Near the port docking bays," Minagi chuckled, holding her sword across the Captain's throat. The Captain's eyes darted between the sword, the beautiful space pirate and the dark cloaked comrade with her.
"Minagi," he croaked.
Ryoko floated through the bridge windows, a small animal in her arms. "Ryo-ohki, hack into the computer, I want to know what the Haimatsu House is shipping."
Ryo-ohki leaped from her arms and Ryoko ignited her own sword. "This is an assumed surrender. You fight, you die."
The crew was frozen in place. Tenchi turned slowly, examining each bridge member. The ship claimed to be Jurain, but not one had a drop of Jurain blood in their veins. More disconcerting was the stream of pictures and writing that settled into mug shots, each having a criminal record.
"Mew mow meow mreow."
Tenchi turned his head, seeing the translation in front of him. 'The official manifest does not match what is actually in the bays,' it read.
"Mrew meow mow mew mi mow." 'The supercargo has signed both of them. Both manifests are illegal. One is just quasi illegal though. Transmitting both now.'
Ryoko flicked her sword to point at the supercargo. "There are two manifests, which one is the actual?"
Hamaki growled. "Don't tell them, Minato."
Minato blinked and swallowed, her hair falling in front of her face. Ryoko's face stilled. "Tell us, or the Hamaki here dies."
"The second," she whispered. "The first was from a few weeks ago." She looked up, hair rippling back. "The Captain insisted I change the dates."
"The Haimatsu House gave their blessing for this venture?" Ryoko looked sharply at Hamaki.
Tenchi was shaking, his stomach churned. There was an odd feeling at the back of his throat.
Hamaki straightened. "I wouldn't have left Jurai without their blessing."
"You've fallen far, Hamaki. You didn't used to be so twisted."
"Medical treatment costs money, Hakubi. I have debts to pay."
"And your honor costs nothing." Ryoko spat, golden eyes flashing.
"Mreow!"
Minagi extinguished her sword and shoved Hamaki away to stand with his crew. "You should have kept the first cargo. At least you hadn't killed innocents."
"They're trees!" Hamaki snorted.
"Did you not even pay attention to what type of 'tree' parts you were hauling, Hamaki," Ryoko shouted. "Or did you not care?"
"My debts…"
"Are irrelevant." Ryoko turned her back and walked from the bridge. Ryo-ohki raced after her.
Hamaki lunged for a weapon.
Tenchi tripped him, Hamaki's hands flailed as he fell to the floor. Tenchi walked after Ryoko and Minagi snorted. "I'll send the regrets to your wife."
--
Washu approached Tenchi from behind. He had changed back to his light colored royal outfit. He was pale under his tan. His knuckles white, he clenched the window ledge. The hall window giving the best view of the burning transport ship.
"Not the excitement you were expecting, Prince Tenchi."
Tenchi's jaw muscles clenched and unclenched for a few moments. "I had heard the rumors." His mouth shut as he thought. 'How many of the others that are swirling about Jurai are true as well?'
"And discounted them like everyone else." Washu replied staring dispassionately as a rupture of fire came from the hull, burning up what little oxygen was left in the tan ship. "Even if you went back and told the Emperor it wouldn't matter, nothing would change. The Haimatsu house are skilled liars and they have plenty of money to buy whatever is needed."
"I'd look like a fool." Tenchi tried to relax his hands. "Of all the crimes…"
"It was a mercy for them Tenchi." Washu laid a hand on the Prince's shoulder.
"I have never bonded to a space tree, but I could hear them crying." He stared beyond the burning ship. "Now, I can't help but think one of those trees could have been mine."
"I've also thought that, as has Ryoko and Minagi."
"You have this beautiful ship, Ms. Washu. Why would you want one?"
"It isn't a space tree ship. My daughters and I are as Jurain as you are, Tenchi. Jurain enough to want a tree ship, there is no mechanical substitute for them." She paused. "Yet my daughters and I will never be candidates since the Hakubi house was discontinued long ago. We are all that is left."
