Tenchi practically collapsed on the Masaki couch, almost knocking an exhausted Aeka over in the process. Ryoko floated in the air, preferring it to standing on her feet. Everyone else was strewn about the floor, breathing heavily and rubbing bumps, bruises and cuts.
"We can't keep this up much longer," Ryoko groaned as Sasami treated an Yammana cut and bandaged it up. "They're just too tough. Is anyone else out of action?"
"I think my wrist might be broken," Takeshi commented.
"Oh! Takeshi let me look at it!" Sasami cried, finishing Ryoko quickly and running over. "You should have said something earlier! That looks real bad! Father, I'm going to need something for a splint!"
"That's three who won't be fighting next time," Tenchi muttered. "Kiyone can't run, Musashi's still a little shaky, now Takeshi..."
"Four," Katsuhito corrected. "Washu has a nasty Yamanna burn on her foot."
Ryoko clenched a fist. Angrily she slammed it into the wall, leaving a small dent in the process. "Blast this war! If we don't all die in a few days we'll be too weak and tired to fight back anyway!"
"Don't lose hope," Aeka tried to boost some moral. "Jurai is on it's way. If we can only hold them off for six or seven more attacks-"
"Give it up, Princess! Jurai's not gonna get here in time! And even if we do hold them off a little bit longer, by the time your Precious Army gets here half the earth will be a charred lump!" Ryoko snapped angrily.
Mihoshi sniffled. "You're right, Ryoko. We're doomed! We're all gonna die, and I don't wanna die!"
"It's okay, Mihoshi. We aren't going to die," Takeshi did his best to give her a one-handed hug, glaring daggers at Ryoko.
Kojiro sighed from across the room, looking out a window despairingly. "What I wouldn't give to be getting electrocuted by Pikachu. At least I know it won't kill me given the chance."
"Kagato was easier then this," Tenchi remarked.
"Kain was easier then this," Ryoko added.
"The Galaxy Police was a snap compared to who we are fighting," Aeka continued.
"Jurai's military was easier," Kiyone, who had made her way downstairs when they got home, went on.
"Tessei and Tetta would've been simpler to defeat," Katsuhito put in, remembering the story of the dark warriors Kamidake and Azaka had fought.
"I'd even take a ticked-off Kasumi," Takeshi commented.
"Or Musashi," Kojiro agreed, shooting his friend a little smile.
"Or Kojiro in a dress," she shot right back.
"I'd sooner eat Ryoko's cooking!" Mihoshi piped up.
They burst into nervous laughter.
Washu, who had limped up quite painfully from her lab to tell the group some news, was surprised to see them all giggling at an unknown joke. "Well look at you! I hope you haven't gone crazy from the fighting" her eyes flashed dangerously "because we've only begun to battle."
Tenchi looked over the back of the couch at the scientist. "Do you have a plan, Washu?"
"Darn right I do! Don't I always?" she grinned sweetly. "You wouldn't think someone this cute was so smart, would you!?"
Aeka sweat-dropped. "Uh, Miss Washu, do you suppose you could tell us of your idea?"
Washu waved a hand to the front door. "Outside." As they began to file past, she coughed a few times. Getting no response, Washu exclaimed. "Hey! Isn't anyone going to help me out? This burn hurts, ya know! Imagine, a sweet girl like myself having to limp all the way!"
Katsuhito leant her a hand, and together they trailed the rest of the troupe. Once out by the lake, Washu sat down and began to type furiously on her holo computer. "I've been working on this project since the first day I found out about our alien friends. I didn't want to get anyone's hopes up, because even I wasn't sure if it would work, but this IS the greatest genius in the universe we're talking about-"
"Quit babbling and tell us what's happening!" Musashi said impatiently.
"No need to shout, I was getting to that," Washu explained calmly. An image appeared in front of them of a huge Teranese ship. "From day one, I realized the Terans were as much a colonial race as a nomadic one. They pass information, and energy, between each other telepathically. Their mother ship, similar to a high-tech beehive, houses their leaders- the only real brains in the bunch- who give the rest of the group health, knowledge, and other useful bits. Take out the mother ship, and the rest of the group is hopelessly lost. They'll live, but only for a short time, with no one to guide and tell them what planet to attack or how to survive."
