Alternative Urusei Yatsura Fanfic by *Lewis Burden* (file: jad8_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. Alt-Urusei Yatsura VIII A Dream Takes Flight by Lewis Burden ____________________ Lum, Ataru, Professor Onsenmark, Benten, and Mendo sat together in the school cafeteria. The hour was very late. Most of the people who listened to Lum in the courtyard had gone home. They thankfully put away their uniforms and their guns. The terror was over and tomorrow it would be time to rebuild. They had a lot to think about, the people of Tomobiki. Lum told them of the Empire and what she was going to make of it. She offered them a choice. They could remain as they were, one planet, alone, without outside contact, or they could join the Empire. She explained that even under the old laws, if Moroboshi became the new Emperor, Earth would have a protected status. Very few were able to come to terms with the idea that Ataru was going to be a galactic Emperor, but they accepted Lum~s word. Earth was going to be a bright star in the map of the Empire, if Lum won. They could take advantage of that, or continue to isolate themselves. Either way it was attractive, but the people knew too that they were just one small community. There were six billion other people who were still waiting for war. The first job of Tomobiki was to try to convince the world that it was safe, and then it would be time to decide whether to make the big step into space. In the cafeteria, Professor Onsenmark still had questions, and more. He was desperately trying to convince Lum to stay and talk to the government people herself. He didn't know how he could explain to them all that had happened without her to offer proof of what he was saying. "They will say that I am just trying to cover up for my incompetence," Onsenmark explained. "All of Tomobiki knows that it isn't true," Lum said. "They cannot claim that the whole town is lying." "I am not so sure." "Shinobu is staying," Ataru added, "She said that she would be willing to cooperate with the investigators." "Moroboshi, you don't understand. The planet is terrified. The Uruseian force came out of nowhere and defeated our best defenses without a loss. Radar and telescope spotters can see that the ships are still there. Hell, they're so big that you can almost pick them out with binoculars. The only way that this planet is going to relax is either the ships leave, or the Princess talks to the world like she did for us." Lum lowered her head, weighing what Onsenmark said. "I can't be seen making a big noise on Earth, and we won't be able to leave for at least two weeks." "Could we just move away?" Ataru offered. Lum turned to Onsenmark. "How far would we have to be before we couldn't be tracked by your technology?" Onsenmark shook his head. "I don't know. As big as your ships are, quite a ways, I'm sure." Mendo spoke up, saying, "They wouldn't need to move out of range. If you told the government people what Lum told you and then said as a sign of good faith the ships would move away from the planet. That would be your proof." "They'd have to know that I talked to you," Onsenmark observed. "I could accept that." "Good," Lum said standing, "because we have to get back, or things will start getting too out of hand up there." Ataru and Benten stood as well. "When will you be here again?" Mendo asked. "For now, we have to stay around for two weeks, but who knows after that?" Ataru said. "You will all be invited for the wedding!" Lum announced. "I hope that it will be soon." Onsenmark shook his head. "I still can't get over all this. Ataru Moroboshi and an alien Princess, it's a modern fairy-tale. Maybe I'm dreaming!?" Ataru smiled, "I'm sure someone is. I don't believe it myself. All I can do is take it as it comes." "Good luck Moroboshi," Onsenmark said offering his hand. "It scares me to say this, but Earth is depending on you." Ataru chuckled, taking Onsenmark's hand, "I don't like to think about it." Lum grabbed Ataru's arm. "He'll do fine." Lum, Ataru and Benten turned to leave. Mendo stood and cleared his throat. Ataru and Lum turned. Benten stopped. She sighed saying quietly, "The whole fucking planet." "Please," Mendo said simply. "I can't handle anymore complications," Lum responded. "It's not safe for humans." "I won't be a complication," Mendo pleaded, "I just want to be there, if even for a moment. I'll stay quiet. Lock me in some closet, just so that I'm there." Benten couldn't understand what he was saying, but she had guessed from the start what he wanted. Shinobu had told her about Mendo, and his imagination. Benten had dreamed once. That's what motivated her to become a pilot. She was still dreaming about a time when her people would be masters of their own destiny. And, although grudgingly, she had to admit that she was starting to like him in a puppy doggish sort of way, or maybe she was just lonely. "I'll look after him," she said. This surprised both Lum and Ataru. "What was