Chapter 76: No Need for a Deathmask
Washu looks around the studio. "Hi, it's me, Washu the genius." Her pair of miniature robot duplicates are configuring the studio equipment, and she continues, "Dragonwiles asked me to be the DJ for this chapter, so I'm picking 'Lost' by Coldplay. Dragonwiles told me to be sure to state that I don't own the song. I don't, OK!"
"Washu doesn't own it!" agrees the robot with 'A' on its shirt.
"She certainly doesn't!" agrees the other, with a 'B' on its shirt. This one presses a button, and the song begins to play.
In the days before the meeting with Z, Tenchi had found himself pondering something Ken-Ohki had told him. More excited than he realized about Zen-Ohki's birth just a bit ago, he'd made an off-handed remark about how happy everyone must be living in the protection of Jurai, in peace and safety.
Ken-Ohki looked at Tenchi carefully. They were the only two beings in the vicinity (some of Sasami's pets excepted.) "Any law is better than no law," Ken-Ohki allowed. He looked away, then finally looked back at Tenchi and told him, "I know you still haven't traveled the galaxy much, and the others probably wouldn't have mentioned it, but not everyone who lives in the Juraian empire loves the Juraian empire. It's been the ruler over all known worlds for generations. There are still many cultures that remember that the Juraians were not always the only game in town. Many peoples know they used to be great empires that could contend with the Juraians, before they were conquered. Others hold grudges against Jurai for terrible things that the Juraians of millennia ago did. Unfortunate, but such things happen. The Juraians acknowledge such problems, but I'm not surprised they wouldn't mention them to you. No one really likes to talk about their own culture's problems, and the princesses have to be careful what they say to avoid making things worse."
Tenchi was surprised. Ken-Ohki must've felt this was important or he wouldn't have said so much. He was also surprised that he had never been curious enough about the universe to try to learn about it for himself. Was the opportunity of knowing the galaxy wasted on him?
"What madness is this!" Tenchi yelled, perhaps a bit more shrilly than he would've liked.
"Says the shouting man," Z replied cooly. "On this campaign rides the freedom and dignity of every being among my people and my allies' peoples. Failure could not be allowed an opportunity."
"What good is it to go on existing if you've violated your honor?" Tenchi shouted at him.
"I've often wondered why the Juraians never think that," Z remarked offhandedly. "Why they never considered how their atrocities, their murders-"
"This is about you and me!" Tenchi snarled. "No Juraians are here twisting your arm. No one made you break the traditions your ancestors worked hard to pass on to you!"
Z allowed himself a wry smile as he remarked, "Such oratory! A pity you couldn't join my side. Aren't you kidding yourself, though? Do you really think my ancestors would want their precious traditions to force us into further slavery? Besides, I thought the queen would've informed you that my ancestors, whom you so casually invoke, often did not honor these truces themselves. That was even before we knew of Jurai. It's more necessary now than ever. Conquered people cannot afford luxuries like honor."
"My father told me honor is the one thing no one's too poor to afford. You could've been a better man," Tenchi growled. "You could've gone to these negotiations with good faith instead of treachery. You could've kept your honor, and believed in yourself, and your comrades, and come to think of it, in me, and the Juraians, too!"
Z cocked his head. "I'd indulge a laugh, if I could afford the distraction. Believe in Juraians? I fully intend to win, Prince Tenchi, but, should you live, you should ask your friends about just what the Juraians have done throughout their bloody history to maintain their empire. Perhaps they'll even have the decency to express shame when they speak of it." He smiled coldly. "It'd be my greatest revenge."
Tenchi swallowed back a lot of what he wanted to say, and said instead, "Maybe I don't know anything. Maybe I was arrogant to think I could stop the war myself, or that a guy like me, who only knows how to fight, could ever bring peace. Maybe I should never have trusted you enough to come here. Maybe the Juraians and the Chousin do make mistakes, bad ones. Maybe I don't know how to fix those mistakes. But there's one thing I do know; I'm tired of listening to you using those mistakes as excuses to do what you want. I trust my comrades, and they're trusting me to stop you."
"At last," Z said, faint eagerness entering his tone. "Have at you, sir."
They moved towards each other, weapons at the ready, studying each other intently. They made a few feints that the other did not fall for, changed position only to see the other change position, so that neither had an advantage. Z's weapon was a short sword made of a beam of energy, suited for stabbing, and more suited for their indoor setting than Tenchi's longer and larger Light-Hawk Wing sword.
Tenchi studied Z carefully, forcing down the rage and surprise. Maybe Z was carrying some sort of detonator that Tenchi could destroy. That would disarm the mines. Or would that make the mines blow up? All he had were movies to go on. It was, for the moment, irrelevant, as Tenchi couldn't see, or sense from Z's movements, any such important item. Tenchi figured he'd just have to fight as though this were ordinary combat.
It was a surprisingly ordinary combat. Z's physical strength was about on par with Tenchi's and he seemed comfortable with his weapon. His ready responses indicated that he was used to opposing Juraian sword techniques. A set of five purple Light-Hawk Wings had unfurled from Z's back, but they didn't appear to be doing anything.
Meanwhile, Tenchi felt like his techniques didn't flow as well as they usually did. He tried a lunge at Z, only to realized that he'd hurried it and gotten the timing wrong: Z had moved out of the way. Tenchi tried to convert it into another attack, but saw out of the corner of his eye that Z's weapon was moving towards him. Tenchi changed his motion, and Z's weapon hit on Tenchi's sleeve, near the wrist. That had been a close one! If not for the Light-Hawk Wing armor, that would've been at least a bad cut, maybe bad enough to cost him the use of that hand. Tenchi wondered what would happen on his next mistake.
On the next mistake? On the next mistake, he'd die. Only reflexes and the armor had kept him from losing the fight on the first mistake.
Even if he won the fight, he'd die.
Was he moving slower, or was it just his imagination?
It wasn't his imagination. Z had rattled him more than he'd thought.
Usually, winning meant being the last man standing. Now this madman had managed to ensure that, no matter what, there would be zero men standing.
The fight could be won, Tenchi knew it with a desperate hope, but it would be won for others. It would be lost for him alone.
The decision did not take long to make, which was good, for Z hadn't left time for thinking, weaving latticeworks of precise blows; too loose to disrupt easily, too tight to dodge easily. Tenchi prepared himself quietly and quickly. When he thought of the smiles of his friends and family, lasting for years because of this, the choice seemed easy and obvious. But oh, how he wished there were a way to win and enjoy those smiles in person!
Gavantis, leader of one of the rebel cells sent on the expeditionary force, looked about his hibernation tank as the isolation gel drained away. He and his second, Serevan, were the only ones awakening, which meant things hadn't gone according to plan, and the AI running the ship needed him to make a decision.
He shivered from the loathesome touch of an alien mind. Gavantis steeled himself. The void specters were necessary allies. Alone, he was but one member of one alien species; together, with the strength of the other conquered peoples and the void specters, they actually had a chance to crush the Juraian oppressors, in the Juraians' heartland.
