INTERLUDE  

Establishing Shot:  A tombstone marked:

                                 SAOTOME AKANE
                                 1977 - 2062
                           Beloved Wife and Mother
                         "Where she was, was Eden."  

A man's hand places a bouquet of red carnations in front of the tombstone, 
and traces out the symbols in the name.  Suddenly, the hand stops.

                                 V.O. (RANMA)
                    He was here.  BEAT  Why?

                                SHAMPOO (O.S.)
                    Husband.  We need to talk.  

The hand clenches for a moment.  The view changes to show SHAMPOO, who is 
wearing a beige trench coat over her uniform.

                                 RANMA (O.S.)
                    I have exactly nothing to say to you
                    Shan Pu.  I told you, when last we
                    spoke, that we no longer lived in
                    the same world.

                                    SHAMPOO
                    And I had every intention to respec--

                                 RANMA (O.S.)
                    Respect?  Shampoo, if you had *ever*
                    respected me, you would've kept your
                    word when you said "We'll never meet
                    again" to me.

                                    SHAMPOO
                    This is not the time to drag out old
                    grudges --

                                 RANMA (O.S.)
                    You're right, I shouldn't be forever
                    hateful towards you because you just
                    stood and watched while the Ghoul
                    beat Ucchan to death.  

SHAMPOO is trying to keep her temper and not succeeding very well.

                                    SHAMPOO
                    Ukyou issued the challenge, h--
                    Ranma.  I would not have interfered
                    either way.

                                 RANMA (O.S.)
                    Probably not -- either way, you came
                    out the winner, didn'tcha?  One way
                    you get rid of Cologne, so that your
                    claim to the Joketsuzoku leadership
                    is unquestioned -- and the other,
                    you get rid of Ukyou.  I'd almost
                    suspect that you engineered the
                    whole thing, but you're not nearly
                    smart enough to have done that.  

SHAMPOO is right at the boiling point.  Her voice is very strained.

                                    SHAMPOO
                    Ranma, I have come here to tell you
                    something IMPORTANT.

                                 RANMA (O.S.)
                    That's nice.  I'm not going to pay
                    any attention to you.  Tell me what
                    it is so I can leave.

                                    SHAMPOO
                    Ryouga --

                                 RANMA (O.S.)
                    -- is in Tokyo, and he wants a
                    rematch, sorry, not interested, just
                    passing through, bye.  

We see a pair of slippered feet walking away from SHAMPOO, who is shaking 
in anger.

                                    SHAMPOO
                    WHISPERED Ranma no baka.  

In a blink of an eye, SHAMPOO is caught in a single handed grip around her 
neck, another hand is held up and is glowing with his battle aura. 
RANMA's voice is tight with cold fury.

                                 RANMA (O.S.)
                    If you ever, ever, ever say those
                    words to me again I will *forget*
                    that I swore to never kill again,
                    Shampoo.  

SHAMPOO, although her face clearly expresses the pain that she's in, 
manages to swivel so that she lands an ankle blow into RANMA's side, 
startling him enough that his grip around her neck loosens, and allowing 
her to slip free.  She jumps backwards, landing several feet away, in a 
ready stance, with one of her bonbori slipping out of the arm of her 
trenchcoat.

                                 RANMA (O.S.)
                    Just out of curiousity, if I beat
                    you again is that grounds for
                    divorce?  

SHAMPOO is breathing heavily.

                                    SHAMPOO
                    Ranma!  Shampoo not come here to
                    fight with you.  Shampoo come to
                    tell Ranma what you *not* know!

                                 RANMA (O.S.)
                    Reverting to type?  What don't I
                    know?

                                    SHAMPOO
                    Shampoo thinks Ryouga working with
                    your daughter!

                         An Inevitable Outcome Feature

                             Written and Directed
                            by C. Richard Davies

                                TOGETHER AGAIN

                                 2937 Chapter

                             Based on the works of
                      Naoko Takeuchi, Rumiko Takahashi,
                    Suzuki Toshimichi, Haruka Takachiho,
                        Hiroki Hayashi, Yuuki Masami,
                     and various interpretations therof.

                  Dedicated to Gryphon, MegaZone, and ReRob.

                                   Act III   


Establishing Shot:  A tidy living room, with lots of Sailor Senshi 
memorabilia decorating the walls.  Centered on the wall above the couch is 
a blown up photograph of Mina, Lita, Amy, and Raye standing around Serena 
and Darien on their wedding day.  The sliding door opens up, and SHEILA 
walks in, looking tired.

                                    SHEILA
                    Mom?

                                JUPITER (O.S.)
                    I'm in the kitchen!  

SHEILA drops the video camera she's been toting around on the couch, and 
heads over to the swinging kitchen door.  In the kitchen, JUPITER (dressed 
in casual clothes, an apron, and oven gloves) is cooking up a storm -- 
desserts of all sorts line the counter, in various stages of mixing and 
cooling.  She pauses to look smilingly at SHEILA.

                                    JUPITER
                    Hi, sweety.  BEAT  I guess you
                    heard?

                                    SHEILA
                    One of my friends in the Checker
                    Club told me as soon as the list got
                    there.  One million names!  How?

                                    JUPITER
                    Probably the various groups that are
                    trying to get this thing through
                    called in all their favours -- and
                    you can be pretty sure that they've
                    got their butts covered.  Nobody on
                    that list is going to be ineligible
                    to vote -- having the Department go
                    to work is just buying us some time,
                    really.

                                    SHEILA
                    Time that you're spending making
                    brownies?

                                    JUPITER
                    SHRUGS Raye fences.  Amy does her
                    yoga.  I cook.  Don't ask me how
                    Serenity deals with stress, because
                    I don't know.  

SHEILA picks up one of the cooling dishes, and takes a bite.

                                    SHEILA
                    Um.  Major chocolate hit.  So what
                    happens now?

                                    JUPITER
                    SIGH Now Serenity and Lord Tenchi
                    have a private strategy session to
                    decide what to do if the vote goes
                    against us.  Which is why I'm here,
                    instead of watching over her like I
                    should be.  

The buzzer on the oven sounds, and JUPITER heads over to take a tray of 
cookies out of the oven, while simultaneously sliding in a cake pan.

                                    SHEILA
                    Do you think it will?  Go against
                    the alliance, I mean?

                                    JUPITER
                    SHAKES HEAD No idea, Sheila, none.
                    Each of the five times that Ordene
                    and his cronies have brought a
                    petition to junk Serenity in favor
                    of an elected President, the vote
                    has gotten a little bit closer to
                    even.  This isn't, in the minds of
                    the voters, as big an issue as that.
                    But all we can do is get the truth
                    out as much as possible, and hope
                    they do the right thing.

                                    SHEILA
                    Without meaning to sound cynical,
                    what is the truth this time?

                                    JUPITER
                    That if Jurai, the largest planetary
                    confederation in the galaxy, steps
                    away from Earth, we'll be assailed
                    by "warm invitations" to join the
                    various local groups ... and if we
                    should choose to ignore or refuse
                    all those offers, the invitations
                    will get cooler.  And sooner or
                    later they'll stop *being* requests,
                    and start being orders.  BEAT And
                    then there will be war, and we'll
                    lose.  

SHEILA swallows.

                                    SHEILA
                    Even with our four new super-
                    carriers and Space Battleship
                    Mihoshi?

                                    JUPITER
                    Dear, the Centauri Republic has
                    over three hundred carriers of the
                    same class as the Enterprise, the
                    Yamato, the Macroix, and the Skylark
                    -- along with enough Mobile Suits to
                    blot out the sun.  And the Centauri
                    aren't the largest confederation --
                    just the closest, and the one with
                    the most ties to the other Solar
                    governments.

                                    SHEILA
                    Then WHY?  Why are these people
                    being so blind?  I just don't --

                                    JUPITER
                    Because the Jurains aren't human,
                    and there's enough xenophobia left
                    in humanity to lead them to think
                    that an alliance with any human
                    power is better than one with a
                    non-human one.  Because it's a way
                    to challenge Serenity's authority
                    without appearing disloyal.  And
                    for some of them, because they're
                    *so* loyal to Serenity that they
                    can't stand the implication that she
                    might *need* support from outsiders.

                                    SHEILA
                    You mean --

                                    JUPITER
                    One of the first five names on the
                    petition was the current Archdeacon
                    of the Cult of Serenity. BEAT
                    People can be blind when it comes to
                    things they feel strongly about.
                    BEAT Well, that cake's going to be
                    a while.  Aside from everything, how
                    did your day go?  

SHEILA is lost in thought, and seems reluctant to reply.  JUPITER begins 
to chop up some carrots.

                                    SHEILA
                    I ... met someone interesting.

                                    JUPITER
                    Who?

                                    SHEILA
                    PAUSE Priscilla Asagiri.  

