Alternative Urusei Yatsura Fanfic by *Lewis Burden*
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UY fanfic the continuation of the Urusei-Yatsura Fanfic from Lewis Burden

ftp:  ftp.std.com /pub/UY       email request: uy-fan@lexicor.com
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Fanfic was first uploaded to GENIE and is now available on the Internet.

note: This is very alternative UY and highly recommendable UY fanfic
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Enjoy,

        Yat Siu

        - ysiu@lexicor.com


                                        Lewis Burden
                                        March 4, 1994

                    After the Dream
                           I
             "Without a Care in the World"
                 _____________________

      It  was  the  afternoon tour.   The guide  deftly
steered the tour group through the high stone arches of
the Uruseian Imperial Palace.   He had brought hundreds
of groups through the building, and knew the history of
every  part.    He told them of the worker's  rebellion
when the palace was only half built.   He told them  of
the bomb which destroyed most of the original structure
and  how  it was painstakingly rebuilt to look  exactly
the  same.     He told them of the various artists  who
had  been  called in to do the frescos as well  as  the
wood and stonework.
      He was only half surprised when upon bringing the
group  into  one of the large courtyards they  happened
upon  the  Princess  and her  alien  consort.     Often
during  the tours they might happen to glimpse a member
of   the  royal  family  going  about  their  business.
Catching  the Princess, of course, was a special  treat
because  she  was so rarely on Urusei, and  of  course,
because she was so beautiful.
      The  guide  bowed  respectfully  and  hoped  that
everyone  else  did the same.   He heard  the  Princess
wish them good luck, and then out of the corner of  his
eye  he saw the boy rush out from the group toward  the
Princess.   The guide swore silently and ran off  after
the  boy.    Children  were often  a  hassle  in  these
groups.    This one in particular because  his  parents
weren't  with him.   The guide hated when  parents,  in
order  to buy a few moments peace, put their kids under
the  care of some unsuspecting tour guide and then  ran
off on their own.
     The guide had bought the kid some souvenirs and an
ice  cream in hopes that he would be placated and  well
behaved.   Surprisingly, he was.  He had, in  fact,  up
until  that  moment,  been  one  of  the  best  behaved
children  that  the  tour guide had  ever  led.    Now,
however,  he  was causing the guide great embarrassment
and in front of the Princess, herself.
      The  guide  was quite relieved when the  Princess
smiled  and  signaled that she didn't mind  signing  an
autograph.    Then it happened, just at the  guide  was
about  to  grab  the child and bring him  back  to  the
group,  the child became strangely still.    The  guide
felt that there was something terrible happening.    It
was milliseconds between the time that the guide saw  a
strange glow in the child's flesh and when he leapt  to
shove the child away from the Princess and her consort.
It was the last thing that he ever did.

