Tenchi Muyo Fan Fiction ❯ Project Pinnacle ❯ Apex ( Chapter 8 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Disclaimer: Tenchi Muyo and its characters are property of AIC and
Pioneer. The proceeding story, though based on pre-existing characters, is
the property of the author and may not be reprinted without permission.
All original characters found herein are also the property of the author and
may not be used without permission. (Did that sound official? I hope so.)

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remind you that, by clicking on my e-mail on the previous page, you can
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Apex

Chapter 1: ETA

"What the..." Washu blurted at the window that sprang up on her
computer screen, interrupting her work. It was rare that one of the
programs she had running in the background would display any
noteworthy information, so she studied the screen halfheartedly at first.
Suddenly, she recognized the importance of the data she was looking at.
[A spike?] she thought. [Then, that must mean...]
"Hey, Washu," Arcese called as he approached her. "You seem
nervous all of a sudden. What's wrong?"
Washu sighed deeply. "A spike," she said.
"A spike?" Arcese echoed. "What's a spike?"
"Long story short," Washu began, "A spike is an energy
fluctuation. Either a concentration or lack of energy radiating from a very
small area. I just detected one that entered the solar system."
"Is... that bad?" Arcese asked, not knowing whether he should have
known the significance of that or not.
"Very," Washu said. "The type of fluctuation is identical to the
kind you create when you gather energy."
"Really?" Arcese asked. "What's causing it?"
Washu again sighed heavily. "The only explanation I can offer is
that Dr. Weisz is on his way here with another android."
Arcese frowned. "So he's coming?" he asked.
"Yes," Washu confirmed.
"Where is his ship now?" Arcese asked.
Washu pulled up a map of the solar system on her computer. A red
dot displayed the position of the incoming disturbance. "If they maintain
this heading and speed," Washu said, "they will be here in less than
twenty hours."
"We should go after them now," Arcese said. "We'll take Ryo-
ohki up and fight them before they land. If you can destroy the ship, I
could take down the android."
"No, you can't," Washu reported dejectedly. "The spike I'm
picking up is much larger than any you can create."
"What does that mean?" Arcese asked.
"It means the other android is stronger than you," Washu revealed
bluntly.
"Stronger!?" Arcese spat. "How? You said that my power has
leveled off. How can this one have more?"
"I guess Dr. Weisz made some improvements on the design,"
Washu speculated.
"Well, how much stronger is this other android?" Arcese asked.
"The highest I've seen your power level rise to is about sixty five
hundred," Washu stated. "According to the magnitude of this spike, the
energy level of this android is close to fifteen thousand."
"You can't be serious!" Arcese shouted.
"Afraid so," Washu said glumly. "In your present condition, you
could not win."
"I have to!" Arcese insisted. "Ryoko is counting on me. What if I
train more?"
"There's no time," Washu said. "We've been training you for over
a month, now. How much stronger do you think you can get in twenty
hours?"
"I won't know unless I try," Arcese said. "We should tell everyone
else what's going on."
"Yes," Washu agreed. "At the very least, we should be ready."
Both of them walked towards the exit to the lab.
"Washu?" Arcese asked, stopping momentarily. "If you're right,
and I can't beat this thing, what are we going to do?"
Washu looked away. For the first time in a very long while, she
did not have an answer.

"Twenty hours," Ryoko said. "That's not a long time, is it?"
"Are you certain that the android is on its way?" Ayeka asked.
"I don't know what else the spike could be," Washu replied. "It
doesn't match the pattern of any naturally occurring fluctuation I've ever
seen. Pulsars, supernovas, black holes; all negative. It has to be him."
"What are we going to do?" Sasami asked.
"There is no 'we' in this, Sasami," Arcese said. He was staring out
the window, still as a statue. "This is my responsibility."
"Arcese, how many times have I told you: This android is far
stronger than you are," Washu interjected.
"If he's that strong," Arcese said, "then I can be that strong, too."
"I don't know about that," Washu returned. "It's very possible that
this second android was constructed to absorb even more energy than you
can. And, according to my calculations, the maximum power that you can
generate is less than his."
Arcese continued to stare out across the lawn. "I'll find a way," he
said.
"So, you're saying that Arcese can't beat this other android?"
Kiyone asked.
"I don't think so," Washu replied plainly.
"But what's going to happen to Ryoko, then?" Tenchi asked
concernedly.
"I don't know," Washu said.
Ayeka stood up angrily. "You're the one who's supposed to have
all the answers here, Washu!" she hissed.
"Well, I don't!" Washu snapped back. "Even after all the data I've
gathered from Arcese, I still don't have a clear understanding of all of his
abilities. Who knows? Maybe he can beat this other android. I have no
clue!"
Mihoshi began to whimper. "Please don't fight, you two!" she
implored.
Washu growled and rubbed the bridge of her nose. "The point is,"
Washu said with forced patience, "that I just don't know. We'll have to
see what happens."
"'See what happens?'" Ryoko echoed. "This is my life we're
talking about, here, and all you have to say is, 'We'll have to see what
happens?'"
"Don't worry, Ryoko," Arcese interjected, not breaking his gaze
from the window. "I won't let anything happen to you. To any of you.
Even if I have to fight until every last cell in my body is destroyed, I will
protect you."
"Arcese, please don't talk like that!" Sasami begged. She rushed
over to Arcese and hugged him around the waist. "I don't want you to get
hurt."
Watching Sasami embrace Arcese, a thought began to grow in
Washu's head. She remembered the first day that Arcese trained with
Ryoko, and that it took some emotional abuse to awaken some of his
hidden power. Since then, he had learned to control that power on his
own, but the emotional incentive no longer existed. If she could rekindle
that inner turmoil, it may serve to heighten Arcese's power. Obviously,
Arcese seemed to care the most about Sasami. Washu reasoned, then, that
the key to Arcese's full potential lied with her.
"I'm not going to get hurt," Arcese assured Sasami.
"But Washu said that you'll lose," Mihoshi said.
Arcese looked Mihoshi square in the eye. "That is not an option,"
he deadpanned.
"Well, if you're going to do everything that you can, Arcese,"
Washu said, "then I'm going to do everything I can. But I'm going to need
your help, Sasami."
"Me?" Sasami asked. "What can I do?"