JUPITER pauses in her chopping, then resumes with a calm expression.

                                    JUPITER
                    Really?

                                    SHEILA
                    Mom ... she said that you ...

                                    JUPITER
                    Sheila, Priscilla Asagiri is a very
                    bad person.  A long time ago, she
                    did something so horrible that I
                    don't want to talk about it.  I was
                    against the idea of allowing her to
                    come out of cryosleep, and I would
                    just as soon see her put back for
                    the rest of eternity.  BEAT But if
                    you want to have her as a friend, I
                    will not stop you.  But I'm only
                    going to warn you once -- she is an
                    unreliable person, and if you trust
                    her, I think she'll betray you.  Do
                    not bring her home.  

JUPITER has cut the carrots into a thousand thin slices, and her knife has 
been thunking into the cutting board for some time now.  She abruptly 
realizes this, and stops.

                                    SHEILA
                    Mom ...  

JUPITER does not look up as she speaks, instead sliding the sliced carrots 
into a bowl.

                                    JUPITER
                    I only want what's best for you,
                    daughter.  But I've long since
                    realized that I can't protect you
                    from everything.  BEAT Just don't
                    bring her home.  

SHEILA opens her mouth, then closes it, and nods.

                                    SHEILA
                    Would it be okay if I crashed here?
                    I don't want to go back to my pad
                    this late.  

JUPITER looks up, and smiles.

                                    JUPITER
                    Of course, sweety.  

Cut to SERENITY's throne room.  SERENITY is seated on her throne with her 
fingers steepled, while TENCHI holds the large folder in his hands and 
reads it.  Finally, TENCHI closes the folder with a frustrated expression.

                                    TENCHI
                    And there's no way to stop it?

                                   SERENITY
                    None.  By noon, the Department of
                    Examinations will have confirmed
                    that it is a valid petition.  And
                    tomorrow, the vote begins.

                                    TENCHI
                    I can't believe that you didn't give
                    yourself *some* power of veto ...
                    for foreign affairs, at the very
                    least.

                                   SERENITY
                    I have an absolute power of veto,
                    Tenchi.  BEAT  But each time that
                    I have exercised that power over an
                    issue of this significance, another
                    petition has been immediately formed
                    to have me removed from the throne.

                                    TENCHI
                    But if you exercised the veto *now*,
                    we'd have more breathing --  

SERENITY shakes her head.

                                   SERENITY
                    They will undoubtably have drawn up
                    a petition, incorporating all of the
                    names, asking for my resignation "in
                    light of my manifest disregard for
                    the wishes of the people".  Of
                    course, those who have no desire to
                    see me removed but who have made
                    common cause with those who *do*,
                    will doubtless have been assured
                    that it is only a device to compel
                    my compliance with the `real' issue.
                    SIGH

                                    TENCHI
                    DISGUSTED Timocracy.  I don't
                    pretend to understand what you were
                    thinking of when you came up with
                    this system, Serenity.  Nobody
                    questions *my* decrees.

                                   SERENITY
                    MILD No, but if a powerful noble
                    disagrees with them, he will simply
                    leave court, and pretend that you
                    and indeed the rest of the universe
                    does not exist.  And if he is a
                    sufficiently powerful noble, his
                    refusal to have his family engage in
                    commerce with other parts of the
                    empire can prove financially
                    disastrous for both sides in the
                    dispute.  HARD  What was I
                    thinking of?  I was thinking of the
                    people of Earth, many of whom had
                    fought a war on my behalf, against
                    autocratic tyrants whose acts would
                    make your blood run cold if I were
                    to describe them.  Would you like to
                    hear about the fascinating practices
                    involving salvaged body parts that
                    the people of Zalem engaged in?
                    About the vampire lords that ruled
                    much of Northeastern Europe? BEAT
                    I fought a war against dictators,
                    Tenchi.  I was determined not to
                    become one myself.  So I gave all
                    the true power into the hands of the
                    people.  Timocracy:  the ultimate
                    form of democracy, eliminating the
                    concepts of representation and
                    politics.  Or so it seemed.  Perhaps
                    it was the last flare of the naivete
                    that everyone found so irritating
                    during Serena's adolescence. BEAT
                    I will not use the veto this time.
                    In fact, in every previous instance
                    of my use of the veto, I was, in the
                    end, compelled to make concessions
                    to those whom I had vetoed.  And how
                    would I do that in this situation?
                    Give you a stern talking-to about
                    your human rights violations in
                    public?

                                    TENCHI
                    Human rights violations?!  What --

                                   SERENITY
                    The right of humanity to dominate
                    everything, of course.  For some of
                    those poor fanatics, that is exactly
                    what all this is about.

                                    TENCHI
                    SIGH Yeah.  I should have guessed
                    that from what that assassin was
                    spouting.  BEAT He's still in
                    custody?  

SERENITY gives TENCHI a hard stare.

                                    TENCHI
                    That's not what I meant!

                                   SERENITY
                    Our legal system is swift, but not
                    that swift.  He will be tried the
                    day after tomorrow, assuming all
                    goes according to plan.  

There is a pause, and then they share a slow smile.

                               TENCHI & SERENITY
                    "Which will be a pleasant change."  

After a brief spurt of almost hysterical laughter, they both sigh.

                                    TENCHI
                    My grandfather told me to seize my
                    own destiny.

                                   SERENITY
                    I was told to expect a millenium of
                    silence.  Another exchange of looks.

                                   SERENITY
                    Come, we have been at this enough.
                    My husband misses me, and doubtless
                    your wives ...  

TENCHI nods ruefully.  SERENITY stands up, stretches, and walks with 
TENCHI to the doors of the throne room.  Our view of them as they exit is 
from high above -- they seem very small and fragile.  

Cut to a passageway.  The CHIEF walks briskly down the corridor, 
accompanied by SMITHERS, his younger assistant.  They come to a door, and 
SMITHERS presses a pad beside it.  The door slides open, revealing a 
lounge in which KEI is seated on a large couch facing the large screen of 
a television, behind which YURI is fiddling with the wiring.  YURI freezes 
as the CHIEF and SMITHERS enter; they pause to stare at her.

                                     CHIEF
                    Is something the matter?

                                     YURI
                    Uh ... yeah!  This darn set was only
                    getting a lot of static, so I tried
                    to fix it ... and it doesn't make
                    any sense at all!

                                     CHIEF
                    Really?  BEAT  Well, I'll have a
                    tech take a look at it later today.
                    I daresay you wouldn't have enjoyed
                    the programming in any event --
                    government controlled news is so
                    unappetizing ...

                                     YURI
                    Oh, right.  I hadn't thought of
                    that.  Silly me!  

YURI comes to sit beside KEI (who is, one should note, holding a remote 
control) on the couch.

                                      KEI
                    Listen, Mr. ... you know, you still
                    haven't told us your name.

                                     CHIEF
                    Understandably, I would prefer to
                    remain anonymous -- but you may
                    refer to me as Mr. Deacon.

                                      KEI
                    Right.  We're grateful that you've
                    brought us out of the cold, and all
                    that, but there's no way that you'd
                    do all this without expecting some
                    sort of compensation.  So ...

                                     CHIEF
                    You're wondering what do we want?
                    SMILE What we all want -- a better
                    tomorrow.  But what you really want
                    to know is, what do we want the two
                    of you to do to ensure that we get
                    it?  

KEI and YURI nod.

                                     CHIEF
                    You may have guessed that we -- my
                    organization -- is dedicated to
                    removing Neo Queen Serenity from
                    power.  We have, until this point,
                    pursued our objectives within the
                    boundaries of the law, but recent
                    events have convinced us that it's
                    no longer enough to do so.  We must
                    now ...  

YURI holds up a hand.

                                     YURI
                    Before you go any further, I should
                    warn you that we don't do wet work.

                                     CHIEF
                    BLINKS I beg your pardon?

                                      KEI
                    We're not contract killers.  If
                    you're trying to sell us on the idea
                    of taking out this Serenity chick,
                    you can stop right where you are.

                                     CHIEF
                    I will admit that the thought had
                    crossed my mind ... but a perusal
                    of the historical records about you
                    convinced me to not do so.  While
                    the two of you are responsible for
                    untold loss of life and property
                    damage --  

KEI and YURI tense up.

                                     CHIEF
                    QUICKLY -- anyone can see that it
                    wasn't your fault.  

They ease down, but are clearly irritated by the way that this is 
going.

                                     CHIEF
                    In any case, we realized that
                    killing Serenity would only make her
                    a martyr to those who have taken her
                    cause as their own.  So we came up
                    with another plan altogether ...  

SMITHERS sets a small device down on the coffee table in front of the 
Lovely Angels.  The CHIEF produces a pointer, with which he gestures at 
the device, causing a hologram of the solar system to project.  It focuses 
in on Earth and the moon.