Barely was there time for Gavantis to read the tactical information projected into the chamber by the ship's AI before he heard mocking laughter among the whispers. The void specters told him they were going ahead to fight, and to catch up when they could. Gavantis hoped they only detected his diffident acknowledgement, and not his disdain for them, or his fear of them. Z had assigned void specters to each cell, just as each cell had been assigned landing pods and orbital bombardment ordnance specific to their mission, but it had been clear to Gavantis that the void specters considered themselves above anyone's chain of command. They were just lucky that the void specters had made a sensible choice. There were startlingly large numbers of their enemies defending their target.
Looking across to his second's tank, Gavantis said through the comms, "We're waking the rest of the men. As soon as the void specters punch a hole for us, we're hitting the target."
Lady Rin fumed at herself as she took a seat in the makeshift command center in a building on Lady Minagi's space tree, Shorai. At least the report had come in through the intelligence liason at the GP, but to think that her department had missed the involvement of void specters -
"I don't intend to find fault with the department that correctly deduced Ryuten was a target," Queen Ayeka said to her. Lady Rin blinked at her. Had the queen become telepathic, or was this frighteningly advanced training from Lady Seto? Still - "Your Highness," Lady Rin acknowledged in relief. It had taken awhile, but after the breakthroughs of finding how the rebels moved their ships through space and bureaucracy, and the insect tamers' information, they had guessed the target was Ryuten in time to reinforce it and make some plans.
One of the interior ministers finished looking over an update and answered one of the queen's earlier questions, "Your Highness, the resort areas of Ryuten were largely evacuated, but we're still expecting heavy civilian casualties near the space tree nurseries. 80% of the ground units mobilized for the space tree nursery defenses are in position; the rest should be in place soon."
Queen Ayeka nodded and turned a look to one of the military officers in the room. He reported with a grim mien, "The rebel worlds that haven't reported attempted coups have gone suspiciously silent, Your Highness. It's as we feared, my queen - they didn't wait for Prince Tenchi's negotiations. Umino reported that Prince Tenchi's Light-Hawk Wings activated, but has no further news."
The queen nodded and turned back to Lady Rin. "Any word from the extraction team for your informant?"
Lady Rin replied, "No, Your Highness. We believe this means they are following protocol and are attempting to fight their way out while extracting the target." He had risked his business, his family, and his students to talk to the faux documentary team at all, let alone slip into that data crystal what he knew about the insect tamers who were loading their hordes onto rebel ships. If they couldn't protect him - but they were doing their best. They'd all known the risks. Now it was time to protect what they could on Ryuten.
The Juraian space trees protecting Ryuten had their Light-Hawk wings extended, imposing shields of blue light streaming into the darkness.
Void specters cackled as they dragged among themselves the curious metal framework housing the imitation gems and focusing equipment, and aimed them at the Juraians. The longest-range beam weapons on the Juraian craft and torpedoes from battlestations orbiting Ryuten attempted to hit the void specters, sometimes succeeding. Beams from the specters' weapons went through the Light-Hawk Wings of the lead Juraian vessels as though the Wings, rather than being the preeminent shield, simply did not exist. The lead Juraian ships were pierced through the hull in divers places, and finally the trees fell silent. Void specters poured forward towards the secondary fleets and Ryuten's battlestations, cackling triumphantly in the minds of all around them.
Lord Koji stood aboard Dai, staring in horror at what had happened to the lead ships. One arm was still bandaged from the duel with Prince Tenchi.
His space tree key grew warm. Dai was relaying a message from one of the more experienced remaining ships. They would all press to the attack and use beam weaponry to keep pressure on the void specters, so they wouldn't be able to line up a shot for their devastating arsenal.
"Requesting permission to move forward in the battle line, my lord," Lord Koji said to the Ryuten defense fleet's second-in-command (first, he corrected himself, now that Lord Akasaka and Aro had died in the front of the battle.)
"Negative," Lord Maru replied, "Lady Rin's intelligence said there was a good chance they'd attempt to make planetfall; I need you and your servants to intercept any vessels that may slip past."
Dai said in an aside to Lord Koji, "Always ready for another bout, eh?"
Lord Koji replied to his space tree partner, "I must defend my people, and their honor. What will I say to them or my parents if I fail them again?"
Something about the way he said that scraped Dai's bark, but he couldn't say anything further at that moment, for a new threat had appeared on the battlefield.
Gavantis looked at the tactical readouts one more time, then said to his now-awakened men, "This is it! The void specters have made our hole. The remote-control craft will widen it. We're already at full speed to follow. Project Deathmask will begin. Then you will have the glory of destroying the weather control systems and plundering the field of victory! Death to the spawning grounds of the oppressors' trees!"
"Death the oppressors' trees!" the men shouted back gleefully.
"It's like the cargo ships have burst open just behind the void specters - " Dai said to Lord Koji. "No, they're guided. Wait, it must be the autonomous vehicles Juraian intel said Dr. Clay's corporation was making - no being could fit in something that small, and they have beam weaponry, not warheads."
Lord Koji realized aloud, "There's more than we anticipated. The extra sentrybots won't be enough. Broadcast to all our squadron: our priority is to intercept as many as we can, before they reach the battlestations."
The remote-control craft were easily destroyed by Juraian point-defense weaponry, and kept away by Juraian shields, but they were so nimble, small, and numerous that they were able to swarm around and wear down Juraian shields, then hulls, and so even more space trees fell.
"Tighten formations!" Lord Maru broadcast to them all. "All vessels, begin continuous rolls, and keep in range of each other's point-defense weaponry. Clear the pests off the vessels closest to you."
The tactics were sound; there were too many of the autonomous craft to keep all away, but the tactics kept them out of the rear. It was the front that was attracting most of them, though, and Lord Koji watched in horror as more and more of them fell. Then void specters began to dart around the battlestation he and his squadron were near. He and the battlestation fired, and fired again, they kept the specters on the run-
Until the autonomous craft felled Hibiya, the space tree ahead of them, on the left. Hibiya's dying wail steaked out as rainbow beams of light. Dai snarled with impotent rage as the craft that had been attacking Hibiya plunged towards Dai's squadron and began attacking. Dai and Lord Koji worked together to keep the Wings up - they were good against the drones, but they couldn't be everywhere at once! Still, with the rolling, they blocked and batted away the autonomous craft, and they took potshots at the void specters. As they wrestled for survival, their minds were in a mad rush. The battlestation was firing on the autonomous craft and the specters, each ship and being making a stand. But the void specters finally got in enough shots at the battlestation, and it began to fall towards Ryuten's surface.
"We swore to protect them," Lord Koji sobbed as their comrades alit with a massive red glow.
Dai took their mournful rage and shot it out at the swift transport ships coming in now, as did the rest of their squadron. Some transports were disabled, some were felled, but others slipped past. The transport ships began orbital bombardments, then started to launch strange landing pods. Cruel chortling from the void specters was broadcast into every mind present.
Lord Takebe was giving a few last orders from aboard his space tree, hovering near one of the space tree nurseries. The planet's defenders were holding up fairly well against the bombardment, and the void specters' whispers. The descent pods were more worrying. They and the bombs were coming down near nurseries and weather control stations. Barbarians!
"Rebel signal jamming most civilian frequencies, sir," the nursery's communications officer reported. "Correction - it's not simply jamming, it's a broadcast."