                         * * *

      Megane  silently  studied the scene  before  him.
Ataru   and   Lum's  scarred  and  burnt   bodies   lay
motionlessly  on  two  high-tech  hospital's  beds.   A
computer  monitor  next  to each  bed  monitored  their
conditions.  If it wasn't for the steady computer  beep
indicating a heart beat, Megane would swear  that  they
were dead.
      Shinobu sat next to Ataru's bed holding his  pale
hand.   Every so often Megane could hear her sniffle as
she  would brush back a tear.  Ataru's parents sat with
her.   Rei stood stoically over Lum.  Megane could  not
read his features at all. The other aliens, Benten, Ten
and Lum's father had been in the room, but had left  to
consult  with  the  doctor.   Sugoi  had  visited  only
briefly.    She didn't like hospitals.   She said  that
she  had  some things to find out.   Megane had offered
to  go with her, but she had said she also needed  some
time alone.
      "Sometimes it gets all too real," Mendo commented
quietly  next  to  Megane.  "A few hours  ago  we  were
merrily planning for an intergalactic wedding without a
care in the world and now this."
      Megane took a moment to calculate a good response
to  Mendo's observation, and then said, "Life has a way
of  intruding on great plans.  Perhaps we are trying to
fight  with destiny here.  It is a hopeless  cause,  if
that is true."
      "Destiny?"  Mendo  said dubiously.  "Destiny  has
nothing to do with it.  Someone in this great Empire of
theirs  is  not  ready  to move into  the  future,  and
decided to take it out on Lum and Ataru."
      It was then that Benten, Ten, The Emperor and the
doctor  came into the room.   Everyone gathered  around
to hear what the doctor had to say.
      "First of all," he began, "I would like to assure
everyone  that  they are recovering nicely.   The  tour
guide absorbed most of the blast. Thanks to the servant
Ran,  help  got  to them on time.  By all  rights  they
should be back to full health in two weeks."
     "When are they going to wake up?" Shinobu asked.
      The  doctor took a breath.  "That's the  problem.
They  should be up now.   I find nothing physically  at
this   point   to  prevent  them  from   gaining   full
consciousness."
      "They're  dreaming,  aren't  they?"  The  Emperor
asked.
      "That's  what  we believe," The  doctor  replied.
"Their  brainwaves  are running very similar  patterns,
and the sub-space transmission is back. It's a thousand
times more powerful than it was before.  I assume  that
it's due to their proximity."
      "Before, you were able to wake Lum by jamming the
frequency," Ten said.
      "We had thought of that, but at that Lum had said
that  she  felt a sharp pain as if someone had  stabbed
her  through  the  heart.  I'm worried  that  with  the
increased power of the transmission, cutting  them  off
may be even more damaging, especially in their weakened
condition."
      "Are  you proposing leaving them like this?"  The
Emperor asked with a little edge to his voice.
      The doctor stepped back involuntarily.  "At least
until  we  do a few more tests, My Emperor.  We  darn's
risk the life of the Princess."
     The Emperor sighed.  "I trust your judgment."  The
Emperor stepped up to his daughter's bed.   He took her
hand.   "My poor darling," he whispered.  He then  went
to  Ataru's  bed.    "Well, my son, welcome  to  Urusei
politics.   I had hoped to make it easier for you." The
Emperor  then  said a silent prayer for them  both  and
turned  to leave.   When he reached Jariten, he paused.
"I think you know what I expect of you."
     "Yes, my Emperor," Ten said coldly as he looked on
the two bodies.  "I know very well."
     "I expect to hear from you soon," the Emperor said
and then left.
      Time passed and there was still no reaction  from
either Lum or Ataru.   As it became late everyone began
to  file  out.  Soon only Jariten, Shinobu  and  Benten
remained.   Benten had been watching Jariten ever since
the  Emperor left. His eyes stared as if he was  trying
to  see inside Lum and Ataru's minds to determine  what
they were dreaming about.
     Amidst his intense concentration Benten could also
see  intense anger.  Benten knew what it was about too,
because  she also felt it.  It was an anger  which  was
more  than  wanting to get the people responsible.   It
was personal anger.   It was Benten and Ten's first and
most important job to protect Lum and Ataru.  They  had
failed.   Ten  should  have saw the  plot  coming,  and
Benten  should have been there to take the rest of  the
blast herself.
      Finally, Ten's face constricted itself  with  the
rage  that  had been building up inside  of  him.    He
turned  roughly and went toward the door.   He  slammed
his  fist into the wall as he went out.   Benten rushed
to  follow him.  She saw Shinobu get up.   "Your job is
here," Benten said as she went out the door.
      Shinobu  sat back in her chair, and took  Ataru's
hand again.  She gently moved what little unsinged hair
he  had  left back from his forehead.  It was  a  shame
about  his  hair, she started to think,  and  Lum  too.
She  had  such beautiful long hair, now it was all  cut
off,  that  which  wasn't  already  burned  off.    The
doctors  said  that they had a way of  stimulating  the
scalp  to make hair grow faster. They promised that  it
would be long again for the wedding; if there was going
to be a wedding.
      "Poor  Ataru,"  Shinobu thought, "Everyone  still
wants  to take your dreams away."  She paused and  then
said out loud, "I still love you, and I'm going to help
them find out who did this."
      Benten  caught up to Jariten in the  hall.   "Get
away  from me!" he yelled and actually took a swing  at
her.  Benten ducked.
     "Listen asshole!" Benten began.  "I got two things
to tell you.  The first is that we're in this together,
and  the second is that you only get one freebie.   The
next time I'll deck ya."
      Ten found a seat that sat against the wall in the
hall  and plopped down into it.  "I should have smelled
this  coming a light year away, Benten.  These  bombers
are  notoriously stupid, at least the  one's  who  went
after you were."
      "If they were so stupid why didn't you ever catch
them before they blew up my room?"
      Ten  looked  up, a little of the old twinkle  was
back in his eye.  "And spoil your fun?"
     "You are such an ass."
      Ten  smiled, but then became serious again.  "You
were right. We have a job to do."