"Like cutting off the head of a cockroach!" Mihoshi summed up.
"Exactly!" Washu agreed.
Aeka ventured to speak up. "But Miss Washu, how do you plan on destroying this mother ship?"
"So glad you asked, Aeka, since you'll be a part of it," Washu typed more onto her keyboard. In a few moments a black hole opened before Washu and out popped a handheld device and a controller. "This is a high-tech bomb, created by yours truly. When placed at the heart of a machine, and detonated, it has enough power to totally take out even something as heavily protected as a Teran's Mothership. But, the thing is, someone needs to PUT it there."
"I can see where this is going," Tenchi said dryly.
Washu pointed to Tenchi, Aeka and Ryoko. "That's where you come in, my little warriors! I'd do it myself, but the truth is I don't have your powers, plus this blasted foot... but that's all right, because I have total faith in you!"
Ryoko gave the "victory" sign. "Don't worry about a thing, Washu! We can take out that ship like it was nothing!" She grabbed Tenchi around the shoulder. "You just leave everything to us! Nothing can defeat the true power of love, right Tenchi-chan?"
"I don't see how you can be so peppy," Tenchi muttered.
"Oh, dear." Aeka set her jaw resolutely. "Well, Miss Washu, if that is what it takes to save Earth then I am behind the plan a hundred percent... what, exactly, is the plan?"
More typing. "It's complex, and I'll need everyone to follow my exact orders if we want it to work." Another image appeared in front of the slightly perplexed group. "Here's the plan. Kiyone and Mihoshi will fly in Yugami- along with Nobuyuki and Lord Katsuhito- to take out any smaller ships who may try to come to their leader's rescue. I also need to be in Yugami to detonate the bomb- I can't do it from here, I need to be close by. Ryo-Ohki" a mew from the cabbit "will take Tenchi, Aeka and Ryoko to the entrance of the ship. Sasami, I hate to involve you in this, but since you're the only one besides Ryoko and Tenchi who Ryo-Ohki will listen to..."
"That's okay, Washu! I can handle it!" Sasami assured her.
"Great. Takeshi, you'll be with her. You're good with animals, and kids, so if something happens to Sasami you should be able to take care of her and direct Ryo-Ohki." She glanced at Tenchi and the other two girls. "Once you plant that bomb, contact me. I'll hook up a headset between myself and Ryoko. As soon as the bomb is strapped on- it's got a system so that once it's connected no one can take it off- tell me and get the heck out of there. You'll need to hurry, because once it's set I only have five minutes in which I can hit the trigger."
"That all? It seems so simple," Aeka said sarcastically.
"There's more. We're going to need someone to distract the mothership. If they're worried about another ship, they won't all be able to try and stop Tenchi, Ryoko and Aeka. That'll make things easier for us. That's where my latest invention comes in." Frantic typing, another black hole, and a small ship barely big enough to hold three people comfortably appeared. "This is what I like to call Little Washu's Mosquito! It's easily the fastest, most maneuverable, and smallest ship in the galaxy."
"It looks impressive," Ryoko complimented, no stranger to spaceships.
"That's because it is!" Washu was never modest. "It's made for two people- one to pilot and one to fire. The weapon is strong, but because of the size of the ship the cannon isn't large enough to cause any real damage. Even so, this baby will definitely give the Terans something to worry about." The ship hovered above the lake a few seconds longer, before finally coming to a landing near the shore. Washu turned to face the crowd. "There's just one question- who's going to fly it? It either has to be Musashi, Kojiro, Nobuyuki or Lord Katsuhito."
"We'll do it," the Rocket duo said immediately.
"We've piloted just about anything you can think of," Kojiro explained. "Balloons, subs, cars, boats, blimps... basically, we'll be able to learn fast."
