Alternative Urusei Yatsura Fanfic by *Lewis Burden* (file: jad11_uy.txt )
====================================

This Fanfic is not yet finished and currently consists of 12 parts. Every
part will be uploaded and made available on a weekly basis on the Internet.
Files are available vie email request or ftp at world.std.com in:

ftp: ftp.std.com   /pub/uy-fanfic    email request: uy-fan@lexicor.com
*********************************    *********************************

This Fanfic was first uploaded to GENIE and is now available on the Internet.

note: This is very alternative UY and highly recommendable UY fanfic
=====

Enjoy,

        Yat Siu

        - ysiu@lexicor.com

                         Alt-Urusei Yatsura
                               XI
               "I Dreamed That I Was Someone Else."

                    Written by Lewis Burden
                  Edited by Joseph Rispoli Jr.

     (Based on Characters and Situations created by Rumiko
          Takahashi in her manga series, URUSEI YATSURA)


     Ten moved quickly down the hall, not knowing whether to
curse or to be elated.  He had a lot of work to do.  He had
a lot of damage control to do before all hell broke loose.
He had left the observation lounge directly after Lum's
kiss.  He noted some flunkies of the other Family brass
doing the same.  The Fleet was under radio silence, but that
wouldn't be enough to keep the generals from passing the
word on to their superiors.  Ten felt he could control the
situation if he could keep it within the Fleet.
    What a horrible thing one kiss could be.  Normally it
was such a simple thing.  If one looked at it scientifically
it was a stimulation of a nerve concentration on the face,
and an exchange of germs.  It one looked at it from Ten's
point of view, it was the symbol of romance, a necessary
part of the subtle dance of partners to give sophistication
to an act that was both base and beautiful.  Others, of
course, called it foreplay.  But still it was a simple
action, except in the Uruseian Empire when a Princess kisses
a slave in front of thousands of her subjects, then it
becomes a political faux paux of cosmic  proportions.
    The situation was not hopeless, though.  It set things
in motion, but motion could be controlled, redirected into
ways that were more constructive.  It could be useful energy
with the right steersman.  Ten felt up to the job.
     He entered the bridge with supposed orders from the
Princess to increase the radio silence to level 2.  This
meant that not only would there be no official outgoing
messages permitted, but there was also be a low level
jamming field activated, ostensively to keep an unknown spy
on board ship from transmitting, but in this cause to keep
the Families from using private transmitters.
    They activated it, and satisfied, Ten went to a local
access panel outside the bridge and deactivated the control.
No one would be able to turn the jamming off unless they
found his sabotage.  That would take some time.  Ten's next
step was Seq Yethiz.
    Ten didn't know where Seq was at the time, but he
concluded from earlier encounters that the generals would be
forming a meeting to discuss what best to do about the
matter.  That was good as far as Ten was concerned.  Without
Lum to organize them, it would be a while before they came
up with a decision.  The decision would inevitably rest on
the shoulders of Seq Yethiz.  Jariten would have to make
sure that he was never able to carry that decision out.
    The generals would be terrified.  It was bad enough that
this slave won against the reigning champion in a game that
was usually the sole purview of the Uruseian aristocracy.
That alone would command some interest.  The game was not
easy to master.  However, the win alone would only cause the
generals to wonder.  There would be some speculation and
Ataru would command a little more respect, but nothing more.
But that kiss.  That kiss had to be the most terrifying
thing that they'd seen in a while.  For that reason, Ten
loved the whole thing.  All the same, however, it made Lum's
situation very dangerous.
    Lum was known to be fairly chaste, a virgin in fact.
One could call it a high moral standard, but actually she
just worked too hard and never had the time.  She was too
dedicated.  If Lum took the time to get romantic with
someone, there had to be some real feelings.  Everyone in
the Empire knew that.  Add that onto the fact that she had
kissed him in a very public setting, and the greatest bonus
of all, he wasn't Uruseian.  The Uruseian public tolerated
aristocratic affairs, but not in the open, and certainly not
in the open with a slave, by the chaste Princess.

    The Families would be rightfully suspicious of this
whole thing, especially when added to the knowledge that the
Princess was sympathetic to the slaves, and that she didn't
like Rei too much.  Some of them might be almost intelligent
enough to figure it out, Ten felt.  Some of them might even
be intelligent enough to make the leap into wondering that
since the dream transmissions were from Earth and Ataru was
also from Earth, there might be a connection.  Seq Yethiz
was one such individual and Ten knew he was too dangerous to
be underestimated.  Ten had a lot of work to do.