that?" Lum asked. "I said I'll be responsible for him on the ship." "What are you talking about?" "He wants to go see the ships, right. I'll take him up and keep him out of trouble." Lum turned to Ataru. "Would you excuse us?" Ataru nodded and went back to talk with Mendo. Lum pulled Benten close and in a hoarse whisper said, "What are you thinking?! Keep him out of trouble?! Who's going to keep you out of trouble? Maybe you've forgotten why I had to come down here in the first place." "I know. You came to save my butt. It's not like I haven't saved your butt before." "I know, but your butt shouldn't have needed saving." "What do you mean?" "I mean," Lum said sternly, "that the only reason you got captured is because your ego wouldn't let you land someplace safe. You jeopardized your life, Shinobu's and all our plans for freeing your world some day. I don't need you showing off and risking everything we've built. I want the assignments I give done, done right and done safely. Do you understand me?" Benten studied Lum's eyes. There was no give. Lum had reprimanded Benten before, but there had always been in a easy-going way. She had never been so serious. "Another side-effect of Lum's new responsibilities," Benten thought. She knew that Lum was right, and that she had taken unnecessary risks, but the cold reprimand still hurt. Benten pulled up to attention. "Yes, maam!" Lum finally softened. "You're my best friend in the Empire. Don't ever scare me like that again." "I'm sorry," Benten said feeling a little better about things. "So why do you want Mendo? Did something happen between you two?" Benten stepped back. "Of course not! Shit! I just want to give the guy a break that's all. He did me a favor. I want to do him one." "It's dangerous to bring him up, now. Couldn't this wait until things are a little more settled?" "I think we both know that it'll be a long time before things are 'settled.' Instead of all this stealth, why don't we just come out in the open with Ataru, and the Earth." "Not yet. Believe me I want to, but not yet," Lum took a breath and made a decision. "If he comes up, there will be no risks. I don't want you sneaking him a look at the bridge. We bring him up. Show him the hanger. And you fly him back down. That's it!" "But couldn't I . . ?" "No! Benten it's dangerous, for him and us. Remember Sugoi? She's just waiting for us to make a mistake. We can't give the families time to plan. When I spring our plans on them, I want to be ready to implement them. If they have time to build some resistance against us, we'll go nowhere." "Bring him up, and then straight back down," Benten repeated. "Right. No risks." Benten turned to Mendo and waved him over. He came gladly. She motioned with hand signals that he was with her, and they left the cafeteria together. Ataru came up behind Lum, and said, "Aren't we just creating another problem?" "It'll be a short problem," she responded. "We can handle it. I've never seen Benten take an interest in a guy before. She's always made herself too busy." "She didn't look too interested. She looked annoyed." "It's a defense mechanism. She's interested. We'll just have to seen how long it'll take her to admit it." "This is really too complicated for me," Ataru admitted, and then added. "Would it be possible to visit my parents before we go back?" Lum paused. "We could, but maybe you should see them alone." Ataru guessed from where Lum's reluctance was coming. "Demon or no," he said, "if I'm going to marry you, I'd like my parents to at least get used to you. They liked you in the dreams." "Those were just dreams," Lum said. "I don't think either of us really believe that. Come on." The four walked along Ataru's all too familiar route home from school. Lum knew the route well, and if she weren't so nervous about meeting Ataru's parents again, she might have put her helmet back on and flown along side Ataru, just for nostalgia's sake. But she didn't feel like doing that. All she could think of was the terrible look in Ataru's father's eyes when she was there last. Ataru rounded the corner and entered the gate to his house. There was still a light on. Ataru turned to the others. "I'll go in first, then I'll call you when I've gotten them prepared." Ataru went to the door and opened it. He peeked inside. The T.V. was blaring from the living room. For a moment, Ataru wondered what they would be playing in such times. He entered the house and softly closed the door. He took off his shoes, which in this case were Uruseian standard issue. Ataru had to admit that he was also a little nervous. It had been almost three days since he left. What would he say? "Hi, Mom. I was abducted by aliens but I'm back now. Oh, by the way, I'm going to marry that demon from my dreams and go on to rule the universe." He didn't think that it would go over well. He looked around the corner. His mother and father were watching television. There were no other lights in the room except for the