"Things fall apart, the center does not hold."
                                                   -Yeates

BGlanders presents...

The Gentle Sound Of Thunder

Chapter Six: Through Washu's Eyes...


The ship appeared around noon, just like they said it would.  We stood and
waited in the drizzle as it slowly came through the clouds.  In 20,000 years I
don't think I've ever seen anything as beautiful as a Jurain ship.  One of the
few things in the universe that successfully combines mechanical and organic
components to form a living, breathing work of art.  This one was no
different, its sleek bow steered through the clouds like a ghost floating in a
cloud of mist.

I had contacted Funaho as soon as things calmed down around here.  Yosho was a
nervous wreck and Sasami...

That poor child.  She's gone through so much in her life, seen so much pain.
And the kicker of it is, she's the one person who never complained about it.
She took every day with a smile, but sometimes I could see that the smiles and
cheeriness were forced.  Who could blame her for being down at times?  She
went 700 years without seeing her mother, had to grow up on a backwater alien
planet with only her sister for family.  Yosho doesn't really count anymore,
he's more of a grandfather to the family now.  We've all become so close this
last year, seen so many things, so many times both good and bad.  We've become
a family...

We?

The others have spent so much time together, seen and done so much while I
just sat here in my lab typing away on my holo-top.  Whenever something went
wrong, I directed the actions from my lab.  Whenever they got close or shared
a special moment, whenever they would celebrate some event or just enjoy each
other's company, I was in my lab, watching through Ryo-Ohki or Ryoko's eyes.
Whenever Ryoko and Aeka got into a fight...

I was in my lab.

I knew what would happen.  Those two are easier to read than an open book.  I
knew my daughter would do something stupid like throw herself on his mercies
or something equally stupid, but then as to what happened next? 

How was I supposed to know Aeka would commit suicide?  There was no reason for
it!  It made no dammed sense!  What force on God's green earth could have made
her think that what happened was irreversible?  I mean, come on!  You're
living with the greatest scientific genius in the universe!  The person who
MADE Ryoko for Christ's sake!  Are these people blind or what?

No, I guess not.  They're not blind, just...human.

Well, not in physiology of course, but in spirit.  They all have thoughts,
feelings, emotions, and to see one of their closest friends slashed through
the throat would unnerve any of them.  It's only natural, besides, when you
see someone killed like that, how often do you think, 'gee, I'll just send the
corpse to the whacked-out red-haired bitch under the stairs.  She'll know what
to do!'  

The sad thing is, that's exactly how they see me.  None of them feel
comfortable when I'm around.  None of them like to be near me for very long.
Heck, Tenchi would rather go against a horde of man eating cabbits than come
into my lab.  And the reason?  

Me.

I've made it a point to force the others away.  After spending so much time
without friends, without a family, I needed some time to adjust, to get used
to being around people who cared again.  I had been burned too many times in
the past just to jump into the frying pan again, so I put up walls, hid behind
facades, locked myself in my own little world and never came out.  And now?

Now I'm right back where I started.

I brought her back, I knew I could.  Hell, her body would have healed itself
eventually, I just gave it a push.  But I waited too long, pushed too late..  

I should have pushed when I saw what they were going to do.  I should have
pushed when they started the fight.  I should've..

Should've would've could've.

They say that only 65 percent of all disasters can be prevented.  Well, toady
fell into that dammed 35 percent.  How could I have known?  How could any of
us have even guessed?  In my field, it's my job to theorize about different
continuities and theories, but today's was completely beyond me.

Ryoko went up to the roof after things calmed down.  We all have our little
hiding places, our little nooks and crannies that we like to hide in when we
need to think.  Ryoko has the roof, I have my lab.  Tenchi liked to go out
into the fields and just let his mind wander while Yosho hid in his shrine and
Aeka..

Aeka had Funaho.

I often watched her through Ryo-Ohki's eyes as she just laid back and watched
the stars at night.  I watched as she sat there and dreamed about her life and
family before Ryoko came and destroyed it all.  Whenever I saw her like that,
I wanted to go out there and take her in my arms and just...sing to her.  I
know, I know, it sounds like an odd thing to do.  Mother's have the right to
take obscure things and turn them into signs of affection.  

