I'd like to give a special thanks to Kevin D. Hammel, Zalabar (AKA Lone Wolf), and Jade Sas who helped me out immensly.
C&C, of course, is desired. Heck, even a "It's great!" is appreciated (especially since I only got one response for chapter 9 (Thanks Adrian!)) :)
And that chapter was suppose to be the best on yet. Until this one, of course. :)
Do I have to tell everyone that I don't own this stuff? (Evil glare of lawyers) Okay, okay! Just knock it off already!
Here we go!
Chapter 10: The Welcoming Committee
General Hikaru Moroto stared through the observation window into
Biolab 2. Its occupants, a Protoss Healer named Ka'Dalanis, and the
Protoss-Human hybrid Akane Tendo, once called Phoenix, seemed to be in
an animated discussion. They gesticulated to each other, but made no
sounds, communicating with thought alone. Every so often, Akane would
pause, and stare at nothing for several minutes, then jerk out of her
trance and continue talking to Ka'Dalanis.
Damned Tendo clan! They lived to make his life difficult.
First Nabiki, then Kasumi, and now Akane. The General rubbed his
temples and wondered what on Earth was he going to do.
Akane paced nervously around the tiny room. She had expected to
be welcomed with open arms, but to her chagrin, they had been put here
and had been waiting for almost an hour. Not only that, but the door
was locked and they were surrounded by some sort of shield that blocked
all attempts to explore the complex with her mind.
[I don't understand!] she flared. Turning to Ka'Dalanis, she
glared at her Healer. [They should be welcoming us, begging us for
help. My body alone possesses genetic knowledge that they could not
duplicate for hundreds of years, not to mention your knowledge of
healing and Protoss technology. Yet they treat us like prisoners!]
Ka'Dalanis was not worried. True, she did not like waiting any
more than Akane did, but her years gave her the patience that Akane
lacked. [They are afraid. Afraid and suspicious,] replied Ka'Dalanis.
[They know what we have, but are afraid that this is 'too good to be
true'. And they are suspicious of me. 'Why would a Protoss betray her
people to the humans? Can we trust someone who would betray their own
kind?']
[How can we allay their suspicions if they won't talk to us?]
[We must wait until they come.]
[We can't wait forever.]
Ka'Dalanis pondered Akane's statement. [You are correct, Akane.
Every minute that passes is a minute that you go without the technology
needed to keep you alive. 'Invite' them in.] Akane nodded in
satisfaction and moved to the large mirror one of the walls. [And use
as little energy as possible. The more you use, the sooner your body
will burn itself out.]
General Moroto, Lieutenant Harper, Doctor Ibisha Yoshiro, a
xenobiologist, and Henry Collins, the base's most powerful telepath
currently available, now that Darryl and Jessica were in the hospital,
backed away from the mirror.
"She can't break it, can she?" asked Henry with a whisper.
Doctor Yoshiro shook her head. "No," replied, her dark hair
waving with her movement. "Not even Captain Saotome could break it."
They watched as Akane placed on finger on a point near the center of the
mirror. "See she probably saw something and-" She gasped as a lattice
of cracks spread out from Akane's finger through the glass. The mirror
shattered, showering the startled foursome with tiny silver shards.
Akane leaned through the opening, past the thin psychic barrier
surrounding the containment cell. [We wish to talk to you.] Then Akane
moved back into the room.
General Moroto stared at the two...well, he could hardly call
them 'prisoners' anymore, since it had become apparent that they had
enough power to break out of just about any cell they had. Shaking
himself like a wet dog, silvery pieces of glass fell from his clothes
and hair. Turning to his other three cohorts, he motioned to them to
get moving.
"Shall we?" he said ruefully.
Akane glared at the four humans seated across from the table
from her, while Ka'Dalanis looked at them from her position on the bed,
no human-sized chair being large enough to contain her body. The
foursome stared back at them, each waiting for the other to begin.
Finally, General Moroto cleared his throat.