bluish flicker from the screen, which cast ghoulish shadows on his parents' faces. They looked older to him, much older. His mother had her arm in a sling. Apparently, it was from an injury she suffered in the attack. Ataru watched them sitting there staring blankly at the television screen. Even with the television noise, the room was still and silent. Ataru didn't want to disturb it. He felt like an intruder, strangely out of place. He drew up his courage. "Mom, Dad," he said meekly. He got their immediate attention. "Ataru!" His mother's face lit up, and she rushed to him. She hugged him with her one good arm. His father also rushed to him. "You're alive!" Ataru was a bit taken aback by the welcome, but then he got the reaction he had expected. His mother pulled back and shot him a string of questions. "Where have you been? Where did you get those clothes? Why haven't we heard from you? I thought you were dead." "Mom, calm down," he said. "I've been on the alien space ship." "You were with the demon?" "She's not a demon, She's an alien Princess." "A Princess?" his mother said incredulously. "What interest would a Princess have in you? She's a mischievous demon, who's come to steal you!" It was one thing when Ataru wasn't sure what Lum was, but now that he had met her, this demon line was wearing a little old. "Which is more unbelievable?" he began in response. His voice was tainted with contempt. "The planet was attacked by aliens, not by demons, mother. Don't you read the paper?! I don't know why I came back." He turned to leave. "Son," he heard his father say. Ataru was surprised to hear anything from his usually silent father. Ataru turned. "We've heard that you betrayed us to the aliens. That you brought them here. It's obvious that you've been with them." This was another line that was that was getting a little old, but Ataru had to admit that it was not without foundation. It was also true that his father had spoken with him so little in Ataru's lifetime, that he felt obligated to respond to this particular challenge. "I've been with them, but I didn't bring them here. They were already coming to invade this world. They stopped because Lum, their Princess, found out that I lived here. My dream girl is real, dad. She stopped the invasion and came to get me." "What does she want with you?" his father asked. "She wants to marry me, and make me their next Emperor, if you can believe that. She's outside waiting, dad. Couldn't you give her a chance?" "I will not have that demon in my house!" his mother yelled, but Mr. Moroboshi put his hand on her shoulder. "I think we should as least talk to her." He stopped another protest from his wife and added, "Outside. He's our only son, and if we come between him and his love, we'll lose him." "She can't have him!" his mother protested, "Cherry can exorcise her away from him! That demon will not get my boy." Mr. Moroboshi's voice remained calm. "We'll go outside and talk." It was becoming obvious to Ataru that the invasion and Ataru's disappearance had taken their toll on his mother. His father was probably the only thing holding her sanity in, and even then she was tenuous. Ataru was surprised at his mother's words though. He always felt that she'd be happy to see him out of the house. His father, though, was the biggest surprise of all. Ataru really had no idea of what kind of man he was. He kept to himself, always hiding behind his paper. It was a safe haven away from the daily insanity of the house. But now that the whole world had become insane, Ataru's father had the only rational voice. Ataru led his parents outside to where Lum, Benten and Mendo were waiting. "Hello, Shutaro," Mr. Moroboshi greeted Mendo. "Mr. Moroboshi." Then Mr. Moroboshi's eyes shifted to Lum. She felt very nervous, very exposed. "You are the Lum that my son has told us about?" he asked. Mrs. Moroboshi held her husband's arm. The look she gave Lum was not an approving one. Lum lowered her eyes away from their gaze. "Yes, Fath- Mr. Moroboshi," she said quietly. She almost slipped again. Seeing them here just like she remembered, she felt she was in the dreams, but at the same time she knew too well that things were very different. "You called me 'Father' when we first met right after the invasion." "Yes, sir," she said. "In our dreams I lived here. It's hard to remember that this isn't the dream. I'm sorry. I was presumptuous." Ataru's father smiled. "If you marry my son then you'll be calling me 'Father' again." He paused to talk a breath. He had some questions for her now. "If you're a Princess, what do you want with my son? We're common people, and from a different race." "I don't know how the dreams started, or why I became involved with your son, Mr. Moroboshi. But I do know that he's everything I need. I love him more than my life. We're connected. I couldn't leave him, even if I wanted to. I know we're aliens, and that's a problem with my people too, but our love is greater than that." Ataru's