Urusei Yatsura Fan Fiction ❯ The Senior Year ❯ Great Father Ataru Stage Five: Rescue ( Chapter 58 )

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

One hundred years ago. Vos.

"She's gone, Aisur," a voice softly intones.

Aisur blinks, eyes swimming in tears as he feels the priest's gentle
hand on his shoulder. His hands grasped Munba's, hoping beyond hope that the
beautiful woman before him would rise, embrace him and things would return to
normal. However, no movement comes from the still woman. Aisur feels his
self-control vanish as he bestows a final kiss on his wife's lips. He was
forty. Munba was older by five years. They had married immediately after
they recognized each other, right after he passed Stop Time. They had been
looking forward to starting a family. Now those dreams were dashed, forever.

Around him, fifty-one other innocent women lay unmoving on beds.
Parents unashamedly weep at the horrid sight of their children, their hope for
the future, gone. Boyfriends and husbands scream for their lovers to be
returned. Children wail for their mothers to wake up. Aisur watches them,
then stares at his wife. Where was the justice? Where...?

The door to the reception hall opens, revealing a tall figure dressed in
the black of the Mikado's special forces. He removes his sunglasses to reveal
very narrow slits where the eyes were supposed to be. The priest stares at
the visitor, then ushers him away. "Has the government discovered what caused
this?!" he hisses.

"We've sent trackers after Mizu," the official reports. "We lost
contact with all of them. We...fear the worst."

"Lecasur's Eternal Soul!" the priest gasps. "Where's that thing going?"

"Toward the Dead Zone, the Federation worlds," the official sighs. "We
believe it may come near several worlds, but they're technologically advanced
enough to deal with it...I hope."

Suddenly, a rumbling shakes the building. Everyone looks up, then move
to the windows. A page enters the room. "Your Grace...the Voyager."

Everyone tenses on hearing that name, knowing what it means. As the
dark shadow of the Sagussan superdreadnought halts over the town reception
hall, people shuffle away from the slain women. For as far back as before
Vosian memory, this scene had played out again and again. The priest notices
Aisur still beside Munba. "Come, lad," he urges the young soldier away.
"There's nothing you can do for her now. It's in the Voyager's hands now."

Aisur watches as transporter beams take Munba and her companions away.
Children wail as they watch their mothers disappear. Others pray, knowing
that those Mizu has slain would have a second chance at life, somewhere in the
vast unknown, wherever the Great Palace lay. Aisur is not one of them. Oh,
he knew Munba would be safe now, but his thoughts centred on other matters,
darker matters.

Matters of vengeance...

* * *

Urusei Yatsura - Great Father Ataru: "Stage Five: Rescue"

by Fred Herriot
**** **** ****
Edited by E.B. Kushnir
**** **** ****
Forty-fourth of a series of fan-fiction stories based on "Urusei Yatsura"
created by Rumiko Takahashi
**** **** ****

WRITER'S NOTES:

1) Remember the spectacled man from the prologue. He returns in two
stories.

2) Also watch out for the *laqu'r* introduced in this story. His existence
will have great ramifications for Ataru, Shinobu and Elle...and by extension,
many other characters...in the period after this series ends, which will be
recounted in various stories in "Urusei Yatsura Twenty Years Later."

3) The Imperial Round served the same purpose for the Urusian Empire as the
Magate Round serves the Seifukusu Dominion. It is only natural that Yethis
would use that name for his group of conspirators.

**** **** ****

"So, what can we do?!" Ataru sighs, relaxing in his chair. "We have one
department with no minister or commissioner. Any takers?"

The group before him nervously fidget. All internal security officers,
they bear the two rectangular tabs of an inspector on their collars. None of
them acted as if they wanted to be there. Ataru's eyes fall on Angel. "What
about you, Angel?"

"M-me?!" the *pirpirsiw'r* stammers, then shakes her head. "No thanks,
Ataru!! My job's interrogation, not being a leader!!"

Ataru's eyes shift elsewhere. "Maki?"

"I...would prefer not to, sir," the commander of the Hostage Rescue Team
shakes her head. "I believe my talents are better served with my team."

Ataru sighs. "Ladies, Sakura wants a Minister of Internal Security and
a Police Commissioner to attend cabinet meetings. Now, some of you people
here must be qualified to take either of those positions. What's wrong?" A
hand goes up. "Yes, Miyuki?"

Miyuki, a brunette Fukunokami-born inspector commanding Force Three's B
Troop, stands. "Sir, I believe I can speak for everyone in this room. None
of us believe ourselves qualified or psychologically prepared to take the
responsibility of enforcing the Republic's civil and criminal codes."

"Miyuki, that's your job, remember?"

"I know, sir," Miyuki sighs. "But as police officers, we'll be obliged
to investigate any crime which happens here. We can't even imagine any crime
occurring on Sagussa at this time; that's how naive we are. Nepotism and
failure to carry out our duties is a clear possibility. In our position, it
becomes dangerous since innocents depend on us to maintain the peace. We all
know each other quite well; TOO well in fact. If I or Natsumi or Angel or
Maki becomes Minister, we could ignore things, let things go to the wayside.
And that's a recipe for trouble."

Ataru sighs. "I see you've thought this out. Do you have a suggestion
as to how we should proceed?"

"Yes, sir," Miyuki's bond-mate Natsumi, a brown-haired *azhis'f*-born
inspector commanding Force One's Troop D, stands. "We...recommend that an
outsider be invited to become Minister of Internal Security."

Ataru blinks. "We'd bring in law enforcement from another world?!"

"Yes, sir," Natsumi nods. "The precedent is there. On your planet,
police chiefs are hired from other jurisdictions. Some from hundreds, even
thousands, of kilometres away. An outsider could see things we'd miss, which
guarantees us staying on our toes."

Silence falls as the *daimon'cha* considers that. "Okay," he stands.
"I want you people to write up a series of criteria which fit an internal
security minister. Liaise with Intelligence to obtain training standards from
different worlds. In the meantime, Natsumi, you're acting Minister. Miyuki,
you'll serve as acting Commissioner."

The hapless inspectors jolt. "WHY?!?!?!"

"Someone has to do it," Ataru shrugs.

He steps out of the meeting room. Sympathetic stares fall on Miyuki and
Natsumi, while at the same time, each woman breathes a sigh of relief because
she was missed. "I shouldn't've opened my mouth," the former mutters.

"I'll get you for this, Miyuki," the latter growls.

Meanwhile, Ataru makes his way to the Galactic Situation Room. It was
good to be back in the Chamber of Eternity. Being aboard the Gatherer over
Earth for so long was diverting his attention from his responsibilities of
being Sagussa's head-of-state. While he had little real power to exercise
while on Sagussa, he knew that his presence boosted morale among the
*daishi'cha* who had not got the chance to travel inside the Barrier.

Stepping into the Situation Room, he blinks on seeing Hazel there. The
Chief of Hydrographic Sciences, a well-endowed seventeen-year old version of
Nassur's ward, was staring at a computer screen, sheer delight crossing her
face as the readings flashed before her. Ataru walks up. "You okay, Hazel?"

Hazel jolts, then stares at Ataru. "Oh, Ataru, you startled me!" she
smiles, then returns to the computer. "I'm fine."

"You look like the cat who swallowed the canary and got away with it."

"You might say that," she purrs.

Ataru sighs. He had noticed this with many of Sagussa's scientists;
they had such a limited attention span, always keeping their minds on whatever
project held their interest at the time. Leaning down, he exhales into her
ear. She gasps, staring quizzically at him. "Now, Hazel, why don't you tell
me what's going on...or do I get Tsuyoko down here to seduce it from you?"

The scientist blushes. "I'm sorry, Ataru. I'm just investigating a
water asteroid that one of our rover units located."

Ataru blinks. "A water asteroid?!" he gasps.

"Yes!" Hazel points at the readings, a giddy look crossing her face.
"It's a little larger than Sagurei. Currently in the Dead Zone, moving at
Warp One in the direction of Earth. Totally covered in uncontaminated water,
both frozen and liquid! There's enough here to refill all the oceans!!"

By then, everyone else has turned their attention to the scientist,
quite surprised that they received such a stroke of luck when it came to
Sagussa's primary environmental problem. "Wait a minute!" Makoto rises from
her station. "Since when can an asteroid move at hyperluminal speeds?!"

Ataru blinks. "That's odd! How can it move?! Any sign of a propulsion
system?!"

"Nothing was detected by the rovers," Hazel stares at the readings. "It
appears to be a natural electomagentic/gravimetric field around the asteroid
which allows it to move around and through each solar system's heliopause
barriers."

"What about internal energy?" Asagao, a blonde Seishin-born intelligence
officer named by Mark Onsen, walks up. "Surely something floating beyond the
life-zones of a star would have its water supply totally frozen."

"A lot of internal core and mantle energy," Hazel muses, staring at the
readings. "This planetoid seems to have the same consistency of Jupiter's
moon Europa, although its thermal output is hundreds of times greater. I
guess this energy might also explain why it's moving at Warp One."

"What's its present course?" Ataru wonders.

"Directly toward Earth," Hazel stares at the readings. "It should
arrive in your home solar system in a week, Ataru."

The *daimon'cha* tenses. "What happens if this thing gets close to a
planet...say Earth or Triton?!"

"Well, gravity conflict isn't my specialty, but I can certainly say that
Earth's larger gravity would draw off this planetoid's water supply, causing a
deluge which could equal if not surpass the flood depicted in your planet's
Bible," Hazel muses.

People tense. "It looks like we're going back to Earth again," Ataru
sighs. "But this time, we have to stop a runaway asteroid!"

"Other than destroying it, what CAN we do to stop it?" Makoto wonders.

"Don't destroy it!!" Hazel cries. "All that water could be put to
better use here!!"

"Explain that to five billion Terrans as they drown!" Asagao hisses.

"Never mind!" Ataru sighs. "We'll use the *haijo-ju* to alter its
course to Sagussa, then destroy the asteroid when it gets here to allow the
water to fall naturally into the seas, or else use the 'Lyme'cha' to transport
the water from the asteroid to the surface!"

"It sounds like a plan!" Makoto smiles.

James' voice then interrupts. "*Ataru-sama, a message from Ambassador
Kimaenowakai,*" the Chamber's central computer announces. "*You're requested
to go to the planet Zeiwan as soon as possible.*"

"Why?!" Ataru looks up.

"*The Zeiwanite ambassador did not state the exact reason,*" James
sighs. "*But he told Kimaenowakai that it was a matter of state, which
requires your presence.*"

Ataru blinks. It had only been two days since the Sagussans repatriated
the surviving Lost Ones of Zeiwan, ending a two-century reign of terror which
had cost thousands of lives. He only knew three Zeiwanites: Tadahitora,
Chara and Densha. "Well, if it is a matter of state, I suppose I'll have to
go," he scratches the back of his head.

"I'll tell Ayesha," Makoto announces. "Kaede'll have to go, too; we
have no ambassador for Zeiwan. I'll come with you as a bodyguard; who knows
what will happen even in a place like that. Zeiwan is pretty close to both
Ipraedies space and Phentax Two."