"And we've handled weapons before," Musashi put in. "Our aim will be on."
Washu grinned. "Somehow I knew you'd be the ones to volunteer. Risk-takers, I like that. You do realize, of course, that you'll only have five days to learn."
Kojiro gulped. "Five?"
"I have a program you can go through, and a virtual reality set-up so you won't need to try out the ship right away, but you're going to have to work like dogs, from nine to nine. Still wanna do it?"
A pause, then both nodded simultaneously.
"Great." Washu turned her attention to the others. "This is our last chance. We can't fail. But, if we do..." she bit her lip. "We leave. We fly our butts to a safe planet."
"But what about Earth?" Tenchi protested.
"There wouldn't be anything left that we could do," Washu said quietly. "Fighting's useless- why prolong the inevitable? Besides, I want to see as many of you out of here alive as possible."
"I won't abandon my home!" Tenchi snapped, almost violently.
"And I won't abandon Tenchi!" Ryoko agreed. "If he stays, then so would I."
"As shall I remain," Aeka added. She gave Tenchi a small smile. "Even though you don't care for me like I hoped, I couldn't leave you. My heart wouldn't let me."
Ryoko rolled her eyes.
"Earth's my home just as much as Jurai is now. I wouldn't leave it no matter what," Sasami continued. Kiyone, too, made a small speech. "Mihoshi and I were assigned to protect this region long ago. Even if, since then, I've gotten a promotion, I still consider it my duty as a Galaxy Police officer to protect the innocent and defend peace."
"Yeah, what she said!" Mihoshi agreed, nodding vigorously.
"I wouldn't leave Mihoshi's side if she was in danger. She stays; I stay," Takeshi put in.
Musashi nodded, clenching her fists. "I'm always on the look-out for a good fight!"
"That's right!" Kojiro added a typical 'Nyasu' line.
Washu closed her eyes, smiled, and shook her head in amazement. "You're unbelievable." She shrugged. "Well, if you wanna risk your lives, don't come crying to me when we all get our head's blown off." Washu gave a devilish grin. "Just let me get a chance at 'em first!"
"And, now that that is settled," Katsuhito began, speaking for the first time since they'd entered the yard. "I suppose we all should begin to work on our tasks. Everyone has an important role to play, and I hope you will do whatever you can to fulfill it."
"What about you, Grandfather?" Sasami asked.
"I," his glasses flashed as he grinned, "will be supervising. Which means no one will rest until the job is done. Now get to work, all of you; we have a very busy five days ahead of us."

A dizzy Musashi staggered out of the spaceship after her first testflight. "That was wild."
"I didn't know you could have triple-vision," Kojiro said sarcastically, waving a hand in front of his face. "I swear, there are ten of everything."
Washu walked up to them, all smiles. "Have fun!?"
"That was nothing like the Virtual Reality set-up!" Musashi snapped, barely maintaining her balance as she yelled it.
"You could have given us a little more warning!" Kojiro added to the scolding. "We've never been into space before, and THAT thing is the fastest ship in the galaxy!"
"Universe," Washu corrected. "Don't worry so much. You're coming along great. I mean, we've only been working for two days and you've already aced the V.R. with flying colors."
"And all I'm seeing are flying colors!" Musashi said sharply. She put a hand on Kojiro shoulder to keep from falling. "I don't know how you expect me to shoot while we're doing that."
"I can barely see where I'm going as it is," Kojiro complained. "If I don't crash us the ship'll overdrive and explode."
"Relax. You haven't crashed it yet, have you? We have a lot of time left. Now," Washu rubbed her hands together, "who's up for another spin around the block?"
The Rocket duo slid to the ground, sighing.

Tenchi, Aeka, and Ryoko were having a time with their training also. Katsuhito and Washu had made a ring where they could work on attacking Terans that were coming from all angles. Part Virtual Reality, part android; one tough workout.
"No, no, no!" Katsuhito stopped them once again. "You have to have at least one person watching your back at all times! If you don't, an enemy could sneak up and slice you through before you have a chance to think."