                              * * *

     Ataru was not quite familiar enough with Family
politics to understand the ramifications of what just had
happened.  He managed to beat Lum in a game, which in a
different reality, he had suffered from greatly.  He was
filled with a certain satisfaction, and a great deal of
bruises.  However, as he got cleaned up and changed back
into the servant's uniform he noticed an eerie silence from
the once bemused attendant.
    Ataru watched as the attendant went about his business;
providing Ataru with towels and soaps, gathering the used
uniform and such.  The attendant never looked up and never
said anything.  He purposely made longer trips to avoid
getting too close to Ataru.  Before Ataru knew it, the
attendant was gone.
    Ataru got dressed and was about to leave when the
attendant returned.  He cleared his throat.  "There are some
people outside who would like to talk to you," he said.
    Ataru was bewildered.  Who would want to talk to him?
He was still disturbed with the demeanor of the attendant,
but he said, "It's okay with me, I suppose.  Is everything
all right?"
    The attendant looked up and started to answer, but then
opened the door.  Many people began to slowly file in.
Ataru was more bewildered than ever.  They cast furtive
glances at Ataru as they came in, but for the most part kept
their eyes lower.  Finally Benten shoved her way through
followed by Mendo.
    "Come on, Come on," she said.  "Here he is, you can ask
him yourself."
    Ataru looked across the crowd that was in front of him.
There had to be at least fifty people, men and women, only a
little more than half of them were Uruseian.  "What's going
on?" Ataru asked.
    Benten laughed.  "You really don't know, do you?  Well
Aho, you're a hero!"
    "A what?!"
    "Congratulations, Ataru," Mendo offered his hand.
    "I just played a game."
    "The Princess kissed you."  One of the people spoke up.
    "That?  That's noth. . ."  Ataru stopped as he noticed
the intense reaction the tone of his statement was causing
in the group.
    "You've kissed her before?"  Another asked.
    Benten stepped forward.  "Aho, what you have here are a
bunch of slaves and Uruseian peasants.  These people don't
belong to any important Family, but they're very loyal to
the Princess.  They're on our side.  Right now all the
Family big wigs are calling their mommies and daddies to
tell on you and the Princess.  They're probably going to
want to lock you up.  You need help.  You can trust these
people."
    "Shouldn't they talk to Lum?" Ataru asked.
    "They love Lum, but she's still a high-born Uruseian.
You're one of us, and you just did something incredible.
They want to hear from you.  Tell 'em the truth."
    "Go for it Ataru," Mendo urged.
    Ataru looked over all their faces.  He was amazed that
they were actually waiting for him to speak.  There was awe
and wonder on their faces.  Ataru was quickly starting to
lose his nerve.  "Hi," he said.
    Benten rolled her eyes.
    "Um, I'm uh, Moroboshi Ataru.  I mean Ataru, just
Ataru."  He corrected himself in case anyone was offended by
him using his Family name, but there was no reaction except
he heard "Moroboshi" whispered a few times in the back.
Ataru couldn't think of what else to say.  He turned to
Benten.  "What do they want to know?"
    "The truth, Ataru.  Who are you?  How you met the
Princess.  You're a hero to these people.  Now's the time.
They'll keep your secret."
    "Shouldn't we asked Ten or Lum, first?"
    "Fuck 'em!  Do you want to be Emperor or don't you?
Damn!"
    "Emperor?!" came the chorus.  With this, a rather large
Uruseian man stepped forward.  "Emperor? what is going on
here?  Are you planning a revolution?  If you are, I'm out
of it."  There was a lot of agreement to this statement.  He
finished, "Who are you, anyway?"
    "I'm Moroboshi Ataru.  I'm the Princess's dream boy."
    This drew a lot of gasps from the crowd.  The large man
was about to ask another question when Rei and Ran entered
the room.
    Ran had watched Benten gather the people together, and
decided to find out what was going on.  Rei tagged along,
but he also wanted to congratulate Ataru.