"I'll get Renkon to go with you," Asagao announces. "You'll need an
interpreter in case things get spicy."

"Have some other Zeiwanite *daishi'cha* go, too!" Makoto tells her.

"Right!!" the intelligence officer nods as she runs out of the room.

Ataru remains in place, slightly dizzy at the split-second decisions
surrounding his office. *Trust them!* a part of his mind urges. *They know
what to do. Let them help you. Don't interfere; you'll make a mess of it!*

* * *

"She has been gone for two weeks," Babara sadly intones. "And there has
been no word."

"Can we presume she is dead?" Anna wonders, nursing a cherubic baby girl
with black hair and an unruly cowlick. "Will it be enough to end this madness
and cleanse this poor world of his evil?!"

"I don't want to wish it...and my selfishness may doom our world," the
aged nanny sighs, walking over to sit beside her friend. "She is as much my
daughter as she was poor Lyree's. If she is lost, I don't know what I'll do."

"The good of the many versus the good of the one," the Freemason warns.
"I do not envy you your decision, Babara."

Babara smiles. Anna, like all Yehisrites, understood well the tortures
of conflicting loyalties. As the Royal Nanny, Babara was tasked to prepare
Amora de Rosenbach to become Elle's sixty-fourth Rose Queen when the Royal
Senate declared her next in line. Despite Elle's eccentricities, Babara had
performed a splendid job. Affairs of state were meticulously taken care of;
Elle had never shirked her responsibilities to that end.

Further, Babara had come to love her charge as if she was her own child.
It explained why Babara was willing to tolerate Elle's actions as of late.
Still, she could not replace Abrah and Lyree, the queen's true parents, who
had disappeared on Kizasei when Elle was only seven...where the Rose Queen had
gone two weeks before to look for them, alone.

"There is only one person Elle-sama would truly listen to, even now
after he rejected her," Babara sighs. "Further, he has the power to ensure
she returns unharmed, if she's still alive. Yet...how does one contact him
given where he now lives?"

Anna smiles. She had come to know Babara well enough to guess what
decision she would make towards rescuing Elle. "I've already made inquiries,"
she muses. "He'll be on Zeiwan very soon, in relation to that episode with
those energy-vampires, the Lost Ones. We could approach him then."

Babara blinks surprisedly, then nods...

* * *

"...for such a selfless act of humanity towards our suffering citizens,
for reuniting many families both in the United Republic and beyond, this
reward, which is meant as much for the brave warriors of Sagussa, is presented
to you, sir, in hopes that relations between the Fifth Republic and the United
Republic remain forever peaceful," Prime Minister Hosha smiles as he holds out
the green sash ribbon with a silver medallion emblazoned with a relief of a
woman freeing the dove of peace. "To that end, Ataru Moroboshi of Earth and
Sagussa, the United Republic of Zeiwan presents you her highest honour...
Commander of the Most Noble Order of Heira! Please step forward."

Ataru stands, lowering his head as the sash is slipped over his right
shoulder, allowed to drape to his left waist. The assembled dignitaries give
him a standing ovation as Ataru shakes the aged prime minister's hand, then
bows to the crowd. "Thank you," he bows again to Hosha, then proceeds with
his short speech.

Sometime later, a reception is held in the Hall of Peace. Ataru and
Hosha form a reception line as guess file past. Renkon, another of Mark
Onsen's girls who presently serves as chief intelligence officer concerned
with Zeiwan, stands beside her head-of-state, announcing each guest. "The Lady
Chara and her fiance," she smiles as two familiar faces approach.

"Congratulations, Ataru," Chara warmly squeezes his hand. "It's a pity
Lum-chan isn't here to celebrate with you."

"She's...busy right now," Ataru smiles, then notices the three pendants
around her neck. "Lyna's Soul, Densha, haven't you married this girl yet?!"

Densha jolts, surprised that Ataru noticed. "Well, she's been so busy
at her company, we haven't had the chance to date!" he flushes.

"Tsubame and Sakura are getting married in a week, you know!" Ataru
snorts, then stares at Chara's father. "Makes me wonder when Prim and the
Prince of the Underworld'll tie the knot."

"IF the Prince will allow her to tie him to the altar!" Chara laughs.

Everyone howls with merriment. "Have you met your spirit-sister?" Ataru
indicates Chara-chan, standing with a group of Zeiwanite-born *daishi'cha* who
came with their leader to the reception.

"I have!" she flushes. "It's strange, talking to 'myself!' I wonder
how the others felt meeting their spirit-sisters!"

"Well, Lum, Benten, Oyuki and Lan didn't have problems," Ataru muses.
"Kurama was just relieved that she no longer had to consider me to be the
father of her child. The ones named after my friends on Earth had no real
problems either. I just haven't unleashed Elle-chan on Elle yet."

"Please don't start with her!" Hosha's eyes roll. "There are times I
equate Elle with Oogi and Upa! I'm so happy you rid this galaxy of the former
...and even more happy that time will soon dispose of the latter!"

"So am I!" Ataru sips his flute of mineral water. "I wonder if they
hung the creep when he got back home."

"Can't you ask your intelligence people to find out?" Hosha nods to
Renkon and her counterpart Retasuko, intelligence chief for Yehisril.

"I only have a post observer for Phentax Two," Ataru explains. "You
see, that place doesn't rate a full intelligence group like Zeiwan. And
Renkon tells me that Ninjinko is begging for a new assignment!"

Everyone snickers with delight. Retasuko walks up. "Sir, the Lord
Protector and his party," she nods to an approaching group of Yehisrites.

Ataru braces himself as Alko steps up. A silver-haired man in his early
forties, the Lord Protector of the Royal Kingdoms of Yehisril projected a
demeanor befitting the leader of one of the local cluster's three superpowers.
Missing his right eye and several fingers, he is dressed in his ceremonial
gold battle armour, carrying a wicked-looking weapon which would help in
combat but, at the moment, seemed to be relegated to symbolize his position as
head-of-state. Accompanying him is Varanko and two *laqu'rs.* "Sir, it is an
honour to meet you at last," Alko holds out his hand.

Ataru gives him a firm handshake. "Sir, it is you who do me the
honour."

"Not at all," Alko smiles. "Any man who willingly hunts enslavers of
children is worthy of respect anywhere. Further, you did me a great favour by
helping Sansura with her recent problems," he stares at Varanko.

"She came to me at a convenient time," Ataru admits, then nods to the
Lord High Executioner. "It's good to see you again."

"And you," Varanko nods, then indicates the fellows beside him. "May I
present Lord Dameko of Varanko and Lord Sheko of Kyotos, the Kingdoms' two
senior *laqu'rs.*"

"Honoured," Ataru holds out his hand.

Dameko walks up first, gripping Ataru's hand. "A pleasure, Ataru. Any
person who can vex so many is truly worthy of respect. In the eyes of many,
you have earned your position with the Maidens of the Soultaker."

"I hope I can continue to earn that position," Ataru admits.

"Ah!" Varakos' crown prince smiles. "There, sir, is the great trap we
all face when we sit on our thrones. Our actions affect so many, hence each
step we take is always fraught with danger."

"I keep learning that every day."

"Good," Dameko smiles. "Perhaps there is some Yehisrite blood along
with the Vosian blood coursing through your veins."

"Maybe," Ataru nods, then turns to Sheko. "Honoured to meet you, sir."

Sheko glares at him, curtly returning his handshake. About Ataru's
height, he is Alko's age, although his hair is still a bright blonde, his body
whipcord lean under his armour. A Van Dyke beard and moustache barely hides
the sneer twisting his lips. His huntsman's eyes drill into the *daimon'cha*
with bold contempt. "Strange that you would speak of honour when your actions
as of late state otherwise," he muses.

Varanko and Alko glare at the *laqu'r.* Dameko remains silent. Ataru
does not move. The projected demeanor reminds him of someone else, someone he
had "encountered" on Colony Seventy-one at Junba's funeral. "Have I caused
you offense?" Ataru enqires.

"You interfered in the business of a friend of mine on Vos," Sheko
explains, his voice frosty. "One of your agents who slew his hunters before
your involvement with the Sceptre of Lecasur quest. Then just before that
quest, there was your interference when he sought to discipline his rebellious
subject. That I found intolerable."

"That was in retaliation for a blatant assault on my fiancee by one of
that man's hunters," Ataru evenly replies. "And that second incident involved
the newborn daughters of a very good friend of mine. Others have learned and
many will learn to their cost that I will brook no harm to my friends under
any circumstances. Here, I must confess, sir, your choice of friends speaks
ill of you...especially since the one we're speaking of is a mass murderer, a
dishonourable slime who sends his shadow to attack his enemies, including a
defenseless newborn girl, at a funeral. I was around to stop him and his
accomplice...and if he crosses my path again, I'll be more than happy to
finish the job Nassur's parents started."

Sheko blinks with surprise, startled that this slip of a boy would face
him down without flinching. Ataru leaves him no chance to gather his wits.
"I admire loyalty to friends...I really do," the *daimon'cha* icily smiles,
fixing the *laqu'r* with a stare. "If you wish to defend your friend, by all
means do so. But do us both a favour, sir...don't EVER consider making me
your enemy. Be assured...you will regret it."

"We'll see," Sheko smiles, wheels about and marches away.

Dameko, Varanko and Alko exchange impressed smiles as they follow him.
Ataru expels a breath of relief as he stares at Hosha. "Do you actually know
that slime?!" he hisses.

The prime minister sighs. "To my regret, yes. Yet, there is nothing we
can do...until someone brave enough assassinates him and take his place as
*laqu'r.* His friendship with the Mikado is a long one...and Yehisrites do
not back away when their friends are in danger. Chances are you haven't heard
the last of him, Ataru. Mark my words on that."

"Wonderful," Ataru sighs, then stares at Hosha. "Prime Minister, we
both come from matriarchal societies. Yet we still have to deal with people
who're so charged with testosterone, it nearly chokes us."

"That, my boy," Hosha looks sympathetic, "...is called 'diplomacy.'"

The *daimon'cha's* eyes roll. "Old Sagussan saying about diplomacy:
keep it simple, *de'ne!*"

Both laugh...

* * *

Sirna grits her teeth as she slips into the crowd. Disguised as an
independent merchant trader, the Freemason warrior winds her way through the
dignitaries, her eyes locked on the distant figure in black and gold now
draped with green. Her eyes fall on the other dignitaries, including the one
in magenta armour surrounded by a bevy of young, beautiful women. Sheko, the
animal who had driven her clan off Yehisril, hounded them to this day on Elle.
The young woman regretted coming weaponless today. One well-arranged
"accident" and the man responsible for so much misery would be explaining his
misdeeds to the Three-Faced One before being cast to the lowermost pit of the
Afterworld. Perhaps another day.

Nearby, Makoto blinks as her eyes register the strange Yehisrite woman
moving toward Ataru. Sirna's demeanor screams to the *pirpirsiw'r's* well-
honed eyes. Frowning, she apologizes to Dameko, then moves quickly to fall in
behind the Freemason, drawing a mini-pistol to aim at the base of the girl's
back. "Hold it right there, sweetheart," the watchmistress hisses. "What
brings you here?"

