Someplace like home by Robert Hazelton

	Disclaimer: The characters within are used without permission for the sheer non profit

enjoyment of fans of the Tenchi Muyo! genre.  The author claims no ownership.

Episode 4:  No Need for Imitation

            She stood perfectly still in a cat stance, her hands open in a guard.  Her eyes were focused and unblinking staring out over the leading fingertips.  Moving gracefully and slow, her arms swept down and she crouched, arms going out and up into eagle’s wings.  A light breeze lifted her hair and as she started to rise, footsteps from behind made her ear twitch.

            “Ryoko?”  It was Tenchi.  “Ryoko, are you okay?”

            Ryoko turned and put her hands behind her back clasping them together to stop them from shaking.  “Hi Tenchi.”  She managed a weak smile.  “I’m fine.”

             “Lunch is ready if you’re hungry.”

            She wrinkled her nose.  “No thanks.”

            “Ryoko, you’ve got to eat.”  Tenchi furrowed his brow.  “You’re usually always starving.”  He put his hand on her shoulder and looked her in the eye.  “It’s been almost a week since we left that place.  When was the last time you slept?”

            “I don’t remember.”  Ryoko shrugged and quickly continued as she noticed his disapproving expression.  “There’s been the moments of oblivion during the day… sort of day dreaming I guess.”

            “You’re going to get sick.”

            “I’m not ready to face that thing yet, Tenchi!”  Ryoko’s eyes widened.  “I’m not ready!”

            “You’ll never be ready at this rate.” 

            “What are you two up to?”  Sasami came skipping up with Ryo-ohki close behind.  “Lunch is ready!”

            Tenchi looked at Sasami and frowned.  “Sorry, Sasami.  We’re just chatting.”

            “Well hurry up before it gets cold!”  She paused.  “Ryoko?”

            “Yes, Sasami?”

            “Nothing…  I’ll see you inside.”  Sasami turned and jogged back toward the house and Ryoko leaned against a tree.

            “Tenchi, it’s not just… that thing that’s been bothering me.”

            “Oh?”  Tenchi tilted his head.  “What then?”

            “I… I just don’t… I don’t know… how to say it.”

            Tenchi shrugged.  “Relax Ryoko.  You can tell me anything.  You know that.”

            “When I woke up in my dream… I swore that I was still dreaming what with lying next to you in bed.”  She closed her eyes.  “Then to wake up in the morning to find out that we were married, that Ayeka was dead… I’m full of mixed feelings.

            “You know how I feel about you, Tenchi.  It’s no secret.  But—“

            “But?”

            “For the short period of time that I was with you like that, it’s difficult to think of you any other way.”

            Tenchi took her on either shoulder and peered into her eyes.  “I understand completely, Ryoko.”  He smiled.  “You know how I feel about you I’m sure.”

            She tilted her head slowly, her body trembling to his touch.  “Tell me?”  She whispered.

            “I love you, Ryoko.”  He pressed his lips against hers, embracing her as they became more passionate.  He lifted her into his arms and began to lay her down.  She felt weightless almost like she was flying without control.  It seemed like eternity while he lowered her and they kissed the whole way down.  Moments before she should’ve touched the ground, she opened her eyes and peered up at Tenchi, smiling from the elation in her heart.

            As she touched the ground however, a dread filled her heart and darkness surrounded Tenchi who was just staring at her oddly.  She looked around and tried to sit up but was held down.  Looking up, she frowned.  “Tenchi, let me up.”

            “Why?”  His voice took on an otherworldly tone to it, almost inhuman in its nonchalance.  “Don’t you want this Ryoko?”

            “What—“ She interrupted herself as Tenchi’s face contorted and grew black.  It morphed into shadow, the eyes turning red.  She screamed and struggled, feeling a sharp slap on her cheek.

            “Ryoko!  Wake up!”  It was Tenchi’s voice this time filled with panic.  “You’re dreaming!”

            She looked around fearfully.  She was in her bedroom and Ayeka was kneeling nearby.  She pulled away from Tenchi and wiped a tear from her cheek.  “Are you okay, Ryoko?”  Ayeka leaned to look at her face.

            “When did I go to sleep?”

            “Probably nine hours or so ago.”  Tenchi rubbed his chin.  “You were in the yard asleep.”

            “I passed out?”

            “Apparently.”

            Ryoko got to her feet and walked to the window, leaning on the sill and peering out.  “At least I feel better.”  She muttered.

            “Did you try to fight it, Ryoko?”  Ayeka asked.

            “I honestly didn’t even know that I was dreaming.  Thank you both for staying with me.”

            “We thought you might be sick when we brought you in.”  Tenchi nodded toward a tray.  “Are you hungry?  We brought up some fruit for when you woke up.”

            The door opened and Washu stepped inside with a hop.  “Good!  You’re awake!”

            Ryoko looked at her oddly before taking an apple from the tray.  “Nice to see you too, Washu.”

            “Miss Washu, what’s up?”  Tenchi asked.

            “Kiyone got a contact from the GP.   It seems that someone liked your piracy MO.”

            Ryoko frowned.  “Great.”