    When the crowd saw Rei enter they became quiet and moved
out of the way.  Rei became aristocratically stoic when he
saw them.  It was a reflex action.  Everyone watched Rei.
They feared a confrontation, but Rei only walked forward and
put his hands on Ataru's shoulders.  "Congratulations,"  he
said.
    Benten spoke up.  "Rei, everyone knows that Ataru was a
present to Lum from you, where did you get him from?"
    "From Earth,"  Rei answered as he had been told to.
    "No Rei," Benten said.  "The truth."
    "But I promised."
    Benten was wondering if she was the only one in the
universe with any backbone.  "I know," she said kindly as if
she was trying to convince an eight year old to go on stage
for his school play. "It's okay here."
    "Don't you know how it happened?" Rei asked innocently.
    Ran looked around the room.  She knew a lot of the
people, and guessed what Benten was trying to do.  She said,
"Lum told Rei to present Ataru to her in front of the
generals.  Ataru is from Earth, from the dreams," she said.
"Lum wants to marry him."
    "But Rei -- I'm mean Commander Seq, your Family?"  came
a voice.
    Rei took a breath and met Ataru's eyes.  "Lum is yours.
I do not desire her.  I want only Ran."
    Ataru was taking all this in, and was beginning to
understand what was going on.  He realized that he really
had to seize this moment.  This was a trial run.  He
couldn't be any help to Lum if was always holding on to her
skirt.  He had to be a leader in his own right.
    He stepped forward and steeled his courage.  In a loud
voice he said.  "Lum and I want to change the Empire.  We --
uh-- want to make it new.  Lum and I met over light-years in
our dreams, but this is reality."  He ran out of words.  He
struggled to say something, anything that would fit.
    "I've only tasted slavery for a short time, but I know
it has got to be changed.  Lum and I are very much in love.
Because of that love alone, Lum wants me as her Emperor.  I
would do anything for her."  He ran out of words again.  His
sentences were coming in quick clips as he thought of things
to say.
    "I don't have a great Family name, or planets to rule, a
fleet, or a horde of subjects flocking to my call.  I'm no
aristocrat.  I can only offer my love and support to Lum.
You know what we're up against.  We want to make your lives
better.  To give you back your rights.  Benten said that you
love Lum, and that I, for some reason have become a hero.
When the time comes, will you join us?"  It sounded so corny
to Ataru.  He was going to make a lousy Emperor if making
speeches was his main job.
    Benten came forward and put her hand on Ataru's
shoulder.  "Good speech," she whispered to him, and then
said.  "This is our break, you bastards!  He's our only
hope.  There are twice as many of us on these ships than
there are the high-asses.  With him and the Princess leading
us, we have a chance.  We'll be the legitimate ones, and
they'll be the rebels.  We can win!"
    Ran lifted Rei's hand and put it on Ataru's shoulder.
He was a little confused about it, but looking at Ran's eyes
he said finally, "I support the Princess, and her fianc‚."

                         * * *

    Lum was finally cleaned and dressed.  It took a while,
because of how sore she was.  She couldn't move as fast as
she wanted to.  Her Darling had worked her far harder than
Rei ever had.  She hurried as fast as she could to the men's
locker room.  She felt so stupid.  She had ruined
everything.  Why did she have to kiss him in the open?
Ataru was in dreadful danger now.  She had to get to him
quick.  Hopefully, she would be able to hide him before the
generals were able to made a decision.  She reached for the
door, but stopped when she heard a lot of talking inside.
She was terribly worried that they would already taking
Ataru into custody.
    Lum took a breath and opened the door.  She was shocked
by the crowd of people who suddenly became silent at her
entrance.  When the door closed, Benten shouted, "Long live
the Princess!"
    "Long live the Princess!" came the response.
    Ran shoved Ataru over to Lum.  He took her hand.
    "Long live the Emperor and his bride!"  Benten yelled.
    "Long live the Emperor and his bride!"  came the
response.
    "What in the hell is going on?!"  Lum shouted.  She
jerked her hand from Ataru and strode over to Benten.  "What
have you done?!"
    "What have I done?" Benten said, not backing down.  "I'm
trying to help us survive the mess you made.  Ataru needs
people on his side.  Like it or not, oh great Princess of
all she surveys, you started a revolution with that kiss,
and it's about time we started building our army."
    "What have you told them?"  Lum asked.
    "Everything, Mistress," Ran said, stepping forward.
"You don't have to be alone.  There are hundreds of people
who will support you and Ataru in the fleet.  We should
gather them, before the Families gather their people."