                                     CHIEF
                    Serenity's authority is more or less
                    limited to Earth and those orbital
                    stations which have accepted her
                    rule.  The Moon is largely neutral,
                    a place of commerce and diplomacy.
                    If Serenity could be kidnapped or
                    otherwise compelled to travel to
                    the Moon, we have recieved the
                    assurances of several of the local
                    confederations that she would be
                    tried for her crimes against
                    humanity.

                                      KEI
                    So you want us to do the kidnapping?  

The CHIEF gestures again, and a large "X" appears in the hologram, with a 
buzzing noise.  KEI and YURI stare at it.

                                     CHIEF
                    SMIRK Sorry.  SERIOUS No, we've
                    found a group of mercenaries willing
                    to undertake that mission.  What we
                    want the two of you to do is *much*
                    simpler.  We want you to escort
                    Serenity, under guard, to the Lunar
                    colonies.

                                      KEI
                    Huh?  Why?

                                     CHIEF
                    You have to understand, the era that
                    the two of you originate in is
                    looked back upon as a golden age by
                    many of the governments of the
                    galaxy.  The intervention of the
                    WWWA was always seen as the final
                    sign that things had gotten out of
                    control -- that stern measures had
                    to be taken.  The symbolic impact of
                    the legendary Lovely Angels handing
                    over Neo Queen Serenity for trial
                    could be immense.  It would be like
                    saying to her followers that the
                    Galaxy as a whole condemns her to
                    her fate.

                                     YURI
                    Would that really make a difference?

                                     CHIEF
                    Not to her most fanatical followers,
                    no.  They're the sort of maniacs who
                    would gladly give their lives to let
                    her advance her plans a bit.  But we
                    could reach the less dedicated among
                    them ... and it would have an effect
                    on the neutral, silent majority.
                    BEAT Well, Kei?  Yuri?  Will you
                    help us?  

There is a long, uncomfortable pause.

                                      KEI
                    Yeah.  To escort her?  Yeah, I think
                    we can handle that.  Yuri?  

YURI nods slowly.

                                     CHIEF
                    Excellent!  Assuming all goes to
                    plan -- which doesn't happen all
                    that often, I'll grant you -- the
                    kidnapping should take place in two
                    days ... please, make yourselves at
                    home here, until then.  Ladies.  

He bows, and heads out, followed by SMITHERS.  The door closes behind 
them.

                                      KEI
                    Does this whole set-up feel as weird
                    to you as it does to me?

                                     YURI
                    Maybe even weirder.  BEAT  Damn,
                    that was close ... a few seconds
                    later, and ...

                                      KEI
                    ... and he'd have seen an even more
                    messed up T.V.  Do you have any idea
                    what you're doing?

                                     YURI
                    Hey!  Give me a little credit.  T.V.
                    technology hasn't changed that much
                    in ... eight hundred years.  A few
                    more seconds, and I'd've had access
                    to any channel you wanted, instead
                    of that one we were getting on all
                    the stations.

                                      KEI
                    Really?

                                     YURI
                    Why do you doubt me?

                                      KEI
                    I *know* you.  BEAT  We've got to
                    get another POV on what's going on
                    here.  I don't trust that guy.  Get
                    to work.  

YURI makes a face at KEI, but starts working on the TV.

                                     YURI
                    What I don't get ... is why I get
                    those ... hunches too.  After ...
                    all, I'm not the one ... with the
                    alien ancestors ...

                                      KEI
                    Geez ... it's been eight hundred
                    years and you still haven't forgiven
                    me for not telling you about that.  

YURI glares at her.

                                     YURI
                    It's been *two* years, and it wasn't
                    fun finding it out while we were
                    infiltrating that xenophobic militia
                    group, when they ran you through a
                    DNA scanner and we almost got
                    killed!

                                      KEI
                    Two ... eight hundred ... same diff.
                    So my great-grandmother was an E.T.
                    ... `they' don't all have psychic
                    abilities, you know. BEAT  And
                    whose grandfather worked as a psi-
                    detective on Centauri Prime?  Until
                    he got busted for playing the races?

                                     YURI
                    Oh sure, Kei, dig up that old family
                    scandal!

                                      KEI
                    Turnabout is fair play, Yuri!  

Cut to a shot of a monitor showing them squabbling.  SMITHERS watches with 
a cold smile in a darkened room.  

Cut to a large building out in the middle of nowhere.  Those familiar with 
"Mobile Police Patlabor" will recognize it at once as the headquarters of 
the infamous Second Unit of the SV2 Division -- or at least, a reasonable 
facsimile thereof.  It is early morning as PRISS, in her motorcycle 
leathers, zooms up the dirt road to the entrance on her hovercycle.  She 
comes to a stop near the huge garage doors, gets off,, pulls of her 
helmet, and shakes out her hair, before ambling into the garage.  

Several labors are in the process of being repaired or possibly upgraded. 
It's a noisy process, and the shouts of workers barely rise over the 
squeal of metal being soldered and bent.  PRISS stares up at the humanoid 
mecha with a distrusting expression -- then shakes her head.

                                     PRISS
                    Nothing more than a great big
                    motoslave.

                                 MEGUMI (O.S.)
                    Well, they're a little more advanced
                    than one of *those*, I think.  

PRISS turns around to see a short-haired young woman (MORISATO MEGUMI) 
wearing beige work coveralls with extensive "oil" stains on them and a set 
of high tech eye protectors that incorporate a holographic heads-up- 
display.  (Think Sailor Mercury's visor and you've got the general idea).

                                    MEGUMI
                    Priss Asagiri, am I right?

                                     PRISS
                    Uh, yeah.  I'm here to see Chief
                    Izumi ...  

PRISS trails off and stares at MEGUMI, who seems oblivious to her 
scrutiny.

                                    MEGUMI
                    She told us to be expecting you, and
                    to send you up to the office.  

MEGUMI jerks her head up at the catwalk above, where there are a number of  
offices, one of which is lit from within.  PRISS follows her gesture for a 
moment, then goes back to staring at MEGUMI.

                                    MEGUMI
                    So you should just head on is there
                    something wrong?

                                     PRISS
                    BLINKS Uh?  Oh.  No.  Well.  Have
                    we met somewhere before?

                                    MEGUMI
                    THINKS Nnnno, I don't think so.  I
                    died when you were probably still in
                    diapers.

                                     PRISS
                    Say what?

                                    MEGUMI
                    Long story, and you'd just have to
                    hear it again from the chief, so you
                    should head up to talk to her.  See
                    ya round, Palladin.  

PRISS watches MEGUMI walk off and start bellowing orders to the crews 
working on the labors.  PRISS heads for the stairs, muttering to herself 
as she climbs.

                                     PRISS
                    There must be something in the water
                    that makes everyone in this crazy,
                    nutcase city act like they've got a
                    hundred state secrets, and they
                    can't *help* but *hint* at what they
                    know, but Whoever forbid that they
                    ever *explain* anything.  BEAT And
                    I'm really starting to get tired of
                    meeting all these people I feel like
                    I *oughta* know but don't ...  

We see NOA eating some miso soup for breakfast at her desk.  PRISS flings 
open the door, and walks in, still in a huff.

                                      NOA
                    Good morning, Ms. Asagiri.

                                     PRISS
                    Where do I know you from?  

NOA stares at her confusedly.

                                      NOA
                    Well, we met in the anteroom at the
                    palace --

                                     PRISS
                    That's not what I meant.  I think I
                    know you from somewhere else, and I
                    wanna know how I know you.

                                      NOA
                    Hum.  I don't think that I ever met
                    you ... one of my granddaughters was
                    quite a fan of yours, but ...

                                     PRISS
                    Lemme guess, you're an immortal?

                                      NOA
                    Nope.  I'm a clone.  BEAT  My name
                    is Noa Izumi the Second.  I was born
                    for the first time that I know of in
                    1978, and was one of the first
                    officers assigned to the Second Unit
                    of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police's
                    Special Vehicle Division -- the
                    second Labor crimes squad formed.
                    Maybe you saw me on the news ... by
                    the 2030s we'd been almost forgotten,
                    after the SV2 was merged with the AD
                    Police, but it wouldn't be a total
                    impossibility.

                                     PRISS
                    You're a clone, huh?  Did they steal
                    your DNA?

                                      NOA
                    ANGRY *They* did no such thing.
                    The Senshi took my DNA with my
                    permission, and made a recording of
                    my memories, right before I ...
                    passed on. BEAT After a while,
                    they realized that they needed a
                    Patlabor squad, and grew my new body
                    for me -- so none of that talk about
                    *stealing* DNA.  Nobody *owns* their
                    genetic pattern ... it is given to
                    us by our parents, and we hold it in
                    trust for our children ... and their
                    children.  

She has an odd expression when she says the last.

