Tenchi Muyo Fan Fiction ❯ Ah My Tsunami Muyo! - The Human Sphere Saga ❯ Part Four - Ride that of Streaking Light Come Forth. ( Chapter 4 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Half a league, half a league,

Half a league onward,

All in the valley of Death

Rode the six hundred.

"Forward, the Light Brigade!

Charge for the guns!" he said:

Into the valley of Death

Rode the six hundred.

"Forward, the Light Brigade!"

Was there a man dismayed?

Not though the soldier knew

Some one had blundered:

Their's not to make reply,

Their's not to reason why,

Their's but to do and die:

Into the valley of Death

Rode the six hundred.

Cannon to right of them,

Cannon to left of them,

Cannon in front of them

Volleyed and thundered;

Stormed at with shot and shell,

Boldly they rode and well,

Into the jaws of Death,

Into the mouth of Hell

Rode the six hundred.

Flashed all their sabres bare,

Flashed as they turned in air

Sabring the gunners there,

Charging an army, while

All the world wondered:

Plunged in the battery-smoke

Right through the line they broke;

Cossack and Russian

Reeled from the sabre-stroke

Shattered and sundered.

Then they rode back, but not,

Not the six hundred.

Cannon to right of them,

Cannon to left of them,

Cannon behind them

Volleyed and thundered;

Stormed at with shot and shell,

While horse and hero fell,

They that had fought so well

Came through the jaws of Death

Back from the mouth of Hell,

All that was left of them,

Left of six hundred.

When can their glory fade?

O the wild charge they made!

All the world wondered.

Honour the charge they made!

Honour the Light Brigade,

Noble six hundred!

Lord Alfred Tennyson (The Charge of the Light Brigade)

===============================================

(Ah My Tsunami Muyo! Part Four - Ride that of Streaking Light Come Forth..)

Journal Entry - 9th May, 3417

*Recording Terminal / Module 0033A*

I... I don't believe it, but were about ready. Tomorrow, tomorrow finally we lift off in a specially reserved shuttle to the congregation point for the race, and I feel way to good about all this for it to be feeling real. (Don't know why, a trait my sis says is annoying. Anywho.)

Tsunami has been just amazing, and I don't care if I've said this literally in `every' log entry, I just can't believe how much she's taken to being a pilot. In not only three weeks has she learned all the mecha's systems and piloting tactics, but even has taken to heart all of Alana's tricks and hints, sponging it all up in a well professed desire to please me, (like that ever was a concern.) She's actually already made Certification for Trainee-November Class, and if I didn't know any better, she could eventually beat the scuzzy interface off a Class Beta Cert, and possibly even a Class Alpha. And there are only up to Class Four's or Delta's, and a Gamma could take a Delta if one knew how to do it.

Course at this point, most of our race training has been on Sims, even ones Washu devised (privately..) even with rather realistic, (and terrifying..) simulated emergency actions due to damage and even foul play. But all that sure doesn't beat the real thing, as Tsui's and my first true test flight in the recently completed mecha made for a seriously immense adrenaline rush!! I swore I had my memory chips shattered loose from the G-tactic maneuvers we practiced, high and around Tekomi Bay along with the Prefecture itself. Tsui just kept laughing hysterically, almost like she was a kid in a monster hover-coaster ride. The harder the G's, the more she laughed! I learned later she apparently never had so much fun in her existence. (Hard to fathom.)

We also learned that we pulled a wing strut, as well as taxed the inertia compensators into coolant overflow!! Kero afterward gave us a slight admonishment, as we weren't taking care of the goods. But then he awed surprise at how many G's we got away with. (7.9 G per 3 second arcs, usually back to back for who knows how many loops. No wonder I had a bloodrush!)

But thus heralded the christened Angel Starlight, designation TMU-0102-A, Tekomi Mecha Unitracer. It looked very sleek, well rounded, well chromed to help enhance heat flux reflection. The funny but almost prophetic added modification to the primary superstructure, was the inclusion of two sets of vector and thrust veneer wings, both shaped `exactly' like a set of Angel Wings.. hence the Angelic part of the designation. They replaced the original two sets of blocky wings, though they were not really too shabby, they weren't up to the other modifications the Dojo and Dimensional 'Team' helped install and testbed.

I must say, I was skeptical about how into the work the Dojo envisioned, but the Dimensionals sure lit a fusion reactor under all our collective butts. Washu of course wanted to rip the whole thing apart, and redo the whole shebang, but Tenchi and I helped sit her down, and explain, rationally, that this raced had to be as even as possible. The introduction of a craft OBVIOUSLY WAY too advanced would get us disqualified!! (And shortly be under investigation by Terran Intelligence, not a pretty pastel to paint.. =<>=;; ) Washu, `very', reluctantly agreed, with much celestial cursing, to only help modify the existing material and framework. She did however help big with the one crucial, experimental project: A vacuum fusion core-transducer generator. The main point of the whole unit being constructed.

The basic theorem behind this core system, was the physics of using the very matter of existence as a fuel source, as well as using the basic laws of physics to help create higher thrust out of little friction usage. It was one that had heavy repercussions for the military, as well as a huge contract, if it worked properly. Basically, the V-Fusion Generator used extreme principles of energy physics, as well as ungodly (no offense Tsui..) practicality with fuel efficiency. This system could run a month on a pound of vacuum fuel, or basic energy, existing all around us. The implications from there were not meek.

At the moment, a prototype for a mecha scale unit was all that was truly feasible with existing technology and credit backing, which worked out fine enough for us. Few others believed in the technology, saying it was too fanciful to be workable. Eh, makes for more resource help for us in this regard, one of the few willing to be reckless and all. (A club motto, ya know.) And when Tasha found out the prototype was actually working, and apparently flawlessly at that, she blew something in her head!! Thus said, because she KISSED/CRUSHED Washu and myself in a joyous bearhug!! I'm still smarting even a week later.

But this is hardly by no means a certain victory, thus said because there has already been at least one attempt, by most likely a Rohak Academy flunky, on the mecha itself, as well as a rather mean spirited attempt on my own person, of which only a timely spell by beloved kept us both from being quite hospitalized. The police caught that hoser well enough with his description. Some of the Dojo members suggested retaliating, but I put a cold POST on that idea, as we'd more than likely receive harsher judgment, and concentrated thoughts on beating the daylights outta them at the race itself. I just hope those words worked. (Though I get the feeling Achika is hiding something from me about that. Washu too. And Ryoko... Mihoshi?)

As it stands, we as ready as we can be, all systems check out with the Tokyo and Osaka engineer sponsors, including Professor Darien, whom was on the ball with most the rest of the Mecha's systems. (Including solving a coolant problem the unit kept having over initial testing.) Now, all that remains is to transport Angel over to the shuttle.

And for me to deal with pre-race nerves. (Aye, I'm scared to my patoot.)

Everyone had decided that a celebration was needed to loosen us (me) up, with plenty of sake`, plenty of partying in and near the Onsen, which even Washu has gotten used to now, (despite Tsunami's surprising transgression,) and plenty of anything non race related, other than good luck charms. (The Angel looks like a Japanese Christmas tree of some sort right now.) By the way, all the Onsen incident bit took to settle that matter, was a stern set of words from Washu and Achika, before that was settled. (Tsui though just smirks at them both enjoying her little breach unto for me. Even those cabbit things end up in there a lot.) Right now, all three are officially enjoying the Onsen for a late afternoon bath. Tenchi related to me earlier that certain words floated from out of his apparent excursion (when he used the Onsen male section at the same time.)

I keep hearing wedding bells in my future (again.) Better call Dad sometime and warn him.. ..ugh.

As it is, I'm taking a break from that same party to talk to this Journal Padd, since I'm six ways somewhere between worried and scared stiff. I need another stiff one.. *sigh*

(Silence for 12.3 seconds.)

But somehow, when I threaten to break down in fear, I remember my pilot-mate. The title `co-pilot' alone doesn't do justice, and I have to equally share the primary title, she's does so much to bolster my confidence, I wouldn't think of it in any other vein. The factual that she literally throws herself into the task, and into my arms with each practice completed. If we actually win, I can only `guess' her reaction.

And then, there's that event back in the Onsen, her Angel. That image alone stifles down my fears.

See, it's doing it now. Zero Kelvin Cool huh? =^^=

I just hope this is all worth it, since I still say Kero should be doing this, but all things have endings, and beginnings. If so in truth, tomorrow is our day, for better or worse, and with the best and most experienced allayed against us.

Eh? *silence for a few seconds..* What's she doing out there?

*End datarecording.. 2134.02*

--------------------

*Onsen..*

"{~ And then she said, I didn't create you for looks, I data copied them for you!! ~}” ..draining her cup in a clean swish!

"~ Washu would say something that blasé!! ~"

"~ What else do you expect a mother to do for a daughter!? ~"

Ryoko, Ayeka and Washu each in various forms, bust out loud laughing!! The echo actually makes the glass dome vibrate! "{~ Hah!! You think that's bad, you should see how I intend to download a better body when Tenchi and I mate.. ~}"

"~ Do you go stealing my ideas demon. I hate unoriginal ideas. ~" .. "{~ Whoever did your work-up was REALLY unoriginal.. ~}"

Ayeka's next act is to begin trying to electrocute the water between herself and her tormentor, just before a towel smacks Ayeka in the face!!

"~ Now, now girls. No need to create Armageddon, that's years down the road here on Earth. Just relax. ~"

"{~ Hah! I was more than relaxed! Where's the.. ~}" *SMACK!* Second towel.

"~ I got the sake` first.. dibs.. ~" Ryoko mutters something 'unkind' from behind the towel. Ayeka just pats her nose back to a normal color, though the color flush of intoxication are too noticeable to matter.

"~ Miss Washu.. ~" .. "~ Little.. ~"

"~ Um.. (only for a Titan Program..) ..do you happen to know why Lord Tenchi and I.. ~"

"{~ *AHEM!!* ~}"

Ayeka groans.. "~ We.. were both allowed to consort with him? And also, has he displayed his final stage yet? ~"

Washu leans back and swills the brew with a finger, before semi-seductively, though thoughtfully putting the finger in her mouth.. as it comes back out.. "~ As a Beta, I don't have the Hacking powers I used to, but what I gathered, he apparently did needed a 'distraction'. ~"

"{~ Distraction? Is that old coot hassling him that bad? ~}" Ryoko begins to lean forward, though this competes for similar space as Ayeka does the same.

Washu only looks at the cup. "~ No.. there's something strange in the archives, 'very' classified data about something supposedly coming. Tenchi may know more than he's supposed to, or is under a Protection Lock until the event happens. ~” Washu looks up at the crystalline skylights. “~ As it is, why he allowed it shocked most of us Dimensionals. No Avatar has been `assigned' a consort, much less two, without some dammed good reason. You two are stuck with him I guess. ~” Washu chuckles, which garners a `err' from the other two.

“~ All I can really say is that.. well.. watch Tenchi carefully, he may be at the heart of something big in the future. ~” Then Washu's brow furls a bit, as she look hard at Ayeka and Ryoko. The two squirm a bit. “~ And saying this, you make sure Tsunami doesn't intervene, with whatever Tenchi may face in the future. He can't be interfered with by Tsunami, and you both know she would try. ~" Ayeka and Ryoko turn into meek listeners, not even rivals now. Both only nod gingerly as they both feel a cold sense of dread. Somehow, both can't fathom Tenchi gone, they both just can't, and it's not even a Spell Program in effect either!!

"~ Can I join in? ~"

Ayeka and Ryoko vehemently turn towards the new voice. (Well, not new, just blond and ditzy.) "~ You!?!/{~ YOU!?!! ~}"

"~ Are you three talking about Tenchi? ~"

Washu just looks away, sipping her `tea'.

-------

*A (whole) bunch of sake` later.. same place, less mood..

..or is that more moody.*

"~ I met him on a infodata foray in the lower levels of the System, when we were trying to track down a Class Three Demon Hacker. Kiyone and I met Lord Tenchi during that mission. He was so sweet, going out of his way to help us, even after that silly announcement not too long before, he just was so cheerful to us. ~" Mihoshi begins, relating to a less than enthusiastic Ryoko/Ayeka, both nursing empty cups dryly.

Washu just watches in half interest, more noting the other two's moodwaves, more getting a laugh out of this sight. Ayeka and Ryoko look blandly on meanwhile. Mihoshi then adds with a giggle. "~ By the time we finished our investigation, I knew a deep bond had formed between us, oh....... I can't believe I admitted that!! Oh... oh how embarrassing!! ~" Mihoshi turns several shades of red, while Ayeka and Ryoko turn a few shades of annoyed. (Washu just laughs at the growls the two suitors emit.)

"~ I need a drink. ~" Ryoko hands Ayeka the bottle, before grabbing a second (sixteenth.)

----------------------

*Boy's Onsen area..*

"~ You think they can pull it off tomorrow? ~" Kero looks at the face of the subject on the other side of the male Onsen section, and then promptly chuckles in introspection. "Well, I didn't win my first race, even with Alana until my fifth try. I tell you Tenchi, the odds are a toughie, and `that's' all under normal circumstances.

And this race won't be normal, I can feel it."

Yosho leans back and looks skyward.. "~ And it also may be a day of historic proportions. This I myself feel. ~"

"~ Uh oh, grandpa's at it again. ~" Tenchi jokingly chides.

"~ Indeed protégé, I actually can sense the air currents surrounding this event. ~"

Kero just looks at the two strangely.. "You two are acting weird again. Especially since this all takes place in a spatial vacuum."

Tenchi and Yosho 'URK' at that.

They had all agreed since the start of preparations for the race, (the Dimensionals that be, in response to a request from Tsunami,) to refrain from using their active powers in the presence of the mortals, a rule treaded apparently with lack of foresight. Though no real consequential violations have yet occurred, thus even so far as to drag Ayeka and Ryoko into a subspace ring of some sort when they started one of their fights. (Washu's solution has brought out an even more competitive spirit in the two!! Much to everyone's chagrin. Much.)

The mortal contingent half never (thankfully) really caught on, but it's starting wearing thin. One can only note weirdness and shrug it off for so long. Yosho tries to cover up again. "~ Ah. We're bad about premonitions. ~"

"~ Yep, Grandpa and I are bad alright.. ~" Tenchi adds nervously. Kero just looks at the two with skepticism, but drops it with a good slug of sake`. "Just don't infect your 'Sensei' with that thinking, a pilot thinks best without distractions. All their skills will be tested in the heat of competition. It's when their best will shine forth.

Just you wait, you will see something even your 'premonitions' cannot foresee. I can FEEL that much." Kero pulls back a second good slug, his eyes glaze with past glory and incredible experiences.

Tenchi and Yosho only look at each other and shrug. (Nervously ala mode.)

--------------------

*Below the Onsen. Party area.*

Sasami looks up from a habachi grill. "~ The squid is almost ready!! ~"

A good number of 'yays' emanate from all around, as karioke singing and bad sake` induced dancing clamor all around, the atmosphere is quite joyous. "I'll take the first one!!" The all too young Nobuyuki shouts for dibs. "~ Oh no you don't.. ~" A certain black mane goddess retorts. "~ Don't you know women come first? ~"

Nobuyuki throws his hands up in defense.. "I.. I didn't mean.. I only..."