"I'll explain everything to you in my lab," Washu replied. She
motioned for her to follow to the entrance. Arcese did likewise, but
Washu stopped him with a hand to his chest. "Uh-uh," she said. "Girl
talk." Without another word, Sasami and Washu disappeared into the lab,
leaving Arcese behind to scratch his head.
Ryoko stood up from her seat next to Tenchi on the couch. "So
what now?" she asked.
"I'll keep training," Arcese said. "For as long as I can."
"Do you think you can get strong enough in such a short time?"
Ayeka asked.
"I won't know unless I try," Arcese said.
"I wish I could help," Ryoko interjected. "Dammit! I feel so
helpless!"
"You've already done more than your share, Ryoko," Arcese said.
"If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't have been able to get so strong in the first
place. I know you resent the fact that I'm fighting and not you, but it's
your spirit and determination that made me the fighter that I am. And I
promise I won't let you down."
"So you're guaranteeing that Ryoko will be safe?" Tenchi asked.
"In twenty hours," Arcese said, "you'll either know or won't care."
Tenchi grimaced. He did not like the sound of that statement one bit.
Arcese made his way to the front door.
"Hey!" Kiyone called after him. "Where are you going?"
"I'm going into the woods to work on energy attacks," Arcese said.
"Incidentally, it might be a good idea for all of you to avoid the woods
until tomorrow."

Chapter 2: Time Alone

Washu made sure that Sasami was out of the lab in time to make
dinner, but that didn't matter in the end. With the impending crisis
looming ever closer, no one was really hungry. The group ate in silence,
lost in thought, the oppressive quiet occasionally broken up by the sound
of an explosion from the woods; Arcese was training very diligently.
Tenchi was a nervous wreck. He had no idea how fate could be so
unfair. It had taken him so long to be able to tell Ryoko how he felt about
her, and now, mere days after saying so, there was a good chance that she
might be killed. The sickening irony was enough to make him want to tear
his hair out. He wanted more than anything to scream at the top of his
lungs, to curse out the powers that be for letting such a horrid thing happen
to him. Despite Washu's declaration that Arcese was not strong enough,
Tenchi refused to lose faith in him. After all, he was their last hope.
Understandably, he found himself unable to sleep that night. He
tossed and turned for quite some time, contorting his sheets into a veritable
bird's nest. He could not shake a feeling of dread that continued to grow
in the pit of his stomach. What if Arcese didn't win? What if Dr. Weisz
got his way and destroyed Ryoko? He could not live with himself if he let
something like that happen. He put his foot down at that moment, and
decided that, ultimately, Dr. Weisz would have to get through him if he
wanted Ryoko.
In the darkness of his bedroom, Tenchi caught some movement out
of the corner of his eye. He hurriedly sat up to survey the room, and found
that Ryoko had phased through the wall. She now stood at the foot of his
bed, hands tucked behind her back.
Tenchi looked at the clock, which read 1:17 AM. "What's the
matter?" Tenchi asked. "Couldn't sleep?"
"No," Ryoko replied.
"Me neither," Tenchi said. "So, what brings you here?"
Ryoko sat down on the bed. "I... I just felt like I needed to be with
you, Tenchi," she said. "I'm really worried about tomorrow."
Tenchi was a little surprised. Never had he heard Ryoko openly
express her worry like this before. He slid over next to her. "Maybe you
shouldn't think about that just yet," Tenchi said, despite the fact that that
was all that had been on his own mind since afternoon.
Ryoko turned to face him. Even in the dimness, what little light
was present in the room glinted off her moistened eyes. "Tenchi, I'm
scared," she said, her voice crackling with emotion. "I'm scared that I'll
never see you again."
Tenchi put his arms around her. "Do you remember," he asked,
"when you told me that we all got to where we are today by sticking
together? Well, you were right. We're all here for you, Ryoko. I know
that all of us are going to do everything we can to keep you safe. To keep
all of us safe."
Ryoko smiled hopefully. She couldn't help but feel safe when
Tenchi held her. Everything about him--his face, his voice, his touch--set
her at ease. She wrapped her own arms around him gently and began to
kiss him.
As the pair fell backward on the bed, Tenchi asked with slight
alarm, "Ryoko, what are you doing?"
She put a hand to his cheek. "Hearing you say that everything is
going to be alright," she said, "I can't help but believe you. But, just in
case, Tenchi; we may not get this chance again. If there is no tomorrow,
then we have to make tonight last forever." She shifted herself completely
on top of him and resumed kissing him passionately.
Tenchi was nervous. He knew that the day would come where he
would find himself in such a position, but still was quite unprepared to
respond. He wanted to gratify Ryoko, and, to some extent, himself, but he
was so unsure of himself. He had no idea what to do or how to do it. He
lamented that women did not come with instruction manuals.
Sensing his apprehension, Ryoko moved her lips from Tenchi's
mouth to his ear. She whispered softly, "Relax. I love you, and I'm here
for you." She ran a soothing hand through his hair as she began to nibble
his ear delicately.
Apparently, Ryoko had said just the right thing, because Tenchi
didn't feel nervous anymore. He couldn't, knowing that Ryoko and he
loved each other so much. She would never expect Tenchi to do anything
that she knew he could not handle. And, if there was something he was
not able to handle well, Ryoko was there for him.
Tenchi did relax, and was finally able to allow himself to succumb
to Ryoko's gentle caresses.

In a different room of the house, another person was having
difficulty sleeping. Sasami lay on her back, staring at the ceiling, listening
to the soft breaths of her sister, who herself was finally able to let sleep
infiltrate her. Sasami's mind was fraught with worry and confusion. The
plan that Washu had discussed with her that afternoon was a bit
frightening, and she was opposed to it at first. However, Washu was able
to convince her that it might be the only way for anyone to be able to
defeat the arriving android. She was told what kind of effect the plan may
have on Arcese, but she was worried how the others would react. She
could only hope that the coming day would not call for such a plan to be
set in motion.
She got up from her bedroll and walked to the window. Off in the
distance, she saw small domes of light emerging from among the trees of
the forest. Arcese was still training. Careful not to wake Ayeka, Sasami
put on a coat and silently glided out of the house, intending to seek out her
friend.
The moon was bright, and cast an eerie iridescence down through
the leafless trees. Sasami walked a little faster than she wanted to just to
keep warm, and her tired breaths were illuminated in front of her by the
soft light of the moon. Trying her best to ignore the cold, she continued
on, approaching the source of the bright flashes that competed with the
moonlight, sending oddly-contorted shadows sprawling across the forest
floor.