father turned to his son. "Do you agree with what she just said?" Ataru nodded. Mr. Moroboshi then addressed them both. "Ataru is our only child. We want what's best for him, but he's also old enough to make his own decisions. If you're the woman he loves, and he believes that you're right for each other, then I'll accept you as my daughter." Ataru's mother turned on her husband. "You're just going to let that demon have our boy?! Look at what she's done! Do you want your son to be a traitor?!? Mr. Moroboshi considered this and turned to Lum. "What do you plan to do with the Earth?" "I'm sorry about what happened," she said. "If I'd have known. . . The Earth will be left alone. It will be allowed to join the Empire on it's own, or if it chooses, to remain isolated." Mr. Moroboshi wasn't satisfied. "If Ataru wasn't here, then what would have happened to us?" This was a harder question for Lum. The truth was becoming more and more horrible to her every time she thought about it. "Earth would have been forced to join the Empire as a slave planet." "So my son will be helping you get slave planets for your Empire. Did you know this Ataru?" Ataru drew himself up to answer his father, and defend Lum. He was finally starting to feel his new situation. "There will be no more slave planets for the Empire," Ataru said. "Lum and I are going to free the ones that are already taken. I will not rule slave planets!" Lum turned to him in astonishment. His statement was so bold. She was struck by how he used, 'I'. He had accepted her plan as his own, upon his own authority. She was confused for a moment. She had up until now, assumed that the decision rested with her alone. She was carrying it's weight. It belonged to her. She felt an initial rush of anger toward Ataru for stepping on her authority, but that changed. Maybe she still didn't believe that she was looking at her Emperor when she looked at him. He was her pet, as Ten had put it. She decided that if he was willing to carry the weight, she would let him. She would let him share the load. That's something of what marriage was about, wasn't it; sharing the load? Suddenly she felt so much lighter. She went to him, and took his arm. They stood together. Ataru looked to her and smiled. He turned back to his parents. "We will not rule slave planets." * * * Sugoi was startled out of a light sleep by the alarm that she had preset. It was there to notify her that Lum's shuttle was lifting up from the planet. "Finally," Sugoi said out loud. The Princess certainly had a great deal of business on the planet. Checking the clock, Sugoi noted that the Princess had nearly spent two tenths on the planet. Sugoi's curiosity was piqued. She checked the scanners to relocate her chosen victim. Sugoi had been watching the scanners when Lum was giving her speech to the crowd near the school. She had only seen two Uruseian transmitters surrounded by a crowd of Terrans, but judging by the arrangement and the length of time that everyone was gathered, Sugoi assumed that Lum was speaking. Sugoi was also pleased to note that the second Uruseian transmitter was owned by someone with the same metabolism as the rest of the humans. Lum's helmeted aristocrat was definitely human. Sugoi's victim was picked because he left the crowd early. Sugoi assumed that he didn't like what Lum was saying. If that was the case, then he wouldn't mind talking all about Lum and her dream lover to someone who might not have their best interests at heart. She set the computer to follow this individual so that he could be found easily once Lum left. The computer screen scanned over the terrain until it stopped on it's programmed target. He was in a smallish structure with three other people. The sensors indicated that they were sleeping. Apparently, her victim had gone home and went to bed. The only issue that remained to be solved was how to go down and get him. Sugoi had scanned a lot of weapons around Lum when she was speaking, and there was a weapons cache nearby. She had also taken the liberty of scanning the area. There were two heavily armed ocean going vessels almost directly below her, along with fifteen other military strongholds within the city. Most of them would have some kind of missile launching system for aircraft. Sugoi guessed that the planet might be waiting for another invasion, but at the same time Lum had gotten down safely. Sugoi began a descent. When she reached twenty kilometers sensors reported a radar lock. It was a simple radio reflection method. The Uruseians hadn't used anything like it since they achieved space travel, which presented a problem. The shuttle could jam many of the modern tracking techniques, but it couldn't handle anything so primitive. Sugoi, however, lived by the adage, "When in doubt, improvise." A couple of the shuttle's systems still required an electric field. With a little adjustment, and a large hammer perhaps, they could be made to produce a intense enough field