"Careful Nobuyuki..." Hiwa eggs.. "...you don't want to offend the hosts." Nobuyuki overreacts to this. "Oh no! It's not that!! I just.. I.."

Hiwa and Achika look at each other, and begin bursting out in laughter. Sasami just shakes her head.. "(~ Isn't mom a little old for picking up guys? Much less MORTALS!? ~)"

Sasami's Mother slant eyes at Sasami and pucks her lips blandly.. "(~ I do as I wish. ~)" Sasami smiles/chuckles meekly and turns back to the grill in haste.

Tora and Sora simply just sing `badly' in the background, as Tasha, Tasha's flunkies, and Alana cheer and clink sake` bottles in the air. Fat Dal, the local dynamic master programmer for the Angel Project (with Washu's 'help',) just stuffs his face with Sasami's and Achika's cooking, just crying as he does. (He's not eaten this well in ages, not that one can tell from his gut.)

"~ Nobuyuki. Oh how sweet of you. ~" Achika says when Nobuyuki give the first squid to her. Nobuyuki violently blushes, as he quickly takes his hand away from the squid he handed over. Hiwa just laughs her butt off, getting a full dose of this dating game. Sasami just keeps shaking her head, but then silently wonders when she might get to feel this way.

Tasha CLAPS loudly as Sora finishes a solo.. "WAY TO GO FRESHY!! Where's Al at?"

"~ Sensei? ~" Sasami perks her head up. "~ I think he went inside. ~" Tasha jumps up in a drunken stupor. "That Sophy! He's bolting on us again!! I got a headlock with his name on it!"

"~ There he is. ~" Achika blurts out suddenly, pointing to a slowly walking Aleaic, one seemingly fixated on something. "Where's he going?" Hiwa asks, noting Al's pace. "~ Ah. I wondered where my daughter went to. ~"

"Daughter!?" Shouts a number of voices. (Some still mouths full.)

Sasami lays the admonishment on.. "(~ Slot A into Tab B, Mother. ~)"

"(~ Oops. ~)"

---------------------

*Forest.. somewhat moonlit.*

Aleaic's observed stride takes him deep into the cathedral like forest. It takes him awhile to proceed forth, the cloak of darkness doing it's job well. Only the sense Tsunami is emanating softly allows Al to eventually find her. He doesn't understand this fully yet, just that he knows `something' is there to follow.

And there when he finally arrives, with the rays of the moon softly playing across, partially illuminating Tsunami's simple white and blue dress. Truly like a cathedral at night, only the sound of the light wind flowing across the trees, with slight hollows sounding at times. This is where Aleaic finds the dimensional of his existence, in a prayer form, her forehead rune glowing softly.

Aleaic tries to be quiet, but a step forward too many, and a snapping branch betrays him.. "AH! Dangit! Oops.. Um.. sorry.." Al smiles sheepishly. Tsui looks back with one of her customary smiles, one that can warm anything. "~ I was praying, that we would know what we both desire. I was being selfish. ~"

Al sighs contentedly, despite his butterflies. "Looked like you were quite calm doing it." Tsunami smiles sweetly at Aleaic again, as she takes note how the moonlight plays across her 'client'. "~ It's okay to have a few selfish desires in a lifetime. ~"

"Well, that I can't argue." Aleaic walks around behind Tsunami, arms behind head.. "I've got so many, a novel couldn't hold them."

Aleaic's chuckle is met with Tsui's gaze.. "~ Am.. am I one.. of those selfish wishes? ~"

Aleaic is taken deeply aback.. "I.." ..Aleaic's thinks disjointed, then allows his soul to bear itself.. "..yes... there is. I guess it was there when I made the Wish. It's still the same now.” Al tries to smile confidently to Tsui. “And it's the same feeling I want us to share tomorrow. I want to show this world something, take a risk doing it, and I want you to be there to share that. No matter what actually happens, even if we finish dead last.

If not all that and more."

"~ I see. ~" Tsui responds longingly. Aleaic thinks to himself, that Tsunami looks so beautiful with the moonlight, her hair looks even more silken than normal with effect, giving off a second glow to it's own internal light. Tsunami only holds a warm breath, filled with his words of encouragement, and more.. "~ Thank you, and I hope we get share the fullness of what tomorrow will bring. That is what I wish for you beloved. That is my selfish wish. ~"

Aleaic smiles simply in response, this she notes the curves that the light enhances, and the ones the shadows chisel.

Al notes, and changes the subject out of reflex. “You'll probably meet my father tomorrow, since he's on the Terran Council. And mother as well, since Sis informed me they'd all be there tomorrow."

"~ I bet they're proud of you. ~" The goddess says, taking a hand. Al grasps it tighter. "Of us. Ket has made sure to tell the family how much a team effort this was. As am I."

Tsunami feels her heart pound slightly, a touch of flushed cheeks.. "I know I keep saying this, but you keep amazing me more and more. I... I was proud when you achieved Certification." Aleaic takes Tsunami's hands and holds them both to his chest. (Boy is her blush..) "I.. I know you did it to help me, and I know I asked for this help. But I want you to know the honor was yours alone, and tomorrow will be so much better because you will be there.

I thank you so much for everything you've done these past few weeks, I am very truly honored." Aleaic kisses the hands of possibly the most talented woman to ever cross this Plane, no less especially his life. Tsunami's heart is beating like a gravity pulsar by this point.

"YO!!!"

The single syllable SHOCKS them out of their skin for an instant! "T ..T.. TASHA!!" Aleaic stammers out!

"You two have been avoiding the party you know!" Tasha scolds as she strides up, her tact needing a bit of work. "~ Our appologies, I simply needed to clear my head. ~" Tsunami apologizes openly, which takes the fire out of Tasha's scolding. "Tasha, can you possibly be more blunt?" Al mildly retorts next. Tasha just SLAPS Al on the back! (ow.)

"Sophy, you should either join the party, or go to bed, tomorrow is a HUGE day!! You two Ms. Tsunami."

Aleaic and Tsunami hear this and only look at each other, before sighing in resignation. "Then tomorrow is our next stop."

"~ Looks like. ~"

Tasha just shakes her head at the two. "Man.. you two are too darned gushy. Makes me want to slug some coolant down." ..the brusque lady just flops her arms at them, and heads off. The two lovers look at each other again, and burst out laughing! Their laughter carries deep into the moonlight.

Deep into the moonlight.

-----------------

*May 10th, Raceday*

The morning started very `very' early, as well as with many hangovers. The gathered were treated to a very large outdoor breakfast, served mostly by servant droids, as everyone made the first of the early final checks. Lots of coffee made it's rounds during this stretch. (Save for Tenchi, who got juice.) By 0600 hours, it was time. Aleaic and Tsunami took their places in the specially crafted side-by-side cockpit, and after a short preflight check, lifted off to astounding cheers.

As they piloted the Angel mecha over Tekomi proper, towards Tekomi Spaceport, they could see below them a very large procession of well wishers from around the Campus, as well as the town an much of the Prefecture proper. It was a breathtaking and warm sight, one that Tsunami shed many tears in witnessing. They then arrived at the massive Tekomi Spaceport at 0625, their IFF codes getting them and their following supporting teammates past the security nets and trained capture net guns. Even here, the guards were waving their best wishes to them.

But the sight of the very large crowd at the heavy lift shuttle itself took the proverbial cake. After they landed on the loading gantry and got out to head for the crew shuttle loading, Al and Tsui had to keep waving back at the incredible flock seeing them off. Tsunami even got into the spirit by giving a good kiss to Al for the crowd's benefit. Aleaic had to fight down the `major' PDA blush he was boiling over with!

Then all too quick, a few rather efficient minutes later, the Mecha was loaded into the Shuttle and the Dojo Angel Team (fun name,) climbed into the passenger cabin for strapping in. "You nervous?" Al says to Tsui, whom is seemingly jittery getting into his seat. "~ No, I'm very excited, I've never ridden a shuttle before. ~" Tsui says with a gleeful tone. Al chuckles simply. "I have. I just let the rush flow, there's nothing like it."

"Yeah right Sophy, that kiss looked like it was more than enough 'rush' for ya." Hiwa eggs on, laughing loudly. Aleaic heeds no mind. (Yeah right.)

After another ten minutes after this, the shuttle's powerful RU-126 Class B engines ROARED to angry life, as the shuttle pilots simply concentrated on their common/practiced task of lift-off. The pressure of the G-forces caught many of the Dimensionals by surprise, expecting much less. “{~ Dang! ~}” Ryoko gasped as her arms and body became pinned in place. Ayeka just laughs at this since Ryoko was hanging over her seat back, bugging Tenchi at the time. “~ You should have listened to the shuttle attendants. ~”

The rest of the passengers had special window screens in front and the sides, as the flame of the engines haloed the windows from aft on down. Clouds billowed in front of this aura, then parted due to the increasing atmosphere pressure generated by the oblong cargo shuttle's speed. Another viciously short two minutes later, the blue morning sky was replaced with the sight of jeweled stars on black velvet.

"~ Oh wow Al, look! ~" Tsui gasps as she looks out her window port. Aleaic's view is switched to the port side, as the sight of a massive arch is seen, descending along the window ports, the massive Orbital Rings. Also one of the two space stations could be partially seen.

"We should be going to Alpha, right Sempai?" Al asks back behind him. "Hey, smart one Sophy! Yeah, that's where the race is congregating this year."

Tsunami and many of the other Dimensionals then feel their insides twist a bit, as weightlessness courses around them, a feeling that's strange since they are used to floating by themselves. “~ Wow, this is weird. ~” Sasami says, giggling at the effect her hair now has in the micro-gravity environs. Washu is both impressed, and unimpressed, depending on which side of her personality thinks as so. For the mortals though, this stuff is very common in this day and age. All about as common as sea and atmospheric travel, with the usual cases of sickness issues at time, evidenced by Fat Dal way in the aft. (Hiwa: “Dope drank too much last night.”)

As they close in, up along and all around, are large objects of all kinds, shapes of other cargo shuttles, newspeater stations, race support vessels, officiating bots, and even several Terran Naval Warships, with even the massive battleship-carriers: Sol, and Terra, on hand. Also included, the Super-Hybrid Fortress: Glorious was also on hand, all three rounded out with a light screen of Sphere Cruisers and Destroyers. Apparently much of the top brass were out to see this race, not to mention see what taste of new technologies they might get their hands on. It was both awe inspiring, and severely frightening at the same time.

"Dang it, we have to wait 17th in line, I was hoping we got out early!" Sora suddenly quips with bemoaning, holding an official Padd containing all relevant information for the race. The information was also being transmitted to many shuttle holoscreens that dotted everywhere one turned now.

"That's world time for you. The BIT (British Institute of Technology) techs probably have been here for hours." Kero mentions in response to no one in particular. Everyone not of Dimensional in the crew, just sigh and lay back for the long haul. Kiyone asks. “~ Is it all really that laborious? ~” ..this Sora explains back. “Security is insane at these events. Worse since there's Sphere military nearby. We're not going anywhere till said otherwise.”

Kiyone sighs and then looks over as her Sister already has chosen the habitual solution to all this. “~ Do you have to sleep through everything Mihoshi?! ~” ..this a few chuckles sound in the passenger cabin.

The slow going to the docking pens starts to get a tick laborious after awhile of this, as the race scanner droids checked each and `every' shuttle, interrogating each mecha very thoroughly, as well as pilot and team crew id packets, done through external droid scanners beam scanning the interior of each shuttle for everything that is needed on every level. During this, Tsunami's Certification was declared official during their scan, which brought a bevy of cheers, at least temporarily taking minds off the boredom. (Or uneasy nervousness in certain cases.) And then after this sweat inducing moment, more waiting.. and.. yeah.. waiting. (One wonders if Mihoshi would ever wake up. Ryoko takes cue soon enough as well.)

But, `finally' of eventual note, they made their way into their assigned holding pen, directed by piloting tugs. There the shuttle opened it's cargo bay, and a waiting tractor beam pulled the team's mecha into place through a series of magneto-beam `winches', ones that pull in whatever direction they need to place the mecha unit. The pilots and crew disembarked after the shuttle completed final landing, and there were met by a small flurry of local, a few international, and several colony newsreporters. After a few quick questions about names, home place, mecha name/designation, and a few dissuaded questions about secrets (Tasha kept her cool through that part,) the team got to work on the Unit, resetting all the race parameters and data links for race conditions, while meeting with official race helpers assigned to them for basic needs the club didn't have onplanet, as the final work for the race began in earnest.

There, the final inclusion of a few special details and equipment were completed, mostly due to weight stress G's on the planet's surface. A pair of gilded heat-glaze shields, a larger capacitor choke for handling the power stresses of the Hyperdrive Booster, as well as the finest racing class datalink chips for handling the rigors of race demands.

The Computer core would see much demand this day.

Al and Tsui meanwhile were outfitted with the official racesuits. A pair of blue, green and white G-flight suits, with multiple hookups for oxygen, datalinks, and commlines. Aleaic was flabbergasted how ravishing Tsunami looked in her suit. Tsui just pecked Al on the nose for the compliment, before both head back from the changing uniform barracks to meet with the team.

Back at the holding pen, they both were in the middle of a series prerace mind focusing exercises with Kero and Alana, when a 'very' familiar womanly voice grabbed Al's wide eyed attention! As soon as he sees.. "Mother!! Father!!"

Off the far right, from a large dock Blasthatch, the Terran Ambassador Terrai, his wife Jeain, as well as the four elder Kerensky siblings stride toward with arms quite open! "Aleaic!" Jeain calls out, just before reaching Al and giving a large motherly hug. The rest, (including Keturia whom slipped away after landing,) reach the two hugging family members. "Oh my Little Aly, you look so grown up! Oooooooooooooooooh!!!!!!!!!" *Smush, sqwench, smush!!* "Ack! Mom.. m.. mom, I need those ribs!"

Mother and son pull away from each other before laughing reactively, as then Terrai steps up and takes account of his son. Aleaic sees and gulps a bit, not sure what to expect. Terrai just imparts at first. "My, my. If I didn't know better, I'd think my son was doing something rather dangerous."

Al chuckles lightly in repose. "I thought you'd disapprove. Ao I did it in a fabulous fashion!" This gets a good laugh from Terrai. "HAH! Now I know I don't know you!" Father and son exchange hugs at this time. Aleaic then does the same for Hikara, Caladeni, Alusair in short order. They all giving quick jibs back and forth. Then attention turns to a beaming goddess.

"So, this is the flower that plucked my son's roots." Terrai speaks thickly through his equally thick mustache and beard, both silvery-white, yet quite serene. Terrai takes Tsunami's hands and bows, one returned very gracefully, the flightsuit gracefully following her curves. “~ It is an honor to meet you as well, honorable Father. ~” Terrai raises an eyebrow to this, visibly impressed.

Al meanwhile is caught looking a bit too much. "Careful lil bro." Alusair nudges Al in the ribs as she speaks. "Your focus is off." This Caladeni and Alusair giggle at Al's expense. Aleaic though smiles. "I know." Aleaic more than willingly admits, taking Alusair by surprise. "Wow. You've really fallen for her huh?" Alusair and Caladeni both ping Al, slightly off tune of each.