Arcese paused from his routines when he sensed someone
approaching. [I said that I don't want to be disturbed,] he thought to
himself. [What is Sasami doing out here, anyway?] He set out to meet
her halfway.
Sasami's fast walk grew into a trot as she saw Arcese emerge from
the trees at the other end of the clearing. "Sasami, what is it?" Arcese,
thinking that her reason for seeking him may have been urgent. "Is
something wrong?"
"Arcese, you've been training all day," Sasami said. "I just wanted
to know if you were okay. I'm worried about you."
Arcese's concerned face softened. "It's cold out here," he said.
"Let me take you back to the house." He took Sasami up in his arms and
lifted off the ground, flying slow enough so that the whipping wind did not
cause her any undue discomfort.
"Arcese, maybe you should stop for a while," Sasami suggested.
"You should get some rest."
"Well, I don't exactly need it, Sasami," Arcese said with a smile,
"but thank you for your concern." Arcese touched down on the balcony
and set Sasami on her feet. He ushered her into the warmth of the house.
Sasami took a seat on the couch. "Come sit with me," she
requested. Arcese sat down next to her. He was surprised when Sasami
leaned her head on his shoulder. "Arcese," she asked, "you know that I
would never do anything to hurt your feelings, right?" she asked.
Arcese was taken aback at the question. "Of course I do," he
insisted. "And I would never do that to you."
Sasami turned her eyes to meet Arcese's. "I don't want you to
fight tomorrow," she said. "I'm afraid that you'll get hurt."
Arcese put a hand on top of Sasami's head. "I don't have a
choice," he said. "Right now, I'm the only one who can."
"But Washu said that you're not strong enough," Sasami implored.
"I'll find a way to get stronger," he said. "But, even if I don't, I
still have to fight."
"No, you don't!" Sasami said. "We can leave. We can all take
Ryo-ohki and go someplace else. If we go now--"
"No, Sasami," Arcese said firmly. "If we run, then Dr. Weisz will
only find us again. This has to end here and now. And I will end it."
Sasami's eyes began to tear. "I don't want you to die!" she wailed.
She buried her face in Arcese's arm. Arcese brought his other arm around
her and let her cry.
"Hey, you don't have to worry about me," he said soothingly. "I'm
very confident that I can do this, and you should be, too. After all, even
Ryoko will tell you that I am not so easily trifled with." He stroked her
hair lightly. "And, if it makes you feel any better, I promise I'll do
everything that I can to stay safe. I need your support, Sasami. I need you
to believe in me. Do you believe in me?"
"Yes, I believe in you," Sasami said, her crying becoming more
controlled. "And I... I love you, Arcese."
Arcese tried hard not to betray his surprise. He examined Sasami's
emotions and found something new, something he had never read before.
He had known for quite some time that Sasami harbored special feelings
for him, but nothing to this degree. Her feelings for him were similar in
ways to how she felt about Ayeka, as well as for Tenchi. But there was
also an element present that was not very different from how Tenchi and
Ryoko felt about one another. And, with Sasami's feelings now clear to
him, he could no longer deny the similar feelings he felt for her. "I love
you, too, Sasami," Arcese said. "I'll tell you what; after all this is over,
how about we spend a day together, just you and me? We'll do whatever
you'd like, just the two of us. How about that?"
Sasami's tears subsided into sniffles. "You mean it?" she asked
tentatively.
Arcese smiled wide. "I wouldn't miss it for the world," he replied.
"Promise?" she asked.
"Promise," Arcese responded.
Sasami snuggled closer and relaxed herself. Then, to Arcese's
great surprise, she reached up and kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you,"
she whispered. Arcese continued to hold her, and listened to her soft,
rhythmic breaths. After several moments, he realized that she had fallen
asleep. He was going to carry her up to her room and tuck her into bed so
he could get back to his training, but he stopped himself. Perhaps it was
the best thing for both of them if they remained as such. So, Arcese tilted
his head back on the couch and allowed Sasami to slumber, his arms
wrapped securely around her. Training could wait; this was more
important.

Chapter 4: Arrival

The uncomfortable and worried silence that permeated the house
the previous day carried through to the morning. Too worried to even
think about preparing a meal, Sasami did not make breakfast. If she had
prepared it, everyone else would have been too preoccupied with the
coming danger to eat it. As Arcese scrambled to get every bit of training
in that he could, Washu constantly checked the position of the incoming
ship on her computer. The uneasiness in the pit of her stomach grew with
each little distance the craft covered on its journey. In seemingly too little
time, the craft was almost upon them.
With everyone gathered on the lawn, the ship finally came into
view. It touched down on the lawn amidst waves of windblown grass that
were nearly as ruffled as the people who stood upon it. Sasami and Ayeka
leaned closer to one another. Mihoshi's hand went to her mouth in
wonder. Kiyone's eyes widened. Washu's objective gaze hardened even
further. Ryoko squinted in uncertainly, but relaxed as Tenchi's hand
found its way to her shoulder. Arcese's face was uncharacteristically cold
and calculated, as he stared upon the vessel with contempt and prejudice.
Within were, ironically, both his greatest enemy and the one who was
responsible for granting him life.
"I wonder what this android is going to look like," Mihoshi
commented.
"We'll know soon enough," Kiyone replied evenly.
As if on cue, the main undercarriage door of the ship opened, a
blinding light emanating from within. Silhouetted by brilliant white, two
figures stepped down from the craft. As they approached the group on the
lawn, their faces could be seen more clearly.
"He looks... he looks just like Arcese!" Sasami stammered in
amazement. Indeed, one of them was physically indistinguishable from
Arcese. Had they not been wearing different clothes, no one would have
been able to tell them apart. The individual that accompanied him also
looked remarkably similar to Arcese, despite his face containing more
lines and graying, receding hair. He also gave up about a foot in height to
his companion.
Arcese stepped forward. "You're trespassing," he said flatly. "Get
out."
The tall one gave Arcese a quizzical glance. He turned to the other
and queried, "So this is Pinnacle?"
"No doubt about it," the other replied. "My tracker homed in to
within fifty meters of his signal. This is him." He walked forward and
stopped within a few feet of Arcese, who regarded him with piercing eyes.
He inspected the android that stood before him. "It's been a long time,
Pinnacle," he said. "I'm surprised you're still alive."