    "You know they're going to be gunning for him now,"
Benten offered.
    "The more people we involve, the greater chance the
Families will find out the truth," Lum explained, "and then
they'll really be after us."
    The large man stepped forward and knelt on one knee
before Lum.  "My Princess, everyone here will offer their
life to you and Lord Ataru if we ever betrayed you to your
enemies.  We will serve the Houses of Redet and Moroboshi."
With that everyone knelt, lowering their heads, including
Benten, Mendo, Rei and Ran.  Lum and Ataru glanced around
themselves.
    Benten spoke with her head still lowered.  "We know who
we can trust in the Fleet.  The word can be spread quietly,
quickly.  If we don't do this now, they'll fry us.  You know
it."
    Lum did know it, but she didn't feel ready for this.
"Please rise," she said.  Everyone stood.  "Okay," she said
reluctantly.  "But I want nothing done until I give the
order.  The time isn't right, yet.  It may be a while."  Lum
looked around all the admiring faces, and suddenly felt
overwhelmed by the emotion of the situation.  "I love you
all for this.  This is dangerous for all of us.  I can't
promise you victory, or even survival.  I can only ask you
to follow me into battle when I call.  I have hope, and you
can be sure that I'll be fighting along side you in the
first ranks."
    "As will I," Ataru said and took Lum's hand again.  He
didn't quite know what he was doing, but he knew it was
right, and that this was the time.  He knelt to one knee.
He had to say it quickly before he had time to think better
of it.  "Lum," he said, "please marry me."
    The room became utterly silent.  Lum had always intended
to marry Ataru, but now that he was asking her formally in
front of all these people, she didn't know what to say.  The
silence was becoming interminable as she strove to remember
the word that until a moment ago was very common.  "Yes,"
she said.
    There was an unanimous cheer, as they kissed.
    "Way to fuckin' go, Aho!" Benten cheered.
    Lum and Ataru parted.  Lum spoke to the crowd.  "You had
better go back to work.  Spread the word, but don't do
anything else until I say.  Thank you all so much."
    With that everyone filed out except for Lum, Ataru,
Benten, Mendo, Ran and Rei.  Lum looked around the room.
"Where's Ten?" she asked.
    Ran spoke up.  "I saw him leave right after the Kiss."
    "The Kiss," Lum repeated.  Ran had said it like it was
some great historical event.  Perhaps it was.  "I imagine
that Ten is out saving our butts right now.  He'll show up
when he's done."
    "So what does this all mean?" Ataru asked, sitting down
on one of the benches.
    "It means," Lum explained, "that for all practical
purposes we're out in the open.  The Families know
something's up now, and that you're not who Rei said you
were.  Rei, I imagine you're going to get a visit from your
Uncle."
    Rei nodded.  "I can't keep secrets when he asks," Rei
explained.
    "I know," Lum said.
    "I could coach him," Ran offered.
    Lum thought about it for a second.  "No, even Jariten
avoids face to face encounters with Yethiz.  Rei wouldn't
have a chance.  Ran, it would be best if Yethiz and Rei
didn't cross paths for a while."
    "That's no problem," Ran said, holding Rei's arm.  "He
can stay with me."
    Lum actually felt at a loss about what else to do next.
She turned to Ataru, "What are we going to do, Darling?"
    "I don't know.  Sooner or little we're going to have to
tell the Empire about our plans.  Quite a few people aren't
going to like it, and we'll have to fight.  Well, we're
going to war now.  Why don't we change the goal of the
battle?"
    Lum shook her head.  "We're on a Seq ship.  As soon as
we made the announcement there'd be a mutiny."
    "Lum," Benten started, "in a day the ship will be ours.
An order to turn against your authority will fall on deaf
ears.  Aho's right.  We have the opportunity.  Let's do it
now."
    "We can't do everything 'now'.  With the support of the
Seq fleet we have the upper hand in this battle.  With them
on the other side we'll be hopelessly outgunned.  I won't
lead my people to suicide."
    Benten felt herself bursting.  She stood and started
walking around the room, hitting locker doors as she went,
making loud clanks.  "When is it going to be, Lum?!  When?!
People are already dying.  My fucking planet's dying!
You're the best tactician in the Empire, and I'm the best
pilot.  Your Darling just creamed you in Ossak after three
years of being undefeated, that has to count for something.
What do they have?"
    Benten went to Lum and locked eyes with her.  "Now, Lum!
Now!  We have a chance!  How long do you want to play this
game?  How long do you want to have to hide Ataru for fear
of his life?"