                         * * *

      Lum  floated next to Ataru as they walked down  a
Tomobiki street.  It seemed unnaturally dark.   It  was
night, apparently, but there were no street lights,  or
stars,  or moon or any lights in the houses.  All  they
had to see by was a bluish glow coming from Lum's body.
     "I feel strange," Ataru said.
      "It's  like  something really bad happened,"  Lum
added.
       "Yes,"   Ataru   agreed,   "exactly,   something
happened."
     "I can't think of what," Lum said.
      "Neither  can I," Ataru said. "I don't even  know
what street we're on."
      "There must have been a power outage," Lum  said.
"I'll fly up and see if I can figure out where we are."
Lum  flew  upwards,  leaving Ataru in  utter  darkness.
Looking  around  she saw absolutely nothing.  Then  she
looked  down and panicked.    She couldn't  see  Ataru.
She  couldn't  see  anything at  all,  except  her  own
glowing body.  She rushed back down, but her perception
must  have been messed up because she slammed into  the
ground.
      Ataru  ran up to her.  Lum moved slowly, but  she
appeared not to be severely hurt.   Ataru bent down  to
try and help her.
      She  looked up at his face.  "There's nothing  up
there, nothing at all.  For a moment I thought you were
gone, too."
      Ataru  helped  her up.  He smiled.   "I'll  never
leave you.  You're the only light around here."
     "I don't think that we're really in Tomobiki."
      Ataru  was about to agree with her when even  the
faint signs of the city around them vanished.

                         * * *

     Mendo lay comfortably on Benten's bed watching her
busily  pack things into a large garbage bag.  She  had
barely  said two words to him since he had  come  over,
but she hadn't asked him to leave either.
      Benten had quickly moved back into her room  when
they  returned to Lum's carrier.   In other  words  she
had emptied her garbage bags into the appropriate areas
of  the  room.   Mendo finally had been given  his  own
room.  It had been lonely the first night.  Even  after
only a few weeks, he had gotten used to hearing her  on
the  top bunk.  Since they had returned he had to  make
due  with  visiting her often.  She used to talk  about
all  kinds of things with him.  He had almost  come  to
expect  that she would want to talk about what happened
to  Lum  and Ataru.   That's why he had come over,  but
she remained silent.
     "Where are you planning to go?" he asked, breaking
the silence.
      Benten stopped what she was doing.  There  was  a
look  on  her  face  as  if  she  wanted  to  tell  him
something, but then she shook her head and went back to
packing.
      "I  take  it  that I'm not invited?" Mendo  asked
still  hoping  to  break  through.   Her  silence   was
starting to get to him.
     "No," she said simply, this time without stopping.
"You're not invited."
      "Because you're going someplace dangerous and you
don't want me hurt," Mendo said.
      "There's been too damn many already," Benten said
and  closed up her garbage bag.   She flung it over her
back.
      Mendo got up out of bed.  "And what if you  don't
come back, what do I do?"
      "You live a long and happy life," Benten said and
left the room.
      Mendo  followed her out.  "That's  not  how  it's
going to work.  Not any more.  Where you go, I go."
      Benten  turned  back to him. She appeared  to  be
getting  a  little irritated. "I promised  Lum  that  I
would  take care of you.  I would like to keep at least
one of my promises to her.  You're staying here!"
      "What?!   Is that all I am to you?!  Someone  you
have  to  protect?  Now you listen, Ataru was  probably
the only real friend I had until I met you.  I am tired
of feeling useless while you go out and fight.  I don't
like  being cooped up while the action is going on  any
more  that you do.  Further, I am not a child that  you
need  to protect.   If we're going to be a couple, then
we're going to be a team, or nothing."
     Benten studied Mendo, her emotions sliding between
anger  and compassion.  "You don't know how to  fight,"
she said finally.
      "Well this would be a perfect opportunity for  me
to  learn.  It'll be a great adventure.   Come on, I'll
help  you put your stuff in the 'bike' and then we  can
go get mine things."
     Benten smiled in acquiescence.   "Okay," she said,
"but you have to promise not to get killed."
     "I promise.   You have to promise, too."
      "I  promise," Benten said, and after throwing her
garbage  in Mendo's direction, they went together  into
the hangar bay.