"My name is not Pinnacle," Arcese said coldly. "My name is
Arcese."
"Arcese?" he echoed.
"Arcese," his tall companion repeated. "Even his name sounds
pathetic."
"Pinnacle, do you remember me?" the man asked. "My name is
Dr. Weisz. I am the one who created you. I guess you could say that I am
your father. Do you remember?"
"This is the only life I know," Arcese replied. "This is the only
family I have."
"A family?" the tall one asked. "This rabble?"
"I see your time on this planet has confused you," Dr. Weisz
commented. "Listen to me, Pinnacle. I created you with one specific
purpose in mind--"
"I know what your plans were," Arcese cut him off, "but plans can
change. I have grown to care deeply about the one you sent me here to
kill. I have grown to care about all of them. And I would never raise my
hand to them, or anyone else. I will not carry out the task for which I was
built. You may have created me, but you do not hold any power over me."
Dr. Weisz turned his head. "I was afraid of this," he said. "At
first, I thought you were just biding your time. Then I realized, however,
that your mission was a failure. Obviously, your memory files were
damaged somehow. And these people have corrupted your mind with
foolish sentimentality. Pinnacle, this is not the life you were meant to live.
I know you may not remember me and you don't want to listen to me, but
perhaps you will listen to your brother."
Arcese raised an eyebrow as the tall one stepped forward and
bowed slightly. "Pinnacle," Dr. Weisz continued, "I want you to meet
your brother, Apex. I created him after I realized that you had failed in
your mission. He is based on your design. You and he are almost one in
the same."
"You're wrong, doctor," Arcese spat. "I am nothing like him."
"How do you know?" Apex asked. "Who are you to judge one that
you have never met?"
"I'll tell you who he is," Washu suddenly interjected as she stepped
forward. "Pinnacle, as you call him, was an unfinished project built by
shoddy, inconsiderate hands. After I found him, I did what you couldn't. I
gave him emotions, I gave him thoughts, I gave him wants and needs. I
made him more human that you could ever imagine him becoming under
your guidance. Maybe even more human than you or I."
"You made him human?" Apex asked. "You mean you made him
weak."
"Arcese's strength is derived from his humanity," Washu
explained. "That's where your design was lacking, Dr. Weisz."
"I see," Dr Weisz said with a rub of his chin. "And, who might
you be to make such unfounded claims?"
Washu smirked. "I am Washu, the greatest scientific genius in the
universe!" she declared triumphantly.
Dr. Weisz smirked in return. "Washu, eh?" he asked. "Yes, I've
heard your name thrown around from time to time, but your existence
always seemed to be just a myth. It was inconceivable to anyone that
someone could have gained that much knowledge. Still, in the back of my
mind, I always suspected that those supposed rumors were much more
than mere speculation. And, now I see that I was right all along. What a
special surprise. It is an honor to meet such a highly-touted intellect as
yours." He gave an over-dignified bow.
"Flattery will get you nowhere," Washu replied snidely.
"Yes," Dr. Weisz concurred, "but perhaps the actions of my
creation will get me somewhere." At the mention of his presence, Apex
stepped forward and stood beside his creator. Dr. Weisz, however, was
looking at Arcese. "Pinnacle, I shall give you one last chance to redeem
yourself," Dr. Weisz declared. "Fulfill your mission, and you may reclaim
your place at my side."
"Never!" Arcese declared. "No harm shall come to Ryoko while I
am her protector."
"I wouldn't be so sure of that," Dr. Weisz said. "If you won't do it,
then I know someone who will. And he's much more than a mere
prototype."
"Prototype?" Tenchi blurted. "What are you talking about?"
"Please, my dear boy, I have had months to tinker with Pinnacle's
original design," Dr. Weisz replied. "Don't you think that I would have
found ways to improve upon it?"
"Absolutely, doctor," Apex said obediently. "Though many of the
original design concepts remain consistent, I am far more powerful than
Pinnacle's design."
"You're not dealing with Pinnacle," Arcese said icily. "You're
dealing with me."
"Perhaps," Dr. Weisz mused, "but you are still no match for my
design. Apex, please kill Ryoko."
Without a word, Apex advanced towards the pirate, who tensed
and prepared for battle. Before a blow could be struck, Arcese stepped
between them, his arms spread to impede the progress of the advancing
foe. Apex rolled his eyes. "Just get out of the way," he said dismissively.
"If you stay back, I might decide to let you live."
"If you want me out of the way," Arcese said, "then do it yourself!"
"Fine," Apex said without hesitation. He brought his hand back
and swung it forward. Arcese made to block, but was nevertheless sent
flying, quite literally. The blow lifted him from his feet and sent him
several meters away. As he landed, he grunted, almost as if in pain.
Needless to say, everyone else, save Dr. Weisz and Apex himself,
was surprised. To them, Arcese was the very embodiment of power, and
surely lived up to his original name. However, Apex had swatted him
aside as easily as a sapling. Gaping mouths and wide eyes prevailed as
Apex continued to close the distance between himself and Ryoko. His
progress was halted again, this time by the blade of Tenchi-ken.
"What's this?" Apex asked, eyeing the blue shaft of energy. "You
try to fight me with pathetic little toys? Be careful; you could put your eye
out with that."
"Not before I put yours out first," Tenchi said.
Apex shook his head, and reached a hand out. Tenchi was shocked
as he saw his hand close around the blade. He ripped the sword from his
grasp and flung it sideways, where it stuck in a nearby tree. The display he
just witnessed, Apex actually handling the blade of his sword without
getting damaged, filled him with unspeakable horror. He could only gape
in terror as Apex continued his advance. "If you're quite done," he spoke
obliquely to Tenchi, "I have some business to take care of."
As fast as lightning itself, Arcese seemed to zip in between Apex
and Ryoko once again. This time skipping pleasantries, Apex gave him a
blunt kick to the midsection. Another swat of his hand sent him crashing
to the ground, leaving a sizeable dent in the grass. Apex's gray, lifeless
eyes turned to Ryoko. "Well, then, my dear," he said with a menacing
grin, "shall we dance?"

Chapter 5: Turncoat

Knowing that death would claim her if she did not act, Ryoko
attacked first, cocking her fist back to deliver a powerful punch. She
swung it forward with a yell, and landed the blow right between Apex's
eyes. The android did not even seem to flinch at the impact, merely
continuing to stand there, Ryoko's fist frozen, pressed against his
forehead. Apex smirked. "Fighting you is so beneath me," he said. "Just
give up, already."