"I don't think in battle!" Ryoko exclaimed, slamming the V.R. headset down in frustration. "A trained fighter like me doesn't worry about trivial things like strategy and planning- in the middle of a big fight you have to rely on instinct!"
"I'm afraid I must agree with Ryoko," Aeka got the nerve to say. "Though I always keep my head in battle, unlike some, I tend to lean more on my natural abilities of Jurai Power and skills."
"Those skills being-?" Ryoko questioned irritably.
"Grandpa, all those things you taught me while I was growing up were based on instinct," Tenchi reminded him. "Once you learn the move, you let your body take over and do it automatically. Like you used to tell me- you have to feel the battle more then see it."
He looked at the ground. In a moment, the Juraiian veteran looked up again, smiling. "You have too sharp of a memory for your own good, Tenchi. I did say that." The three relaxed, thinking they wouldn't have to do this exercise anymore. Katsuhito, before they could blink, and smacked each on the head- twice- with his wooden staff. "But if you don't think part of the time, you'll forget how many minutes you have left in that spaceship before Washu has to detonate. Physical readiness, mental readiness, and awareness go hand-in-hand. Remember that one, too, Tenchi."

Two Days Later...
Musashi shot down three enemy-droids in three quick shots, while Kojiro expertly dodged other droid's firing at the same time. The ship whirled in a millisecond, and as it did Musashi caused four more ships to explode. Kojiro pulled the Mosquito in for a landing. They looked at each other, slapping hands.
"They don't have a prayer."
"Behind you, Tenchi!" Ryoko warned. Tenchi ducked as she blasted the VR Terans to bits. Aeka projected a shield and zapped a couple Terans at the same time. Tenchi moved quickly, using Sword Tenchi as he had been taught. Ryoko covered their back.
As the last fake Teran was killed, the trio took off their V.R. face-masks and looked at each other happily. Katsuhito smiled. "I think you are ready."

The very next day. Time for action.
"We'll fly up around ten," Washu explained. "It'll take us a few hours to clear the atmosphere and get to where their mother ship is stationed. It's a little ways past the moon, so we have a moderately quick flight ahead of us. Once there... we do what we've practiced." She looked Aeka, Ryoko and Tenchi up-and-down. "Good luck. You're going to need it." She passed the small bomb to Tenchi, who strapped it on like a backpack. Washu also gave Ryoko a small earring/walkie-talkie, so the two could communicate when needed. The scientist faced the whole group, again. Her serious look turned into a smile. "Now, let's go kill some Terans!"

Kojiro sat behind the control, leaning back in preparation for the battle ahead of him. One hand drummed nervously by the shift. He glanced over at Musashi. She was sitting, gripping the firing controls. She ran a hand through her hair, today tied up in a bun.
'This might be the last time I ever see her,' Kojiro thought suddenly.
She looked over. "What's up? Something wrong?"
He turned the other way hastily. "N-nothing, no."
'If I die during this,' he thought, 'without ever telling her...' he shot another look at her. 'This is as good a time as any. I have to get up the courage eventually, and this might be my only chance... oh well, here goes nothing.'
Kojiro cleared his throat. "Um, Musashi... uh, we could die during this, you know."
'Oh, nice pick-up line,' he groaned to himself.
"I know," she said calmly.
"Well, Musa-chan, it's just... if I died without ever telling you this... the truth is, that... I, uh... ya see... when I called you a tyrant and a dominatrix... I never meant it 'cause... well, I really... that is to say... I love-"
"Don't say it, Kojiro," Musashi interrupted.
Kojiro stiffened. 'She knows! She knows I love her! But I thought I'd always been so careful. How could she?'
Much to his surprise, Musashi put a hand atop his drumming fingers, quieting the noise. "Because I feel the same way. And if you said it, I might start crying, and I can't shoot Teran ships if I've got tears in my eyes."