Sirna jolts, her eyes falling on the taller woman's face. Fear wells up
her spine on confronting one of the Most Dangerous Ones, knowing too well that
one mis-spoken word would spell her destruction. "I came to see the Slayer of
the Masters of Noukiios," she replies, trying to remain calm.

"Why?" Makoto hisses. "Who sent you?"

"The Lady Babara," Sirna draws a small note from her sleeve, offering it
to the *pirpirsiw'r.* "That is for him."

"Okay," Makoto takes the note, then draws the pistol away. "Scram."

Sirna nods, quickly departing. Makoto sighs, then holstering her
weapon, heads to Ataru, now chatting with Chara and her fiance. "Ataru," the
watchmistress announces herself.

"What is it, Makoto?" he stares at her.

She hands him the note. "What's this?" he opens it, then tensing on
seeing the pink rose embossed in the paper, reads:

"Mr. Groom,

"Thought I understand too well your animosity towards Her Majesty,
I have need of your assistance. Her Majesty has disappeared,
having gone to the planet Kizasei to locate her long-missing
parents. We cannot afford to make this news public; chaos could
result. I believe only you can aide us, persuade Her Majesty of
the foolishness of this act and help her return home. Please, I
beg you, come to Baran as soon as you can.

"Babara de Esterchild"

Ataru blinks. Elle missing? Why would Babara think he could help...?

* * *

"What happened?!" Yethis' eyes narrow.

Des shudders under that intense gaze. In a restaurant in downtown
Onishuto, both occupy a private, sound-proof booth. "What did you expect?"
the chief of the Defence Intelligence Directorate shrugs. "Did you honestly
think people would allow Yedris to keep going, keep pressing until we would be
helpless. Be serious, Yethis! We've worked far too long to allow things to
fall apart now."

"Did you order it?" the chief of staff glares at his friend.

"I learned through listening devices that Yedris was meeting some of
Moroboshi's agents," Des responded. "My chief lieutenant reported it to me.
Dealing with outsiders in a clandestine manner to affect political change is
called 'treason,' Yethis. My lieutenant knew that." A shrug hitches his
shoulder as he sips his wine. "He chose to act on it."

"I see," Yethis hums, relaxing in his chair. "Well, he paid for his
disobedience. But my sister's demise may cause us more trouble."

"You mean making her a martyr?" Des stares at his friend. "Don't bet on
it. Things can happen which would prove Yedris' treason, denounce her in the
eyes of the people. With her disgrace, the Alliance loses a lot of its
credibility. Ours is a very proud race, Yethis. The idea of our leaders
bowing to alien ways would sicken any of us."

"For all our sakes, I hope so," Yethis sighs, rising. "In the meantime,
I'll be heading back to my apartment. Find out if there're any other Sagussan
agents operating here. We'll need to track them down."

"I'm already on it," Des smiles, patting his friend's hand. "It was a
tragic loss...but necessary. You best be careful, Yethis. Sentimentality
could lead to your downfall."

Yethis shrugs. "Perhaps."

With that, the chief of staff steps out of the restaurant, slipping into
his waiting hoverlimo. The driver, an agent for Vel Pochik, stares at the
general. "What did he have to say, sir?"

"He's lying," Yethis growls. "He ordered my sister's death."

"Lord Vel extends his sympathies," the driver guides the vehicle toward
the Hall of the Union. "As far as he's concerned, Lady Yedris' death made
matters worse. It's a repeat of two hundred years ago."

"Unfortunately," the general sighs. "I hoped to dissuade Yedris from
supporting the Alliance. Still, I can't fault Des for his zeal. And...he's
still needed to keep the DID in line when we make our move."

"Sir, if I may be so bold," the driver's eyes narrow. "Lord Ando is
well trained in intelligence. He's currently a directorate supervisor in the
DID's foreign analysis branch. If...something was to happen to Lord Des, Lord
Ando could be an appropriate replacement...one far more willing to take orders
from the Imperial Round."

Yethis blinks. "I don't think that's necessary right now," he sighs.
"But tell Vel I'll keep it in mind. His son's a real mustang. But if it
turns out to be unnecessary, he'll still have a place."

"Very good, sir," the driver nods.

Yethis sighs as he spot a demonstration in Freedom Square, the scene of
Syl Aruka's martyrdom two centuries ago. The Democratic Alliance was moving
full steam ahead, he grits his teeth as his eyes scan the speakers. One, now
at the podium, is instantly recognizable. "Gods!" he exhales in disbelief.
"They even got to Sil Dedron!!"

The driver jolts. "No!! Not her!" he gasps, then looks away. "Lord
Ando won't be pleased, sir...but don't worry. He'll know what to do."

Yethis detects the unspoken statement. "Tell him to do nothing!"

"Sir?!"

"The Alliance already has two martyrs in my sister and my niece!" the
general growls. "We can't allow them a third if we're to survive this!!"

"Yes, sir," the driver nods...

* * *

Des sighs as he walks out of the restaurant. It was hard lying to his
friend, but for the cause's sake, it was necessary. What Yethis did not know
would not hurt him. He would mourn, then go on. Besides, another problem had
arisen. Sil Dedron had just been revealed to be a member of the Alliance's
Plenipotentiary Council. The thought of a Head of House selling out her
birthright to the lessers sickened him. But he knew what to do. One word to
Ando Pochik would guarantee that. Ando and Sil had been lovers until she
broke off the relationship a year ago. Des could guess why; that was the time
she joined the Democratic Alliance. Another traitor for the chopping block,
especially if rumours he heard about Sil's sojourns on Earth were true. She
was now married to an Earth boy, one of Lum's old classmates. *Ando wouldn't
like that!* the general icily smiles as he slips into his hoverlimo. "Back to
the office, he sighs."

"Yes, sir," the female driver nods as the limo slips into traffic.

Des blinks, staring quizzically at the woman. "What happened to my old
driver?"

"She's sick, sir," the driver sighs. "Bad case of tiger-flu; it just
came on her. I was brought in to replace her from the motor pool."

"Ah!!" the general nods understandingly. "What's your name?"

"Asuka Aruka," the woman smiles.

Des blinks. "Asuka...Aruka...?"

Suddenly, the doors lock up. A bulletproof screen rises, cutting off
the back seat from the front. Des gasps as she takes off her cap, allowing
her long brown hair to fall free. "Actually, my name is Asukanoevan," the
Oni-turned-Sagussan warrior sneers at her prisoner. "*Daishi'cha* #95143 of
Sagussa, chief petty officer of Pathfinder Troop Six. It was very rude what
your friends did to us a few nights ago. My friends want to talk to you about
it. Sit back and relax!"

Des pales, realizing the seriousness of his predicament. With that, the
limo makes its way out of Onishuto...

* * *

Elsewhere, another spy master was busy serving his cold masterpiece to a
favoured customer. "There you go, Shinobu-san," Abraham Shapiro smiles as the
Terran eagerly digs in. "Another Mount Fuji."

"Thank you," Shinobu smiles as she eats.

"How's Aya?" the Vosian observer wonders as he proceeds to clean dishes.

"She's fine," the soon-to-be college student smiles. "Mom and Dad are
really starting to like her, especially after the breakfast she cooked this
morning. They're just wondering what'll happen if she decides to leave."

"Well, who knows what could happen next, especially if the Sagussans
can't do anything about it," Shapiro hums, then blinks, his eyes glowing.
"Eh?!"

"What is it?!" Shinobu tenses.

The door opens. Shinobu and Shapiro spin around to see a haggard figure
step into the parlour. Dressed in buckskins and well-travelled clothing, his
lined face is covered by a scarf wrapped around his head. Only his crystal
blue eyes, now glowing a deep green, are visible. "My God," Shapiro blinks
with surprise.

"Who is that?" Shinobu hisses.

"I see an old friend whom I long thought lost," Shapiro sighs.

With that, the visitor takes off the scarf, revealing a man in his late
thirties, with long dirty blond hair now braided, marking a widower. "It's
been a long time," Aisur intones.

"Indeed it has," Shapiro nods...

* * *

"Mizu's coming here?!!" Shapiro exclaims.

Aisur grimly nods. The two Vosians and Shinobu relax in the parlour
sharing tea. "I've been tracking that thing on and off for a hundred years,"
the wanderer growls. "Now, I have the chance to finally end its reign of
terror!"

"You've been chasing that thing since your wife died!" Shapiro snaps,
staring at the braided hair. "God, you haven't even been to Sabaku! What are
you trying to do, man?! Can't you let it go?!"

"No!!" Aisur snaps. "I will NEVER let them go!! Not after what they
did to me, to countless numbers of innocents across this galaxy!! It stops,
Abraham!! It stops here!!!"

Shinobu shudders, awed by the wanderer's devotion to his long-deceased
wife. "Aisur," Shapiro firmly grips his hand. "People've tried again and
again to destroy that thing! They've failed, every time!! Just because you
lost Munba doesn't mean you're the only one who suffered, the only one who has
the right to hate that thing! Don't let this destroy you, man!!"

"Excuse me," Shinobu hesitantly inquires. "But what exactly is this...
Mizu?"

"It's death!" Aisur growls, then lowers his face into his hands.

Shinobu stares at Shapiro. "It's a homeless planetoid, about the size
of the Moon," the observer explains. "Completely covered in water, possessing
a biosphere sustained by internal thermal energy. It moves from solar system
to solar system at warp speeds; no one knows how or why. And...every time it
comes close to a planet, people, sometimes by the hundreds, are killed. It
came to Vos a century ago. Aisur's wife was one of the victims."

The Terran pales. "Gods!! And that thing's coming here?!!"

"Yes," Aisur stares at her, his eyes hollow. "It gets worse than that,
Miyaki-san. Mizu is inhabited by a race of dark sea spirits, similar to what
you'd call mermaids. Every time they make planetfall, they go out, disguise
themselves as natives, locate innocent victims, suck out their life energies,
then use it to fuel their wandering world!"

"That's only speculation!" Shapiro cuts in.

"It's a rumour that comes from every planet that thing's visited!!"
Aisur growls. "Now, it'll happen here!"

"Oh, no...!" Shinobu moans.

The front door opens. Shapiro and Aisur jolt as Hazel-chan walks into
the parlour along with several assistants. "Hello?! Shapiro-san?!"

"Hazel-chan?!!" Shinobu stares at the hybrid-turned-Sagussan. "What are
you doing here?!"

"We're divining, Shinobu-san!!" Hazel giggles with delight. "A whole
planetoid full of water, just six days away from here, ours for the taking!"

Aisur bolts to his feet. "Are you insane?!!" he cries. "What makes you
think those monsters on Mizu will allow you to take their home away?!!"

Hazel blinks. "What monsters?!" she stares at Shapiro.

Shapiro and Aisur explain about Mizu's rumoured inhabitants. "Odd," the
hydrographic sciences chief blinks. "Sensors on our rover units didn't detect
any intelligent lifeforms in the planetoid."

"Unless it's a form of life our computers've never encountered before,"
Akemi, a red-haired Ellsian working as Water Supply Coordinator, proposes,
then stares at her friend. "What do you think, Ichinose?"

