UPDATE NOTES : Fixed some language probs... that's about it ^^;;.

DEDICATION (25/09/2000)

For Davner

I didn't think I'd lose anything when I went IRCing, but I did. ... Gomen.

Sincerely, Zyraen

Disclaimer : Most characters in this story are property of AIC and Pioneer. They are in such a situation solely because of my imagination. This story was written purely for fun.

I would also like to extend my whole hearted thanks and gratitude to Patrick "Seion" Stewart, who gave me permission to use his character Seion in Darkness & Light .

Seion, if you're reading this and you find I screwed him up, please do inform me, I'll do my utmost to put him right. Thank you ^_^. Seion's work can be found in Gensao's TMFFA, at www.tmffa.com.

DARKNESS & LIGHT - No Need For Kova

By Zyraen

Chapter XIV : No Need for Masquerades

The door closed behind her, and the older princess of Jurai took a deep breath of the refreshing night air. She managed to smile a bit, as she stepped out, but her heart was still weighed down by various matters…

Ryoko… could I have wronged you?

Endless memories from what seemed like lifetimes ago surged into her mind. The garden of Jurai… the fair on Jurai…the vacation… She had heard it all, Ryoko and her arguing about their histories in front of Tenchi and everyone, and now that she had found the courage to be perfectly honest with herself, she wasn’t even sure…

A distant, harsh tearing sound, as of a tree falling, shattered the silence of the night, resounding discordantly and ripping apart the still introspective fabric within the princess’ mind. Aeka spun around, eyes wide, and saw blazes and dashes of orange and violet flashing out from under the shadowed, verdant canopy that covered the hillside leading up to Katsuhito’s temple.

Ryoko! But who is…

Aeka’s eyes widened as the purple blaze registered.

Nagi…!?

As she drew near she could see the line of fallen trees in the wake of the combatants, though she could have sworn she had not actually told herself to run over to assist. Urgency lent her wings, and feet pumping rapidly, she swiftly covered the distance to the base of the hill across the still somewhat devastated field without stumbling across the occasional potholes.

Face set in a mixture of determination and anxiety, the first princess of Jurai forged forward up the slope, racing to reach the battling duo. As the sounds became louder through the fleeting, changing shadows within the forested area, she felt her heartbeat quicken as thrill coursed through her being with an imminent sense of peril, and she could see Ryoko ahead, trapped within the tendrils of violet as a prey snared by a tentacled horror, battling valiantly but nevertheless steadily weakening and on the verge of getting struck down…

Surges of cerulean energies gathered about her form, as her forcefield shimmered into existence and she streaked upwards, a fiery ice blue comet shattering the darkness of the canopy, parting a line through the foilage like a sword through flesh as the barriers in her way withered before the imperial might of Juraian power.

Through the dashes and wreaths of incandescent sparks, Ryoko, her entire form pouring into holding her own, subconsciously noted as the confident, triumphant grin leering at her like the mask of death flickered for an instant on her foe’s face, before subsiding into a puzzled frown, and from a corner of her eye she glimpsed a flicker of radiant cerulean coursing through the shadows.

Nagi cursed as she felt the air nearby move, and acting quickly, leaped back, with her whip lashing out to either side of her as the miniature guardians were scattered from converging around the spot she had occupied.

"Princess Aeka?" She murmured questioningly as the princess, wrapped in the blue nimbus of shining power, sped closer, like a ghostly apparition rushing in for the kill.

Ryoko, breathing hard, contrived to seize the respite by swiftly unleashing two beams at Nagi, who, seemingly without looking at her, cavalierly flicked her whip out. A plasma beam shattered, not against Ryoko where it would have no effect due to her being its source, but smashed into a tree that crashed down right before the space pirate, forcing her to leap slightly back as it cut her off from Nagi. Aeka glimpsed the other incoming blast before it slammed into her field, and the impact as the orange energies dissipated into white motes brought her to a standstill.

Nagi watched both her opponents warily, her face grim. "What are you doing here?" She demanded of the newcomer.

Aeka brought herself to her full height. "I demand you cease this combat!"

"I have…" Nagi replied drily. "I thought you and Ryoko were sharing a man, no?" Her lips curled into a frigid, cold and above all, taunting, smile.

For a brief instant Ryoko could have sworn she saw Aeka’s face contort into purple rage a heartbeat before Nagi quit the spot, cloaked figure darting away as the log guardians Azaka and Kamadake materialised on either side of her, the black cloth fraying at the ends as it was snared momentarily by the force field.

"Now, now, princess." Nagi’s soothing voice carried as she spun around in midair to face Ryoko, who had materialised above her, and swiftly employed her whip parrying the space pirate’s assault. "That’s no way to treat someone who is trying to remove your rival, is it?"

Aeka cogitated, unsure of herself.

Ryoko… my rival for so long, in so many ways… or Ryoko… a friend?

Azaka’s beam struck the ground before Nagi, then she had spun behind and around some trees.

"Let me be done with my prey…" The sibilant voice came, seemingly disembodied.

Kamadake’s obliterated a tree he perceived was in his way before they realised Nagi was right beside them.

"And you can have your Tenchi, all to yourself."

The purple whip shot out and snared Kamadake’s lower end, before she pulled and tugged, at the same time winding herself under the small slack length just in time to avoid the slash from Ryoko’s blade which struck the surface of the whip she shielded herself behind.

Aeka thought back to the times she and Ryoko had spent together. They weren’t all pleasant, but they seemed to have spent a rather great deal of time together. When they had rescued Tenchi from Nagi on Venus, their adventures in Space, thinking how Tenchi had told her about Ryoko’s heroism in helping to save her, comforting each other when Tenchi was hurt, their battles on board the Comet, and the most recent expedition to the city…

"Ouch." Kamadake muttered as the whip cut through his base milliseconds before Nagi pulled him forcefully around onto his side, and Ryoko, who had tried to strike Nagi from behind, was forced to dematerialise as the huge log crashed into where she had been standing.

"Call your guardians off and I can forget all about this, Your Highness."

Aeka blinked.

Sure you could forget it… but could I? No.

And Tenchi? *Never*…

The whip uncoiled with unbelievable speed as the guardians lost their potent power due to their separation and temporary incarceration of one of them, while Ryoko was forced to turn her darting blade rapidly upon itself to parry the lash from Nagi.

"So what will it be?" Nagi asked casually. "Leave me my prize?" Sparks flew as she engaged Ryoko once again, who was too focused on the job at hand to reply.

"*Never*!" Aeka shrieked, and Nagi just managed to glimpse a cerulean nimbus speeding towards her, before she was forced to hurl herself away from Ryoko or be consumed by the shimmering aura that could spell, if not doom, at least a respectable amount of pain to herself.

"Princess, I am warning you!!" Nagi threatened, anger creeping into her voice as Aeka settled herself resolutely between her and Ryoko, a millisecond before the space pirate teleported to stand by her side. "Don’t make me…"

"We, of the Juraian Royal family, do not deal with the likes of you!"

Ryoko, despite her weariness and her hurt, smiled at the way Nagi convulsed in anger at being addressed like a criminal herself…

Heh, who would have thought I’d see the day princess Aeka call you, my dear Nagi, that…

"Ken-oh-ki!" Nagi cried out, and the silver white battleship descended from the heavens, cannons aimed straight at the Masaki residence below them…

"Ryo-oh-ki!" Ryoko called desperately, but the cabbit did not emerge.

"Didn’t I mention she is, well, preoccupied, Ryoko?" Nagi smiled as Aeka and Ryoko turned pale. "Now princess… back down, or else…"

Aeka ground her teeth together. "Scumbag…" She turned from Nagi to Ryoko.

The space pirate started as her counterpart’s eyes gleamed cold with determination, and Ryoko blinked, as somehow they practically thought across to each other…

Thank you, Aeka.

Godspeed, Ryoko.

The princess of Jurai stepped away from Ryoko, head bowed in defeat.

Nagi grinned as her whip flickered back into existence. "Now, we… what the!?"

Ryoko teleported away.

"How dare she!?" Nagi screamed in frustration, leaping away as Azaka and Kamadake, having recovered, sped just by her, almost encapsulating her form. "Ken-oh-ki!"

The cabbit ship pulsed with energy as it prepared to unleash an obliterating blast… and stoppped.

"WHAT the…!?"

Guardians were forming in the air around Ken-oh-ki, ceasing the energy surge. Incredulous, Nagi turned back to see Aeka, eyes closed in concentration, and sweat beading her brow as she summoned all her reserve power to hold back the warship.

"You interfering no good princess!" Nagi pounced upon the preoccupied Aeka with a vengeance, aiming not to kill but to break her concentration, before she caught the sign of blue. Purple lash struck azure energies, and Nagi hurled herself away from the impact lest she strike the forcefield.

No! She can’t have any energy left to defend herself… except…

Nagi realised Aeka was flanked by her two guardians, their combined might shielding all three of them in a nimbus of blue.

Drat… I’ll see how long *you* can hold out. She thought, eyes turning up in the sky.

Already the guardians restraining Ken-oh-ki were beginning to tremble, and Aeka’s teeth ground hard against each other as she tried her very best, but she was only one lady… Nagi folded her hands across her chest and stared at Aeka, bemused.

Not long at all.

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

Washu spun around as the door to the lab opened, and the light over the table where she was working on the gifts snapped out instantly lest someone should spot it.

"Ryoko?"

"Washu, quick! Ken-oh-ki’s going to blow up the house!!"

"DAMN!" Washu stood up, and for an instant she was about to race out of her lab to set up a shielding device when she remembered something.

The transmitter device for Yagami in the field…

"WASHU!!" Ryoko cried out, shocked that her friend should care not about the fate of their residence, and most relevantly, the fate of Tenchi. "You…?" The scientist did not reply, her fingers flying rapidly over her keyboard, altering the dimensional status and construct of the device.

In the field outside the house, the small transmitter device suddenly enlarged by almost five times, and produced what looked like a metal pole extending skyward…

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

Aeka felt the drain within her, sapping away at her pool of energy, still not fully recovered from the recent exertions on board the Comet.

I can only pray it has been enough…

A weary groan, and her concentration broke.

Ryoko…

The guardians in the air around Ken-oh-ki faded into thin air, and a single beam of scarlet silver emerged from the battleship to scream down at the house…

Aeka breathed a sigh of joyful relief as the shot struck harmlessly against an invisible shield around the place, coruscating into pink light before dissipating into nothingness.

Nagi’s face wrinkled for a moment in puzzled surprise, then her eyes narrowed to slits. "So, she went to get Washu… My, the two of you are thick as thieves, aren’t you?" She turned back to Aeka, resting upright and leaning against the inside of the forcefield generated by her guardians. "Sharing a man has made you degenerate into a scum…"

Aeka was too weary to be angry. "Look Nagi, I don’t know what you want with Ryoko." She breathed, softly. "The bounty on her was annulled…"

"Perhaps. But certain contacts of mine still want her dead." Nagi leaned back casually against one of the luckier trees, awaiting Ryoko’s reappearance, which she knew would be anytime soon. "Besides… it’s almost a matter of principle." Her eyes became distant for a moment. "We go waaay back…"

Aeka blinked, as she remembered herself…

Would I have become like that?

Nagi continued. "It has become almost an obsession to get her head, to prove I can finally snare and overcome the one person that has continually thwarted me all my life." She blew at her fingernails, smoothing away some of the dirt that had caught in them during the battle. "It is just like a game, a game that has to be played for the end…" Her eyes narrowed and hardened. "And a contest - to show myself I can pin her down in her prime." She clenched her fists, and she did not see Aeka’s face sadden.

Would I have come to hate Ryoko for the sake of hating her? To hate her simply because it was just like me to hate her? Just because I have hated her all along? And what would Tenchi have gotten from us? Nothing… but an eternity of sadness and turmoil…

Aeka realised the gnawing thought in her mind.