As the civilians turned on news reports or tried to contact loved ones, they received instead a transmission from an alien.
"Juraian oppressors, I am Z," the rebel leader on the broadcast declared. "Ryuten will soon be forfeit for the many crimes you have committed against the peoples of the galaxy. Surrender, and we may show more mercy than you showed us over centuries of horror. Cling to your pride, and you will perish horribly."
"Our peoples have lost much, and have been ground under your heels for too long. They have suffered shameful, effacing deaths. Their souls cry for vengeance, echoing across centuries. For too long they have not been obeyed. Now, they shall slake their thirst with your blood, which they are owed."
"For I now introduce you to Project Deathmask. Our peoples' just accusations have brought forth our loved ones, murdered by Jurai's greed. Your doom shall come from those most entitled to mete out your punishment. Cower as you hear the death masks' accusations against you, lament as you remember the wrongs you have done them, and collapse into your graves as they collect the debt your bloody hands owe them."
A crowd of old men, young women, and small children marched on the eastern wing of a weather control station. Stars, floodlights, and stray fires from an earlier bombardment that had destroyed the antipersonnel shields, illuminated the unarmed group as they strode towards the gun emplacments and anti-air batteries still defending that side of the installation. "We are the fallen of the Pajaran Massacre," the crowd chanted. "Juraians of the House of Tedari murdered us en masse and we lay unburied-"
A Juraian officer at one of the gun emplacements ordered, "Fire the main cannons, fire them now!" The gunners had trained their sights on the targets, but their faces were frozen in horror.
The officer said urgently, "They say they're the dead from centuries ago; they can't be real! Even if they are, they're almost into the minefield anyway! Follow your orders! Stand firm!"
The gunners fired, and the mines began to take some of the foremost as well. One of the men turned away and began to retch.
Those remaining in the crowd of attackers, some of them now partially dismembered, flew or walked and fired needlelike quarrels of energy from their arms as they came within range of the gun emplacement. Two little children among them, boy and girl, barely toddlers, clearly related from their faces (the portions unmarred by key sword burns), fired deadly quarrels at the exposed cannon barrels and the anti-aircraft weaponry, unmoved by the limbs they'd lost and the sparks thrown out of those vacant joints. They instead continued to chant, "We are the fallen of the Pajaran massacre." Behind them, there was the scream and falling fire of more death masks arriving to get between the gun emplacement and the weather control station.
The officer shook the retching man's shoulders from behind, he knew his man had a baby boy not eight weeks old at home, but he shouted - "They're already gone, Renan! It'll be our families next if this keeps up!"
His man turned back to his gun, but the death masks' bolts struck a final blow just then, and it sputtered and grew silent. He swallowed and helped the rest of that gun's crew pull the gun in, and they then took up their key blades and charged out of the bunker, hoping to use their incredible powers to leap and bring down the attackers. The hovering children and others of the crowd continued firing while calmly reciting the wrongs done to them. The officer reported the situation to command, urgently requesting backup.
Gohgei rose from destroying some of the death masks attacking another weather control station. As he carefully extricated his transformed claws from the mess of circuits and gels in the robots, he rumbled, "What madman would call this justice?"
Lady Rin listened to some more reports, then told Queen Ayeka, "Comparison of Professor Washu's data on Dr. Clay's camouflauge battle robot Zero to the defeated death masks confirms that they are based on the same technology, although applied to very different ends than Dr. Clay envisioned."
Another of the generals informed the queen, "We've shot down the rebels trying to seed the clouds, but the atmospheric control is still vulnerable to disruption if the rebels can damage enough of the weather control stations."
Ayeka frowned. He was putting it mildly for brevity. The planet could quickly become uninhabitable as the remaining weather control stations got out of balance. Billions of citizens and space tree saplings were at risk.
Squads of Juraian warriors were rushing to support anti-air emplacements and shield batteries around an embattled weather control station. They were dodging bolts and soaring to bring blades to their foes. One Juraian, just before he was in range of some chanting death masks, shouted, "Eh? We should remember? I hope you haven't forgotten the Rampage of Delarnis, where my grandfather was murdered by your people! Now I shall avenge him!"
Several others in his squad tried to say something, but there was a roar from another descent pod, and whining from the remaining guns of the nearest anti-air emplacement trying to shoot it down, so it was never quite clear what was being said.
Through a static-filled transmission, Gavantis watched and listened to some of what the death masks' cameras and microphones were reporting. His subordinate noted his frown and asked quietly, "Surprise wearing off, sir?"
He returned, "Should've known Juraians wouldn't have consciences. But the death masks still have weapons. They'll do their job." He turned and addressed all his team. "It's like I've been saying. As long as every cell does its job, we'll crush those Juraians' ability to spread their violence. Load the incendiaries. We're still on an approach vector for our primary target; the nurseries."
Lord Takebe clenched his fist as the undamaged orbital sensors identified the cargo on the latest wave of incoming rebel ships. The wanton destruction was one thing. But it was common knowledge in the empire that the space trees were alive. To think that they were trying to send fire and devouring insects against the nurseries - against sapling space trees- babies! He felt his heart hammering - he had to remain calm -
Calm? No. He had to be rational. He had to lead. But this wasn't a time to be calm.
"All air defenses," he ordered, "leave the drones and face-stealing robots to our comrades in orbit and the ground defenses. Concentrate all fire on any descent pods you can confirm to be carrying fire or insects. All units: deal out death to these invaders before they kill our allies' children. The trees have promised to name a sapling for each man who dies saving their children, and to give his children priority in the selection of partners. Defend their families as they have ever defended ours!"
There were cheers and gasps; priority in selecting a space tree partner was desirable enough, but the honor of sharing a name with a tree, and thus having that name live on in two families, was a precious one. More than one Juraian looked at his key blade, thought of the space trees powering it, and raised it skyward before preparing it for hard work.
Misao and Mataran fired missile after missile towards the void specters who were approaching them.
The specters dodged the weapons, cackling directly into the inspectors' brains. They thought aloud, to all listening, "What were they aiming at?"
"Us, of course, but apparently they hadn't heard how well we can dodge!"
"Now we shall see how well they can dodge! Flee in vain, mortals!"
Then Misao and Mataran had a brief moment of satisfaction as the void specters realized the missiles' true targets.
An impressively large explosion occurred when the missiles hit the imitation crystals and other pieces of the weaponry the smugglers had been storing for the void specters. The smugglers had vented it into the surrounding area just before Misao and Mataran's raid, hoping to avoid being associated with incriminating evidence. The blast pulverized the smuggler's base and many other asteroids in the field.
Mataran complained over the comms, "That didn't kill as many of the void specters as you thought it would."
Misao exclaimed, "Most of them ended up chasing us! How was I supposed to know they'd forget to pick up the weapons they came out here to get?"
The void specters' furious snarls echoed in their minds as the duo continued their advance to the rear, firing missiles and their beam weapons at the oncoming foes.
Mataran noticed, "Hey, dispatch says your sister and Kiyone are coming to help. Let's try not to die before they do, or they'll totally raz us at our funerals."