"Don't you know it's not polite to hit a lady?" Arcese asked as he
stood up and dusted himself off.
Apex glared at him. "You still here?" he queried. He grabbed
Arcese by the neck and forcefully flung him aside, where he skidded to a
halt several meters away.
"Enough of this foolishness," Dr. Weisz said from the sidelines.
"Finish her off!"
Apex grabbed Ryoko by the neck and lifted her off the ground.
Despite her struggles, Ryoko could not free herself from the android's iron
grasp. Suddenly, she felt very weak, as if Apex were draining the very life
out of her. Her struggling ceased, and she hung still in Apex's hand.
Satisfied that Ryoko was no longer capable of fighting, Apex dropped her
to the ground.
"What did you do to her!?" Tenchi demanded, still trying
vehemently to remove his sword from the tree trunk.
"Like the good doctor said," Apex began, "he improved upon my
design. While Pinnacle can only absorb ambient energy, I can acquire it
from specific objects. Like Ryoko, here, for instance."
"If you lay another hand on her, I swear..." Arcese hissed as he
walked towards him with clenched fists.
"You'll do what?" Apex countered. "You're in no position to
make threats."
"Why are you doing this?" Ayeka demanded of Dr. Weisz. "What
do you have to gain by killing Ryoko?"
Dr. Weisz laughed at the question. "What don't I have to gain?"
he replied rhetorically. "If word gets out around the universe that one of
my creations defeated the most feared space pirate in history, then my
genius shall receive unfathomable accolades. I'll be showered with grants
and commissions the likes of which no scientist has ever dreamed of. I
will have ungodly amounts of money and power! What more reason could
one possibly need?"
"Good; you can use all that money to pay for your therapy," Washu
shot back.
"Joke all you want, Washu," Dr. Weisz replied with dignity. "Just
remember that you said that when you start hearing my name mentioned in
the same sentences as your name."
"Leave Ryoko be!" Tenchi shouted. "You've proven your point!"
"Perhaps to you," Dr. Weisz said, "but unless I provide some hard
evidence of my accomplishment, my efforts will have been for naught in
the eyes of the scientific community. I will hang Ryoko's lifeless and
broken body up for all the universe to see! Now, Apex, finish her off!"
"Don't do it!" Tenchi implored.
As if Tenchi's plea struck a chord in Apex, he stopped to consider.
After a short silence, he replied, "No, I don't think I will."
This time, Dr. Weisz joined the group in surprise at what had just
been said. "What do you mean, 'No, I don't think I will?'" he asked
indignantly. "You will perform the task that was given to you!"
"Why should I?" Apex returned. "I have nothing to gain by killing
Ryoko. You want her dead, do it yourself!"
Dr. Wesiz's face flushed red with anger. "Why, you insolent
little..." he fumed. "You will do what I tell you!"
"I don't think so," Apex said with a vicious smile. "If there is one
thing that Pinnacle and I have in common, it's that you cannot control us."
"Apex!" Arcese shouted. "What are you up to?"
Apex paid his brother no heed as he walked slowly and deliberately
towards his creator, who backpedaled from the advancing android. "Did
you think I wouldn't find out, doctor?" Apex asked, continuing his gait.
"Did you really think that I wouldn't find out about the kill switch you put
in me? The one that's connected to Ryoko? If I kill her, then I die, too.
And we wouldn't want that to happen, now would we?"
The doctor's eyes went wide. "How did you find out about that!?"
he blurted.
"You'd be surprised what I found when I hacked into your
database, doctor," Apex replied.
"How dare you!?" Dr. Weisz exploded. "Do you know how much
effort I put into keeping those files secret? If you divulge the information
in those files, you'll ruin me!"
"That is the least of your worries," Apex said. "I'm still not too
happy about the fact that you were going to deactivate me." His approach
sped up just a little, causing Dr. Weisz to increase his speed, as well.
"Apex, you have to understand," Dr. Weisz said, "that the
deactivation was not going to be permanent. It would have been
temporary; you know, so I could work out any flaws in you."
"What kind of half-assed lie is that?" Apex replied. "We both
know that my design is flawless."
"There's always room for improvement!" countered the doctor
quickly, struggling to justify himself.
"Not always," replied Apex coolly. "For instance, you're pretty
much a lost cause."
"Apex, stop this foolishness right now!" commanded Dr. Weisz
firmly. "I created you! I have the right to do with you as I please!"
Apex sneered. "I've had just about enough of you," he growled.
He dashed forward and closed the remaining distance and grasped Dr.
Weisz by the head with one hand. "How do you like your creation?" he
asked with an evil smile. "Is it everything you hoped it would be?" Dr.
Weisz was too terrified to respond. With little apparent effort, Apex
closed his hand around the doctor's head. A sickening cracking sound,
like that of a green branch being broken over one's knee, accompanied the
shower of blood and gray matter that erupted from Dr. Weisz's ravaged
skull. The mess of blood and flesh splattered noisily to the ground,
staining red the once green grass. Apex watched in apparent delight as Dr.
Weisz's lifeless body plopped to the earth. His hand positively dripping
with the brain from which he was spawned, Apex turned around to view
the wide-eyed spectators who were aghast at the act of unspeakable and
senseless cruelty that they had witnessed. Sasami was brought to tears at
her sister's side by the horror of the grisly killing.
Seemingly invigorated by the deed, Apex widened his smile, and
said, almost playfully, "I had no idea patricide was so satisfying."
"Apex!" Arcese blurted. "You monster!"
"Am I?" Apex returned. "Is my motivation really that different
from yours? Much like myself, you realized that the doctor was misusing
you. So, you broke away from him. The only difference is, I had the guts
enough to do something about it."
"He didn't have to die," Arcese contended. "It didn't have to come
to this!"
"Oh, but it did," Apex answered. "If he had his way, we'd both be
dead right now. Thankfully, however, survival instinct is a powerful force.
So, I got him before he could get us."
"By killing him senselessly?" Arcese shot back. "That's not right,
Apex."
"Oh, stop playing choir boy with me, Pinnacle," Apex said
flippantly. "The same blood runs through both of our veins, as it were.
Despite your power being inferior to mine, I would still like very much to
call you my brother."