                                     PRISS
                    But you aren't considered to be the
                    old you.

                                      NOA
                    So what?  *I* know that I am, and
                    that's all that really matters.  The
                    Senshi have given me a second chance
                    at life, and an opportunity to do a
                    job that I love. I may not always
                    agree with their policies, but I
                    will always be grateful.  

PRISS shakes her head.

                                     PRISS
                    Okay, whatever ... I've been given a
                    short explanation of what happened
                    to your `labor pool' --  

NOA holds up a hand, looking pained.

                                      NOA
                    Please.  I've heard *all* the puns,
                    at least once in both lifetimes.  

PRISS smiles, obviously not sorry.

                                     PRISS
                    Sorry.  Three of them were stolen
                    from your main storage facility in
                    Crystal Tokyo, right?

                                      NOA
                    NODS Doing a lot of damage to it,
                    which is why we're temporarily
                    quartered out here.

                                     PRISS
                    What I don't get is why were they
                    able to get away so easily?  I'd
                    think that you'd have plenty of
                    reports about giant mecha running
                    away from the place ...

                                      NOA
                    We think -- and this is just a
                    theory -- that they loaded them onto
                    hovertrucks and took them up.

                                     PRISS
                    Up?  

NOA stares at her for a long moment.

                                      NOA
                    Yes.  Up.  BEAT  You mean to tell
                    me that you haven't taken your hover
                    cycle up for a flight?

                                     PRISS
                    I've only had the thing a week.  And
                    I don't like the thought of zipping
                    around a thousand feet up exposed to
                    the air.  It sounds too much like
                    hanging onto the wing of a plane
                    while in flight.

                                      NOA
                    Well, the hovertruck drivers wouldn't
                    have had that problem, being inside
                    the cabs ...

                                     PRISS
                    Okay, then wouldn't they show up on
                    radar?

                                      NOA
                    SHAKES HEAD We checked.  They must
                    have been just under the legal max
                    altitude -- high enough not to be
                    easily made out, but low enough not
                    to get cited.  

PRISS frowns.

                                     PRISS
                    Okay ... I'm not sure where to go
                    from here.  BEAT Maybe I could
                    scope for clues at the crime scene.

                                      NOA
                    Sounds like a good idea.  I've
                    taken the liberty of assigning you
                    a liason officer.  YELLS NURIKO!
                    NORMAL I'm sure the lieutenant
                    will be glad to assist you in any
                    way ...

                                     PRISS
                    Uh, I prefer to work alone ...  

NURIKO enters at a run, and salutes.

                                    NURIKO
                    Lieutenant Chou Ryuuen, reporting as
                    ordered, sir.

                                      NOA
                    Lieutenant, this is Priscilla
                    Asagiri, the Palladin.

                                    NURIKO
                    Milady.  BOWS  If you'd call me by
                    my nickname, Nuriko, I'd be honored.  

PRISS is silent for a long moment.

                                     PRISS
                    Riiiight.  

NOA covers a smile with a cough.

                                      NOA
                    Nuriko, Ms. Asagiri expressed an
                    interest in seeing the main facility
                    downtown.  Please escort her, and
                    assist her in any way possible.

                                    NURIKO
                    Yes, sir!  

NURIKO holds the door open for PRISS.

                                    NURIKO
                    Right this way, Milady.  

PRISS heads out the door, and speaks without looking at NURIKO.

                                     PRISS
                    If you call me Milady one more time,
                    I'm gonna strangle you with that
                    ponytail of yours.  

NURIKO makes an ugly face at PRISS' back.

                                     PRISS
                    Let's go ...  

They head out.  NOA smiles wearily, shaking her head and settling back 
into her chair.

                                      NOA
                    Stolen DNA ... more like saved.  

NOA yawns suddenly, and her eyes begin to droop closed.  We see the room 
from her point of view.  Her eyelids close most of the way, then come all 
the way open ... then slowly slide closed.  

In the darkness, there is a distant thunder.  There is another, and we 
realize that it's actually an explosion.  Eyes blink open, and we see the 
inside of a labor -- a complicated array of controls in a fairly cramped 
space, in front of a cracked window.  Our view is tipped sideways.

                                  NOA (V.O.)
                    Huh?  BEAT Oh.  Damn, I must have
                    blacked out for a second ...  

NOA's arms reach into our view from the right, reaching for the maneuver 
controls.  (In case it's not obvious, we are seeing these events through 
NOA's POV.)

                                  NOA (V.O.)
                    I'm okay.  Alphonse, are you okay?
                    BEAT I'll take that as a yes.  Now
                    let's get you upright ...

                                 ASUMA (RADIO)
                    Noa!

                                  NOA (V.O.)
                    Asuma!  I'm okay ... just got w-

                                 ASUMA (RADIO)
                    Noa!

                                  NOA (V.O.)
                    Asuma?  BEAT Asuma, talk to me!

                                 ASUMA (RADIO)
                    Damn you, you metal BASTARDS!  

There is the sound of a powerful engine revving up not far away.

                                  NOA (V.O.)
                    WHISPERED Oh no.  The radio ...  

NOA's arms reach for the window, but she's restrained by her safety 
harness.  She fumbles with the straps.

                                 ASUMA (RADIO)
                    YOU KILLED MY WIFE!  

The Mark III Shinohara Armored Battlemover Carrier roars into view.  It's 
a tank-based vehicle, but lacks an artillery piece.  A handful of mounted 
smallarms are blazing away as it roars across our point of view ... 
blazing more or less ineffectively at the handful of Boomers crawling over 
it.  The Boomers themselves resemble a more advanced "Doberman" type (in 
other words, even more like the Alien than normal).

                                  NOA (V.O.)
                    ASUMA!  NO!  I'M ALL RIGHT!

                                 ASUMA (RADIO)
                    DIEEEEEEEEE!  

There is a sudden huge explosion that paints the world outside the window 
a reddish orange.  A deformed boomer head lands a few hundred feet away. 
For a few moments, NOA's arms are frozen.  Then she starts to tear at the 
restraints, freeing her upper body and her legs, then slamming her booted 
feet into the window until it shatters.  

We see, through a haze, NOA work her way out of the head of an Ingram 
labor which is lying on its side.  She turns to look towards the side ... 
and freezes again, before slowly pulling off her helmet.  Her once red 
hair has gone completely gray, and from her appearance, she's in her 
sixties.  

She is staring at a crater a few hundred yards away, in which is the 
hulking ruin of a self-destructed Mark III Shinohara Armored Battlemover 
Carrier.

                                      NOA
                    Asuma ... husband ...  

Cut to the inside of a medical tent.  The sounds of the wounded -- 
moaning, groaning, weeping, and gasping -- are clear.  In the distance, we 
can hear the sounds of explosions, and gunshots.  NOA is seated on a cot, 
swathed in a blanket, clutching a cup in both hands.  Her face makes it 
plain that she is in shock.  A woman in a white nurse's dress holding a 
kettle walks up to her, but NOA doesn't acknowledge her existance.  Her 
face is hidden, but her voice is unmistakably that of TENDOU AKANE.

                                 AKANE (O.S.)
                    Would you like some more tea?  

NOA doesn't look up.

                                      NOA
                    Please.  

AKANE pours the tea into the cup.  NOA sips slowly.  We see, from the 
rear, a man in a brown trenchcoat approaching them.  AKANE looks up (we 
see her face for the first time -- she appears to be in her mid-thirties) 
and steps away quickly.  He comes to stand in front of NOA silently. 
After a long moment, NOA looks up.  

GOTO KIICHI is almost completely unchanged from his days as the commanding 
officer of the Second Unit of the SV2 Division -- there are only a few 
more lines on his face.  He looks down at NOA with his usual lazy, 
melancholy expression.

                                     GOTO
                    Hello, Noa.  It's been a while.  

NOA blinks twice.  GOTO pulls up a chair and settles to sit in front of 
her so that they are on the same level.

                                     GOTO
                    I wish that I'd had more time to
                    talk to both you and Shinohara ...
                    but there wasn't.  Revolutionary
                    leaders don't have that sort of
                    time available to them, I guess.

                                      NOA
                    ... Captain?  

GOTO nods absently.

                                     GOTO
                    A friend of mine -- his name was
                    Lethbridge-Stewart -- would have
                    made a comment about old soldiers --
                    but I'm not a soldier.  Neither were
                    any of you.  And I'm sorry that I
                    let any of you get drawn into this.
                    BEAT They found what was left of
                    Ohta's labor a few hours ago.
                    Shinshi was standing guard over it,
                    but with his wounds ... SHAKES
                    HEAD  And Shinobu ...

                                      NOA
                    Nagumo ... Shinobu?  

GOTO sighs, and shakes his head.

                                      NOA
                    Shinobu ... my daughter ...

