From gorgo@kwangju.net Sat Dec 20 00:19:08 1997 Date: Thu, 18 Dec 1997 13:40:51 +0900 From: Fred Herriot Subject: [fanfic][lemon][UY] "A Remarkable Destiny" Part XVI "Everyone up!! We're here!" Ataru blinks as the door to his room opens, revealing Amy. "Planetfall in twenty minutes, Ataru!" the coxswain reports. "Thank you, Amy," Ataru yawns, then rises to get dressed. As soon as he is suited up, pistol in his holster and shield generator in place on his belt, he heads up to the bridge. People run around as they gather gear, check weapons one more time, then have something to eat. He steps onto the bridge, noting Spea was manning the helm with Eluza in her command chair sipping coffee. "What's it look like?" Ataru wonders. "No hostile ships in the immediate area," Spea reports. "The Niphentaxian fleet is massing near Yoinsei Station. All combat and combat support elements are accounted for; only home defence forces are inside the System Destroyers' kill-zone. If they diverted to attack us, their ETA would be seven hours. More than enough time for us to make the extraction and withdraw." "Good," Ataru relaxes beside Eluza. "Signal the Eliminator. Maintain cloak when we come out of warp." "Aye-aye," Spea makes the transmission. "I'd prefer not to have that fleet come our way," Eluza bites her lips. "Even when we go, there are the shanty towns on Hinan- shima and elsewhere. Negau told me the local governor has been rumoured to withhold all food shipments to those who haven't sworn absolute allegiance to Lum." "Cute," Ataru bites his lips. He didn't want those little kids to starve to death either, but what could he do? He had only come with two ships to deal with over three thousand. Despite Cassandra's bluster, three thousand was quite a bit to handle all at once even for her. "What the fuck did Mendou do last night?!" Benten demands as she storms onto the bridge. "He took my parents, Atako and Asuka-chan hostage to force me to leave Sagussa," Ataru sighs. "Maki's team took care of him." "That bastard!!" Benten snaps, slipping on her webgear. "Who the fuck gave him the right to dictate everything to us?!" "He's been assuming that for two years, Benten-chan! You just noticed that now?!" Ataru wryly grins. Eluza and Spea laugh, then the latter updates Benten on the status of Oogi's fleet. The Fukunokami bites her lips as an idea comes to her. "Hey, I know how we can get Oogi to go to Earth!" "How?!" Ataru wonders. "Shit, you guys captured all that equipment when you caught all those agents, remember?" Benten grins. "They know people're missing from those who were sent back; what's to stop them from believing someone could've escaped and could now be trying to get in contact?! Ask Atako's brother; Oogi'd know of him since he's the one who arranged for Atako to go to Earth. Have him tell Oogi that Mendou's been killed and the guards were 'corrupted'...and that asshole'd burn rubber right into everyone's gunsights!" "How soon before Oogi's fleet'd reach Earth?" Ataru blinks. "Given the slow speed of their mobile Planet Destroyers and System Destroyers, three days," Spea looks back. Ataru smiles. "That's the plan!" * * * Oogi fidgets on the bridge of the "Tamashii no Lum," gazing at the great fleet the Faithful built over the last decade to protect the Goddess from harm. His flagship is a Kashin-class battlewagon, two hundred sisterships forming the vanguard of the Army of Lum, as he recently rechristened the Niphentaxian Defence Force. As soon as the last ships checked in, they would race for Earth, destroy the Sagussans and reclaim Earth for the Goddess. In three days, the Great Evil's latest plot against the Goddess would be crushed. If they were lucky, the Great Evil himself would be killed by Gaylan, thus forcing the Sagussans to bow to the Goddess' Will. Oh, it was so glorious! "Mr. President, the commander of the First Holy Apostle Megane Crusade Squadron reports his ships are ready to proceed to Phentax Twenty-three," the fleet captain looks over at his leader. "Put him on screen," Oogi orders. The heavyset fleet commander appears, saluting him. "We're ready to go, Mr. President! Your orders?!" "Rescue the Goddess from the heretics who would bring harm to Her!" Oogi barks. "Ensure you capture the harpy Noa alive! If you see the Great Evil, kill him!! As for Gaylan..." "We understand, sir!" the admiral cackles. "All Hail Lum!!" "All Hail Lum!!" Oogi nods. The screen reverts to a view of local space as six capital ships and their escorts break formation, darting to the home system's outermost world. At that moment, the fleet communications officer looks up. "Sir, a transmission from Earth!!!" "WHAT?!?!?! Who is it?!!" Oogi demands. The officer presses a button for the bridge speakers. A loud crack of static is heard, then a gasping male voice. "...can you hear me...Mr. President...?" "Who is this?!" Oogi wonders. The crackles pick up. "...Ushina...you might know me, sir... my sister Atako was...one with HS...you allowed to come here..." "Yes, yes!!" Oogi nods. "Can we clear that?!!" "He's frequency-hopping, sir," the communications officer reports. "Probably being jammed at the source. A moment..." "Can you hear me?!" Ushina's voice comes in loud and clear. "Now we can! How'd you escape?!" Oogi wonders. "Our team leader dispatched me to place myself away from the observation post in case the Sagussans came," Ushina pants. "I've been on the run for four days, Mr. President. Sir, you have to know this: the Fifth Holy Apostle is dead!" The whole bridge crew falls silent. "What...?" Oogi feels his legs lose their strength as he collapses into his chair. "Yes, sir!!" Ushina pants. "Not more than several hours ago; it's on the news throughout Tokyo! The Sagussans executed him when he tried to punish several of their number for not rejecting the Great Evil! Mr. President, the other Holy Apostles...they've been brainwashed by the Sagussans into forgetting the Goddess...!!" Static bursts onto the line. "We're losing him!!!" the fleet communications officer swears. The static clears momentarily. "...I think...found me...All Hail Lum...!" Ushina gasps...then a gunshot is heard. Silence falls on the "Tamashii no Lum" as everyone gazes at the bridge speakers. Oogi trembles as he imagines what just happened on Earth. "Contact...lost," the fleet communications officer lowers his head. Oogi trembles. Mendou...dead?! Megane, Chibi, Paama and Kakugari now seduced by those harpies?! Bolting to his feet, he turns to his captain. "To Earth!!! All Hail Lum!!!" "ALL