"Any blood that we may have shared was stripped from me,"
Arcese replied icily, "when I landed here. These people cared for me,
helped me when I was in need. They are the reason I am alive. They are
my family!"
"They are flesh and bone," Apex said dryly, "while you and I are so
much more. We were designed to surpass all living creatures in power.
We're practically immortal. We can influence the lives of millions of
beings with but a wave of our hand. Do you know what else can do that,
Pinnacle? Do you? Gods, Pinnacle. We are gods! We are destined to
rule over all that we know! Think about it; next to me, you are the most
powerful being in existence. That is no small thing. You answer to no
one. Your will is absolute and all-encompassing. You have unfathomable
power. You ARE power! And with me at your side, you can rule the
entire universe if you so desire! Come with me, Pinnacle; come with me
and be my brother again."
Arcese did not need to think very long about his answer to Apex's
proposal. "I've got a better idea," he said. "Why don't I stay here with my
real family, and you go straight to hell?"
Apex squinted in anger. "Think about what I am offering you,
Pinnacle," he insisted. "Stay here, and you are nothing. I am offering you
the universe. Dr. Weisz may have given you life, but only I can give you
power."
"Then take that power," Arcese deadpanned, "and shove it!"
Apex gritted his teeth, and cast his eyes to the ground. "You
disappoint me, brother," he said. "I truly hoped that you would accept
your rightful place at my side. We could have been the supreme power in
the universe. And now, I'm going to have to kill you."
Apex extended his palm, which pulsed in a blue light. Then, in a
blinding flash, a ball of energy shot out from his extremity and slammed
into Arcese before he had a chance to dodge. The impact knocked Arcese
to the ground and plowed him across the earth, leaving a deep trench
which traced his path for about a hundred meters. He lay still, curls of
smoke rising from his body.
"Arcese!" Sasami shouted in alarm.
"You heartless bastard!" Washu screeched.
Apex appeared to pay no heed to the accusation as he marched
towards the still motionless Ryoko and picked her up, slinging her over his
shoulder. "Put her down!" Tenchi shouted angrily. "You said you weren't
going to kill her!"
"Oh, but I'm not," Apex insisted. "In fact, I can guarantee that she
will be kept very safe. You see, my circuitry runs off of her unique
emotions. If she were to expire, well, then, so would I. The way I see it, if
I take her with me, I'll be absolutely sure of maximizing her longevity.
She can be like my pet. Sort of like a goldfish, I guess." He paused for a
moment to drink in the delicious expressions of disgust directed at him.
"Well, my business here is done," he proclaimed. "Thank you for your
hospitality; you have a lovely home." He began striding back to the ship
he landed in.
"Not so fast!" a voice shouted from across the lawn. everyone
directed their eyes to Arcese, who was getting up slowly.
Apex seemed amused. "Well, well, it seems you have some fight
left in you, after all," he said. "Perhaps you're not totally worthless after
all, Pinnacle."
A pale blue glow began to intensify around Arcese. "Don't call me
that!" he hissed. His hand raised from his side, but was not pointed at
Apex. Rather, it was pointed at his ship. He let loose a blast of energy
which struck the side of the vessel, causing a great hole to rip open at both
the entrance and exit points. The searing scream of twisting metal could
be heard as the ship became ravaged by Arcese's attack, clearly rendered
unusable.
Apex glared at Arcese, a look of impatience on his face. "You
know, you started out as a mere inconvenience," he said. "Now, though,
you're really starting to piss me off. Luckily, there's a scientist of some
repute right here that can build me another ship."
"You don't really think I'm going to help you, do you?" Washu
asked.
Apex shot her a piercing glance. "Don't argue with me," he said
evenly.
"Put Ryoko down," Arcese commanded. "She'll be staying right
here as long as I'm still around."
Apex chuckled, "Well, that goes without saying!" He laid Ryoko
on the ground and began striding towards Arcese.
"Tenchi," Arcese called to his friend, "get Ryoko far away from
here."
Washu gulped. "I think we should do the same," she said.
"Why?" Mihoshi asked. "What's happening?"
"Arcese is going to fight at his full power," Washu said. "And
being anywhere near them when they fight would be very dangerous."
Tenchi did as he was instructed and scooped Ryoko up in his arms.
The rest followed him off to a safe distance away. The group crouched
behind a dense stand of trees and peered out cautiously at the developing
scenario. Washu summoned her computer and opened the program that
measured power levels. "Okay, Arcese," she said, "make me proud."

Chapter 6: Sacrifice

Apex continued to advance towards Arcese with a sharp gait. "It
really is a shame," he said. "You're a marvel of modern science. What a
waste it will be to destroy you."
"You're the waste, Apex," Arcese shot back.
Apex chuckled. "You poor, deluded fool," he said coolly, stopping
his advance. "Before I kill you, though, I do have a question: Why is it
that you have taken the exact same physical form as I have? Is it because
you are jealous of my power?"
"This is the only form I know," Arcese replied, tensing for battle.
"This is the form I was destined to take, I'm sure of it."
"Really?" Apex queried. "Well, too bad for you that I know a few
more forms than you do." He grinned menacingly and tensed. His body
began to contort in an unfamiliar way. Arcese watched in bewilderment as
Apex's legs began to elongate and thicken. From the small of the
android's back, a long tail began to protrude. His arms moved closer
together and shortened, while great claws erupted from his hands and feet.
Apex's eyes moved to the sides of his head, and his jaw began to jut out
drastically, exposing a gleaming row of dagger-like white teeth. His skin
morphed from a pallid peach color to a scaly greenish-brown. The
metamorphosis complete, Apex flipped his tail and chuckled. "What do
you think?" he asked in his same icy voice.
Arcese was forced to crane his neck upward to face his opponent,
as he had grown several feet. He eyed the great beast with a mixture of
fear and surprise on his face. Apex noticed the concern on his face. "This
form is one of my favorites," he explained. "It's based on a prehistoric
creature called a dinosaur; more specifically a velociraptor. The agility
and strength inherent in this form impresses me to no end. Normally, I
wouldn't even bother to transform to dispose of someone as weak as you,
but I wanted your end to be special."
"I'm flattered," Arcese deadpanned. The pale blue glow around
him intensified until it appeared as though he was engulfed in a great
flame. He recovered his wits enough to give Apex an intimidating gaze.
"Let's get this over with," he said.