He waited for the sarcastic retort - Misao had been getting better under his tutelage - but it didn't come. "Misao?" he said in concern as his ship's AI got a medical alert from the AI on Misao's ship.
"It's not too bad yet," Misao said a moment later, but his labored breathing was troubling. Mataran knew his own species wouldn't start to feel the ill effects of the specters' voices for a little longer, but it was still hard to come up with a good reply. He just stuck with "Roger." He hated having to be businesslike on the comms.
It was the whirring of a thousand living drills, drawing nearer, ever nearer.
Lord Takebe knew his own dread was reflected in the frenzied crisscross of multicolored beams of lights that began to shoot out of the saplings in the nursery behind him; the screams of the baby trees. He'd thought that most of the insect tamers' ships had been shot down; it occurred to him that death masks might simply be mimicking the sound as psychological warfare. Lord Takebe's knuckles turned white on his sword. Whatever the case, they'd have to get through the Hou school first.
The sky turned dark with oncoming hordes. So much for the mimicry theory, then.
His space tree key grew warm in his hands, and Lord Takebe quickly took the message being relayed through his space tree from - but it couldn't be.
"I won't get in your way," Tatetsuki's voice told him as his space tree, Haruno, whose Light Hawk Wings were extended, appeared in the sky. Haruno was now hovering between the nursery and the onslaught. Tatetsukin continued, "And I still think our master made a mistake choosing the junior student. But I couldn't stand to see any space tree end like this. Especially not the precious saplings."
"Thank you, Tatesuki," Lord Takebe intoned as a tear rolled down his cheek.
They'd have to get past the whole Hou school before they laid a mandible on the saplings.
Just after ending the transmission, Tatetsuki's tree, Haruno, told Tatetsuki, "You know, when I was a sapling, they told me swarms like that never occurred any more."
"They were right, as far as they knew," Tatetsuki responded. "But what do you mean by it?"
"Thank you," Haruno explained, "for letting me face this nightmare with you. That is what it would be for your species, isn't it? It still is hard for me to understand sleep."
"It is a nightmare. And the honor," Tatetsuki said solemnly, "is mine."
Kiyone tried to relieve the tension by thinking. Washu. It was all coming back to Washu again. To be rid of her, the rebels were sending some of their most powerful allies, the void specters, and their powerful weapons based on imitation gems. The rebels had lofty goals, and knew they'd need all the firepower they could to bring down Juraian space trees. But they considered an ex-professor enough of a threat to merit the attention of multiple squads.
Of course, maybe they were more interested in stopping Ken-Ohki and Nagi. They were powerful. Ryoko alone could be considered enough of a threat to merit that amount of firepower. But the rebel documents hadn't described the mission that way. They anticipated one or both cabbits. However, the mission was to kill Washu and her companions. It was issued by Z himself.
Washu was capable and brilliant, but how could she be secondary to stopping Ryoko or the cabbits? It didn't make any sense unless Kiyone's suspicions of Washu being one of the Chousin was correct.
Then Kiyone knew she had it. Ryoko was the key. It was right, she knew it. It made everything fit. Everything she understood, which wasn't nearly enough. She wished she had more time to deduce it all. But they were almost to the rear of the pack of void specters chasing Misao and Mataran.
Kiyone pulled out the device she used to signal Lady Tsunami a long time ago, back when she was on Jurai, but after a few moments without a response, she put the device back in her pocket. Well, that was a law of the universe - comms always failed when you most needed to talk to someone. Besides, Lady Tsunami was fast and powerful, but she might be busy helping Jurai at the moment anyway.
Kiyone's tactical display showed new contacts on an interception course with Yukinojo and Yagami. Apparently some of the void specters had detected them and broken off chasing Misao and Mataran. It was nice to have relieved the pressure on those two already. However, she'd been hoping they could tackle the specters together. The specters moved so fast that they'd intercept them far from the others.
Mihoshi signaled to Kiyone, "There's less of them, and they don't have those special weapons. Looks like our guys have been doing all right."
Kiyone made herself respond in kind rather than listen to the growing mental whispers. "'Our guys'? Speak for yourself. Yes, they did well. But when we see them face to face, they were only doing so-so. We shouldn't overfeed their egos."
Mihoshi chuckled and added, "Let's use a missile spread to herd them into a kill zone."
Kiyone replied, "If we want that to work, we should deploy our mechas in autonomous mode."
"They better not smash my baby!" Mihoshi reluctantly conceded.
Yagami and Yukinojo were following the plan within moments. They scooted away from each other while still going forwards, then turned to fire missiles at the void specters's flanks. Instead of being herded together by the missiles' approach from the outside, the specters dispersed and then tried to outflank the inspectors. The missiles continued past the specters.
"Star Formation!" Mihoshi and Kiyone shouted at each other, then chuckled, realizing it had nearly been in unison.
Yagami and Yukinojo shut down their main engines, keeping their forward momentum. With maneuvering thrusters, they docked stern-to-stern, aligned so neither vessel's rear weapons ports were obstructed. Their mecha, which had been released under control of Yukinojo and Yagami's AIs, docked near each ship's stern, ready to fire in almost any direction.
The void specters swarmed their position from all directions. Wafting like smoke, swift as comets, cold as death, they ducked and wove. Yagami and Yukinojo piroutted on their maneuvering thrusters, firing beam after beam at the specters, fending them off. Some few took glancing blows, but one beam alone had not the power to do serious harm.
One of the specters thought to all those in the vicinity, "I think they're trying to reach their friends! Isn't that adorable!"
Another cackled, "Catch us in a crossfire? Your turrets are too slow, mortals!"
A third mused, "Oh, why not let them get closer to the other victims? Our brothers by those near-corpses will help us smother their souls!"
A fourth snarled, "What foolishness is this? We have finally embraced the true powers of our nature! It is time to feed and grow greater!"
Those specters which did not begin to slow down in startlement at this unexpected outburst began to collide with one another.
"Fool!" screeched one. "Save your barbs for the enemy! They grow lucky with their hits while we are divided!"
"I need no one's help to feed!" asserted the arrogant specter. "Flee and lick your own wounds." The arrogant one began a headlong rush towards Yagami and Yukinojo.
"Ha! Ha!" mocked some specters. "They've fooled you! They broke docking and turned to face you full on! Eat their fire, glutton! Hah!"
The full force of Yagami and Yukinojo's beam weapons crashed upon the arrogant specter.
"Now you've learned your lesson!" the other specters jeered.
The arrogant specter growled, "I'll teach them humility. Then it's your turn!" He rushed on Yagami and Yukinojo.
A moment later, a GP missile from behind obliterated the arrogant specter.
The surviving specters turned to see the remainder of the salvo just before it impacted each of them.
The few specters who remained turned to flee, but were quickly picked off by coordinated fire from Yukinojo and Yagami, as well as Misao and Mataran's vessels.
Mataran signaled, "Thanks for the missiles earlier, Kiyone, Mihoshi. Felt good to get those vapors blown away."
"You returned the favor already, but, hey, you're welcome," Mihoshi said excitedly. "Yagami, I almost thought you were going to reset, having to control the mecha and guide the missiles to the specters hassling those two!"
"Inspector Mihoshi," Yagami's A. I. remonstrated, "you know that is well within my specifications."