HAIL LUM!!!!!!" the bridge crew scream... * * * "Did you have to shoot that close, Maya-chan?!" Ushina gulps, staring at the burn mark in the wall of his room. "Hey, you wanted authentic, you got authentic!" Maya puts her pistol away, then swamps him with a tender kiss. The portable transmitter Ushina's group used now sat on a chair beside their bed on the "Lyna'cha." "You deserve an Oscar for that one, Ushinavayae ...but I'm gonna give you something better." "No, I'll give you something better, Mayavayae," he twirls her to lay on her back, then tenderly kisses her. "Ragh do hang va." "Ragh do hang va," she smiles... * * * "A Remarkable Destiny" a Urusei Yatsura lemon fic by Fred Herriot gorgo@kwangju.net **** **** **** Based on "Urusei Yatsura" created by Rumiko Takahashi **** **** **** NOTE: All standard lemon warnings apply. This is my second time at this, so please give me a break. I'll try to keep it as spicy as possible without going too overboard. WRITER'S NOTES And still more Sagussan terms: Tarun Chong - The Other Party. At Lyna's time, the Fourth Republic was controlled by a technocracy, with no real democratic tendencies, so political parties, especially those espousing great social change, were frowned on. Gisan'cha - Age of Unbounded Technology. The age (10,000 year period) before the Clone Rights War. The modern period is referred to as Ataru'cha, the second age of the Fifth Republic. Pughmunragh - Love using one's mouth. To give oral sex either to one's pughtapgh (north towers - horns on one's head like an Oni or a Koumori [Prim's people] has), meijasha or namghmun. **** **** **** PART SIXTEEN - CRASHING THE PARTY "Six battlewagons and escorts en route our position, all other ships heading for Earth," Spea looks at her scanner. "ETA Pluto orbit line seventy-one-point-seven hours. We did it!" Everyone whoops their delight, embracing and laughing as the "Hasei'cha" holds orbit over Hinan-shima. Phentax Twenty-three is a Mars-sized planet covered with oceans and beautiful forest-lined continents. Despite the over four billion kilometre distance from Hito-Phentax, the white giant primary which formed the centre of this remarkable system, the energy reaching this far out was still enough to create a beautiful world fit for humanoid habitation. There was one proper city, in the middle of the largest continent, though there were well over three million people in total; half of them were scattered over dozens of shanty towns on many islands hugging Phentax Twenty-three's equator. "Okay!!" Ataru sighs. "Scan of Hinan-shima?" "Completed," Rumy smiles. "Total population 10,372 persons. Signs of considerable malnutrition in ninety-five percent of the inhabitants. Three-quarters of the inhabitants are under ten years age; ironically, they're the most healthy of the lot." "Parents are dying for their kids," Lufy shudders. "I've located Lum, Noa and Koosei," Rumy smiles. "They're now in the south-west tower of the castle Rover P-266 found. Medical scans show all in good physical health, three guards close by on same floor with troops within easy access from above and below." "Show three-D," Eluza orders. A three-dimensional diagram of the castle appears before the shipmistress as everyone gathers around. Target markers indicate troop disposition. Their friends were marked with an L, N and K in one room, now with a captor outside their door. Three people were ascending the stairs to that floor. "Who're they?!" Benten points. "One adult, two small children," Rumy reports. "Probably to explain Lum-chan's 'crime,'" Oyuki shudders. "Okay," Ataru sighs. "I'll lead the team to rescue Lum-chan, Noa-chan and Koosei. Honey, Oyuki, Sylia, Shinobu, Benten and Priss will come with me. That should be more than enough to deter Gaylan if he tries to grab Lum-chan or Noa-chan. Can you pick out where he is?" "He's in the tower three floors above Lum," Rumy reports. "Rumy, you and Patty stay aboard to watch over the ship," Eluza sighs. "Shildy, you and Ryooko will coordinate. I'll take Pony, Spea and Amy and hit from below. Rei, can you take Catty, Asuka, Linna and Nene and knock out the groups here?" she points to the castle's north side. "Aye-aye," Reinoevan nods. "I guess that leaves flying air cover to us," Lufy smiles, staring at Mie, Rabby, Ryuunosuke, Makoto and Nagisa. Eluza nods. "Well...let's do it," Ataru smiles. His hand goes out. Everyone else piles hands as they flash each other an empathic burst of best wishes and love... * * * "What do you want, Suisei?" Lum wonders. "I have no interest in Niphentaxian politics! As a matter of fact, I've no interest in anything about your people!!" "Oh?" Suisei wonders as she glances to one side, then icily stares at the Oni. "Maybe you'll reconsider your position when you see what *your* church has done in *your* name, Lum!" Lum and Noa blink on seeing two ragged young girls brought up. Dirty, barely covered in torn clothing, wide-eyed yet seemingly emotionless, they were the mark of famished, orphaned children across the galaxy. The bond-mates' hearts leap for them as both come up to take a closer look. Seeing the woman they had long been told was the architect of their misery, their parents' deaths, both move to hide behind Suisei's legs. "You see, Lum, not everyone in this galaxy loves you on sight," the woman haughtily sneers. Noa stares at her, then gazes at the children as her voice raises in song: One day, one night, one moment My dreams could be tomorrow One step, one fall, one falter East or west Over earth or by ocean One way to be my journey This way could be my Book of Days... Lum smiles as the young girls stare at the Ashi'cha, their eyes widening as they approach her. Best way to win children over: sing to them. She then adds her voice... No day, no night, no moment Can hold me back from trying I'll flag, I'll fall, I'll falter I'll find my day may be Far and Away Far and Away Suisei gapes as the girls smile, their eyes sparkling. She was hoping to break Lum, force her to admit her crimes, then force her into helping Suisei bring down the Church of Lum. If Lum really hated Oogi, it should be easy, shouldn't it? One day, one night, one moment With a dream to be leaving One step, one fall, one falter And a new earth across a wide ocean This way became my journey This day ends together, Far and Away This day ends together, Far and Away Far and Away... The girls laugh as Lum and Noa blow kisses to them. "What are their names?" the latter stares at Suisei. The older Niphentaxian is stunned speechless. "I'm