Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction ❯ Half a War ❯ Chapter 6 ( Chapter 6 )

Disclaimer: Standard if you've read this far, you should already know how it goes by now.

Authors notes. A lot of the technical stuff here I'm making up. So don't take it too seriously. Also I'm changing the Homeworld universe a little so it works for the setting I've created. Apologies to the purists but I'm simply not smart enough to pull this off otherwise.

Half a War: Chapter 6

By: Dusk

The C-Chan and the four remaining frigates were currently in Hyperspace transit. The Senken and it's fleet were in Transit as well. Although both fleets would come out in roughly the same area of space give or take a few hundred kilometers neither fleet could see or even detect the other. The only reason that the C-Chan could stay in contact with its support ships was because the hyperspace modules of each ship had been calibrated to the C-Chan's. If the frigate's hyperspace module ever fell out of alignment it would take hours to recalibrate it and it would never be in tune with the C-Chan's module again. Only very high power communication systems would operate in hyperspace, and they were too easy to listen in on. As such most ships only communicated when in normal space unless it was an emergency. Those conditions caused both problems and opportunities. Aboard the C-Chan two sisters were treating it as an opportunity.

Nabiki and Kasumi were discussing their recent tour of the Senken and a possible stumbling block named Ukyo when Akane joined them.

"So what did you guys think of Senken? It's an impressive group even if Commander's son is a sex changing freak of nature." Akane voiced her opinion quickly as always.

"Yes it was incredible. They have a very complete medical facility. They have equipment that even the Homestead doesn't have." Kasumi remembered the part that interested her the most. It was very nice to see that the Saotomes were looking after their crew. What really surprised her was how few people were in it. It just went to show how competent the Senken was. She privately wished that Senken carrier hadn't been named after the mercenary group that operated it, it tended to get confusing but it was a tradition among mercenaries. She did her best to ignore the comment about Ranma. Defending him would only inflame Akane's temper.

"Boy Akane, you're awfully hard on the guy for only having briefly met him once. Besides we have it on good authority that Ranma himself is a tactical genius as well one hell of a pilot." Nabiki always did dislike the way Akane jumped to conclusions. Carrier command required a quick and decisive mind but Akane tended to take it a bit far. "Besides it's a curse, as in it's not really his fault and has caused him a lot of grief and misery." Nabiki knew that although Ranma blew it off most of the time, reactions like Akane's did hurt him. There was no way it couldn't hurt him.

"Gee Nabiki you're awfully soft on him. Have you decided to be his fiancée already?" Akane figured she'd try and tease Nabiki a little. After all Nabiki would never seriously consider marrying the pervert. If she did that would make him her brother in law and that idea sent small waves of revulsion down Akane's spine.

"Actually I probably will be his fiancée. I don't think he and Kasumi would be a good match. That and the Saotomes are likely to spend a great deal of time away from our home and Kasumi has too many duties that would keep her and Ranma apart. But once you finished at the Academy we could always consider you for the fiancée, after all you're both the same age." Nabiki kept her smirk to herself. Akane should know by now not to try and tease her.

"Ugh. That's not funny Nabiki. You can't seriously expect one of us to marry him can you? He's a freak!" Akane was really worried now. Her sister sounded like she was seriously considering this marriage thing.

"Yes Akane we are serious." Kasumi answered. "We need the alliance with Saotomes. Beside that, Ranma is a very nice, young man. His crew has a great deal of respect for him. Considering his curse I think that speaks volumes about the type of person that he is."

"But he changes sex with water. It's disgusting."

"So is going to the bathroom if you think about it, but we all do it anyway. And as Kasumi said it's not his choice." Nabiki was starting to get tired of Akane's attitude. If Akane didn't outgrow this dislike of boys soon Nabiki would go insane. "Look at this way, Ranma can understand things about being a woman that no man could possibly understand. It makes him the almost perfect spouse if you look at from the right angle."

"I still think it's disgusting."

"Alright Akane. For now we'll agree to disagree, okay?" When Nabiki saw Akane nod she went on to the next bit of subject matter. She and Kasumi would continue to discuss the Ukyo situation later. "Now Akane perhaps you can help me. I'm trying to find the holes in my network. Do you remember who knew you were leaving the Academy on private business?"