"Well put," Apex replied. He dashed towards his adversary.
From their observation point among the stands of trees, Tenchi and
the girls watched the fight unfold. Washu had a very concerned look on
her face. "This is not good," she said aloud.
"What is it?" Kiyone asked.
"Apex is twice as powerful as Arcese," she reported, "and he
doesn't even seem to be fighting at full power."
"But then why doesn't Arcese fight at his full power?" Ayeka
asked.
"He is," Washu replied. Ayeka's hand went to her mouth.
Indeed, Arcese was putting forth his maximum effort. Apex's
initial attack was a rake of his claws at him, but Arcese was able to jump
back and avoid them. Unfortunately, he wasn't so agile enough to avoid
the whipping tail that came around to smash him in the face. The hit sent
him sprawling high into the air. Apex anticipated his landing point and
ran underneath him. Arcese came down right into Apex's mouth. Apex
closed his outsized mouth around him, the razor sharp carnivore teeth
digging into his body. So much energy was put into the crushing clamp
that Arcese had no choice but to howl in agony. He struggled fruitlessly to
break from the grasp, kicking and punching wildly in an effort to free
himself from the jaws of the monstrosity. In a last ditch effort, He
powered up an energy blast in his palm, and contorted his arm such that
his splayed hand made contact with one of Apex's eyes. He released the
blast, causing a blinding flash to envelop Apex's head. When the
brightness dissipated, Apex only seemed annoyed. He shook Arcese
violently several times, and tossed him unceremoniously into the earth. A
spray of dirt and grass followed the impact of his body into the ground.
Washu looked at the respective prince and princesses of Jurai.
"Tenchi, Ayeka, Sasami," she addressed them, "Arcese needs your help."
"But we can't fight that thing!" Tenchi contended. "You saw what
he did to my sword."
"You don't need to physically fight him," Washu explained. "Just
give your power to Arcese."
"But how?" Sasami asked.
"He is connected to all of us emotionally," Washu said. "If you
simply will your power to him, he should be able to pick up on that and
absorb it into himself."
"Well, I suppose we have to at least try," Tenchi said. Ayeka and
Sasami nodded assent, and the three closed their eyes, having no idea what
they were doing, hoping that, somehow, Arcese would get their message.
As he lay prostrate on the ground, Arcese sensed the emotional
patterns of the three Juraians. Something new had flared up; something he
was able to draw from. The three emotional signatures seemed to blend
together and enter into him. Arcese felt his power increase far beyond any
level he had ever experienced before. Then, an oppressive weight seemed
to squash him into the ground even further. Apex had slammed his foot
down forcefully on top of him. "Boy, am I glad my design is more
advanced than yours," he said. "If I were as weak as you, I'd probably just
kill myself."
Arcese felt his power brimming over. "Oh, allow me," he said
through clenched teeth. He gathered nearly all of his available energy and
directed it straight up. The blue pulse made contact with Apex's leg, and
the scaly appendage became engulfed in a blinding glimmer of power.
When all was said and done, Arcese stood up and looked down at Apex,
who lay on his side, his leg missing.
"Yes!" Tenchi shouted as he jumped in the air. "We did it! Arcese
won!"
"I knew he could do it!" Sasami joined in gleefully.
"No," Washu said, "it's not over yet."
"What do you mean?" Kiyone inquired. "You saw what happened;
Apex has no leg left. How can it not be over?"
"I'm not sure," Washu replied, "but Apex's power level hasn't
gone down at all. All I know for certain is that Arcese hasn't won yet."
Arcese squinted at his fallen opponent. "It's over, Apex," he said.
"You lose."
Apex frowned. "I must say, I am a bit surprised that you were able
to do that," he said. "I never would have guessed you capable of such
power, based simply on the specifics of your design."
"I told you before," Arcese said, "That I'm not who you think I
am."
"I suppose that much is true," Apex concurred, "but it doesn't
change anything. I'm still going to kill you."
Arcese shook his head. "Now who's the deluded fool?" he asked.
"You'll see," Apex said with an evil smirk. The misshapen stump
connected to his hip began changing shape, elongating and defining itself
into what Arcese had feared it would. Apex righted himself and stood up
confidently on his new leg. "Pretty neat trick, huh?" he asked playfully.
"I just changed the density of my body to compensate for the cells that
were destroyed."
"Not bad," Arcese returned. "I guess I'll just have to keep blowing
off body parts until there's nothing left."
"I won't give you the chance," Apex said. His body illuminated in
an intense light, a brilliant blue which gradually lightened and brightened
until it was a blinding white. The energy he radiated glowed brighter than
any star in the midnight sky. When the glow faded away, Washu furrowed
her brow.
"Apex is fighting at full power," she announced.
"Come on," Tenchi said to Ayeka and Sasami, "we need to give
him more of our energy."
"Don't bother," Washu interjected. "Any power that you might
give him would be only a drop in the bucket compared to what he would
need."
"But we can't just sit here and do nothing!" Ayeka countered.
"Even with the power you gave him, Arcese was only able to raise
his power to about fifteen thousand," Washu explained. "Right now,
Apex is fighting at over thirty thousand."
"What!?" Ayeka shouted. "That's impossible!"
"Now, you pathetic prototype," Apex said, "you will learn that true
power is a concept that has been foreign to you all along." Apex rushed at
Arcese with blinding speed. Needing a few moments to plan out an attack
strategy, Arcese took to the air, flying above the advance of his opponent.
His effort to evade was useless, however, as Apex's tail stretched up and
wrapped around his midsection. "Get down here!" Apex yelled as his tail
whipped him forcefully into the ground. Before Arcese could right
himself, a beam of energy shot from Apex's mouth. The blast plowed
Arcese into the ground, his body creating a deep gash in the earth tracing
the path the attack had sent him along. As he stood up wobbly, Apex
changed back into his human form and approached Arcese with a grin on
his face.
Washu bit her lip as the scene played itself out. It was painfully
obvious to her that Arcese did not possess the power needed to defeat
Apex. She had hoped and prayed that the situation would not have called
for her last resort, but she was out of ideas. Washu looked at Sasami, and
nodded her head knowingly. Sasami nodded in response, then promptly
snapped up from her position and ran towards the battle ground.
"Sasami, come back!" Ayeka shouted after her sister. "You'll get
hurt!" She made to sprint after her, but Washu grabbed her by the arm,
halting her progress.