Reiko!" the tawny-haired girl facing Lum beams. "I'm Anna!" the dark-haired girl in front of Noa smiles. "Hello, Reiko-chan," Lum smiles. "I'm Lum...and this is Noa. See, I'm not such a scary Oni, aren't I?" "I dunno," Reiko looks down. Suisei shudders...then jolts as transporter beams are heard. Before she or the people close by could react, guns are levelled on their heads, Benten now covering Suisei with Priss covering the woman who'd brought Reiko and Anna up. "Move and you die," the Fukunokami hisses. Reiko and Anna look up at them, then back to see the other guards were facing Ataru, Sylia, Honey and Oyuki. "Open the door!" Shinobu stares at the guard at the control station. He shudders, then slams the button for the general alarm. "Shit!!" Priss snaps as the klaxon blares throughout the castle. Shinobu growls as her fist decks him, then she stares at the controls. "How do we open the door?!" "Find out yourself!" Priss' captive snarls. Shinobu stares at her, then walks over to one side of the doorway. "Get them clear," she points to Reiko and Anna. Sylia guides them away as her bond-mate digs her fingers into the masonry and yanks the doorframe out, shattering the dampening field. "About time!!!" Lum flies out of the holding room, then glares at Suisei. "Here's my appreciation for your hospitality!!!" she douses the Niphentaxian with her lightning! Suisei is slammed into the wall as Lum turns and flies into Ataru's arms. "Lum-chan!!!" he swamps her with a kiss. "What took you so long, Darling?!" the Oni happily sobs. "Traffic!!" he laughs, then looks up as gunfire echoes through the castle. "Eluza, Rei, report!!" he stabs his wrist-comm. "Meeting some resistance here, Ataru," Eluza calls over the chatter of FAPRs and the deeper roars of Urban Assault Cannons. "No injuries so far! Nothing we can't handle!!" "Little resistance here, Ataru," Rei adds over the firefight her team is now in the middle of. "Will call when needed." "Good!!" Ataru nods, then embraces Noa. "Hey, what's a sexy lady like you doing in a dump like this?!" "Waiting for you to rescue me, of course!!" Noa kisses him. By then, Oyuki has gone inside the cell to look at Koosei, her hands feeling his clammy skin. "Koosei-kun...?!" she sobs, then she marches outside, grabs the stunned Suisei and slams her against a wall. "Who did that to him?!!" "It...it was..." Suisei moans... Oyuki tenses as her powers sense what the woman is trying to say, then she tosses her aside. "Gaylan!!" "Let's pay the perp a visit!" Priss hungrily snarls. "Hold it!!" Ataru cuts in. "First, we get Koosei and these kids to the ship, then we deal with him!!!" The others nod... * * * Gaylan races downstairs, moving as fast as his lame leg could take him. He couldn't fly these days; another parting "gift" from the Ip'ihu. Coming down the circular stairs to the floor where Lum and Noa are, he slows down as his ears pick up voices, voices that shouldn't be here. Drawing his pistol, he looks around the corner to see Oyuki gently moving Koosei from the holding cell, a crowd of people in dark uniforms and very nasty weapons standing there. His eyes widen on recognizing the man beside Lum and Noa... * * * "Where are we going?" Anna wonders. "Up to our ship!" Honey kneels before her, placing a wrist- comm on her and Reiko. "We'll get you lots of good food up there!" "What about our friends?" Reiko blinks. "We'll take care of them," Honey nods. "Energize, Shildy." The two girls disappear...just as Honey's eyes catch someone in the shadows of the stairwell. "Look out!!!" Eyes snap around as Gaylan's pistol barks. Ataru tackles Noa and Lum, sending them to the deck as the first bolt deflects off Shinobu's personal shield to drill the guard Sylia was covering! As Benten moves to block more shots, her shield deflects another... which slams into Koosei's back, knocking him into Oyuki and sending them tumbling over!! Priss levels her gun at the Oni colonel, sending a fusillade of rounds to chew up the stairs at his feet, forcing him to scramble back upstairs. "KOOSEI-KUN!!!!!!" Oyuki shrieks as she rolls her fiance's body over, staring horrified at the surprised look on his face. "Koosei-kun, say something, speak to me!!! Koosei-kun!!!" He spits up blood, then blinks as his eyes clearly focus on Oyuki. "Oyuki-chan..." he coughs, "...what are you doing here... how'd I get shot...where am I...?" "Koosei-kun...!" Oyuki gasps, then wails as she embraces him. Seeing the man who nearly sacrificed everything for him, Ataru shudders as the pent-up rage and fear he felt since Lum's and Noa's kidnapping surges up from his soul. "GAYLAN!!!!!!" he screams as he bolts to his feet, racing for the stairs. "Ataru, no!!!" Benten tries to leap in his path, but he steps around her, then races up the stairs. "Darling, come back!!!" Lum cries out... * * * Gaylan staggers to the floor containing his private office, his pistol aimed at the stairwell as he hears the angry bellow from below. This was perfect. Right into his gunsights. "Now I got you, you little fool..." he hisses... ...then screams out as pistol bolts smash through the masonry at his feet, shattering the floor and sending him tumbling through the hole to the hard stone below!! He crashes down as several large blocks smash onto his legs and arms, crushing his bones and his pistol. He screams in wild agony as his eyes lock on the dark form standing not five feet away. "Ninjas never attack from the front!" Ataru snarls. Gaylan sneers as his good hand reaches into his pocket to yank the pin of a grenade he kept there just in case. Ataru's eyes glare at him as he senses the colonel's intention, then he grabs him by his shirt and drags him to a nearby window showing a good view of the castle's main courtyard. "You wanted a taste of power?!!" Ataru yanks him face-to-face. "Here...THIS IS POWER!!!!" Gaylan screams as he flies through the window down to the courtyard fifty metres below. Ataru turns away as the grenade detonates ten metres before he hits!! * * * "DARLING!!!!!!" Lum cries out as she moves to race up the stairs after him, the explosion gently rocking the tower. Footsteps are heard. The Sagussans tense, then relax as Ataru emerges, heading straight for Lum and Noa. He allows them to tenderly embrace him, then shudders as his pent-up emotions come storming out. He tenderly kisses them as they walk him away, a transporter beam seizing them for the "Hasei'cha." Benten smiles at them, then stares at Suisei, who is still dazed from Lum's lightning blast. "Surrender now