He met her eyes for the first time in a while, realizing suddenly that all those times she'd smacked him and called him an idiot were a cover-up. "Really?"
"Would I lie about that?" she asked. She averted her eyes back to the front window and said, as the Musashi he knew: "You'd better get ready. Yugami's about to take off."
The word's couldn't be said, but the feeling was there as Kojiro started up the ship and zipped out of it's makeshift port. They glanced at each other once, then turned back, both blushing violently. Musashi smiled. She'd finally defeated the RDS.
'I did it,' Kojiro thought happily. 'And I didn't get beaten for it, either.' He, though, wasn't smiling. 'Too bad it could be the last thing that ever happens.'

Ryo-Ohki flipped this way and that, trying to avoid the blasts of the mothership. One glanced off her left wing, causing a nasty burn. She howled in pain, firing a barrage back.
Ryoko, inside, winced too. "Those guns are powerful. Even a small blast like that head on could blow up a wing."
"It's okay Ryo-Ohki, you can do this!" Sasami encouraged.
"Meow!"
Takeshi, this being his first time in space, had been chosen to take the only chair in the ship. Looking rather green in the face, he managed to gasp out, "We almost there?"
"Just about," Ryoko announced, pursing her lips as another shot zipped by, barely grazing the bottom. "Blast. They've got decent aim."
"Please don't tell me we just did a 360," Takeshi moaned.
"I won't tell you, then," Ryoko agreed, grinning wickedly.
He looked down at his feet, still planted on the ship's floor. "Good gravity control, I guess."
Sasami put her hand on his. "It's okay, Takeshi. You'll get used to it after a while. Thanks for agreeing to come."
"No problem, Sasam-" the ship lurched, and Takeshi had to put a hand over his mouth.
"Hey! I just got new leather on that chair!" Ryoko snapped. "Don't dirty up the goods. There's a bathroom if you feel like staggering to it."
"I'll take you," Sasami volunteered, letting Takeshi lean heavily on her as he fought to maintain some balance on the ship. It swirved violently to the left, causing all of them- with the exception of Ryoko- to lose their footing and fall face-first to the floor.
"Son of a Growlithe," Takeshi cursed, landing hard on his broken wrist.
Ryoko threw back her head and laughed.
"Can you get up?" Sasami asked, getting up to her knees.
"Think so-" the ship jerked again, and while everyone else managed to stay up, Takeshi once again sprawled across the floor. He put his head in his hands, grinning weakly. "You know what? It's sort of comfortable down here, so I might as well just hang out at this level."
Sasami patted his head comfortingly. "I guess some people weren't meant to fly."
Ryoko howled even louder.
"Ryoko!" the voice of Washu snapped in her ear. "This isn't the time to be goofing off! Get in that ship!"
"If you could see the visual... you'd be laughing too..." Ryoko chuckled.
"Laugh later, if we get out of this! Hurry up!"
The space pirate regained her composure. "Yeah, yeah, I'm going." Two small laser blasts to the right showed Ryoko that The Mosquito had arrived. "Great, the calvalry's come. Time to get started."
She put Ryo-Ohki at full speed, getting close enough to throw out the docking board.
"Hurry, both of you, we have to move fast before they send out troupes to stop us!" Tenchi urged, moving the girls on. He waved a quick good-bye to Sasami and Takeshi.
"Take care, Tenchi," Sasami said.
He smiled. "Same to you. We'll see you in a few, then." And he was gone.
"You gonna stay here?" Sasami asked Takeshi. A nod. She stood up, going to the front of Ryo-Ohki. "Okay Ryo-Ohki, pull away! We'll have to come back when Washu gives us the signal, but right now you're gonna have to dodge some lasers! Let's go!"
Ryo-Ohki yowled happily, in her element. The game was on.

"Washu did build this thing with a shield, right?" Kojiro asked, doing a 180 to avoid some beams.
One blast managed to hit the ship. It shook violently, but remained intact. "Guess so," Musashi replied, letting off five quick blasts to blow up a small fighter ship and hit the mother one. "Haha! Tauros' eye!"(Bull's eye for you Earth-bound readers)
"Uh, Musashi..." Kojiro began.