                         * * *

      Ataru  awoke  a little dazed, the smell  of  salt
water filled his senses. As his mind began to clear  he
realized  he  was  lying on wet sand. Waves  lapped  up
against his feet.  A wave washed over his head  and  he
quickly sat up, trying to cough out the sea water  that
he had swallowed.
      He  looked around him. It was a bright sunny day.
Before  him  the  ocean stretched out to  the  horizon.
Behind  him  was  beach edged by a row  of  deep  green
foliage.   He felt sore, and his clothes were  tattered
and wet. He heard a moan next to him, and looked to see
a dark-haired, beautiful woman.
      "Lum," he said and tried to shake her awake.  Her
eyes  opened  and  as she recognized him,  she  smiled.
"Darling, you're all right."
      "Yeah,"  he  said.  "It looks like  we've  washed
ashore."
      A look of confusion crossing her face. Lum sat up
to look around at their surroundings.  "Where are we?"
      "I  don't  know,"  Ataru admitted,  standing  and
started to brush the sand off his tattered clothes.  "I
suppose that it's some island."
     Lum also stood and did the same.  "I feel so sore.
I wonder how long we were in the water?"
      "I  don't  know," Ataru said.  "I can't  remember
what happened."
      Lum  was  wearing what was left of a blue  dress.
She  looked at her dress and made a face.  "I  guess  I
won't be wearing this to any more parties."
      Ataru  looked at his own clothes.   He  was  also
formally  attired.  "That was it!" he exclaimed.   "Our
honeymoon!"
      Lum smiled.  "Yes.  The Polynesian cruise that my
parents  got  us." Lum turned to the  ocean.   "I  hope
they'll be able to get their money back."
     Ataru took her hand.  "That must have been quite a
storm."
      Lum looked back to the island.  "Well, it may not
be all bad.  If this is a uninhabited island. . ."  Lum
gave Ataru a suggestive smile.
     "Yes?" Ataru inquired.
      Lum kissed him on the cheek, and whispered in his
ear,  "I may toss off this tattered dress and go around
without a stitch of clothing on.  What do you think  of
that?"
      Ataru  smiled.  "I'm not sure if  I  want  to  be
rescued anymore."
      "I'm  in no hurry," Lum said, running her  finger
down the front of his shirt.
      Ataru took her hand in his and kissed it.   "Ahh,
wedded  bliss," he said.  "You know I had the strangest
dream while we were unconscious."
     "Oh?"
     "I dreamed that you were an alien, with green hair
and horns."
      "And  pointy  ears?" Lum asked with anticipation.
"I've always wanted pointy ears."
      "And pointy ears," Ataru agreed. "You took me  on
an incredible space adventure.   You were a princess of
a huge galactic empire."
      "Of course," Lum said walking around Ataru with a
mock regal gait.  "And you were?"
     "I was your royal consort, of course."
      "I  don't know,"  Lum said musing.  "I think that
if I was royalty I would have better taste."
      "Now wait one minute!" Ataru said taking hold  of
Lum's shoulders.
      Lum  laughed, but then became serious,  and  held
Ataru  tightly.  "Darling, I'm scared.  What if no  one
finds us?"
      "Don't  worry.  I'm sure we won't even spend  one
night here."
      Lum  looked up.  There was suggestion in her eyes
again.  "I wouldn't mind one night."
      Ataru smiled.  "We don't even know if we're on an
island yet.   Let's take a walk along the beach and see
what we can find."
     "Just a second," Lum said sitting back down on the
ground.   She  starting taking of her  nylons.    After
taking off one she looked at it. "Do you know how  much
these  cost?   Now  there's more runs than  stockings."
She removed the other and then stood, wiggling her toes
in  the sand.  "There.  That's better.  Shall we?"  she
said offering her arm.
      Ataru  took it and then began walking  along  the
beach.