It wasn’t just Ryoko stopping Tenchi from loving us openly… it was also me…

"My, quiet like aren’t you?" Nagi murmured, almost charmingly. No longer in a state of bloodlust, the bounty hunter looked serene and comfortable. "I’m still waiting…"

"She won’t be coming back, Nagi." Aeka growled. "She’s not stupid."

"I’m not either." Nagi’s smiled, and suddenly the resemblance to Ryoko was simply stunning, so much that Aeka would have caught her breath but for the fact that she was breathing very quickly and shallowly, too much so to actually do it. "In case you forgot, I still have Ryo-oh-ki."

Aeka bit her lip, and suddenly asked. "Nagi… what will it take to turn you off her trail?"

The bounty hunter’s brows knitted together, as she detected the earnestness in Aeka’s voice.

She’s a princess! She’s in a position to offer me almost anything I desire…

For a moment a distant, hidden part of Nagi filled her mind with regrets, with shattered dreams that had once been real, only to be swept away like smoke upon the wild winds of storms…

A normal life…

No, it’s over… the dead cannot be brought back, the scars cannot be removed.

Nagi sneered derisively at herself, as she banished her buried soul back into the sepulchral tomb. "I live for the thrill of the hunt, for the reward that is the kill itself." She laughed hollowly. "The money is secondary… It only indicates what I am up against, a gauge to see how far I can reach, to see how high and mighty, tricky and devious, elusive and cunning prey I can tear from the skies of space with my talons." Her purple whip flashed out again, cracking against the air to emphasise her point. "I have come close to snaring Ryoko countless times, yet all those countless times she has evaded me."

Aeka pressed forth again. "Then when she escaped it must have been no fault of yours. Like on Venus, and here… she got away because of me."

"True." Nagi thought about it. "She is soft now, too… no longer that great of a challenge, but I have yet to prove myself."

"No!" Aeka tried, raising her voice. "You don’t have to anymore."

"Hmm?" Nagi arched an eyebrow. "And why might that be?"

Aeka put as much respect into her voice as she could summon. "You have, already."

"Indeed?" She gave a ghastly grin of satisfaction, eyes not leaving her whip. "Perhaps, princess."

"Then leave her alone! Don’t bother us anymore!" Aeka felt her emotions intensify as she gradually recovered strength.

Why not… Nagi asked herself. Ryoko would certainly have been dead by now, there is nothing else I can gain by pitting myself against her further… after all she was only the appetiser…

"Very well then." The whip disappeared from Nagi’s hand. "I will leave her in peace."

Aeka heaved a sigh of relief.

"But I need something from you, first."

"Huh?" Aeka asked.

"You ask me to give up a bounty." Nagi replied. "I have NEVER done that before. But this bounty is meaningless to me, now that I have decisively defeated her once again, and the amount the private associates are paying is measly compared to the one I have come in search for." She smiled slyly to herself. "Though I may have difficulty in finding him, and the prize is only up for a limited time…"

Aeka’s eyebrow arched questioningly. "So?"

"I want a pledge. From you, that you and the rest of your friends, notably Washu, will help me."

Aeka bit her lip. "I cannot promise for the others, but I can pledge mine."

Nagi reached over her head to pull her hood up over her head, to leave only her lips in the open outside the shadow. "Swear it. That you will do your very best to help me in what I ask."

"You promise to leave drop Ryoko’s bounty and return Ryo-oh-ki?"

She nodded slightly, obscuring all her facial features in the darkness of the hood.

If Aeka could see in the dark, she would have seen Nagi’s face light up in amusement, but she couldn’t, and nor was she in the right frame of mind to consider what she might actually be swearing to. "I, first Princess Aeka of the Juraian Royal Family, hereby solemnly pledge myself to assisting the bounty hunter in the capture of a criminal she seeks, so long as she leaves Ryoko in peace." She was too tired to think about legally binding terms and words that she might have considered in dealing with a Jurian council member, and anyway those warriors of space set more store by honour and dealings than by the phrasing of words.

"Aeka?" Ryoko materialised, shock written all over her face as she caught the last verse of Ryoko’s words. "What the…!?" She turned to stare up at Nagi.

"Thank you, princess." The bounty hunter smiled. "Although for now, I will not have need of your services."

"Princess, what the *hell* is going on!?" Ryoko cried. "And what did you do with Ryo-oh-ki, Nagi?" She and Washu had tried a scan for Ryo-oh-ki, only to find the only signal came from Nagi herself…

"She has agreed to leave you in peace." Aeka murmured, as she got to her feet, still flanked by Azaka and Kamadake and surrounded within their forcefield. She might be naïve at times, but she had to be sure Nagi would keep her word. "Now, swear it, Nagi."

"You have my word, princess." Nagi replied coolly. "Without honour, the warrior is nothing but a barbarian." She reached behind her, and they heard the snap as she removed some straps from under her cloak, behind her back. "Here you go, Ryoko." Nagi held out an unconscious bundle of dark brown fur.

"Ryo-oh-ki!" Ryoko’s eyes opened in surprise. "HEY!!! What if I had stabbed you from behind!?" She snarled at Nagi.

Nagi gave a light, almost lilting laugh, and her blue eyes glinted a little in the shadowed hood as she rolled them. "You flatter youself, my dear Ryoko." As if to make a point she extended the furry bundle closer.

Ryoko stared uncertainly at Nagi’s outstretched hand. "What did you do to her?"

Nagi arched an eyebrow at Ryoko. "Need you ask?"

Ryoko glared at the one whom she knew, had just about killed about her earlier, and nearly took her beloved Tenchi down a mere minute ago. "All right, I know it’s carrots." Gingerly she took the cuddly little cabbit, snoozing most comfortably, into her left hand. "No lasting harm?"

"None. Ken-oh-ki would never forgive me if I actually hurt her." Nagi replied, her voice subsiding carefully into a soft monotone. "Give her maybe one or two hours to wake up."

"Kay…" Ryoko murmured, half dazed. This seemed almost like a dream…, communicating with her loathed rival with a thought, and now her most fearsome adversary was stepping away from her!? Why yes, for indeed the hunter had turned her back and was about to…

"Oh yes… I forgot to tell you something princess." Nagi turned back around, a wry grin on my face. "If this big fish of mine proves to be nothing but a soft whale, I won’t *need* your help. Then when I get bored… it’s all off."

"HEY!" Aeka shrieked. "You promised…!"

"Call it a respite. Besides…" Nagi murmured, as Ryoko snarled at her, and pointedly ignored her ex-quarry. "… if I don’t call on your services, your pledge will mean nothing to you. Rest assured, if I really do need the aid which I trust you will provide, I will abide by my word, for all time." She grinned. "As for you, Ryoko, I doubt it would be wise to grow soft." The grin turned into a sardonic leer. "I hope you will prove more of a challenge next time."

"Oh, believe me Nagi," Ryoko clenched her fist forcefully before her. "I’ll rip…"

Aeka interposed herself between the two, as her guardians faded into the background. "If there is a next time." She reminded the two of them solemnly.

"Indeed." Nagi smirked. "We shall see. For the time being, my quarrel with you and Ryoko end here, princess." Her blue eyes gleamed menacingly at Ryoko, even despite their truce their enmity was yet to be at end. "I take my leave of you, Ryoko. Oh, and from now till the time we meet again, please do remember to take *good* care of yourself." Her patronising words ended, the bounty hunter haughtily turned and walked away, almost deliberately turning her back to Ryoko.

The space pirate growled and raised an orange, glowing hand at the receding figure, only to feel the touch of gentle, restraining fingers on her forearm.

"Huh?" She looked up into amethyst eyes…

"No, Ryoko." Aeka shook her head slowly, her violet tresses cutting slightly through the dark shadows. "Peace, for now."

The princess didn’t just speak for Nagi.

Hesitating at first, the space pirate nodded in approval and lowered her hand. Nagi’s silhouette had long since melted into the shadows, and above them Ken-oh-ki silently moved off. Aeka and Ryoko silently stood by each other, accompanied only by the slight rustling of the leaves in the night wind, and the shadows cast by the faint light of the moon upon the silent, standing sentinels all about them.

Nestled within Ryoko’s palm, Ryo-oh-ki shifted in her rest and cuddled closer to her owner’s side, before giving a soft, almost inaudible chuckle, like she was in a sweet dream of carrots… or of Ken-oh-ki.

======= ^_^ Ah well, back to the busy couple ^_^ =======

"Hmm!!" Kiyone smacked her lips. "Nice." She purred.

"Let’s try this out then," Kova murmured with a wry grin, before reaching forward to taste what she had to offer him. Kiyone smiled as his lips closed around, then pulled back. "Ahh!" He sighed. "I’ll say! This has got to be the best I ever tasted!"

"Yeah, me too." She laughed, then she took another helping. "I wonder why it does…"

"You know, we really should have tried this out earlier," Kova grinned back as he watched her swallow, their mutual relish of each other’s presence and proximity expelling the weighty matters from their minds to recede into unimportance. "Who would have thought it’d be so nice?"

"True… Maybe because it’s you." She replied, gently.

"Perhaps." Kova opened his mouth wide and his tongue playfully flicked out to lick the morsel, and Kiyone shivered with joy as she watched and felt him. "I like the idea of you being on the other end."

"So do I, Kova-chan. My turn."

"Open your mouth wide and say ‘aaah’!"

Kiyone’s eyes twinkled as she complied, and Kova laughingly placed it into her mouth, watching in pleasure as her lips curled around the shaft.

"Yum!" The green haired detective laughed as she withdrew her lips.

"I’m sure… pity it’s not warm." Kova passed her the spoon back. ( Oh, were u thinking of something else ^_^ ? ) "Sasami really knows her stuff, but I’ll say the greatest flavouring would be just your touch being there."

Kiyone smiled appreciatively as she fed him another mouthful, before glancing back at the packet. "Oh darned… it’s almost empty already."

Kova took the utensil from her and prepared to scrape out the remaining morsels out. "Heh, then I’ll make sure you get every single bit of them."

"Hold on a second…" The green haired lady reached over for the spoon and…

Snap.

"Huh?" he managed, as he looked at the broken handle of the spoon between his fingers. The bit Kiyone was holding was the bowl of the spoon, plus a very little bit of the handle. "What…?"

"There." She grinned as she returned the bowl to him.

Looking oddly at her, he filled the spoon, or what remained of it, with the last bits of food in the packet, his forefinger and thumb gripping tightly to the tiny length in the plastic that served as the handle. "Oh well, I guess it’s the last serving, so it should be okay." He held it out to her.

Kiyone grinned again, and shook her head. "Hold it with your lips, Kova-chan." Her eyes twinkled cheerily.

Kova blinked once, then, still looking a little stunned, complied, his lips holding tight to the very small bit of plastic. "Mmm?" He queried, unable to talk, eyes going from her to the spoon right under his nose.

His lady shook her head, winked and beckoned to him, before just opening her mouth just wide enough to admit it. Kova, still gripping the spoon tightly in his lips, as the handle is so short his teeth could not touch it, approached her a bit gingerly, and Kiyone had to fight to keep herself from laughing. Then her lips closed around two thirds the length of the bowl of the spoon plus the food on it, and she could feel his breath on her face, see his blue eyes right before her, wide and staring with an odd mixture of surprise and felicity.

Emerald eyes twinkling, Kiyone let her lips drag back from the bowl, and at the last moment,with a mischievous wink, lightly jerked the spoon out. Kova started in surprise as he realised the thing, with still about a third of its load, would spill on the ground, and his face quickly reached out to catch it in his mouth, as at the same time Kiyone, anticipating his reaction, did the same.

Kova blinked again as his lips met hers, with the whole of the spoon in their mouths. He opened his mouth slightly as though to say something, but Kiyone seized the chance and gently tilted her chin down as she raised her head slightly, and the spoon spilled its remaining contents back along its broken bit into his mouth. The detective smiled at the surprised look on his face before turning away, and spitting the piece of plastic out. "Liked it that way?" She grinned.