"It's possible," the stocky Terran-born Director of Hydrographic Life
Research nods. "Before we touch that thing, we're going to have to do
detailed surveys."

"You do that, you die!!" Aisur growls.

"Sounds like you're speaking from experience," Hazel muses.

"I am," the Vosian fixes them with a stare. "Rest assured, I am."

The Sagussan scientists exchange looks. "Well, in case things do get
out of hand, we always have this!" Hazel pulls out the *haijo-ju.* "This
should make whatever's on Mizu behave themselves!"

Shinobu yelps, falling behind Shapiro on seeing the weapon. "D-don't
you th-think that'll b-be a b-bit of o-overkill?" she stammers.

"Overkill?!" Hazel blinks, then smiles. "No such thing!!"

The Vosians and Shinobu faint!

* * *

"You want to rescue her?!" Makoto stares in disbelief at Ataru. "You
mean you actually care for that bitch?!"

The Gatherer was now proceeding from Zeiwan to Elle. Following the
shortest route, the superdreadnought was cutting through the heart of
Ipraedies space. Of course, Emperor Schwartz's forces would be hard pressed
to make an impression on the Sagussan ship. Ataru relaxes in his bedroom with
Makoto, Ayesha, Kei and Yuri. "I know," the *daimon'cha* sighs. "I've never
had anything but trouble when it comes to Elle. But given what Donna believes
might be wrong with her sister, I think that we should stop perceiving Elle as
the enemy and start considering her a victim."

"What's to stop Elle from trying to get you to the altar?!" Kei wonders.
"She could pull things even we couldn't expect!"

"That's why we'll have them come aboard the Gatherer," Ataru muses.
"While aboard, we can keep an eye on them. They'll be less tempted to do
something stupid. Do we have any intelligence reports about this planet where
Elle's said to have gone?"

"Very little," Yuri stares at a datapadd. "Kizasei is located in a
solar system outside Karasutengu space. It's said to have possessed a
humanoid civilization a millennia ago, an old Vosian colony. But it died out
before developing beyond the colony-ship travel stage. The planet itself is
Class M, tropic by Earth standards. It should be interesting."

"I see," Ataru sighs. "Henry, how soon until we arrive over Elle?"

"*Fifteen minutes, Ataru-sama,*" the Gatherer's computer replies.

"Good!" Ataru stands. "I'm going to call Lum, see how she's doing. You
folks get set."

"Right," the three nod as he departs.

Once alone, Kei stares at Makoto. "What do you think about this theory
Donna made about that *kide'ne?*"

"It's possible," Makoto shrugs. "Even if she isn't being possessed,
this could help us by teaching Elle that she can be friends with her 'Honey.'"

"And if it doesn't, we can always teach it to her," Yuri quips.

The others laugh...

* * *

The hoverlimo comes to a halt in a dense forest some distance from
Onishuto. Asukanoevan steps out of the vehicle, draws her pistol, then opens
the back door. "Out!!" she waves Des out with her weapon.

The general shudders as he struggles out of the vehicle. Eyes flashing,
Asuka reaches in and throws him out. "Move, you jackass!!" she fires a bolt
over his head. "I'm not in the mood for games!!!"

Des yowls fearfully. "Any problem, Asuka?" Lufy inquires, walking up.

"Just some dork not used to taking orders," the Pathfinder sneers.

Lufy glares icily at Des, the disgust in her eyes at his soft features
quite apparent. "Well, well, well!" she muses, reaching down to yank the
general to his feet via his ear. "The mighty Des Asu! Lum's told me about
you! I'm unimpressed! Now, move!!"

Des is shoved down a path toward a campfire. In a minute, he is forced
to sit beside Priss and Linna, both whom aim pistols at his heart. "Welcome,
General," Sylia smiles from across the way. "We're glad to see you. Please,
make yourself at home."

Des shudders as he takes the measure of those around him. Steely,
contemptuous eyes glare at him. He feels like a cockroach about to get
squashed. *How did they survive that blast?!* he wonders, remembering that
DNA for seventeen people were found at Yedris' home.

"Your team operated with proficiency, I must confess," Sylia stands, as
if reading the general's thoughts. "They were compromised when we discovered
your listening devices...so we decided to make the reception hot."

"How did you survive?" Des stiffens.

"They have ways, Des," a familiar voice echoes from behind him.

He gasps as Yedris walks into view, now adorned in the proper Sagussan
jumpsuit for an external affairs junior minister. "Yedris!!"

"Surprised?" the Oni-Avalonian muses.

"How?!!"

"Simple," Yedris relaxes beside Sylia. "The Sagussans constructed bio-
organic dummies of all of us. They're the ones your team shot up; we were
gone long before they came on the scene. Your people are sloppy, Des...and
you're supposed to be our intelligence chief?"

Des' eyes narrow as he sees Yedris holding Sylia's hand. "So, you
really have turned traitor!!" he hisses. "You've sold your birthright, your
race out to these zombies!! How could you?!"

"Who says anything about selling Uru out," Yedris smirks. "The Alliance
is saving Uru..." a sneer crosses her face, "...from people like you, who'd
degrade everyone to the status of cattle! Well, this time, you won't have the
Gatherer to save you from those who'd stop you! This time, Sagussa is on OUR
side, not yours!!"

"You are a traitor!!" Des glares at her. "You can justify things to
your heart's content, but you are still guilty of high state treason! And I
intend to see you pay for that!!"

Yedris remains calm. "I'm not guilty of anything save helping my people
touch the better angels of their nature, as Abraham Lincoln once said," she
smiles. "I'm guilty in your eyes because I have the power to stop you, my
brother and all the rest in their tracks, take away your precious Empire and
bring forth a Union whose government is of the people, by the people, for the
people...ALL the people, not just a select few!"

"They can't do anything!!" Des sneers. "They have no right...!"

"Right to what?!" someone asks. "To put you on a pedestal, worship you
like a living god?! You're no different than a Niphentaxian!"

Des spins around as Lum steps into the light, flanked by Noa and Honey.
"Lum!!" he gapes, then his eyes register her uniform. Out of the orange
tiger-striped uniform Noa once gave her, Lum is now adorned in a duplicate of
Ataru's duty jumpsuit, with the rank insignia of *daite'cha* on her sleeves.
"So," he shudders, contempt crawling up his spine. "You've sold your people
out, too!"

Lum walks up, her eyes fixed on the general's...then she delivers a
powerful slap, driving Des to his knees! "You're no better than Oogi!" she
spits on his face. "It's either your way or death for those you want to
enslave!! Well, I'm tired of you people wanting me to be your pet Empress!
I'm already an empress, if you think about it," she holds up her wreathed
sleeve, "...and I happen to like that situation!"

"You'd make us slaves to them!!" Des growls, nodding at the Sagussans.

"You mean you'd make others think that so that you'd be able to change
the laws," Yedris sneers. "Nice try, Des. Nene," she turns to the Troop's
communications expert. "You finished with those files you lifted off my
brother's holophone yet?"

"Still working," Nene's hands fly over her laptop's keys. "Encryption
system's really good, but I have a few thousand terabytes to spare in decoding
all this."

Des jolts. If those were the conversations Yethis had with his co-
conspirators, the Imperial Round would be exposed. All Lum and Yedris had to
do was to place those files on President Lana's desk and the careers of dozens
of people, himself included, were finished. Roaring, he bolts to his feet,
leaping towards Nene...

...and is hit by a Force Twelve blast, his body disintegrating in the
blink of an eye!! Everyone yelps with surprise, then turns to Lufy, who is
blowing the cordite gas from her pistol. "Sorry about that," the pilot sighs.
"My finger slipped."

Lum moans, feeling the strength in her legs go. Noa helps her to the
ground. Sylia sighs, then turns to Asuka. "Get rid of that limo, then get
back here," the commander sighs. "Hide it someplace where it can be found,
but where they can't trace it back to us."

"Right," Asuka nods, heading off.

Lum shakes her head. This was worse than she first believed. She once
considered the Imperialist movement a joke. People getting together out of a
sense of nostalgia, celebrating the glory of the old Empire. She, a product
of a Unionist family, paid them no mind. Her father drew people like Yethis
in a harsh light, telling her they were bad because they glorified things like
the enslavement of Noukiios, the wars with Fukunokami. Besides, normal
Urusians would never want to return to those days.

But...people like Des and Yethis were serious! Almost brainwashing her
into killing Ataru, a man who really had no business with Urusians. Plotting
to kill Yedris and Sugoi to stop them from giving normal Urusians greater
powers and control over their lives. Clearly wanting a chance to invade
Earth, perhaps reclaim Noukiios. They would certainly provoke wars with
everyone around them, causing other governments to take a harsher line...and
in a contest of that nature, only the governors benefitted.

She sighs, allowing herself to sink into Noa's tender embrace. Ataru
had shown her how others looked at Lum...and how many others suffered from it.
When she appreciated it, she discovered she really hated situations like
that...and despised those who would use force in such a light. She had to
return to Uru, she realized after awakening from her coma. She now had to
show her people that Lum was no savior. Her people had to be shown that all
Lum wanted was control over her destiny.

Catty walks up. "Lum, Ataru's calling."

Lum shivers as she heads to the tent holding the subspace radio...

* * *

Ataru sighs as the rose-shaped shield protecting planet Elle looms
before the Gatherer, the opening which leads right into Baran City several
hundred kilometres away. He had to admit that despite her ruler's many
shortcomings, the planet was beautiful, reflective of the best Sagussan
culture and beliefs produced. Personally, he never wanted to come back to
this world again. He really had no business here. Now all he hoped to do was
to persuade Elle of that notion.

His conversation with Lum had been brief but full of good news. Yedris
and Sugoi were safe, helping Pathfinder Troop Six hunt down Yethis' co-
conspirators, one of which had just been killed by Lufy. His ninja-inspired
beliefs applauded this. With the Pathfinders knocking down their targets,
then fading into the night, confusion would spread through the Imperial ranks.
That gave Sil and her friends their chance to press their goals. Then, Lum
would be able to see her parents, assure them she was alright. That was good;
Ataru did not like the idea of keeping them in the dark about their daughter.
And with Invader alongside, the Urusian Defence Force would, hopefully, be
curtailed in case Yethis decided to press his luck.

He had also told her about his medal from Zeiwan, his meeting with Alko
and Sheko. Lum blanched on hearing the Kyotos lord's name, saying that
outside the Mikado and Schwartz, Sheko was perhaps the most feared and
despised ruler in known space. She assured him that surrounded by the fifteen
other *laqu'rs* forming Yehisril's ruling council, Sheko would be hard pressed
to launch a war against Sagussa. They could, after all, sit back and allow
Kyotos to take the fall; none of them would miss Sheko at all. Personally,
Ataru hoped it would NEVER go that far!

"*Ataru-sama,*" Henry's voice interrupts. "*The patrol monitor 'Rose
Empress' is approaching. They're requesting to beam their delegation over.*"

Ataru sighs, standing. "Granted. Beam them right here. Disarm any
weapons they might have with them."