"Yes." Aleaic simply responds, as he watches Jeain hug Tsunami like another daughter. "I really have. She really changed me. Saved me even."

"That's so cola, I wish I could fall in love like that." Caladeni swoons, Alusair picks a good jab. "You aren't so lucky. Not like bro here, he didn't need to try so hard."

"Like you have done well either sister!" Cal retorts. Hikara tries to stop this fruitlessly. “Now now.” Aleaic just shakes his head, that much hasn't changed. "Okay okay, let's not blow a capacitor you two."

"Yo Sophy!" Tasha yells, breaking the family moment off, Aleaic shouts back. "Yeah?"

Tasha walks up, bows to the Ambassador and wife, and then walks up to Al, where Tsui has taken Caladeni's side. "The Angel's ethereal firmware is good to go, I'd thought you guys like to do a quick-mock.." Al nods in turn. "How long we got till the race?" .. "Two hours. The guys are running the flush through the maneuvering systems, the core modules and final warm-up will come next."

Al looks to his teammates, manly mortal done, with a hint of assistance from the Dimensionals, this past Tasha's broad shoulders. A couple of them looking give thumbs up back. “Sounds like a good time to also test the reflex bindings, les they act up on reentries.” Tasha nods as she yells back to remind the same to the team, quite loudly. “YO YOU BUMS! WE GOT TO GET THE NEXT BATCH RIGHT!!” Al just feels his head swim after as the lot of techs just respond mundane.. “Yeah yeah, we know.” ..as one vocal bunch.

"I see you youngsters have much to do." Terrai says, noting the activity, which impresses him with it's professionalism. "Yes sir, we're all excited that your son is racing for us." Tasha says back simply and bluntly. Terrai then slits his eyes after this statement. "I heard the rumors about what happened to your primary pilot. If there is anything I can do to help."

"~ Ambassador, while the offer is impressive and flattering.. ~" Tsunami speaks for the team.. "~ ..we have agreed to race under our own terms, and ones your son laid out for us. ~” Terrai turns fully to hear Tsui out. “~ We race for the honor of the Race, the Academy, and for ourselves. We cannot act honorably under less conditions. ~” Tsui smiles her usual confidence. “~ And this is how we will win. ~"

Aleaic smiles proudly, Terrai though however gruffs before looking neutral. "Very well, as you wish. Just be warned for your sake, these races are usually full of types not as `honorable' as your team and code. The best advice is to take advantage of your gifts as evolved creatures, all the tools are there to achieve any goal you set.

And luck is also still a tool."

"(See. I told you beloved..)" .. "(~ Indeed.. ~)"

"Hey Al." Hiwa grabs his attention. Aleaic nods to his family, and walks past Tasha, up to the mechanical systems specialist. "Yeah?"

"Thought that would get your interest. " Hiwa says, as she points over down the Docking Pens. Two Pen rows down, is the sight of a gold and black mecha unit, sleek and sharp looking, with a design almost the same as the Angel, minus the wing moniker. It is replaced by a set of long vector spines, at least seven of them in various angles, a few being moved in the stages of testing.

"So. That's the Rohak entry.." Aleaic coos in an impressed manner. "..though." ..looking cock-eyed closer, as the structural framework is a bit 'too' familiar. It doesn't take Al long to realize.

"Those ..those two bit swindlers, they stole our base frame." Al says level low in tone, but with definite anger. "Yep, I thought there was something up with those cronies." Hiwa sarcastically comments. Tasha has taken interest in the direction of the discussion. "What's up you two?"

While Tsui and Al's family discuss quietly, Tasha discovers the nasty surprise two Pens down. Her response is.. "THOSE SWINE HEATHENS!!" ...calm. (Sorta.)

"Sempai, settle down." Al turns, and vainly tries to calm his Sempai. "Settle DOWN Sophy!? They stole our data!!” This as many of the family's heads turn at this spike in tone, Terrai walks up as the argument heats up. "Problem mortals?"

Aleaic pucks uncertainly at that question, while Hiwa speaks for a frazzled Tasha, who almost seems ready hush down and tear apart the Rohak entry. "A bit of inrace discussion."

"I don't BELIEVE IT!! Those Gaijin derelicts stole our data!! Unoriginal impudent wretches!!!!!!!!!!" Hiwa tries to keep Tasha somewhat under wraps, as many passers by note the `activity'.

"My Sempai's mad Pop." Bemusedly quips. "Noted." Terrai looks down the bay at the object of the discussion, and with his own technical expertise, notes rather quickly what the other three know: "Those Rohak-African types never play fair. So it seems."

"I do have to wonder what surprises that model of theirs actually has." Aleaic says next, meshing his two bits with his Father's. "I heard they are playing with Helium-3 Absorption technology." Hiwa says.

"Isn't that, that special fuel only found on lunar class worlds? Mass replication of the substance is long touted" Al looks at the technician. Terrai speaks next. "Indeed, the technology is touted as much as the Vacuum engine you guys have. Many of the other competitors have decided to take a route with known `popular' theorems, of existing power generation sources. And I believe, with certain accuracy, you ladies and gents are the only ones with Vacuum technology engine cores, as not very many think this Vacuum source is even real. A pity for the lack of such foresight.”

Aleaic surprises everyone, even his father with his burst of laughter. "Then a bunch of pilots are going to be eating trunked-fiber about the time we reach Mars orbit. Fuel `definitely' won't be our problem.” Al then looks cock eyed at his Father. “And you mean to tell me MIT and the Brits are going with the African's? Dang." This Terrai just sighs unto. "Indeed, it defies logic." ..and shakes his head in equal disbelief. Al then shrugs. “Well, when everyone follows the sheep.”

Tasha manages to recompose herself by this point and comments. "Yeah, well we tried to buy a engine core model from Cairo at one point, but those dammed Rohak found out and blocked the sale from us, citing 'copyright' issues. Dammed Gaijin.."

Terrai nods to the Tekomi Sempai. "Yes, I had read about that on the Supernet newscasts." Terrai responds back with. He looks at Aleaic further with. “My son's alma is of interest to me.

Aleaic just smirks back. "Don't worry dad, Helium-3 isn't efficient enough for high speed races, everyone thinks it's great because of the cost recoupments. The Vacuum System is only expensive because of popular demand, or lack thereof. I hate sheep flocks."

Terrai laughs out a good thick bellyful before slapping his son in the back. "So you did learn all those lessons about studying your opponents. That poor excuse about terminal studies didn't hold up eh?"

Aleaic just puts his arms behind his head and chuckles in embarrassment. "Aw, dad." This just causes Terrai to laugh louder. Aleaic then gets an idea. If a risky one. "Tasha, keep up with the preflight. Want to take a walk with me Father?"

Terrai raises an eyebrow at this `suggestion'. "Oh? I guess talking with competitors is allowed. But only up to fifteen minutes before the race." This Aleaic eyes back calmly. "Indeed? I guess we should be hospitable." ..this Tasha looks between the two and moans. “I hate politics, so you both know. Come on babe.” ..and drags Hiwa with her to continue work.

Jeain and Tsunami meanwhile, are speaking about typical (mortal) womanly stuff, when they note Aleaic and Terrai heading off. Jeain just huffs. "Now what are they up to?"

"~ I wouldn't worry, they're just looking around. ~" Tsunami says, her mind aware of Al's own. Jeain looks back at the lady before her. "If you say so, I just hope my husband doesn't get emotional again, I know him."

"~ Then we hold another thing in common.. ~" The two giggle long and openly. The Kerensky sisters looking just can only wonder to themselves.

----------------------

*Pen B-7.. under gaze.*

The two, Father and Son, on their short jaunt, speaking with other pilots and techs, not asking anything important other than 'how's your day' and 'have a good race' sort of quips. They don't linger long, as their eye is mainly to gaze for no more need than to kill a little time. (So it seems.) This all is until they reach this particular holding pen, where they are looking from afar. "Oh yeah, they mooched us." Al comments, Father only coughs to himself.

"Is there a problem?" The sudden voice makes the two turn to face a lanky African type, with a less than appreciable smirk on his face. The first thought that runs through both of the Kerensky's minds is: 'disrepute arse.'

"Oh no, just taking a look at the competition for the first time. My first race you know." Al says simply, trying to be open as like before.

"Take my advice. Quit."

Aleaic's interested demeanor drops some. "Pardon?"

The lanker just quips further dour. "I'm surprised you fools actually got that thing working, but even more they found a deadpan and slut to fly it."

And then it drops like LEAD. "What the heck is your problem!" Terrai tries to keep things calm. (Not that he doesn't feel like decking this creep either.) "Son..."

The insolent chides after, apparently not caring for the rules about elders. "Oh no, let the twerp fight his own battles, or does the kid need his famous father as a shield?"

"I `beg' your pardon young one?" Terrai growls back, though Aleaic cuts his father's growing fume off with.. "Hey! How do you know about that?"

"Oh, after we learned who was replacing that poor pilot that had that... 'accident', we made sure to know everything. Trust us, you don't want to win this race. You don't even want to enter it."

Aleaic fights his own battle, calmly.. "Too late, already in it. And who is us? The Academy? Or is it more?" Al says with eyes slit. The Rohak pilot just blandishes back. "I am not privy to tell secrets, all you need to know is that your pretty little thing won't like being with us when you lose today."

At least it was calm. "EXCUSE ME!?"

The African throws his hands up in mock fear.. "Oh nono. `Nothing' like that. At least nothing they wouldn't do... well... maybe they would."

"Tell me, who is the name of this that I call opponent? This so I can carve it onto my mecha when we 'do' win? Or at least beat `you'." Al steely says next, as Terrai does indeed allow his son to fight his own battle.

"Stupid child of a whore. The names Satonis. Satonis Kamichi. And you won't have a chance to remember that name, since you'll be a uranium pile when this over with!" Aleaic just struggles with his emotions. This before... "Okay you two." A third party enters the fray, a race official of note. "Let's keep this civil."

"Yeah, remind me to stick to honorable pilots to talk to." Satonis doesn't seem to faze under Al's remark, he only waves bye-bye in a jerk like manner. Aleaic and Terrai apologize to the official, and then retreat from this poor atmosphere in a similar poor mood. "How do people like that still exist? Sempai is a serene deity in comparison."

"Now now, all creatures come in all types, not all a shade of heavenly." Terrai says, furling his hair. Al half considers to himself the `heavenly' part. He comments along such lines. “Might want to get me a lawyer if they try anything on Tsui.” ..this Terrai just smirks. “Only the best for my son.”

Their mood lightens up some and enough, prior unto.. "Hey! Wait up!"

The two Kerensky's turn to meet a similar African type, as a female this time with long braided hair and a apparently much more enjoyable disposition, not to mention aura of such, approaches them both. "Whom you may be milady?" Terrai asks simply, Al cocking his eyes.

"I'm sorry about how my co-pilot acted back there. I'm Michelle Stranton, and I don't approve with what has been going on." The Rohak female sighs. "Exactly what part Madame?" Terrai continues to ask, as Al looks on ..um.. continuously.

"I know what's been going on, but with all the talk of race sponsorships and this military contract. Well, I wish I could say we were no more than a little foolish." Aleaic listening knows that this is the time to shut one's trap. (Before Pop shuts it for him. Been there.) “I see.” Is all Terrai comments, Michelle finishing. “At least for my part, I hope you have a good race.”

Al then nods, saying his own peace. "Well, I still wish you two a safe race. But I also have interests at stake, and I will defend those, in the same vein I would expect you to milady." Michelle only coughs lightly, and rubs her chin. "Then so be it. A good race to you then." ..she then turns around and heads back to the Rohak pen.

As they see the young lady depart "If I may say. Not all things burn in a fire, and sometimes it's the better things that survive."

"Yeah Pop." Aleaic just sighs thickly. "But now I'm getting depressed by all this. I need a quick drink. "

Terrai LAUGHS loudly at this, and takes his son in a tight shoulder hug, heading towards the refreshment area.

-----------------

*Twenty minutes to go*

"It went great, the new holo routine held up under the special protocols."

"Great Sophy, we're setting all parameters now."

Despite the tension, after their return, Tsunami serenely helped calm those same strained nerves, while Terrai got a slightly different tact from a rather less than impressed Jeain. The only real cure for all this was for the nascent pilots to throw themselves into the final prerace checks.

Tsunami and Aleaic then ran three separate test runs with the final holo-software, making the systems strain themselves as realistically as possible. The sight of the Angel wings fluttering around violently got a number of the other nearby pitcrew's attentions. The sight of them flexing to full spread, with the SHARP sound like of multiple swords unsheathing made a few duck for cover! The sight got a good giggle from the Dimensionals

But show off time was over, now it's time to race.

"How's the new dynamic inertia struts Tsui?" .. "~ All A-ok. I think we're ready dear! ~" ..a good trace of excitement creeping into her heavenly voice. "Hope so, I want this just to start already." Al sighs out, his nervousness creeping back in.

Just then, a loud warning tone sounds throughout the massive hanger bay. Then the voice of Race Control bellows and echoes over the Hangar Intercom. "[~ All non-personnel and civilians, please begin exiting, race pre-countdown will begin in five minutes! ~]" The message repeats three more times to give full effect.

Al gulps and looks at Tsui. "This is it love." Both can feel their hearts beating faster, but a yell from below gives them repose. "Son!!"

Aleaic looks and sees his family, still there since they arrived, now with a retreating band of dignitaries. Al yells down as repulsors on the mecha whine louder. "Yes Father?!"

"I'm proud of you, give them hell!" That and his Father's thumbs up sign, a rather ancient, yet recognizable sign of confidence gives Al pause, and then a return thumbs up. "We will!"

"~ Come on dear. ~" Tsunami chides, giving Jeain a wink. "You take care of each other out there!" Jeain says, with Tsui and Al nodding just as readily. Aleaic smiles broadly further before beginning locking in. But a last yell from Mother gets his attention. He looks back down, to his... "And make sure your undergarments are clean!!!!!!!" ..well.

Aleaic, seething with embarrassment, can only wave meekly as his family soon slinks out of sight. "Is it too late to be an orphan?"

"~ Now now. ~"

"Yeah.. right.. Sempai!!" Aleaic says, bending out the left of the cockpit and yelling down. “We ready!?” The team is buttoning up all exterior contacts, everything has been triple checked. Tasha shouts "All good to go Sophy, give those damn Gaijin one for me!!"

Al laughs, and the two exchange archaic salutes, as well as similar thumbs up, the same between Tsui and Tasha, before the team begins their retreat to where the pit crew and support observation lounges are, some ten levels upon the observation exterior.

Then, as the initial sounds of the roar of the engines start up, the Angel's cockpit hatch encloses with a mechanical thud. Several magnetic seal latches hiss as it locks down. Al gulps and then looks at his compatriot. "Well, we're finally alone.."

"~ How sweet. ~" Tsui chimes, as she works over the system diagnostics.

"Heh. Oh, no problem..." Al says, hitting the secondary prefire engine igniters. "...only the hopes of an entire campus, commercial base, and nation riding on our untested abilities. That's all."