Kova, astonishment finally giving way to the light of joy on his face, carefully munched his fare, before swallowing. He smiled uncertainly at her, looking sheepish yet delighted, before managing, "That was great! God, if there ever was a nice surprise…!"

"Thank you." She replied, pleased. "Just thought it’d be more interesting to end it that way."

"Interesting?" He chuckled. "That was pleasure, pure and simple." The flavour in Sasami’s cooking added that much more in texture anyway, so they didn’t have to actually kiss.

"Glad you liked it." She glanced at him, at the brownish red stains on his white long sleeved shirt. "How’s your shoulder now?"

"You know your touch and care mend my hurts like nothing else in this universe possibly can."

"Yeah…" She closed her eyes, heart pleased but mind irked. "But you still haven’t told me why the hell the blood was all over your shoulder!" Her green eyes opened and bore into his. "Do you know how I hate it when you refuse to say if you’re hurt!?" She thought back to the time when he had left to fight despite his injury, and when he was in the Shuriken refusing to admit he was injured.

"It’s noth…" his voice died as he looked at her furious gaze. "I had to do battle, Kiyone-chan. He was good." He thought back to himself, attacking wildly with lightning speed. "Every stroke, every flex of my muscles must have made it that little bit worse." He added, looking almost bemused.

"You are crazy at times, you know." She thought back to a few minutes ago, when she was tending to him. "Why did you leave it unattended for so long?"

He stared straight at her, his blue eyes gleaming oddly. "It just didn’t seem to matter at the time." His voice dropped lower. "Something else hurt, far more than it had."

"Look, I didn’t…"

"Yeah," his tongue ran over his lips, only this time it was in nervousness. "I didn’t think you meant it, but as I said it hurt still."

"You know it’s all a sham, just a…"

A movement in the shadows, in the alleyway… a glimpse of colour amidst the darkness…

Kiyone started as she saw his eyes widen and pupils dilate…

His lips barely moved. "Trust me…" His face was tight and tense, words light as a ghost of a zephyr, mere whispers along the wind. "…and be yourself…"

Then his warm blue eyes hardened into cold stones, their bright surfaces muting to liken to the dim night, cold and distant. It was almost all she could do to stop herself from shaking her head in muted shock and disbelief as she saw his face turn cruel and cold, malicious and malevolent like those of countless criminals she had faced before, the look of a hardened soul weathered by decades of daring escapades and dangerous experiences, and forged through the fires from innumerable instances of feral cunning and timely evasions. Kiyone almost expected to see the scars she had seen on the profile Washu showed her to materialise on his face…

"Well, *Inspector*," his voice dripped honeyed venom. "Why *have* you brought along another?" He seemed to be speaking only to Kiyone, but the words were spoken sibilantly enough to carry.

"I don’t know what you are talking about!" Kiyone replied, her face uncertain, though she thought she was beginning to suspect something…

"Lies!" He hissed, finger pointing behind her. "See for yourself…"

Kiyone would have turned around in obedience if it were the Kova she was so used to, but somehow she sensed she was now facing a deadly fugitive from the law rather than the man she loved so much, and the manner he regarded her had already awakened in her instincts that had saved her life, as well as that of Mihoshi’s, on many previous occasions.

As Kiyone turned around she sensed a movement from Kova’s direction and hurled herself onto the ground, her breath catching as as an arc of silver streaked past where her head should have been. >From the speed and force, if it had landed, it would have been incapacitating, if not fatal.

Further down the lane the figure saw the silver projectile streaking straight towards it from past Kiyone’s head and just managed to dive aside without getting struck.

Kiyone had no leisure to watch as she let her training take full rein, rolling over on the ground, GP blaster firing, but already he was upon her, his body just sliding by the shots as his left hand gripped her right wrist and slammed it, along with the blaster, hard onto the ground.

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

A good distance further down the river, the cop saw the golden blasts shoot from over railings a good distance away to head skywards.

Oh *shit*!

Eyes stared for a second at the jumble of buildings between here and that distant alleyway, then at the twisting byways leading behind back to where he came from.

Shit gotta get there *fast*!

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

Kiyone deftly twisted aside to the right and lifted both her knees up to her chest, as her enemy just missed pinning both her legs onto the ground with his right, her torque lifting her right wrist off the ground. An instant later, left hand gripping the collar of the viciously contorted face, she lashed out with both legs in a kick to his stomach, only to be blocked as he brought his left leg up before his form that was being thrown onto hers.

"Kiyone!" She heard someone cry out in the distance behind.

Pulling his head down to hers as she rolled over backwards, both her legs flipped his body over her in a diagonal stomach throw to her right. She felt his fringe brush by her face, and blinked in momentary confusion as his lips gently caressed her cheeks, an instant before he slammed his right hand on the ground just behind her head so he would not fall flat over, while his left was still pinning her weapon wielding hand onto the ground.

The onlooker stared, worried about firing due to Kiyone’s proximity.

Knowing he had arrested her throw, Kiyone rolled further back onto her shoulders, her lower back leaving the ground as both her legs aimed for where his chest should be in his hand standing state. Kova’s right hand and left fist punched out at the ground as he straightened his elbows, pushing his body up as his hip twisted clockwise and over his head so he could stand. Kiyone cursed mentally as his chest disappeared from in front of her feet and he pulled her right hand off the ground, still holding it so the blaster muzzle was facing away from him.

Have to get up too, before he can react!

Her feet’s trajectory curled down to touch the ground as she made to roll completely over to get up just as he was about to land on his feet, his left hand already pointing her blaster skywards.

The watcher’s weapon rose up to fire as the wielder realised the criminal was about to stand up, before hearing a slight whizzing sound from behind…

DANGER! Some instinct cried out.

The figure hurled itself to the left, but it was a little too late, as a speeding rod of metal slammed forcefully into its right wrist…

Damned that hurts!

The blaster fell to the ground…

Kova’s feet had already touched down and he was almost standing upright, back to back with Kiyone, while she was still about to straighten her body. Quickly he stepped forward, away from Kiyone, while turning left to face behind, left foot stepping anti clockwise to beside his right as his left hand, still gripping tightly to her right, pulled her wrist straight up in front of him. Kiyone felt a wrenching pain shoot through her right arm for as she stood upright her arm was twisted behind her, and then fell backwards as her captor pulled her back, her fall arrested by the feel of her blaster muzzle against her left back. Kova’s left hand slid up her wrist to grip around her numbed hand, index finger resting against the trigger, as his right went behind his back and caught the returning rod.

The figure, seeing Kiyone’s distress, quickly dived and caught up the blaster from the floor, but Kova had already turned so he was facing the shadowed figure, his back to the river, his right hand darting out from around his captive’s right shoulder to jab a cold cylinder of metal under Kiyone’s chin, pointing diagonally inwards into her head.

"Drop the weapon, cop." Kova announced coldly to the distant person. "And show yourself." Kiyone, her expression an odd mixture of despair, hurt, confusion, and anger, tried to struggle but the blaster pressed harder on her back, the finger added pressure on hers to pull the trigger, while the rod increased its pressure on her windpipe. "Quit it." He whispered harshly into her ear. "I’d like to give you a good lay before I see you off, but if you push your luck it may not hold out." His voice was low and laced with menace, but it carried, and there was no trace of the feeling for her in the voice at all…

Oh no… she thought to herself almost instinctively. The chief was right, this will be my last mistake…

NO! Kova-chan would never hurt me… this is just an act… that is all it is… she reminded herself, trying to fight back the fear.

Reluctantly, the figure walked out into the light of the lamp nearest to her, blaster held point down directly at the ground. Orange light touched on fiery auburn hair, cropped neatly around the fair skinned face of the slightly built lady.

"Drop the weapon." Kiyone felt his hot breath against her left ear. Feeling his tight grip, the wrenching pain in her arm, and the pressure of the blaster and rod against her body, Kiyone felt awfully alone and frightened…

Kova-chan loves me, he loves me…

All the memories flooded back to her of the times they had spent together…

Yes he *must* love me… But the grip on her wrist didn’t loosen, nor did the pressure on her throat let up.

"Okay, okay…" Mitsuki murmured, bending down slowly to place the blaster on the ground. "Just don’t do anything stupid."

"Well, look who’s talking." Kova replied from behind Kiyone, slowly moving so he and Mitsuki were in a straight line perpendicular to the river’s flow. "Another dumb Galaxy Police hussy." He leaned his back against a wall, facing Kiyone towards the railings on his right, with Mitsuki standing a good distance away on his left. "Where’s the other cop?" He demanded.

"I don’t know I…" Mitsuki’s voice faded away. Kiyone felt her blaster muzzle leave her back as Kova’s hand directed it aside, to face Mitsuki’s direction. The brunette felt her heart sink and constrict with fear as she saw the blaster aiming straight at her from between the green-haired detective’s back and the criminal’s chest, and her muscles tensed.

"No no don’t make a move…" Kova murmured, his voice sounding confident and relaxed, and going in a "Tsk tsk…" fashion. "Or this friend of yours might have to go see a doctor for a case of collapsed windpipe…" He grinned, and Mitsuki felt herself caught in the grip of uncertainty. "Go on, and say where your other green-haired friend is."

"I… really don’t know…" She murmured weakly, but inside she made a decision.

If I go down, I’ll go down fighting. Kiyone’s finished, and she’d want me to make a break anyway, to hell with what 231 said…

Kiyone’s eyes widened as she saw downwards, to the right of where she faced the railings, there was a slight movement and a shadow rose up, silently and soundlessly, from over the edge of the slope under the railings, observing Kova and herself.

He must have got here by the ledge along the river!

The person winked at her fearful expression from behind a curl of dark green, almost black, hair, before giving her an OK sign with his left hand. A cold chill seized her heart as a tiny black handgun was raised from over the edge of the cement, aimed directly behind her head straight at Kova’s. The spy was apparently unaware of the lethal threat, the entirety of his attention focused on savouring Mitsuki’s unease, and a rapid burst of thoughts exploded within her mind.

Oh no… no… this can’t be happening!

Kova loves me, he loves me…

He’s hurting me! I can feel his weapon pressing against my throat!

No he loves me I mustn’t let this happen!

He doesn’t, and never did! The old Kiyone shouted at her. He was just using you! And he is going to kill you now and you are still believing that nonsense!?

Kiyone felt her heart on the verge of breaking, then her mind burst through into the dangerous realms bordering on insanity on the other side.

Well, let’s find out. Her mind grinned madly at itself.

Besides, if he doesn’t, then we’ll die together… I love him too much anyway.

Her old faith reasserted itself… But that won’t happen, he *will* let up, I *know* it…

All these thoughts were processed in barely a fraction of a second.

There was a blur of movement as her left leg swung upwards and forwards in a halfmoon arc, sending her foot over her shoulder to smash hard into Kova’s right cheek. Starbursts of pain exploded in the right side of his face, and as he reeled back hard against the wall in pain and shock, his movement disrupting Seion’s aim and composure merely a bare split second before the Operative was about to open fire.

*!!?!!* Kova and Seion thought simultaneously.

Mitsuki blinked, almost expecting to see the rod disappear upwards into Kiyone’s head in a scarlet spurt of crimson blood, but no such thing happened. Kiyone Makibi, 2nd class Chief Inspector, of Standard Enforcement Unit 37A, rapidly followed up, thrusting upwards with a backward half scorpion kick in her right leg that struck his inner thigh, and sent another shock, though this time more of surprise than of pain, along Kova’s body as her left leg landed to support her weight again.

Seion’s heart settled down from absolute, almost angered, incredulity that Kiyone would compromise her safety into surprised, almost envious, reassurance, seeing that apparently she was not dead although she should have been the instant she tried to attack the criminal. His aim was ruined, and also judging that from the look of astonishment on Kova’s face and the confidence in Kiyone’s assault it was unlikely that she would be killed anytime soon, so he bided his time and remained in cover. If Kiyone could not do the job herself, then he might be able to surprise the fellow.