"I suppose introductions are in order. My name is General
Hikaru Moroto, this is my aide, Lieutenant Deanna Harper, that is Doctor
Ibisha Yoshiro, and Henry Collins."
[En Taro Adun,] replied Ka'Dalanis, lightly touching a fist to
her chest. Akane did likewise. [My name is Healer Ka'Dalanis, and this
is my charge, Akane Tendo. I believe you knew her as Phoenix.]
"Yes, we did," said the General. "What happened to change
that?"
[I will answer your questions later when I have the luxury of
time, but now I must speak of more important concerns.]
"And those are-?"
[Akane's life.]
The foursome blinked. "I assure you, Healer Ka'Dalanis, no one
wants to harm her-"
[You do not understand, and I don't have time to explain in
detail except to say that Akane is slowly dying and I need your help to
keep her alive.]
"What do you mean?" asked Doctor Yoshiro.
Pulling out a small case she opened it, revealing a set of data-
crystals. [These data-crystals contain information about Akane's
biology, as well as blueprints for a Regeneration Tank that is needed to
repair her body. It will take time for you to research and implement
such designs, so I must insist that you start as soon as possible. The
longer you wait, the greater the chance of Akane dying before you are
done.]
Doctor Yoshiro stared at the crystals with undisguised avarice.
General Moroto, however, was less eager. His suspicious were confirmed
by Ka'Dalanis's next statement.
[I do have some demands.]
"What?" exclamined the General. "You beg us to save her life,
but have demands? You're in no position to negotiate."
[Akane was a slave to our people. I gave her back her life so
that she may live it freely. I will not let her become another slave,
this time to her own. I am her Healer. If I say that she cannot do
something, then she cannot, and I will not be overruled by anyone. Her
safety is of paramount importance to me. If you cannot accept this,
then we shall leave. I would rather she die free, than live as a
slave.]
"Why should we trust you? You've betrayed your own people.
What makes you think we should believe you?"
Ka'Dalanis shook her head. [Could anything I say convince you?
I can only tell you what we have to offer. It is up to you to accept or
decline.]
There was a long pause. Finally, he nodded. "All right."
Ibisha grabbed the case and bolted out of the room, with Henry close
behind.
[Thank you. This was my biggest fear, that you would refuse to
help. My second most powerful fear is now that you will be unable to
build a Regeneration Tank in time. But now, at least, we have a chance.
Now what will you do to us?]
"Actually, Healer, that's the crux of my dilemma. It's rude to
keep you in a holding cell, but I don't want you among the general
populace." He winced as he realized how suspicious that sounded. "The
Protoss aren't exactly on our 'Favorite Aliens' list. I don't want to
cause any...incidents."
The Healer nodded. [I understand.] She tensed. [If I may
offer a suggestion...]
"What?"
[Would it be possible for us to stay with Akane's family? Being
around familiar surroundings and people would facilitate the return of
her memories, as well as being a calming therapeutic psychological
influence.]
The General stared at the two of them, wondering if they were
some part of a conspiracy to make his life a living Hell. Ranma,
Nabiki, Genma and, Akane all under one roof. He shuddered,
contemplating the disasters that could...no, would occur. Finally, he
sighed. At least they'll all be in once place, he thought. I'll know
where they are. And, they'd be under guard.
"All right. Lieutenant, could you arrange an escort for them?"
"Sir."
Akane and Ka'Dalanis got out of the jeep and stood in front of
the large wooden gates that served as the entrance to the Saotome School
of Anything Goes Martial Arts.
[I don't understand,] said the Healer after running the Japanese
text through a translator program. [Your clan name is Tendo. Why would
they bring you here?]
[Nodoka seemed to think of Nabiki as her daughter. Perhaps
Nabiki was adopted into the Saotome clan. She was the only known
survivor of our family.]
[True, true.]