around the ship to short out any missile guidance system. Sugoi slowed the ship's rate of descent, and switched on the avoidance program. The shuttle couldn't outrun a missile, she believed, but it could buy her some time, and maybe, she hoped, the missiles wouldn't have much fuel. Sugoi considered briefly that the planet might have an energy weapon, but nothing in her studies about Earth indicated that kind of technology. She went to work. In moments she had her field, and just in time. Sensors were reporting a rapidly approaching object. Sugoi took the shuttle off auto, and increased her descent speed. She started moving the shuttle toward the city. Sugoi was prepared to run, if the electric field didn't work. The missile adjusted itself for her new course and continued its approach. She activated her improvisation, and was surprised by it's ferocity. Her hair shot straight up. Lightning surrounded the ship, and the missile exploded right where it was. The explosion rocked her shuttle slightly, but did no damage. Sugoi was quite pleased with herself, and sped her approach to the city. More missiles appeared, and suffered similar fates, though now Sugoi smelled something burning. The automatic fire control would take care of it. Sugoi flew low over the city, approaching her target. The radar lock on her shuttle was gone. She was too low for it. Sugoi was safe now, but could only hope that she'd be able to leave again. She set the shuttle to hover over the house where her victim slept. Wearing a personal lifter, she stepped out of the shuttle, and floated down to the house. She found the appropriate window on the second floor. With a molecular cutter, Sugoi made a hole in the glass and tossed in a stun pellet. Soon she was carrying her very own human back up to the shuttle. Once there, she placed him in restrainers and went to see if her electric field generator was still salvageable. It was a bit scorched, but she felt there might be one more charge in it. She'd have to make a run for it. Sugoi turned the shuttle and left the city as fast as she could go. The missiles were soon on her tail, and gaining on her. She activated the field. It worked, but it was weak. Smoke poured out from the circuit panel. The missiles were momentarily confused, buying her time, but they were able to lock onto her again. Fortunately, they did run out of fuel. Sugoi escaped the atmosphere untouched. She landed back in the shuttle bay just as Megane was waking up. * * * Professor Onsenmark had made arrangements for safe passage back up to the fleet for Lum's shuttle. During the entire trip up, Mendo was staring out the view ports in amazement. "Ataru, this is incredible! It's beyond anything I could have imagined." "That's saying a lot," Ataru joked. "It is. It is!" Mendo agreed. "Lum, I mean Princess . . ." "Lum's fine," Lum responded. "What's propelling the shuttle? I don't hear any engines." Lum gave Ataru a knowing glance. "It uses gravitational energy. This is just a surface to orbit shuttle. The only sound you would hear are the energy converters and what little sound they make is muffled." "I remember that Benten's ship made a lot of noise," Mendo said. "Benten flies a fighter. It has a lot more power. It's made for deep space travel, and can't rely on a nearby gravity well. It uses direct matter conversion. Benten's fighter, in particular, is extremely powerful, and noisy." Mendo looked over to Benten who sat stoicly in a corner. She was quite an enigma to Mendo. At one moment she seemed full of action and spontaneity, and then she was like she was now, quiet, lost in her own thoughts. It could be because she was the only one on the shuttle who didn't speak Japanese, but Mendo had seen her like that in the garage, as well. It made him think that there was something about her that he could understand. "Ataru, I don't understand this language thing," Mendo asked. "You and Shinobu speak their language. Lum speaks ours. So what about Benten?" "As for Shinobu and I, they have a machine that teaches you their language. I don't know about Lum." Ataru paused and turned to Lum, "I supposed you learned my language from the dreams." "That's what I thought, but I don't understand why you didn't learn mine." Ataru thought about that. "I imagine it's because we never used your language in the dreams. Everyone spoke Japanese, except your mother, but that wasn't Uruseian either." Ataru appeared confused. "My mother and I don't understand one another," Lum offered. Just then, Mendo rushed forward to the main window. They had turned toward the fleet, and Mendo was in awe. "They're beautiful!" Lum took in the compliment. "I thought they were terrifying the first time I saw them," Ataru said. "I could imagine that as well," Mendo said. Mendo's enthusiasm over the fleet broke Benten from her thoughts. She was going over her experience on the planet, and how it had affected her. "Too much," was her conclusion. She felt her carefully cultivated