Tenchi frowned, his mind not comprehending her words. "The substitutes are needed." He looked over at the tall woman, consciously unclenching his fists. "There are some things that no tree ship can do, that ships like Ryo-ohki can." The last lights on the transport hulk winked out.
Washu nodded. "You are right." She patted his shoulder again and began to walk away. "Oh and Tenchi, don't call me Miss."
--
END CHAPTER!
:-O Tenchi's first pirating job, what's going to happen next! Find out next time in Three Gems of the Light Hawk Chapter Three!
Questions and comments should be sent to one of the emails below! Check out my websites... and tell me what you think please.
RingPrincess
[email protected]
[email protected]
http://www.angelfire.com/ny5/ringprincess/index.html
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/tenchimuyofanfiction/
http://www.thetenchireviewer.net
The ideas in this story are mine though and if you'd like to use or borrow them, contact me first at [email protected] or [email protected]
Note: Three Gems of the Light Hawk is a complete alternate universe, similiarities may include characters, places and a few events that ended differently, please keep that in mind as you read. Thanks to DaTexan and JohnnyG for betaing.
Note: This story has been inspired and helped by a few different sources, one of them is Odyssey by William "Thundergod" Nichols and The Pirates of the Carribean: Curse of the Black Pearl (although I did have the idea before that movie came out) I hope you enjoy the story.
Three Gems of the Light Hawk
Chapter Two
By RingPrincess
There was deadness to living in outer space. Jurians rarely noticed life's coldness in their large ships piloted by their sentient trees. Life surrounded them making the very essence of the ship. It was those without tree ships who noticed it most acutely, especially if they had ever once traveled on a Jurain Tree ship. Non-Jurain spacers endured then became inured to the lifelessness, and some even preferred that life with its metallic and plastic artificialness. However space, even for Jurians is still a dangerous environment and with little to do in that environment a space farer can get into trouble much more serious than a simple black hole.
"Two weeks?" Tenchi's jaw dropped.
"Action, adventure, that is all that young people want to hear about. How is it in all those stories of great deeds one never hears about the weeks and weeks worth of travel time involved?" Washu shook her head. "We'll reach our first destination in two weeks, Prince Tenchi."
"Two weeks, what am I to do for two weeks?" Tenchi exploded.
Washu shifted position on her burgundy, floating cushion, whatever patience she had gone. 'I am not putting up with a brat of a prince who didn't think about the consequences of what he was doing. Young people these days, that old woman at the hot springs was right,' she thought. 'Time to set a few things straight.' She took a deep breath. "Prince Tenchi, I do not know what you think your position is on this ship. Nor do I care. What I have to go by is a contract given to me by the Holy Council of Jurai. In this contract my duty and the duty of my daughters is to render you aid for the indeterminate amount of time this quest could take. According to that paper we are not your entertainers, nor are you in charge. I did not take this job for the money or for the favor I could gain from you and the noble houses of Jurai. Jurai is doing this to curry favor with me. And this quest will not and cannot be done without me. To put it simply I do not need Jurai they need me. Further more, Prince Tenchi, you are an adult and I do not care what you do between stops on this trip. Just do not interfere with the running of this ship. If you do not like it you can leave. Are we clear?"
Tenchi nodded, blood rushing to his face.
"I believe you have something that needs doing." Washu turned away, her holo laptop appearing before her.
Tenchi swallowed hard and wasn't sure if he should bow or salute. So he did neither and left the room as quickly as he could. There was plenty of space on the Souja to seek solitude. His face burned as he walked down a long corridor.
'On Jurai I prided myself on being better than the average noble.' The pillars on the "bridge" beckoned. He found one to see space from and settled against it, the coolness seeping through his pants and shirt. 'Then I act like those nobles I despise the most.' His eyes fixed into the depths of blacking making up space. 'Guess I don't have everything figured out.'
There was no true way to tell time. Tenchi's mind churned, rarely spitting out something coherent.