"~ Nothing new to me love. ~" Tsui says, next setting the navigational protocol fixes. Aleaic laughs, finishing second staging preflight rounds, the sound of the engines now really turning over, as well as the capacitors for the new race minted engines whining to life. After this, only a single button remains to fully ignite them, and that's left to the actual start of the race.

All electronics, communications, sensors, visuals, network, computer, holo-ethereal, power, maneuver, thrust, targeting, back-up's, even the food synthesizer, all hum to full life, as the magnetic sounds of the power feed coupler cables snap off from the sides of the behemoth outside. The two then latch on their race helmets, each checking each others seal, before checking their own support HUD interfaces set within their visors. Then a quick comm check between the two and their team control center.

Next, a Race Controller comms the Race participants, setting the primary race control frequency, while the headphones blare with hundreds of intermittent channels, but the only ones important are the team and control frequencies. "Okay.. Set 00.07.231 Hertz for the prime. Rebound off 18273.775 Hertz for the planetary repeater satellites. Give the call signs."

Tsunami does so simply, and a IFF code comes back, a random code set, as only they can have one, and it's not duplicable. (Even with special electronics.) Once Tsunami programs this in... "~ Everything is set. ~"

"Alright. Giving signal to have Pen rotate for Launch." This as his pen begins turning along with the forty-seven other launch pens, they beginning to turn at their own rate of speed and upon readiness, two are slower than the rest, but all eventually make the turn and sit ready.

"Now for the pre-race control announcement, and.. *whew* ..off we go.." Al says, checking his and Tsui's suit seal latches quickly. Tsui checks the lines to their suits and ensures perfect running order. It's a short wait, as they listen to team communications, as well as listen to well wishers blanket the non-authorized freqs. The team comms stay down for the moment.

"If we ever hear from them. "

Tsunami looks over at her nervous companion, and slightly giggles.. "~ Your mother was correct. ~"

"Eh?" Aleaic responds from under his helmet, as the feeds from HUD tactical sensors lightly play across from all around his helmet visor. "~ You do tend to be sarcastic when you are nervous. ~"

Aleaic can't hide his blush from under his visor. "~ It is something we'll have to work on, we can't have you nervous at every major event we attend to. ~"

Aleaic feels like a miniature sun under his helmet, and tries vainly to keep from stuttering, and is completely unprepared, when his helmet is then pulled off, and met with a full force kiss, the fire from it makes Aleaic drain all senses for a few oblivious instants.

-----------------------

*Team Angel Observation Box, Tekomi Control..*

The Kerensky Family reaches this zone from a special turbo lift, one that only accepts simultaneous DNA and cryptographic scanned codes from family, team, and friends. Inside, they find many of the Tekomi students, and race engineers, along with all of Tsunami's 'family', all either looking out viewports, listening to race control, looking at race data-terminals, or at the many view screens of remote visual feeds of each obstacle course, and of the planets themselves.

But a few are focused on one certain screen at the moment.

"We miss anything guys?" Keturia asks for his family, whom are following her towards the viewports.

"Oh, just a little prerace celebration it seems."

"Huh?" Ket responds to Hiwa's strange ping. "~ Our Sister is helping your brother to settle in it seems. ~" Tenchi blandly speaks from behind Ket, guiding her attention to the prementioned screen, of the interior of the Angel.

"Oh my."

The rest of the family catches on. "Son! Good Lords" Jeain yelps.

"Wow. Bro's not the one in control there." Caladeni giggles, prior to an admonishment from Mother. "Well, my son should be in the proper mindset now." Terrai looks, his head at an angle. Just then, race control opens up on all freqs.

"WHOA!! Get their attention!! Hey! HEY HEY!!" Hiwa screams into a mike, YANKED away from a now semi-choking Tora!

--------------------

*Cockpit.*

They are into the kiss so much, that they nearly miss Hiwa's SCREAMS over the mikes from their respective helmets.

"*wumphh!* T..Tsu..TSUI!"

Tsunami finally realizes what is happening. "~ Oh my, I did it again. ~"

Aleaic and Tsunami both chuckle as they replace their helmets, both getting an earful from Hiwa, before tuning the race control freq. "That kiss was more painful than I thought." Tsunami only giggles.

"[[~ .....contestants attention.. All contestants.. Please queue to the following information..

..know that Comet Type 6, or the Unis Comet is now a valid race obstacle. It is designation V-C4, and must be run prior to departure for Mars Area 4.

..gravitational flux between Mercury and Sol is Level 3, minor flares are expected, ensure shielding is at optimum.

..Solar Wind Flux is at Level 2 for the race duration, for the Inner Planets....

..obstacle M-G2 is confirmed Laser Hot, confirm: Hot.. ~]]" Aleaic groans at this. “Make sure the target computer is up, *sigh* just hope it doesn't load down the computer." Tsunami nods and begins the necessary checks.

"[[~ Hyperboosters are set green for Alpha, set for Alpha, manual docking is permitted. ~]]" Aleaic HOOTS at this, apparently pleased. "That I was hoping for. Tasha will hate me for this, but Kero's tactics will come in nicely now." Tsunami smiles over, as she sets the targeting computer parameters.

"[[~ All Area obstacles must be cleared within 2:30, the Interdictor fields are set after this allotment.

..know that Luna is experiencing minor electro-magnetic flux, set discriminators to counter these effects.

..all units begin IFF code confirmation, now.............. ~]]"

Aleaic hits his IFF signal generator holo-button, and receives a proper return. Tsunami then announces the targeting computer is functional, not mentioning that she's got a small Spell in place to prevent software conflicts. Finally..

"[[~ Good luck to all racers, race with honor and determination. ~]]" Then the usual invocations, anthems of the Terran Union, last minute well-wishes and catcalls, before all non-freqs. are jammed, leaving only the control, team, and emergency freqs. Then the race countdown timer begins to beep. *one minute..* They begin a last last double check of critical systems, before..

"~ Can I ask a question? ~" Tsunami asks with a look. "Shoot T.." Tsunami giggles a tick back. "~ Um, how come you were mad about the target computer ruling? ~" Aleaic looks at Tsui pensively. “Despite everything we've done, we just were too worried about overloading the core. We just don't know how it will hold up under everything that's about to happen.. *thirty seconds..* ..it's that all the simulators warned of overload, especially with being so close to Mercury, and with that solar flare warning.

It's going to shave it close on the load limits."

*Twenty..*

"~ What about the booster ruling? ~" Asking about Al's glee with it.. "You'll see when we get to it. The Comet will be our ante."

*Ten..*

"~ Here we go. ~"

*Eight..*

"Set all dampers."

*Six..*

"~ Set. ~"

"Let's win this.."

*Four.....

Three.....

Two.....

One................ LAUNCH!!!!!!!!*

The roar is tremendous.....

With a staggered launch pattern of three seconds per Pen, and ordered by Bay Number, the mecha launch one by one, letting their thrusters pull full burn as they launch, easily smacking 8 G's at the get go.

Fifteen seconds into the ignition start, Angel finally ERUPTS out of it's Pen, unknowing of the cheers it's launch leaves in it's wake. The launch is a major rush, which easily surpasses the rush from the shuttle launch. But instinct from three weeks of intense training kicks in, as Aleaic wrenches control from basic inertia in short moments. "Well, that was fun.." Al breathes heavily.

"~ Wow. ~" ..likewise.

Al looks the displays over in their glass cockpit. "How's the coolant level?"

"~ 0.7 nominal, everything is green. ~"

"Good, one less worry, for now." Tsunami giggles again, keeping Al's spirits from souring, though not a very hard task.

The focus is on flying fast and efficient, as Angel starts to settle into race speed. The first immediate goal is Luna, where the orbital race gantry complex holds the Hyperboosters.

The initial race is hard moving, as many mecha move to jockey for position immediately, Aleaic puts Angel in a comfortable 11th place, content to conserve for the long haul. But there are special bonuses for placing well at each junction, the complex being the initial junction. Small monetary and race specials, enhancements to give a team a possible jump on other units.

Being in eleventh isn't as far back as it seems, and based off what Kero and Alana taught them, Aleaic plans on being within the first five.

----------------------

*Tekomi Control Box. Thirty minutes into the race.*

"Looking good Angel." Hiwa confides over comm, seeing their unit has moved up to seventh, only ten minutes from the complex. "~ Is there any word from the Europa entry? ~" Sasami asks with Ryo-ohki on her head mewing along, worried as the particular subject had fallen far back before it's core dumped, and the crew had to eject.

"Crews got to them just a minute ago Sasami, don't worry, they're fine." Sasami smiles in relief at Sora. Ryo-ohki meows contentedly also to Sora, whom giggles.

"How's bro's unit looking?" Hikara then speaks, looking over Fat Dal's shoulder, and wishing she hadn't immediately. (smell.) "The chap is doing fine, so 'you' don't worry chicka."

Hikara bristles under this descriptiveness, but withholds any comment.

"Doing fine Angel, keep it up. And no kissing." Hiwa chides. Hikara and Sasami just giggle at the reference.

------------------

*Luna, surface.*

As the racers reach the complex well above, below them, the presence of an individual invisible to mortal eyes makes it's way along the surface, and then deep into it. She has blue hair, flowing all around her, dressed in the attire of a Gray Angel, her less than lustrous wings fluttering behind her. She easily bypasses the present security barrier, a dimensional layer just outside of perception for mortals.

Here, the depths of the Luna Dungeon are seen.

For thousands of years, over many countless dimensions, this has been the primary area to incarcerate those that have instituted gregarious actions against the whole that is the institution that is Heaven, and of against Earth and other worlds beyond as a consequence. Not because they are necessarily evil, but because they act in ways that intent on forcing a new world or existence upon what they see as weak, useless, unnecessary, or simply unfit. Forced evolution with no intent of good, except for the author of the attack. This is where the brand of good is tarnished too far, and their eternal sentence of living with their crime.

Currently, the Gray Angel agent has taken upon this task from pair of such Agents, to release the only one they see as appropriate to their far reaching plans. The woman floats along, atmosphere a useless, needless commodity to her. It doesn't take her long to locate the appropriate seal lock. A massive Level 20 Class, almost the harshest type seal ever used to imprison a Dimensional.

"~ You pulled a big job in the past. Master was correct.. ~" Looking at the very name of the seal, the powerful lock runes run across, and a name is inscribed in supremely ancient inscriptions.

"~ Trakalin. ~"

She acts quickly, fighting past the Program Shield in place, using her Hex enhancements, and soon, the task is done. And, as the release of the imprisoned completes, she gives a sense of consciousness once more. For once in a `very' long time.

"~ I see, then the time has come. ~" A male voice of ancient tone speaks from the tiny form he's imprisoned in.

"~ My masters have decided it is time. But you know what it is we face. ~" The blue haired Angel of the Fallen says level.

"~ I know. My body is shattered, I require your form to continue my work. ~" It is as per usual in cases like this, a Level 17 non-lifeform, but this one is hexed even further, with a permanent mortality enchantment, or at least permanent to Dimensionals, not to similar fallen. The Gray Angel just closes her eyes. "~ We risk permanent Absolution by doing this task.. ~" .. "~ Your pain is what will allow us to challenge that very danger, and succeed.

And give us both what we crave. ~"

The blue mane takes hold of the tiny shell, and embraces it to her being.

And then a `feeling' from above grabs both their attentions. "~ I sense them. They are close. ~"

"~ And that will, indeed be sure, be our catalyst in the coming future, but not this day. ~" The lifeform speaks, sensing even more than the Angel.

With that, they both vanish well before the Seraphim Guard arrives.

----------------------

*Gantry Complex: 45 minutes into race.*

"Locking on.. now!" A thick thud/click shudder/sounds in the cockpit, as their assigned Hyperbooster latches on tight.

"~ Seal good, temperature of core leveling for jump. ~" Tsui says, her eyes fixed on the sensors. "Now we find out if those Sims were on the credit."

They had managed to arrive fourth, after an impressive gravity swing around Luna that all the racers had to take, and then a swift move to pass the fifth place mecha of the Mars Institute of Technology.

They arrived and got a hopefully good shot at the remaining boosters, the booster itself was a basic scaled down darmuantium Hyperdrive unit, with structural clamps that wrapped around the legs and waist of the mecha, with magnetic seals that set all the appropriate hardpoints with coolant, and datalink lines, snaked to connection points by the external sensors and computers between both unit and mecha. They then hard merged the Vacuum generator to the cycler of the booster. A hard ID code was attached for beacon reference by the mecha navigation system for future stages of the race.

The wings then were locked into place, making the whole structure look like one giant bullet. They had just begun to pull away from the complex just as the hardpoints set closed.

When Tsunami felt something.. if for a brief instant. "Tsui?" Aleaic notes her reaction immediately.

"~ I...... I think......

..I just felt something down there. ~" Aleaic looks at the sensor displays. "Huh.. I'm detecting that magnetic disturbance that was reported, there was a spike just a moment ago. It could be just the magnetic field of the moon."

Tsunami looks uncertain, but a readout klaxon breeps to life. "~ Oh.. uh, the energy displacement between us and the booster is optimum. We can jump at anytime. ~"

Aleaic is unsatisfied. "Are you okay? If it's your proximity to magnetic fields or such..." Tsunami takes heart Aleaic's worry, but.. "~ No. I am fine beloved, I will be okay. ~" Just then, the team freq. breeps. "Yeah?" Al responds. ":: We just noticed Tsunami's heart rate jump, is she okay? ::" Hiwa asks with concern over the comm. "*Hot mike..* Yes, she is fine, she was too captivated by the moon. No problems."

Tsunami looks at Al rashly, ready to counter this 'diagnosis', but.. "*Closed Mike..* If you're fine, don't let them worry, I won't. I trust you my love."

Tsunami's heat skips a beat for a second, being called 'my love' took all the argument out of her "~ I am fine. ~" Tsunami finally speaks back.

"*Hot mike* All good to go, we're going to jump anytime now. Out."

Hiwa responds similar before Aleaic and Tsunami turn to the jump.

Two minutes later, they jump, now in sixth due to the minor crisis.

----------------------

*Tekomi Control Box. Four hours into the race.*

Most everyone has settled down into the long race mode. Many are quietly discussing, sleeping, or keeping track of race statistics. The race has passed Venus, and is close to reaching Mercury. In ten minutes though, everything will pick up again like a bat out of heck.

Even the cabbits are busy chatting in the meows of cabbit tongue, as they much happily on a large carrot supply.

Meanwhile another three teams have dropped at this point, but no casualties thankfully. "I keep forgetting to take this part of the race into account." Terrai speaks quietly, his eyes closed, commenting on both the wait and the longer version for the racers now out of it. He just keeps his own peace in the end.

"{~ Hey old man. ~}" Terrai is broken out of this to then look up to see Ryoko, the fem with a bottle of whiskey, (can't live on sake` alone apparently..) "I see you're in the proper spirit. May I?" Ryoko is surprised by Terrai's offer, but grabs a second glass for himself, filled halfway.

"{~ I.. I must say.. sir.. ~}" Ryoko stutters, being near a mortal that all too much reminds her of Father. "{~ ..that I am impressed with how your son is performing. Given how snappy he was about it all beforehand. ~}"

"Considering this is his first race, I am as well.. He's still who he is nonetheless." Terrai says with a sip.