"*Acknowledged.*"

Makoto strolls onto the bridge as three people appear before Ataru.
Babara, Seven Bake Rose and Dureko. Ataru remains in place as, expectedly,
the mercenary makes a grab for his pistol. "We've got you now!!" she snarls.

Rose's face is caved in by Makoto's arm, the latter having come on the
former in the blink of an eye! "Says who?!" the watchmistress growls, falling
back as her hand falls to her weapon.

"Enough, Rose!" Babara sighs. "We've no time for that!!"

Rose groans. Dureko shakes his head. "Or ever," Ataru fixes the nanny
with a stare. "So, why do you want me to rescue Elle? Surely your people
have the necessary equipment and personnel to make a rescue attempt?"

"Not really," Babara shakes her head. "First of all, there is the need
for secrecy. That would be severely compromised if we dispatched one of our
own ships; starship crews gossip when sent on a secret mission. If that
gossip reaches those who frown on Elle-sama's many...problems, it could launch
a constitutional crisis. People could force the Royal Senate to depose her,
consider her mentally unfit to rule. You can see where that could lead;
you're seeing something similar on Uru right now."

"Civil war," Kei muses.

"Correct," the aged nanny nods. "And how are we to ensure that whoever
is hurting Elle-sama will not corrupt a potential successor? I assume that
given the abilities Elle-sama's doppelganger possesses, you are aware of the
cause of her problems."

Ataru nods. "Do you have any idea who's causing this?"

"We believe you just met him on Zeiwan," Dureko sighs.

Ataru blinks, then sighs. "Sheko."

"Exactly," the Freemason grand teacher nods. "We're not sure how he is
doing it, by the way...and even if we did know his methodology, we'd be very
hard pressed to produce the hard evidence necessary for the Senate to launch
an investigation. We believe that many in the Senate have been likewise...
corrupted."

"In essence, Elle's become a vassal state of Kyotos," Ayesha gasps.

"Unfortunately, yes," Babara sighs. "Dureko, myself and the other
senior Freemasons are the only ones aware of this. We dare not go public with
this information. The chaos alone would be horrendous."

Ataru relaxes in his chair. "I'm sorry to hear this," he muses. "For
so long, I've viewed Elle with such contempt. Now...now to hear this, I feel
for her, for all of you."

"If I may, Ataru," Babara smiles. "That is the reason she has always
looked to you. She, like many of us, possesses latent empathic abilities; in
fact, her empathic potential was a key factor in electing her queen. She has
always sensed that you are the one who can bring peace to her heart. I
believe she long suspected your true potential, perhaps sensed your bonds to
the Sagussans. That above all is the reason I asked you to come today."

Ataru exchanges looks with his companions. "Well, given what you've
said, I'll be more than happy to look for Elle."

"Splendid!" Babara smiles.

"But," a warning tone enters the *daimon'cha's* voice, "...there is a
small price tag attached to this."

The aged nanny shivers. "Th-that being...?"

"My daughter with Elle...the one you created for Project: Black Rose."

Babara innocently blinks. "What project?"

Ataru smiles. "Babara, please don't insult me. I'll fully cognisant of
Project: Black Rose. I learned it from Annabelle de Osterloch."

Babara pales. "But she...?!!"

"Her android body came back to Elle with my genetic samples," Ataru
relaxes in his chair. "But Belle's mind was taken out of her body and
transplanted into an organic body, restoring her as a seven-year old girl.
You're lucky I don't press a child-rape case against you; that's how hurt she
was. Now, I believe the payment for that is my child."

"Certainly not...!!" Dureko growls...

...then finds himself facing Makoto. "You have a problem, bud?!!"

Freemason and *pirpirsiw'r* face off. Dureko blinks first. "I didn't
think so," Makoto sneers, moving back to watch over Ataru...

* * *

Sometime later, Babara and her friends return to the "Rose Empress."
The Gatherer departs Elle, heading toward Kizasei. The patrol monitor returns
to Baran, allowing her passengers to return to work. In minutes, Babara has
returned to the Project: Black Rose gestation laboratory. Anne is currently
busy with the newest born of the laboratory children. "Hello, Babara," the
Freemason finishes changing Amanda's diaper. "How did it go?"

"He's agreed to locate the queen," the aged nanny sits on a chair.

"Splendid!!" Anna hoists Amanda in her arms, then tenses on seeing her
friend's face. "What's wrong?"

"He has demanded Amora-chan in return," Babara sighs. "He knows all
about the Project!"

Anna jolts. "No!!! We can't let him do that!! Too much is at stake!!!
With Ataru Moroboshi's genes, Amora would become one of the finest Black Roses
born!!"

"I'm aware of that, Anna!!" Babara muses. "We'll just have to do
something to deter him from coming after Amora-chan..."

Unseen by either, Gahan and Senya, two of Babara's diminutive skunk-like
assistants, overhear them as they finish work on a chamber. "Did you hear
that?" the latter whispers. "Ataru Moroboshi wants his child back."

"He's helping Lady Babara find the queen," the former hisses. "And when
he demands his child back, she refuses him? We can't let this happen!"

"We won't," Senya smiles, the glitter in her eyes reflecting her mate's.
"We'll just have to wait for an opportune time."

Gahan nods.

* * *

"If they're so hell-bent on creating this force of warriors, they will
not relase your daughter, Ataru," Makoto shakes her head.

"I'm aware of that, Makoto," Ataru sighs as the Gatherer warps for
Kizasei. "But, don't worry about it," a smile crosses his face. "I've
already taken the liberty of making some preparations to that end."

"Oooh, I can't wait!" the watchmistress laughs...

* * *


"These are the Maidens of the Eternal Voyager?!!" Aisur exclaims.

Shapiro nods. Both now stand on the front lawn of Tomobiki High School.
Already there, a team of hydrographic scientists are erecting a ground monitor
station to track Mizu's movements. The planetoid was still in warp, but would
decelerate to normal space as soon as it passed Pluto's orbit. Watching over
this, Ichinose pulls out a video-communicator. "Monitor Station Earth to
Monitor Station Triton. Come in please."

Akemi's image appears on the small viewscreen. "Monitor Station Triton
here," she smiles. "Everything's okay, Ichinose-chan."

"Good! We'll be able to better study this lifeform while at the same
time keeping everyone safe! I'll check in with Hazel. Earth, out."

"Right," Akemi's image fades.

Ichinose quickly checks in with Hazel, currently aboard the water tanker
"Lyme'cha" now sitting in Mizu's path. Currently surrounding the station are
a small phalanx of Internal Security personnel, all a part of Force One by
their rank insignia. Also present is Ayanba Onsen's sister Sekinba, who works
under Ichinose in the Hydrographic Life Studies Directorate. She is presently
explaining the device's purpose to her brother-in-law and the Principal. "So,
you can use this to try to detect whatever life may be on this asteroid," the
senior school administrator sips his tea. "Remarkable. But...if your rover
units failed to detect any life forms when they located Mizu, how can this
help?"

"Well, using Kotatsuneko-kun as an example," Sekinba indicates the cat-
ghost, presently having tea with Cherry under a cherry tree, "...we can detect
non-corpeal psionic signatures, what you'd call 'ghosts.' We took a scan of
Kotatsuneko-kun, made a generalization of the psion wavelengths, then modified
our scanners accordingly. It was quite simple."

"Do you actually have a ghostbusters brigade on Sagussa?" Onsen wonders.

Sekinba blinks. "Where is the logic in chasing ghosts?"

Everyone faints! "Sekinba, could you come over here, please," Ichinose
calls out.

"Right!" Sekinba runs over.

The hydrographic apprentice is then stopped by Aisur, who looks intently
into her eyes. "Hey!!" she yanks his hands away. "Don't be fresh!"

"Where is Munba?!" he demands.

Sekinba blinks. "Who's Munba?"

"My wife!! She's one of you! Where is she?!"

Ichinose walks up. "What's going on here?!"

Aisur spins around to grab the science chief. "What have you done with
my wife?! Where is she?!"

"He says she's one of us now," Sekinba explains.

Ichinose calmly draws his hands off her. "I'm not an administrator. If
you want to know about your wife, ask one of them. I'm busy chasing ghosts
thanks to you. Relax!"

She heads back to the monitor station. Sekinba sympathetically shrugs,
then joins her superior. At that moment, Mihoshi and Kiyone walk up, both
carrying snacks for their troopmates. "Excuse me, is there something wrong?"
the former stares at Aisur.

"I'm looking for my wife!!" he repeats himself.

"She's missing?" Mihoshi muses. "Well, we don't have missing people on
Sagussa, sir..."

"No, no, no!!!" Aisur growls. "My wife is one of you!! She died a
hundred years ago and was taken by the Voyager with fifty-one other people!!!
Where is she?!!"

Mihoshi and Kiyone exchange looks. "Oh, you want to know what happened
to her!!" the latter nods understandingly.

"That's no problem!" the former gives her bag to a companion, then pulls
out a tricorder. "Well, let's see. A hundred years ago...that would be the
Ninth Age of Senan'cha, year eight-ninety...that would be in the range between
*Daishi'cha* Ninety thousand and Ninety-nine thousand..."

Images flash on her screen. "Vosian-born, part of a group of fifty-
two," Mihoshi programs into her machine. "Ah!! Ainoneko's one of them!"

An image appears of a slight, brown-haired girl dressed in a Fourth
Fleet watchmistress' uniform, the present commander of the defence monitor
"Virgin'cha." Aisur looks. "'Ainoneko?!' Where'd she get that name from?!"

"Oh, she got it from Ataru," Mihoshi giggles. "There was already an Ai,
so she had to take a sub-name!"

"Good guess," Aisur hums. "Her real name was Ayonba."

"Well, that wouldn't really matter because her previous self would've
been wiped away by the regeneration matrix," Mihoshi looks sympathetic. "The
chances are that your wife is in the same situation, sir."

"I don't care!!" Aisur shakes his head. "Find her!!!"

Mihoshi nods, scrolling through the pictures. Watching this, Shapiro
shakes his head. "Wow!!" Shinobu whistles, standing beside the observer. "I
never would believe someone could be that passionate about his wife!"

"Aisur was a romantic when he was your age," Shapiro sighs. "His and
Munba's marriage was sheer bliss. When she died, a part of him literally died
with her. That's recognition's curse, Shinobu. The bonds between them were
so strong, that when they were shattered, Aisur snapped. I wish he would've
thought of going to Sabaku to try to overcome his grief, but..." he shrugs
helplessly.

"Poor man," Shinobu sighs.

"Wait!!!" Aisur gasps, eyes wide.

An image of a blonde-haired, green-eyed woman stares at him. Aisur
shudders, taking the tricorder from Mihoshi as he gazes at his wife, having
not aged thanks to the century of cryogenic suspension after her body had been
regenerated. His hand shaking, he reaches back to undo his braids. "They
found her," Shapiro blinks.

"But will she be the same?" Shinobu wonders. "Ayanba's sisters had no
memory of their previous lives."

Aisur finishes with his hair, then stares at the picture before him. He
blinks on seeing the uniform, then stares at Mihoshi. "She's one of your
people!"

Mihoshi and Kiyone look. "Hey!! She IS from Internal Security!" the
former gasps.