            “You mean that someone’s attacking shipping?”  Ayeka asked.

            “Jarain freight specifically.”  Washu pawed through the fruit on the tray and settled on a pear, which she snatched up.  “Seems to be taking everything on board and not leaving any survivors.”

            “That’s not my MO.”  Ryoko glared at Washu.  “I didn’t kill like that.”

            “The MO of attack, ship description and powers used to infiltrate are all the same as when you were an active criminal.”

            “Let me guess: they think it’s me.”  Ryoko sighed.

            “Yeah, pretty much.”  Washu took a bite of her pear and looked up in thought.  “I thought you’d all want to hear it because the attacks are happening near the sol sector and Mihoshi and Kiyone are investigating the crime.  Just between us, I don’t know if they’re going to be a match for whatever they’re after.”

            “I definitely would like to help.”  Ayeka got up.  “I feel an obligation if they’re attacking my families shipping.”

            “I’ll do what I can too.”  Tenchi nodded to Washu.

            “I’d like to meet up with the bastard who’s trying to sully my name.”  Ryoko clenched her free hand to a fist.  “So when do we go?”

            “They’ve already gone I’m afraid.  You’ll have to use Ryo-ohki to catch up with them.”

            “Not a problem.”  Ryoko tossed her apple aside.  “Be ready to go in a half hour guys.”

*           *            *

            Tenchi stared out the view screen at the glowing thrusters of the Galaxy Police vessel that Kiyone and Mihoshi were piloting.  They had them in view for over twenty minutes but couldn’t raise them on communications.  Ryoko was frowning at the edge of the view screen, looking down.  Ayeka was seated with her hands folded in her lap.

            “I don’t like it.”  Ryoko finally broke the silence they’d basked in for several minutes.  “Something is jamming our communications.”

            “That doesn’t come up though, Ryoko.”  Ayeka cast a glance over at a screen.  “The com station says its all clear.”

            “Attention unidentified space craft.”  It was Kiyone breaking through on their hailing frequency.  “This is the Galaxy Police.  Shut off your engines and prepare to be boarded immediately.”

            “Try and respond, Ayeka.”  Ryoko didn’t look back and as much as Ayeka wanted to snap off a snappy come back, the situation warranted a bit of patience with being ordered around.

            “Kiyone, this is Ayeka.  Can you read me?”

            Static.

            “See what I mean, Ayeka?”  Ryoko frowned.  “We’re not going to be able to respond but at least we can do as they ask.”  The engines were cut and they waited as the other vessel approached and began boarding procedures. 

            A few moments passed and Ryoko started back to the airlock when a concussion blast rocked the ship and almost tossed her to the floor.  “What the hell?”  She cursed, running back to the bridge.  “What happened?”

            “Someone fired on Kiyone!”  Tenchi pointed at the view screen and they could see the blackened blast on the side of their friend’s ship as it moved away from Ryo-ohki. 

            “Great.”  Ryoko performed a scan of the area and slapped her hand on the panel.  “No readings of anyone but us and Kiyone.  But it’s nearby…”

            “Do you think that it might be—“  Ayeka stopped herself and paled noticeably.

            “It’s more than a distinct possibility, Ayeka.”  Ryoko sighed.  “We’ve got to get out of here and quick.  They’ll fire on us next in retaliation and I’m not about to engage them over a misunderstanding.”

            “Can you out run them?”  Tenchi gave her a concerned glance.

            She smiled.  “Can Ayeka complain?” 

            “Wha?”  Ayeka stamped her foot as Ryoko took the helm.  “You insolent… pig!”

            “Wow, Ayeka that was good.”  Ryoko spun the ship around and advanced the thrusters to full.  “Got anymore under that pristine exterior of yours?”

            “Now’s not the time for this you two!”  Tenchi looked between them and shook his head.

            “We’re heading for home.”  Ryoko pursed her lips.  “This is the first time I’m hoping that Kiyone makes a mistake.”

            “Considering what’s on the line, I think that’s a pretty safe hope.”  Tenchi was holding on to a panel, watching the view screen intently. 

            “Look!”  Ayeka cried as a blast erupted from what seemed like their ship in Kiyone and Mihoshi’s direction. 

            “That’s not from us!  What the hell is going on?”  Ryoko cried and tried to turn up the acceleration, pushing the ship past the safety point.

            “Maybe whatever it is that’s attacking the freight lines is paralleling us right now and taking shots.”

            “They’d see the other ship wouldn’t they?”  Ayeka asked.

            “Not if it was cloaked.”  Ryoko frowned.  “And there’s no reason for them to believe that we’re on our way.  I’m sure that Washu’s communication was garbled to them just like ours.”

            “They’re gaining on us, Ryoko!”  Tenchi yelled and pointed.

            “No kidding, Tenchi?”  She asked sarcastically while trying a variety of tricky maneuvers to evade them.  “I can’t shake them.”

            “What can we do?”  Ayeka looked on the verge of panic. 

            “I’m going to get over to their ship.”  Ryoko brought the throttle back and let them close in a bit.  They were firing on Ryo-ohki now and coming extremely close to hitting several times.  “You’ve got the helm Tenchi.”

