Near Neptune…
"A Noukiite star-sloop?!"
"Yes, Boss!" the sensory officer on the Kashin reported as he looked up from his screen to gaze on Invader. "By the looks of her, she's the K'ekseuk."
The large Oni slowly nodded. "Chancellor Nakkyek's flagship, you mean?"
"Yes, sir. ID beacon's confirmed that she's aboard, too."
"So what are you going to do about it?"
Invader tensed, and then he stared at Seq Yethis. Along with King Fuyu, the bearded Oni general and current Chief-of-Staff to the President of the Urusian Union was standing near the aft end of the bridge. "What can we do?" Invader asked. "We have no right to restrict the movement of Noukiite ships in this solar system and His Majesty hasn't made any sort of prohibitions towards that end."
"I have not," the elderly Neptunian stated.
"So you're just going to let Noukiios and Yehisril walk all over us?"
Fuyu gazed at Yethis. While the former's face remained very calm, many of the people on the battlewagon's bridge were quick to sense the growing chill around him as he stared at the Oni general. "Yethis, please remember, if the Lady Chancellor Nakkyek and Prince Sheko live up to their threats, my people would be VERY hard pressed to stop them. Do remember that many of my people would WELCOME an overt Noukiite or Yehisrite hand in this solar system. After all, the constant diplomatic harassment from YOUR government concerning attempts by businesses in the Imperial Dominion and the Royal Kingdoms to help in Neptune's environmental cleanup is well known amongst my people."
Yethis jolted on hearing that veiled warning from the Neptunian monarch. He knew a lot about such things; it was his office that often generated those diplomatic protests in a way to keep the Neptune-Earth system free of non-Federation influence. And the Noukiites — with their smug, holier-than-thou attitude when it came to dealing with all other races they did not consider "civilised" — and the Yehisrites — who didn't need much in the way of an excuse to start a war with ANYONE given the right provocation — were as much on that list of "forbidden" races as the Ipraedies and the Seifukusu! "Still, she has no right to be here."
"The Lady Chancellor would ask one thing, General: 'On whose authority?'"
"Gentlemen! Gentlemen, please!" Invader quickly cut in to calm the other two men down. "There's no need for this!" He then looked over to the communications officer, taking a deep breath. "Signals, raise the K'ekseuk. My compliments to the Lady Chancellor and please ask what her intentions are at this time."
"Her presence here is understandable enough, Invader," Yethis barked. "And it is not wanted!" He then turned to the communications officer. "Signal that ship. Order them IMMEDIATELY to clear out of this solar system and return to where they…!"
"Boss!"
Invader looked over. "What?!"
"Second contact, coming from the direction of Tofunokoibito!" the sensory officer warned. "A Yehisrite battle galleon, Shimanko V-class." He then blinked before his face turned very pale. "ID makes her the Eternal Oath."
Invader's eyes went wide. "Sheko's flagship?"
The whole bridge crew gaped on hearing that…
"Captain Invader AND Prince Sheko? What an interesting coincidence."
"Indeed so, Kaep'. Do you think Lord Varanko or the Hunter Commander may have told the noble Prince of Kyotos the truth behind some of our current passengers?"
Hearing her flag captain's question, the grinning silver-haired, purple-eyed woman in her early twenties could only shrug as she gazed on the tactical image on the main view screen in K'ekseuk's pilotage. Two icons were now shown, indicating ships in close range to the Noukiite warship. One was marked orange to declare her Urusian, the other red bordered in magenta to mark her Kyotos-Yehisrite. Five light blue icons were also present on the screen, indicating the ships of the North Atlantic Division of the Volunteer Earth Defence Force. All were flashing, of course, indicating all the ships were now cloaked, though the Noukiite vessel had the means to detect them even while masked.
"I believe so," Seu-Ch'ek Yech'a-Mung Hechnich'-Nakkyek — "Kaep'" to her closest friends — mused before she gazed at one bridge officer. "Signals."
He turned and bowed. "My Lady Chancellor."