Misao commented, "I almost didn't think it would work. I guess the stories were right, and specters really do have a hard time perceiving non-biological things when they aren't concentrating!"
Mataran reacted to his friend's pallor, visible on the video component of the transmission. "Misao, seriously, take a breather!"
Misao objected, "You're always telling me to get into the thick of things!"
"I'm also trying to teach you about timing!" Mataran exclaimed.
Kiyone put in, "Can you two whisper sweet nothings somewhere else? We need to get back to work." She was smiling, but her skin had a tinge of green.
"Not you, too, Kiyone!" Mataran groaned. He and Misao then said simultaneously, "I always knew you'd work yourself to death!" Their laughter collapsed just before reaching hysteria, but slightly after Mishoshi's peeved cry of "Guys!"
Kiyone shook her head with a small smile and waited a moment before continuing, "We need to hunt some more of these things. The documents you captured said they were after Washu, and both those documents and my deductions say she's headed to the ruins on Varata. We need to warn her."
"Varata?" Mihoshi protested. "But we poked around those ruins and found a frustrating nothing!"
Kiyone replied, "But Varata's got one of the oldest Lady Tokimi legends. It hasn't got much of a name in physical sciences or shipbuilding or the other things she's interested in. Where else would Washu be going in this area, calling it an important mission - and she had to know there was a revolution brewing, and it wouldn't be safe to be travelling."
Mataran took a breath and said, "Seriously, Kiyone, you're convincing, but I need to escort Misao back to base." Speaking over Misao's protests of, "I'm fine!", Mataran insisted, "He needs medical attention. And anyway, we need more than the four of us to be of any use to Washu."
"Mataran, it's my duty," Misao asserted.
Mataran snapped, "You can't protect anyone if you die, Misao! Your A. I. can't handle full control in a fight!"
Kiyone broke in, "Mataran, you're right. I'm being selfish with your lives. I can't do this alone. Please. Mihoshi, you too. I'm asking all of you something unreasonable. But I believe there's someone who needs our help. Please."
Mihoshi said quietly, "I'm in. I mean, I already called it in to dispatch, but they told me we're the only ones close enough to help Washu. Most of the patrols in the area are suppressing this sector's rebel hot spot."
"They've started it?" Mataran asked, angry but unsurprised.
"Few hours ago," Mihoshi confirmed. "Conflicts all over the outer regions. But we have a duty to the rest of the public, too. We're the ones dispatch has listed as free to respond to those who need us. Washu needs us now."
Misao put in, "I checked the regs for void specter exposure. Blew some dust off of 'em. We're all under the limit. But Mataran's judgment rules me since he's less injured. I'll trust you, pal."
Mataran was quiet.
Then he asked, "We were recording that, right? Especially the part where Kiyone said I'm right. I need to hang onto that."
Kiyone rolled her eyes.
"No," Misao said, doing his straightfaced routine much better than in previous years, "that's what we need to record, the eye roll. I could watch that for hours."
"There's something wrong with you," Mataran razzed him.
"Thank you," Kiyone ground out, though she could tell it only delighted them even more.
A few minutes later, after they had gotten underway, Mataran recorded and then sent a video message for the lock box at GP HQ which was unsealed for family and friends on an officer's death.
Ken-Ohki fired beams at the void specters approaching them, but the specters were already firing beams from their strange weapons. Neither scored a hit, as both dodged with agility. The specters were quickly catching up. Ryoko phased out of the hull, bearing, on her mother's advice, not her ordinary beam saber, but a blazing red and vast sword, glowing with the same light as the gems at her wrists and throat. Void specters not assigned to weapons snaked towards her. She lashed out with the Light-Hawk Wing Sword, but they stayed just out of reach, moving swiftly around her, trying get behind her. She phased through them and pivoted and swung, fending them off, occasionally scoring a lucky hit. Each hit felled the specters it touched with a searing red glow. Many more remained.
The specters' weapons were starting to score on Ken-Ohki occasionally, as the specters had spread out and begun to encircle him. Nagi tried to remain calm for the sake of everyone's sanity, but the specters' mutterings were nearly filling their minds. Even if she couldn't act directly, she could still help Ken-Ohki, and she reached out through their mindlink with encouragement. He managed to destroy one of the specter's weapons in a counterattack, and the explosion wiped out the specters manning it. The other specters' sleds were too far away to be affected, however, and they kept up a withering crossfire.
A specter in charge of one of the gunning crews spoke to Ryoko as she drew closer: "Ah, ancient one. You can drop the pretense. You are not dodging randomly - you were drawing closer to this weapon. You hope to destroy it, yes? You should've brought more swords." The specters' master then addressed all the other specters in the vicinity: "You are all so new to our ways. Be sure to watch your teacher as I show you how to stop a valiant heart."
Ryoko would've dearly loved to have made a sarcastic comment about wanting to kill them all so they would just stop all this telepathic nattering, but it honestly was taking a lot of concentration to fight the whispers and the multitudes of darting specters. Her strength was being sapped by them, and her Light-Hawk Wing sword was dimmer than before, even when she tried to shrink it to increase the energy density.
"You think yourself old and experienced in the ways of battle," the spectral master continued, "but I have seen carnage you have not. Besides, you can see for yourself. We are faster than you, more numerous than you, better armed and armored than you. The chill your soul feels now is just its shudder as we lick our lips. When we touch you, your true pain begins. Do you think you fight for your friends? How wonderful. This does not predetermine your victory. I tell you what I told the people on the refugee shuttles fleeing Kain, as I ate family members one by one, so I could savor the survivors' shrieks. No matter how many are with you, everyone dies alone."
His hand suddenly plunged toward Ryoko as several specters' lunges forced her to dodge. Ah, how she would recoil when his gelid fingers stabbed into her back!
The white nightmare coalesced between the spectral master and Ryoko. It slashed through the spectral master with one red Light-Hawk Wing sword, while another on its other arm carved through other spectral gunners. Ryoko shot a bolt out of one hand and swung her Light-Hawk Wing sword, felling several of the astonished specters who had been harassing her. It was a good thing after all, Ryoko decided, that she had spent all of that energy and concentration to coalesce her old pal. She wished it didn't take so long to materialize him, but, on the other hand, it was rather awesome timing.
One of the other spectral crews had wandered out of position, hoping to watch a slaughter (and perhaps steal some scraps of life from the table), but they were stunned by this turn of events. Ken-Ohki took advantage of this moment to destroy them and the weapon they were still dragging. Meanwhile, Ryoko and the white nightmare, now rid of the specters pursuing them, advanced on another gun crew. They turned their weapon to face them, but were blasted by Ken-Ohki's beam as he fired from another angle.
Just as Ryoko, the white nightmare, and Ken-Ohki tore through the last of the specters, Misao, Mataran, Mihoshi, and Kiyone arrived.
"Aww, we missed it," Mataran remarked to himself.
"Thanks for coming all this way to help, officers," Nagi transmitted to the four officers.
"Just doing our duty, ma'am," Mataran said politely.
Washu popped her head into view on their screens (perhaps standing on tiptoes) and noted, "Hey, you guys! What, you miss danger so much you had to come find it?"