Apart from assurance about Kiyone’s wellbeing, Operative 231 was also immensely relieved that he would not have to commit something as dishonourable as sniping at a warrior as talented as this man. He would normally just have aimed for the hands or legs, but in the earlier circumstance, Kiyone’s safety simply could NOT be compromised.

Kiyone rapidly bent down, her left hand pushing his thigh back and up while her right leg’s continued sweep back lifted his other leg up, as she practically impaled her head on her captor’s silver weapon. Kova, still in shock, lowered his right hand in a swift, blurred movement in response to the increased pressure on his rod lest she crush her own throat, while at the same time relaxing his hold on her right arm for fear she might dislocate it while moving so quickly in the burst of speed and power she needed for the throw.

What the hell is she playing at!?

She must have spotted something…

Kiyone nodded to herself in affirmation, trying to stop the tears of joy and pain from flowing down her cheeks as she hurled the one closest to her heart over her back and away from her.

He *loves* me…

But her throat hurt painfully from her initial drop-throw dip as did her arm from the split second Kova had yet to react. As to the side Mitsuki dived for her blaster Kova rolled over rapidly as he landed so as to absorb the impact, but nevertheless, contrived to glare angrily at Kiyone as he swiftly got back to his feet. "You…!" Yet his eyes were in fact searching in the direction he had faced Kiyone in …

The Operative! He realised as he spotted the shadow, watching him, but the operative noted only his glare and anger directed at Kiyone, for Kova hid his astonishment and fear at his revelation well.…

As one, Kiyone and Mitsuki levelled their blasters at Kova. "Freeze!"

"No problem…" he laughed in amusement as his expression of anger melted away, leaping backwards as the two ladies opened fire. Golden beams streaked by his form, still clothed a whirl of black and white as he cartwheeled over, and his forearms wreathed in cerulean light as the golden beams bounced off.

Mustn’t let him get away! Seion thought, rapidly sprinting along the thin ledge lining the river to close where Kova would land. As Kova laughingly touched down, the lasers deflecting off his shield, a shadow vaulted over the railings just behind him…

Seion was about to clear his throat to cordially invite Kova’s attention, when without even turning around, Kova swung his scythe behind in a one-handed blazing arc, to the utter astonishment of the Torabushi clansman.

*HOW* did…!?

He would have been sliced neatly into two halves at his waist if he had not by sheer reflex brought his Tiger Trident to bear against the sweep. The sparks had not even leaped up before Kova, his left hand before him deflecting the shots, let go of his scythe, swivelling his right forearm up along his elbow to slam his knuckles right into Seion’s face, then elbowed the bewildered and stunned operative in the chest. His scythe, after its momentum had impacted it against Seion’s weapon, had slid down along the length of the Trident’s handle while Seion staggered back to the railing, but had caught on Kova’s shoe, which he had turned so his leather shoe tip was facing Seion. Still not bothering to face the Operative, and wearing a wry grin on his face, Kova kicked the scythe, sending it spinning into the Operative’s face in a swirl of lethal cerulean and azure. Only the raw instinct, sharpened skill, and swift reflexes 231 possessed, all of which were trained to be unfettered by his mind’s boggled state, got Seion to bring the Trident up with his right hand before his face as he threw himself backwards over the railings and used his left hand to swivel his entire body back over the railing.

Well that settles that fellow, Kova smirked to himself as he imagined Seion’s reaction, which he had so far foreseen accurately, while expecting anytime to hear a sploosh as the fellow flung himself into the river. Pity I can’t turn to enjoy the scene.

However, the most important phrase in that statement, rather than being ‘foreseen accurately’, would be more correctly the phrase ‘so far.’

As the scythe sliced into the top of the railing and collided with the edge of green metal, Seion’s felt boots slammed with his body’s momentum into the gap between base of the railing and the ground, the force squeezing it into the slightly tight aperture and smashing right into both of Kova’s heels from behind.

Kiyone almost burst out laughing as her seemingly ceaselessly sanguine companion’s azure eyes popped open in bewildered chagrin ere his form tumbled unceremoniously backwards into an unsightly heap.

Kova cursed in anger, realising what happened, even though he was not exactly hurt very much, and his rod had returned to his right hand. In that same instant Seion blinked, his triumphant grin vanishing as rapidly as it had appeared, for he saw the golden beams looking set to streak over the collapsed criminal and right into his face.

Oops…

Quickly his left hand let go of the bar, and his torso swung backwards down to lie flat on air as Kiyone’s and Mitsuki’s earlier shots tore apart the upper midsection of the railings and travelled over his chest and Trident. Kova rolled forward away from Seion towards Kiyone as he turned to face skywards, both his forearms flaying about before his face and upper body to fend off the shots as his feet contacted the base of Seion’s boots. Kicking backwards, he pushed off from Seion’s feet like a swimmer pushing off a wall, while his elbows and back both arched downwards impacting against the ground, resulting a diagonal impulse launching him him in Kiyone’s, and there was a yelp and a splash as the force threw Seion back into the river. The spy lightly landed on his hands like an acrobat, and propelled himself in a spinning jump towards Kiyone while deflecting their attacks.

Mitsuki, seeing their attacks were ineffective as he prepared to pounce on Kiyone, raced towards Kiyone towards her left, but had to dive to avoid two blasts Kova deflected in her direction as he somersaulted over in mid air. Kiyone hurled herself diagonally back to her right - otherwise her head would have been caught neatly between his ankles and quite possibly twisted off. As things were he turned sideways in midair, his right leg sweeping downwards, to be prevented from smashing into Kiyone’s left shoulder by her upraised left arm.

Ouch! Kiyone mentally cried out as Kova’s full weight slammed down against her arm.

Her temporary lapse gave Kova’s left leg ample time to swing out as she brought her blaster up to face the man landing before her, and the weapon was flung out of her hand to skitter just under the railings and onto the ledge by the river, as Mitsuki’s shots bounced off his right shield, before lashing out at the brunette on his right as he faced the wall. The fiery haired detective let her body arch back, leaving her right hand in front to let him hit her blaster out of her grip, as her right heel hurtled upwards from behind him, even while Kiyone launched a high back kick with her right towards the back of his head. Kova ducked his head down, and as Kiyone’s leg slammed into the wall Mitsuki’s kick connected the small of his back and he started up in surprised pain and shock.

Underestimated them… damned!!

Kiyone smiled sweetly as his face came up just barely an inch behind her right heel, and Kova just managed to swing both his own legs up and forward in an attempt to flatten out his body in mid air between the two cops. This absorbed the impact as Kiyone’s right backswing struck him moderately hard under the jaw while just barely circumventing Mitsuki’s low left sweep to his legs. The red head’s fist lashed out at his right shoulder for the split second he was lying in mid air, and although struck and in pain, in response to the torque generated he turned to face Mitsuki in mid air, swinging his left foot out causing Kiyone to retreat back as he whirled through ninety degrees to land a crushing blow on Mitsuki’s right shoulder blade an instant before he fell heavily on his right shoulder. The brunette staggered back from the pain as he rapidly leaped up, blue light blazing as his rod formed into his standard weapon.

Mitsuki’s eyes widened through the haze of pain as for the first time she beheld what she had only glimpsed briefly when Kova had tried to surprise Seion. The spy snarled viciously, sweeping it backwards to ward Kiyone off from behind him before launching himself at the somewhat stunned Mitsuki, whose mind reeled in fear from the sheer size and eerie brightness of the thing that was whistling down towards her like the scythe of Death himself.

Shink… KRAK!

Kova and Mitsuki stared in surprise at the teal Trident that had appeared from seemingly nowhere to stick perpendicularly into the wall, its wooden handle arresting the deadly blow that would otherwise have carved Mitsuki into two. Kova barely managed to throw himself backwards on time as a speeding form shot out from the direction of the river and rammed hard before him into the wall on his left, leaving two deep dents in the brick, and a fist flashed out, striking him in the left forearm as the attacker turned to regard him.

Vengeance!

Green eyes shone out menacingly, and Mitsuki had to dodge away and under the green blade, as the dripping Operative furiously swung his Trident out from behind him in a blur, fear sweeping over her like an icy wave as the tips just missed ripping her face open just as they were ripping chunks of concrete out of the wall. Kova, trying to ignore the pain in his forearm, narrowed his eyes as he readied himself for Seion’s assault, but suddenly they widened as he remembered…. His left arm whirled back, just in time to block Kiyone’s backhand chop to the nape of his neck, as his scythe spun around in a blur to counter Seion’s sudden barrage of assaults.

Kiyone smiled to herself, undeterred, her hands quickly gripping the sides of Kova’s waist as he gave ground before Seion’s blows, before she let herself roll down and back. Kova’s eyes started in surprise as his lady lifted him up and off the ground, narrowly maintaining his sense of direction enough to parry and prevent Seion from running him through as he was hurled backwards and away. Using the momentum to spin, he just managed to make out the railing he was hurtling towards and promptly let his scythe swing over his head, slicing the railing apart before his form cannoned through the space thus created, then landing with a resounding splash in the river. As the shimmering jet surface closed around his form, concentric waves rippled from where he had broke the surface, and his blue scythe vanished…

Seion’s temper had been by no means assuaged by his recent dip, but seeing Kova land thus his face broke out into a huge grin, although he was already leaping through the air after the spy and into the water. Kova dived into the darkened depths a mere instant before the sharpened teal tips of metal plunged into the space he had been, leaving behind something silver…

"AAHH!" as he struck the water 231 screamed out in pain, having triggered the rod into releasing its reduced payload of electricity (anything too great would kill both of them). Kova, who was already two and half metres away, and making for the shore, felt numbing pain shoot up his legs and the shout behind him died into an "Arrrbrbb…" as the Operative sank beneath the surface.

Opening his right hand as he paddled, the rod coursed through the water to nestle back into Kova’s palm, as a while later he reached the side, using his arms only to paddle as his legs spasmed slightly in his wake. Mitsuki and Kiyone sprinted over to the railings to stare at Seion’s sinking figure, while Kova emerged from the water.

"There he is…!" shouted Mitsuki, pointing down, but Kiyone had already leaped over the railings and dived into the water. Mitsuki had half raised her arm to fire before she suddenly remembered she didn’t have her blaster handy. Kova, sitting on the ledge waiting for feeling to return to his lower limbs, watched her in a bemused fashion, then leisurely opened a portal in front of him and stepped through, albeit with trembling legs.

Seion felt his senses return as he gulped in mouthful of river water. Choking and gasping for breath, he started thrashing outwards and up, just managing to keep from swallowing another mouthful before he broke the surface to hungrily gulp in mouthfuls of fresh air. His vision was lighted up with dots, his whole body ached all over, and even though he had gulped a mouthful of water his throat still felt unnaturally dry and parched.

"You all right?" Someone reached over to support him, one hand under his left armpit holding his torso and another hand over his shoulder cupped around his chin, holding it up above the water.

For a reply, Seion continued to gulp hungrily at the air, his legs kicking erratically and in what looked very much like spasms.

Kiyone, almost without thinking, swam back for shore, with the gulping Seion in tow. Her mind told her he was going to be able to keep on the surface by himself anyway, but her body did not seemed to be obeying…

"I’m fine," Seion managed, his hands and legs starting to work normally.

Kiyone continued regardless, half hauling him out of water to lie resting on the ledge as Mitsuki vaulted over the railings to stand over them. The former was about to start pumping his stomach to force the water out when Seion shook his head. Weakly he got into a half sitting position, turned to face the water, and quite unexpectedly, smashed his right fist hard into his stomach. Kiyone and Mitsuki blinked in astonishment as he doubled up from the pain, before vomiting the water out.