'Grandfather Azusa was pleased, actually smug with even the idea of this quest. He's wanted me out of sight for some time and this conveniently does that. And does so for an unknown period of time,' he shook his head. 'My task was clear. I was and am to retrieve the three gems of the light hawk with the aid of Washu Hakubi. Who has made it clear to me that I need the help, whether I want it or not. Then I am to return to Jurai with those gems and take them to the Tsunami tree; the Ship of Jurai. It seemed simple and clear cut, the reality is anything but.' He sighed, and rested the back of his head against the pillar. 'I haven't got enough information and the one who does just told me to go screw myself and I deserved it.'
"Did Mom give you one of her 'go think about it' lectures?" Minagi sat down next to him.
Tenchi jerked forward and flushed slightly. "Yeah," he rubbed the back of his neck, trying to make the hairs lay down flat. "Does she do that often?"
"Often enough," Minagi shrugged. "She generally gives them if you deserve it and because she does care about you."
"Well, I deserved it, the caring part I'll think about." Tenchi sighed.
"Don't beat yourself up too bad over it. We all make mistakes." Tenchi opened his mouth to say something. Minagi interrupted before he could, "And don't say 'I shouldn't.'" Tenchi's teeth clicked together as his jaws shut. "Nobility isn't perfect nor does it have to be. If nobles were perfect how could they govern and interact with the people." Minagi paused. "But it doesn't work that way, does it?"
Tenchi stared at Minagi's profile. "No, because royalty very rarely interacts with the people in an honest fashion. They harbor the illusion that they are royalty because they are better than everybody else."
"Or the other way around," she murmured.
"Then interacting with the people they govern would be beneath them and many use that very excuse."
"You don't, you try."
"I still carry the same attitudes, the same mannerisms."
"Yet, you try. You see past them and want to change them."
"I don't have much of a choice."
"Not on this trip." Washu affirmed stepping around 'his' pillar. She eyed him for a moment. Tenchi raised his eyes to meet hers, wondering what was going on. "Ryoko's right," she said. "You need a haircut."
--
Washu examined the back of Tenchi's head critically, turning her head from side to side.
"Much better," Ryoko reached over her mother's shoulder to run her fingers through the black shorn hair.
Washu glanced at Ryoko out of the corner of her eyes. "Glad it is acceptable, Lil Ryoko."
Ryoko snatched her hand back and glared at her mother.
"I know my opinion doesn't count in this matter, but may I see?" Tenchi complained to the large mirror in front of him.
"Oh, sure," Washu grabbed a mirror from the table and spun the chair around. "Here."
He sighed. "It feels weird."
"Respectable Academy students do not have mullets, however popular the style may be on Jurai." Ryoko crossed her arms, thinly veiling her distaste for the hairstyle.
Washu shrugged.
"Ahh, good point." Tenchi put the mirror down. "The Academy has always been more strict in matters of appearance." 'Thanks for the information, Ryoko. Two weeks to the Academy, I swore it was closer than that.'
"It doesn't change your looks much though." Ryoko frowned, ignoring her mother's glare. ::It was a slip, sorry.::
::Keep a closer watch on your tongue in the future.:: Washu snapped.
::Ease off, mom.:: Minagi soothed. ::He was going to find out sooner or later.:: "You could have used an energy sword. It would've changed his looks," Minagi snickered, "drastically."
"And it would be quicker." Ryoko grinned, turning her head. ::He needs to know some things mother. He is the reason why we're on this trip.::
::He should have learned them from me.:: Washu remonstrated. ::Just be careful in the future.::
Tenchi pushed himself up and out of the chair, avoiding the pile of hair on the floor. He began to brush himself off.
"Then what would you two have to make eyes at," Washu helped Tenchi. She looked knowingly at the twins. They began to sputter and Tenchi grumbled under his breath, turning red.
"Hmm," Washu hooded her eyes. "Well, there is that option as well. You are over three hundred."
Tenchi shrugged, patting himself to make sure every hair was gone. "It takes time." His face slowly returned to its normal color.