"Signal the Eternal Oath. My sincerest compliments to His Imperial Serene Highness, of course, and inquire as to what brings him now to this solar system."
"At once, my Lady Chancellor." He then made the signal, and then blinked as the reply came back. "My Lady Chancellor, the Prince of Kyotos desires to speak to you."
"On screen," Kaep' ordered.
The tactical image melted into a live-screen shot of a darkened bridge — Yehisrites preferred lower lights when they were on starships than Noukiites — and the rather intimidating image of the Mad Prince of Kyotos. "Lady Chancellor Nakkyek," Sheko said with a polite bow of his head. "Hisri'hilm."
"Suchaeuk-chit' ich'e suhik'hie, Prince Sheko," Kaep' returned his ritualistic greeting, which translated as "die with honour," with her own, normally translated as "Heaven's Blessings upon you." "And what brings you to this solar system?"
"You know my reasons," he replied. "There is a 'free warrior' (to make use of your term for it) that is willing to swear the Oath of Zipilna to me, not to mention ally with me in dealing with the snakes. Surely you can understand that?"
"Of course I can," she acknowledged with a polite nod. "And I have no intention of stopping you as we ourselves realise the time has come for a united front against the ones who would make themselves gods over us all."
"Agreed. And your reason to be here today?"
"I am helping transport that free warrior's brother, sisters and chosen heart-mates back from Oku-ch'ehek to Earth," Kaep' replied. "Much that I suspect they would gladly still remain with us, the Most Venerable Ataru and his family miss the familiar comforts of home. And the Most Venerable One's mates desire no more to be separated from him, so they are moving full-time with him on Earth."
Sheko's eyebrow arched. "Curious that you use THAT phrase to address the lad."
A smile. "He is the Euk Hichheksuch Seuchhoukhek."
Silence.
"The Master of the Soultaker?!" he demanded, his voice a shocked whisper as the others on his bridge all gaped at her.
"I really wish I could tell you all about them."
Kaep' and the bridge crew all turned to see a smiling man dressed in traveller's robes by the main doorway to the pilotage. "Oh, hello, Ataru," the chancellor said with a smile. "Anxious to be back home with all your friends?"
"It can wait for the time being," Ataru admitted as he turned and nodded politely to the Yehisrite prince. "Hisri'hilm, Your Highness. Welcome to our humble corner of the galaxy. My sister Hiromi is on her way here right now to meet you."
A nod in return. "An honour it is, Moroboshi Ataru." Sheko then hummed. "Strange."
"What is?" Kaep' asked.
"That someone without any uniqueness in his looks could cause the fair maidens of dozens of worlds to cower under their beds in fear of their virtues."
Ataru blinked as many of the Noukiites on the pilotage bit back laughter at that comment. The Terran then blinked again before he smirked. "Well, as I'm sure you'll find out soon enough if you ever talk to Nassur and his wife, until six months ago, I had more than enough reason to scare a lot of pretty girls." The smile then faded. "Even the ones that deserved being scared out of their minds." He then perked. "Oh, by the way, Your Highness. Hiromi-chan happens to have a honoured guest with her now."
Sheko perked. "And who might that be?"
"The Slayer of Ra."
More silence.
"So it's true," Sheko mused. "Your planet has a Stargate."
"So I was recently told," Ataru answered. "I'm sure if it's presented properly to the right authorities on Earth, the Stargate Treaty will go over well."
A nod. "So be it, then." Sheko then smirked. "I have yet to speak to Lord Nassur or his stepfather about this Project: Kamen your noble sister spoke of to the reporter from Kurakoa sometime ago, but I sense that you also are aware of what happened."
"I am," the younger man stated. "In fact, if you just want to sit back for a moment, I'll be more than happy to reveal it all to you." He then gazed on the signals officer. "If you wouldn't mind, please raise the Kashin, lieutenant. Tell the fat bastard over there that I want to talk to him."
A smiled. "As you wish, Most Venerable."
"Well?!"
The electronics officer of the Kashin shook his head. "No go, Boss. The ships are communicating using a new encryption code that I've never seen before. I…"
"BOSS!"