"Yeah?" she asked, shooting someone else.
"There's about four fighter ships coming this way. They're powering up... five on the left, too!" Kojiro exclaimed, swiveling as fast as possible to face the attackers. "We've got laser shots coming in from both sides, and the mothership fired one off too."
"Ten total, right? Can we dodge 'em?" Musashi asked.
"I can only dodge half, and those things are powerful" Kojiro explained. He looked over. "It's been great, Musa-chan. See you in the afterlife."
She gritted her teeth, knowing it was true. "Dodge the five. I'll shoot down a few. At least we'll take some with us to da-"
The remaining five impacted. The ship was jolted around on all sides, and everything went dark.
A few moments later, the lighting system came back on. Kojiro rubbed his head, where he'd hit it on the front of the ship, glancing from side-to-side. "We aren't dead?"
"Guess not," Musashi confirmed, trying to figure out why.
A screen, projected from Yugami, popped up in front of them. "Are you all right? What happened? We saw the lasers impact, and I thought you'd explode for sure," Kiyone said quickly.
Washu shoved her out of the way. "That's what happens when Little Washu patents a product! It's got a 50-laser hit guarantee, or you're money back!"
Musashi scanned the sky for the remaining ships. "Where are the rest that fired on us?"
"We took care of them," Kiyone explained, coming back on. "Washu contacted Ryoko. They're about halfway through the ship. You've still got some work to do."
"Have fun you two lovebirds!" Washu added, giving them a thumbs-up. The screen went blank.
Musashi and Kojiro stared at each other blankly.
"How did she know we-"
"Maybe she's got a microphone in here."
They shrugged, laughing.
"I'll be sure to smack her around later," Musashi decided, keeping her eye out for other fighter planes. "Let's zone in on the mothership and show them why they call it the Mosquito."
"Sounds good to me," Kojiro grinned, flying them in close. "After that scare I'm ready to put a thorn in their sides."

"Tenchi! Head's up!" Ryoko warned, burning a Terans to a firy crisp.
Aeka projected her shield around herself and Ryoko; Tenchi having his own. At the same time she managed to trap a Teran with her smaller versions of her guardians, giving it a zap that sent it to the netherworld.
"That's the last of this batch," Tenchi announced. "Let's move fast before the next one shows up."
The trio ran down the hall, Ryoko keeping an eye out from the way they came. Tenchi skidded to a halt, Aeka and Ryoko bumping into him.
"What's the hold-up?" Ryoko questioned.
"We're here," Tenchi stated. "Washu said the middle of the ship would look something like a big control panel."
Ryoko and Aeka turned their eyes to the scene ahead of them. A deep crevasse seperated them from a domed building in the middle of the chasm. Several lighted panels blinked inside, but there were no Terans to be found.
"How do they work it?" Tenchi wondered.
"They must control it telepathically," Aeka decided. "Who shall venture in there?"
Ryoko was already unstrapping the bomb from Tenchi. "I'll get it. I am the only one who can fly, after all."
"Be careful. There might be a force field," Tenchi advised.
"Hey, when am I not?" Looks from Tenchi and Aeka. "Right. I'll be fine. Be back in a few."
She flew up, making it to the dome with little trouble but a small motion-sensored blaster. She destroyed it easily, and reached the building. There didn't seem to be any doors, not that it bothered Ryoko, who just phased through the wall. Inside, nothing met her either except one of the motion-sensor machines. Obviously the Terans had never figured anyone would get to the middle, especially a talented space pirate and Juraiian royalty. Ryoko clipped the bomb onto one of the control panels; a shield popped up immediately, stopping anyone from simply removing the weapon.
Ryoko dusted off her gloves. "Ah, a job well done. I got the bomb planted, Washu."
"Get out! You've only got five minutes!" Washu commanded.
"Yeah, I'm going," Ryoko muttered. "1000-year old witch."