Ryoko semi-corrects.. "{~ No.. I mean, h-how he has behaved during the time we've lived with him. I have to say I was angry when I met him, and moreso after.. well.. anyway, I have grown to respect your son and his abilities, he reminds me of Tenchi, and I hope he does as well in the future. ~}"

Terrai, not knowing Ryoko much, can tell that took a lot to say that much. An impressive feat to say the least. He doesn't delve into why she did this, rather.. "I thank you, for helping take care of my son. He has grown much more than I actually expected of him.” Terrai then leans forward, making Ryoko really sweat.

“But enough of that, your `real' reason for talking to me, Tenchi isn't responding to you.. yes? I took note to learn of whom my son is confiding with these days. Father's slash Ambassador's prerogative."

Ryoko reacts somewhere between a blush, and a groan. Apparently the elder Kerensky learnt fast of the family situation. She just drags back out.. "{~ Long story.. ~}"

"Long time to talk."

Ryoko won't slitter out of this one.

"Hey, they made Mercury." Hiwa calls out. Terrai just smirks to Ryoko's lobes. “You're saved. (For now.)” This Ryoko just groans.

And nearby Ayeka makes plans for her `own' chat with the Kerensky elder.

-----------------------

*Mercury orbit: 4 hours, 10 minutes.*

"That's it: Mercury."

They flash out of Hyper-mode, into the blinding glare of the sun, now filling the cockpit screens. The screens opaque to counter the glare, and Tsui can make out the planetary details. "~ It's so barren. ~"

Al concentrates on the shielding sensors for a moment. "And it also has the heaviest deposits of darmuantium, more than Earth at the moment. And they don't need rings to process, since the whole thing is a vacuum."

Tsunami turns the subject back to the race. "~ Impressive. We are in fourth place love. ~" Aleaic lets out a shrill whistle. "Sixth to Fourth, dang we got a good booster, what's the core temperature?"

"~ Um.. 1.2 nominal, we can release the Hyper-unit now. ~" .. "Do it, we have to run the gauntlet fast!"

A massive magnetic hiss, as the booster is released about at the proper designation point, where it will orbit until pickup. Almost as soon as it releases, Aleaic pours the thrusters on, even slightly scraping the legs in his haste. "Sorry."

"~ I'm reading two units already near the surface. ~"

"Crud stick. Hold onto your kabosticks." Aleaic shunts much energy from reserves to press the thrusters as much as he can, at this point core stress isn't an issue. It takes a good three minutes to reach the obstacle course, where one has already cleared it, with one target missed.

"How's your aim?" Al says suddenly.

"~ Depends, why? ~"

"The course ahead is a twin challenge, we have to navigate fast through multiple rings, about thirty or so, while shooting at fixed sensors on those same rings, and to boot, a single free floater will be out. And it's worth ten minutes off the timer.

Problem is, I can't hit the broadside of a hovertank to save my life."

"~ I think I can handle that. ~" .. "Good, I can do the sweet moves to save time, be sharp if you can."

Angel meanwhile, screams `very' close to the surface of the burnt-scorched gray world, as small domes of the mining zone areas can be seen, as well as the occasional onlooker inside. Tsunami can't help but wave out, before they are on top of it!

"It's a glowing target, just worry about those, and not me or what I'm going to do!" .. "~ Right love. ~"

A few seconds later, they reach the first rings, and Angel screams through it, trying to feel the angle of the rings and adjust at cutting edge angles. (Many of them sharp!) Tsunami's task turns to the targeting, and she sees them almost upon entering, a flashing series of blue and red alternating strobe sensors. The first shot is off, but the next connects, just as Al pilots Angel through the third ring it was attached to, the next seven rings see four more targets, all cleared.

But Al NEARLY misses a turn and over corrects, only a gorgeous shot by Tsui nabs the next target in time!

---------------------------

*Tekomi Control.*

"HOLY!!" Tora screams out, as Tsui's miracle shot connects. "Damn that was close, damn you Sophy!" Tasha both praises and curses the appropriate pilot.

For much of the remainder of the run, they see near perfect flying and PERFECT shooting, Tsunami is making perfect hits. Then they all shriek as Al is forced to twist on axis to make the nineteenth gate as Tsui nails the special target, just as Al thrusts and BARELY makes the ring, as Tsui just hits the target on that ring.

Tasha has a mini-stroke. "Those two are even more hardwired than you two are Kero!!!!!"

Kero, the veteran of many such close calls, forces a laugh out.. "I told them. I TOLD them!!"

---------------------------

*Twenty-seventh ring.*

"~ Target! Got it! ~" Just as the laser pastes the last target.

"There, ABOVE!! ABOVE!!"

Aleaic holler towards twelve o'clock high sees a second 'barely' visible free target! "~ It's too high!! ~"

Aleaic thinks fast, the target is positioned right on top of the last ring, and it won't count if they pass though the last ring!!

And the Twenty-ninth ring is SMACK next to it..

..an impossible shot at their speed..

"~ I can do it. Just get me a shot love!! ~"

Aleaic only runs at the last ring pair at FULL burn. They can't lose time now, the third place craft from the Rohak team has been through already, and this target is a one time only target for the entire field!!

"Steady!! And............ NOW!!!"

Aleaic wrenches Angel into a upside-down twist position, aathe twenty-ninth ring is passing by..

"~ SHOT!! ~"

Two quick burst, and..

-----------------------

*Tekomi Control...*

“WHAT WAS THAT ALL ABOUT!?!” Caladeni shouts, stepping her words all over Sister's own! Tasha, meanwhile almost shears her hair out at this sight before them all." THAT!! THAT!!!!!!!!!!!"

And then a sensor BLARES!!

Hiwa jumps to look. "What in thunder?" Everyone looks anxiously, and... "What the?" Hiwa looks back, as Angel launches off at full battle speed.. "They just got... got twenty minutes removed from their timer!!"

“HUH!? / ~ WHA!?!? ~”” Many retort!

"~ But how? ~" Kiyone stamps out..

"The special target! I knew it!!" Kero suddenly pulls Alana into a spinning hug!! Everyone looks at a suddenly bolsterous Kero and a surprised Alana, before the latter pulls away yelping.. "What are you talking about!?"

Kero looks into Alana's eyes.. "You mean you forgot the Special Stealth target!?" Alana looks at Kero like he's deranged. "That? That was a target from two years ago! How could it..........

..oh................... OH!!!!!!!!" ..she says with realization.

"''WHAT!?''" Tasha rips the air with.. "What are you two hacking about?!?"

Kero looks back at his old Sempai. "The twenty-third race, two years ago. Remember that stuff about a special target that the race officials installed? It was supposed to be a super hard target to find. And the reward still attached to it. Remember?" Alana looks at Kero with astonished stupor. "But that was a one race deal, right? ........uh............. right?"

"What do you think?" Kero says simply. "I remember that!! I read the target was permanent until shot down!!" Sora then says, with an `eureka' façade. "You mean to tell us, they actually shaved thirty minutes off the timer!?" Kero nods. “The bonus twenty added to the ten gained from the perfect score on the course.”

The surprise is reciprocated as the announcers covering the race announce the shock of the race, and it's not even halfway over! The time reward means a jump from fourth to second for Team Angel. The news sends the Tekomi camp screaming about in joy.

Temporally.

-----------------------

*Mercury, farside: 4 hours, 56 minutes.*

"~ Problem.. ~" Aleaic immediately looks over.. "Crud."

The indicator for magnetic containment for the generator is reading 6.7 off nominal. "That magnetic storm the sun gave off, it's playing havoc.” .. "~ I'm sorry, I should have warned you.. ~"

Aleaic sighs and keep cool. "No prob, it'll go away when we get to the booster, it's this dang planet's gravity, it's so affected by the sun, not to mention Sol itself. It's no wonder it happened, and with all that concentration and crazy stuff and all."

Angel is riding slightly slower with the time reward news, which they both celebrated, by Al ripping his helmet off, kissing Tsui on her helmet, and SMACKING it back on. (Scraping his ears. It'll hurt later.)

Then the news of the reactor containment, added to the worries of the computer core stress levels. Al's worries coming to the fore. The feeling of a ancient circus tightrope comes to Al's mind, one Tsunami asks about furtively. "Um, later. Where's the next course?"

Tsunami brings up the race course parameter screen. "~ Two minutes away, I've locked down the targeting computer. ~" .. "Keep it on standby, I bet there's more suprises ahead."

Just then, a large object FLASHES past their viewports, as a mecha literally careens past the Angel's viewscreens!! Al yanks Angel Nadir and left.

"What the HELL!?!"

---------------------

*Tekomi Control. *

"I knew they'd try something!!" Tasha mashes though her teeth.

Most the rest look on as Angel pulls hard downward..

----------------------

*Angel.*

"Selfish moron." Aleaic says through his teeth. "~ Are you alright Al?! ~" Tsui asks in worry. "Yes, I'm fine."

Aleaic trails the retreating mecha with daggers. "They.. they fell back just to spite us!" Aleaic gawks at knowing this just would lose Rohak more time, and considers that before he then looks over the systems.. "Huh.. Huh!? How.. DAMN!! They scrambled the Nav-program somehow!!" ..he guesses something from that vent flashing stunt.

Tsunami looks over the now scrambled directional fix systems. "~ I can fix it.. ~" Aleaic looks over but only can nod. "Err............ alright, look after the systems, I can handle the next run myself. And use those new nano-droids to repair anything else needed, do the containment field while you're at it."

"~ I'm on it! ~"

The next few minutes are `tense', as Angel approaches and makes it's run through the next course, a series of interconnected mirrors. That made maneuvering difficult, with all the false images to run, and he only had his eyes alone, which lost them precious time. Tsunami manages to fix the program code, but it takes time to reload, and by the time they clear the run, they are in third place overall.

"Crud, I thought they would cause this. At least we're through it." Tsui just breathes a sigh, before just then, a strange coded message comes in on the directional comm-laser feed.. "What the?"

":: Drop out now, or the next accident will be your lives. ::"

For once, Tsunami's anger is as deep as Aleaic's. "~ Now I know what Father warned me about. Should we tell the others? ~"

"No. " Aleaic looks thoughtful.. "We'll deal with them soon enough, though they will learn about it anyway after all this.” Al turns to the repairs. “How's the upload?"

"~ 67 percent. ~" Aleaic curses this. "It won't be ready if... Okay, shut down the auto systems, divert all available memory to the upload, and kill the unneeded power and memory systems for the moment." Tsunami begins to do so, and then looks back.. "~ But without the systems, we won't be able to dock automatically. ~”

Al smirks. "I don't intend to, use only the power needed to attach clamps and hardpoints. We need to get time back, and get those idiots back where it actually hurts..” Aleaic then has a hurt look. “I'm surprised though, that that Michelle pilot would do such a thing."

Tsunami simply remains quiet, concentrating on her tasks. Most of the mentioned systems are in standby by the time they reach the now littered drop point for the Hyperboosters. By the time the boosters come into view.. "Where we at?"

"~ 96 percent, it's going to be close. ~" "Agreed." ..said with bare teeth apprehension.

Just then, two objects move from the closing booster cluster ahead, and another further up jumps. "We've no time, hold on!"

Aleaic throws the mecha into a hard speed burst, and then a tight radius turn, finally using the braking thrusters to halt forward movement, but keeping momentum towards their booster.

Done very 'fast'!!

"~ 98 percent! ~" .. "Hold on!! Hold on!!"

Angel comes within 100 meters of the booster, before Al hits the braking thrusters again, this time HARD. The mecha just barely comes into contact with the booster, when the nav-computer reinitializes, and the hardpoints literally are slammed into place.

It all happens within a few, miracle micro-seconds. And it's no spell, it's absolutely DUMB arse luck! "~ We.. we did it!! ~"

"We're OUTTA here!!"

Thirty seconds later, they are so gone.

----------------------

*Tekomi Control: 5 hours, 23 minutes.*

Another run of boredom, this time thankfully to recover from the events of the Mercury run. "Man, this is fun. Just corona." Tasha says, holding an ice pack on her head, being fanned by her lackeys.

"~ What's the scoop now? ~" Washu says, sitting at a high table, on a stool, munching on a strawberry rice cake. "Dead even at third with Rohak. That mirror course was a mess. Time wise though, that booster is something else.” Sora says with a flat tone. "~ How come they didn't get disqualified? ~" Washu asks, wiping some crumbs from her mouth. The two Class-Two's are playing vacuum cleaners below her.

"Race officials chalked that up as an 'unforeseen' accident, and the fact that our guys didn't lodge a protest."

"Unforeseen my fanny! I'd thrown them cheats into a singularity if I could!" Hiwa spites towards the monitors, now only showing twenty-nine teams, as the first Interdiction cut out nearly a third of the field, though two more fell out due to more engine problems.

The Helium-3 drives were performing to expected form, by Tekomi's standards for their own Vacuum version, though the H3 ones in front seemed okay at the present. The one that worried Tekomi was of course Rohak's. They probably had a reliable unit, though the leader from Silicon Valley Institute was running fine, theirs a more common Fusion-Induction Drive. (At least someone had faith in standard, current technology.)

It came down to whose engine was strongest, and Fusion seemed in the lead.

At least until they got to Venus.

------------------------

*Venus Space. 5 hours, 31 minutes.*

"There."

Finally away from the hell that was Mercury, and now, the glory of the Venus. More than easily visible is the Sakuya Garden, with most of the terraformed world, meshed in greens and browns, with large streaks of blue, where oceans are forming for the first time. There are areas of the original cloudy, orange-brown of what Venus naturally once totally was. (The hell that once was worse than even Mercury. Who knew.) Now though, it was all habitable without atmospheric pressure suits, even the oxygen was quite clean, though temperatures was still higher than an Earth desert here. Essentially a planet wide hot greenhouse. Usually cooling skin suit was the primary need, unless you're a Sakuyaite follower. (Ol natural of robes. At least they carry water skins.)

"~ It's beautiful. ~"

"Okay, how's it look." Al says, diverting quickly to race need.

"~ 3.4 nominal. I recommend we should save systems for the course runs. ~" Al nods. "Agreed. And lets begin watching the interface protocols, they can freeze up with the gravitational flux this world is usually known for.

"~ It's that bad? ~" Tsunami asks with a tone Aleaic chuckles to. "That planet now has more vegetation than Earth, and that is conflicting with the original gravitational field it once had. Don't ask me how, I don't do physics, it just is that way."

Tsunami just laughs her head off over the last part. "What? I don't.. I don't?!

Really! I don't!!" Aleaic just hangs his head in submission, Tsunami laughing harder and harder.

"I knew that Wish was trouble."

-------------------------

*Twenty five minutes later.*

"CRUD CRUD CRUD ON A PLASMA INJECTOR!!"

"~ I know, I KNOW!! ~"

They made the next two courses well enough, though getting through them turned into a maddening experience. No cheap attempts on their persons, or the mecha. Just a big arse Class 5 Hurricane/Typhoon/Something that was over both courses. It was bad enough to down the second place unit from BIT, a bolt slammed into it's port side, and a rather spectacular crash followed it.