                         * * *

      Benten flew slowly along the perimeter of Tolia's
equator.   She was looking for a ship.   "It should  be
interesting to see what kind of ship Ten got,"   Benten
said,  sounding  like  she wasn't  looking  forward  to
finding out.
      "I would imagine it'll be quite luxurious," Mendo
commented  from the back, enjoying the better  view  of
Tolia that their searching afforded.
      "Oh  yes, quite luxurious," Benten snipped,  "and
thoroughly useless, I'm sure."
     "Why don't you like him?" Mendo asked.
      "I  like him, all right.  I just don't trust him.
He's always so flip about things."
     "He seemed serious enough in the hospital."
      "Yeah.   It's hard to admit, but I think he  took
this harder than I did."
     "I didn't think it was a competition."
     "It's not."  She paused and noticing that they had
come  to  the berth number that Ten had given  her  she
said, "There's the berth.  That must be the ship."
      It was a small explorer craft, probably built for
a  crew of up to ten.  It appeared to be lightly armed,
and  there  were two bays for small craft.  One  for  a
shuttle, and the other for her fighter, Benten assumed.
Overall, Benten judged the ship to be usable.
      Benten activated her com, "So lard ass, which bay
I'm I supposed to land in?"
      "Lard  ass?"  came the response.  "This  must  be
Benten.  Is that anyway to talk to your Captain?"
     "Captain?! Fuck!  Who made you Captain?"
      "Since  you are the pilot,  naturally I would  be
the Captain.  Besides it is my ship."
     "Your ship?!  You bought a ship for this?!"
      "No,  I've had her for a while.  Don't  you  like
her?  I have others."
      Benten  paused trying to take this all  in.   She
wondered  whether or not he was just toying  with  her.
"Where  did you get the money to by one ship,  let  out
alone a small fleet."
      "Fleet!?" Ten said incredulously.  "I never  said
anything about a fleet.  Just a few odds and ends  that
I've pick up when I've been about."
      Benten sighed and shook her head. "I don't  care.
Just tell me where I'm supposed to land."
      The lights around the left bay door lit, and  the
metal  door  slowly began to lift, revealing  an  empty
hangar.   "Thank  you," Benten said, and  starting  the
landing sequence.
     "How expensive is a ship like this?" Mendo asked.
      "More than he should be making in twenty years on
his salary."
      "Hmm,"  Mendo said, "It makes one wonder  whether
this might be one of the small ones."
     Benten turned quickly to him and then turned back.
"I  don't  want  to think about it."   As  the  fighter
pulled into the dock, Benten noticed that the other bay
didn't  hold a shuttle.  It held a fighter.  It  was  a
bit more primitive than her model, but it was indeed  a
fighter.
     "I wonder who's flying that?" Mendo said.
      "Well  Ten's certainly no pilot."  Benten  paused
looking around the bay.  "As far as I know."
      Benten landed the fighter and opened the cockpit.
She  climbed out.  Mendo followed after her.  It looked
like  a  good  sturdy  ship to Benten.    It  was  also
appeared clean and well maintained. Force beams  lifted
Benten's  fighter and turned it around.   "And  fancy,"
Benten thought.  She was about to admit to being really
impressed, when she went through the bay exit door  and
got a preview of the rest of the ship.
      The  hall  leading away from the bay was  covered
with  murals.  The  main subject matter  seemed  to  be
scantily-clad  or  unclad Uruseian  women  in  various,
highly tasteful, but somewhat suggestive scenes.