and it'll go easy for you!" she growls. Suisei blinks, then her shoulders slump in defeat... * * * Below the castle, the explosion that marked Gaylan Poksu's demise is hardly noticed in the shanty town. There was no proper church; it had been torn down for fires to keep the people warm during Phentax Twenty-three's chilly evenings. Most of the adults knew that one of the causes of their misery was being held in the castle, but one couldn't think of great issues when getting their next meal were the ONLY concern. Many children ran about, trying their best to keep their parents and friends happy. You could tell who were the orphans; they never smile. Everyone blinks as the rumble of three small ships is heard. Eyes turn east to see the arrow-like shapes of the "Hasei'cha's" Gladiators approach, their engine cavities morphing as the fighters switch to Guardian mode, thus allowing them to land on their engine exhaust/feet in the soft clay of Hinan-shima. People stare at the large craft as ladders are dropped, their pilots and co-pilots descending. "Fuck me!!" Ryuunosuke gapes, wide-eyed. She knew all about hunger; many a lean day she had spent on the beach in winter when her father struggled to keep Hamajaya going. She'd never forget that hunger as long as she lived. But these people were starving; even she could see the difference. The children stop playing as eyes turn toward the six women in their strange blue flightsuits. Two *pirpirsiw'r,* a Zeiwanite and three Terrans, all in the same uniform. Even the orphans stop staring blankly into space, coming up as the crowds approach the Sagussans. Lufy scans the crowd, her senses telling her everything they felt: fear, curiosity, suspicion, desperation. "When was the last time these people had something to eat?" Nagisa gapes, tears already flowing down her cheeks. Mie stares at one small girl of six. She was practically skin and bones. Running back to her Gladiator, she reaches inside for the emergency rations, then walks up, opening it to hand calorie bars and sandwiches to the crowd. Smiles appear as the children take the offered food, staring curiously at it. To Mie's surprise, many run off to nearby tents. "Where are they going?" she turns to one middle aged man. "Come see," he notions her to follow. The Sagussans follow the girl which caught Mie's eye. She is now in a communal tent, breaking her calorie bar into bits for those who had no strength to walk out on their own. Seeing the blank faces, the other pilots race for their machines. Mie kneels to hand the rest of her food out, then taps her wrist-comm. "Mie to 'Hasei'cha.'" "Yes, Mie-san?" Ryooko replies. "We need food down here, Ryooko...lots of it," the pilot bites her teeth. "Buddha have mercy, there are so many children here... we need doctors and nurse to come, too! Can Ataru ask everyone to come in from Sagussa? The 'Lyme'cha' could bring them...!" "I'll ask," Ryooko soothes. "Do what you can. Your sister, Setsuna-san, Catty-sensei and Pony-sensei are on their way." "Arigato, Ryooko," Mie lowers her wrist-comm, then walks over to the girl, kneeling beside her. "What's your name?" "Myon," the girl smiles. "What's yours?" "Mie Seikou. Do you want anything to eat, Myon-chan?" The girl shakes her head, smiling...her spirits hurt but not broken. "They need it first," she points to all her friends... * * * "It's a nightmare down here, Lum," Catty sighs. "How they've scraped by has been nothing short of a miracle. They do grow their own crops, but it's nowhere near enough to provide the necessary subsistence to keep them healthy. It's a miracle no infectious viruses have come this way; it would've decimated them." "Can we help?" Lum stares bleakly at the doctor from the bridge of the "Hasei'cha." Catty shakes her head, calling from a portable comm terminal in the middle of Hinan-shima's shanty town. "We can boost their immune system for the short term, but what they need the most is to return to a healthy diet, the sooner the better. I've already asked everyone still in cryofreeze to come here right away, but we need food...and all the hydroponic gardens and replicators on Sagussa couldn't come close to producing enough for this!" "This is wrong," Lum shudders. "Of course it's wrong, Lum..." "No, you don't understand, Catty!!" the Oni shakes her head. "Everyone knows about the food problems here; they ship food here from a half-dozen planets every month! Where's the food going?!" "I can't answer that; perhaps Suisei?" "I'll ask her," Lum rises. "Thanks, Catty." She marches back to the "Hasei'cha's" holding cell. It was meant for outworlders; no one could as yet conceive of seeing the necessity of placing a Daishi'cha here for doing something wrong. Noa, back in her uniform, sits across from Suisei, the Fifth Republic's first prisoner-of-war. Those who had followed Suisei...Gaylan didn't have anyone else come with him from Uru...had been paroled and allowed to return to the shanty town. "So, what will you do with me?" she wonders. "Technically, you're up on three counts of kidnapping and forced confinement, one count of aggravated physical and mental torture, one count of planning to commit murder for political gain, and violating the Non-Interference Treaty your people signed by trespassing on a planet under the Treaty's protection; we'll charge people under the guidelines of our Non-Interference Directive," the Ashi'cha reports. "However, given mitigating circumstances, we could drop the charges. One word from the Daimon'cha is enough." She then gazes at her bond-mate. "Hello, Lum-chan." Suisei glares defiantly at the Oni. "Suisei, everyone from this side of the Federation's been sending food to this planet for the last five years to feed the homeless," Lum crosses her arms. "Would you care to tell us where it all went?" "Does it look like it reached us?!" Suisei snaps, then looks away. "Reached any of the encampments?! This is what your church has done, Lum! You can deny it to your heart's content, but those who'd starve us out are loyal to you!! That's what your church teaches, Lum; no mercy to those who don't give their all to you!" "I do know that," Lum shudders, wondering what Megane, Chibi, Paama and Kakugari would think if they learned their own diaries had been photographed by Niphentaxian agents, then transcribed into the Books of Lum's Holy Apostles. She knew that in the past, the four and Mendou had continuously raved about Ataru's disloyalty, his unwillingness to give in to Lum's desires. Since Ataru is the Great Evil, any act