Akane walked up and put one hand on the wooden gate. Ignoring
the guards the General had assigned as a show of the Saotome's arrest,
she hesitated, and stared at the wood for several moments.
[Akane, what's wrong?]
[I...I don't know. I feel...] Akane put one hand on her chest.
[My chest feels tight and I'm having trouble breathing...]
Ka'Dalanis nodded. [You are afraid, Akane. Afraid of what will
happen to you when you go through these doors, afraid that they might
reject you. You are even afraid of what will happen if they do not
reject you. What you must understand is that you have nothing to fear.
*I* will never reject you, and I will always be here for you.]
Akane closed her eyes and leaned her head against the wood,
feeling its warm texture. She smiled slightly. [You know me so well,
Healer.]
[Well, I did practically rebuild you from scratch.]
Akane's smile became a full fledged grin. She turned her head
and looked back at her caretaker. [Thank you, Dala.] Pushing open the
gate, she entered.
Nodoka turned at the sound of someone knocking at the door.
Putting down the dishtowel, she went to answer it. Odd, she though.
We're not expecting anyone. She opened the front door, and felt her jaw
drop as she saw who was there.
"Phoenix! What a pleasant surprise! Please, come in. I'm so
glad to see you well after what happened. And who's you're...oh my!"
Nodoka gaped as the Protoss Healer maneuvered her large body through the
relatively small door. "W-welcome to my home," Nodoka managed. She
bowed awkwardly, overwhelmed by the alien visitor.
[En Taro Adun, Matriarch,] she replied, giving the ritual
greeting. [My name is Ka'Dalanis.]
"P-pleased to meet you." She turned to Akane. "Phoenix, would
you and...Ka'Dalanis like some tea?"
[My name is-] Akane was interrupted by Genma, who walked in
from the main room.
"I heard someone at the door, Nodoka. Who-" His expression
brightened when he saw Phoenix. "Ah, Phoenix! It's good to see you
again." His smile faltered. "And who's your...friend?"
[Please, don't call me-] Once again, Akane was interrupted
again, this time by a voice that caused a fluttery feeling in her chest.
"Hey Pop, get back here and make your move!" Ranma poked his
head into the room and saw Akane. "Hey, Phoenix, you're back!" He
spied the large Protoss behind her. "With company, I see," he said
warily.
[You have nothing to fear human,] Ka'Dalanis replied. [I am no
warrior. I am a Healer.]
"So you take care of Phoenix?"
[But I'm not-]
[Yes. I helped make her, and took care of her while she was a
slave of my people.]
"Then we should thank you for taking such good care of her,"
said Nodoka.
"If you call turning her into a crazed killing machine 'taking
good care of her,'" muttered Ranma.
[My name isn't-]
"Ranma! I taught you better manners than that!" bellowed Genma.
"You should be grateful that Phoenix is alive at all, no matter what she
is!"
"Yeah, except the first time I met her, she tried to kill me!"
[I'm not-]
[You cannot blame her for her past,] said Ka'Dalanis. [It is as
much my fault as anyone, for making her what she is.]
"You heard her! If you're going to get angry at anyone about
what Phoenix did to you, get angry at the Healer!" bellowed Genma
"Husband, it's not polite to talk about someone like they aren't
here," admonished Nodoka.
"Don't tell me who I should get mad at, old man! If Phoenix-,"
started Ranma.
[WOULD YOU ALL SHUT UP AND LISTEN!?] The power of Akane's
telepathic yell caused everyone there to wince in pain. [My name is
Akane! Not Phoenix! Everyone got that? Akane!] Akane was breathing
heavily, and red clouded her vision.
[Calm down, Akane,] admonished Ka'Dalanis.
With a deep breath, Akane expelled the rage inside her.
[Sorry.]
Meanwhile, the humans were staring at Akane like she had grown
horns.
"Akane?" faltered Nodoka. Akane nodded.
"Then that means-" started Genma.
"-you remember who you are?" finished Ranma.
Akane smiled nervously. [A little.]