I remember when my baby would cry I would take him and sing a lullaby that my
mother sang to me.  At least I think it was my mother.  I don't remember a
thing about her except that song and I don't even know if it was her that sang
it.  All I know is that it made me feel better inside, and that whenever I
sang it for my baby, he would stop crying and smile at me.

When Ryoko came out of her stasis tube, she was having flashbacks to her life
aboard the Souja.  I couldn't stand being forced to just sit there and relive
what that bastard did to her, did to us, but that's exactly what I did.  Hey,
I lived it for five thousand years without being able to do a damned thing, so
what was 24 more hours?

When she came out, she was hysterical, frightened.

Scared.

I did the only thing I could have.  I took an old blanket I had in a
dimensional pocket and wrapped it around her shoulders.  I hugged her as tight
as I could and started singing the same lullaby that I sang for my baby way
back when.  I didn't know if she could hear me or not and at the time I didn't
care.  All I knew was that she was hurt and alone, and that at the time I
didn't know what else to do.

The funeral was a disaster.

The Royals arrived several hours ago.  As soon as they beamed down I half
expected Lady Masaki to give Sasami one of her trademark bear hugs, but she
just took her in her arms gently and just started bawling.  Auzua and Lady
Funaho stood as still as pillars while Yosho stood before them with his head
bowed.  

"Father...I.."

That's when Auzua hit him as hard as he could.  Yosho went sprawling as Funaho
moved to help her son, then stopped.  

"How could you?  How could you let my Aeka take her life?  Where were you when
she did it?  Why didn't you stop her?  WHY DIDN'T YOU STOP HER?"

Then he ran forward and started kicking Yosho in the side.  I kept expecting
Yosho to jump up and stop him, or to at least do SOMEthing, but he just lay
there, curled up and crying as his father continued to scream and kick him.  I
just put my head in my hands and shook it.  This was quite possibly the
biggest disgrace to Aeka that I could imagine.  Out of the corner of my eye I
saw Mihoshi crying and shaking.  That poor ditz never could stand violence.
Sometimes I wonder why she became a Galaxy Police officer in the first place.

I knew that Funaho wanted Auzua to stop, but she was too scared to intervene.
Masaki was watching the event with tears in her eyes, quietly trying to ask
her husband to stop.  Auzua had this look in his eyes, the look of a wild man.
At that moment I could tell that he wouldn't hear anything Funaho, Masaki or
even myself would have said.  Thank God Sasami finally broke down.

"Stop it!  Just stop it!  How could you?  This wasn't Yosho's fault!  Please
stop this!  Don't you know she's dead?  Don't you even care?!"

That stopped the bastard cold.  Everyone froze as Sasami locked eyes with her
father.  Slowly, he lowered his foot to the ground and just stared straight
ahead.  At that moment, Funaho rushed forward and helped Yosho to his feet.
He was going to need some medical attention later on, but right then he was
fine.  I took that moment to step forward and start the ceremony before
someone got killed.

"Today we are gathered to pay homage to Aeka Jurai.  Aeka, the first crown
princess of the greatest empire in the galaxy, was more than just a figure of
royalty.  She was a person, a confidant, a friend.  When she was stranded here
on Earth, she was able to take each day and live it out to the fullest.
Through it all, whether it was a fight with her friend and rival Ryoko or just
spending time with the light in our lives, Sasami, she was the very model of
caring and compassion.  Without her, I know that life will never be the same
and that we all will miss her love and light."

By the time I had finished I could feel tears welling up in my eyes.  I've
never been good at funerals and this was no exception.  Why do we have to
speak about people when they leave us?  Why do we have to open the wounds all
over again?  

Well, I guess that as impromptu as my eulogy was it got the point across.
Auzua was standing beside Yosho and actually had his hand on the young
prince's shoulder.  Even though it was a whisper, I heard Auzua say, "I'm
sorry."

Later on, I took a walk with Funaho on the shrine steps.  The sky was still
gray but at least it wasn't raining.  Sasami and the others were back at the
house consoling one another.