seen as disloyal to Lum made the perpetrator a heretic, equal to the Great Evil and thus worthy of any punishment the Faithful could unleash...including mass starvation. "So you see why you had to die!!" Suisei snarls. "As long as you lived, as long as your Holy Apostles were loyal to you, Oogi had the ammunition necessary to starve us out! We're not the only colony to endure this, Lum; everywhere in the Union, there're those who don't bow to Oogi! They're rooted out every day, punished in public court, then executed! If in large groups, isolate them and let hunger do the rest!! Don't look so innocent, Lum; you were doing the same thing to the man you loved for the last two years!!" "Damn you!!!" Lum moves to leap in there and strangle her. "Enough!!!" Noa bolts to her feet. "Lum-chan, I really think you better call the governor of this colony! The one advantage you have is that you can order her to send that food out; even Oogi couldn't survive politically if he was known to be defying his spiritual patron's wishes!" Lum blinks, then smiles. "Good point..." Everyone jolts as the ship's klaxon is heard. "Red alert, red alert!" Amy's voice echoes over the speakers. "Enemy battlewagon squadron now approaching! All personnel to your battle stations!" "What?!!" Suisei bolts up. "What's a squadron doing here?!!" "I suggest you keep that in mind next time you choose allies to help you with your subterfuge, Suisei," Noa passes through the forceshield as she and Lum race for the bridge. Already there, everyone is seated and relaxed as the looming wedges of six battlewagons and the smaller blips of escorts appear in the skies over Phentax Twenty-three. "Enemy formation is the First Holy Apostle Megane Crusade Squadron," Spea snorts in disgust as she analyzes the tactical readout. "Six Kashins, six Tsubusus. Target practice, Eluza. We take them down?" "Only if they fire on the shanty towns; are they moving to teleport in?" Eluza wonders. "They're assuming orbit for planetary ground assault," Rumy warns. "Teleport systems are being primed." "Jam them," the shipmistress orders. "Aye, ma'am," Rumy flips a switch, then presses her earpiece. "Ma'am, Shitto wants to know if we need the Eliminator de-cloaked." Seeing THAT monster would scare the Niphentaxians into a more reasonable position...and tip Ataru's hand to Oogi's friends back on Phentax Two; the System Destroyers couldn't ignore something like Cassandra. "Negative, we can handle it," Eluza replies. "The enemy commander is hailing us," Rumy then reports. "Answer with static," Eluza orders. "No!" Lum cuts in. "I'll talk to him, Eluza. On screen." The viewscreen shifts to reveal the visage of the squadron commander. He blinks on seeing the unfamiliar faces, then his eyes widen on recognizing the one he'd come to rescue. "Lum-sama!!!" he bows to her. "Are you alright?!! Did these harpies hurt you?!!" "NO, THEY DIDN'T!!!!" Lum barks, causing him to shy away from her. "As you notice, Admiral, I'm quite fine!!! And don't you EVER insult these people again; THEY saved me!!!" "But the President said..." Lum's eyes narrow. "You doubt me?" "N-n-no, ma'am!!!" he bolts to attention. "Very well," Lum icily smiles. "You will NOT beam troops to Hinan-shima; Gaylan is dead and his ally is aboard this ship and will face Sagussan justice should we see fit to charge her. All your troops will remain aboard your ships while we remain here, Admiral; if I hear of any NDF soldier in those camps, I'll have my friends here pound you into stardust! Now, if you don't mind, I have another call to make!! 'Hasei'cha,' out!" she makes a cutting notion with her finger across her throat. "Rumy, hail the colony governor. I want to speak to her!" "Yes, ma'am!" Rumy blinks, then makes the call. "Lum-sama!!!" the governor...Lyna, she made the average Sunin look anorexic!...appears on the screen next. "President Oogi just informed me that you were being held here against your will by the heretics of Hinan-shima! Please accept my deepest apologies for not dispatching a rescue force sooner!!" she bows low. "Thank you, I'm fine!" Lum's eyebrow twitches in annoyance. Say what Ataru would about her classmates in Tomobiki, they were NEVER this bad! "In the meantime, Governor, there are many people, especially little children, starving on Hinan-shima and elsewhere! Release the food you've been hoarding from the shipments the other Federation planets have send so they can be fed!!" She blinks. "Lum-sama, you would give charity to heretics and infidels?!! Do you not know Your First Apostle's first words after his Revelation?! You are the All, the Light and the Life and that all who do not see it are enemies to be destroyed!!!" Lum shudders, fighting down the urge to zap the viewscreen to shut the pompous ass up. Around her, the Daishi'cha exchange incredulous looks. "We have to ask Aisuru about what he writes in his diaries one of these days," Eluza whispers to Sylia. "Agreed," the Pathfinder commander nods. Lum crosses her arms. "Then if I'm the All, then I and I alone dictate who should receive mercy, correct?!" "Yes," the governor nods. "Then I pass my mercy to the starving people on your planet and I do so now. Pass that food out, Governor." She shudders. "I cannot!" "Why not?!" Lum's eyes flash. "Lum-sama, look who is around you!! We know of these harpies and their mind-tricks! They are the Great Evil's handmaids, whose sole purpose in life is to see you chained to their dark master!!" Spea moves to send an energy blast to the capital city to incinerate the bitch for insulting them, their Daimon'cha and his Other like that! "Spea," Eluza warns. "Aye, ma'am..." Spea grits her teeth... * * * Aboard his flagship, the commander of the First Holy Apostle Megane Crusade Squadron blinks as he listens to the communication between Lum and Phentax Twenty-three's leader. Yes, the governor had quoted correctly from the Book of Megane, but the First Apostle had also wrote that the Goddess was right in all things. That Her Dreams, Her Desires, Her Thoughts and Beliefs ruled them all. To defy the Goddess right to Her Face was heresy of the worst order! "Sir, what do we do?" the flagship's captain wonders. "Wait for it," he warns... * * * "Governor, if you do not release that food this instant, you are not only defying me, you're also defying every moral code the Federation follows...and if that's the way your people behave, you're not fit to be in the Federation!!" Lum snarls. "I'm sure the Vosians'd welcome that after what Oogi did to Lecashuto!! We won't be