     "I'm going to be ill,"  Benten said as they walked
down the hall.
      Mendo  stared in utter amazement.  Soon the  hall
opened  to a large antechamber.   Doors lined all  four
walls.   On both sides of each door was a urn  carrying
lightly dressed woman.  There were ten statues in  all,
and  each  statue  was slightly  different.    One  was
holding  the  urn, another pouring  it.   One  had  one
breast  bared, another both, still another  was  richly
arrayed.   The  ceiling had gold trimmed marble  beams.
The  floor was also of brightly polished marble.   Over
in  a  corner  was  a  large  potted  plant,  which   a
instrument similar to a harp sitting next to it.
      Mendo just stood with his mouth hanging open. His
dreams  of  incredible wealth were paltry  compared  to
this.
     "I don't even want to look at the bridge,"  Benten
said.
      The  door  on the other side of the  room  opened
revealing  Ten.  "Oh, but you must see it,"  he  urged.
"The  bridge is my crowning achievement."   Ten  strode
across the room and ushered the two over to the bridge.
      "I  hope  you spent at least half the  money  you
spent for this room on the engines," Benten grumbled as
they neared the bridge.
      "Engines,"  Ten  laughed. "I'd wager  that  Julla
could out accelerate your fighter."
      It was Benten's turn to laugh.  "My bike will out
accelerate  anything  Urusei  science  has   ever   put
together.   Your  mass  is  over  ten  times  mine,  it
wouldn't even be a contest."
      Ten  smiled,  and said, standing  at  the  closed
entrance  to  the bridge,  "Now prepare yourselves  for
the ultimate in star ship interior design."
     "Open the damn door so we can get this over with!"
      "My toughest audience yet," Ten quipped to Mendo,
and  lead  them into to the bridge.   Mendo and  Benten
followed  him  through the door, and  then  just  stood
there  stunned.   Mendo found it difficult to  take  in
all  the  detail.   A soft string music played  in  the
background.
      The bridge was oval, the long end going from  the
doors to the main viewer, which was a three dimensional
imaging  system floating at the very edge of the  room.
Lining  the  walls were marble columns  with  intricate
mosaics between them.   Blended almost invisibly within
the  mosaics  were what appeared to be control  panels,
and  computer terminals.   At the sides of  the  center
space  were two large marble tables.   At each  of  the
sides   of  the  tables,  were  chairs  with  technical
holographic images floating above the table in front of
them.   On  the  ceiling was a mural of a  star  filled
night sky with mythical animals fighting a cosmic war.
      In the center was a tall man with his back facing
Mendo  and  Benten.   He  was wearing  a  smartly  made
captain's uniform and was manning a large wooden ship's
wheel.   Posing  on  either  side  of  him,  Mendo  was
surprised  to see Shinobu and Sugoi.   Their  hair  was
tied  up  behind their heads. They each  wore  a  white
garment  which  hung around their  necks  in  two  thin
strips,  barely  wide  enough to cover  their  breasts.
These  strips came down in a 'V' shape which  met  just
below  their  navels.  Their backs  were  bare  to  the
waists.  Around their waists was a white rope with gold
threading.   It came to a knot on their left  side  and
hung as two tassels.  The garment then continued in one
wide  strip down the front and back hanging nearly down
to the floor, leaving their sides bare from shoulder to
toe.   Their eyes were fixed in a vacant stare  towards
the  Captain.  Their arms were held up in a motion that
seemed to indicate the main viewer.