Mihoshi chuckled, "Danger's always around you, isn't it? It's less finding than helping ourselves!"
Washu chortled, "Genius professors do always seem to be in over their heads!"
Kiyone said, "Little Washu, it's good to see you. It's selfish of me, but could I ask you something in private?"
Ryoko, rather than flying back to Ken-Ohki in order to join the conversation, phased her head into Yagami, nearly frightening Kiyone to death. After she saw that Kiyone had recovered, Ryoko mentioned, "You know, we're looking for even bigger trouble to get ourselves into. I don't doubt your skills, but a deep discussion at a time like this?"
Kiyone told her, "I agree. But, selfish as it is, I have to do it now."
Washu thought a moment, then said, "If Ken-Ohki and Nagi are OK with it, we can have the discussion over here. It's private enough for me; I hope it's private enough for you."
"I'll take you at your word," Kiyone agreed. "Mihoshi, I'm sorry to make you stick around."
"What are partners for?" Mihoshi disagreed. "Misao, Mataran, you guys can take off if you want to!"
"Only if dispatch calls," Mataran told her. "I heard there was going to be danger!"
Misao joked, "If you have any more, you'll get stuffed."
Once aboard Ken-Ohki, Kiyone had to take a deep breath. She hadn't really anticipated anyone being present besides Washu.
Washu, Nagi, and Ryoko all seemed to be quite at ease, and were giving as much privacy to Washu and Kiyone's conversation as they could on the small bridge, which put Kiyone somewhat more at ease. (She couldn't tell how Ken-Ohki felt about the situation.) Still, she wondered how long this camaraderie would last. Kiyone steeled herself. She had to risk her friendship with Washu and all of them. Her GP oath meant that she had to risk it for the sake of everyone else in the galaxy. Also, she couldn't really grow in her friendship with Washu without clarifying an important part of her true nature.
"What did you want to talk about, Kiyone?" Washu asked pleasantly, as though they were at dinner or in her lab.
Kiyone responded gamely, "I was hoping you could help me solve a mystery, Little Washu."
Washu rubbed her hands anticipatorily. "Oh, you know just what to say to get an old scientist interested. What're we going to discover?"
"Honestly, the mystery is you," Kiyone began.
"Aren't we all a mystery to each other?" Washu asked. Her tone was almost playful, was indeed playful, but Kiyone could see that there was someone very old looking out of those eyes.
"True," Kiyone allowed. "I hope you'll forgive the intrusiveness of these questions. I trust you. I'm glad an honestly amazing scientist like you wants to be my friend. Please understand why I have to be selfish and ask for your help.
"Little Washu", Kiyone bowed deeply, "please ask Lady Tokimi to stop Z, and please ask Lady Tsunami to help us in this time."
The others on the bridge glanced momentarily at them. Washu asked in surprise, "I'm confused, Kiyone. I tried to find Lady Tsunami, sure, but you literally risked your life to help her. Why wouldn't she listen to you?"
Kiyone held up the branchlike communication device Lady Tsunami had given her for a moment and said, "If I could reach her, I'm confident she would. It wouldn't surprise me if Lady Tsunami isn't already doing what she can. But the person I can't reach, and you can, is Lady Tokimi."
"And why would Lady Tokimi listen to me?" Washu asked, serious and unreadable.
Kiyone took a deep breath, then said, "Because, Little Washu, according to my deductions, you are one of the Chousin."
Professionally, she took note of everyone's reactions. Everyone seemed surprised, but it didn't seem on the right level for the ludicrous assertion she had just made. Either everyone here knew it already, or they'd been thoroughly convinced that it was not the case. That meant they were surprised because no one expected her to say that.
"Hmm," Washu said, crossing her arms, but using one hand to tap her chin. Washu continued, "You're pretty thorough, Kiyone. Did you come across that ancient grant application Dr. Clay made for contacting Lady Tokimi?"
"I did," Kiyone agreed. "I watched most of his presentation on the matter."
Washu continued, "Wouldn't a Chousin have given him a break? Told him, 'Hey, you made contact with a neat Chousin already! You're talking to one right now! Why would you wanna run after Lady Tokimi?' I mean, this is me we're talking about. Why wouldn't I suddenly use some super Chousin power or transform before his eyes and say 'Boo' to him?"
Kiyone stated, "I can only assume you have your reasons for being incognito. That's why I tried to keep this meeting as private as we could arrange."
Washu sighed. "Well, you've got guts and a crazy theory. Gotta admire both of those. I'll indulge you, but I'm going full professor on you, and I can't guarantee you're gonna like it. How'd you even come up with the idea I was a Chousin, anyway? That's more important than you might realize."
Kiyone wasn't sure whether she meant 'important so I can figure out where I slipped up in my disguise' or 'it's important to formulate scientific quests well from the beginning.' Given Washu's unyielding attitude, Kiyone was guessing Washu would only admit to the latter. Kiyone returned honestly, "I started like seven centuries of other GP officers; with the question of how you got away from us after your trial."
"Oh, please don't tell me you're going to put me in that icky gel," Washu shuddered.
"I'm asking for your help, not arresting you," Kiyone insisted. "We've been working on the problem for a long time. We don't have all the answers, but we know you somehow made a doll containing no technology beat all the sensors of the time."
"And that means I'm a Chousin," Washu said skeptically.
"It at least establishes that you either have technology without known precedent, or are from a species with very specific and impressive abilities. And in either case, an ability of this magnitude and utility somehow has gone undocumented," Kiyone noted.
"So I'm from an unheard-of species," Washu said, unimpressed. "Lots of species had no idea others existed until they met them. Doesn't mean my species is Chousin."
"Your daughter, Ryoko," Kiyone continued, "is my friend. She demonstrates abilities other species don't have or don't have in that combination. Flight, levitation, generating energy sabers out of her hands, teleportation, phasing through solid objects. The combined wisdom of the Juraian empire could never discover just what she was, though it was essential to their survival when Kagato mind controlled her. And I know you have at least one of those powers, Washu. I saw you generate an energy saber with your bare hands when you fought Yume, back when we freed Lord Takebe. That's one of the rarest abilities in the galaxy, and neither you nor Ryoko match the characterstics of the few species who can do that."
"Science is about new discoveries," Washu pointed out. "Maybe I'm just not on the lists yet."
"Mihoshi and I didn't get a chance to do much analysis of those crystals Kagato had on Souja," Kiyone went on, "but they were amazing. Even the imitations that were later manufactured by Oda and were used in those weapons the void specters just now were carrying have the ability to suppress even Lady Tsunami. But where did they come from? It's hard to imagine you not trumpeting a discovery like that. Kagato and Lord Yakage never worked on anything like that.
"And they're very similar to the gems borne by Ryo-Ohki, Ken-Ohki, and Ryoko. I saw Ryoko using those gems to make Light-Hawk Wings on herself and her white nightmare as we approached. The Light-Hawk Wings have been associated with the earliest Lady Tokimi legends. The other being long known to use them, Lady Tsunami, shares many characteristics with Lady Tokimi. Of course, Tenchi does, too, but only after he met with Lady Tsunami, and he has the blood of Juraians, influenced by Lady Tsunami. So Lady Tsunami and Lady Tokimi fit the characteristics of a Chousin. Little Washu, are you going to tell me that your daughter carries one of their signatures and you are not one of them?"