"Let her go," was all she said.
"But she might get killed!" Ayeka insisted.
"Trust me," Washu replied evenly.
"Washu, what are you doing?" Ayeka asked sharply. "Why won't
you let me help her?"
"Trust me," she repeated, this time a little more firmly. Her eyes
were intent and biting, an expression that even the first princess of Jurai
could not raise her voice to. She sat back down obediently, and watched
helplessly as Sasami approached ever closer to the two combatants.
As Sasami ran, the discussion she had had with Washu in her lab
the day before ran through her mind. The whole situation was so
frightening, underscoring the significance of her role in all this. "Arcese's
power is indelibly connected to his emotions," Washu had said. "It's his
nature to seek an alternative to fighting. I'm afraid that, once this android
arrives, Arcese won't feel enough of a need to defeat him, which might
impede his power. He needs to fight with his emotions. He needs to have
a reason to destroy the android, whether it be out of love or anger. Since
he seems to hold a special affection for you, I believe that you are the key
to filling that need. You, and you alone, can give Arcese something to
fight for."
Apex stopped a scant few yards from Arcese, the grin still frozen
on his face. He raised his palm and pointed it at Arcese, at which point it
began to glow, an energy attack powering up within it. "This ends now,"
he hissed coldly. "I guess being an only child won't be so bad..."
Before he could release the energy, a whirlwind of blue hair
stepped in between them. Sasami stood before Apex, arms spread and
eyes angry. "Stop this right now!" she commanded.
Apex furrowed his brow. "Arcese," he said with pity, "are you
really so weak that you send children to fight for you? Even in the face of
death, I would never do something so pathetic. Child, please stand aside;
this does not concern you."
"Sasami, get out of here!" Arcese ordered.
Sasami paid Arcese no heed. "Arcese is my friend," she said to
Apex, "and I will not let you hurt him."
"I'm very sorry," Apex taunted, "but you have very little say in the
matter. Go away. Now."
"No!" Sasami shouted. "You will deal with me first!"
Apex stared at Sasami blankly, at once curious and disgusted of the
insolent child who would question his authority. He was puzzled at her
audacity, and piteous of her blind loyalty. The elimination of such an
inferior creature was quite inconsequential. "Okay," he said. He released
his attack.
Time itself seemed to stop before Arcese's eyes. The time it took
for Apex's attack to leave his hand and impact Sasami's chest seemed like
forever, a span of time in which Arcese desperately wanted to act, but
could not; he, like time, was frozen. His eyes were wide as they witnessed
the blast enter and exit from Sasami's body, a spray of blood following the
blue spheroid of energy that ran her through. He was consciously aware of
every inch that Sasami fell to the ground, her fading strength no longer a
match for gravity. A pounding resonated in his ears, broken only by the
sickening thud of Sasami's body onto the ground. She rested motionless
in a tangle of blue hair and red blood, her life leaking from her on the
grass. By the time Arcese found himself able to move again, it was far too
late.
"SASAMI!" Ayeka shrieked in anguish.
"Oh, my God!" Mihoshi broke in. Ayeka again leapt up to aid her,
but Washu grabbed her arm. Ayeka looked at her, tears flowing from her
eyes.
"I could have saved her," she wailed. "Why did you stop me?!"
"You'll understand everything soon enough," Washu said stoically.
"In the meantime, there's nothing you can do for her. It's best if you stay
here."
Ayeka had no idea how something so cruel could have escaped
from Washu's mouth. She wanted to yell, to scream at her at the top of
her lungs, but only collapsed in a heap on the ground, sobbing
uncontrollably. Tenchi would have tried his best to comfort her if he had
noticed, but he was still gaping in shock at what he had just seen,
completely numb.
"Sasami! No!" Arcese yelled as he finally moved, kneeling beside
her and propping her head on his arm.
"I hope you're happy with yourself," Apex said calmly. "If not for
your cowardice, she may have lived to see tomorrow."
Arcese gawked at the gaping wound in Sasami's chest. He caught
movement as she gave a weak flutter of her eyelids; she was still alive.
"Sasami, hang on!" he pleaded. "You're going to be okay!"
Sasami's nearly closed eyes looked at Arcese, and saw the pain in
his face. She hoped it was enough. With her last bit of energy, she
mouthed, "I love you." Her body then went totally limp, and she lay still
in his arms. Arcese felt her emotional signature fade, and then vanish.
Totally weakened, Sasami's body fell from his grasp. He trembled
uncontrollably, shocked and saddened beyond all reason. So vibrant, so
young; and now...
[I let her die,] he thought. [It's my fault! If I hadn't been so
weak, then... No. I protected her. I am not the one who took her away.
He is the one. I can't let him do this to me! To anyone else! He will take
no more from me! And I will take no more from him! HE WILL
SUFFER!]
Arcese rose to his feet and clenched his fists. Apex smiled. "Shall
we continue?" he asked.
Arcese cocked his head back and let loose with an ear-piercing
shriek, a soliloquy filled with pain and hatred. The ground beneath him
began to shake, gently at first, then violently. The very air around him
pulsed with energy. A column of blue brilliance seemed to wrap around
him, obscuring his form momentarily in a flash that hurt the eyes of those
who witnessed it. The roar of the energy conjured up by the normally
passive android was deafening, but still could not drown out his scream, a
dreadful screech that overshadowed all.
"What... what's happening to him?!" Kiyone asked.
"Arcese is absorbing incredible amounts of power!" Washu said,
raising her voice to overcome the maddening shriek. "For the first time in
his life, he wants to fight!"
Even Apex found the need to shield his eyes from the light, a glow
that represented the intensity of Arcese's emotions at that moment. Apex
himself experienced a strange feeling; for the first time, he felt unsure.
Finally, Arcese's scream cut out. The blinding blue glow around
him faded, revealing his form once again. He stood tensed, his face cast to
the ground, eyes closed. All around his body, dozens of miniature crackles
of lightning jumped from him. He raised his face to Apex once again, and
opened his eyes. All trace of gentleness and understanding was gone, as
the whole of his eyes had turned blood red.
Arcese looked upon his adversary with amazing anger in his heart.
Had his rage not taken control, he would have been aghast at what he had
become. For his desires were the exact manifestation of what he tried so
very hard not to become. He had no sympathy for the one who stood
facing him. He wanted him dead.
He wanted to kill.


TO BE CONTINUED...