            Tenchi nodded to her and took the controls, glancing back as she stared at the view screen.  “Be careful, Ryoko.”

            “Always am.”  She flashed a grin and disappeared.

            “She’s such a show off!”  Ayeka frowned and folded her arms over her chest indignantly.

            “She could be saving our lives, Ayeka.”

            “Oh, Lord Tenchi this wouldn’t even be happening if she wasn’t such a bad seed.”

            He frowned but there was little he could offer in her defense.  So many times she had put other people’s lives before her own, shown dignity, courage, integrity, concern.  But there was also the mean streak—the temper, the violence.  She was a space pirate after all…

*           *            *

            Ryoko appeared behind Mihoshi and Kiyone and took a deep breath.  “Hey you two!”  She cried, getting ready to shift out of range of a blaster bolt.  “What are you doing?”

            “Ryoko?”  Kiyone turned around and stared at her oddly.  “What are you doing here?  How’d you get here?”

            “You two are firing on Ryo-ohki.  Ayeka and Tenchi are on board.”

            “What?”  Mihoshi asked.  “How could you have gotten out here?  You’re back on Earth!”

            “You keep telling yourself that Mihoshi.”  Ryoko looked at Kiyone.  “Whatever fired on you is cloaked and near Ryo-ohki.  I don’t know how we’re going to find it but it’s around here somewhere.”

            “Hmm… We were reading some pretty outrageous power readings.  We thought they were coming from your ship—that’s why we didn’t think it was Ryo-ohki and was our imposter.”

            Ryoko nodded.  “Well, can you isolate the energy surge?  That might give us a target to fire on.”

            “Good idea, Ryoko.”  Kiyone tapped at the controls and patted Mihoshi on the arm.  “Get ready to feed these coordinates into the weapons systems.”

            Ryoko leaned against the wall, suddenly dizzy.  She put her head in her hand and tried to take long, deep breaths.  “Got it targeted, Kiyone!”  Mihoshi shouted triumphantly.

            “Okay, get ready to fire on my mark.”  Kiyone turned around.  “Ryoko, can you—Ryoko, are you okay?”

            Ryoko looked up and nodded.  “Yeah, yeah I’m fine.  What’s up?”

            “Can you hop over to Ryo-ohki and execute a dive and spin?  Put the engines on full and get as far away from the surge as you can.  We’ll fire as soon as you’re out of harm’s way.”

            “Sounds good, Kiyone.  Thanks.”  Ryoko concentrated a moment.  “Good luck.”  She muttered as she disappeared from their bridge.

*           *            *

            Ryoko stepped up to Tenchi and took the controls, offering a nod in apology for startling him.  Questions came from both of her companions but she didn’t hear a word they said.  She tapped the controls and sent the ship into a dive, spiraling hopefully away from the thing that was firing on Mihoshi and Kiyone. 

            “What are you doing?”  Tenchi’s voice finally pierced the fog in her mind and she looked at him oddly.

            “What are you talking about?”  She frowned.  “I’m getting us away from a potential explosion!”

            “You’re diving right toward the moon!”  Tenchi pointed and her eyes widened with surprise as she pulled up and away barely in time to avoid crashing. 

            “What the hell?”  Ryoko looked at Tenchi and Ayeka.  “What happened?  How’d we get so close to Earth?”

            “Ryoko, we’ve been running from Kiyone and Mihoshi for almost a half hour!” 

            “No…”  She shook her head.  “No!  I went over to their ship!  We made a plan to attack whatever it is that was attacking them… What happened?”

            “Ryoko, maybe you should take a rest.” Tenchi put his hand on her shoulder but she shrugged it off.

            “Damn it, Tenchi!  I was on their ship!  I know that I’m not crazy!”

            “Maybe you were having another dream, Ryoko.”  Ayeka said gently.  “You were looking a little confused for a moment there—disoriented.”

            Ryoko paced away and balled her fists tightly, leaning her forehead against the wall.  “What’s happening to me!” She muttered through clenched teeth.  “Am I going crazy?”

            “We’ll take over from here, Ryoko.”  Tenchi looked at Ayeka.  “Can you reach Miss Washu yet, Ayeka?”

            “I’ll try Tenchi.”  Their voices once again blurred into a buzzing of sound and Ryoko scanned the room suspiciously. 

            ‘Whatever you try, Ryoko… Where ever you go… However you try it… I’ll always win.’  The voice she heard was all about her, deep and resonant with an echo.  It brought a chill to her spine and she trembled.  ‘You’re soul will be mine… forever.’

            She let her instincts react for her.  With an enraged scream she brought her sword into existence and stumbled about in the dark, scanning for a victim.  “Where the hell are you?”  She screamed.  “Enough games!  Prove yourself!  Prove what you can do damn it!  Maybe you’re not as tough as you thought!  C’mon!”

            Laughter echoed in her head and dropped to her knees, both hands slapping against her temples.  “Stop it!  Stop it!  STOP IT!!!”  She screamed, trying desperately to silence the wicked mockery that filled her senses.  Blackness fell over her eyes and she slumped to her side in frustration.  “You… won’t… get… me… so… easily…”