"Aah, that’s better." Seion blinked once and twice as his vision finally returned to normal and the queasy feeling left his insides. His two collegues could do nothing but stare, and he suddenly gave vent to a huge burp as he dipped his left hand into the river, seeming searching for something… "Heh, there you are…" Both ladies’ eyes widened further as he drew from the water his Tiger Trident, before, still dripping from head to toe, he unsteadily got to his feet, slid his weapon behind his back, and regarded Kiyone intently. "About just now… I don’t know what to say, Kiyone…"

The emerald eyes, so like her own, shone brightly with a mixture of half amazed pleasure, gratefulness, astonishment and delight, and Kiyone found herself drawn to them, enthralled by their emotions… she could almost feel how it felt to hold the Operative’s magnificent physique, which was certainly much better developed than Kova’s own, and she could feel…

No, not exactly love but… pride!?!?

Kiyone blinked in surprise at her own thoughts, banishing the image and the emotions. "Well, I’m glad to have been of service…" for a moment she was going to address him as Seion, but seeing the look in his eyes, and remembering the one who had just left the scene, she decided not to risk encouraging this starry eyed person before her. "… sir."

Seion’s eyes dimmed as he saw the defensive sheen glaze over her eyes again and what seemed to be a start of a rosy blush faded back into nothingness. "Yeah, you have been." He nodded, becoming his usual self again. "I am so grateful to you and…"

"*Excuse* me for interrupting, but what about our quarry?" Mitsuki grated.

Seion’s face darkened in anger as he recalled Kova. "That stupid bastard son of a bitch put one over me again!" His fist clenched up.

Kiyone’s mind riled in a mixture of anger and irritation as she heard Kova being addressed in that fashion. "Forget it…" she murmured, veiling her anger well. "At least we’re all right…"

"Easy for you to say," Mitsuki retorted. "You don’t have a black listed grunt rank back at HQ to go back to…"

Kiyone’s brows knitted in anger at Mitsuki. "Well all this wouldn’t have happened if you hadn’t showed up! I was doing just fine…" A brief pang of regret flashed through her as she recalled what she and Kova had been going on about… then that his wound had been tended to and they were both feeling rather glad after eating Sasami’s meal, maybe, just maybe…

"Oh yeah right you were doing just fine…" Mitsuki replied. "If I remember right, you were all tied up, and with your ass close to him too, from the way he was threatening you about a lay…"

Kiyone gritted her teeth in anger and was about to retort when…

"Shut up, Mitsuki." Seion ordered tersely.

"And what about you?" She asked, turning her attention on him with some vengeance. "I didn’t see you do anything much, except get knocked out from behind him to fall into the water…"

"Well, for your information, I was the one who saved your life." Seion answered, sounding annoyed. "An action I have no doubt I will and am regretting."

"My thanks for that, but you know as well as I do that was merely a discharging of responsibility to a fellow team member." Mitsuki replied. "I didn’t see you doing anything to actually help with the fellow."

"Well, I…" Seion, remembering something that had been gnawing on his mind, suddenly turned to face Kiyone, who had walked away in mild irritation from the two arguing Galaxy Police personnel, and was in the process of bending down to pick up her blaster. "Kiyone?"

"Yes, sir?" She replied, straightening. In her other pocket she still had Kova’s blaster, which she had conscientiously refrained from using lest it hurt Kova, attracted undue attention or caused too much damage to the place around.

"You saw me, didn’t you?" He asked, remembering when she was held hostage, and his voice seemed to become awfully monotonous and cautiously low, like the calm before a storm…

"Erm… yeah…" Kiyone contrived to look sheepish and confused.

"Then *why…*" His voice rose by several pitches. "the F*** did you put yourself in that kind of danger!?" He managed to keep the volume of his voice down, and somehow she knew his anger was not directed at her. "Do you have *any* idea what might have happened!? What would I ever *do* if that metal thing had been stuffed right up your throat!?"

Kiyone felt herself shrink back… the righteous accusation as well as the obvious agitation Seion was in spoke *volumes* about how he cared for her, and somehow seemed familiar… "I…"

"… don’t give a damn about why you went and pulled that kind of stunt." He answered, not exactly expressing anger but something close to distress and fear. "I *never* want to see you to do *anything* of the kind or to have *any* contact with that criminal ever again!" He looked at her unappreciatively reluctant look. "Do you understand!?"

Kiyone felt her own anger flare up. "I am very sorry, *sir*." She retorted coldly. "But I will *not* obey those orders." Her emotions took over, as it had when she was speaking to the Section Chief. "I did it because I *know* he would never hurt me, and as for contact, it is part of my *duty* as a Galaxy Police Officer to do my *best* to resolve a situation peacefully to maintain law and order!"

Seion stared, seeming almost to want to explode in astonishment, while Mitsuki laughed inwardly to herself.

Kiyone, oh my Kiyone, how quickly you’re losing it…

For a moment she was about to let loose a stinging remark about how Kova *had* hurt her, but then suddenly… a wild, almost impossible notion struck her…

No it can’t be! Anyone, but not Kiyone, no…!

She stared at her two dark haired colleagues, locked in a contest of wills…

Impossible… or is it…?

Suddenly Seion bowed his head, almost as though he had been wounded. "I… I’m sorry Kiyone. Maybe later, okay?"

Feeling him back down, Kiyone felt her anger subside, and with it the last of the adrenalin surge that had arisen since Kova hurled the rod at her back. Her hurts returned in full force, notably the pain in her right arm from his wrench, as well as the ache in her throat and from the heavy kick to her left arm. "I guess we had better be going then…"

Seion nodded.

Mitsuki asked once more. "What about that guy? Now he knows you’ve got the two of us, won’t he make a break for it?"

"No." Kiyone replied, not looking back as she leaped over the railing to land on the alleyway. "Washu says he will not leave this planet." She turned to look back down at the river…

The same river…

She closed her eyes, feeling the cool air about her, willing the feeling of his form by her, the two of them laughing as they leaped out from below… but there was another memory, of pulling Seion towards the shore, of seeing the Operative sink down under…

A wave of a sadness whelmed her momentarily, causing her to shiver slightly.

A poisoned memory… maybe… she hoped not.

As she started on the way back to her apartment, trailed by Mitsuki and Seion who were arguing with each other about how much more the other should have been done, Kiyone’s mind suddenly nailed down why she had had that feeling of deja vu when Seion had been ordering her about.

It had been almost exactly the way she had shouted at Kova before…

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

Somewhere within Synerean airspace, in the vicinity of planet Colrathius…

"Docking completed."

The Overlord nodded, then quickly pressed the controls, sending fragments of information along various system pathways to departments and heads, before stepping into the exit panel that was glowing.

"Aah, back at last." His form materialised as he was beamed down, and he waved a hand back to greet the welcoming Committee, who promptly cheered.

"All right!" This sounded really weird, especially given some of the Committee looked at least seventy Earth years old. "Welcome back, Mentora!"

"Thank you," He smiled affably at his staff, and most notably at the camera, which was telecasting his reception throughout the moon base that was the SKN-574 Research Labs. "I’m sorry, but we have to get cracking, so if you people don’t mind we may have to forgo the customary celebration."

There was a palpable groan of resignation from the Committee.

"Look, I’m very sorry, but we have to do it…" the Overlord seemed pretty upset. "Anyway, don’t know if it helps, but once we finish with this project you can all have at least a week off, plus indemnity from drafting into the military will be guaranteed for any civilian relation of all of you!"

There was a gasp of surprised joy from the Committee. "*What*!?" They couldn’t remember the last time there was a one week break, apart from the monthly vacational shifts.

"Yeah, and if you folks wish to stay here and treat yourselves to a party, I’ll personally see the wine and bread gets around!"

There was a round of enthusiastic applause from the audience of the broadcast, and several older members of the Committee smiled toothlessly at each other.

"If we can wrap this up in a week, its a ten percent raise for all of you. Make it three days, and it’ll be twenty percent. Plus I will personally fund *all* of your private research projects!"

Several screams of delight rang out from various places around the moon.

"Assuming they are reasonable, of course," he added in a lower voice. "However, this current project will take *all* of your cooperation, so I would appreciate it if you would all put aside your private researches and testing for the time being, fine? For Ship Design, Armament, Construction Engineering, Shielding, Propulsion Boosters, Energy Core, all the relevant information have been sent to your department heads who will send them out shortly. Please see that by then you have made arrangements with the Suspension Facility to take care of your personal projects. As for the whole thing, I will be coordinating this myself, understand?"

"Yes, sir!" The faces before him were beaming, ere they hurried off into various teleportation beams, all save for three members of the Committee

"What about us?" They asked. The camera on the wall still took down all the details.

"Cybernetics, the data is in place too, with the specifications. While your project is technically irrelevant to the other departments’, I’m afraid you’re expected to keep up with the rest as well."

"Yes, sir!" The decrepit looking bald old man, with a beard reaching between his knees, quickly lurched off into the nearest teleportation tube.

"Interface will be the Coordinator who will assist me in coordinating the projects." The lady, looking in her late forties, nodded her acquiescence before hurrying off.

There was a single man left, who looked near fifty, and smiled slyly at Seida. "Mentora?"

For a reply the silver-eyed man looked him straight in the eye. "Weaponry, why ask when you know?" There was a touch of amused camaraderie in his gaze.

"Thank you, sir." The man bowed low and, not straightening himself yet, stepped back to vanish into another beam.

Seida smiled one last time at the camera. "All right, that’s all for now! Hop to it!" Before quitting the bay himself.

Seating himself down at his desk, he nodded wearily, if a little happily, to himself.

God I love this capitalistic system, it’s almost too easy…

Then his face darkened.

Gusechard might get a little troublesome. I’ll have to get rid of him just in case. Too bad, such a promising chap too… Ah well, it’s just a matter of who gets who first, I just have to make sure he gets the Weaponry section to work before doing so.

Gingerly, he pressed a code into the panel by the side of his desk, then watched as the top of desk opened to reveal a screen, and was not at all surprised to see some green letters on them.

You have done well, Captain. The completed weapon, please, as soon as you finish building it.

Staring at the message, his white brows compressed tightly together in annoyance, then he sat back in his chair, his face looking angered.

Damn you, so you think you’re so smart… ordering me to and fro like I’m some kind of dog. Things will change soon, I assure you…

His hands danced over the data pad, and the suspension cells appeared on the screen. As he had ordered, the bodies from tubes 2159, 5183, 6196 and 8246 had been vacated, and though two of them were still filled, it was clearly by a different person. Checking records, he was glad to note that the Cybernetics department had indeed followed his orders to send out his Delivery…

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

Silence, as they had returned to the house, and they naturally made for where the one place they could relax together, to clean off the sweat glistening from their encounter with the hunter and not fight over their common passion…

She was the one to strip first and, for once not bothering with her towel, slide her fair body gently into the warm waters, feeling soothing heat strip the fatigue from her earlier exertions, and closed her eyes as her long tresses floated upon the clear, half steaming surface of the pool.

Ryoko watched as Aeka heaved a sigh of contentment, before submerging her entire form under water.

Grr… come on you stupid wound, quit bleeding!

She mentally chided the weal under her right breast, pressing her her cloth hard to it. Being a space pirate, much as she was cavalier about orthodox concerns she *did* mind bathing in water gradually staining red with blood.

Ouch… She winced as she pressed a little too hard. Damn it… damn Nagi.

Aeka watched from the water, relaxing herself as she watched Ryoko wait it out. Unlike in the past, when she would have just asked the question outright, something told her to stay silent, that this was not the time. Indeed, she could feel acutely the space pirate’s tension and puzzlement. They were not unlike her own, but somehow in the bath her own emotions felt less… volatile, less resurgent and forceful. They did not cloud her mind, nor get in the way of her will to finally have a good heart-to-heart talk with this ‘monster woman’ she had known for so long now. But as she was being abnormally perceptive, she was aware that while Ryoko was at least equally eager to sort things out, there was a frustration and anger, as well as feeling of helpless vulnerability, about the space pirate.

Aeka blinked in sudden surprise…

When did I last think so clearly?