compelled to come to your aid especially since your president's guilty of murdering five million innocent people!!!" "Who conspired to kill you!!" the governor reminds her. "No, only the Mikado threatened to kill me and my family...and he failed!!" Lum retorts. "Dakejinzou Shogai saw to that!! Don't twist my words around!! How DARE you say that those poor people Oogi killed, people who wouldn't've hurt a fly, were guilty of sending those hunters Shogai-san killed, especially to ME?!?!" "All who do not believe must be made to believe, Lum-sama!!" she asserts. "You are the All, the Light and the Life and that all who do not see it are enemies to be destroyed!!" Lum gasps, staring wide-eyed at her... * * * "Cassandra, can you do a precision attack?" Ataru wonders. "*Never tried it before,*" the Eliminator's computer admits. "Now's the time to learn a new skill. Shut that bitch up!" "*My pleasure,*" Cassandra purrs... * * * "Captain, have troops prepared to go down and have the food transported to all the camps," the admiral orders. "The President won't like it, sir," the captain warns. "That is Lum-sama's Desire, Captain." "Yes, sir." * * * "Send that food out!!!" Lum barks, pointing at her. "Have you no sense of common decency?!! Do you have any idea what you're doing to those people?!!" "If they accept Your Faith, Lum-sama, they'll live!! If they don't, they'll die!!!" the governor asserts. "I am doing this, all my fellow governors and the President himself are doing this, to save You and the Holy Company from the Great Evil and his minions now standing with you!! The only way You can be free is to reject him forever and be with your Faithful!!!" "What d'you expect from a petty woman seeking power?" Everyone sees Ataru at the aft end of the bridge. "Darling!!" Lum blinks surprisedly. Ataru's eyes narrow as a transporter beam sends in a spheroid object to land on the governor's desk. Lum turns, eyes widening in shock and horror as she realizes what it is: bauximite flash-bomb. The governor stares at the device, then moves to escape. She only makes one step before the flash-bomb explodes!! "That's *real* power," Ataru turns away as communications is instantly cut, sparing those on the bridge the gristly sight of seeing the governor pulverized into ashes. Silence falls over the bridge, then Rumy looks up. "The admiral in command of the battlewagon squadron is calling, Eluza." "On screen," Eluza nods. He appears, bowing respectfully. "Lum-sama, if you can ask your friends to release us, I'll send troops down to have all the food transported to the encampments right now." Lum blinks, then smiles. "Thank you, Admiral." "It is Your Desire, Lum-sama," he smiles. She shudders, then she remembers something. "Oh, by the way. A Sagussan ship, a tanker, will be arriving very soon with medical personnel bringing their own relief aid. You won't be able to miss the 'Lyme'cha' when she comes in; she's twenty-two kilometres long. You will ensure NONE of your crew interferes with any Sagussan while they're on the planet. I consider them under my patronage and I will be VERY ANGRY if any of them are hurt! Understood?!" "It shall be done, Lum-sama," he bows. Everyone relaxes. "I think we can stand down for now," Eluza sighs. "Still...Spea, keep a sharp eye on them." "Aye, ma'am," Spea nods. Lum turns and walks up to Ataru, fiercely embracing him as her own tears flow. "Take me away from this place, Darling!" she sobs. * * * "Pass me the hypodermic, please," Catty holds out her hand. "This?" the Niphentaxian marine holds out an object. "Yes," Catty takes it and injects the solution into a young boy's neck. The "Hasei'cha's" four medical personnel were moving through one of the tents at Hinan-shima, a platoon of local marines present to distribute food. At first, the palatable wrath between Lum worshippers and Hollywood worshippers nearly came to blows, but when Lufy persuaded them to work together...she personally pounded the leader of the shanty town and the officer in command of the landing force into hamburger...things calmed down. Of course, seeing what happened to so many children had been sobering to the Niphentaxian troops. Propaganda had told them that the heretics were being treated well as theologians tried to make them convert to the One True Path of Lum. Most of all, Catty felt sorry for troopers like her helper. In her eyes, Oogi was a political opportunist of the worst order, dreaming of creating an empire where everyone danced to his tune. It was power that corrupted absolutely. Declaring he would spread the Gospel of Lum was just an excuse, a good one. Oogi kept airtight control over how his people learned about the Goddess, distilled it to suit his ends and not theirs. No wonder Oogi was so desperate to keep everything in Tomobiki frozen! How could he explain everyone's taking control of their own lives, turning away from their need to have Lum be part of their lives?! "Will they live?" the soldier wonders. "With food and care, they'll be alright," Catty nods. "We'll take the orphans with us to Sagussa, those who won't be adopted by couples here. Do you believe there'd be many in the cities who could take them in?" "If Lum-sama ordered it, they would," he confesses. "However, because they are the sons and daughters of heretics and pagans, most of the Faithful would desire nothing to do with them." "Lyna, that disgusts me!!" Catty snarls. He blinks. He had heard the phrase "Lyna's Soul" or "Lyna have mercy" escape the lips of the large group of medical officers who had just arrived with the "Lyme'cha." "Who is Lyna?" "Lyna lived fourteen thousand years ago," Catty smiles. "She was a clone of Ojin, the woman who discovered the regeneration matrix which later restored all of us on our moon Sagurei. Lyna was in fact created by the matrix, grown from one cell to adulthood in the blink of an eye. She was taught to be a singer, becoming an idol star like you'd never believe. Her following would outstrip anything your people could do for Lum. But when people discovered how she was born, the government had her executed." "Why?! Wasn't Ojin-sama capable of bearing children?!" "Yes, she was...but that wasn't the point. Clones in Lyna's time were kept in giant cell banks and used as spare body parts. Everyone called them 'mei'aidoei' because they were literally half- lives; all body, no brains. There was in Lyna's time a powerful clone-rights movement which espoused freeing the clones and ending that practice. That group was called Tarun Chong. When Lyna was