objectivity compromised. She watched Mendo peering out toward the fleet and jabbering to Lum and Ataru. She couldn't hurt any of them now, she felt. She had to count on Lum to turn the fleet away from Earth. She didn't like to admit that, even to herself. As she listened to the unintelligible conversation between Lum, Ataru, and Mendo, Benten was surprised to discover that she actually felt left out. She was used to being a loner. Benten was unique and alone in the fleet, and had been comfortable with it. She didn't believe she needed companionship, friends. Perhaps it was another sign of the old world falling away. In the new world that Lum and Ataru would usher in, perhaps she would make friends. Perhaps she would even learn how to love. When the shuttle finally landed, Ataru put his helmet back on. Benten was seeing to Mendo. Lum went to Benten. "Remember, back to the planet. No detours. And then I want you right back up here. Don't take any risks. We've taken too many already." Benten sighed. "Yes, Princess." Then she said, "I'm sorry about what happened. I promise to behave myself." Lum gave her friendly hit on the shoulder. "Not too much, I wouldn't recognize you." And with that Ataru and Lum left. Soon Benten had Mendo all geared up and ready for the fighter trip back. She stepped back to inspect her work. Mendo was admiring his new clothes. He looked up and their eyes met. Benten quickly turned away, but she also decided that she wasn't quite ready to take him back down. She shoved a helmet on his head, and took his hand. Mendo, not quite knowing what was going on, followed Benten back to her room. Once inside, she took off Mendo's helmet and went digging through one of the many piles of clothes which littered the room. Mendo looked around the room. It wasn't what he expected to find on a space ship. The smell was also something very different. He looked over to Benten who was bent over digging through her dirty clothes, apparently searching for something. "At least the view was good," he thought. Finally, Benten retrieved the language teacher. She smiled in triumph. "I'm not letting you go until I at least get to talk to you," she said to herself. She placed the device on Mendo's head and shoved in a disk. Mendo was becoming a little apprehensive. Benten cleared a chair and sat him down in it. She then turned on the machine. An instant of pain, and then understanding. "What is that?" Mendo said in Uruseian. "That," Benten responded, "is much better." "You speak Japanese," Mendo said. Benten just shook her head, and grinned back at him. Slowly the pieces started to come together. "I'm speaking . . ." "Bing bong." Mendo took the device off his head and began to study it. "This is an amazing device! A complete language course in a couple seconds. Anyone could learn a dozen languages is an hour." "Well they could," Benten said, and cleared another chair, "but there are really only programs for Uruseian." "Just one language? What a waste!" Benten took the teacher from Mendo. She turned it over in her hands. "Yeah, isn't it. It's the only language spoken in the Empire." "Tell me about the Empire," Mendo asked and Benten did. * * * Megane had a headache, the result of his own exposure to the language teacher. In her short time aboard ship, Sugoi had secured an extra room, which she hoped Jariten had not yet discovered. It was quite plain. Sugoi hadn't had the opportunity to decorate it. This is where Megane found himself, restrained to a chair in the center of the room, still dressed in his Sailor Moon pajamas. Sugoi's expression was ever so friendly as she removed the language teacher. "Hello," she said and waited for the usual surprise brought about by instant understanding of another language. Megane didn't have his glasses on. All he saw was a blur of green hair. "Lum! I knew you couldn't be trusted. All those kind words, and then you abduct us for your fiendish alien experiments! I'll resist you with every last ounce of my strength!" He tried to pull himself free, but there was no give in the energy restraints. Sugoi was surprised. This was a turn she hadn't expected. She wasn't sure what to make of it. Did these people have poor vision, or where they just bad at recognizing faces. In any case, if he was going to think she was Lum, she could play along. "Not at all," she whispered seductively, as she moved behind him, her hand running along his shoulder. "If it's an experiment, it's one of love. I just wanted another Terran to mate with." Megane was starting to get a little nervous. He was ready for a hot poker through his cheek, not this. He spoke, but his voice showed his uneasiness. "What do you mean? You're giving up Ataru?" "Ataru," Sugoi noted to herself. At least she got a name. She continued her game. Still behind him, she began to caress his chest. "Not exactly. I just like to shop around. I noticed you didn't like my speech this evening?" "It was nice and all," Megane responded getting nervous every