The ships came from around the darkside of the moon, where
they had been carefully organizing all their forces. Flying at the
point was Swordbreaker, the ultra-modern warship being flanked by the
Manticore fighter wings and the remains of the Moon Kingdom forces.
"I'm still not very happy about having those Moon Kingdom
ships coming along with us," Ruri quietly noted from her usual
position at the ship's helm. Despite being the temporary captain the
blue haired girl maintained her position there, smoothly coordinating
with Rei and Asuka over at the communications and tactical stations.
"Neither am I," Mitsuki agreed from her rather uncomfortable
seat in the captain's chair, "but we needed enough ships to make
Ryo-Ohki's absence a bit less noticeable." The tall redhead was
maintaining a close watch on the tactical updates, as well as keeping
an eye on the ship's system's itself. 'This is a lot harder than Ruri
makes it look,' she noted.
"A flight of enemy ships are coming up from Earth space,"
Asuka calmly noted, but her voice was coming out just a bit more eager
than usual. It was quite clear that the orange haired young woman
really enjoyed her work, both in her voice and in her posture, leaning
into her controls. She smiled just slightly, "It seems that several of
the ships that were more heavily damaged in the last engagement are
still grounded."
"Keep an eye out for any cloaked ships," Mitsuki ordered them
all crisply, "we've been assuming that their only cloaking devices
were used in the ships that attacked the Washu's Revenge, but we could
be wrong."
"Couldn't have said it better myself," Ruri smiled.
"An incoming message on a secured channel," Rei said, working
her control panel calmly, "it's from the Moon Kingdom's lead ship."
The main screen changed as they received the signal, and a
dark haired woman appeared up there. Lady Mars smiled at them
slightly, "We're ready to go, ma'am." The noble pushed her long hair
back, "We've concentrated on getting our warships back to fighting
form, but we're only at seventy-five percent capacity."
"System limitations?" Ruri asked crisply.
"Our long range sensors are more limited than I'd like," Mars
admitted, "and our point defense is going to be spotty at best."
"Initiating secure computer links," Rei anticipated the
command, "tying in the Moon Kingdom vessels into our sensor grid."
"Thanks," Mars grinned.
"Message to all ships," Ruri began to bring them forward,
"prepare to initiate combat maneuvering. Fighters, move out!"
The nine fighters shot forward, rapidly reaching the first of
the Earth ships. The smaller vessels bobbed and weaved in among the
larger vessels, fireballs blossoming at the enemy frantically tried to
shoot them down.
"Well, well, it looks like the enemy's learned how much damage
those fighters can actually do," Mitsuki noted.
From the surface of the Moon a wave of energy struck out, and
an Earth ship exploded violently. A few moments later there was
another, as the Earth ships frantically maneuvered about to try to
avoid the attack.
"Do make sure that Kiyone and Mihoshi remind Serenity that
we're up here, too," Ruri noted calmly as an energy-bolt nearly singed
their hull.
Mitsuki smiled grimly as the range quickly closed between the
two fleets, feeling honest relief that Rhione and the others were down
on the Moon's surface and out of danger. "All right," she sat up
straight as they finally came into optimum weapons range, "let's make
these guys regret ever going after Manticore!"
Not far from the battle they floated silently, the lights dim
and only the most minimal power being used. Swordbreaker and their
allies unleashed a massive stream of weapons power, and Minagi
whistled softly, "Now that's impressive."
"Not too bad at all," Ryouko agreed, standing nearby her blue
haired twin sister. Ayeka paced impatiently not far away, and Ryouko
could certainly understand how she felt. Thankfully, the wait was
almost over.
"So we're going to follow a damaged Earth ship down?" Ayeka
asked, her twin tails of dark purple hair flowing behind her.
"It should help shield us from their sensor grid," Ryouko
agreed. Her eyes narrowed as an enemy ship blossomed in flame, "Ready,
Ryo-Ohki?"
"Myah!" the ship replied cheerfully.
"Then let's go," Ryouko swept her long blue hair back with a
grin.
The twisting, tumbling enemy craft suddenly found itself with
a new shadow as Ryo-Ohki zoomed in right beside it. The nimble craft
echoed the other ship's descent almost perfectly, using the fire and
debris to cover their descent to the blue green world just below.
"Are we going to be able to break away from it's slipstream?"
Minagi asked calmly as the ground rapidly began to fill the
viewscreen.
"Let's find out," Ryouko replied, "go, Ryo-Ohki!"
They were shaken roughly as the slim ship fought to break free
from the path it was following, but in moments Ryo-Ohki broke free.
The black and red craft floated not far above the ground, as they all
took a moment to get their bearings.
Ayeka raised an eyebrow as Ryouko and Minagi argued over the
map and sighed softly. "Give it here," she took it from them. After
orienting it the correct direction she pointed, "According to this the
capital is due west from here."
Minagi shook her head with a smile, "Thanks."