"I heard that. And I'm not a day past 800, I'll have you know."
The pirate rolled her eyes and flew back to Tenchi and Aeka. "Washu says we have to go. Let's move."
They'd barely taken two steps when several Terans stepped out to meet them. After a minor fight, they were killed, and the three fighters could move on.
"You got three minutes!" Washu warned. "Where are you?"
"Not quite halfway back, I think!" Ryoko answered. "Ah, crap! There's more coming!"
Another ten or twelve Terans blocked their path. As they were fighting, the aliens tried to use a strategy for once; very slowly they drew Aeka and Ryoko away from Tenchi, hoping to finish him off. Neither girl saw it before they were completely blocked from Tenchi and only faced by a couple enemies.
"Go on!" Tenchi called. "Get back to Ryo-Ohki, quick!"
"Tenchi!" Aeka cried.
Ryoko thought fast. "Aeka, stay here. I'll be back." She disappeared, and in a moment was at Tenchi's side. He was surrounded by Terans, all bearing jagged claws and just about to dive in for the kill. "You stay away from my Tenchi!" She let off a powerful blast that lit up the hallway.
Aeka shielded her eyes, holding up another hand to ward of bits of Terans. When she could see again, all that was standing between the Princess and Tenchi and Ryoko were charred bits of aliens.
"I didn't know you could do that," Aeka said, obviously impressed.
Ryoko grinned. "Neither did I." She turned to Tenchi. "Are you hurt?"
"They got me on my left side. Kind of deep," Tenchi told her, wincing.
Ryoko practically slung him over her shoulder. "Poor Tenchi."
"Ryoko! You have a minute! Can you get out or not?" Washu demanded. "I need to know if I can detonate!"
Ryoko looked around. They'd never be able to reach Ryo-Ohki in time. Unless... "Yes, Washu, you will be able to detonate. Aeka, get over here!" Aeka picked her way through the bodies until she was standing next to Ryoko. The pirate grabbed her hand. Quickly she sent a message to Ryo-Ohki to pull out of the mother ship's harbor. She concentrated on the cockpit of Yugami...
"Ryoko!"
She opened her eyes to see Mihoshi scrambling over to her. "You're alive! Oh wow! Where'd you come from?"
"Nice trick," Washu conceded. "Kiyone, tell the others to get away. I have thirty seconds to bomb it."
Kiyone did as she said, while Mihoshi and Ryoko helped Tenchi into a chair.
"Good job, all three of you. You deserve a good rest and a big dinner when we get home," Nobuyuki congratulated.
"Rest sounds best," Ryoko breathed, laughing a little at her unintentional rhyme.
"Hey guys! Wanna watch the fireworks?" Washu asked, pressing the trigger in.
All eyes from all ships viewed the mother ship blow into a million pieces, flying about the skies. Sasami jumped into the air, shrieking a little, while Takeshi managed to raise a fist before covering his mouth again. Musashi and Kojiro hugged as best as they could, thankful to see their enemy killed. Ryoko grabbed Tenchi, giving a "victory" sign, while Aeka clasped her hands together, thanking the heavens; Mihoshi and Kiyone gave the other a high-five; Nobuyuki and Katsuhito cheered, and Washu threw the detonator in the air, shouting in triumph as she did. If sound could be heard in space, the noise would have been deafening.
"Earth's going to have quite a meteor shower," Katsuhito noticed. "We shall need to hurry home if we want to see it."
"Home," Tenchi repeated. "I don't think I've ever been this happy to hear that."

To Be Continued...

Musashi: We've had such a great time on Earth... I can't believe it's really over. Try not to forget about us, okay?
Ryoko: Forget about you?
Aeka: I don't see how I can EVER do that!
Sasami: That's right! You're part of the family now, no matter how far across the universe you live!
Takeshi: But... Mihoshi... It can't finish like this! I won't let it!
Tenchi: The next and final episode of the PokéMuyo Series: No Need for an Ending!
Washu: It's unquestionably... over!