Ryoko sighed. "This will have to do for now. The raid can't wait."
"That is Tenchi's decision, Ryoko." Washu stared narrowly at her daughter. Tenchi looked between then.
"As he observed earlier, what else does he have to do?"
"It would get him out and about, mom." Minagi smiled.
"Good cultural lessons," Ryoko added.
"Forget culture, good education." Minagi snorted.
"Besides, that freighter is way off from where it should be," Ryoko snarled.
"The Haimatsu family does seem fond of having their vessels take detours." Washu nodded.
"The Haimatsu family is a Noble House!" Tenchi gaped.
"And we're pirates." Minagi used a thumb to point at Ryoko and herself.
"You can't just hijack a Haimatsu ship."
"For a Prince, you're incredibly naïve." Minagi propelled him out the door. "And it isn't hijacking, it's looting."
"And you want me to help." Tenchi tried looking over his shoulder at her.
"Precisely," Ryoko grabbed his arm to help drag him forward.
"It's illegal."
"That's the point," Minagi winked.
"He seems to be having a hard time grasping this," Ryoko said in an aside to Minagi.
"I'm a Prince."
"Who cares?" Ryoko sighed.
"But, but…" Minagi chanted.
"Remember, your opinion doesn't matter," Ryoko said matter of factually.
"That's comforting."
"It should be, think of all the fun we're going to have together," Minagi bounced, still pushing him forward from the small of his back.
"Someone's going to recognize me."
"I highly doubt it." Ryoko's voice lowered into a monotone.
"Stop being so pessimistic." Minagi said.
"It's still illegal."
"That hasn't changed in the last few minutes." Ryoko stopped abruptly making Minagi run into Tenchi. Ryoko pressed herself up against him and began to draw circles on his chest, her golden eyes darting between his brown eyes and what her hand was doing. "Tenchi, no on will recognize you because no one will even think that you'd be a pirate."
"Trust us," Minagi purred, pressing her body against his back.
Sweat beaded on Tenchi's forehead. "Girls…"
"Great, you're coming." Ryoko brightened.
"That's not what I…"
Minagi resumed pushing him forwards. "You don't want all our hard work to go to waste. How sweet of you."
"Hard work?"
"Okay, mom did help. Can't do much around here without the Greatest Scientific Genius in the Universe." Ryoko draped an arm about his shoulders.
"It's a conspiracy," Tenchi moaned.
"You should be used to them," Minagi stopped pushing and moved to his free side, draping her arm about his other shoulder.
"And why are you resisting the conspiracy of two beautiful ladies like us?" Ryoko smirked. "Face it, you've lost."
"Don't worry, at least you get something comfortable to wear." Minagi winked.
--
Minagi spoke true. The outfit was comfortable. It bothered Tenchi that the under suit fit him like a second blue skin. Yet the high collar didn't restrict his breathing and the gloves would give him better grip than sweaty palms. He heard the door click shut and looked over to see Minagi leaning in the doorway.
"Don't forget the jacket and the cloak." She pushed herself away from the doorpost.
"Is this a standard look?" Tenchi gestured at Minagi's violet cape over her 'working' clothes.
Minagi ran her hands along his chest fingering the dark green appliqué and trim. She shook her head. "Actually, it was the fighting outfit of the house of Hakubi." Tenchi cleared his throat and Minagi moved back. "That was a long time ago."
"I've never heard of the Hakubi house." He shrugged into the jacket, adjusting the shoulder seams so that the one brown and one yellow sleeve would fit correctly.
"Of course not," Minagi grimaced. "Hold still." She drew a set of tiger striped on his face in a pattern that closely resembled her own, except his were all filled while her crescent tattoos were clear of paint. She added a large black strip across his forehead. Her eyes narrowed in concentration, one obscured by a sheet of clear lilac plastic attached by a purple button to a silver circlet.
"That tickles." Tenchi shivered.
"I've a few words of advice for you. Keep the hood up, use the face shield, keep your mouth shut and let Ryoko and I do the talking." Minagi tried to ignore his motions. "And hold still."