Ryo-Ohki skimmed along the ground, and they looked out at the
scenery that passed them by. Industry seemed to have overrun this
world, frantic efforts being expended to manufacture machinery of all
types. Ominously, much of it seemed to be the weapons of war.
Ryouko studied the various munitions factories as they skimmed
by with a trained eye and frowned, "If this is all fairly typical,
they've put much of their manufacturing capacity into building up for
warfare." She shook her head as she grimly concluded, "It looks like
the Moon Kingdom may just be a first step for them."
"Myah!" Ryo-Ohki cried out in warning as several fiercely red
glowing objects appeared on another of the viewscreens.
"It looks like we've been spotted by their mobile security
forces," Minagi noted as she called up a closer look at their pack of
pursuers. Slim, fully air-bound fighter planes, but sill quite deadly
for all of their primitive technology.
Ryouko gave them an single glance, quickly assessing their
capabilities, "I think we can handle them, but it'll be noisy."
"Can we outrun them?" Ayeka asked. At the sisters surprised
glances she continued, "It may not be too heroic, but the faster we
get to their leader the better."
"She's got a point," Minagi admitted.
Ryouko nodded and flashed a sudden smile at her lover, "Part
of why I love you." She tilted her head up, "Ryo-Ohki, let them eat
our dust."
"Myah!" Ryo-Ohki agreed cheerfully, then put on a burst of
plainly unearthly speed, soon leaving the fighters far behind.
Ayeka looked out the viewscreen and frowned. 'Could one of my
blood really be responsible for all this?' she wondered, 'Could my
brother's descendant have fallen so very far?' She sighed, 'At least
the others are safe up on the Moon.'
The Palace shook slightly, a near miss rattling the energy
shields that fought to protect it. Sasami leaned up against a wall a
moment, waiting to see if there was another hit, but after a few
seconds of silence moved on. The main hall was packed, the wounded
being carried on one side and a improvised command center operating on
the other.
"How are we doing?" Sasami tentatively asked.
Washu smiled slightly, "We're winning."
Sasami looked around at the growing casualties and quietly
said, "If this is winning, I don't want to see what losing would be
like."
With that Sasami moved off to help out her mothers Funaho and
Masaki along with Rhione, leaving Washu to gaze after the girl
thoughtfully. "She's quite an unusual little girl," Yume said quietly,
reaching out to take her lover's hand gently in hers.
"I think I may have underestimated her," Washu admitted. She
looked up to where Lady Mercury carefully studied her readouts, "How
are the shields holding?"
"I'm impressed," the blue haired young woman admitted, "your
improvised repairs are actually holding up better than our original
shield grid." Lady Mercury gave her a slight smile, "The stories of
your technical prowess aren't exaggerated."
"I noticed you were working on similar improvements when we
started work," Washu said modestly, "it gave me plenty of material to
build on." She tilted her head to the side, "Have you ever considered
visiting the Science Academy?"
"A few times," Mercury acknowledged with a slight nod, "but I
suspect my lover would be rather uncomfortable in such a place. She
much prefers a simpler life of cooking and housekeeping for the two of
us and our daughter."
Yume nodded slightly, a mental image of a sweet housewife for
the dynamic Mercury. "May I ask who your lover is?" she asked
curiously.
Mercury smiled happily, "The Lady Jupiter."
"Wha.." Washu gaped, the mental image of a sweet little
housewife shattered when confronted by the amazonian Lady Jupiter.
Lady Mercury just smirked in reply as she returned to her
work.
Ryo-Ohki rocked slightly, a near miss jostling the little
ship. "Did the fighters catch up with us?" Ayeka asked in surprise.
"No, they're ground based defenses," Ryouko scowled, "I think
we've hit the capital's outer defense perimeter."
Just ahead of them a great building rose up towards the sky, a
fortress of gray stone and dull metal. And all around it a small army
waited, fully prepared for battle. "Looks like they were expecting
us." Minagi noted.
"We'll ram the building," Ryouko said thoughtfully.
"Like back in our raider days," Minagi grinned, "you two go in
to find this King Tenchi, and Ryo-Ohki and I will hold off the army."
"That sounds like a plan," Ryouko grinned ferally as she
ordered Ryo- Ohki to charge. They hurtled towards the great building,
breaking through the stone into an open chamber within. All three of
them leapt out, even as Ryo-Ohki reverted to her cabbit form. "Go get
them," Ryouko waved as Minagi and Ryo-Ohki took off.
The two dropped towards the army, Minagi igniting her energy
sword while the cabbit fell beside her. Ryo-Ohki shifted, growing
larger, until at first a cabbit/little girl stood by Minagi, then a
tall cabbit woman stood there.
"I never realized," Ayeka looked down in shock.
"Myah," Ryo-Ohki gave a very Ryouko-like grin, ignited an
energy sword of her very own, then she and Minagi charged the army.