Tsunami in her infinite wisdom, convinced Aleaic to hold the mecha back until rescue crews found it, a task that Aleaic admittedly was impatient with. But finally, they returned to the course, seeing two more mecha pass them by, finishing the final course of super coaster like loop runs.

The time bonuses were beginning to equal off, even with being chivalrous, it was a good strain. And the comet was yet to come.

"Sorry... sorry. It's just that."

"~ I know. ~" Tsunami looks away from Al, a bit afraid of him. "~ Nut it was the right thing, to do you know? ~"

"Yeah... yeah. How's the maneuvering systems?" Tsunami puts her mind to the task, a discussion for a another time. "~ It's flushed, the storm didn't hurt it. ~" .. "Hope so, what between the comet and Mars, it's going to be heck with spatial dust fragments.”

He then relents even further. “And, I'm really sorry.." Turning to look at his 'representative.. "..and..

..even if we lose, I know we did the race honorably. Though how we're going to catch up is beyond me." Aleaic solemnly says, turning back to the instruments. Tsunami begins to smile again.. "Though, I bet Sempai will throttle me if we lose anyway, might as well tell your Father to set funeral arrangements. I'll probably be joining you upstairs soon here.”

It has the intended effect, as Tsunami returns to her cheerful persona, laughing as heavily as when they came to Venus, one small event pushed aside. A much larger one was approaching fast.

-------------------------

*Tekomi Control. *

"Are they in it yet?" Tasha says about every 4.7 seconds. It's wearing the other team members very thin. "Sempai, put a cork in it." Hiwa says with gritted teeth.

"How can I!? They're heading into a DAMNED comet!!!" Tasha shouts, and paces even more relentlessly, almost like she could melt the deck plating beneath the carpeting. (Might do it too.)

"I think it's too late to worry fellow Dojo members. " Keturia speaks out. "They just went in."

The atmospheric pressure in the room dips a good bit suddenly.

---------------------------

*Inside the Unis Comet.*

"HOLY LORDS OF EVERLASTING LIGHT!!!!"

Tsui and Al can't be helped but be awed by the sight before them, as titanic, thick bands of white dust froth infront and all around and about them, as the stabilizers are encountering hell itself. (Definitely worse than Venus now.) At least the dust, sparkling from the sunlight of Sol makes it pretty. TOO pretty, as it's a double-edged sword to even view!

"~ The dampers are `really' taking a pounding. ~" .. "Keep them wide, and keep that flush going, I'll try to find a good path to take."

"~ I don't see the route markers, the dust is interfering with scans. ~" Tsui calls out worried, as Aleaic decides to make this a moment of looking thoughtful, all the while avoiding a large ice/dirt chunk. "Hmm.. I wonder.."

"~ Yes client? ~" Al gives his love a smirk. "Hah hah.. um.. you know, this is rather uncharted territory even for the race commission. Bring up the data regarding this field. There's got to be something to take advantage of, we need another break coming about now."

For the next two minutes, they scan all the details about the rules regarding the nebula. And they find something.

"It's trajectory is taking it only 1,500 kilometers from the booster drop off point. And... um... the closest point to the drop zone is." Tsunami gasps realizing. "~ The comet core. ~" The two look at each other knowingly on the same page, even if it is suicidal. Al just goes for broke. "Set course, and let's try one of Kero's tricks, and hang on."

"~ Yes sir, yes sir, and YES sir!! ~" Both laugh-giggle very nervously as they set the agreed upon course.

Into gods and goddesses and demons knows only what!!

------------------------

*Tekomi Control. 7 hours, 58 minutes.*

"They should be out by now." Tasha uses as her current mantra, though quite bluntly, the rest of the team/family is as nervous, cabbits too. The comet is quite long, over four hundred and fifty thousand kilometers from core to the mid-zone where the race is passing though, another three hundred and seventy-five thousand meters fan out after this point, the longest comet since 2981 when Gras-D grazed by Sol before plummeting, a spectacular death into said solar, one hopefully not repeated by these racing humans today.

"Knowing them two, they're getting 'satisfaction' from a busted thruster array." Fat Dal isn't one for flair or decency, which earns him a nasty rap on the head by Alusair and Keturia simultaneously. "Scuzzy brain." Both add.

"Well, they got ten minutes till the next Interdiction." Hiwa announces needlessly. "..and one is already out. I don't like it." As the Silicon entry is the noted unit.

"What happened to those IFF codes?" Sora asks, looking over the comm screen. "~ Probably disrupted by the Comet, I think it was a bad idea to use that thing.. ~" Washu leans over like a hangover is hitting her, her response to Sora's question sours the mood worse off.

"Hope, is fleeting when not held to. And is wasted on those that use fear instead. Trust in your pilots, they will come through."

A number of heads turn to the elder philosophical source, though whom should be no surprise. "(~ He is like Father. ~)" .. "(~ Now now Sasami. ~)" .. "(~ Mother. ~)"

A SHOUT grabs everyone's attention. "The IFF codes WERE dead!!"

"What are you babbling about Sora?!!!!" Tora nips back, just before he sees the screen. Tasha then just slams/wedges between the two!

A number of others see it a second later.

It's a simple thing to miss, a flash of a jump engine when one isn't trained of eyes, of where to look. To them though, now, it's one they CARE about.

"Ho.. how.. how did......................

...............WHAT THE HELL!?!?!?!?" Tasha stammers.

---------------------

*Angel, deep hyperspace. Seven minutes before Interdiction.*

"I.. *LOL!!* ..I don't believe we made it!! WOHOHOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!"

"~ Yes, yes indeed! ~" Tsui jumps around her seat as much as Al does.

They made it, somehow they survived the ordeal of getting through the comet, though using the gravity of the core fragment ended up creating such a toll on the superstructure. They had to fly like demons (no pun.) to avoid the incredible amount of debris clustered/littered near the core, the sunlight creating massive fissures, spouts of primal solar system matter, and very large chunks of ice, dirt, and rock orbiting close near the core. It was beyond nerve wracking. But, they got out in second. Cold. That's what mattered.

Aleaic slumps into the pilot seat, the self-adjusting cushions pushing deep to allow Al's exhaustion.

"Now for a good break, it'll be two hours just to get to Mars space."

Tsui, after imitating Al, not without some exhaustion herself, turns to the food processor. "~ Care for a good dinner? ~" Aleaic nods quite hungrily, and Tsui, after a good giggle, turn to her chosen task.

Tsunami resumes the role of chef, as she divvies a pair of dehydrated meals and a pair of heated packs of cocoa for them both. "Ah, gourmet at it's finest. Roast beef and potatoes." Tsunami giggles as she nibbles a bite. "~ The palate is satisfactory sahib? ~"

Aleaic responds by downing a good mouthful, then chuckling, spewing a tidbit back out..

"~ Oh beloved, do behave like a gentleman around a lady. ~"

If Al hadn't swallowed just then he would have spewed it ALL out, he's laughing so hard.

A minute later, they both recover enough. After eating, Tsunami rechecks the course and stabilizers, and then looks at Al for awhile. Aleaic, engaged in both eating, and reinsuring the stability of the nav and core systems, also; concerned with the nano-repairs to the superstructure, doesn't notice until Tsunami sighs.

"What?"

"~ Can a lady look at his knight? ~" Aleaic pauses, and blushes hard, very hard in fact. "I... I'm no knight.." Aleaic tries to end the conversation by deftly checking the electronic manifolds, but it doesn't faze Tsui a bit.

"~ The way you inspire your comrades. The manner of how you take charge, and the decisions you are not afraid to make. ~"

"Even the dumb ones?" Aleaic quips of himself.

"~ No one is perfect, not even us Dimensionals. We are made to make mistakes and hopefully try to learn from them. ~” Tsui leans in a bit. “~ And you go so far as to challenge making mistakes, trying to see how far you can push yourself. And... ~" Tsunami leans in even closer, this time killing the visual feed into the cockpit, fully knowing the Team is going ape at this. Aleaic tries vainly to slink back in his seat, so far as to accidentally hit the red darkvision lights. "~ ...you are not afraid to show the real you, even if it's scary at times. You know.. ~" *lethally close* "Wha.. wh..wha.. what?" ..slinking with no room left. (Save for the vacuum of space. Bad now with it speeding by and all.)

"~ ..you're cute when angry. ~" Tsunami attempts a kiss, but Aleaic stops her.. "W ..we.. we got to watch systems, it's not long until we get to Mars. I.. *ummphh..*" Tsunami doesn't buy it, they have an hour till they need to worry about that.

Even the computer behaves for an hour.

------------------------

*Race Control: 8 hours, 58 minutes. *

"Give me a run on everyone's current position, and relay that to Mars Control.." The burly race commissioner says, arms folded, having been in command of races and events for a decade and a half. Not much suprises him anymore. That's for the fans and onlookers. The operator begins calling back current standings:

"CVI unit Dadelaus first place, non-time placement, TAT unit Angel second, thirty minute time placement, RAT unit Equator third, ten minute time placement."

The official race placement-tracker announces for the other remaining units, from fourth to tenth, as eleventh on back have come under Interdiction, and from the looks of it, the top three are vying for main contention. The rest are fighting for fourth.

"Alert all stations.." The official in charge of the Mars oversight warns suddenly over holoscreen. "..a Class Two dust storm is beginning to move towards the final obstacle course."

"Would it effect the first three teams?" The commissioner asks bluntly.

The trackers take a good look, and cross reference with the expected time indexes of where the three units should arrive. "It's going to be 'dammed' close sir."

The commissioner just smiles.

----------------------

*Tekomi Control. Two minutes later.*

Hiwa groans as the cockpit cam for their unit finally comes back on "Gee. Bout time that vid cam came back up."

"And I thought bro was a bad influence." .. "~ Now now Ket, they 'had' to kill time.. ~" .. "Tenchi? Dang you too?" Keturia retorts in surprise. Even Ayeka and Ryoko raise their eyebrows.

The turbo-lift door then opens, allowing two quite absent team members enter. "Nobuyuki!! Where have you BEEN!!?" Fat Dal yells.

"In the pen control center, where else?"

"~ Mother? ~" Sasami looks at the other 'member' suspiciously. (There's `that' aura in the air.) "~ He needed adjustments to the targeting scanners, what? ~" Achika puts hardly convincing. Tenchi, Ryo-ohki, Ken-ohki and Sasami only shake their heads, Tasha however DRAGS Nobuyuki for a more thorough tongue lashing. A minute later however... "Yo, they've made Mars guys!" Hiwa injects strikingly!

All attentions turn to the third, and probably determining leg of the race. And just then, the word of the dust storm comes out, putting the fear of Kami into them all, mortals anyway, since the Dimensionals are plain nervous for themselves.

And for their family member. (Al: “I knew it.”)

---------------------------

*Mars....... 9 hours, 17 minutes..*

"~ It's even greener here than Venus. ~" .. "They've been terraforming here for centuries, they've got it all just about right." Aleaic then points out the cockpit, as they speed along the Martian surface, to their three o'clock. "Except for that. The dammed dust storms, those they can't somehow quite figure out. And annoying for us."

Tsunami actually knows the culprit reason, a classic reason Bugs are cleaned out of the System Core on such a regular basis. This as a million plus years ago, a Bug was missed by a goddess sweeping crew, and got into the Matter Composition Program Database. The mess it generated caused a HUGE storm to strike Earth, so much that it was forced onto the then dying world of Mars, where the gravitational fields there turned the program into a massive system of cycling dust storms, an ancient reminder of a mistake in Heaven.

Tsunami can only bemuse providence for now having to face that VERY mistake, as it is now situated right on top of the obstacle courses! "~ Crud. ~" Aleaic in turn can only chuckle at Tsui's more serious than intended remark. "Don't worry, as long as the manifolds are closed down, we should be fine."

At that moment, a large part of Martian landscape lunges out towards them, and Aleaic makes a 'desperate' series of spins and jinks to avoid incoming collisions!! "Wha.. What DID that!?"

Tsunami looks at her scanners, but spies out the corner of her eye a black and gold mecha unit spinning away. "~ Al!! ~" Aleaic looks over, and sees just in time as the Equator comes into RAM them!

"EEK!! HOLD ON!!"

Aleaic literally dive spins towards the surface, as the Rohak mecha misses, and then comes about for another try!!

"~ Are they serious?! ~"

"They are, the crazy bastards! It's time we make them pay for that. Set a high altitude for the dust storm."

"~ Why? ~" Tsui looks over quickly. Al smirks. "They want to take us out, let's see how far they are willing to do it."

Angel then blasts hard back into the high atmosphere, with their pursuer hard at their heels. Aleaic then allows the Rohak unit to close fast, just before jinking aside to the left, and then utilizing the maneuverability of Angel's advanced wings, dances around Equator's constant attempts. Finally, Aleaic forces an overjink, and then dives HARD into the dust storm! "I'm starting the run now!"

"~ What?! We're too high for that!? And it's BLIND!! ~" Aleaic looks over with a smirk, "Trust me."

For once Tsunami doesn't know what to think! “(~ Al's no Dimensional!? What's he THINKING!? ~)”

The answer to that comes in the form of a even steeper dive, one that begins to take a growing toll on the compensators, and dampers! It seems to go forever, until Al suddenly THROWS Angel into a hard forty-five degree bank, slamming both pilots into the seats, and with an audible strain to the Wings!

And then a large object passes over them. "~ Wha..? ~" Tsunami gapes at the readouts, as more objects pass over and under them.. "~ You did it. ~"

"Not yet, this storm is playing hell with the sensors, I can't see clearly enough!"

As Angel fights through the storm and first set of obstacles, a series of slalom pylons set above and below, red for up, blue for down, the second, unseen unit tries the same trick, and clips it's steering vanes on the first obstacle. It over corrects, and ends up shearing off a second vane on the next two obstacles.

Both end up getting through, both shaken, but Angel is far in better shape now. "Gods that was hard."

"~ Course 235.1 for the next run.. ~" Tsui says quickly.

Aleaic can almost feel their enemy trying to catch up, and wants `nothing' to do with that. "Watch the intake manifolds, I'm going to crack them a bit to gain more ramjet effect."

Tsunami engages to her task like a hawk, keeping the folds flushed constantly, even at risk of overheating. The speed boost works, and they pull away from their enraged pursuit. They manage the second course a bit better, as the storm is not as thick and harsh here.

They blast for space just as Equator enters the second run, and the storm hits `them' hard again. Angel gains five minutes on Rohak and are dead cold set in second for certain, only the Silicon team is the worry now.

"I think I just learned to hate Mars." Al pants with comic exasperation.

Tsunami also slumps back, this one was as bad as the comet. "~ Are all races this bad? ~" Tsunami asks pensively. Aleaic can only nod a probable positive. “How Kero could do so well is beyond this Sophomore, or soon to be Junior is beyond me!!”

Summer classes are looking `very' good about now! Tsui just mentally agrees.

-------------------------

*Tekomi Control. 9 hours, 45 minutes.*

Everyone in the room SCREAMS joyously as their mecha exits the Mars area with a huge advantage over Rohak, especially with what they witnessed. (Even Terrai is caught up, hugging Ryoko of all beings.) "THAT'S the way to show them dregs Sophy!!"