[Her memories are returning bit by bit. It is my hope that by
spending time with people she knew she will remember more quickly.]
The humans gaped at the Healer for a moment, until the news
finally sank in. Ranma gave a whoop of joy, grabbed Akane around the
waist, armor and all, and spun her around. Throwing her up into the
air, he caught her and hugged her tightly.
"You're back," he whispered. He tried to hold back the tears,
but failed. Grinning like a maniac he ran out of the house and,
ignoring the protests of the guards at the gate, began jumping from roof
to roof, yelling in exultation at the top of his lungs.
Genma, while no less happy, was less outgoing. "Soun, my old
friend, if you could see you're daughter now. You would be so proud."
Genma also fought tears, and failed miserably.
Nodoka enfolded Akane in a gentle embrace. "Oh, Akane-," she
started to say, but her voice broke. She began to stroke Akane's hair.
"Oh, Akane, we're so happy to know you've come back to us..." Nodoka
could not hold back any longer, and began to cry into Akane's shoulder.
Akane looked at the weeping couple, then looked back at
Ka'Dalanis, confused. [This wasn't the emotional response I expected.
Why are they crying?]
Ka'Dalanis shook her head. [I don't know. But there is one
thing I do know.]
[What?]
Ka'Dalanis laid a hand on Akane's other shoulder. [You are
home.]
Afternoon became evening as the foursome sat around the table,
talking about what had happened to Akane, her transformation into
Phoenix, and Akane's subsequent return. Akane, now in her skinsuit,
having removed her armor, sipped another cup of tea. Ka'Dalanis sat
beside her, also in a skinsuit designed as an interface for Zealots and
their armor.
[Kuno was what?!] exclaimed Akane.
"The pervert was in love with my girl side! I don't know how
many times I changed right in front of the idiot, but he just never
figured it out."
Akane's shoulders shook with silent laughter. [I can see how
that could cause problems.]
"You got that right! I thought eventually Nabiki might get him
out of my hair by marrying him, but the Zerg happened and..." His voice
trailed off.
Akane suddenly remembered her real reason for coming here.
[Where is Nabiki? I want to talk to her.]
"Aw man, I can't believe we forgot that. Nabiki's in the
hospital. She was hit by a Photon Cannon while trying to escape from
your base."
Akane felt her blood turn to ice. [Is she all right?] she asked
anxiously.
Ranma nodded. "Don't worry about it. She's being released the
day after tomorrow."
"We should call her and tell her the good news," said Nodoka.
"Or better yet, we should all go and visit her."
"An excellent idea, Nodoka," replied Genma.
Sudden inspiration caused Ranma to speak up. "Wait a sec, I've
got an idea!"
"What is it, dear?" asked Nodoka.
"Let me think about it some more. But don't anyone tell Nabiki,
anything, okay?" They all nodded hesitantly, not sure what he was
planning.
"Well, speaking of family," said Nodoka, "I know of one way to
meet some of them again."
[How?] asked Akane.
"Follow me."
Nodoka led them all into a small room near the back of the
house. Inside the room was a shrine with four pictures on it. The room
was thick with the smell of incense.
[What's this?] asked Akane.
"It's your family shrine." On the shrine was a picture of a man
with long dark hair and a mustache, and another of a older woman with
short brown hair. The third one was of a young woman with long brown
hair, and fourth picture was one of a younger Akane, before she became
Phoenix.
"Oh dear," said Nodoka in embarrassment. "We don't need to have
your picture there anymore." Nodoka removed the picture and incense.
[Wait,] said Akane. [Let me see it.] Taking the picture she
saw her old self staring back. She had a sunny smile on her tan colored
face, and her black hair...
Akane stared up at the ceiling of her room, contemplating the
words Ranma had spoken less than an hour before.
"You're cute when you smile."
Getting up off her bed, she moved over to her desk and picked up
a small mirror. Did he mean that? she wondered. She smiled brightly,
and her reflection smiled back at her.