"She's a cop?!" Aisur blinks.

Kiyone reads the sequential number, then presses her communicator.
"Warrant Officer Kiyone to Sergeant Uoioaoeoai. Report to me right away."

"Acknowledged," a firm voice responds.

Aisur gasps, then shudders as a transporter beam is heard. "You wanted
to see me, Warrant?" that voice inquires.

Blinking, he slowly turns, staring at the woman before him. Dressed in
the Internal Security duty uniform, sergeant's pips on her collars, her waist-
length hair is drawn in a high ponytail. Kiyone indicates the wanderer. "He
wants to talk to you."

"He...?" the woman blinks, then stares at Aisur. Her eyes widen in
surprise as deep memories, those which escaped the regeneration matrix's
power, surge forth. "A-...i-...su-...r...?!" she gasps.

"Munba..." he mumbles, then sobs as he grabs her in a tight embrace.
"MUNBA!!!! Lecasur's Eternal Soul, I've waited so long to see you again!!!"
he wails, tears showering everyone around him. "Now we can be together just
like the old days...!!!"

"Emotional, isn't he?" the Principal muses, sipping tea.

Shuddering, Munba drops him with a sledgehammer! "***IDIOT, YOU MEAN TO
TELL ME THAT YOU PUT YOUR WHOLE LIFE ON HOLD BECAUSE OF ME?!?!?!***" she
bellows loud enough to cause all of Tomobiki to quake.

Aisur shudders as his reborn wife glares at him. "If you think I'm
going to come back to you just because you want me to, think again!!" she
points at him. "I happen to have a wonderful life on Sagussa!!"

"But we're married!!" he cries. "We recognized each other!!!"

The Sagussans pale. "Ugh!!" Miyoshi turns green. "Excuse me while I
throw up! What a disgusting concept!!"

"I'll join you!" Kiyone gags.

"That no longer applies!!" Munba turns her back on her husband. "You
mean to tell me that for a hundred years, you've been pining for me when you
could've put me behind you, found someone else, married again, had a family
and put your life back on track!! And now," she turns on him, fixing him with
an annoyed glare, "you want ME to come back to you?!"

"Y-y-yes..." Aisur gulps, shuddering under her gaze.

Munba hums, looking away. "I'll think about it."

Aisur hangs his head. Ichinose walks up. "This was YOUR husband?!" she
stares incredulously at the internal security sergeant.

"Yes," Munba sighs.

The hydrographic scientist sighs. "You have our sympathies."

"Thank you," Munba exhales...

* * *

At that moment, in space near Pluto, a warp appears. Soaring clear of
hyperspace, Mizu leaves a long trail of frozen water particles as it soars
toward its target. Deep in her oceans, surrounding a viewing crystal, several
dark figures gaze at an image of Earth. <<Behold!>> one telepathically
intones, waving at the image. <<Our target world! Earth!!>>

<<Such a backward planet,>> another muses, staring at the images of
cities and technology, then shudders at seeing various ecological disasters
play out. <<And so polluted! Can we actually survive in this place?!>>

<<We can!>> a third nods. <<Our waters will cleanse this world of its
infestation. It will be uncomfortable at first, but after endless millennia
of wandering, we will finally have a home to call our own!>>

<<Yes,>> the first growls. <<The last world we visited was too strong
socially and culturally for us to overcome! This world is weak, divided!
Further, it has no real protection from us; the races which surround this
world bicker and squabble at every opportunity! This time, success will be
ours!! Dispatch the scout!>>

<<At once!>> the second nods...

* * *

Unnoticed by them, the "Lyme'cha" has fallen in behind Mizu, maintaining
a respectful distance as scanners on Triton sweep the water planetoid. On the
bridge, Hazel eyes the world before her, a devilish smile crossing her face.
"All that water!!" she giggles. "This'll be a steal!"

"Don't bet on it, Hazel," Akemi signals from Triton. "Our scanners just
picked up a flock of creatures living in the depths of that place! It looks
like that Aisur character was right all along!!"

Hazel jolts, bolting to her feet. "WHAT?!?! You mean someone actually
LIVES here?!!"

"Yep!" Akemi sighs, then jolts. "Holy shit!! Our sensors just detected
something teleport off Mizu for Earth!"

Hazel blinks. "Where?!"

"Where else?!" Akemi sighs. "Tomobiki!"

The hydrographic sciences chief sighs, sinking into her chair. "Lyna's
Soul, that place sure does attract trouble, doesn't it?!"

* * *

Deep in the Tomobiki River some distance from school, a space warp
appears. Flowing through, a quasi-humanoid shape floats quickly to the
surface. Emerging, the being reveals himself to be a fairly handsome if
sickly man with blond-green hair and dark green eyes. He steps out of the
polluted water, then looks around. "Filthy place," he muses, then his eyes
lock on a boy heading for home. Smiling, the creature leaps out of the river
trench, landing behind his target before the latter can react.

A moment later, the same creature, now dressed in a proper school
uniform, emerges from the alley where he left his victim. He quickly proceeds
to school...

* * *

Shapiro's Ice Cream Parlour is the scene of a rather pathetic reunion
between a love-dazed Aisur and Munba, who wonders what she ever did in either
of her lives to deserve this. Sitting across from the hapless policewomen are
Natsumi and Miyuki, the two inspectors dragooned by Ataru to be the acting
leaders of Internal Security. "He seems cute," the former muses, staring at
Munba. "Why don't you take him back, Munba?"

"Excuse me?!" the indignant sergeant demands, shoving Aisur away. "Get
off me!! I'm a Sagussan now! I ceased being a Vosian a century ago!!"

"Mu-chan, let us be together once again...!" Aisur passionately wails as
he tries to overwhelm her with a kiss.

All he gets is a fist in the jaw! "Button it, velcro lips!!!" Munba
growls. "I'm not that easy!!"

"Golly, Munba, he really does like you," Mihoshi muses from nearby,
enjoying a Mount Fuji. "Why won't you accept him back?!"

"Why?!" Munba bolts to her feet, then takes microphone in hand as a
spotlight shines on her. "Oh, to actually be forced to remember my old life
brings such a weight to my heart!" she sighs as flower pedals fall on her. "I
wanted to be a *daishi'cha!* I wanted to help build a world I could be a part
of...eh?!"

She notices a dazed Aisur holding onto her leg. "Mu-chan, come back to
me..." he croons...

...and gets a table smashed over him! "Stop acting like a lovesick
jerk, Aisur!!" Munba snaps.

Nearby, Ichinose howls with merriment. "Lyna's Soul, her previous life
must've been really interesting!!" the hydrographic scientist chuckles.

At that moment, Kiyone walks in, datapadd in hand. "Inspector, look at
this," she hands it to Natsumi.

Blinking, the acting internal security minister reads the data, then
stares at Aisur. "You used to be a military policeman?!"

"Eh?!" Aisur blinks, then nods. "S-sure. I worked for the VDF until
the Civil War, hopped on the rebel side, then served out my time! Why?!"

Natsumi and Miyuki stare at each other. "Natsu-chan, you're not
thinking what I think you're thinking, are you?!" the latter hums.

"We think alike, Miyu-chan!" the former purrs, then kneels beside Aisur.
"Hey, Aisur, how'd you like to live where Munba's living?"

Munba jolts. Aisur blinks. "What?! You mean you'd let me...live with
you people?!" he points at Natsumi.

"Uh-huh!" the inspector nods. "You see, we're all cops," she indicates
her bond-mate, then the other policewomen. "We're charged with protecting and
preserving the peace on Sagussa...but we don't have anyone as Minister of
Internal Security! How'd you like the job?!"

Munba gags, empathically shaking her head. Aisur blinks, then stares at
his reborn wife, then nods. "I'll do it!!"

Hearing that, Natsumi and Miyuki leap up and down with joy. "HURRAY!!!!
WE'RE FREE!!!! WE'RE FREE AT LAST!!!!!!"

Aisur leaps up, gently grasping his wife's hands. "Did you hear that,
Mu-chan?!" he intently gazes into her eyes. "Now, we'll never be parted!!"

Munba clobbers him with another table!! "Don't get so fresh, Aisur!!
Just because you used to be my husband doesn't mean you can take liberties
with me...!!"

Her words are interrupted by a comm signal. "Munba," she taps her
communicator.

"Sergeant, this is Patrol Team Eight," a frantic corporal signals. "We
discovered a body in Sector Twenty-one. Male high school student; his neck's
been broken and his clothes have been stolen!"

Everyone bolts to her feet. Aisur pales, his mind falling back a
hundred years to the first victim of Mizu's wrath, young Ayonba, who later
became R.S.S. "Virgin'cha's" commander Ainoneko. Leaping to his feet, he
grabs Munba's wrist. "Secure the crime scene, summon local authorities!!" he
orders. "Reinforcements are on their way!! Don't disturb the body!"

With that, he races out of the parlour. The Sagussans blink in
surprise, then Miyuki faces everyone else. "You heard him!! Move it!"

The others race out the door. Munba glares at Natsumi. "I'll get you
two for this!" she threateningly growls before racing off...

* * *

Elsewhere, a transporter beam brings Ataru, Ayesha, Makoto, Kei and Yuri
to the surface of a densely forested tropical world some distance from
Karasutengu. A dull red sun glows in the evening sky as the rescue team scans
the area about them. "Too much background radiation," Yuri reports.
"According to Babara's records, Elle's parents landed near here. They were
researching a city about a kilometre from this locale."

"Let's go look," Ataru sighs as he waves down an overgrown trail.

The five move in staggered formation through the forest. Despite the
profusion of plant life, there is little sign of animals. "Pretty quiet,
huh?" Kei's eyes dart left and right.

"Too quiet," Ataru muses, charging his Urban Assault Cannon. "Any sign
of animal lifeforms?"

"Negative," Ayesha scans, then blinks as an alarm rings out. "Wait!
Something ahead, range eight hundred metres!"

The others slow down, Makoto taking the point as they close the
distance. "Can you identify it?" Ataru wonders.

"Humanoid," Ayesha reports. "Hard to be specific."

In minutes, the group clears the forest, finding themselves at the
outskirts of what was once a large city. Buildings a millennia old, overgrown
with vines and other plants, have collapsed under the weight of organic
matter. They look around, awed by the beauty of this place, even now.
"Wow!!" Kei whistles. "You have to give it to the Vosians; they really know
how to build!"

The group make their way toward one building...just as someone emerges
from relieving himself in a collapsed hut. He gasps in surprise on seeing the
five dark-suited figures, then roaring, levels his gun and fires a burst.
Everyone yelps as he dives for cover. Makoto rolls out, levels her weapon,
then fires a concentrated burst. The lone gunman drops, gripping his
shattered right shoulder as the Sagussans close in on him. One look at his
skin is enough. "Yehisrite!!" Ataru blinks.

"What's he doing here?!" Ayesha wonders.

"Find out in a second," Makoto kneels, then presses two fingers in the
gunman's shattered flesh.

He howls in mind-numbing pain as his eyes fix on Ataru. "Where's Queen
Elle?!" the *daimon'cha* evenly demands.