revealed to be a clone, it provoked many to support Tarun Chong, who then launched the War of Clone Rights and destroyed the Fourth Republic...thus making the Fifth Republic possible." "So if Lyna's a clone, why do you worship her?" "We don't worship Lyna like you do Lum and her friends. We have no holy texts. We don't consider her a living goddess since we don't believe in divine beings which actively interfere in the affairs of mortals. To borrow from Shinobu Miyaki's beliefs, God and Satan are in all of us. As to why we respect Lyna, two things. One, she was born of the matrix, which also gave us life. She was the model for all the Daishi'cha. Second, because of the matrix and its link to the Te'a, Lyna could actually touch Eternity, see with her own mei'na how diverse, how beautiful, Eternity may be. Because of that, she laid down the thoughts and beliefs, many of which existed before Gisan'cha, we use today." "I see," he shudders. The thought of actually being able to see, to touch, the Divinity...all Niphentaxians believed in That Power regardless of what particular theology interested them at the time...scared him. How could his people compare to that? "There," Catty injects the last child. "Would you care to have something to eat? I sense you'd like to hear more." He blinks. "Of course, I'sagh." Catty smiles as they head out to the mobile kitchen some of the medical assistants were running. The fellow beside her is Hirosa, from Phentax Four, a sergeant. He took Ryuunosuke as his inspiration, in fact resembled the tomboy closely without need of cosmetic surgery; after seeing a picture of Oogi, the doctor could tell he'd been under the knife very recently. Hirosa needed no such help. Maybe if Ryuunosuke was still shy about being with Ataru even after all the changes he'd endured, she could be enticed to meet someone she could better relate to... * * * "Feeling a little better now, Lum-chan?" Ataru kisses her. The two had come to the "Hasei'cha's" meditation room to relax and give Lum the chance to cry after what the governor had put her through. Ataru also needed the chance to vent his emotions. Both spent an hour weeping, holding each other for dear life, then they dozed off. Nighttime had fallen over Hinan-shima by the time they awoke. "I'm feeling better now, Darling," Lum kisses him. "It's so good to be with you again." "I'm glad," he nuzzles his nose into hers. "The thought of losing you at the Tag Race really scared me. This scared me worse. I'm glad you're still a part of my life." "We've been a part of each other for years, Darling," Lum sighs. "No more lies?" "No more lies," he kisses her. "No more assumptions?" "No more assumptions," she kisses him. "Good," he looks down. "Lum-chan...I love you and have for some time...heck, I really started developing feelings since that Christmas after Mendou arrived, when you played Shinobi, remember that? I'm glad you've decided to be with me even with Sagussa in our lives. You know I'll always come back to you and Noa-chan when it's all said and done." "I know...*tcha,* I can't believe it!!" she gasps, giggling. "I love you...and I love this woman who came representing a planet of women who's fondest dream is to literally DO you in whatever way they can! Gods, I have to get my head examined!!" Both laugh, embracing. "Well, making love to them is sweet and all," Ataru smiles. "And I care for the people here aboard this ship; they're my extended family. But you and Noa-chan are my intimate family and there's nothing that'll make me choose to abandon my intimate family for anyone!" "Why do I sense a 'but' somewhere?" Lum tenses. "But..." Ataru sighs, "...there's someone who wants to bond with me now." "Who?!" "Shinobu-chan." Lum blinks, then feels her whole body tremble. "Her?!" she growls, her fangs splayed. "After what she's done to you?! After abandoning you for Shutaro of all people, not even being your friend when you needed one...who gave her the right to assume she could intrude herself into our lives?!!" "Lum-chan, she won't take me away from you and Noa-chan!" he asserts. "And yes, Shinobu-chan was a friend, is one now. She was there when you left to get your visa renewed and you never told me a damn thing, just left that doll behind! You remember that, don't you?! Yes, I got angry at her because of Mendou and the times she didn't seem to care about my feelings...but Lyna's Soul, I did the same thing to her; I actually did it worse to her. We're way past that now, Lum-chan, we want to press on!" The Oni shakes. "I don't trust her, Darling! She's always wanted to control everything around her, then abandons it when it doesn't go her way and she overreacts every time!! She proved it when she fell for Shutaro like that, when she got the Rosebuds to form to stop you...from just quitting being class president, for Lyna's sake!! I wouldn't trust her to be bonded with you; I know how intimate a bond-mating is!!" "Can't you talk to her?" Ataru wonders. Silence falls as Lum looks down. "Lum-chan, when she learned that you and I finally made up, she was happy for us," Ataru sighs. "When Honey-chan told your dad that I've always thought of you as the only true friend I had in Tomobiki, that hurt Shinobu-chan, badly! There were times I was annoyed at you, but I NEVER hated you, Lum-chan! I hated Shinobu-chan at times and when she found out, it made her really sad!! Love shouldn't be limited to just two or three people, Lum-chan; it has to be spread everywhere!" Lum shakes her head. "I'm sorry, Darling; I know you're just trying to be kind. I could understand sharing you sexually with anyone from Sagussa; I don't mind that. I certainly want to share you emotionally with Noa-chan; that makes me feel very safe. But to share you emotionally with Shinobu...I don't know." He kisses her. "It's okay to be afraid, Lum-chan," he smiles. "Anyhow, I gotta get over to the Eliminator to talk things over with Shitto about destroying those System Destroyers, then we have to prepare to get back to Earth to block Oogi. Be back soon." "I'll wait," she smiles as he heads out, then lays back to gaze at the glass mural of Lyna's Ascension over her head. "What would you do, Lyna?" she focuses on the beautiful redhead, being carried by a flock of paratanun into the Te'a's embrace. "Did you have to fight for your mate like I've had to fight for mine?" She then tenses as footsteps are heard. "Hello, Lum." The Oni turns to see Shinobu standing at the door. "Hello, Shinobu," she then looks down. "I...um, thank you for