Invader spun around. "What is it?!"
"Signal from the K'ekseuk," the communications officer announced as he stared wide-eyed at the large Oni warlord. "It's your former son-in-law."
Silence.
"What…?" the captain gasped, shocked to hear that the man who had hurt his daughter so was now currently on a NOUKIITE warship.
"Open the channel!" Yethis barked as he placed himself between Invader and his officer. "Those bone-heads have no right taking any native of Earth anywhere without permission! Tell them to send that brat over here so we can transport him back to Earth ourselves!"
The young officer quivered on seeing the incensed look on the general's face, and then quickly sent the message over. A moment later, the reply came. "Um…he says, 'I've no time to talk to any backward Imperial asshole who doesn't realise his dreams are all mayaku dust smoke,'" the officer quoted, which caused Yethis to gape in shock and the others on the bridge blink with surprise and even a touch of admiration. "'Tell the fat bastard in charge of that garbage scow to answer now.'"
"WHAT?!" Invader bellowed. "HOW DARE HE! PUT HIM ON!"
The officer quickly keyed controls, turning the image on the upper view screen to show the face of the man who had stymied Uru's intentions — for good or ill, it all depended on personal opinion — concerning Earth for the last year. As Invader lumbered over to stand close to the screen, thus allowing his image to grow to such an extent that he would virtually loom over Ataru, the Terran raised his thumb and index finger as if he was measuring something, and then moved to close the distance between thumb-tip and fingertip together. Much to the surprise of the bridge crew, his OWN image grew right before their eyes until his face filled the screen and loomed over the very large Invader. "What the hell…HOW DARE YOU?!" the Oni warlord screamed on seeing what his former son-in-law was doing. "TURN THAT IMAGE BACK TO NORMAL, YOU BASTARD!"
"Why?"
Invader jolted at that calm question, and then he shuddered as his body began to glow with outrage. "You slimebag! How DARE you question your elders! Now turn that image back to normal this INSTANT or you can kiss any hope of any peace between your people and mine good-bye! You have some GALL to demand to talk to me like this! And what the HELL are you doing aboard that ship?! You have no right to sail on ANY Noukiite ship!"
Silence fell. Invader blinked as he noted that Ataru hadn't reacted even ONCE to any of his words. Around him, the whole bridge crew were shocked speechless on seeing that the Terran didn't appear the least bit fazed by their leader's bluster. Yethis himself had a worried look on his face; if the Terran onigokko champion didn't show any sign of capitulation — or worse, openly WELCOMED the presence of the Noukiites and the Yehisrites to his home solar system — any arguments about trying to force Urusian hegemony on Earth would instantly vanish. Fuyu was also quite spellbound, surprised that this lad, who seemed rather quite harmless and helpless, could show such icy resolve in the face of one of the most powerful people in the known galaxy.
"Says who?"
Invader jolted on hearing Ataru's mocking question, and then he shuddered, his teeth nearly sparking as they gnashed together. But before the Oni could explode in another screaming fit, the Terran leaned back and looked to his right. "Your Highness, you are listening into this, are you?" he asked in a clear voice.
"Indeed I am."
Invader jolted and the bridge crew all nearly leapt out of their seats on hearing that growling voice. "Sh-sheko…!" the Oni warlord gasped.
"That's Prince Sheko to you, captain," Ataru instantly cut in. As Invader gaped at the young Terran, a smile then crossed Ataru's face. "What's the matter, Fat Boy? Can't stand the fact that I won't quake in your presence anymore? Can't stand the fact that your daughter…" — that word just DRIPPED with a tsunami of scorn — "…was HUMILIATED in front of the whole GALAXY when I finally showed everyone what a MONSTER she is? Can't stand the fact that I won't dance to some moronic tune made by people who are so afraid that they'll KILL you if you say the sun is bright when they think it isn't?" His eyes narrowed. "Can't stand the fact that Hiromi and I just showed you up for the monster YOU are?!" he added in a hiss as the shadows around his eyes suddenly darkened and those orbs began to glow a deep red.