Washu half-turned to face away a moment, a finger on her chin.
"Congratulations, Kiyone," Washu said, finally turning to face her, an enormous grin on her face. "Case closed."
"It'd be more accurate to say the investigation is concluded," Kiyone said, relieved now that the moment was passed. "But I think that 'mystery solved' has a better sound." She frowned at Washu, and asked, "You aren't being sarcastic, are you?"
"I wouldn't dream of it," Washu said seriously. "You earned this knowledge, and I respect that deeply. You've learned not only the secret of Jurai, but also the secret of the Chousin. And the secret of me."
"That was why you took this form, wasn't it?" Kiyone inquired. "You wanted to earn knowledge in the same way we do."
"I felt it was essential. Even we Chousin aren't born knowing everything, and I've learned a lot. And I, at least, had to know what beings here were like in order to know how to improve them, or find the greatest of them." She laughed ruefully. "Ironic, that I learned the sciences in the right way, at the Academy, but the major life lessons I had to learn mostly through the school of hard knocks. Just because the Chousin are more powerful doesn't mean we're any different in that respect."
"There are many things I'd like to ask you," Kiyone told her, "but now we need your help. It's selfish, asking you to oppose one of your own people for our sake, but I don't have the ability or the right to do it myself, so I have to ask it anyway. Would you please talk to Lady Tsunami and Lady Tokimi on our behalf?"
Washu put a hand to her chin. "Do you think they'll listen?"
Kiyone put out her hands. "I can't tell you what your sisters will say. I just know that I'd be grateful forever." She bowed deeply.
Washu bowed back quickly, and said, "OK. No time like the present, really."
Kiyone blinked. "You can do it right now?"
Washu smiled. "There are some dimensions in which we're pretty close. Don't have to budge from where any of us are. And yet, we haven't talked about this, of all things. I thank you," and she bowed deeply. "I don't know how much longer I might've kept silent if you hadn't made a crazy request." Washu turned to her daughter and Nagi, saying, "I apologize to you both, and to you, Ken-Ohki. I selfishly put you in danger rather than doing the most obvious thing."
"We considered many plans," Nagi told her. "None of those we considered were without danger."
Ken-Ohki added, "I shall continue on course, in case negotations fail."
Ryoko told her, smiling, but serious, "I'm only a call away if you need help."
Washu said in the same way, "I hope I never have to take you up on that."
Without moving further, Washu closed her eyes, and Kiyone saw what appeared to be a vast shadow reaching up from Washu. The shadow began to take on colors as it opened its eyes, which were unmistakably Washu's. The pupils grew, an opening fissure, till they were great catlike slits.
The shadow disappeared. Kiyone looked at Washu, who waved merrily at her. But she seemed distracted, as though her attention were on something else. Kiyone noted with a start that Washu's eyes now had cats' pupils, just as the shadow's eyes had.
In a darkened, featureless expanse, Lady Washu, in her full, towering form, appeared before Lady Tokimi.
"Sister," Washu greeted her.
Tokimi wheeled to stare at her. "Where have you been all this time?"
Washu laughed. "It's good to see you, too. And what do you mean, where have I been? Didn't you send Dr. Clay and that pesky robot after me?" Washu began to look about curiously as Lady Tokimi declined to answer.
Tokimi finally allowed, "He didn't tell me where you were."
Tsunami appeared suddenly before them. "At last!" she gasped. "At last! Sisters, it has been too long!"
Washu frowned. "Wait, don't tell me - you two haven't been speaking to each other since I left?"
Tokimi pointed out severely, "There is little point in a conference when one of the chief participants is gone!"
Washu blinked. "I'm honestly flattered, but, Tokimi, your disagreement was with me. You two had things to talk about long before I was born! You could've talked to each other, however stubborn I was!"
"You affect more than just yourself," Tokimi said, face stern. "Both of you do. Washu, you could easily have come to me long before this."
Washu folded her arms. "Given that Dr. Clay tried to kidnap me, I'd say I was justified in mistrusting your motives. But if I must spread blame, I'll do it equally. Either of us could've done this ages ago. Any of us could've done this ages ago."
Tsunami put in, "Washu, please do not blame our elder sister. We did talk after your departure. But I chose to enter a disagreement with her after your departure, and you're right, I chose to speak little to her after that. Now we are here."
"Yes," Tokimi said in exasperation, "now we are here. The Chousin, mightiest of the peoples, diluted, despite what we assured each other."
Tsunami refocused on Tokimi. "I'll accept the consequences of my actions, elder sister. I'll bear all your anger. I deserve much of it. I shouldn't have left you alone. But, dilution? Is that truly all you see in what I did?"
Tokimi said harshly, "Tsunami, I am greatly disappointed in you. After seeing Washu compromise herself, you had plenty of time to see the poor results. Yet you still chose to make yourself less than you are. We are Chousin, and we are not like them."
Tsunami spoke sternly while tears gathered in her eyes. "My dear sister, you forget yourself. I am still Tsunami, and always will be. But I am also Sasami now. Queen Ayeka is as much my sister as you are. Never shall I deny either of you."
Tokimi growled, "This is not a defense, it is an illustration of why neither of you should have done what you did! Our affairs are inextricably tangled with theirs now! We have no hope of reserve, of objectivity. The precedents and rationales we established after we failed to prevent catastrophe have been ruined by these actions."
Tsunami said beseechingly, "I set weight by our intentions! I felt pain for you and for those who fell in that time! And though I have not been able to avoid it entirely, I have ever sought to avoid being a mere capricious fairy who grants the wishes of Juraians if they manipulate me with correct chants or self-centered friendship. But know, my sister Tokimi, that on the day that Sasami fell, I chose to save not our manufactured principles, but a life. I would've been far more debased to have chosen other than as I did."
"Manufactured?" Tokimi hissed.
Washu put in, "Sister, unflattering as the word is, that's what they were. We all did our level best when manufacturing them, but they're just as manufactured as the laws of any mortal. They derive from a higher source, like theirs, and so are important. But given the tragedy we weren't able to prevent, we could be considered among the least qualified to make rules for preventing tragedy."
"Or the most qualified," Tokimi reminded her. Refocusing on Tsunami, she allowed, "I yield the point based on your appeal to the higher law. But I maintain my general objection that our objectivity, one of the most precious assets of any rational being, and among the most necessary for those as powerful as we, is being systematically eroded by the philosophies and actions you both are espousing."
Washu changed the subject with a soft voice, "Tokimi, is it true that you've been basing most of your operations from Varata's ruins? Is that where-"
"How did you know?" Tokimi snapped.
"Easy, now," Washu said reassuringly, forcing down the impatience. "You must still be going through a lot from that incident. If you feel responsible for that, OK. But do you know what would really show you were taking responsibility for it? Learning from it and going on to do better next time."
Tsunami looked uneasily at Washu as Tokimi snarled, "What do you think I've been doing?"