This state of being at once emotionally sensitive while mentally evaluative had eluded her for such a very long time, it seemed almost alien now. Only once or twice, when Sasami was very upset… even in those cases it had been more of an emotional response rather than a conscious thought.

This is so strange… how could I have known Ryoko for so long, and never *once* tried to feel for her, tried to know her or understand why she did what she did?

She shook her head, chastising herself.

How could I have ever had the temerity to think I *am* a great and intelligent princess…?

Ryoko, finally satisfied her wound, if not completely closed, had at least stopped bleeding sufficiently, almost impatiently divested herself of her slightly bloodied dress and threw herself into the pool.

Woohoo! The space pirate thought as she torpedoed in, but for some reason, she didn’t actually whoop outright. Only the sound of the splash of the water broke the silence of the ripples Aeka had left in her wake in the water.

The princess frowned in mild irritation as the water droplets splashed up about her. Ryoko’s face emerged from near the centre of the pool, looking awfully delighted as she felt the bath wash away her cares and wounds, both mental and physical, and her pressing, almost urgent questions were pushed to the back of her mind as her body exulted in the pleasant sensations of the lukewarm waters…

Ah… it *is* good to be alive!

Almost immediately the thought turned her to Nagi and from there to her current concern, her preoccupation to sort things out with her rival. Turning back, Ryoko stared right into Aeka’s face.

"You too?" She asked. Aeka didn’t normally encroach on Ryoko’s space, and the two generally kept a healthy distance from each other… not to mention that Aeka usually kept a little something wrapped around herself.

Aeka nodded. "We have to talk, Ryoko."

"This is not just about Nagi and Tenchi, is it?"

"No, it isn’t." Aeka answered solemnly. "Though that would be a good place to start."

Ryoko nodded, and took up the issue she felt was most relevant. "Why did you save me from Nagi?" There was a bitter taste in her mouth as she acknowledged it.

I owe her…

It was not a feeling Ryoko relished, even more so when the person concerned was Aeka.

Well, there could be worse people to be indebted to…

But I’d much rather *not* be indebted to anybody! I am Ryoko! *I* have ploughed the seas of stars for countless years, plundering the galactic spaceways, while *she* has probably been stuffed up in some palace somewhere, complaining over how cold her tea is…

"Ryoko?" Aeka waved a hand in front of the space pirate’s semi-disgusted and despairing face. "Did you hear me?"

"Huh? Uh no, I don’t think I did."

"To be honest, Ryoko, I’d like to think it was some form of repayment for you taking Tenchi to Jurai." Her voice sounded odd, strangely vulnerable, but Ryoko missed it.

"Yeah." She paused for a moment, as the pain came rushing back… her body torn and dying, her spirit tormented and despairing, darkness all around, shattered only by the lethal beams the Juraians were firing… "That hurt…*bad*." There was something very lost and lonely about Ryoko at that moment, as though she were surrounded by a great void.

Something stirred in Aeka, something she still was denying, trying to pin down until she could identify it, but it wriggled out of her grasp and she blurted out, almost without thinking. "Don’t worry, at least you’re here with us now." Her purple eyes widened.

That couldn’t have been me saying that, could it!?

Ryoko started, staring in bewilderment at Aeka, who looked no less surprised. "What was that you said!?" She exclaimed. If she didn’t know better she’d have sworn it was Sasami speaking, the statement was the likes of which could only come from the little princess.

Aeka blinked, the impression sinking into her too.

Sheesh… I guess I am my sister’s sister after all…

Wait a minute that thought doesn’t make sense! I’m the older one!

Ryoko’s eyebrows knitted together. "I don’t need your *pity*, princess." She growled suddenly, and Aeka was taken aback by the sudden change in her disposition. "On the Comet, repayment, fine. But, this time? What was that for?"

Aeka desperately tried to recover her wits. "I…" then the words came out in a rushing stream, almost garbled. "…did it for lord Tenchi!" The defensiveness was very clearly heard.

"Don’t play the saint with me, princess." Ryoko snarled. "You and I both know better, when it comes to Tenchi, you’re the same pirate I am."

The princess was stunned for a moment, not knowing what to say. A year ago she would have shrieked at Ryoko for daring to compare them and a fight would have ensued, but that was not so now, where they were trying to communicate. For a moment something told her that what she had just said was what she’d like to believe was the entire reason, but it wasn’t, then she managed to shove the thought away before it left an impression strong enough to be acted upon.

"Then you, Ryoko, why did you bring Tenchi to Jurai?" She retorted.

"He… asked me to." Ryoko’s voice sank to a low whisper, the pain and anger at Tenchi’s plea coming back to hit her hard.

"Well, if anything happened to me now would you try to help me?" Aeka probed. "Or would you sit back and watch me die?"

"I’d save you, princess." Ryoko answered from between clenched teeth. "Especially because I *owe* you."

Aeka felt herself buckle in frustration, it was like trying to see through a brick wall! "Well, then. I think I’ve made my point." She frowned, her irritation showing through, then dipped her head under the water, leaving her purple tresses floating on top like some kind of marker.

Something in Ryoko cried, ‘Hang on, something is missing, it wasn’t supposed to go this way!’ but she snorted and vanished to appear under the fountain at the far end of the room, and lay there in the air above the water to let the warm water cascade over her in all her bared magnificence.

Several silent minutes passed, and gradually their emotions died down amidst the soothing caress of lukewarm water. Aeka surfaced once again, looking back at the naked figure at the other end of the room, wanting to try again, but then she sighed wearily, and turned away, closing her eyes wearily.

Well, I tried.

Just as she opened her eyes, Ryoko appeared on the edge of the pool she was facing.

"Well, princess?" She was slightly more solemn now, serious but at the same time more serene, it seemed, although there was a touch of uncertainty about her voice. "Want to try again?"

Aeka pursed her lips, to hide the fact that she was taken aback, and also to try to take stock of the situation, as Ryoko slid off the edge and into the pool, golden eyes never leaving her form for an instant. "Okay. Again."

"Fair enough." The space pirate commented. "After all, *you* were the one who…" The sentence stopped halfway, and Aeka was pleasantly surprised to note her expression became one of self-recrimination.

Smart, congratulations, Ryoko applauded herself sarcastically. That’s me all right, killing the discussion before it even starts.

So she was rather astonished when Aeka nodded, looking a little guilty. "You’re right Ryoko. I think I was hiding something." She admitted, then fell silent.

Ryoko waited, and waited.

Still silence.

"*Well*!?" She finally couldn’t stand the curiosity. "What is it?"

"I… I don’t know." Aeka murmured. "But… it’s not just because of Tenchi."

"Oh." Ryoko answered lamely, confused and unsure of what to say. She felt very small suddenly, as though she were a mouse that had been kissed by a cat. "You… don’t hate me?"

"No, not really, I guess." She raised her eyes to stare back into Ryoko’s. "You?"

The amber eyes swivelled around as she tried to sort out her thoughts, like a person searching about a chest of drawers for a little something he couldn’t quite find and couldn’t quite remember what it was. It was a while before she replied, softly. "No, I don’t either."

They sat back, absorbing and chewing on this new fact about each other.

"When do you think it happened?" Aeka asked, finally.

"I have no idea."

As one, their minds rove back to the time they had arrived here. They had met on Earth, had hated one another, and almost instantaneously hated one another for loving Tenchi. From that it came to hating because of Tenchi, and because of one’s actions, then … it was just that. The only reason they hated each other now was because of Tenchi and because of the others’ actions.

But they in meantime, they had also learnt to respect one another, and more recently, to fight alongside and cry alongside…

And now that Tenchi had showed that he *could* and *would* love both of them, as long as they weren’t upset by that…

There was just no need to keep up this masquerade of animosity anymore.

It seemed only one last barrier remained… could they love alongside? Without pushing and shoving?

"Aeka?"

The princess turned, hearing the sorrowful, quavering note in the word. "Yes, Ryoko?"

"I… I’m sorry… about your present…" Her head was bowed.

Aeka felt the hot rage and burning anger forcing up from within herself. She could see the doves… hear the tinkle of the smashing crystal… But her intelligence and control overcame the intense emotions, especially given the soothing nature of the bath, and she realised it was the *first* time Ryoko had ever apologised to her for anything… "It’s over." She answered briefly, aching from the pain as she thought…

"Tenchi would have loved it," Ryoko muttered.

Even through her dampened mind, Aeka felt something rear in surprise as Ryoko said exactly what she thought. "You… you liked it too?"

"Not at the time," Ryoko replied softly. "But I think Tenchi would have, after all looking back I have to admit they *were* rather pretty…"

The princess didn’t know what to say in reply.

"Although I think it would have been better if you had added some louder music to it."

Aeka licked her lips, feeling totally lost, then finally thought of returning the compliment. "Yours was very nice too. The box was splendid and the smell was nice."

"Thanks, Aeka." She acknowledged the words with a slight nod. "You were more important to Tenchi though."

Again Aeka was caught off balance. There could be no doubting the bitterness in the statement, but underlying it there was some kind of serene acceptance of that fact now, as though Ryoko thought that she should have known better than to think an object could outweigh a person in the eyes of someone like Tenchi. Quickly Aeka tried to recall what Sasami said, but she was getting confused, as though her mind was in a mist, and Ryoko’s intention and disposition was getting difficult to perceive through the haze of conflicting emotions the conversation was drawing out.

"Ryoko…" Aeka reached out, trying to ascertain something she suspected since the space pirate vocalised her thoughts. "When did you ever try to understand me?"

"I… don’t really know. That just sort of came out, it should have been obvious I guess, especially if I thought like Tenchi." She looked a little chagrined. "I guess I never really bothered with you before, princess."

Okay, Aeka thought with a certain degree of relief. At least I know Ryoko is not that much more emphatic than me…

She shuddered at a thought of an empire with a queen that was more ruthless and heartless than even a space pirate, or even worse, of being that icy queen.

"Sasami helped me." Aeka mentioned. "She made me not hate you… by letting me see you."

"Heh," Ryoko grinned toothily, her sobriety giving way for a moment to her usual self, like a ray of light from a clouded sky. "That’s Sasami all right. What would we ever do without her?"

"You know," Aeka added as an after thought. "I never did repay Kova for saving Sasami."

"Princess, I think you needn’t worry. He’s probably having fun with Kiyone now."

Aeka smiled somewhat at the thought. "You’re a space pirate, what would he appreciate?"

"Heh," Ryoko grinned. "Having more time Kiyone, especially at night."

Aeka’s smile suddenly died.

"Hey, did I say something?" Ryoko asked.

Aeka’s face tilted away, and there was a slightly pinkish cast to it, but the sadness was poignant.

"Oh, it’s about *him*, huh?"

"It’s all very easy to try to sort things out this way, Ryoko." Aeka said. "But…"

Ryoko seemed to wilt. "Yeah… I don’t think I could live with that."

For many more moments neither spoke, hoping and praying the other one could come up with a good solution, some compromise, but there was none.

It was about a treasure neither of them wanted to share.

"Well." Aeka finally muttered, gathering her breath about her.

"So much for sorting things out, princess." Ryoko murmured. "Let’s face it, we both agree about what we feel for him and he feels for us. But actually sharing is a different matter."

"I don’t think I could take the pain, Ryoko." Aeka murmured. "All my life, there has only been one - Tenchi."

"Nor could I." Ryoko answered, then sighed. "I know you may not believe this, but it’s the same for me." Her eyes became distant, as Aeka started in some kind of amazement. "There never has been, and never will be, another Tenchi."

"You must have been very lonely." There was a pause. "Just like me."

Ryoko stared at her, almost instinctively about to toss out a vibe about all the suitors Aeka had met, about having a council and a palace and everything, while she had only Ryo-oh-ki and the endless space around her, but then she realised she couldn’t.

She *is* like me. All the royal courtiers and dignitaries and formalities and shallow suitors… she never really had anyone to really share herself with, except maybe Sasami in a way.