The gunman hoarsely laughs. "The Slayer of the Masters of Noukiios," he
sneers. "You'll not learn that from me!"

The sound of crushing glass is heard. The gunman jerks as his body goes
limp. "Poison!!!" Yuri cries.

"No...!!" Makoto's fingers land on his face as she tries a psi-probe. A
moment later, she pulls away, shaking her head. "Sorry."

"It's okay," Ataru sighs. "If he's here, Elle's here. Looks like
Babara has a case against Sheko. Any other people here, Ayesha?"

The acting executive assistant does a sweep. "Confirmed," she indicates
a broad boulevard cutting the city in half, which leads to a pyramid-like
structure in the centre of the city. "That building there!"

"Let's go," Ataru waves them on.

Kei walks up, stopping the *daimon'cha* with a hand. "Wait!" she
indicates a flashing light mounted on a nearby wall. "Motion sensor!"

Makoto draws her pistol, aims and fires. The light vanishes in a puff
of smoke. "What motion sensor?" the watchmistress wonders.

Everyone sighs as they probe deeper into the city...

* * *

"Anything you can do for him?" Aisur wonders.

Jagaimo, another of the group Mark Onsen named, runs a tricorder over
the nude body before her, then sighs, covering him with a blanket, then nods
to the paramedics. "His neck was broken clean through," the red-haired
Vosian-born doctor sighs. "Further, his *mei'na* was sucked out of his body
when he made contact with whatever killed him. Death was...instantaneous."

The others shake their heads as the body is loaded aboard the ambulance
for the morgue. "They're here!" Aisur growls. "We have to stop them!"

"How exactly do we do that?" Miyuki wonders. "We're not sure what these
things look like, remember?! There are thousands and thousands of students
who dress in those uniforms every day across this city!"

The wanderer grits his teeth. "They normally target young people,
people with a lot of life ahead of them," he sighs, gazing at Munba. "People
still in school, people who've yet to marry, have children. If this is a
merman, women would be his primary targets."

"Butsumetsu Girl's High School!" Natsumi exclaims.

"Tomobiki High has a large contingent of women, too!!" Mihoshi nods.

A communicator sounds off. "Kiyone!" the warrant officer responds.

"Ichinose," the scientist replies. "You better get your butts to
Tomobiki High ASAP!! There's some strange fellow and every girl from all the
schools in the area's going nuts because of him!"

"Roger!!" Kiyone nods...

* * *

"Well, well, well," Ranko sneers as he glares at his "guest." "And how
are we doing today, Your Majesty?"

Elle's eyes rise to meet the Yehisrite's. The Rose Queen, dressed in a
jungle field combat uniform, sits in a makeshift cell in the basement of the
city's central pyramid. "Why...are you...doing this...?"

"It's nothing personal, Your Majesty," he icily smiles. "I, after all,
am servant to my lord...and he doesn't approve his servants going astray." He
knees, gazing into her eyes. "Even one who tends to forget that she ISN'T the
ruler of an independent state!"

"You won't get away with this..." force builds in Elle's voice. "Sheko
will get his sooner or later..."

Ranko presses a wall control. A wire connecting the Rose Queen's wrist
to a wall comes alive with electricity. Elle howls with pain as the current
lances through her. "Tsk-tsk!" he shakes his head. "You mustn't speak about
him, Your Majesty. He doesn't like it when people take his name in vain...
unless it's out of fear!" he howls as he walks away.

Elle moans. She wanted so much for the voices to stop racing through
her mind, confusing her as to what she should do. She knew that Sheko was
behind this...

*No, don't think that!* another part of her barks.

She knew that he wanted to destroy the Federation out of fear...

*No, don't think that!* repeats in her mind.

She had to free herself, find some way to regain control of the
situation. Babara knew what to do. Dureko knew what to do. Why could she
not conceive of a solution...?

*You're not supposed to think! Just do what he wants!!*

Elle sways, focusing her mind on Ataru. His calm image, the friendly
smile, the lovely eyes, soft lips, dreamy cheeks...they always calmed her.
Ataru was the one thing Sheko could never touch, especially now. Ataru would
always be there. Her Honey would always help her, love her, free her from her
mind's prison...until the Black Roses were mature enough to fight for their
mother and their world.

That was what Sheko feared the most. He wanted to destroy the Galactic
Federation, fearing its combined power would overwhelm Kyotos, Yehisril's most
powerful principality. Once free of the necessity of seeking the Royal
Kingdoms' protection from Ipraedos and the Seifukusu, the Federation would
become a power which would drive Kyotos to insignificance. That Sheko hated
above all. Hence, he tried to subvert it by destroying the Federation's most
powerful member: the Kingdom of Elle.

However, while the Rose Queen was an easy target, others proved too
tenacious. Dureko and Babara teamed to launch Project: Black Rose. Elle's
one hundred thousand avenging children were born of her and her Cute Boys,
cleansed of their fathers' diseases and injuries which forced them into
cryogenic suspension, genetically engineered to be the perfect fighting force
in the image of Yehisril's Most Dangerous Ones. Raised in the way of the
Freemasons, the Black Roses would cleanse the Kingdom of Sheko's poison,
restore the Ellsian people's security and reaffirm their sovereignty.

Realizing that things were flying out of his control, Sheko launched a
new plan to draw Elle away from the Kingdom, force a constitutional crisis and
bring down Babara's and Dureko's supporters...and put an end to the Project.
What better way to accomplish that than baiting Elle with news of her parents.
Abrah and Lyree de Rosenbach had vanished on Kizasei when Elle was five years
old. Hoping beyond hope to find them, the Rose Queen literally dropped
everything to come here...and walked into Ranko and his friends.

Elle's eyes narrow to slits as she notices Ranko conferring with his
aides. Since she had been brought here, she had been grilled constantly about
where the newborn Black Roses were. After they were removed from gestation,
the children were taken by the Freemason grand teachers to a secure location,
secret from the general populace...and Sheko's spies. The Rose Queen had not
broke under Ranko's pressure; what mother would allow her children to come to
harm? But soon, unless something happened, Elle knew she might break. Sheko
had obviously told Ranko what buttons to push...

Her eyes widen as a dark shadow appears at one entrance. It forms into
a Yehisrite woman with her hair in a ponytail, a tattoo on her cheek, dressed
in black from neck to toe. Her captors yelp as bolts of energy lance at them
from the intruder and four other places, dropping them like flies!

Elle shakes her head in disbelief as a familiar face comes into view.
"Honestly, Elle," Ataru sighs. "We've got to stop meeting like this!"

The Rose Queen gasps, eyes watering with delight...

* * *

Tomobiki High School is now the scene of a near-riot as a flock of
ecstatic young women surround the mysterious stranger dressed as a normal high
school student. He smiles as they reach out to touch him, basking in their
energy. As soon as Mizu came in range, he would commence draining their
energy, siphoning it to his people. When enough were gathered, Mizu would be
locked on a collision course with Earth. Gravity would do the rest.

He frowns at the sight of a dozen women manning a curious device near
the school building. Reading the minds of his victims, he knew they were
called Sagussans, hailing from a world beyond the galaxy's limits. They had
become allies with the Terrans, shielding Earth from the galaxy's many
threats. No matter, he sneers. They seemed weak.

His eyes widen as a group of Sagussans dressed in black-and-blue
militaristic uniforms storm onto the property, weapons out and business-like
looks in their eyes. Leading them was a Vosian man. The stranger's eyes
widen in shock as features become more apparent. "Aisur...!"

The crowd stops, turning as Aisur approaches. The wanderer's eyes widen
in surprise on seeing the stranger, then he icily smiles as he continues his
advance, his hand falling on his gun. "Saimin," he growls. "It's been a long
time!"

The disguised merman shudders as Aisur comes on. Instinctively, his
"fans" surround him, glaring at the Vosian. "Indeed it has," Saimin sneers.
"You never learn when to give up!"

Aisur stops, noting the women standing before him. "As you noticed, I
have protection," Saimin mockingly adds. "They won't allow you to hurt me!"

The Sagussans jolt as the crowd's eyes begin to glow, all locked on
Aisur. The Vosian and the merman continue their staring contest, their worlds
shrinking to just them. "What's happening?!" Natsumi demands. "What's he
doing to them?!"

Ichinose scans with a tricorder. "He's a psychic transmitter!" the
hydrographic scientist reports. "His friends on Mizu are using him to
manipulate the life-energies of the women around him! They could use that to
siphon off their *mei'na* just like that boy you found!"

"We have to cut it off, then!" Munba presses her communicator. "Munba
to Hazel! Are you getting all this?!"

"Affirmative!" the hydrographic sciences chief nods. "Any ideas?!"

"Simple," the policewoman smiles. "Cut off the source of this creep's
power! Teleport Mizu to Sagussa!!"

"That might be a bit difficult!" Hazel warns. "I don't think the
*haijo-ju* could pull off something like that!!"

"Try...or thousands will die!!" Munba growls.

"Right!!!"

* * *

In orbit over Mizu, now passing the orbit of Neptune, the "Lyme'cha"
maintains pace with the water planetoid. On the bridge, Hazel sits in lotus
position, the *haijo-ju* held out before her. She intones several phrases in
Sagussan, then points the weapon's ruby-like crystal at the asteroid before
them. "Now!!!" she barks.

The ruby glows star-white as a bolt of energy blasts forth, racing from
the water tanker to its target. Hitting the surface, the energy explodes,
sending tendrils of power in every direction!! In seconds, Mizu is caught in
a net composed of the *te'a's* energy.

"Did it!!" Hazel gasps. "Now...to Sagussa with you!!! Let life be
restored!!! Let life be reborn!!!"

The *haijo-ju* explodes as a mighty bolt of energy slams into Mizu,
forcing the planetoid away into another space-warp...

* * *

On Earth at that moment, Saimin gasps as the psychic links connecting
himself to Mizu are severed. The energy he absorbed from his many victims
races out of him, freeing them from his control. The crowd moans as many
collapse. The Sagussans rush in at that moment, breaking out medical kits to
render first aid.

That is the least of the merman's problems; seeing him lose control over
his psi-slaves, Aisur bellows as he draws a knife, charging Saimin's with the
blade aimed for the heart. A brutal cut later and Saimin is flung against a
cherry tree! Aisur's eyes lock with the merman's as a century of hatred pours
from his soul. Saimin gags as his body shrivels up, decomposing into a pile
of dust which drifts away as a cleansing wind flows through Tomobiki.

Aisur remains in place, staring at the spot his wife's murderer once
stood, struggling with a storm of emotions raging through his heart. He then
feels a hand fall on his shoulder. Blinking, he turns to see Abraham Shapiro
there, smiling. "It's over, Aisur," the observer sighs. "You can rest now."

Aisur nods, then turns to see Munba there. A smile twitching his lips,
he walks over to embrace her. "Yes," he nods. "We can rest now."

Munba blinks, then returns his embrace...

* * *

On the "Lyme'cha's" bridge, Hazel's eyes open, then she coughs as smoke
emanates from the weapon in her hands. Gasping for air, she barks. "Hit the
ventilation controls!!"