                                     GOTO
                    NODS It seems that the rumors of
                    a system to coordinate the Boomer
                    actions are correct.  BEAT I'm
                    sorry, Noa.  

NOA is right on the verge of breaking down.  GOTO stands up abruptly.

                                     GOTO
                    Nurse!  

AKANE comes over warily.

                                     AKANE
                    Yes sir?  

GOTO speaks quietly.

                                     GOTO
                    I would appreciate it if you could
                    get in touch with your superiors,
                    and tell them --

                                     AKANE
                    I'm afraid that I don't know what
                    you're --

                                     GOTO
                    And I'm afraid that you're not an
                    agent of the Crystal Tokyo Society,
                    and I'm making an ass out of myself.
                    BEAT Well?  

AKANE stares up at him.

                                     AKANE
                    Expect ...

                                     GOTO
                    SHAKES HEAD I am not affiliated
                    with your society.  I sympathize,
                    however, and I know certain things
                    that would benefit them.  My price
                    for this information is the
                    evacuation of this woman and her
                    surviving family members -- a son,
                    and several grandchildren -- as far
                    away from MegaTokyo as you can get
                    them.  

AKANE stares at him.

                                     AKANE
                    What kind of information?

                                     GOTO
                    BEAT Earthscreamer.  

AKANE's jaw drops.

                                     AKANE
                    You can't be serious.

                                     GOTO
                    I am.  Quincy is, as well.  BEAT
                    I need to speak to your leaders, as
                    soon as possible.  

AKANE nods.

                                     AKANE
                    There's a base in Australia.  We
                    haven't used it in over twenty
                    years, but it should be safe.  I'll
                    go make the arrangements.  

AKANE heads off.  GOTO watches her go, and then turns back to look at NOA 
... who is looking up at him confusedly.  He smiles sadly.

                                     GOTO
                    She's right ... it will probably be
                    safe, assuming that they don't use
                    those infernal devices.  In which
                    case, we're all doomed anyway, so
                    you'll be with your family, at the
                    least.  It's the least that I owe
                    you and Asuma.  BEAT  Sayonara,
                    Shinohara Noa.  I do not think that
                    we will ever meet again ... but if
                    we should, please try and smile.  

GOTO heads off.

                                      NOA
                    Captain!  

GOTO pauses, and looks back.  NOA is staring at him with a cmpletely 
bewhildered expression.

                                      NOA
                    W-w-why haven't you ...

                                     GOTO
                    It's a kind of magic, Noa.  

He heads out of the tent.  

Cut to the exterior of the tent a little while later.  A helicopter has 
just landed, and its rotor is still turning as NOA is led out AKANE and 
another nurse, still wearing the blanket around her shoulders, and gently 
sat in the back.  The helicopter takes off as soon as the ground crew is 
clear.  As it takes off, we see a panoramic view of MegaTokyo burning ... 
fires have broken out all over the city, and the sounds of violence fill 
the air.  At the heart is Genom Tower ... which from this point of view, 
and under these circumstances, looks more like Mount Doom than a pyramid. 
Our view finally comes back to NOA, who has been watching over all of 
this, just as the tears begin to pour from her eyes.  Fade to black.  

Cut to a shot of a woman's face, contorted in agony and frozen in place.

                                MERCURY (V.O.)
                    Do we have word on the transplant?

                                 NURSE (V.O.)
                    We have a match, but it's on the
                    other side of the world.  With a
                    good pilot, it should be here by
                    ballistic jet within an hour.

                          ATTENDING PHYSICIAN (V.O.)
                    Shouldn't we at least *try* to
                    induce a regeneration?

                                MERCURY (V.O.)
                    It wouldn't work.  The nature of
                    what was done to her won't permit a
                    normal healing.  

Our view moves down the woman's body (she is SHAMPOO's secretary from 
earlier) to see the small, fist-sized hole in her stomach.  It doesn't 
appear to be bleeding at the moment.

                          ATTENDING PHYSICIAN (V.O.)
                    I take it that you've seen this sort
                    of thing before, Lady Mercury?  

Cut to a shot of MERCURY looking very solemn.

                                    MERCURY
                    Yes, I have.  

We see now that MERCURY (wearing a tight-fitting blue bodysuit under a 
white lab coat), the NURSE, and the ATTENDING PHYSICIAN are standing 
around a temporal stasis unit.  Suddenly, MERCURY blinks, and looks aside 
for a moment.

                                     NURSE
                    Something wrong?

                                    MERCURY
                    SLOW No.  NORMAL I'm going to go
                    scrub for surgery.  

MERCURY heads out of the hospital room, and walks down the corridor a few 
feet, before whirling and pointing accusingly.

                                    MERCURY
                    How *dare* you come here!  

RYOUGA slowly materializes, with a rueful expression.

                                    RYOUGA
                    Ten years studying with the shinobi,
                    and everyone can see me ...

                                    MERCURY
                    Give me one good reason I shouldn't
                    send you shrieking to Hell right
                    now!  

RYOUGA smiles gently, and shakes his head.

                                    RYOUGA
                    You have never killed anyone,
                    Ami-chan.  You are still a Sailor
                    Scout, not a Sailor Soldier.  And
                    you have sworn the doctor's oath.
                    "I shall turn aside from any action
                    or inaction which would bring about
                    the untimely end of any being's
                    life."  And you and yours keep your
                    oaths, I know. BEAT How are you?  

MERCURY stares at him, and lowers her hand, sighing.

                                    MERCURY
                    Why, Ryouga?  Why did you do that
                    to her?

                                    RYOUGA
                    You of all people know one of the
                    reasons.  And I wanted Shampoo to
                    know that I was serious.  She has
                    had problems comprehending the
                    important things at times.

                                    MERCURY
                    Then why not eat *her* liver?

                                    RYOUGA
                    I needed her to deliver the message.
                    Was it?

                                    MERCURY
                    I don't know.  She brought that girl
                    in early this morning, if that tells
                    you anything. BEAT What do you
                    want, Ryouga?

                                    RYOUGA
                    Gennosuke wants the Dark Crystal.  

MERCURY's jaw drops.

                                    MERCURY
                    Is she *mad*?

                                    RYOUGA
                    She would be, if she knew that I
                    were telling you this.  But I'm just
                    the hired help, after all.

                                    MERCURY
                    SCOWLS Do you seriously expect me
                    to believe that you're `hired help'?
                    You haven't told me what *you* want.

                                    RYOUGA
                    Proof.  BEAT  Amy-chan ... if you
                    give me the Dark Crystal, we can
                    avoid a lot of people getting hurt.

                                    MERCURY
                    So she can hurt thousands of others
                    with that damned thing?  No, Ryouga.
                    You should have known that would be
                    my answer.  

RYOUGA smiles, showing his fangs.

                                    RYOUGA
                    Maybe I did.  BEAT  Are you going
                    to tell them about this?

                                    MERCURY
                    Will you kill me if I say yes, or
                    just hurt me a lot?  

RYOUGA shakes his head, and turns to go.

                                    RYOUGA
                    I usually try to avoid *his* trick
                    of hurting those I care about.  It
                    rarely works ...  

He slowly fades out at the end of his line.

                                 RYOUGA (V.O.)
                    Goodbye, Mercury.  BEAT I forgive
                    you.  

MERCURY stands alone in the corridor, bowing her head.  

Cut to a balcony on the Crystal Palace.  RYOUKO (in her blue, tailed 
dress) is perched on the railing, looking out at the setting sun with a 
lazy smile.  She doesn't turn as AYEKA walks silently up to stand at the 
railing a few feet away.  Neither looks at the other as they speak.

                                     AYEKA
                    Ill-bred mummy.

                                    RYOUKO
                    Spoiled brat.  

AYEKA turns and looks at RYOUKO with something akin to fondness in her 
expression.

                                     AYEKA
                    Now that *that's* out of the way ...
                    how are you?  

RYOUKO shrugs, smiling faintly at AYEKA.

                                     AYEKA
                    How is *he*?  I haven't had a moment
                    to speak with him since his arrival.
                    Is he ...

                                    RYOUKO
                    Ayeka, do you have any idea how hard
                    it's gotten to read him this last
                    hundred years?  BEAT I'd swear he
                    was taking inscrutability lessons
                    from Washuu, if I didn't know he
                    avoids being with her whenever he
                    can.  

AYEKA frowns.

                                     AYEKA
                    And what about Tsunami?

                                    RYOUKO
                    She's currently cloaked in orbit.

                                     AYEKA
                    SLOW Ryouko.

                                    RYOUKO
                    I don't think he's sleeping with her
                    either, okay?

                                     AYEKA
                    Is he --

                                    RYOUKO
                    Come ON!  Do you actually think I'd
                    let him sleep around?  BEAT With
                    anyone but me?

                                     AYEKA
                    Has it happened recently?