"Uh well, there were the administrators my teachers and a couple friends that knew."

"Okay what exactly did you tell your friends?" Nabiki knew she wasn't going to like the answer.

"I told them I wouldn't be able to go to a birthday party because of a family meeting of some sort. I told them I didn't know exactly what it was about."

"Well next time you'll have to be more careful Akane. How much notice did you give your friends and the faculty?"

"Only a couple of days, three at the most."

"Sorry to tell you this Akane but that's probably how Taidan knew how to find us. They have spies in places like the Academy specifically to find out information like that. If there is a next time give as little notice as possible. Once we're back into deeper Hiigaran territory we'll have to do a more thorough sweep of the C-Chan for homing devices."

"Oh you mean they found us because of me." Akane couldn't believe it. She had nearly killed her family because she got a little careless. Of course the Taidan would have spies. Akane started to feel incredibly guilty and stupid in a very short order of time.

Kasumi could see the guilt wash over Akane. Nabiki's rebuke had been mild but Akane was still very insecure. "Don't worry Akane. These things happen. You shouldn't feel guilty about it. You couldn't have known they would track us here."

"Kasumi's right Akane. Kasumi and I have a couple of years of experience over you. Besides this type of thing is my job. I should have been more thorough handling things on your end. It was sloppy on my part. I'm sorry, I should have told you to be careful, and warned you about actions like the ones I just mentioned." Nabiki thought for a moment. Akane was looking in a slightly better mood now. Maybe she could help improve it some more. "Tell you what just so this doesn't happen again I'll give you a crash course on how to be spy. Does that sound good." Giving Akane something to learn would help get her mind off of Ranma and her perceived failure.

"Sure thing Nabiki. We don't have much else to do on the way home anyway."

Tatewaki Kuno strode through his carrier the Blue Thunder. As he walked down it he silently assessed his crew and judged their work. If it was less than satisfactory the guilty part was guaranteed to hear about it in short order. Tatewaki liked his crew on their toes. It insured that they were ready for anything at a moment's notice. Also, although Kuno would never admit it to himself, he loved to see people in fear of him.

Kuno was after all, the heir to one of the largest military kiithid currently patrolling the frontier's edge. People were supposed to fear him. It didn't matter if they were friend or foe so long as that fear existed. Kuno would deny it if anyone mentioned it to his face, he even denied to himself, but in the end it didn't change anything. Kuno loved that people feared him, he found it intoxicating. Like all intoxicants though, it also affected his judgment. That was why Kuno's crew was trying it best to be under way and ready to hyperspace across several systems in half the time it required it to do it safely.

Kuno didn't care. Akane was out there. She was doubtlessly in trouble and in need of his rescue. He would provide that help, for a price of course. And when life and death hung in the balance any price was worth paying. It was with that thought that Kuno walked into his private quarters aboard the Blue Thunder.

His quarters were considered sacred ground aboard the ship. No one entered without his permission, which was given rarely. He valued his privacy. As Kuno went about changing into clothing fit for practicing his kendo in, a cough interrupted him. Kuno whirled around, his shirt still in his hands and glared at the individual that dared to enter his quarters.

Out of the shadows stepped a small frail looking man. He was a head shorter than Kuno and most likely weighed several dozens pounds less, but he moved very confidently. He looked Kuno directly in the eyes, the gaze strong even though the eyes were sunken. He was also very clearly Taidanni, the gray and pale skin giving it away. Kuno's face lost none of the hard edge about it but it did change to an expression of respect rather than indignation. Hidden behind that respect was also hate, and just a little fear.

"You might as well forget about rescuing the Tendos. Someone beat you to it. The entire strike fleet was wiped out." Was all the man said.

"How do you know they were rescued and not merely superior to the force you sent against them? The Tendos aren't military but they are by no means helpless." Kuno replied as he put his shirt back on.

"A single strike carrier without a true escort against a Heavy Cruiser and full support fleet. No, they were rescued. We believe by the very group that they intended to meet. We were wondering if you happened to know the party involved." The voice sounded friendly but it was more of a command than a request.