"That's the best flying I've ever seen!! Now I'm jealous!" Kero looks on in astonishment, even more so for the secretive Dimensionals in the room, especially after the look that was on Tsui's face before the entry into the dust storm, what happened after literally blew their enhanced minds!

"(~ You're sure Sis didn't help him Mother?! ~)" Tenchi and Sasami speak almost similar and at once.. "(~ Yes. ~)" Achika communes with beads of sweat on her brow.

Meanwhile, Tasha finally settles down and clusters with the team for final race strategy. She decides to go for it all as well. "Okay, we know our booster is probably as good as Silicon's. Tell them to open it up wide open, I want that six minute lead to vanish."

"Yes Sempai!" Hiwa shouts, and speaks into the mike.

---------------------

*Angel.. a minute later.*

"Open it up?! Is she nuts?!"

"~ I agree, the temperature is becoming a serious factor. ~"

----------------------

*Control..*

"Yes they heard me! They want to win don't they!?!"

-----------------------

*Angel..*

"Crud, it's too soon, and engine performance will definitely come into play when we do the final run to Earth and out again!"

"~ We should be conservative until we pass Luna. ~"

------------------------

*Control..*

Tasha can't believe her earlobes. "THEY CAN'T DO THAT!!!!!!!!!"

Hiwa tries to calm down her boss. Heck, all their bosses. "Sempai, they've been running that unit hard all day, they know better than we do!"

"But this is our chance!!"

------------------------

*Angel.*

"Crud, she's serious about this."

"~ We've going to Hyper in a minute, lock down finished. What do we do? ~"

Aleaic looks hard within himself, trying to see all the possibilities of mecha racing he's even witnessed or heard about. And one thing he knows cold, is that engines have classically been the main component that either made or broke a race team.

And they've come too far. Way too far.

"No. We keep normal run, and if Sempai doesn't like it, tough, we won't push the engine, I think we can do that when we pass Geneva course."

Aleaic looks hard at Tsui.. "There's that final time bonus."

--------------------------

*Control..*

Tasha freaks like a roman candle, space fireworks style.

"....................................................those.... ..................................... " Stuttering for the proper 'descriptive' term to use, the only one that connects is: ".............DORKS!!!!!!!!"

"Dorks?" Hiwa looks back.. "That's your best comeback?"

Sora tires to laugh but is BONKED by Tora.

"That's a crazy plan. How can they plan to risk the whole race on a single reward!?" Nobuyuki speaks for a frazzled Sempai.

"They have to, and after the stunt on Mercury, I think they can do it." Kero says, a hand on his chin, apparently thinking as Al is now. However.. "Crud............ CRUD CRUD CRUD!!!!!!!!" Tasha says, jumping up and down with enough force to cause the entire station to shudder.

Seems like anyway.

----------------------------

*Luna: 10 hours, 23 minutes......

..four minutes behind Dadelaus.*

"Home sweet home."

Tsunami though looks ominously worried. "~ Al, I think that compromise hurt us a bit, the seals are weakening again. ~"

Her co-pilot seems unexpectantly unfazed by this status. "Actually I'm happy, they're in better shape than I hoped, now we need to press the engines to be within three minutes of the Dadelaus."

"~ Oh, and I think they sedated Tasha. ~" Tsui says with a cute smirk. "Poor Sempai. Okay, let's make her happy for once. Set the core for full drive run. It's now or never!" Tsunami complies but shakes her teal maned head in bemusement.

Now comes the truly nail biting part, as a thirty minute race for the Earth begins, followed shortly of by a sprint up to the finish line, back in local space, where a special finish ring is set up.

Everyone on Earth that's interested have dragged the non-interested to see what is shaping up to be one of the closest Inner System races in history! (Though no less across Human Sphere space! Only over a hundred billion souls now watching.) And in Tekomi Prefecture, where they've been watching all through the day, and `well' into the night, they are all on pins and memory chips. Silicon's populace is doing no different.

It's moreso, in the respective Silicon, and Tekomi Control camps.

-----

As for Rohak, a third is seemingly assured. That is, until their unit leaps out from hyperspace, and attempts to blast at a suicidal, full wide, open ramjet-burn. Their intent no less murderous different than before.

But then, their drive Unit ruptures it's Helium containment fields, which causes the expectant catastrophic chain-reaction, and they `barely' eject in time before their prized/hacked model explodes into a miniature red sun.

Brazil Academy takes over third place.

-----

"Are you kidding me?!" Al yelps, disbelieving his sensors and the comm feed! Tsunami looks quite shaken, as apparently, Rohak had been pushing their booster well past tolerance.

Apparently just to catch up, knowing that the race was out of reach to them. "~ I'm.. afraid so.. ~" ..the evidence just stacked up like that.

Aleaic finally has had enough, there is only one reason they could see for such a blatant action, and it apparently wasn't for the good of the race. "Hiwa!" Aleaic commands steely over the comm.

":: Yeah? ::" ..is returned.

"Inform Race Control. Lodge for us a formal protest of under the acts and rules of government of fair play and safety protocols, as well as ask for an official inquiry into the matter of unfair sportsmanship in regards to same said during an official race." Aleaic says, not mentioning the threat to life inherit in the stream of acts committed. (He didn't think he'd need to anyway.) And as Earth starts to fill the entire cockpit screens, Hiwa complies solemnly, knowing it's not small matter to accuse another team of such, but a line has been crossed. One not overlookable anymore.

But this is a separate matter, as Tsunami suddenly calls out an object in front of them!!

"~ It's Dadelaus!! ~" Tsui shouts.

"Wha.. What's the interval?" Al queeps off tone for a second in surprise!

Tsunami looks and beams brightly!! "~ 2:40!! ~"

Aleaic nearly suffers a stroke. "But how!?"

":: GUYS!! ::" Hiwa screams over the comm!!!!

"What!?/~ What?! ~"

":: Dadelaus is reporting a problem with their engine, it's not much, but it's affecting their performance in space, I don't know if it hurts in atmosphere, but it's slowing them!! ::"

Aleaic instinctively hits the heat shield coolant lines, as he pours more power into the stabilizers. "Are we in first now Hiwa!? How close are we!?"

":: No, it's pretty much a dead tie! ::"

"Huh?!"

":: They got a bonus for being in the lead most of the way. ::"

"Figures.” Al quips, then turning to his pilot-mate, as he flicks off safety protocols and controls. “Tsui, when I tell you to, shut all power to everything but engines and primary systems, and even life support, you'll know when."

"~ But, Al... ~" Tsui immediately objects. Al though is stern.

"Trust me." ..as the heat of reentry begins to lick at the mecha. "I can use the two minute air supply, and I know you...."

"~ Two minutes!?! AL, NO!! ~" Tsui forgets the race for a second, but Al becomes more resolved. "Beloved, this can work!! We didn't come all this way for second, and we can't risk the engine core, we have to siphon from all the non-necessary stuff..

...Tsunami please!"

Tsunami almost decides to put a brake on all of this, but Al's pleading eyes melt her resolve. How he can do that to her is unfathomable to her. But her very respect for her co-pilot makes her do a `true' leap of tremendous faith, and the shudder of reentry is rushing the decision.

Finally.. "~ Alright... *sigh* ...but you better be conscious when we reach the finish line. ~" Tsui then hits Al's helmet with a satisfactory 'bonk'. Al just nods and then gulps before looking back to what lay before them.

The race into the atmosphere takes the final two on a steep angle slide that starts well over the Indian Ocean, which cools over the Pacific ocean some four hundred and fifty kilometers from the Hawaiian Chain.

"Time."

"~ 2:23. ~"

Al looks at their counterpart ahead..."We've GOT to be in the lead. Start the shutdown, and leave the target computer up.."

Tsunami looks yet again at Aleaic, still struggling with her resolve in committing to this. In the end, her reflexes do the acting for her.. “~ Shutting.... down... ~”

The engines of the Dadelaus are clearly visible, as well as a slight occasional puff of smoke. As Angel moves in closer, the Dadelaus begins jinking to try to create a time buffer cushion. But their engine problems plaguing them, hinder more than the jinking helps much at all.

Angel's core meanwhile, is starting to see borderline readings, as it's containment strains under the power-sprint. The Computer Core is also straining with all the heavy processor loads. Heck, all the systems are straining, even the seat cushions!!

Now more than ever, it's all on the line.

--------------------------

*Tekomi Control.*

Everyone watches almost as one as the two mecha finally pass over the Atlantic Ocean. The incoming feed from a high overhead satellite, along with a series of surface shots as they fly over head, show the neck to neck furball racing along a several hundred kilometers a deca-second! "Come on you two, COME ON!!!!" Hiwa screams to the deafening displeasure of Sora and Tasha closeby!

Everyone else is just as tense, as the ticker for the current time lapse shows Angel now with a `slim' sixteen second lead. However, all that is nothing, as it will all depend on the final obstacle course, a very curious, and strange run: A straight head-on run into Geneva, Switzerland, and upon reaching, a severe forty-five degree upturn, with a two kilometer long zenith upturn rise, a double twist loop along the top with an equally SHARP reverse downturn, back another two kilometers, and then a final VICIOUS forty-five straight along to the surface!

And somewhere along it's length is the final special target, a type similar to the ones on Mercury, but possibly worst of all to hit. (The race officials almost seem like terrorists in this setup!)

"The timer is steady at sixteen seconds. They must have stabilized." Sora updates for all to hear.

"Crud, and if they hit the target first, it's over." Nobuyuki speaks with twiddled thumbs, nervous ones.

"Hey! What's he DOING!?!" Tasha suddenly screams, making many JUMP!!

----------------------

*Angel.. between the Canary Island Group, and the Madeira Islands.*

Aleaic is suddenly, and deliberately, slowing down Angel for the run through the rings. "Okay, when we finish the run, kill everything we discussed, ready?"

"~ No. But do it! ~"

Aleaic winces from a second smack to the helmet, before locking the entry angle for the run, as they pass over Western Mediterranean and past Corsica and see the Europe Union coastline, where the very first ring is, where the Dadelaus is already starting through it!

"HANG ON!! Here we go!!!!"

Angel is SHOT through the initial rings, and burns hard but steady towards the first turn, the rings are spaced five hundred meters apart, and run right up to Geneva, capital of the Terran Union. There, hundreds of thousands of spectators, standing, partying, and waiting all day, watching the race vids, now crane their necks to get the first glimpses of the two important mecha. It doesn't very take long, as the thick, energized sounds of highly powered engines shatter the sound barrier a good twenty seconds before they even visually appear!

The actual turn to the lay eye seem quite gentile, as the ground and hover rings seem to mesh in a gentle upward turn, but as the Dadelaus comes in at over 1,500 Kph, the turn becomes a play with the devil! When the mecha makes it's turn, a HORRENDOUS scream from the taxed engines washes over everyone, and just a few split seconds later, the Angel does the same, as everyone with ear muffs thanks their respective gods for them! The roar basically make the supposedly super-reinforced glass ware of the nearby turn to all of sand grit instantly! (A wee bit loud.. don't even ask about glassware in the immediate area either. =^^= )

Everyone can then see the two mecha rising extremely fast in the semi-dusk, star filled sky.

"Cripes that was close!!"

"~ I think we hit a ring back there!! ~" Tsui says, throwing her head backwards.

"It'll hold! (Uncertain..) ..it'll hold!" *crossed fingers.*

The view above is a mesh of rings flying past them, but Tsui is looking `hard' for the special target.

All too soon though, the second, third, fourth and fifth turns come as a massive blur of violent jerking motions, as Aleaic uses up all his remaining wits and skill, along with Tsunami's help. But then... "~ They just shot at something!! ~"

The edge trail of a laser is seen as it misses something. "That's it!!"

"~ Got it!! ~" Tsui immediately targets..

This is where the improbability factor kicks in, as Angel makes the sixth turn, and Dadelaus exits for the downswing. They both lock onto the target, and their only chance.

They both connect simultaneously, a DEAD, clean hit!

"~ I got it!! ~"

"So did THEY!!! *CURSE!!*” .. “~ Al!! ~”

“Sorry.”

As they keep fighting to start getting through the second half of the run, both crews watching are astonished as the fireworks for the special target light off, preset to do so as a special after effect for the crowd below. But the shock of what is caused further reverberates through two camps and cities simultaneously as massive cries of disbelief!!

"No.... way... SHUT IT ALL DOWN NOW!! NOW!!!!!!!"

Tsunami acts before she can object, and shuts down all except life support, saving that for the exit to space.

"Tsui!!" Al says already knowing!

"~ No, we can push the engines, it's not worth your life Al!! ~" .. "If the engine blows it won't matter anyway!!"

The blur of the downswing is joined as Angel suddenly closes EXTREMELY close to the Dadelaus, the heat from the Dadelaus slightly blistering the skin of the Angel!

Here, they finally get a good look at their opponent, as it's primary colors are of Desert Sand and White, it's superstructure, much more rounded and streamlined than Angel, except for the engine package on it's rear torso and leg struts, which are blocky, due the engine type they are using. They also use a set of pylons vane struts rather than wings, though they are much more structurally sound than the Equator's were, noted by the heavy bending two of the vanes object against.

Meanwhile, the down stretch is seen by all as a unnerving sight, as it seems like they both threaten to miss the turn and slam into the city below, which would annihilate the city and most of the countryside anyway. The crowd partially scrambles for vain cover!! (Kinda comical.)

But the two Units easily make the turn, so close to each other that even the ear muffs are inadequate!! (And whatever panes were left are toast now!)

"They WHAT!?" Al screams over the comm..

":: They awarded both teams, and now the clock is at even for BOTH of you!! ::"

"Oh crud, this is too crazy!!"

Suddenly, several klaxons spike LOUD!! "~ AL, the temperature!! ~"

Aleaic notes the blare of the engine core, as it's seals finally breach, and containment is ready to do the same. "COOLANT FLUSH NOW!!"

They both hit the emergency control buttons, as a large tank of coolant floods the core with special coolant, one that causes the cool down needed, but rips slight tears in the superstructure. Only the containment field prevents a true rupture, held by the power feed from the vacuum drive! Nano-units scramble to repair the physical damage, but it's now only a matter of time. Is there enough time though to...

"Tsui, we have to shut down life support to feed power to the fields, or the containment may rupture!!"

Tsui wrings her hands in disgust.. "~ All right!! ~" Tsunami caves in at last, finally discharging the life support, and so doing, it does help the stabilization field. The core holds. (..barely.)

Aleaic then hits the emergency air supply, as the air in the cockpit becomes stale immediately. Heat suddenly becomes very noticeable, as coolant no longer runs through the cockpit, and is shunted only to the core and heat sinks around it.

An oven it becomes indeed. Tsunami, not needing air, tries to compensate by using a spell, but her concentration is thwarted by more klaxons from the cockpit sensors. Unknowingly, the Dadelaus is faring no better, since these are still just fighter grade units not meant to be stressed this much.

The two Units finally exit the course run, and both slam VIOLENTLY hard for the final stretch.

Space or bust.

--------------------------

*Tekomi Control: 11 hours, 13 minutes.