    "Mistress," Ran broke in.  "Rei is on our side.  He's
the heir for the Seq house.  Won't the Seq fleet follow him
if he calls?"
    "My Uncle gives the commands," Rei said sadly.
    Lum looked over to Rei and found she was feeling sorry
for him.  She had always known that Rei's uncle was
manipulating him behind the scenes, telling him that
leadership was only possible through power and fear.  Lum
was beginning to see that everything that she had hated in
Rei was really his uncle standing behind him.  Lum thought
about Ran's and Rei's assessments.  Not all the fleet would
come to Rei's call, but with a little ego boosting from Ran,
the majority might.
    Still though, Lum had her doubts, and she couldn't
guarantee that they all were concern for the people that she
would be sending to die.  It was easier to follow orders
than to give them.  Before, she was always following her
father's direction.  This would be entirely on her own, and
it would begin her life of forging her own policies for the
Empire.  There were so many people in it.  She didn't know
whether she was ready to take the risk of being wrong.
    Benten sat down next to Lum.  Her friend's doubts were
so great that Benten could feel them.  When she spoke her
voice was soft, encouraging.  "We've joked about this for
years, you and I.  I know it's hard.  I know it's easier for
me to say 'now'.  No one will blame Benten, the slave, if it
fails.  But Lum, listen to your friend.  The time for
dreaming is over.  Let it be now.  We can do it."
    Lum looked around the quiet room.  Everyone's eyes were
on her.  Then she felt Ataru squeeze her hand.  She turned
to him, and met his eyes.  They communicated silently, for
what seemed to be an eternity.  No one dared to disturb the
conversation.  Finally Ataru broke the spell.  "Now," he
said.  Lum nodded back to him.
    "Waaaaaaaaow!" Benten yelped and started dancing around.
    "Isn't this wonderful?" Ran exclaimed to Rei.
    Ataru took Lum in his arms and they kissed.  Everyone
stopped celebrating to watch them.  Then Rei took Ran in his
arms.
    "Dammit!" Benten said looking between the kissing
couples, and grabbed a surprised Mendo.

                         * * *

     Seq Yethiz was angrier than he had been in a long time.
He hated to admit it, but what that meeting really needed
was the Princess to keep people in line.  Yethiz strode
gruffly down the hall toward the room his nephew was sharing
with him.  The indecision of the other generals was
excruciating, but that didn't mean Yethiz couldn't work
alone.  He didn't know how his nephew had been compromised
by that Redet witch, but he was going to find out.
    The half second that it took the door to open was too
slow for Yethiz.  He almost broke the door down.  He burst
into the room, only to find it empty.  Rei was at the game,
Yethiz recalled.  Yethiz had watched the last half of the
game on the holoviewer.  He had found the whole thing rather
amusing.  The Princess being beat by a mere slave more than
made up for her continuous defeats of Rei.  No only that, it
would have made the Earth slave the reigning champion, which
meant he couldn't refuse any challenges. Yethiz would have
enjoying repeatedly burning the boy.  The thought that he
might lose himself, was unthinkable.  Ataru was a slave.
Cheating against a slave was perfectly acceptable.
    Still, it didn't matter.  There was more here than just
a skilled slave.  Yethiz missed his niece.  Sugoi's reports
were becoming very interesting, but he hadn't seen her since
the transfer.  Yethiz was beginning to believe that she had
been taken care of.  It was something that Yethiz would do
to a spy that was getting too close, but he never would have
suspected it of Lum.  Of course, why would Rei be helping
the people who killed his sister?  Yethiz had that answer.
The idiot didn't know yet.  Maybe it would be enough just to
tell him.
    And what of Yethiz' own feelings for revenge?  The slave
was dead.  That was the only prudent move, after a brain
scan, of course.  Whatever he was, he would be nothing if he
was a pile of ashes.  After that he would work on breaking
the Princess.  She would jump to his every command by the
time he got done with her.
    Yethiz fell into one of the chairs and mused on the
Princess.  Rei may be the one to marry her, but Yethiz had
long decided to make her his own.  With some appropriate
words, Rei would certainly agree.  Lum's children would be
Yethiz' children, presented as Rei's.  The thought of that
idiot's genes polluting the royal children was intolerable.
There would be nothing anyone could do about it, if Yethiz
intervened.
    Even his sister, Yedis would have to keep quiet.  She
would do anything to protect her precious son.  Once Yethiz
blackmailed her with proof of Rei's treachery, she'd do
anything.  Why their father had overlooked him, and gave his
sister Yedis, the Family seat was a mystery to Yethiz.  He
was the oldest male.  It should have gone to him.  He would
have his revenge in that department as well.  And if that
slave had already gotten Lum's virginity, Yethiz would make
his death all that much worse.