The smoke is instantly drained from the bridge. As her eyes clear,
Hazel stares at the *haijo-ju*...or rather what was left of it. The crystal
which served as the bridge between this universe and the *te'a* was gone. The
rest of the weapon was blackened, the surfaced burned when its power was
unleashed. Blinking, Hazel feels a tingly sensation on her arms. It passes
in a moment, causing the hydrographic science chief to gaze into space.

A voice enters her mind. *It's alright...this was supposed to happen.*

Smiling, Hazel then blinks as she remembers something. "Oh, shit!!!"
she spins around to face Megumi, the "Lyme'cha's" Terran-born shipmistress.
"Mizu'll be on Sagussa in minutes!! Warn them!!!"

"Right!!" Megumi nods, barking orders...

* * *

Moments later, over Sagussa, four defence monitors and the "Lyna'cha"
stand guard as a flash of light appears in high orbit over the desert world.
"There!!" Janny barks from the battlecruiser's bridge.

"Lock proton cannons on target!" Feb barks.

The Sagussan Navy's five capital ships move away from each other, their
gaping proton cannons glowing as they prepare to unleash their apocalyptic
energies. The light before them expands until Mizu emerges from its sudden
space warp, none the worse for wear after travelling ten thousand parsecs at
transwarp speeds. "She's clear!!" Jun reports.

"Fire!!!" Feb snaps.

As Mizu falls into Sagussa's gravity well, five dual beams of anti-
protons and protons thunder from their barrels. Instead of encompassing the
water planetoid like the *haijo-ju,* they smash into the oceans, punch through
the crust and gut Mizu's core. The oceans boil as volcanoes erupt, shattering
the crust as gravity and electromagnetic fields go haywire. The planetoid's
biosphere is fatally compromised. The merpeople, stunned by the sudden shift
of location, are trapped, unable to teleport to Sagussa's minuscule seas as
their world detonates around them.

Mizu explodes!!

Her vast volume of water freezes into ice particles as it is freed of
the doomed planetoid's thermal energy. As the rocks are shattered by the
detonating core, the freed ice drifts toward the desert planet not a thousand
kilometres away. As the delighted crews on the ships in orbit watch, the ice
forms a ring around Sagussa, gravity and atmospheric friction melting it into
water and water vapour. Clouds begin to form over the dry ocean beds.
Thunder and lightning rumble as electromagnetic energies in Sagussa's
atmosphere are stimulated by the presence of so much water.

And for the first time in fourteen thousand years...it rains on Sagussa.

* * *

"There we are!" Ataru smiles. "All safe and sound!"

Elle smiles as the Gatherer halts some distance from her homeworld's
planetary defence field. Waiting for the Rose Queen is her flagship, now
floating alongside the Sagussan superdreadnought. Turning back, she embraces
her Honey. "Thank you so much," she kisses him. "I almost gave up hope.
What inspired Babara to ask for your help?"

"She hoped I'd knock some sense into you," he sighs. "Elle, you and I
have a lot of responsibility heaped on us, being who we are. You can't expect
people to respect you if you race off into the wild blue yonder just to track
down your parents. Besides, if Sheko really is digging his claws into your
people, you have to be strong to stand up to him."

"I...I can't," she shudders, tears flowing. "I'm not strong, Honey.
I'm weak! I need help!!" she stares pleadingly at him. "Only you can help
me, Honey! Please...please, you must..."

Ataru sighs, then deliberately pulls Elle's hands from him. "Fate only
helps those who help themselves," he intones. "I'm tired of you blasting your
way into my life so you can feel good. I've no time or patience for your
antics, Elle. If you can't do anything about it, then don't come screaming to
me. I've enough problems on my own. Henry, beam her to the 'Rose Emperor.'"

The Rose Queen disappears in a transporter beam before she could reply.
Ataru sighs as he returns to his chair. Ayesha walks up. "Oh, she's gone!"
Noa's sister breathes out in relief. "Thank Lyna for that!! Anyhow, Ataru,
we just received a strange message from Sagussa."

"What is it?" Ataru stares at her.

Ayesha shrugs. "It's raining. All over the planet!"

The *daimon'cha's* eyes widen...

* * *

"M'lord," a messenger bows before Sheko.

The *laqu'r* relaxes in his throne in the middle of Kyotos City, gazing
at his vast domain from the picture windows lining the circular room. "What
is it?" he sighs.

"Sir, Ranko and his team are dead. Queen Elle has returned."

Sheko's eyes narrow. "Who?"

"The Slayer of the Masters of Noukiios, sir," the messenger reports.
"Lady Babara and Lord Dureko requested his help in retrieving the queen. His
warriors were thorough; all information gathered by Ranko's team was erased.
The location of the Black Roses...still eludes us, sir."

Sheko takes in a deep breath. Of course Babara and Dureko would run to
Ataru Moroboshi. Elle's maddening fixation on the *daimon'cha* was the one
thing Sheko could not seem to eliminate. Every time he seemed to get control
over Elle, she would think of Ataru and everything would be ruined, even if
for a short while. The infuriating part was that there was no hope in
attacking him or his kin; Sagussa and Zephyrus stood in the way. His eyes
narrow as he returns his gaze to his domain. "Then it is time that hag learns
what it means to cross me. See to it."

"At once, m'lord!"

* * *

"Wow!!!" Lum gasps. "Look at it!!"

A deluge descends on the valley below the Chamber of Eternity, a torrent
of water surging toward Tere'na City. Hastily-erected dikes around the new
capital city redirect the torrent into the long-empty Sogh'haeng. Everyone
relaxes in Ataru's bedroom, watching through the thick plexiglas windows as
the life-giving fluid which once resided on a wandering planetoid fills
Sagussa's long-dry oceans. To celebrate this, Lum, her friends and Pathfinder
Troop Six take a break from their operations on Uru to return home. "How're
things going?" Ataru stares at Hazel.

The hydrographic science chief stares at her readings. "Water levels in
the Sogh'haeng are now a kilometre below pre-Clone Rights War levels. In the
To'haeng, one-point-two kilometres. Namgh'haeng, point-nine kilometres. And
in the Pugh'haeng, one-point-four kilometres. Tidal action is moderate at
present, although it'll increase as more water falls.

"What about coastal plains and Tere'na-korgh?" Lum wonders.

"Current projections indicate that the water levels will stabilize at
point-oh-two kilometres below Clone Rights War levels throughout Sagussa. The
remainder will form clouds, ice caps and rivers." Hazel stares at Ryooko-chan
and Tsuyoko-chan. "Looks like people can start planting!"

"We'll need to get out there with fertilizer and new soil," the botany
chief sighs. "Our work has just begun!"

Ataru and Lum remain in place as everyone chatters with excitement.
With water no longer a problem, the real work in restoring Sagussa's ecosystem
begins. He reaches over to embrace her. "So much, so soon," he sighs,
kissing her forehead. "Can we take it?"

"They will," she smiles. "They're strong people. They couldn't be
*daishi'cha* if they weren't."

They kiss, then glance across the room. Another couple, reunited after
a hundred year separation, relaxes as they try to rebuild their lost
relationship. "Strange," Lum muses. "Now that Aisur's calmed down, Munba
likes him again."

"He just needed to get his anger and grief out of him," Ataru smiles at
the new Minister of Internal Security and the Commissioner of Police. "Once
that was gone, he could make himself stop seeing Munba as his lost wife and
start accepting her as a different person. It'll be painful, but it'll do him
a lot of good in the end."

"That's good," she squeezes his hand. "So...when do we reintroduce
Nassur-chan to Tenba...or Dake-chan to Gilnira?"

"When they're ready for it...or when they want it," he muses. "Nassur
and Dake-chan have their own families to worry about. They come first."

"True," Lum nods.

Miyuki and Natsumi walk up. "Ataru, as grateful as we are that you
elected Aisur to be our Minister," the former projects a puppy-dog eyed stare
at the *daimon'cha,* "...but did you HAVE to elect Munba as Commissioner?"

"She volunteered!" Ataru innocently shrugs. "Why?!"

Miyuki and Natsumi faint! "Was it something I said?" he wonders.

At that moment, Spea walks into the room, making her way to Ataru's
side. She leans down, whispering something in his ear. He blinks, then
stares at her. "Are you sure?!"

"It was confirmed just now," Spea nods.

"What?!" Lum tenses.

Ataru sighs. "Babara was killed in an explosion in Baran last night."

Everyone falls silent as they stare at the *daimon'cha*...

* * *

Marona drifts over Sagussa, her energy form moulding into something more
humanoid. In her protective cocoon, the conscience of the *haijo-ju* observes
as rain continues to fall, restoring the oceans. From there, other steps
would be taken. Creation would breathe anew on Sagussa. It would take time.
Had she the power, Marona would have restored Sagussa with but a thought...but
she understood that mortals preferred things to occur in a pace comfortable to
them. Sagussa would take care of herself.

No matter. Her destiny lay elsewhere. But...where? Marona was weak,
not fully of the *te'a's* power. It would take a long time for the power lost
in transporting Mizu ten thousand parsecs to be restored. Further, she
required a physical form to better manipulate her powers. She believed she
had found it when her conscience touched the *daishi'cha* named Hazel. But a
voice...perhaps Ram, perhaps Atar, perhaps Chigaiko Inu...had told her that
the time was not right. She would have to wait.

No matter. Her destiny lay elsewhere...

* * *

"We did it!!" Kiiwii wipes her hands.

Ataru's bodyguards stand before their creation. Pride shines in their
eyes, knowing that now, their *daimon'cha,* the man who had helped them in
their time of need, was safe. No precaution was overlooked. Their creation,
reflective of Sagussan mythology and scientific reality, stood rigid in its
programming cubicle. As soon as someone with the proper genetic code
interfaced with the conscience transference machine, it would come to life.

The door opens, revealing Catty. "You wanted to see me, Mikan...eh?!"
the doctor stops, eyes wide on seeing what they had built.

"Well?!" Mikan stares expectantly on their silent partner.

Catty shudders. "Hideous!" she exclaims. "To actually risk Entropy's
power by invoking Its Image...not to mention using the same power which
created Lyna...!!"

"Catty," Mikan slips a friendly arm around the doctor's shoulder,
leaning down conspiratorially. "Don't look at this as a perversion! This is
the ultimate expression of the *daimon'cha's* true self! As Atar had to
sacrifice so much to save Ram, so must Ataru-sama do the same to save Lum-
sama! Where, where, WHERE is the problem with that?!"

Catty shudders. "Mikan, get help!" she sighs.

But the doctor could not turn away from the being standing before her.
The gunmetal armour, forged from pure carbo-neutronium, denser than anything
seen in Sagussan physics. The stun-batons, two per arm. The hidden weapons
ports allowing an augmented arsenal to be fitted. The lone sensor-eye, fitted
with a stun-laser. The organic flesh sheathed in a gold-trimmed black form-
fitting jumpsuit, each cell burning with the power of the regeneration matrix,
the very substance which guaranteed Lyna immortality of a sort. Walking away
from the bodyguards, Catty shivers as she approaches it, her hand falling on
the phoenix-shaped arm shield emblazoned with the motto AI TO JIJITSU...

Love and Truth.

*** To Be Continued ***