time Sugoi's hands started moving down. "But I didn't believe it. As if we'd really believe that invaders would suddenly come offering peace, and a chance to join up with you. I don't care how you felt about Ataru." Sugoi had hit the jackpot. "But I feel about Ataru the same way I feel about you," she said and began licking the back of his neck. "Don't you believe that I'd let Earth rule the galaxy with Urusei for the sake of a young alien to share my bedroom?" She started her hand moving down his chest, but stopped when he stiffened up. "No!" Megane said in the high pitch of near terror. "You're just using us! Besides, I thought you said that all the planets would be given an equal voice." Sugoi stopped. She stood behind him, her eyes opened wide. "She couldn't be serious," she thought, "a revolution!" Wait until she told her uncle. All the pieces were beginning to fall into place, but there still were a few more questions. Still behind Megane, she started caressing his face. "You know I've been dreaming about you as well." "About me? But I wasn't about you. Well, I was, but not like Ataru was. He'd dream about you every night. He'd said it was almost real." "Ataru was dreaming about Lum - uh - about me?" Sugoi went around in front of Megane, but kept her distance. She sat down in another chair and feigned sadness. "I thought you'd be dreaming about me too. I wonder why it was only Ataru." "Why aren't you calling him 'Darling', anymore?" "'Darling?'" "What a strange word to call anyone." Sugoi thought. She had to assume that it was a term of endearment. "I didn't think it would be appropriate around you," she said, "If you didn't dream about me, though, maybe it's because you don't love me like Ataru does." "That's not true! I mean, yes it is! You're the enemy! Ataru's a traitor." "The enemy? Why are you so cruel?" Sugoi said, but stayed back. She figured she got as much as she could by making him nervous, now she'd see what his anger would reveal. "Cruel?" Megane laughed, "I'm on to you! You took control of Ataru, and now you're trying to control me. Well, I'm not as easy as he was." "Come now. Why would I want to control anyone on Earth?" "To get information for the invasion. You got our language from Ataru, who knows what else? You'll get nothing out of me." Sugoi forced back a smile at the irony of Megane's last statement. She'd already got quite a bit out of him. She had her proof that Earth did not have dream control. She had the name of Lum's victim. She knew that Lum got information from her contact with him. She knew the breadth of Lum's plans, total restructuring of the system of families. She weighed Megane's assessment that Lum was taking control of Ataru. It didn't add up. Lum had let it slip to Rei that she wasn't going to marry him. She still kept Ataru with her, and had given him an aristocratic accent. Also, if Lum had initiated the dreams, she wouldn't have leaked it to the rest of the Empire. Now the question was, where did the dream connection really originate from, if not from Lum or Ataru? The obvious solution to Sugoi was a third party. The very thought of a third party in this affair gave her a headache. Sugoi looked over to Megane. She still had to find out who the saboteur was and how he got on the ship, but it was late and she found herself not really caring. She sighed. Now, Sugoi too, had a Terran to hide. * * * Ataru and Lum returned together to Lum's room, and once again found Ten waiting for them. "You took your own sweet time. Have fun?" There was a bite in Ten's sarcasm. "Actually we did," Lum replied, refusing to be shaken. "And you?" Ten steepled his hands. "Well, let's see. Sugoi has almost figured out everything we're doing. She brought a Terran of her own up, so I suspect she knows everything now." "She what?!" "Oh wait, there's more. I've saved the best part. I haven't decided whether this is good or bad news, though. It seems that the analyzers brought in to study Cherry's brain scan were both Pochik men. They weren't too pleased to find their patriarch implicated, especially since they knew first hand that it wasn't true. They assumed tampering." "So they found out what we did?" Ataru asked. "No, no. This is the good part. They assumed it was the Azu's, arch-rivals of the Pochiks, who tampered with the scan. In retaliation they reedited the scan to implicate Azu Des. Both families are denying everything, and are currently remembering all the old wounds they hold between themselves." "How bad is it?" Lum asked. "Pretty bad. They're massing forces at Uinod." Lum fell into her chair, and sighed. "Uinod again. It's been a century." "You forget how old Pochik Vel is. He still remembers." Ataru was rapidly losing track of the conversation. "What's Uinod?" "I'm sorry, Darling. It's a slave planet conquered about a hundred years ago by a Pochik fleet. It was a hard battle. There were quite a few Pochik casualties. Because their fleet took the planet, when they went to the