Washu said conciliatingly, "Believe me, I wouldn't have come if I didn't think you were. Sure, I'm here to give you a good shove forward, but if I didn't think it would work, I'd be doing my best at something I thought had a better shot." She paused and added, "I haven't given up on you; lots of people haven't. Don't start giving up on yourself. I still have a lot of responsibility to take, myself; be my hope, not an incitement to despair."
"Would you have fought me?" Tokimi asked.
Tsunami huffed, "We aren't at that point."
"We may yet be. Even if it never comes, I need to know," Tokimi insisted.
"If that's what it took to protect the people important to me," Washu said firmly. "If that's what it took to pound some sense into your head."
"And if I didn't get that 'sense' 'pounded in', dear sister?" Tokimi challenged.
"I didn't really want to have to find out which would give out first: my body, your will, or your body," Washu told her after a moment. "I'm ready to begin that experiment, but I hope I never have to."
Tsunami exploded, "We're here so we never have to!"
Tokimi chuckled. "You should try being more honest with yourself, Tsunami," she chortled, "Washu and I both know how greatly you desire to pound some sense into my head."
"We all feel that way about each other from time to time," Tsunami grumbled, "but that doesn't mean we have to do it."
"In any event," Tokimi continued, "we are at a point where direct confrontation would be counterproductive to both of you, since battle between us would have deleterious effects on the galaxy our chosen ones occupy."
"Perhaps we are prepared to use means you haven't thought of," Tsunami warned fiercely, while Washu exclaimed, "'Deleterious', huh. Now you've got a sense of humor."
Tokimi smiled. "You both seem to be under a misapprehension. I am not here to support Z. Quite the opposite, in fact."
Tsunami said quietly, "It is true, then, isn't it?" Washu responded in a louder voice, "Well, to be honest, I was kinda hoping you were here to back Z."
Tokimi was shocked into silence. Finally she asked, "You knew?"
"You're our sister!" Tsunami exclaimed in outrage, while Washu explained, "Knew is a strong word, since your behavior could've fit a few hypotheses, and the data was thin on the ground."
Tokimi noted aloud, "So I am that transparent." Continuing, she explained, "I came to thwart Z. In fact, I mean to end him permanently. I realize this will bring some trouble for you and those you care for-"
"You can't be serious!" Tsunami cried, while Washu shook her head and said in wonder, "Again with the understatement!"
Tokimi concluded (with some annoyance) "-but it is the only way to rectify my error."
Tsunami protested, "Dear sister, please do not do this! So many will die, unrelated to all of this!"
Tokimi told her, "Tsunami, I am astonished at you. How many of your people do you think Z means to kill? How many worlds does he mean to conquer, or liberate, or whatever history makes of it? This moment, when he is most isolated, is the one time we shall have the least amount of unrelated beings involved - and in a war of this scope, no one is uninvolved."
"We can't simply throw our power about how we please just because people may die under some circumstances!" Tsunami thundered in outrage.
Tokimi replied harshly, "We are choosing who lives and who dies by our actions. How many are you willing to sacrifice elsewhere so you can avoid responsibility for what happens now?"
Washu put in, "I think all three of us knew this day might require bloodshed. Still, isn't it worthwhile to try to look for another way first? We could at least try to shed less blood. And yes, we understand you were trying for that. Probably we'll understand better later, when we've calmed down, but we at least want to believe you."
Tsunami took a deep breath and said with strained calm, "That is what gives me hope that we can reach consensus on a solution that will spill even less blood."
Tokimi paused, then stated, "Such is my desire in principle. Since my present means of reaching that end is apparently not to your liking, I hope you have an alternative to propose?"
Tsunami told her earnestly, "I want to reach something good. Is there someone else that you would give the Wings to today, if you could?"
"If I could, yes, there is someone," Tokimi agreed. "But our gifts have proven hard to retract. I've not found a way to do it that would not cause the sort of cataclysm you - rather, we all, dread."
Washu put in, "Agreed, but what if, instead of retracting them from Z and granting them to someone else, we transferred them directly?"
Tokimi frowned. "The distinction is slight, and I fail to see that it helps us here. The Wings are bonded with those we give them to. Energy would flood the area however the bond is broken. And Z has desire and discipline to withhold them, so far as is in his power."
Washu suggested, "We don't have a lot of control over how much energy we put into the physical world, but what if we take ourselves out of the picture? It hurts having to depend on others, but if that's the responsible thing to do, then that's what our responsibility is."
"You can't mean having D3 wrest the Wings from Z," Tokimi spoke in astonishment.
"Come on, it's an idea worthy of a genius!" Washu cajoled. She looked to her shoulders briefly, then muttered, "Not enough dimensions. Next upgrade!"
Tokimi reluctantly allowed, "My genius sister, you seem to have correctly guessed that if I could repent of my choice, D3 is the one I would give the Wings to. His loyalty demands my respect. And, true, though his strength is less than ours, he can more easily moderate it. Yet, to be frank," she fixed her gaze on Tsunami, "I see not how to accomplish it. D3 would still need to use a level of energy which would kill even the one bearing Tsunami's Wings and interest. Besides, I suspect our gifts do not survive death. Either Tenchi must extinguish my gift forever, or I must order D3 to take Z's life at the peril of Tenchi's: to do the deed I would not do to my sister."
"If," Tsunami posited, "Prince Tenchi could deal a great blow to Z, that would not immediately kill him, D3 could, if he were prepared with your authorization, wrest the gift from Z. Tenchi is in peril willingly enough, and weakening Z should reduce the danger as much as we can hope for. It is selfish of me, but if D3 could absorb some of the energy from the bond's breakage, perhaps Tenchi need not die."
Tokimi stared at Tsunami a long moment, and then Tokimi said, "Z has brought this on his own head with his actions. Despite myself, I can see only this path: to forsake my chosen one and save yours."
Tsunami flinched. "I am sorry, my sister."
"I am the one who must apologize for choosing Z," Tokimi insisted. "I am deeply ashamed to have chosen so poorly myself, after instructing you both at great length about your choices, but I must face facts. That is all we need say about it."
Next Chapter
"Sasami?" Ayeka asks, finding her sister looking out sadly at the stage where the rest of the cast has gathered.
Sasami tries to smile cheerfully for her sister. "Oh, you know me, Ayeka. I just want us to stay like this forever."
As they walk over, Tenchi reminds them, "Hey, the next chapter is the last one! We've gotta save our tears for then!"
Yosho agrees, "Quite right, Tenchi. In that next chapter, we finally reach the conclusion of our story; its joys and its sorrows. It's called 'No Need for An Epic Ending'. Thanks for sticking around with us."
Continuity With Dragonwiles
Dragonwiles reposes in state in the library of his lair. Looking up from his book, he greets, "Welcome to this special segment, in which I give a few brief continuity notes.
"Most of this chapter is entirely made up, including the atrocities the Juraians are supposed to have committed. Additionally, Z and Tenchi's battle, and Kiyone deducing that Washu is a Chousin, are also made up. The Chousin's confrontation is made up - at least, I think so. At some point there is a Chousin confrontation in OVA 3, I think, but I didn't actually see that part of it.
"I'm also not sure what Tatetsuki's tree's name is supposed to be, so I made up Haruno, or else I forgot looking it up on the Internet."