"Let's go love," Ryouko tugged Ayeka forward. She consulted a
rough schematic Lady Mars had given them of the building and nodded
towards a hallway leading into the heart of the structure. "The throne
room's that way," she said.
"Right," Ayeka nodded, almost flying down the long hallway
beside Ryouko. A few of the guards attempted to bar their way, but the
two of them handled that threat fairly easily with sword or electrical
blasts.
The hallway opened up into a much larger chamber, a great hall
of some kind. An ornate throne stood there empty, but just behind it a
dark haired young woman paced in front of an armored door, a fierce
expression on her pretty face. That look soon turned to alarm once she
saw them coming, "Stop intruders!"
Before Ayeka or Ryouko could even react, a powerful energy
shield stopped them both in midair, sending them hurtling down to the
ground. "Why, that.." Ryouko snarled out as she ignited her scarlet
energy blade angrily.
"Wait," Ayeka waved Ryouko back, quickly extending her own
force shield outwards until it struck the younger woman's barrier head
on. There was a moment of interference, then both shields slammed down
suddenly.
"How?" the girl gasped.
Ayeka met her gaze, "It seems our energy fields canceled each
other out."
"You're related," Ryouko murmured in surprise. The girl's long
hair was black, the shape of the face was similar, and her eyes were
the same violet shade of Ayeka's own.
"My name is Funaho," the young woman met their eyes defiantly
as she declared, "and I will not let you pass!"
"I am.. Queen Ayeka of Jurai, kinsman," Ayeka said softly. She
met the girl's gaze steadily, "I seek to parlay with King Tenchi, to
forge a peaceful resolution to this conflict."
"No one sees the King," the younger Funaho said regretfully,
"not even his daughter." Her expression darkened, "Only his vizier
sees him now."
"And how long has this been going on?" Ryouko asked her
softly, a sudden sinking feeling coming over her. She didn't like the
sound of this, not at all.
Funaho looked over at her with a frown, obviously wondering
who this woman was, but she still answered. "A few weeks," she said
softly, "why?"
"About the time our wedding party was attacked," Ryouko's
expression was grim. She looked over at Funaho then nodded to the
heavy armored door, "Your father is in that chamber there?"
"You will not pass me," Funaho vowed.
"Then come inside with us," Ryouko snapped back. "You have a
right to see your father," she strode towards the sealed door, the
others trailing along behind her.
Ayeka put her hand on a large keypad, looking down at it
thoughtfully as Ryouko studied the massive door itself, "Do you know
the code to open this?"
"Only the vizier knows," Funaho scowled, "supposedly for added
security." Proudly she continued, "The door is three feet of battle
steel, you'll never get inside."
"Three feet?" Ryouko tapped the material, listening to the
metal ring thoughtfully, "Shouldn't be too much of a problem." With
that she ignited her energy sword, driving it into the metal, swiftly
melting a doorway for them all.
"You must fight on," the man's voice declared, "for the
greater glory of Earth!"
The three rushed inside the room, only to freeze at what they
saw waiting for them. The dark haired young man lay sprawled on the
throne, clearly dead. A blow to the head was what probably had slain
him, many weeks ago. Nearby another man, likely the grand vizier,
continued to urge his troops on more and more desperately.
Funaho gazed at the boy sitting on the throne, tears streaking
her face as she murmured softly, "Father?" Then more loudly, an
anguished cry as she ran to kneel at his side, "Father!"
"No, you can't" the vizier raised a gun from his cloak, and
Ryouko reacted without thinking, cutting him down with an energy bolt.
Monitors across the one side of the room showed the ongoing
space battle, what was left of the Earth forces about to be destroyed.
"We've got to order them to surrender," Ayeka ran towards the control
panel to try and stop the needless loss of life.
"No," Ryouko stopped her gently before explaining, "they
wouldn't take such an order from either of us."
Funaho knelt by her father's side, tears streaking her face.
"Computer," she rose to speak softly with an odd sort of
determination, "The king is dead, long like the king."
A woman's voice rang through the chambers, "Acknowledged.
Queen Funaho, your authority is accepted and confirmed."
"I will not rule under that name," Funaho murmured softly.
Eyes flashing she declared, "From this day forth, I am Queen Tenchi
the Second."
"Your reigning name has been recorded, Queen Tenchi," the
computer reported.
"Patch me through to the fleet and ground forces," Tenchi said
crisply. She took a deep breath, "I order you to stand down. The war
is now over. I will reveal more when I know it myself, but our king
has been betrayed by his dearest comrade." Another breath, and with a
bit more emphasis she finished, "The war is over."
The weapons fire trailed off, silence falling both in the
small room and between the fleets out in space. Ayeka met the woman's
gaze who was most probably her niece and gently asked her, "What will
you do now?"
Tenchi looked up to meet her eyes, looking like a young girl
out of her depth as she softly said, "I don't know."
Back to Conquest Index - Back to Tenchi Muyo Shoujo-Ai Fanfiction