    Yethiz quickly got tired of waiting for Rei to return.
He would find the slave and kill him before the Princess
allowed herself to be soiled by him.  How could he have been
such a fool to believe that Rei had an independent thought.
A gift, indeed!  Yethiz left the room to go and find the
slave.
    "General Seq!" a voice called behind him.
    Yethiz turned hard.  "What?!" he snapped.
    The crewman cowered back, and then came to attention.
"General, there has been a terrible accident, a fire!"
    "What?! Where?"
    "In the records room.  All the files have been
destroyed.  We'll have to rebuild it from scratch."
    "Well go to it, then."
    "But sir?"
    "What?!"  Yethiz was becoming very impatient, he had a
slave to kill.
    "We'll need you to reauthorize everything.  Remember you
commanded that no order is valid without your print."
    "Well, I waive that order for now."
    "But sir, the computers.  Nothing works without your
print.  It would have to be reprogrammed.  It would take a
full day to change all the systems, we'd be immobilized.
Please, sir."
    This was just too convenient as far as Yethiz was
concerned.  "Crewman, I want you to run.  Everything had
better be ready for my print by the time I get there myself.
If not, the first order I put my print on will be to your
execution.  Is that clear?"
    "Yes, sir!" the crewman saluted and ran down the hall.
    Yethiz counted to ten, and then went after him, walking
quickly.

                         * * *

     Redet Kurama was an aunt of Lum's.  A young one, she
was closer to Lum's age than her brother, the Emperor.  Lum
felt Kurama to be an odd sort.  She usually only had one
thing on her mind, and that was getting a husband.  She had
four servants who were constantly flocking about her.  Their
main reason for employment was to help her look for a
husband.
    Lum never understood why she had such a problem finding
one.  She wasn't ugly in any way, but she did have a
tendency to talk too much.  She'd talk in long rapid
sentences, that she'd fling at one like gusts of wind.
She'd also always dressed in black.  Another trait that Lum
didn't understand.  In any case, Lum got along with her.
    Redet Kurama was also the commander of the Redet fleet.
Lum needed to talk to her, but she wasn't yet sure about how
much to say.  Lum's initial attempt at contact failed,
though.  Lum had run into Ten's safeguard.  Fortunately, she
knew these ships as well as he did and quickly repaired the
problem.  She felt much safer knowing what he had done.  No
one outside the fleet would know of what had happened.  The
problem was contained.  She would redo the sabotage when she
was done.
     Lum brought Ataru with her to show to Kurama.  When
Kurama appeared, Lum with Ataru explained the whole
situation to her.  The signal was scrambled, but Lum still
worried that someone might be listening.  Lum explained what
she planned to do at the battle.  Kurama listen attentively,
and inquired whether this meant that Rei was free.  Lum
sadly informed her that he wasn't.
    Lum begged for Kurama's support and asked her not to
reveal this to the Emperor yet.  Kurama offered her support
gladly.  Going to war for a mate was something that Kurama
could easily support.  She did question Lum's wisdom in
choosing a slave, but maintained that her forces would rally
to Lum when the time came.  Lum felt relieved, and with the
usual Family niceties closed the transmission.
    Lum turned to Ataru.  "We're really committed, now."
She took his hand.  "We'll either be married or dead."
    "I prefer married,"  Ataru said.
    "So do I."

                         * * *

     Benten was preoccupied all the way back to their room.
Mendo just followed along, and tried to keep pace.  Benten
didn't say anything, nor did she look at him.  She hadn't
said a word since they had kissed.  He had felt a tremble in
her body as he held her.  What had started rough, softened,
and then turned to rejection as she pushed him away.  Mendo
didn't know what to say now.  He could only make a guess
about what was going on from observations and only a brief
acquaintance.
    Mendo was finding though, that he understood Benten more
and more.  She was very much like him in many respects.  She
too spent much of her time in an imaginary world.  It was a
world of the facade that she placed before everyone. Mendo
had made up so many worlds in his mind that he was very good
at spotting someone else's creation.  Benten was no more
this rough warrior woman than Mendo was an heir to an
incredible Family fortune and military.  She was a fake, and
Mendo wondered why.