"So now what are you going to do?"

Funaho sighed and kept her eyes forward.

"I don't really know.  For the time being, I'm pretty sure that Masaki is
going to take Sasami back home for awhile.  This has left us all pretty shaken
up.  Tell me, little Washu, why did she do it?"

I sighed and continued walking, trying to fix my eyes on something, anything
but her.

"I don't really know.  Maybe she realized that her actions finally got someone
killed.  Oh hell, Ryoko wasn't even badly damaged!  No, I don't know why!  I
don't know why any of them do anything anymore!  First Tenchi, then Aeka and
now Ryoko and Sasami!  One by one things are falling apart and I just don't
know what to do!"

I found an innocent pebble on the path and kicked it with all my might.

Funaho stopped beside me and stared out across the lake towards her namesake.
I could almost hear the wheels turning in her mind.

"When Sasami leaves, you know what that will mean."

"Yes, it means that Mihoshi won't be required here either."

I actually felt bad saying this.  Me of all people.  One would think that I
would be the one wanting that blonde bombshell gone the most, but deep down I
knew that I would miss our little chats late at night in the lab.  I knew that
I would miss the constant challenge that she offered my life.  I would miss
her love and light.

Love and light.

How could so much be lost in such a short time?  How could things fall apart
in only a day?  We were a family.  We had a base of love and strength that was
unmatched by any other.  Each one of us was different and special in their own
right.  Each one of them had a magic about them.  

Each one of them was gone.

"So little Washu, when will you find Tenchi for us?"

I sighed again.  I knew that this was coming but I was still hoping that we
could get around it.

"Tenchi needs some time alone.  I could find him in a nanosecond, but I refuse
to.  He needs time to think and to sort out what has happened, and I'm not
going to interfere with his soul searching.  If the Jurain empire can't
understand or respect that, then all I have to say is go fuck yourselves.  No
offense Lady."

She snickered at that and I actually saw a smile on her face.  I knew that
Funaho was the only person that could appreciate the humor in an otherwise
blunt attack on the royal house.  

"I understand, and I'm sure that Auzua will once I stress the issue with him.
Tenchi's still young and has a lot to learn about life.  Auzua has at least
several thousand years to go before he'll start to worry about succession.
Where's Ryoko, if I may ask?"

I almost tripped at the question, but continued on.  Funaho caught my reaction
out of the corner of her eye and smiled a bit.

"Ryoko...has her own issues to take care of."

Funaho nodded and simply said, "I understand."

When we got back to the house, the others were waiting outside for us.  Auzua
was standing beside a red-eyed and formally dressed Sasami.  The others were
standing in a line behind them, just like a row of tin soldiers.  Mihoshi was
in her GP uniform and still sobbing lightly.

I walked over to Sasami and gave her a hug.  She started to cry into my
shoulder as I patted her head and rocked her back and forth.

"There there little one.  It's going to be all right."

Sasami just shook her head.

"No it's not.  Everyone's gone now and I'll never get to see you or Tenchi or
Mihoshi again!  I..I didn't even get to say goodbye to Ryo-Ohki!  Why'd they
leave without telling me goodbye..wh..wh.."

She burst out with a fresh stream of tears as her father snorted behind her.

"Figures.  Worthless space pirate would leave while the going was good.  She
probably took some of Aeka's possessions with her, the little tramp."

Now I try not to be violent, but when I heard that, I shot up so fast Masaki
and Funaho stepped back in shock.  I put my hand across Auzua's face so hard
it left a red mark.

"How dare you strike an emperor...!"

"No.  How dare you.  How dare you come here and put us all in this position.
You weren't here two minutes and you disgraced your daughter at her own
funeral, beat up your only son, forced your daughter to leave and now you've
insulted my family in my own home.  What the hell do you think gives you the
right to bad mouth my daughter like that?  She's saved your children countless
times and she's one of Sasami's only friends on this hellhole planet.  She was
the best friend that both your daughters ever had and she would have given her
own life to have saved anyone here, so don't you DARE bad mouth her here or
anywhere, you pathetic wife beating excuse of an emperor!  And another thing,
if you ever lay a hand on Sasami or your wives the way you used to beat Aeka
or the way you beat your son today, I swear that no amount of Jurain power
will be able to save you when I come hunting you down you inbred son of a
bitch!"