Akane snapped out of the brief hallucination and handed back the
picture. She could feel her face darken as blood rushed through her
skin. [Sorry,] she said, embarrassed.
"What happened?"
[She is reliving her memories,] said Ka'Dalanis. [She will
probably be having hallucinations for several years, as her memories
return.]
"I see." Nodoka knelt before the shrine, and Akane followed
suit. Ka'Dalanis, Ranma and Genma stayed back.
Nodoka pointed to the young woman with the long brown hair.
"That's your eldest sister, Kasumi. She died when the Zerg invaded the
Earth."
Akane stared at the picture of the smiling girl, trying to...
Akane fingered the towel and scissors nervously. Taking a
breath she stepped into the kitchen. Kasumi, busy cooking dinner,
turned to greet her youngest sibling.
"Oh, hello Akane. And how was your-"
With a shriek of surprise, Kasumi tossed the food she had been
cooking up into the air. Ranma-chan bolted into the room, catching the
frying pan and the food as it fell.
Akane groaned. "Do you have to overreact to everything,
Kasumi?"
"But...but...but...your hair!"
Ranma-chan tried to get two cents in. She ended up with change.
"I'm afraid it's my f-"
"I just felt like a change, that's all," interrupted Akane.
Holding up the scissors, she fingered her hair. "Can you...fix it up
for me?"
Akane woke up to a smiling Nodoka.
"Ready?" Akane nodded. "That's your father Soun Tendo," said
Nodoka, pointing at the dark-haired mustached man.
Akane gaped across at her father. He had just made the most
horrible announcement. She did not know whether to run, cry, or beat
him to a pulp. Instead, she ended up doing exactly what her sisters
did.
"Fiancee?!" the three Tendo sisters exclaimed in disbelief.
Soun nodded solemnly. "Yes, the son of a very good friend of
mine. His name is Ranma Saotome. If one of you three were to marry him
and carry on this training center, then the Tendo family legacy would be
secure."
"Wait a minute," Akane exclaimed. "Don't *we* have some say in
who we're going to marry?"
"Akane's right Daddy," Kasumi put in. "We've never even met
Ranma."
"That's easily fixed," replied Soun. "He'll be here soon.
Ranma and his father have been on a voyage of training. Recently, it
seems, they crossed into China."
"Wow!" exclaimed Nabiki. "China!"
"What's so great about walking to China?" asked Akane
indifferently.
"Is he cute?" asked Nabiki.
"How old is he?" asked Kasumi. "Younger men bore me."
"What kind of a guy is this Ranma?" asked Kasumi and Nabiki in
unison.
There was a pause. "I have no idea," Soun finally answered.
The three sisters blinked.
"'No idea'?" demanded Nabiki.
"I've never met him."
Nodoka waited until Akane was released from her hallucination.
"Only one more to go," she said. She could not keep a note of
nervousness from her voice. Akane's flashbacks would take some getting
use to. She indicated the last picture. "That's your mother, Kimiko."
Akane stared at the picture waiting for the now familiar
hallucination to reveal more about her mother.
Several seconds passed, and nothing happened. A cold, sick
feeling began to grow in the pit of her stomach. She began to reach for
the picture, but stopped and waited for Nodoka's approval. Nodoka
nodded, and Akane picked up the photo. She stared down at it, trying
with all her will to remember something, anything about her mother.
Nothing.
Akane did not know she was crying until a teardrop fell onto the
old picture.
"Akane?" asked Nodoka softly.
Ka'Dalanis, sensing her charge's distress moved forward,
followed by Ranma.
[Akane, what's wrong?] asked the Healer.
[I...I...I can't remember her.] Her shoulders started to shake,
and more tears fell. She turned and looked up at Ka'Dalanis, her
expression filled with anguish and loss. [I can't remember her! She's
my mother and I can't remember anything about her!]