     Benten was about to open her mouth in indignation,
when  suddenly the Captain, who was Megane  turned  and
offered   a  deep  bow.    Sugoi  and  Shinobu   in   a
synchronized dancing motion went to him and stopped  so
that when he stood back up, they stood in front of him,
one  to  each side, with their backs facing  Mendo  and
Benten.   They each put a hand on the Megane's opposite
shoulder,  with  the  other arm held  at  their  sides.
Megane then saluted, clicking his heels.
     Mendo clapped and cheered loudly.   Ten smiled and
bowed.  Megane bowed again.   Shinobu and Sugoi turned,
but do to the limitations of their costumes just smiled
and bowed their heads.
      "What the hell is this?!"  Benten shouted.  "What
are you two wearing?"
     "Not much," Mendo commented.
      "Don't they just make this room!?"  Ten enthused.
"I've been wont to hire them permanently to stand  here
in those costumes."
     "They're beautiful," Mendo said.
     "Do you really think so?" Shinobu asked turning in
a full circle for him.
      Mendo  was about to answer when Benten  spoke  up
again. "Have you people gone fucking mad?!  We're going
out  to  catch  terrorists who nearly  killed  Lum  and
Ataru.  This isn't some kind of party!"
     "Oh Benten," Shinobu said coming forward. "I cried
all  day  yesterday.   It hurt deep inside to see  them
like  that, but we're not going to do them any good  by
being dour and cross all the time."
      "When it comes down to it we'll all do our jobs,"
Sugoi  broke in. "But for now we can afford to  have  a
little fun."
     "But those costumes?" Benten said.
     "They are a little drafty," Shinobu admitted.
      "But hey, when you got it, flaunt it!" Sugoi said
sticking  her chest out.   Shinobu nodded in  agreement
and swung her hips in Mendo's direction.
      Mendo  was  red  in the face.  Megane  too,  even
though  he  had  about gotten used  to  costumes,  felt
himself going flush.
      Ten  cough and tugged at his collar.   "They  are
such  fine  performers, aren't they?" Ten  said.   "But
perhaps Benten is right.  Show's over!"  Ten punctuated
his  statement with two claps.  "Why don't you go  back
to your rooms and put on something a little more suited
for running a star ship.  You were all beautiful."
     All three nodded and went to leave the bridge.  As
they  left,  Sugoi reached behind and gingerly  stroked
Megane's chin.   "I plan to wear this again tonight, so
be ready."
      Benten  stepped forward to take  a  look  at  the
ship's  wheel.   She studied it for a second  and  then
half  way turned to Jariten saying.  "This isn't really
the steering device, is it?"
      "Of  course it is," Ten said coming over to  her.
Mendo also came up to get a closer look.
      "How  the hell am I supposed to fly a space  ship
with this thing!" she yelled batting the wheel with her
hand."
      "Careful  of the finish," Ten said taking  out  a
cloth and polishing the area she hit.
     Benten rolled her eyes.  "I knew you were going to
pull  something like this!  I knew it!  You've  already
turned our mission into some kind of farce."
     "A farce?" Jariten said dryly.  "Beauty is never a
farce. This is a ship, and a fast one at that.  It will
take  us  anywhere in the galaxy. You tell me why  cold
duranium  and  plastic is better for  a  starship  than
gold, marble and wood."
     Benten studied Ten's eyes and then glanced over to
the  control pedestal next to the wheel.   "If  she  is
half as fast as you say, I might forgive you."
      "I  also  believe that beauty is a  finely  tuned
engine,"   Ten  said and turned to leave.   "Come,"  he
said, "let me show you to your rooms."
      Ten  led  them  out into the large  anteroom.  He
walked  them  over to the three doors which  lined  the
wall on the right side of the room. Beginning with  the
far left door, Ten said, "I've placed Shinobu and Sugoi
in  that  room,  with you, Shutaro, and Megane  in  the
middle,  and you of course, my dear, may have your  own
room on the right."
      "Actually," Benten spoke up, "I've gotten used to
bunking with Shutaro."
      "Whatever," Ten said waving his hand in the  air.
"You work it out amongst yourselves."  Ten turned to go
toward  the single door on the other side of the  room.
"There'll be a briefing, right after a light supper  at
point 80. Try to be there, and not too formal."
      "Are  you staying in the room on the other  side,
there?"  Benten asked.
      Ten stopped and turned back to Benten with a  wry
smile,  "Of course, this is the captain's room."    Ten
continued into his room.
     Benten called after him again.  "By the way, who's
flying the other fighter?  Sugoi?"
     "No," Ten said. "That's for Shinobu.  She said you
were  going  to  teach her to be a  pilot."   The  door
closed behind him.
      Benten  stood  dumfounded for a moment  and  then
roughly brushed past Mendo going into her room.
      Mendo  shrugged his shoulders.  "It's always  the
same," he said and followed her into the room.