..still dead even.*

"Holy cow, holy cow!!" (Nob)

"Come on Sophy, COME ON!!!!!!!" (Tas)

"~ Go Big Sis GO!! ~" (Sas)

“{~ Is it over yet? ~}”

Ryoko doesn't like the states in commune.

Everyone (even the cabbits) is then split between looking out the viewports, and the satellite feeds, as both mecha use `everything' they have left, both blaring warning indicators out the arse!

The intense cheering from between, and across half a globe, could almost be heard from a light year away, if physics allowed. But both Units seem to be well bolstered by their respective camps, pushing and pulling with everything they have. The sight of the two mecha are a tale of two thoroughbreds at the brink, as the two sport sputtering smoke trails, and even an occasional heat flare-up.

But it finally comes down to the last bitter kilometer, as both Units breach past the Lithosphere, and into space once again.

"Come baby, come on!!!!!" Jeain looks in surprise at Terrai, as he cheers as much as the kids! A second later though.. "COME ON SON! BEAT THOSE SILICON SAND CRABS FOR BRAINS!!!!!!!!"

The family looks at Jeain.. “Mom.” Ket reacts.. “What?” Jeain says, blushing.

-----------------------

*.75 kilometers.*

Aleaic is visibly straining, as the oxygen becomes thinner. Tsunami is not affected, but is torn between the final few seconds of both the race, and possibly her love's own! Both units push the envelope past the severe line, by some power not both ending as mini-suns in so doing. And just then, the Finish Ring line becomes visible.... their opposite literally abreast of them starboard!!!!!

.62 km

.49 km

.32

.23

"Tsui..." Al barely exhales.

"~ Yes? ~"

"Thank you."

.10

"[[~ They're crossing the line............................................................

.................NOW!!!!!! ~]]"

All heads and melons are turned to the Finish Ring, as both SCREAM through, all too close to tell!! "Who.. who won.. who.." Tasha stammers, her heart and hands in/on her throat!

“I..I..I..I... yiyi..” Sora stammers.

"[[~ Winner is too close for an eye confirmation, the computers are checking..

................................... ~]]"

".............................oh...................my............ ...............GODS!!!!!!!!!!!!!" (Tas)

========================

*Winning team quarters.*

The sounds of incredible cheers and celebration explode, as the winner is announced. It took no less than three separate angles to make sure of the winner.

And Tekomi is in pain.

As they CHEER literally as one!! So hard so, that they collectively strain their lungs! (One big fat city's worth of it!!)

But that is nothing as the cheers in the Tekomi Control Center almost seem to SHATTER the transparent-titanium viewports, very much `almost' anyway. Everyone that is Tekomi, in space, as well as on Earth, is jumping and dancing and saying something close to the same thing:

"THEYWONTHEYWONTHEYWONTHEYWON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!"

It goes on like this for a good two plus minutes, and still there is lots of jumping, singing and hugging afterwards.

Hiwa then, in a delirium, and a headlock from Tasha, then turns to the comm unit, now JAMMED with unauthorized freqs. trying to reach the winners. "Base to Angel, Base to Angel, come in please."

Silence. At least on that end, the other is still filled with reporters and paparazzi. "Damn these guys are annoying,." Hiwa comments, then tries again. "Base to Angel, Base to Angel, come in please."

More silence, and the unauthorized freqs. even quiet down a bit. But the worry melts away as. "::~ Were here Base, good to hear you.. ~::" Hiwa, her heart finally beating again, wipes a quick tear away. "Well, about time you two. Congratulations!" Tasha comes up behind, SMACKS Hiwa in the back `painfully', and grabs the mike. "You two......*stammering* ..... PEOPLE DID IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

"(Her language seems different.)" Hiwa thinks to herself, still wincing in a great deal of pain. “~ She's just happy. ~” Washu says to Hiwa. “Eh?” ..looking back, as Washu `removes' herself to party some more.

"::~ We're alright, but give Al a moment to recover. ~::"

"Huh?" Tasha wonders loudly.. "Why?"

"::~ We had the life support shut down to keep us going, Al's recovering now. ~::"

Tasha suddenly turns a sheet of white, along with many others in the room, family `definitely' included! For the first time in their college relationship, Tasha realizes that it never occurred to her how far Aleaic would go to for the club. She feels rather small in that moment. Not that it lasts for very long. "A.. are you sure he's.. fine?" Hiwa and the rest of the mortal team look in surprise meanwhile, Tasha is apparently very concerned.

":: .............I....... I'm fine. ::” Al suddenly says through the static of the comm.. “:: ..now......I'll be fine. Start celebrating you guys, okay? ::" As soon as the wave of relief drops away, they begin celebrating almost as joyously as before.

And this long day just got `much' longer.

----------------------

*Kerensky Residence, Tekomi.*

Journal Entry - 12th May, 3417

*Recording Terminal / Module 0034A*

Man, I `finally' get a chance to settle down, the after-race parties have been so wild these past two days since we won the Inner Systems Race. To say I'm beat is an understatement.

.So, where to begin with this. Still in a head tizzy here.

Well, first off, being called Champion has such a incredible rush to it all. And it simply got better and better to be called it, after I fully recovered from that little stunt I pulled. Speaking of, I had to then recover from being verbally throttled by Tsui, my family, my teammates, and then had to respond to the counter charge levied by the Rohak Academy. The last part was easy, as all the race footage from multiple sources said it all. Even the ones `supporting' the Rohak Academy fell mute very quickly, especially when my Father then `quietly' told the Cairo/Lockheed Group that they'd get one of the first cracks at the Vacuum Engine, now quite touted as a new wonder of technology. (Gee.)

Needless to say, the Tokyo engineers are rich, and Rohak is a disgrace in the racing community. (Tsk.)

But, the above not even the half of it, since the interesting thing is, Michelle apparently never was in the race. We found out at the race awards ceremony, that not only did she turn in her last minute resignation just after out altercation in the Pens. But even better, is the fact that she immediately asked for a transfer to our Academy. As it's now just prior to mid-summer terms, the request should be no problem, especially after a request from the new heroes of the Academy *chuckle*, I think it will all work out, as now we gain one of the top racers in all of human space.

Kero and Alana were number one for sure, and I guess they think I'm one too now. I'll reserve judgment on that though, since I almost died, not exactly peak race performance ability. (Can't believe it all ended that harsh and all, the race. Sheesh.) Nor possibly professional. I'll just call Michelle and Tsunami number two pilots for now, and take third.

Next, I had to recover from all the media splurge, which was exacerbated by Tasha's impromptu partying. I most certainly was very glad when Tenchi and Ket announced I needed more medical recovery. Unless I miss my guess, they're still partying at this very moment. I think I finally understand now, all those Soccer World Cups they hold on all the various worlds of human space. Fan and media hype is quite heavy for them, as well as on our accounts. Jeeze mon.

At least Tasha left the house with most of the rabble rousers now, as I think Washu was ready to Hex them with a bad rash or something. Anyway, it's finally quiet around here. That is if you don't look at the hover cam-unit that circles the residence every half hour. Ryoko of course just loves it all, partying and scaring the hell out of anyone that she pleases. We've disavowed all knowledge of her existence of course. It's much healthier that way all around. (I though the Gardon were bad.. ugh.. )

As for Tsui and I, we're enjoying the glory our own little way, as Kero and Alana 'officially' pronounced us as the primary pilots of Tekomi Academy, with themselves as advisors and back-ups until they graduate this next semester, as then Michelle will then get into the swing, since she has to earn her anew dues too. After her ordeal, she doesn't mind reearning the respect she lost being with those blowhards from a syonic compactor heap.

But then, another surprise was when Father, whom was attending every function we celebrated in, (and there were a lot, all a blur too,) suddenly stood and noted Kero's jacket, but he also noted it was only a imitation of the elite Cold Hawk Fighter Wing, whom had happened to also watched the Race. (W.. wow there.)

That's when, with everyone present wondering wildly, Father took a simple back duffel bag and threw it to Kero. The look on Kero's eyes was like a pair of Sat-Comm 4 Satellite dishes, as he pulled out four, i.e. not replicas, of the very same pilot jackets of the Cold Hawk Fighter Wing! Even with a patch on each laser stitched with the signatures of the entire fighter wing!! The sound of awe could've move the Earth at that moment. If physics allowed. (I had to actually ask Tsui later about that.)

I really don't think even Kero's leg injury prevented him from bowing most respectfully to Father, just before he and Alana took a pair of jackets already affixed with the Inner Systems patch, and a gold star engraved onto it, and placed them both on Tsui and myself. (I had to fight my own shaking by taking Tsui's own shaking hand.) And yes, more cheers followed, but the smile on my Father's and Mother's was even worth more.

The kiss that helped start the next party didn't hurt either. I think Tsui has a new hobby. My lips.. =^^=

I could go on forever (felt like it all did,) with all the parties and events my gorgeous benefactor and I were dragged 'kicking and screaming' to. (More me than Tsui actually.) But I think I'll just end this on an interesting note, one concerning the team from Silicon Valley, as I find my self humbled by the way they congratulated us. They had arrived not too long after the jacket ceremony, as drinks really flowed.

They introduced themselves as Da'aan and Heshi, both apparently even more experienced than Kero and Alana were, as their jackets sported, real ones from the 601st West Spaceforce Command Fleet, had even more gold stars than Kero and Alana had as well. The former introduced, was a spiky dirty blond haired type, typical of the region of the Western North American Territories, and the latter was of a Asian-African descent, with long, dark, honey colored brown hair, and a `well' tanned, sculpted physique. Tasha had to `stifle' her flunkies from starring too much at Heshi.

Later, at the award ceremony the next day, they admitted that, when we talked to them on the podium stand with the suprising Brazil team, that they were disappointed they couldn't race Kero and Alana.

But, they were so surprised by the result, that they congratulated us on a 'loss' of theirs, one that apparently had more palatability to that of nearly all of their combined victories! (I'm dreaming all this, I swear to goddess!) It truly for them, was the closest race in history, and losing by 0.02 microns (good race sensors,) was apparently more fitting than winning by a thousand kilometers. Only `their' first victory measured up in emotion. This also apparently was also being the factual, that this was their last official race hit a true heart string, and the suprising hugs we received brought a lot of applause.

Heck, they even joined in leading the anthem for the Asian Union, and the school motto, that's how moved they truly really were. They also showed how much they like partying too. Must be a human need I guess, this Sasami and Mihoshi asked at least one time separately each. Add a lot of stories about other races and other interpersonal stuff, and a good bond began to develop between us all. (Tsui just beamed happily in being included in this moment of bonding.) Don't worry though as we plan to keep in touch in the immediate future, especially when wedding plans come.

D ..did.. did... did I just say that? Oh my gods, I'm losing it.

(I need a drink.)

*End datarecording.. 2210.56*

----------------------

*Downstairs.*

Aleaic couldn't help it, but as he descended the stairs, the six meter tall sculpted crystal, silver, and gold monolith that was the championship trophy was an immediate sight to magnetize eyes onto. And that was their trophy, forever engraved with the two names of the winning mecha designation, also engraved in gold, all over the trophy, a formal version put on all six sides of the central facings.

The real trophy, some ten meters tall, was now under heavy guard in the Tekomi Academy Trophy vault, along with many other such trophies. But an interesting tidbit, was the fact that both of these trophies held a full holo-recording from all the race cams and team frequencies of exactly what took place during the entire race, some eleven plus hours in all.

And the fact that Monolith now held a similar recording for posterity made Al feel warm and squishy inside. "Wow."

"~ Isn't it.. ~"

Aleaic finishes heading downstairs and sees his little goddess laying on the largest couch, in a simple dress, and still with the jacket on.

She's apparently enjoying it all as much as he is.

"I'm............

..I'm still trying to let it all sink in.." Al says with awe still seeping though him. He then stands next to the couch his beautiful deity resides, and simply stares at the trophy.

"We did win right?"

Tsunami giggles heavily, still feeling the effects of a good 'deal' of cake. Al just had some gas from it all. (Chocolate still acts funny with Al.)

"~ Oh, stop worrying so much darling. ~" Aleaic is slightly caught off guard when Tsunami grasps his arm, and pulls him to the couch. After some shuffling and fun roughhousing, they end up coddling a bit, just content to look at their shared achievement.

"I have to, it's so new to me to have won something, much less this important a deal."

"~ How should we celebrate? ~"

Aleaic again falls victim to surprise. "Pardon?"

Tsunami lightly kisses her client on the cheek, then begins a series of more heated peck and nibbled down the left side of his neck. Aleaic feels the bubbling of arousal rising when he realizes belatedly that everyone had either gone to party, hide from parties, or just went to the guest house to party. Achika and Nobuyuki were certainly gone, and Tenchi had taken Sasami with Keturia to spend a night with the other Kerensky's. Even the cabbits got dragged along with them.

They were dead alone.

And Al realizes Tsunami is openly enjoying that, as she begins roaming her hands along Al's chest, the shirt he's wearing threatening not to be there anymore. "~ Should not we celebrate the spirit which gained us both glory this week? ~" Tsui coos.

Aleaic can only stammer our a weak nod, about a trillion emotions flooding him at once. Tsunami settles into a sitting position on her knees, and begins mashing her lips onto Al's with more desperate need. The moans and calls for names are becoming more loud, and more intense. They almost are ready for the breach of the line of love.

Until the power that even Dimensionals know well as Murphy strikes, and the amount of cake Tsui ate hits at the same time as a TREMENDOUS wave of unexpected ecstasy hits her.

Aleaic feels this and pulls away, Just in time to see Tsunami fall asleep.

"*gasping, struggling down his emotions like a wild Yak-saurus of Planet Nasoo-A......* .tSuI!? Ack! Tsui!?! TSUI!!?"

Aleaic jostles her a bit, and finds she's dead asleep. “Tsui?” ..he shakes her lightly a couple more times in vain, before the most honestly dissatisfied sigh a mortal can utter courses out.

"Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh mannnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn....!

..darn..... *sigh....* ..luck...” Al then chuckles with fate. “Oh well, I guess that can wait until we're married. If I survive all and everything until then. (If ever..)"

Aleaic simply removes her jacket, and carries her upstairs to Tsunami's and Sasami's room. After placing her down and covering with a futon blanket. He then kisses her on the forehead, and..."Good night, my fellow Champion. The one the stole my heart in the same way.

With love."

After, it's a rather simple matter to then shower and head to bed, the thoughts of nothing but her in his head. And as such, that is how he falls asleep.

Dreaming of the only glory that matters.........

Not of races..

.................but of her love.

(End Part Four)

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Author notes: Well, this one was laborious when I first wrote this, even just as much to just clean it up. (As much as I could.) I envisioned this one knowing the first three chapters weren't doing too much more than the usual introductions stuff. I also took into account other anime I enjoyed at the time I wrote this. Mainly Gundam Wing and Outlaw Star. I think those that realize better can guess from what parts I got other ideas from.

Course from here, is where I just went OVA in direction with this all. Have fun with the ride as I wrote it all by. =^^=

I `have' to thank the creators of Tenchi Muyo and Ah/Oh My Goddess! It's a fan fiction in the end, but I `still' love them for existing in the first place. Might as well keep saying such praises in the rest of the chapters to come, but it all still is, what it is.