"I think I can handle that."
"Mom's dropping Souja back and we'll move ahead in Ryo-ohki." Minagi adjusted the black cloak to fall correctly. "You have heard of Ryo-ohki?"
Tenchi didn't answer. Watching Ryoko walk through the door fascinated him. First her foot appeared, then her leg then the rest of her. Ryoko winked, catching him staring. Then stared back, appraising his looks, "Damn, you're descent," she muttered. Tenchi flushed again and looked away.
Minagi cleared her throat. "Ryo-ohki…"
"Is the attack ship of Intergalactic Space Pirate Ryoko." Tenchi choked, his head swinging around to stare at Ryoko again.
Ryoko grinned. "Yes, I am that Ryoko as Minagi is that Minagi who Captains that Hinase." She shrugged. "And you are that Crown Prince of that Jurai. Doesn't matter though, we're almost ready." She held up a screen and circlet similar to Minagi's and her light blue screen. "One more addition," she slid the circlet under his hairline making a few adjustments until it fit properly. Tenchi raised an eyebrow as he saw the words on the gray screen seemed to be floating a few feet in front of him at a readable height. "And we're off." Ryoko and Minagi grabbed his arms and teleported to Ryo-ohki.
--
Captain Hamaki leaned back in the command chair sighing contentedly. So far it had been a good run, there had been no problems reported and he hoped it would stay that way. The crew was proving to be the reliable and dependable people he had wanted for this trip. Well worth the extra cost that had gone into their hire.
"Captain, I have a sensor anomaly on the aft scope." The ensign spun his chair around to look at the captain.
Hamaki looked down his nose. "Tell me more."
"It appears to be some sort of ghost. Constantly blipping in and out," The ensign cleared his throat. "It's getting closer."
Hamaki stood up and walked to the ensign's station and looked over his shoulder, watching the scopes. "Congratulations ensign, you have seen what no other ensign I have worked with has seen. She must be getting sloppy. Navigation, hard starboard and come to a stop."
"Aye Captain."
--
"He's stopped." Ryoko shook her head. "Meaning he saw us coming. Good."
Minagi moved next to her sister. "Quit stating the obvious, we wanted him to see us, remember?"
"Mreow?" Ryo-ohki drew out.
Tenchi looked about wildly. Minagi placed a hand on his arm. "It's just Ryo-ohki."
"Keep going," Ryoko nodded. "And eject the crystal once we're within range."
"Mew Mow!"
"Now open communications," Ryoko smirked.
--
"Communication lines have been opened." The communications officer's hands moved. "We have visual."
Hamaki placed his hands behind his back, "Space Pirate Ryoko."
"Captain Hamaki, I see you've recovered from our last incident." Ryoko chuckled. "And went right back to your old ways."
"My wife has vowed revenge for what you did."
"The price of doing business." Ryoko shrugged. "Speaking of business, I see you have spared us the trouble of stopping you."
"Incoming Captain," the ensign reported.
The Captain's fingers twitched behind his back and the weapon's officer fired a torpedo. "And I have now stopped you." He smiled pleasantly as the screen faded into static.
"Ryo-ohki has disappeared from the scopes." The Ensign shouted. "We must have got her."
"My wife will be disappointed…"
The ship shuddered and groaned.
"Hull integrity breached." Red and amber lights flashed and sirens began to wail.
"Where?" The Captain barked.
"Near the port docking bays," Minagi chuckled, holding her sword across the Captain's throat. The Captain's eyes darted between the sword, the beautiful space pirate and the dark cloaked comrade with her.
"Minagi," he croaked.
Ryoko floated through the bridge windows, a small animal in her arms. "Ryo-ohki, hack into the computer, I want to know what the Haimatsu House is shipping."
Ryo-ohki leaped from her arms and Ryoko ignited her own sword. "This is an assumed surrender. You fight, you die."