                         * * *

      Lum  and  Ataru completed the circuit around  the
island.   It was a fairly small island.   It only  took
two  hours  to  go around it.  They found  no  sign  of
anyone else there.
      They sat on the beach where they had begun.  They
were  naked,  and  wet after a brief  swim.   They  had
discarded  their  clothes to the edge of  the  foliage.
They held hands while watching the sun go down.
     "Do you really think that someone is going to find
us?" Lum asked.
      "I'm  sure  that  Benten, Ten and  the  gang  are
already out looking."
      Lum  smiled.  "You're right.   But  it's  such  a
small island.  I don't how they're going to find us."
     "It's not like they would ever give up, especially
Benten."
      "Ten's no quitter either," Lum said. "Actually  I
believe that he is more stubborn than Benten."
     "That's hard to imagine,"  Ataru said chuckling.
      "It's true.   Ten just puts a lot of flash on it,
but in reality, they're very much alike."
     "Hmm,"  Ataru said as the last fiery red sliver of
the  sun  dipped  below the horizon. "It  is  beautiful
here."
       Lum  leaned  over  against  Ataru's  chest   and
whispered  in  his ear, "Did you ever  see  the  movie,
'From Here to Eternity."'
      "It's not a movie that a lot of Japanese like  to
watch."
     "You are ruining the mood!  You know the scene I'm
thinking about."
     "I think so."
     "Let's."
      Ataru  stood  and offered a hand to  Lum.    They
started  to make their way to the shoreline when  Ataru
stopped cold.   "What is that?"  Ataru whispered.
      Lum  followed  Ataru's eyes to see  what  he  was
looking  at.   She smiled.  "That's Indra,  the  larger
moon, silly."
     "Larger than what?" Ataru asked.  "I only remember
one moon and that's not it."
      Lum felt a confusion wash over her and looked  to
Ataru.    She stepped back in surprise.  "Darling!  You
have horns, and your hair!"
     Ataru also stepped back. "So do you!  What's . . .
We're dreaming," he said in sudden realization.
      Their surroundings became dark and then they were
back  at Tomobiki again.   Lum was in her tiger stripes
and  Ataru  was  back  in his  school  uniform.    They
appeared again at their own respective races.   It  was
still unnaturally dark.
      Lum  lowered herself gently to the  ground.    "I
don't like this," she said.
      "I  think  someone is playing with  out  dreams,"
Ataru  said  looking  around as  if  he  hoped  to  see
someone.
     "We need to wake up," Lum said urgently.
      "How?" Ataru asked and then for the second  time,
the dim image of Tomobiki disappeared.

                   [End of Part One]