Emperor, my grandfather, they assumed that the planet would be automatically granted to them." "But it wasn't?" Ten continued the narration. "No, normally it would have been, but the Azu patriarch, Azu Cen, I believe, had done some considerable political maneuvering. Planets were exchanged, favors were called up. Uinod was rich in water and iron. The Emperor awarded the planet to the Azu's." Lum took over. "It was a bad political move on my grandfather's part. He hadn't considered the casualties of the Pochiks. They felt that they had paid for this world in blood. They didn't give it up without a fight. The imperial fleet had to intervene. It was a bloody mess. The current Pochik patriarch was on the original invasion fleet. It was his first mission." Ten completed the story. "There's been a cold war between the families ever since. Not that this is the only problem between the families, their feud is centuries old, but this is a major one." "How about the other families?" Lum asked. "It's all too new. The other families haven't reacted yet, but you can be sure they'll all get involved on the usual sides." "And my father?" "No word yet, but I assume that he'll get in touch with you first. He'll want the fleet." "But all we did was change the name on a brain scan," Ataru said. "We lit a fuse," Ten answered him. "I should have seen this coming." "If it wasn't this it would have been something else," Lum consoled him. "Don't blame yourself." She closed her eyes and began rubbing her temples. "Do you think they'll go to war?" "Yes. They've drawn the lines. You know how stubborn both families can be. People from both families have requested leave." "How are repairs going?" "As you'd expect. They've barely had a chance to clear the rubble." Lum stood and went toward one of the walls. She absently studied it, tracing the seams with her finger. Reaching a decision, she made a fist and slammed it into the wall. "Computer! Communications: Bridge," she commanded. "Yes, Princess," came a voice. It was a young voice, a night watch lieutenant. "What's your family name?" Lum asked. "Seq, Princess." "Good. I want you to wake up the generals. Have them meet me in the conference room in a hundredth." "Yes, Princess." "Thank you. Out." "What are you going to do?" Ataru asked. This ship won't be ready for interstellar travel for a week and a half, if we pushed it. I'll have to leave it. We'll leave a skeleton crew. We'd best let the Pochik's and the Azu's go. I don't want the war breaking out in the halls." "If you do that," Ten offered, "you leave the Seq's with a larger majority." "Can't be helped." "What can I do?" Ataru asked. Lum turned to Ataru and then to Ten. "I want to be able to announce him as soon as possible." Ten was surprised. "I would still like to be cautious. Once you announce him, he becomes a target. Also you'll lose all Seq support, plus a couple of their supporters. We can't afford that now." Lum got an idea. "How much is Rei in Ran's grip?" "He went to her on his own tonight. I'd say pretty well." "Just to get him out in the open, what if Rei announced that Darling was his servant who he assigned to protect me during the war?" Ten thought. "I don't know if Rei is quite ready to be on our side yet, and Sugoi is still on board. She's certainly not going to buy that story." "You've already said that Sugoi's probably on to us. We're going to have to silence her anyway." "You don't want her killed, do you? She is Rei's sister." "I don't want her killed," Lum said. "Ten, you have such a violent mind." "Occupational hazard." "We could leave her on Earth," Ataru offered. "I also was just thinking of leaving her on Earth," Lum agreed. "And how do we get her there? We don't have much time." Lum tried to organize her thoughts. She knew she could work all this, she just had to figure out how. "Ten," she began, "go to the conference room. Tell the Azu and Pochik generals that they and their people are excused. After they're gone, explain our situation to the rest and see if you can set up the crew transfer. I'm going to find Rei. I'll be there as soon as I can." "I'm not the most respected individual among the brass around here." "You're working on my authority. Tell them that I'll be on my way. They'll start arguing anyway, so I'll have time. Just don't let it get physical." "I love these assignments she gives me," Ten said to Ataru. "One more thing, Rei is probably with Ran, and it's late. I don't think he'll want to talk right now." "We don't have the time. Besides, catching him in the act, as it were, will greatly help my argument." Lum was thinking furiously, trying to figure how to argue this to Rei. It would have to be simple. Ataru asked again, "What about me?" "You," Lum said, "are going to meet Rei. Let's go." Lum went for the door. Ataru shrugged his shoulders and followed her. Ten watched them go. "I'm impressed," he thought, "If she handles it right, this civil war could be just what she needs." [End of Part 8]