Kuno looked at the man carefully. Just because he asked for information it didn't mean that he didn't already know the answer. Kuno decided to reply honestly. "My servants have been unable to obtain any information concerning the unknown group, or if it is even a group. All they managed to get was a general time and a location, both of which I gave to you."

The man nodded to himself, his sunken eyes never leaving Kuno's. "If you do find something be sure to let us know. The empire was not happy about loosing such a valuable fleet. If it is found you deliberately misinformed us there will be consequences." With that the man pulled a mask over his face. Kuno watched as a holographic image of a young Hiigaran cadet replaced the Taidanni's mask. He turned and left through the door without a glance in Kuno's direction. The hissing noise confirming for Kuno that the man had been waiting in his room the entire time and not merely entering after Kuno had arrived.

Kuno glared hatefully at the door. Even three years after being approached by the man he still knew next to nothing of him. His people had only been able to uncover a code name and reputation. The man could find any dirty, little secret buried in the past, particularly skeletons hiding in closets. With that knowledge he could turn any one into his pawns. It was like black magic almost, that was why he had earned the code name Voodoo. That was why he had power over the Kuno kiith.

Kuno hated him but he also needed him. He had the methods of ensuring that Akane Tendo would be his. Kuno had to possess her; it was a driving need, an almost holy quest for him. But Voodoo had failed, and that did not bode well for him in Kuno's eyes. Kuno's own agents were busy tracing the trail of the Kuno bloodline's sins and covering them up quietly, or preparing to cover them at the right time. Patience was a warrior's virtue, so was decisive action. The key was to know which was appropriate for the given situation and when. Kuno would be patient until the time when action was needed, then and only then would Voodoo die at Tatewaki's hands.

It was with those thoughts that Kuno began his kendo practice, venting the stored frustrations on practice dummies and imaginary foes.

"So Ranma my boy what do you think of the girls? Mighty good prospects, don't you think?"

"Well pops considering I only just met them I can't really make much of a judgment call. It would have been nice if I had some warning over this, instead of having it all fall into my lap all at once. Having to deal with finding out that I'm engaged to a stranger than getting to know said stranger after helping to rescue them from an attack by the Empire, doesn't really leave you in a frame of mind to be thinking rationally about the future." Ranma managed to get out without sounding to sarcastic.

"We're sorry Ranma. That was an error in judgment on our part. We were worried about what you would do if you found out too soon." Nodoka answered her son.

"You mean you were worried that I'd split and never be heard from again. You were also worried that if I had enough time to think about it I would try to sabotage it. In my opinion all fine actions since nobody consulted me about this little arrangement. The Tendos at least get some choice in the matter. Only one of them has to get married." Ranma was still doing his best to keep his temper in check. Getting angry with his mother wasn't the best thing to do. It was one of the reasons that most military kiithid didn't allow family members to serve under each other. It could cause problems in the chain of command when personal feeling got involved. But than The Senken despite being mercenaries fought a war that was very personal in nature.

"We are sorry Ranma but this important. Do you real want your children to be homeless like we are now." Nodoka was doing her best to reason with Ranma.

"Homeless isn't the word. The Bentusi don't have a Homeworld but it doesn't hinder them any." Ranma replied. He was trying to keep his temper in check. Anger was only useful on the battlefield, and only if it was properly directed and channeled.

"Look Ranma, this could all be a moot point if you like the girl you marry. You haven't said you dislike any of them yet." Genma was trying to put things into perspective, at least as far as he could see them.

"Not disliking someone and loving them enough to marry them are two totally different things. It's not like you and mom married because some alliance hung in the balance." Ranma still wasn't keen on the marriage idea. He was still a young man after all.

"Ranma would you at least give them a chance. If you try to make the engagement work, you might be surprised at what happens." Nodoka urged her son.

"Okay I won't try to sabotage it. But we'll have to come clean with them about the truth before I agree to marry one of them. They have no idea what they're getting into and it could get them killed." Ranma looked at his parents. His eyes telling them that he wasn't going to back down in the least.

"Of course Ranma, when the time is right we'll tell them everything."

To be continued...

Author's notes. Finally some plot in here. Also some actual setup for things to come. Don't worry I do have plan.