    When they entered the room, the sight of the lone bed
once more caused them to stop short.  Benten turned hard on
Mendo.  Her eyes attempted to burn into him, but he was
impervious.  He knew it wasn't real.  Her last attempt to
fool him exhausted, her body went limp and she fell into his
arms.  "I hate you," she said as they held each other.
Mendo said nothing.
    Benten pulled back and sat down on the bed.  There were
tears in her eyes.  "How could you know?"  she asked.
    "I know a good story when I hear it."
    "Lum was the only Outworlder who knew how much I had to
change to come here.  She knew me before I became a pilot. I
had to fly, and I had to do something for my people.  I've
always hoped that if I learned to fight then I could save my
planet.  But in the meantime, I knew that I'd have to serve
my enemy.  I'd have to help them enslave other planets.
Shutaro, the first village I destroyed nearly took me with
it."  She stood and closed herself in her arms, turning her
back to Mendo.
    "At first I told myself that they would have taken the
planet without me," she continued, "and that the destruction
wasn't my responsibility.  But I knew that it was me who
pulled the trigger, and as I became a better pilot, and then
the best, missions were depending on me.  I couldn't always
say that they would have won without me."
    Mendo listened to Benten's narration with interest.
Partially because of the good story, but mostly because of
how important this was to her.  He knew she was telling the
truth.  One doesn't take such raw truth about another's soul
lightly.
    "But I couldn't give up," Benten explained, "I had to
hide my shame, my anger at myself.  I built this wall, this
face, so that no one would question my resolve.  Only Lum
knew better.  I was so glad when she transferred me to her
ship.  It felt so good to have someone that I could let down
my guard with.  But now you're here."  Benten went back to
sitting on the bed.
    Mendo sat down next to her.  "I won't tell anyone."
    "It's more than that.  It's been nearly three years
since I've worn anything besides a uniform, anything
feminine.  Underneath this shell I am a woman, but I never
needed to be until now.  I'm here to fight a war, not to
find a husband, but our adventure on your world and when I
kissed you. . . I do have feelings."
    She turned away from him.  "I have something I want to
show you."  Benten got up and went to the garbage bags.  She
opened one, and digging through it found a box.  She opened
it.  It looked to Mendo like there was a garment inside.
Her face softened even further as she looked at it. She
looked to Mendo and said, "Could you step outside for a
second?"
    Mendo got up and left the room.  Outside he was
wondering what he had begun?  What was in the box?  What
were his own feelings?  He had spent so much time in his
imagination that reality was hard to take.  He felt himself
trembling.  The emotion was overwhelming.  At first, this
had been a game.  He was going into space, and actually
entering one of his imaginary worlds.  But then all the
sights and sounds, and the kiss.  He wasn't unaffected by
it.  Thrust together with Benten he was terrified, but the
kiss tore away the last of her facades for him.  He saw how
vulnerable she was.  She couldn't fool him anymore.  He saw
how much she wanted him.
    "You can come in now," he heard her muffled voice.
    He went in and was amazed at what he saw.  She was
beautiful.  She had let her hair down.  It was almost as
long as Lum's when she let it fall freely.  She wore a
brightly colored dress, very festive.  It had long billowy
sleeves  and a there was wide belt around her waist.  The
dress wasn't tight fitting except for the belt, but it did
everything it could to show off her figure.  Tucked under
the belt were several multicolored ribbons with strange
letters on them.  Mendo was able to read Uruseian, but this
was something more alien than that.
    Benten held her arms before her, and looked demurely to
the floor.  "Do you like it?" she asked.
    "It's beautiful," was all that Mendo could say.
    "On my world, young unmarried girls are afraid to tell a
young man how they feel.  We don't say anything.  The only
time that we can let him know is during the season
festivals.  Each of us wears a dress like this one, and we
dance our traditional dances.  When we come to the boy that
we like, we take these ribbons."  She pulled one of the
ribbons from her belt.  She held it for him to see.  "This
one says 'tenderness.'  Hold out your right hand."
    Mendo did and she tied it to his wrist.
    She pulled out another.  "This one says, 'care.' This is
for your left hand."
    Mendo offered it and she tied the ribbon onto his left
wrist.
    She took another.  "This one is 'thoughtfulness'."  She
tied it around his forehead.  "This one is 'compassion'."
She laid that one like a sash over his chest.  "This one is
'friendship'."  She tied that one around his neck.  "And now
we dance."
    "There's still one left,"  Mendo pointed to the red and
gold one that still hung at her belt.