By the time I was done I was shaking with rage and so close to Auzua that I
could have bitten the bastard's nose off.  The others were cowering in fear of
me by now and Sasami was almost in tears yet again.  I felt her tug on my
shirt sleeves as Auzua slowly backed away.

"Washu, please don't hurt my daddy..."

I suddenly put on a smile and turned to the little princess.  

"Don't worry little one.  I'm just reminding him to be nice, that's all."

Mihoshi, Yosho and myself watched as the somber four traveled up the beam to
Auzua's ship.  We watched as it slowly and silently rose into the clouds and
vanished.  After awhile, Mihoshi turned to me and saluted.

"Well Washu, I have to leave now too.  Headquarters says that since there's no
need for protection, this planet can be declared off-limits with a beacon
around Saturn to warn people away.  I'm.. I'm really gonna miss you two..."

I hugged Mihoshi as Yosho put a reassuring hand on her shoulder.  

"Thank you.  Thank you both so much for being so nice to me all this time.  I
know I'll never forget you..and I'll..I'll.."

I put my finger to my lips and said,

"Shh, don't cry now.  There's been enough of that today.  Now you just go on
and promise that you'll visit us from time to time.  Maybe by then Tenchi and
Ryoko will have come back and we can be a family again."

Her eyes got really wide at that and her smile, that smile that I've grown to
know and love came back full force.

"Oh, thank you!  Thank you very much little Washu!  I promise to return as
soon as I can!"

Yosho and I watched as she went to the lakes edge, took out her dimensional
cube, and vanished with a splash.  A couple of minutes later, we watched as
the Yagami rose from the lake, fired her thrusters and took off for the outer
atmosphere.  We stood and watched until long after everything had quieted
down, neither one of us saying a word.  Finally I broke the silence.

"I've...got some things I need to finish up in my lab.  Are you going to be
okay out here?"

He just nodded and started to walk towards the lake and Aeka's grave.  I
turned and plodded through the now empty house to my lab.

I sat in there for a good thirty minutes, not typing or processing data, but
just looking around.  I looked for the first time at everything that I had
surrounded myself with.  I saw the endless isles of glass tanks and the
countless computers that held the secrets of countless universes.  I saw my
lab for what seemed like the first time, and I saw what the others had seen.
A dark, cold, empty place.

A tomb.

No...

A hiding place.

I've spent all these years hiding from my life, what I've gone through and
most importantly, who I really am.  I couldn't deal with the loss of my child
or the string of bad relationships that followed, so I hid.  I hid behind my
work and eventually used it to scare people away.  I was scared to let anyone
get to close.

I was scared to get hurt.

Suddenly, I had a family, a home.  I had everything I had ever wanted, but I
was too scared to even see it for what it was.  I choose to hide behind a
false body, a false persona, a false life.  I finally saw that my whole life
up until this point had been a lie.  

A lie.

And because of that lie, I had lost the people that I held dear to me.  The
people that made life worth living.  And now, there was no one left.

Or was there?

I stood up, closed the holotop before me and started to walk towards the door.
As I did, machines that had run for countless eons were suddenly winding down
to a whisper, then to silence.  Lights that had blazed for thousands of years
started to go off one by one as I passed them.  When I got to the door, there
was only the overhead light to let me know that anything was here at all.
With the lights and machines off, my lab became a black hole of cold and
darkness.

I grabbed the door handle and opened the door.  I took one last look around
before shutting it forever.

I'm not going to hide from myself anymore.

*****

Thank you all for being so patient for this chapter to come out.  A special
thanks to Dr Tran for proofreading this chapter, and thanks to Gensao and the
Jusenkyo Guide for posting this story.

BTW:  If you're wondering what the hell happened to Ryoko, well...

heh heh

Chapter 5-A will be out soon.

Tenchi&Co. belong to AiC and Pioneer.

All C&C should go to BGlanders@aol.com