The understanding that the qualities they felt that made them feel they deserve Tenchi over the other were in fact shared by both of them was disquieting, somehow, for both of them.

"I guess that’s all for now, huh?" Ryoko decided she didn’t want to learn more, at least for now. It was like an entirely new vista for her, seeing through Aeka’s point of view, as though she had fallen through desert sands to emerge into an icy arctic waste and trying to forge ahead towards the distant light that just might be a cabin…

"Yeah, I guess so."

The two ladies continued soaking.

"Do you think it helped?" Aeka asked.

"Maybe. Maybe not." Ryoko pursed her lips in thought. "I don’t know."

"So how will we know if it helped?"

Their eyes met once again, and like sisters, some kind of understanding passed between them so they didn’t have to speak.

Tenchi will know.

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

She reached forward, pushing open the door to her apartment, and as she was about to enter, her eyes just managed to discern in the dim light several glistening drops of water upon the ground…

He’s been here!

Straining her eyes wearily to see try to make out the trail, she was acutely aware that Seion had stopped for a while at a convenience store to buy a bottle of beer while Mitsuki was just two steps behind herself…

Quickly Kiyone stepped into the room, taking care to walk her dripping self directly over the wet spots, and mentally heave a sigh of relief that the water marks did not lead from the main door all the way over to the window, but rather just two steps to the side at the wall where the door to Tenchi’s house was.

He must have just appeared inside this room… but what does this mean? He wouldn’t be stupid enough to leave a trail for us to follow, would he?

No… the trail is for me alone to take up…

"Taking a bath, Kiyone?" Mitsuki stepped in behind her, not detecting anything in the least untoward. "Ah well, must remind myself, shabby-like…" Her eyes took stock of Kiyone’s apartment once again. "Not that I have that much of a choice."

"You can go first." Kiyone replied, mentally grinning as she thought what a splendid time she was going to have in the bath in Tenchi’s place as compared to Mitsuki, especially if the redhead thought all she had at her disposal was this apartment’s shower… "I have to try to get to Washu first…" She walked over the phone in her apartment, knowing full well they had been cut off.

"Well, suit yourself." Mitsuki shrugged, not wanting to question further as she thought the outcome was to her advantage as she got to go first. "Too bad I don’t have a spare set of clothing around but at least I’m all dry… heh 231 will have to have put on his sloppy suit again… and that will just too bad for him, won’t it?"

Kiyone watched, half in irritation and half in relief as her annoying colleague went into the apartment bathroom. Picking for herself a change of clothes, she quickly rapped on the wall and stepped through…

On the other side, the wet trail continued along the second level of the Masaki household.

Yeah I think he meant it for me all right…

She shuddered to think what might have happened if Seion had came here first, and moved along past the door to women’s bath and Tenchi’s room to reach Mihoshi’s room where the trail stopped. Tentatively she pushed it open…

Somehow, framed in the doorway like that, Kiyone wasn’t at all surprised to see the room was perfectly empty, except for the bed where Mihoshi lay and the odd furnishings here and there, all more or less bearing some mark of Mihoshi’s ditziness from spill stains to a cracked lampshade…

"Come on, come on out, wherever you are." She muttered. There was no response, and her eyes quickly saw there were no wet marks anywhere on the floor of the room. Looking about warily, she had just stepped forward when a droplet of water landed on her shoulder…

"Gotcha!"

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

Seion entered the apartment, and felt his blood run cold for a moment as he spotted neither Kiyone nor Mihoshi in sight.

Oh no, he must have gotten to them…

Come on, that’s ridiculous…

Shaking his head, Seion tried to think coherently without being paranoid, and just managed to make out sounds of someone cursing from behind a door in the room. Almost inadvertantly, he smiled to himself at Mitsuki’s discomfiture…

So he couldn’t have came here or Mitsuki would have been taken too.

The wet trail glistened in the dim light…

They must be at this Tenchi fellow’s place.

Closing the door behind him, and taking another swig from the bottle he had, he felt the rivulets of beer run down his throat, before turning his attention to the wall from which the Mihoshi he had beheld for the first time had emerged.

Let’s see, how do you open this?

His fingers ran along the wall, searching for a mark or something, a handle, an indication. There was nothing. Frowning in irritation, he took another swig and searched more carefully… some kind of control panel, button, hidden ledge… but still nothing.

Oh god… not another blasted miserable night within earshot of that Mitsuki…

He could almost have screamed in frustration. Now that he was finally here on Earth, having introduced himself to the girl he had been dying to meet and to her partner whom he almost died when he met ( ^_^ ), he was going to be separated from them by a secret door!?

Hell, no way!

He steeled his energies and focused his mind once more. A careful, meticulous scrutiny… still nothing…

GAAAH!

Seion let out a series of oaths as Mitsuki from somewhere inside the apartment let out her own string of expletives. Out of frustration, the Operative hit the wall with his fist.

And almost fell over in surprise as the door materialised. Blinking to himself in astonishment, he mentally chided himself before opening the door and stepping through. It faded out of existence behind him, as a vehemently cursing Mitsuki emerged from the bathroom of the apartment, only to look around in surprise.

Hey, where’s everyone?

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

Kiyone spun around, her blaster halfway up, but the figure that had been perched directly above the door was already in midair, having already launched itself straight at her. She briefly glimpsed a flash of dark blue hair, a Cheshire grin, and two shining orbs of azure that twinkled with mischief an instant before his wet form collided into hers. One arm wrapped around her shoulders, the other behind her head, as his legs went around and hooked her knees from behind as the two of them tumbled together onto the ground as the clothes in her hand were sent flying.

Kiyone managed to keep her head screwed on. "Kova-chan!!" She cried, although whether in perturbance or in pleasure she wasn’t really sure herself.

"Did someone call me?" He chuckled from atop her, and she felt her pulse race as she realised he was straddling her with his legs about her waist, before bending his head down and then lightly brushing his lips over her cheeks.

For a moment Kiyone felt a part of herself disappointed…

Not that I would have let him anyway! She reminded herself. She had been deliberately trying to avoid thinking about it, but at this moment it all came back to her now, and along with it, the emotions of fear and apprehension that had so tortured her during the ordeal.

"Look, Kova-chan," she answered, her voice deliberately cold. "We have to talk."

His brows knitted in consternation. "Why? I thought, between the two of us, it would be enough…"

"It *wasn’t*." She retorted. "Not to me at least. Now get off me."

Kova sprang backwards and away, but somehow contrived to make his rapid movements seem reluctant… in the dark room, his face was an odd mixture of disappointment, sorrow and irritation, as he watched her get to her feet. "Did I hurt you very much?"

"Yes you did." Kiyone replied tersely.

"Feeling better now?" Somehow he managed to express a bit of reprove in his concerned statement for her. "Inside?"

"Yeah, you’d know it hurt me worse there…"

"Frankly, Kiyone-chan…" he answered, his voice a little uncertain. "I didn’t." He rubbed his right cheeks, jaw, and lower back, which were still hurting. "It’s just that you sounded like it had."

Kiyone sighed. "Look, I know I hit you too, but I’m sure it’s as usual all right for you, and besides, it was all just staged, right?"

"Of course I know that." He replied, coolly. "What I don’t understand is, why can’t *you* take it that way?"

"I…"

"I’ll be perfectly honest, I *never* for a moment doubted you. My pains are solely of the flesh…" Here his voice became a shade sad. "Up until now…"

Kiyone felt her temper catch for what seemed the hundredth time that night… "*Easy* for you to say!" She snarled back. "You’re not the …" As if in direct contrast and opposition to her partner’s disposition, Mihoshi let out a particularly loud snore at that point.

Kiyone turned to stare angrily at the slumbering figure in annoyance, which promptly sneezed once in her sleep. "Uh… bless you…" Mihoshi murmured to herself, turned around and sighed contentedly before settling again.

Kova took one look at Kiyone’s face, which was twitching nervously as gales of outrage swept across it, somehow seeming at the same time green with envy and jealousy as well as being close to despairing, and would have burst out laughing if he hadn’t known it would be suicidal to do so at this point.

Kiyone’s face contorted for a split second into a mask of savagery.

God help me Mihoshi I *WILL* kill you!!!

For a moment Kiyone thought she was going to burst from the pressure of the pent up emotions inside. Emotions from the tiff in the morning to the report in the late afternoon, from the surprise at the bar to meeting a commanding officer who seemed to be wanting to woo her, from the making up with Kova to actually fighting against him, then all this… there was just too much emotional stress, and besides she hadn’t slept very much at all for the past few days and…

The dimly lit room started to spin as Kiyone felt her vertigo disintegrate, and had barely enough time to put a hand against the wall to steady herself.

She felt his hands hold her shoulders, helping her stay upright too, and looked up into worried, concerned azure eyes. For a moment she and Kova stared at each other, not speaking, then he gently hugged her, and she closed her eyes in restful bliss as she let his proximity, his care and touch comfort her, drawing strength from the knowledge that he would always be there for her.

They were glad then, that there was something more restful and less raw in the almost platonic relationship they shared, not having to worry about the rough and tumble that might draw out more of one’s energy, but generally knowing they needed only each other’s companionship and presence to bask idly in the light of their love. There was not the compunction to lose one’s own problems in love-making, but to just draw strength from being in love and with one’s love.

Although it seemed too brief, Kiyone was feeling more her normal self when there was a soft knock on the door.

What the…!?

"Kiyone?" Seion’s voice came from the other side. "May I come in?"

Almost instantly Kova had vanished under Mihoshi’s bed.

She might feel better now, but she probably has got more to say…

He shuddered at what he’d face if she decided she *didn’t* want to forgive him.

"Sure…" Kiyone murmured uncertainly.

Slowly, almost reservedly, the door opened. Seion was surprised with himself, as a part of him that was less inebriated noted his actions, and he stepped in, taking care to leave the bottle outside the room. Unlike Kova before he met Kiyone, Seion had been in a lady’s room before, and generally while he did enter such room with the certainty of approval, it was usually through less than explicit asking of permission.

There was something about Kiyone, that demanded more from him… and in fact if this were Mihoshi’s room, he would be equally careful about it too…

"Uh, Kiyone, I…" He suddenly stopped in mid sentence and stared, mouth hanging open.

Kiyone peered curiously at him, before following the path his eyes took to the figure on the bed, and smiled to herself, the distaste and anger induced by his interrupting her private moment with Kova fading away in the light of his comical appearance.

The necessary connections were finally made in Seion’s mind…

Oh man… this really *IS* Mihoshi’s room…

Kiyone chose to keep quiet, grinning inside and mentally wondered how long it would be before the Operative, slightly over half a foot taller than her, would take to start gibbering.

Kova, on the other hand was in a state of extreme agitation… surely Kiyone couldn’t be…!? Slowly and cautiously he extended a hand out slowly from under the bed, taking care to keep it in the shadow, using the reflective surface of the silver armlet to see what went on outside, and was relieved to note Seion was standing where he was, in the doorway.

"Mihoshi?" The Operative finally managed.

Kiyone nodded, and decided to talk as she realised his eyes were riveted onto Mihoshi and not noticing in the least at her action. "Yeah."

"Oh." Seion seemed semi-dazed. "I thought since you were here it would be your room."

"No, Mihoshi and I usually sleep in our apartment. She sleeps in this room when she stays over at Tenchi’s place."

Seion blinked once, then again. "She… stays over Tenchi’s place?" The disappointment was painfully obvious in his voice.

"Yeah, why not?" Kiyone laughed, amused. "We often drop by here, especially to enjoy ourselves."

Seion’s face fell even further.

Despite knowing he was quite possibly one of the main obstructions between her and Kova, at least in this time and place, as well as the high likelihood of encouraging him if he were trying to get close to her, the look of pain was so poignantly visible on his face Kiyone’s heart went out to him and she simply had to alleviate it in some way. "Don’t worry, we’re just friends here, that’s all."