    She pushed his hand back.  "That one I'm not ready to
give you yet."
    "What is it?" he asked.
    "Let me teach you the dance first and then I will tell
you about it.  After the girl gives the boy all but the one
ribbon, she sings a song that they dance to.  Just follow
what I do."
    Benten moved Mendo into position, and she raised her
arms partially into the air.  Mendo followed suit.  Benten
began to sing, and her voice so constrained by rough words
and curt tones burst forth like a caged bird suddenly freed.
Mendo was captivated by the alien words as he tried to
follow Benten's movements.  It was a simple song.  There
were only four lines of music that repeated.  The dance also
repeated, but at the same time changed slightly with each
verse.

                    "Po chi verae ka-u do.
                    Yana sesei chi ta-u no,
                    Ishi na ishi ka-u lo!
                    Jana de, jene ni, sei ti fahro.

                    Po chi nara ka-u do.
                    Gitti anna chi ta-u no,
                    Washen te ui nara mao!
                    Jana de, jene ni, sei ti fahro."

     After two more verses, Benten stopped and met Mendo's
eyes.  "The song is about love, 'chi' in each of the
seasons.  When I sing it for you, I'm telling  you that I
love you and would like you to court me.  When you accept
the ribbons and dance with me, you're saying yes."
    Mendo nodded.
    Benten smiled.  She picked up the last ribbon, but
didn't remove it from her belt.  "When I finish the four
verses and we've already been courting, I could decide to
give you the last ribbon.  That's the 'chi' ribbon, 'love'.
It means that I want to spend the rest of my life with you."
    "Where do you tie that one?"
    "I don't.  I give it to you, and you tie it around my
neck.  Then you're supposed to take the neck of my dress and
rip it down the front."
    "I'm what?! I thought this dance was in public."
    "It is.  This is the most important part, because it
tells how the marriage is going to be.  If it is a small rip
then we'll have a bad marriage with no children.  If one
breast is revealed then we'll have only one child.  If both
are revealed then we'll have many children, but if the tear
comes completely away from the dress that means that I'll
die in childbirth."  She met his eyes with a look that meant
business.  "If my man did that to me I'd have to give him a
knee where he'd remember it."
    Mendo gulped.  "But you're not giving me that ribbon
now?"
    "No," she said shyly.  "Not now."  She studied the
fabric of her dress.  "Each girl only gets one festival
dress.  Once it's ripped, it's ripped.  I have to be careful
who I give the last ribbon to, and when."  She paused and
looked back up at him to continue her narration, "After the
dress is ripped, the couple does the wedding dance, and we
both sing."  She sat back on the bed.  "And then we'd be
married."
    "That's the whole ceremony?  There's no legal
considerations?"
    "That's all there is.  The ripped festival dress is
proof enough.  The population of my world is small, everyone
remembers the weddings.  I entered the pilot's academy
shortly after I was old enough to wear this dress at the
festivals.  I've never attended one with it.  I wonder if I
ever will.  I wonder who will die first, me or the
festivals?  The Azu's are killing my people, Shutaro.
Making them starve on their own world.  It's not all an act
that I put on.  I hate the Azu Family with every inch of my
soul.  I'm looking forward to having them in my sights when
this battle comes up."
    Mendo sat next to Benten.  Her anger quickly turned back
to tears.  She buried her head in his chest.  She was
crying.  "I really don't want to be like this," she said.
"Why couldn't my world be left alone?  Why couldn't I just
go to the festivals, find a husband and raise a Family?  I
never wanted to be a killer.  Damn the Azus!"
    Mendo held her tightly, letting her tears stain his
clothes.  Mendo wanted to say something.  Any comforting
word he could think of, but he knew none.  Benten felt his
dilemma.  "Don't say anything," she whispered.  "Just hold
me.  Hold me forever, please."
    Mendo did, and while they held each other in the small
room aboard the Seq carrier, the Fleet imperceptibly slipped
through a subspace hole and found itself facing the Pochik
and Azu fleets outside the star system of Uinod.

                    [End of Part 11]