The crew was frozen in place. Tenchi turned slowly, examining each bridge member. The ship claimed to be Jurain, but not one had a drop of Jurain blood in their veins. More disconcerting was the stream of pictures and writing that settled into mug shots, each having a criminal record.
"Mew mow meow mreow."
Tenchi turned his head, seeing the translation in front of him. 'The official manifest does not match what is actually in the bays,' it read.
"Mrew meow mow mew mi mow." 'The supercargo has signed both of them. Both manifests are illegal. One is just quasi illegal though. Transmitting both now.'
Ryoko flicked her sword to point at the supercargo. "There are two manifests, which one is the actual?"
Hamaki growled. "Don't tell them, Minato."
Minato blinked and swallowed, her hair falling in front of her face. Ryoko's face stilled. "Tell us, or the Hamaki here dies."
"The second," she whispered. "The first was from a few weeks ago." She looked up, hair rippling back. "The Captain insisted I change the dates."
"The Haimatsu House gave their blessing for this venture?" Ryoko looked sharply at Hamaki.
Tenchi was shaking, his stomach churned. There was an odd feeling at the back of his throat.
Hamaki straightened. "I wouldn't have left Jurai without their blessing."
"You've fallen far, Hamaki. You didn't used to be so twisted."
"Medical treatment costs money, Hakubi. I have debts to pay."
"And your honor costs nothing." Ryoko spat, golden eyes flashing.
"Mreow!"
Minagi extinguished her sword and shoved Hamaki away to stand with his crew. "You should have kept the first cargo. At least you hadn't killed innocents."
"They're trees!" Hamaki snorted.
"Did you not even pay attention to what type of 'tree' parts you were hauling, Hamaki," Ryoko shouted. "Or did you not care?"
"My debts…"
"Are irrelevant." Ryoko turned her back and walked from the bridge. Ryo-ohki raced after her.
Hamaki lunged for a weapon.
Tenchi tripped him, Hamaki's hands flailed as he fell to the floor. Tenchi walked after Ryoko and Minagi snorted. "I'll send the regrets to your wife."
--
Washu approached Tenchi from behind. He had changed back to his light colored royal outfit. He was pale under his tan. His knuckles white, he clenched the window ledge. The hall window giving the best view of the burning transport ship.
"Not the excitement you were expecting, Prince Tenchi."
Tenchi's jaw muscles clenched and unclenched for a few moments. "I had heard the rumors." His mouth shut as he thought. 'How many of the others that are swirling about Jurai are true as well?'
"And discounted them like everyone else." Washu replied staring dispassionately as a rupture of fire came from the hull, burning up what little oxygen was left in the tan ship. "Even if you went back and told the Emperor it wouldn't matter, nothing would change. The Haimatsu house are skilled liars and they have plenty of money to buy whatever is needed."
"I'd look like a fool." Tenchi tried to relax his hands. "Of all the crimes…"
"It was a mercy for them Tenchi." Washu laid a hand on the Prince's shoulder.
"I have never bonded to a space tree, but I could hear them crying." He stared beyond the burning ship. "Now, I can't help but think one of those trees could have been mine."
"I've also thought that, as has Ryoko and Minagi."
"You have this beautiful ship, Ms. Washu. Why would you want one?"
"It isn't a space tree ship. My daughters and I are as Jurain as you are, Tenchi. Jurain enough to want a tree ship, there is no mechanical substitute for them." She paused. "Yet my daughters and I will never be candidates since the Hakubi house was discontinued long ago. We are all that is left."
Tenchi frowned, his mind not comprehending her words. "The substitutes are needed." He looked over at the tall woman, consciously unclenching his fists. "There are some things that no tree ship can do, that ships like Ryo-ohki can." The last lights on the transport hulk winked out.
Washu nodded. "You are right." She patted his shoulder again and began to walk away. "Oh and Tenchi, don't call me Miss."
--
END CHAPTER!
:-O Tenchi's first pirating job, what's going to happen next! Find out next time in Three Gems of the Light Hawk Chapter Three!
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