helping get Noa-chan, Koosei and I out of that place." "You're welcome," the Terran-turned-Sagussan walks in, then shrugs, smiling. "What are friends for?" "Were we ever really friends?" "I don't know," Shinobu sits beside her. "I resented you for taking Ataru-kun away from me. I resented you for disrupting all our lives like you did, not caring once about what we believed or wanted. I certainly resented you once for being so attractive that no matter what man I desired, he'd always want you. I was jealous of you, no question about that. But...it doesn't mean I hate you. I want to be your friend, Lum. I want to put my old thoughts about you behind me; I want to stop thinking you're the enemy." Lum gazes at her. "Can you love Darling like I do, like Noa- chan does? After you two parted like that, after what you did to him...can I trust you to give Darling that love?" "I want to try," Shinobu smiles. "Being bonded with Sylia- chan showed me that I could love more than one person, that I could look past my faith and be intimate with whomever I wanted. That was something profound, I'll tell you that. But I realized one more thing. Ataru-kun and I have been together since we were kids. I was there for him, he was there for me, since the day we met. I don't want to stop loving him, Lum...not for you or anyone else. Being a Sagussan now means I can explore other ways of loving him, ways that don't need yours or Noa's approval, remember?" "I keep forgetting that," Lum admits. "Yeah, I was that way, too," Shinobu muses. "Atop that, I've learned that I could do this..." Lum blinks surprisedly as Shinobu's tender lips caress hers, while her body is drawn into the latter's warm embrace. Her mouth opens, allowing the latter's tongue to slip into her mouth, stroke over her canines, then jab playfully at her tongue. The Oni growls, then pushes her tongue back into Shinobu's mouth, leaning into her to make her lay down. The two adjust themselves on the couch so they don't fall off, then break the kiss, gazing hungrily into the other's eyes. "Shinobu-chan..." Lum gasps. Shinobu smiles. "Lumvayae." Lum shudders, the rush of being called "my darling Lum" making her heart do flip-flops. Lyna, with her absorbing Noa's cultural mores and beauty standards through their bond, she could see for herself how beautiful, how desirable, Shinobu really is, how Sylia could fall in love with her, happily be her bond-mate. Seeing the Pathfinder commander in her mind's eye, the Oni blinks as a wave of uncertainly flows from her heart. "Does she know...?" "She knows," Shinobu nods, smiling serenely. Lum blushes, then leans down to devour Shinobu's north gate, her hands darting to the latter's jersey to yank it off. Shinobu's own hands were undoing Lum's belt buckle, forcing her pants down. The Oni pulls away as she shoves Shinobu's jersey off her head, leaning down to lap her nipples. The Sagussan croons with delight as her fingers find Lum's horns. An idea then comes to her. "Tag!!" she places her hands on Lum's buds, causing the Oni to jolt surprisedly. They then gaze into each other's eyes. "In Japan, when someone tagged an Oni's horns, the Oni'd be sworn to do whatever the person who tagged her wanted! Understand?!" "Yes," Lum nods. "Good," Shinobu smiles. "Now, my dearest Lum, you and I are going to make love to each other right here and now, wash away all our doubts about each other, then we're going to find Syliavayae, Ataruvayae and Noavayae and we'll do it with them. We will then become a family with them and live the rest of our lives together in peace, love and harmony. Okay?" The Oni smiles. "Shinobuvayae?" "En, Lumvayae?" "Pughmunragh vapughtapgh'shi do." Shinobu blinks, then smiles. "En, Lumvayae. Pughmunragh vameijasha'shi do." "En, Shinobuvayae." She pulls her hands away as Lum leans down to scoop one of her breasts, gently drawing her right nipple into her mouth. Shinobu leans down to do the same to Lum's right horn. Both begin to draw air in, causing the other's bodies to shiver excitedly as those wondrous feelings shoot through their bodies. Lum's south gate begins to dampen as her free hand darts into her bikini bottoms to soothe her aching tower, her other holding Shinobu's plump breast into her mouth. Feeling her own desires ache, Shinobu reaches into her trousers to gently stroke her dampening gate. Lum growls as she stops with one breast, then shifts to the other. Her nose is already detecting a whiff of Shinobu's musk. Could she actually do THAT to her classmate's south gate? It still made her feel queasy, getting close to that smelly place. Maybe after a cleansing shower, sure...but not right after an intense day of combat and helping sick people. The Oni understood her friend's desire to pitch in wherever she could; Shinobu wanted to become Pathfinder Troop Six's nurse, which would make things interesting since Rei wanted to be the Troop doctor and the Troop still needed a sniper. Still, Noa had done it with her and if Shinobu became her bond-mate, she'd do it. What could she do but reciprocate. By now, both are feeling the growing rush of their desires heating their bodies to the point where any clothing on them was going to get soaked. Frantically, they yank off Shinobu's trousers and Lum's shirt and bikini, stumbling onto the carpeted deck below. Giggling, both gazes admiringly at each other, then tenderly kiss. "You've never licked a girl's gate, have you?" Shinobu muses. "Uh...no," Lum admits. Shinobu winks, smiling. "Neither have I." So she thought it was a little gross, too. Lum relaxes as they embraces, their tongues playing with each other as their hands dive for the other's gate. Their fingers gong the other's towers, causing them to yelp in surprise, then they dive in for gold. They don't get far as something hard yet soft gets in the way. "Noa- chan didn't take your door," Shinobu smiles. "I want Darling to take it," Lum growls. "Me, too," Shinobu kisses her. "Pity we never discovered these things when we first met. It would've made all our lives easier...Ataru-kun's most of all." "Yeah. Shinobu-chan...do you still feel sad about that?" "All the time, Lum-chan. You?" "Now I do," Lum sniffs, guilty tears brimming in her eyes. "Oh, Shinobu-chan, am I really worthy of him?" Shinobu warmly kisses her. "He thinks so." "Do you?" "Oh, yes." "Am I...worthy of you?" "You are, my darling Lum," Shinobu projects an angelic smile. "Oh, you are, Lumvayae. Ragh do va...ragh do hang va." "Ragh do va, Shinobuvayae...ragh do hang va." * * * To be continued...^Z