Ka'Dalanis gathered up the weeping girl and held her in a
comforting embrace. Her face was etched into an expression of sadness
and guilt. [Oh, Akane,] she said softly. [I'm so sorry. It's all my
fault...]
Ranma stood back away from the grieving pair. A part of him
wanted to take her in his arms, make all her worries disappear, but
there was one complication.
Nabiki.
So instead of grieving with her, he grieved for her. He stood
back, away from the two of them, whispering one word.
"Akane."
Later that evening, Ka'Dalanis put Akane to bed. She hoped that
rest and food would slow the process of decay Akane's body was
undergoing.
[You are sure you don't mind?] asked Ka'Dalanis.
"Nah," answered Ranma. "You two can stay in Nabiki's and my
room tonight. I'll sleep in the dojo."
[Thank you for your hospitality.]
"No," said Nodoka. "We should thank you for bringing Akane back
to us." She turned to Ranma. "Now, Ranma dear, what was that idea that
you had before?"
"There you go, sir."
Nabiki looked at the wet-behind-the-ears private in the drivers
seat. She considered saying a disparaging comment, but decided to
forego the pleasure. Her situation was not his fault, he was just
following orders.
She got out of the vehicle. "Thanks." He saluted, then drove
away.
Turning back to the house, she limped to the gates. I wonder
where they are? she wondered. Being under house arrest, they could not
pick her up from the hospital, but she thought that they would be
waiting at the gate for her. Unless, of course, they were preparing a
'surprise' party for her. She hated surprises. Bracing herself, she
pushed open the gate.
"Welcome home!" chorused the Saotome clan.
Nabiki groaned. In front of her were the three members of her
adopted family, with expressions of barely contained glee on their
faces. Above the entrance was a large white banner with the words
'Welcome Home' printed in blue. She stepped past the trio, ignoring
them.
"Nabiki?" asked Ranma in confusion.
"Oh, come on, Ranma. You didn't really think you'd surprise me,
did you?" She turned back to the three Saotomes. "Besides, you know I
hate surprises."
Ranma smiled slyly. "Oh, I think you'll like this surprise."
Ranma looked past Nabiki and into the front door, which was open, and
nodded slightly.
Nabiki saw his signal and snorted. "I doubt it." She turned to
see what Ranma was planning, promising herself not to react. She failed
completely.
Standing in the door was Akane. She wore a light pink sweater
and blue jeans. The sweater brightened her face considerably. Her hair
was done up in a much looser ponytail, which made her look softer, more
vulnerable.
Akane walked forward to Nabiki, who looked like she had been hit
on the back of the head. Her eyes were wide, and her face was pale.
"Ph-Ph-Phoenix?" asked Nabiki weakly.
Akane shook her head. She pressed something into her sister's
hand.
Nabiki tore her eyes away from Akane's face and looked at the
object. It was the picture of Akane that use to be on the family
shrine. She looked back up. Ranma, Genma, and Nodoka had moved up
beside Akane. Ranma was smiling from ear to ear. Genma was so puffed
up with pride that it looked like he might explode any second. Nodoka
was smiling at Nabiki, fighting back tears.
"I don't understand," Nabiki whispered.
Akane licked her lips nervously, then slowly said something she
practiced for hours.
"Ahh-em yooor sist-her, Ahhh-kan-hey-ee."
Nabiki gaped at her younger sister, and her hands began to
shake. She looked at Ranma for confirmation, and he nodded. Her lower
lip trembled as she tried to contain herself. She failed, and, with a
wail, burst into tears. Wrapping her arms around her sister, she wept
freely, without shame. Nodoka quickly followed suit, clinging to her
husband.
Ranma put an arm around his wife and whispered, "Welcome home."
Ka'Dalanis, who had slipped outside through the front door
without anyone noticing, sent a private thought to her charge.
[Welcome home.]
End Chapter 10
Naturally, previous chapters can be found at
http://abnighthawke.homestead.com/ABNightHawkeMain.html
Adam