Gasps of horror and fright echoed on the bridge of the Kashin as many of the crew instantly recalled the tales of She Who Speaks To Dragons and the god-like power she could call upon. And how her eyes glowed THAT way when she was REALLY angry. As many instantly cowered behind Invader, Ataru sat back in his chair, crossing his arms as a wry smile crossed his face. "You know, Tubby, I actually LIKED you once! Comparing you and your wife to the two people I have the misfortune to be related to, there was no match. I really was envious of your daughter for having two such caring parents like she did." The smile then slipped. "Until five months ago on Okusei. You just wouldn't begin to BELIEVE who I met at the Academy there."
He then leaned back as someone else stepped into the camera's range.
"Hello, Daddy."
Invader's jaw dropped. "Lum…"
Aboard Arizona, now racing for Neptune…
"Uh, excuse me."
Hiromi glanced over. "What's the problem, Colonel?"
"Didn't your brother use a whole flock of DRAGONS to chase Lum off the planet a week ago?" Jack asked as the crew of SG-1 watched events on the view screen.
"Wait and find out, sir," Shinobu then stated.
Sam and Daniel exchanged looks while Teal'c's eyebrow arched…
"No…you can't be…you're Hensō! You're not Lum…"
"How's that possible?"
An ashen-faced Invader looked about to collapse onto his knees as he stared in wide-eyed disbelief at the couple on the view screen. "Wh-wh-what…?"
"How is it possible?" Ataru asked. "Ōgi promised you android replicas of your daughter and her three best friends from middle school. And if I understand the concept behind androids correctly, it's simply IMPOSSIBLE for them to literally GROW from the image of thirteen year-old girls that you knew of back then to what they are now." He then smiled as three other women moved to stand around him.
"What did happen, Lord Ataru?" Sheko's voice then demanded as a chorus of stunned gasps and disbelieving looks crossed the faces of all the Kashin's bridge crew on seeing Oyuki, Benten and Ran currently with Ataru and Lum.
"Quite simple, Your Highness. What Ōgi used were bioroids, not androids. Bioroids created by a factory his people found on Phentax Twelve over eighty years ago. All living beings, as simon-pure as those born of a mother's womb, but simply created in a laboratory. The perfect source of cheap slave labour, especially of the sexual kind!" Ataru then stared at Lum's father. "Unfortunately, thanks to a curse put on Lum after she was born by the Old Lady of the Oak Forest, somehow, her very SOUL literally switched BODIES with that of the bioroid — Hensō — thus giving Lum a much better and curse-free body to use of her own." His eyes then narrowed. "But because Invader here trusted the words of a MASS MURDERER like Ōgi dai-Zkuhsbagh, he couldn't make himself believe that his 'daughter' was, in mind, the REPLICA he had made to keep his real child safe!" He then sneered at Invader before gazing on his three other lovers. "And worst of all, three innocent girls whose only 'crime' was to be three of Lum's best friends went through the same thing." His eyes then locked on Fuyu. "The girl who dumped all that snow in my bedroom one day and allowed that monster B-Boy to run amuck in Tomobiki — WHEN SHE HAD EVERY RESPONSIBILITY IN THE GALAXY TO BEHAVE LIKE A CIVILIZED BEING! — was Mienai, not Oyuki! I`m not sure what the extent of YOUR guilt in all this is, sir, but you better…"
"No…"
Eyes snapped aft to the turbolift doors. "Oyuki!" Fuyu gasped.
"No…" the woman dressed in the robes of the crown princess of Neptune said as she shook her head, her eyes wide with denial and disbelief as she gazed on her mirror-image on the view screen, actually HUGGING her best friend's ex-husband from behind, looking as if she truly was where she now wanted to be. "No…I'm Oyuki, not her…I'm Oyuki…I'm Oyuki…I'm Oyuki…"
As people looked at one princess, and then the other…
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(Posted Thu, 27 May 2010 05:07)
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らんま1/2 © Rumiko Takahashi
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