Seion finally took his eyes off Mihoshi to stare at Kiyone. She thought he was going to say something like "Are you sure?" or "Maybe…" But there was no such questioning. His gaze met hers, and she had a sudden feeling she was reading him just as he was reading her, and the two of them suddenly had a glimpse of the other person…

He loves me… There could be no doubting the expression of tenderness and appreciative happiness he bore her as he realised her intentions, and the sincerity it reflected from her eyes told her he would not doubt what she said in the very least…

But then what does he want with Mihoshi!?

The connection broke, as Seion nodded his head in affirmation of her point, and Kiyone tried desperately to seize again at what she had just caught a glimpse of…

If he loves me, but looks at Mihoshi that way, can it be that he loves her too? But he doesn’t look at me that way… so he must *lust* after her!? And what kind of person does that make him?

Although in general Kiyone would easily accept the verdict that all men, with the exception of Tenchi, and more recently of Kova, were steeped in lust, she realised, with a certain amount of chagrin, that she did *not* want to believe that of Seion…

Could it be…!? Am I falling for him too!? She asked herself, the thought sending multitudes of chilling fear spiking through her. No it can’t be… I love Kova-chan…

Vividly the words came back to her…

‘The two of you could make a *perfect* team, unlike us, one in darkness and the other in light.’

‘I’m *sure* he will take care of you…’

But then her own words came back too, and she heard herself clearly within her mind.

‘I will walk with you, Kova-chan. Whatever the roads, whether in darkness or in light, we shall walk them together.’

Then she realised something else… somehow, in some indefinable way, the love she thought she sensed Seion felt for her was different from Kova’s, like of a different quality and texture…

"Kiyone?" As Seion took a step forward into the room, Kiyone snapped out her thoughts, and almost instinctively took a step back.

"Yes, sir?" She asked, wrinkling her nose in slight distaste as she smelled the faint reek of alcohol exuding from him.

"Wanna talk?" He asked, sounding a little uncertain.

"What about?" She let a tinge of suspicion creep into her voice.

Seion winced slightly. "About just now… you know…"

"No I don’t, *sir*."

"Please…" Seion licked his lips, his voice pleading. "Just Seion." He took a deep breath, his expression downcast. "Please, Kiyone."

Somehow, seeing him in pain and bowed before her, awoke in her a feeling that there was something wrong, that this was not the way things were meant to be. The chink in her armour widened as she gave in. "Very well, Seion."

The Operative looked up, staring at the sudden transformation in her tone of voice. "Kiyone?" Was it his imagination, or did he really hear the slight delight in her voice as she spoke?

"What was it you wanted to talk about?" Kiyone smiled slightly to see his surprise. "Seion?"

For a moment 231 felt himself lost in confusion at the rapid change, then his face flushed with pleasure. "Oh… nothing much!" He grinned sheepishly, dismissively waving his hand. "Nothing much, just about back at the river…"

Kova felt his blood run hot and cold with jealousy and fear, recalling seeing Kiyone dive into the river… to rescue Seion!?

"What about it?" Kiyone asked, sounding a little curious, and now there could be no doubt her voice was no longer cold and neutral, but had a touch of pleasure about it.

Seion breathed in. "You know, about our assignment?"

Kiyone’s brows furrowed and her face fell. "And…?"

"Kiyone, look." Seion’s tone became serious again, losing its lightheartedness as he felt her withdraw once again. "He’s frigging dangerous, to try to parley is just stupid…"

"No! He…"

"*Listen* to me." Seion breathed, his emphasis coming out emotionally. "I’ve fought him. He’s got a warrior’s honour, and I’ll swear he’s the *best* rat bastard in fighting I’ve ever crossed, but let’s face it, he’s just one of them crooks, and when it comes down to crunch, they ain’t gonna want nothing standing in the way of their survival."

"You don’t seem to understand." Her eyes had narrowed on Seion already. "For one thing, I have been a detective for at least as long as you have. For another, I was doing just fine up until the time you and Mitsuki showed up."

"I’m Seion, not Operative 231 and frankly I’d rather die than see you hurt or killed. Anyway what terms do you talk to him of?" He asked. "Do you know he is marked for *death*?

There was stony silence.

"Kiyone?"

"Marked for death… marked for death…" Her words were almost inaudible, like the descent of an icicle into a pool of frigid water. "He’s *not* marked for death." Her eyes, glazed over from a moment ago, lighted up in passion. "I *won’t* accept that, I *won’t* believe that."

"Let’s face it, he probably knows all this crap as well as I do. We want to get him to execute him, the Syndicate wants to kill him, his ass is also branded by Jurai… hell the whole universe is just waiting to cut his guts out, your terms mean nothing to him…" Seion pointed out. "He’s just playing you, and when the time comes he’d slit your throat without a second thought."

"That’s a *lie*." She announced in a flat tone that cracked and trembled, reverberating softly in the room. Though slightly inebriated, Seion raised an eyebrow as an uneasy thought occured to him, and remembering herself, Kiyone quickly banished her emotions to search desperately in her mind for something to fall back onto. "Look, we have been taught to try to resolve situations as peaceably as possible, right?"

"I haven’t. For us ‘close range pacifiers’ in the SpecOps we just get the job done a-okay like shit quick." Seion added pointedly. "Kiyone, I *won’t* lose you now, not after finally finding you."

You dare presume just because I called you by your name you *have* me!?

Yet her wrath was silenced in the light of his strange tone…

No that is not what he meant… he has been searching… for me. He has found me, that is all…

There was a tense silence, before Kiyone finally replied. "I appreciate your concern, but I will *not* promise anything, except that I will think about it."

"But…" Seion seemed to rear in dissatisfaction, and he was about to try again when he suddenly realised he was up against an iron will at least as hardened and as steeled as his own. He swallowed the statement back down his throat, fighting the impulse to try to ram his message home harder. Just as Kiyone just did, he fought down his most likely response. "Fine, then. Think about it." His voice became stoic and hardened. "I can only pray."

"Pray, then." Kiyone replied coldly, deliberately turning to look at Mihoshi.

Seion stood for a moment, acutely aware that she considered this conversation concluded, but still watched her carefully. "What’s she like, Kiyone?"

Kiyone turned around, giving Seion a look that seemed to say ‘What, still here?’

His gaze was steely, but at the same time they pleaded with her… as though he had a task not yet accomplished, and would desire but a little more time… "Mihoshi."

She sighed, deciding to relent. "She’s just my partner, and has been my partner for a long, long time." Sometimes it seemed like an eternity of goof-ups and botched arrests one after another. "She’s nice, though." She added, almost to herself.

"More than a partner, I think." Seion murmured. Kiyone knitted her brows in surprise, as she thought she detected what she sensed was the slightest tinge of jealousy, but whether directed at herself or Mihoshi, she couldn’t tell. "She said you took care of her, Kiyone." He remembered how Mihoshi had obstinately insisted Kiyone would not like it if Seion and Mitsuki went after her. "Did she take care of you too?"

For some inexplicable reason, Kiyone suddenly thought of Mitsuki. "I think so." There was something there, something in the image of the redhead she couldn’t quite grasp. Then it faded and she remembered asking Mihoshi whether to give up Kova or her job on board the Yagami… "Yes." She swallowed slightly, recalling the blast that had severed Terminus’ wrist. "She certainly did."

Seion nodded, his face lined with regret. "Do you think I…" For a moment he seemed to want to add something else, but he cut himself off. "…Mihoshi knows you very well?"

Kiyone turned back to stare queerly at him again. "What ever made you think that?"

"Before we left your place, Mihoshi said you’d be fine, and you wouldn’t like us to go." Seion paused, letting the message sink in, and watched as the lady turned back to look upon the slumbering figure again, half in respect and half in worry. "Was she right? Did I do wrong?"

"I… I can’t say." Kiyone quickly shut her feelings off again, not daring to risk letting something slip as she almost did earlier. The physical sensations returned to her, of the wet cloth sticking to her skin, of the cold, and she was suddenly reminded of the person that was waiting under the bed… "I think I’m going to bathe now, Seion." She suddenly declared.

The operative opened his mouth to protest, but before she continued before he did.

"See you back at the apartment." Stepping quickly past him, she slid the door open and gestured out. "This way, please."

"Wha… what did I say!?" Seion tried, his face full of hurt surprise like that of a dog that has been kicked for no apparent reason. "What did I say wrong? Where did I go wrong, what did I do?"

"Nothing wrong," Kiyone replied earnestly. "Except that both you and I are still dripping. We might talk later, but not now."

"Okay, fine. Later then." He reluctantly stepped out the door, and Kiyone was about to slide it shut with relief when he suddenly turned around again. "Good night, Kiyone. For now, at least."

"Good night, Seion." She said a little too hurriedly, as she smelt his alcoholic breath, before hurriedly sliding the door shut with a sigh of relief, then leaning on it, eyes closed.

Only after several seconds had passed did she realise he ought to have said something by now.

"Kova-chan?" She asked, opening her eyes.

"Here." And indeed he was, sitting against the wall opposite the bed perpendicularly to her direction, his legs stretched lazily before him, his hair glistening wet in the dim light as he shifted slightly. "Take a while more to catch your breath."

Kiyone breathed in deeply, sensing the nature of what he was about to say, that he was keeping silent to let her recollect her composure, rather than submitting her to yet another successive wave of turmoil. After several deep inhalations, trying to relieve the tension and forget his apparent grim displeasure, Kiyone finally decided she was sufficiently herself. "All right, what do you want to say?"

"He’s right, you know." He whispered. "I *am* marked for death, and I know it." It seemed a darkness blacker than the shadows about the room had settled over the man who had so playfully leaped onto her as she entered the room. "So should you."

Silence once again.

"He’s a way out." Kova whispered again. "All you need to do is say the word." His heart was burning inside him, eating away at his insides, he would have shook for the pain but that he wished not to let Kiyone know his distress. "He loves you, I saw that much."

"Kova-chan. I *told* you already, I will *always* love you…"

"Why do you say that?" His voice sounded chill and cold, this time the anger seeping back in through it showing more plainly than ever. "You dived in after him to save him, didn’t you?" His lips curled up into a derisive sneer. "Just now… you needn’t have invited him in. Speaking his name made you happy, didn’t it?" He became almost caustic again. "I could hear it in your words."

"Yes, I did," Kiyone replied, feeling her own anger stir within her, her words crescendoing. "Yes I did, as I also *lied* to *him* about *you*, as I nearly lost my temper at *him* over *you*, as I ordered *him* out because of *you*." The volume was rising gradually with her temper. "Does that help you *understand* how much I love you!?"

"It might be that…" He acknowledged, his voice still infuriatingly soft. "Or it might just be a gradual transition. If I were not trying for the light given my skills I will live on, for a very long time." He spoke in an unnatural calm, like a man who had gone out beyond the brink of insanity. "A snowflake on the ground will remain in its form for a long time, but to try to hold it in your hand means it will melt. What miracle it takes to preserve it in one’s hand, is what we are hoping for." He smiled that sad melancholic smile of his again. "He’s your way out of this dilemma. Just say the word, and we’ll both no longer have to worry about bringing shadows into light. It will be easier for me too, and you *know* I won’t grudge you your choice."

"NO." The word was set hard into the air like iron cast of determination she had placed on her face. "I will *NEVER* do that."

"You know what I want?" Kova growled. "If you will stop loving me for him, I want, I *demand*, to know *now*. I see you care for him…" His tone caught in the green light of the jealous fire blazing within him, as he stood up, like a menacing beast unfolding itself. "How long more before *I* am cast aside like a dangerous toy? I don’t even propose to flee from you or Seion, you can take me back to the GP or the SSS for all I care, all I ask is that I am informed *now*." His eyes burned chill flames in the darkness. "End it. End this pain and uncertainty. Tell me the truth that will slay my humanity and release me from this abhorrent stasis of hope."

Kiyone felt her heart reel from the pain. "Well, the *truth* is that