                                    RYOUKO
                    Nope.  BEAT  Not since Mihoshi ...
                    y'know.  The phone call to hell.
                    And he doesn't realize it was me.  I
                    don't think he remembers.

                                     AYEKA
                    This can't go on.  Jurai needs an
                    heir.  If the Lords see the one
                    foreign power that we're on friendly
                    terms with turn hostile, it could
                    spell a serious challenge to his
                    power.  And Emperors without heirs
                    tend to become the Emperors one
                    reads about in the history books as
                    the victims of coups d'etat.  

RYOUKO looks very uncomfortable.

                                    RYOUKO
                    You don't have to worry about that.

                                     AYEKA
                    Of COURSE I have to WORRY about --

                                    RYOUKO
                    NO.  BEAT There have been ...
                    steps taken.  I can't tell you about
                    them, 'cause you're not cleared.
                    But you're pretty smart ...

                                     AYEKA
                    What possible steps could you have
                    taken to ...  

AYEKA trails off, and a look of apprehension grows on her face.  She 
stares at RYOUKO, who grins sheepishly.  AYEKA is shocked.

                                     AYEKA
                    That's *REVOLTING*!

                                    RYOUKO
                    It was the best we could come up
                    with on short notice!

                                     AYEKA
                    You took his ... and you froze his
                    ... and they're ... WHERE?!  

RYOUKO pats her stomach.

                                    RYOUKO
                    Mm-mm-good.  

AYEKA looks like she's going to be physically ill.

                                     AYEKA
                    I can't believe Tsunami consented to
                    something like that!

                                    RYOUKO
                    Technically -- she didn't.

                                     AYEKA
                    So when do they find out, praytell?

                                    RYOUKO
                    Whenever Tenchi is incapacitated or
                    -- if it looks like he's not going
                    to be able to give Jurai the next
                    emperor.  BEAT He'll tell me which
                    one, and I'll inform her, and ...
                    BEAT I'm not wild about the idea
                    either!

                                     AYEKA
                    And I'm very glad to hear it!  We
                    have laws against that sort of thing
                    on Jurai -- it's unnatural!

                                    RYOUKO
                    What?

                                     AYEKA
                    It is!  Life should arise from the
                    union of two beings, not from a ...
                    test tube!  That's ... horrible!  

RYOUKO hops off the railing, and, walking on air, storms to get in AYEKA's 
face.

                                    RYOUKO
                    So I'm unnatural now, huh?  Funny, I
                    thought we were a *little* beyond
                    that!

                                     AYEKA
                    You arose from the union of ...

                                    RYOUKO
                    She put one of her ovae in a test
                    tube with a masu and watched what
                    happened!  If that's your idea of
                    *sex*, you're more *twisted* than I
                    thought!  

AYEKA is working herself into a fury, and a faint glistening in the air 
indicates that her little cylinders are about to materialize ... but she 
slowly lets out a deep breath.

                                     AYEKA
                    SLOW Ryouko, you are over-reacting
                    to my comments.  I did not mean to
                    imply that you are unnatural because
                    of the way in which you were
                    conceived.  I maintain my objection
                    to the way in which you and Tenchi
                    have decided to defraud the Empire
                    by providing them with an heir,
                    conceived by a form of artificial
                    insemination, whom you will present
                    as a legal and legitimate heir,
                    should Tenchi ever be killed.  

RYOUKO and AYEKA stare at each other wordlessly for a moment.  RYOUKO 
seems a bit confused.

                                    RYOUKO
                    Did you just ... back down ... from
                    a fight with *me*?

                                     AYEKA
                    NODS Now, if you still wish to do
                    battle with me, it will be entirely
                    your fault.

                                    RYOUKO
                    Can't have that ...  

RYOUKO hops back onto the railing, but she is now sitting directly in 
front of AYEKA.  AYEKA's hands are flat on the railing on either side of 
RYOUKO's hips, and their faces are only an inch or so apart.

                                     AYEKA
                    However -- returning to the issue of
                    my objection -- since I am, by my
                    own choice, not a part of Tenchi's
                    inner circle on Jurai ... I can't
                    expect to have any influence over
                    his decisions.  Can I?

                                    RYOUKO
                    Nope.  I guess not.  BEAT Let's
                    talk about other things.

                                     AYEKA
                    Agreed.  BEAT Have you found
                    anyone to share your bed on Jurai?

                                    RYOUKO
                    No ... but I haven't really been
                    looking.  BEAT There was this one
                    cute courtier, but ... SHAKES HER
                    HEAD

                                     AYEKA
                    I see.

                                    RYOUKO
                    And you?

                                     AYEKA
                    No.  I enjoyed a brief affair with
                    a poet a while ago, but it faded
                    quickly.  BEAT  Isn't it terrible
                    that we've both let a relationship
                    with a married man dominate our
                    lives for over nine hundred years?

                                    RYOUKO
                    Yeah.  Especially considering that
                    I'm the only one of us who ever got
                    anywhere with him.  

AYEKA lifts an eyebrow in response.

                                    RYOUKO
                    Oh, come on.  

AYEKA smiles.  She is serene bordering on smugness.

                                    RYOUKO
                    What day, what month, what year did
                    this happen?

                                     AYEKA
                    You'll never know.  

A sudden alert siren screams in the night air, causing both of them to 
jump.

                                    RYOUKO
                    What the --

                                     AYEKA
                    That's ... no, it can't be!

                                    RYOUKO
                    What?

                                     AYEKA
                    Someone is *attacking* the palace!

                                    RYOUKO
                    Shit!  Where's --

                                     AYEKA
                    In the dojo, sparring with Mars.
                    Go!  

RYOUKO flips over the edge of the railing, and flies downward.  AYEKA 
turns and heads into the palace.  We get a split screen of RYOUKO's head 
on the left, AYEKA's head on the right, both moving swiftly.

                                    RYOUKO
                    *Lousy* timing.

                                     AYEKA
                    As *usual*.  

Cut to a shot of several armed and armored men and women leaping shouting 
to land on a single figure, covering him for a second ... before being 
knocked aside like dominos when he straightens up.  It is RYOUGA.  He 
looks on them with irritation.

                                    RYOUGA
                    Is this really the best that they
                    care to send against me?  Why
                    doesn't anyone take me seriously?  

KUONJI GENNOSUKE, an exact body double of KUONJI UKYOU except for her red 
hair, dressed in the costume of an okonomiyaki chef and carrying a huge 
spatula, steps out of the shadows, looking annoyed at RYOUGA.

                                   GENNOSUKE
                    Maybe it has something to do with
                    wasting time fighting those who
                    can't hope to defeat you.  Have you
                    forgotten why we came here?

                                    RYOUGA
                    GLARES No.  I haven't.  Let's go.  

Cut to a control room, and a video display of RYOUGA and GENNOSUKE moving 
through the passages at high speed.  Our view changes to include an 
irritated looking JUPITER, who is wearing a red jacket over a tight black 
dress.

                                    JUPITER
                    Dammit.  You were right.  

Our view changes to show MERCURY.

                                    MERCURY
                    Why did you ever doubt me?  

JUPITER flashes MERCURY a quick grin, then becomes serious.

                                    JUPITER
                    Serenity is in the bunker?

                                    MERCURY
                    NODS Raye and Ryouko were trying
                    to get Lord Tenchi in there as
                    well.  BEAT While they weren't
                    staring daggers at each other.

                                    JUPITER
                    Great.  That's *so* like Raye to let
                    her personal feelings get in the way
                    of the job ...  

MERCURY stares JUPITER open-mouthed, as she transforms to her sailor 
fuku, and starts to head out the door.

                                    MERCURY
                    I ... wait a minute, where are you
                    going?

                                    JUPITER
                    SHRUGS We'll need someone who's
                    got mojo *and* martial arts to deal
                    with them, right?  Raye and Ryouko
                    are continuing that feud of theirs,
                    gods only know where Mina's at, so
                    that leaves me.

                                    MERCURY
                    Lita ...

                                    JUPITER
                    If you say something about how I'm
                    nowhere close to Ryouga's level,
                    I'm gonna start screaming.  So he
                    started training before I did.  I've
                    had a thousand years of catch-up
                    time. BEAT He can't be that good,
                    can he?  

Cut to a shot of JUPITER's bruised, bleeding face as RYOUGA holds her 
throat in a one-handed grip, and energy crackles in his hand.  His face is 
cold.  Finally RYOUGA tosses her aside, letting her slam into a heavy 
vault door, and slide to the ground, unconscious.  GENNOSUKE, standing 
some distance away, is awestruck.

                                   GENNOSUKE
                    Wow ... SHAKES HEAD Okay!  We just
                    have to get into that safe, get the
                    Dark Crystal, and we're out of here.
                    Do that Breaking Point move.  We
                    just need a crack.

                                    RYOUGA
                    Just a crack?

                                   GENNOSUKE
                    Yes!  

RYOUGA walks over to examine the vault door.  JUPITER is beginning to come 
around, but she's obviously dazed.

                                    RYOUGA
                    Only a crack?

                                   GENNOSUKE
                    You're really starting to confirm
                    my mother's opinions of you,
                    Hibiki-san!  Yes, a crack is all
                    that's needed!  I can do the rest!

                                    RYOUGA
                    A crack.  All right.  I can do that.
                    BEAT  You're ugly and your mother
                    dressed you funny.  

There is a long, silent pause.

                                   GENNOSUKE
                    What?

                                    RYOUGA
                    That was the crack.  

GENNOSUKE is not handling this turn of events very well.  She has her 
hands in her hair, her eyes are wide, and her teeth are clenched.

                                   GENNOSUKE
                    Did you suffer brain damage sometime
                    and not tell anybody?  Hibiki, this
                    is no time to make jokes!  I brought
                    you here to break into the vault so
                    that I could take the Dark Crystal
                    and use it to --

                                    RYOUGA
                    Yes, isn't it a shame that I never
                    had any intention of doing that?

                                   GENNOSUKE
                    You ... I ... what ...

                                    RYOUGA
                    All the while, I let you think that
                    you were using my `lust for revenge'
                    against those who made me ... what I
                    am ... to break into this fortress.
                    BEAT And you suggest I have mental
                    problems, Kuonji Gennosuke?  I don't
                    hate them because of that -- if I
                    feel anything about it, I am sort of
                    *grateful*.  BEAT *I* was using
                    you, and your ties to those idiot
                    terrorists, to get me into position
                    for one reason and one alone.

                                 RANMA (O.S.)
                    Ryouga.  

RYOUGA turns to look upward at a ledge on the far wall.  Our view travels 
up past a black slipper, balanced gracefully on the narrow ledge, up a 
black pant leg, over arms folded sternly over the chest, pausing 
momentarily to take in the dragon on the black silk shirt ... before 
lifing up to see SAOTOME RANMA's eternally youthful face.  

He's pissed.  

RYOUGA looks up at him with many mixed emotions on his face.  Hatred 
predominates, with envy and jealousy (not the same thing at all) coming 
close behind ... but there are other things, too.  Wary respect. 
Understanding.  Perhaps even ... no, that must be a trick of the light.

                                    RYOUGA
                    Is it not amazing the places in
                    which old friends meet?

                                   GENNOSUKE
                    Father ...  

RANMA turns his glare on GENNOSUKE.  She flinches.

                                     RANMA
                    I have more than a few words to say
                    to you, young lady, but they'll wait
                    until ...  

Quite suddenly, RYOUGA has GENNOSUKE in a full nelson, with his free hand 
glowing ominously.

                                    RYOUGA
                    I wouldn't count on that.

                                     RANMA
                    Ryouga, what the hell do you --

                                    RYOUGA
                    I think I'm using my refinement of
                    the Blasting Point -- or perhaps I
                    should call it the Bleeding Point
                    Technique -- in a minute unless you
                    tell Shampoo to take several steps
                    back.  

SHAMPOO suddenly materializes, as RYOUGA has earlier, with an infuriated 
look.  RYOUGA speaks without looking at her.

                                    RYOUGA
                    My shinobi's better than your
                    shinobi.

                                     RANMA
                    Ryouga, even for you, this is low.
                    Threatening girls?

                                    RYOUGA
                    To make another crack, this is no
                    girl ... this is your daughter!
                    BEAT  That didn't sound as good as
                    I thought it would.

                                      RANMA
                    Okay, cut the crap.  What do you
                    want?

                                    RYOUGA
                    I want a fight, Ranma.  BEAT  An
                    all-out, anything-goes, final duel
                    between you and I.  No interference
                    from outsiders.  BEAT No running
                    away.  Come now.  Don't you, in your
                    heart of hearts, want to know which
                    of us is truly better?

                                     RANMA
                    Ryouga, I already *know* I'm better
                    than you.  I've *always* known.  Why
                    should I accept this stupid duel?

                                    RYOUGA
                    If you don't ... boom.  GESTURES AT
                    GENNOSUKE  And then I likely get
                    carted off to spend the rest of
                    eternity in stasis.  But I'll have
                    killed your only surviving child,
                    and you'll be in torment forever.
                    And that's punishment enough for
                    what you did to me.

                                     RANMA
                    For God's sake Ryouga, can't you get
                    over that `I have seen hell' kick of
                    yours already?

                                    RYOUGA
                    FURIOUS Hell?  Hell would be a
                    pleasant journey compared to what
                    I've been through because of you!
                    Because of you, I lost all chance
                    for a life with any woman I ever
                    loved.  Because of you, I have
                    bartered my soul and what scraps of
                    honour I've earned to gain new ways
                    to defeat you.  Because of you, I
                    took a coward's way to immortality
                    -- I couldn't just luck into it like
                    you did.  Because of you, I am hated
                    and despised by all that know of me.
                    Because of you, my family's school
                    of Kempo will never have an heir.
                    BEAT  Because of you, I have
                    nothing.  NOTHING ... except for
                    this fight.  NOTHING BUT YOU!!!  

RYOUGA's towering fury suddenly breaks off with his last statement.  A 
confused expression settles on his face, as if he is suddenly hearing his 
own words for the first time.  RANMA is looking down at him with a 
revolted expression.  SHAMPOO looks at him pityingly, while JUPITER, who 
has just come to complete consciousness, is almost as confused as RYOUGA. 
GENNOSUKE just looks scared.

                                     RANMA
                    Ryouga ... that's *sick.*

                                    RYOUGA
                    ABSENTLY Shut up, Ranma.  

RYOUGA suddenly twists, and points a shoed foot at the vault door.

                                    RYOUGA
                    [DISTANT BREAKING POINT]!!  

The vault shudders as if it has been struck by a gigantic fist.  Tiny 
cracks form, leading from the edge to the centre.  RYOUGA twists the 
opposite direction, and GENNOSUKE goes flying to slam into the door, just 
a few feet from where JUPITER is slumped.  RANMA sommersaults to the 
floor, and closes with RYOUGA.  RYOUGA does not turn from RANMA as he 
speaks.

                                    RYOUGA
                    Go in.  Take the thing.  Call back
                    your mother.  Our bargain is ended.  

GENNOSUKE peels herself off the wall, and grins/grimaces -- showing off 
*her* fangs, which are sharper and longer than RYOUGA's.  JUPITER sees 
this, gasps, and reaches out to grab GENNOSUKE's leg ... just as the 
Vampire GENNOSUKE transforms herself into a strangely glowing mist, and 
flows into the cracks.  SHAMPOO watches this with a stunned look.

                                    SHAMPOO
                    WHISPER Oh no.  Not that.  Not
                    her ...  

Suddenly, all eyes are drawn to the spectacle that is unfolding before 
them.  The ultimate, long-awaited, nothing-barred-but-retreat, final 
battle between RANMA and RYOUGA.  

It is a fight that is completely beyond this humble writer's ability to 
imagine, let alone describe.  Consider a typical RANMA/RYOUGA duel in the 
series -- then add nearly a thousand years of almost-continual martial 
arts training.  Put simply, this is what Ragnarok will be like.  Fight 
scene enthusiasts can envision any technique from their favorite film/ 
anime/manga/comic book ... somewhere in this confrontation, it, or 
something like it, will be used.  And probably improved upon.

                                    JUPITER
                    HUSHED Do you think we should ...
                    you know ... help out?  

SHAMPOO shakes her head solemnly.

                                    SHAMPOO
                    HUSHED; ACCENTED No.  This an
                    affair of honour.  Inta-ference
                    unask for and unwelcome.  BEAT;
                    UNACCENTED Besides, we wouldn't
                    last ten seconds.  Neither of them
                    is holding back.  

And then, quite suddenly, it ends.  RANMA strikes a full-strength blow 
following an incredibly difficult series of feints that have left RYOUGA 
more or less totally lost.  RYOUGA stands quite still for a full minute, 
his eyes open but not seeing anything.  And then, slowly, he crumples. 
RANMA doesn't seem to be in much better shape -- he is sweating heavily, 
bruised, and red in the face.  He walks over to look down at RYOUGA, his 
eyes shadowed.

                                     RANMA
                    You shouldn't have threatened my
                    daughter like that, Ryouga ...

                                    RYOUGA
                    GASPED ... daughter is  ... a
                    vampire ... know?

                                     RANMA
                    I don't care!  

RYOUGA smiles.

                                    RYOUGA
                    And ... so ... it ... ends ...  

RYOUGA closes his eyes, still smiling.  RANMA, his face like a 
thunderbolt, draws back his fist, and then it launches towards RYOUGA's 
head like a rocket ...  

Cut to black.  Crunching noise.  A long pause.  

Cut to a shot of a crowded emergency room.  TENCHI walks purposefully 
through the confusion, looking until the look on his face indicates that 
he's found what he's looking for.  He heads over towards the bed that 
RANMA's lying in, his shirt open, showing the bruises and cuts that he 
has.

                                    TENCHI
                    Hey.  

RANMA looks up, and smiles.

                                     RANMA
                    Hey yourself.  How you doing?

                                    TENCHI
                    Better than you.  

TENCHI pulls up a chair while RANMA starts to chuckle which turns into a 
cough.

                                     RANMA
                    I'm gettin' too old for this ...

                                    TENCHI
                    You?  Never happen.  You'll be right
                    in it when Serenity and I are
                    wandering around looking for our
                    teeth.  BEAT  You and Ryouga, huh?  

RANMA nods, a trace of weary respect showing on his face.

                                    TENCHI
                    That must've been ...

                                     RANMA
                    It was.  SHAKES HEAD It was.
                    BEAT And in all the confusion, we
                    let Gennosuke get away with the Dark
                    Crystal.

                                    TENCHI
                    FLINCH Ouch.

                                     RANMA
                    Serenity's pissed, am I right?  

TENCHI purses his lips in consideration as he slowly shakes his head.

                                    TENCHI
                    Nooooo ... more resigned than angry.
                    BEAT Endymion would fit the term,
                    though.  

RANMA makes a face.

                                     RANMA
                    Oh, so the Prettyboy Warrior Tuxedo
                    Mask is upset.  I'm terrified, can't
                    you see me quivering.

                                    TENCHI
                    SMILING That's mean ...

                                     RANMA
                    SNORTS; BEAT I need a favor.

                                    TENCHI
                    What?  

Cut to RYOUGA's still face.

                                 AKARI (O.S.)
                    Ryouga-sama ... wakie-wakie.  

RYOUGA's eyes blink open.  He seems much more relaxed, and much of the red 
has gone out of his eyes.  RYOUGA leans against a large tree, wearing his 
old gold shirt and bandana.  UNRYUU AKARI smiles down at him.

                                     AKARI
                    You're so cute when you sleep ...  

RYOUGA blinks.

                                    RYOUGA
                    Akari-chan?  But ...

                                     AKARI
                    But what?  

For a moment he looks like the old RYOUGA ... then he settles down.

                                    RYOUGA
                    Nothing ... I guess I must have had
                    a nightmare.  BEAT I can't even
                    remember much of it ...

                                     AKARI
                    That's probably for the best.  I had
                    a nightmare once ... but you don't
                    want to hear about that.  SHUDDERS

                                    RYOUGA
                    Huh?  No ... no, if you'd like to
                    tell me about it.

                                     AKARI
                    Well ... you were there.  You were
                    threatening to *kill* a poor girl
                    just to hurt someone else!  But you
                    wouldn't ever do that ... would you,
                    Ryouga-sama?  

The question hangs in the air.

                                    RYOUGA
                    Akari-chan ... if I thought that it
                    might help to end a fight before it
                    got out of hand ... I'd bluff about
                    something like that.  BEAT  But I
                    would never ever actually go through
                    with it ...

                                     AKARI
                    Oh ... well, that's okay, I guess.
                    BEAT Come on!  Akane wants to cook
                    for us, and you know how great her
                    cooking is!  

AKARI pulls RYOUGA to his feet, and they head off together, laughing ... 
for a moment, just as he leaves our view, RYOUGA seems confused again ... 
but it passes.  

Cut to RANMA's stern face, as he stares up at a large cryostasis tube in 
which a naked RYOUGA hangs suspended.

                                MERCURY (O.S.)
                    Did your psychic interrogation
                    produce satisfactory results?  

RANMA nods forcefully, then realizes that he's not alone.  He turns to 
look at MERCURY, who is standing some distance away, staring at him with 
vague irritation.

                                     RANMA
                    Yeah.  BEAT  He wouldn't have
                    really killed Gennosuke.  He was
                    just bluffing ...  

MERCURY slowly walks up to stand beside him in silence.

                                     RANMA
                    And you're going to keep him like
                    that until you can find a cure?

                                    MERCURY
                    Yes.  Even though he's not as much
                    of a menace, in predatory terms, as
                    Ms. Kuonji, we can't let someone
                    like that wander around unhindered.
                    BEAT Mr. Saotome ... if you don't
                    mind my asking, what are his dreams
                    like?  

RANMA is silent for a long time.

                                     RANMA
                    He's perfectly at peace.  It was as
                    if ... as if he'd never really been
                    interested in beating me as knowing
                    once and for all ... just which one
                    of us was better.  BEAT He has the
                    three women that he's loved -- Akane
                    and Akari and ...  

RANMA breaks off, and looks flustered at MERCURY, who merely lifts an 
eyebrow, bidding him continue.

                                     RANMA
                    ... and there's one other -- with
                    him, in a place of utter contentment
                    and bliss.  BEAT  But a small part
                    of him ... a very small part ... is
                    aware that it's all an illusion.
                    That Akane died a long time ago ...
                    that he never was able to make it
                    work with Akari ... and that the
                    other one is --

                                    MERCURY
                    I know.

                                     RANMA
                    He did care about you, Mizuno-
                    sensei.

                                    MERCURY
                    I know.

                                     RANMA
                    But anyway, part of him knows that
                    he's making it all up.  BEAT  And
                    that part of him is in hell.  

RANMA reaches to touch the pyrex of the stasis tube, just under RYOUGA's 
face.  His face is almost as cold as RYOUGA's was during their fight.

                                     RANMA
                    That's punishment enough for what he
                    almost did to my daughter.  

RANMA abruptly turns and walks away.  We hear the door slide open, then 
shut.  MERCURY stands still, looking up at RYOUGA.  We hear the door slide 
open, then shut again.  A YOUNG WOMAN with long blue hair, dressed in a 
gray special forces uniform, walks up to stand beside MERCURY.  There is a 
long silence.

                                  YOUNG WOMAN
                    Is that man my father?

                                    MERCURY
                    Yes.  

There is another long silence.

                                  YOUNG WOMAN
                    I'd like to hear about him, mother.

                                    MERCURY
                    He was the most gentle violent man I
                    ever met.  BEAT  And I loved him a
                    lot.  

Cut to the interior of an undecorated apartment room.  PRISS opens the 
door and walks in with a disgusted expression, and dropping her jacket on 
the floor.

                                     PRISS
                    That was the most ... okay, *second*
                    most boring job I've ever wound up
                    doing.  What was I *thinking*?  Me,
                    a cop?  

PRISS walks to her futon, flumps down on it, and stares up at the ceiling.

                                     PRISS
                    T.V. On.  

A panel of the wall shifts to form a television screen, and shows a black 
and white image of a news ANCHORWOMAN.

                                TV ANCHORWOMAN
                    ... and returning to our top story,
                    Crystal Palace spokesperson Lady
                    Jupiter has officially denied any
                    truth to the rumors that this
                    evening's aborted attack on the
                    Palace was intitiated by fanatic
                    proponents of a political union of
                    the Crystal Kingdom and the Jurai
                    Star Kingdom.  While Lady Jupiter
                    refused to divulge any other
                    information about the attackers, she
                    remained adamant that it had nothing
                    to do with the upcoming referendum.

                                     PRISS
                    SOFTLY What was I thinking?  I'm
                    not a detective.  I'm a ... BEAT
                    God, I don't know what the fuck I
                    am anymore.  I'm tired.

                                TV ANCHORWOMAN
                    In a special advance poll of the
                    major North American city states,
                    of those surveyed, 60% indicated
                    that they believed that ending ties
                    to Jurai would benefit the Crystal
                    Kingdom.  

Suddenly, there is the sound of a phone ringing.  PRISS lets out a sigh, 
pulls a small portable phone out of her jacket pocket, and flips it open.

                                     PRISS
                    Hopeless Crusades Incorporated.

                                SHEILA (PHONE)
                    Priss?  

PRISS is suddenly wary.

                                     PRISS
                    Oh.  Uh ... hi. BEAT How'd you get
                    my number?

                                SHEILA (PHONE)
                    I asked Raye for it.

                                     PRISS
                    And she --

                                SHEILA (PHONE)
                    No, she told me to leave you alone.
                    So I had a friend of mine in medical
                    do some checking.

                                     PRISS
                    Uh.  So, this friend of yours also
                    knows.

                                SHEILA (PHONE)
                    She promised she'd forget.

                                     PRISS
                    How the hell is she gonna --

                                SHEILA (PHONE)
                    Listen, I'm sorry that I scared you
                    when I told you about --

                                     PRISS
                    You *didn't* scare me.

                                SHEILA (PHONE)
                    Surprised?

                                     PRISS
                    Yeah, surprised sounds good.

                                SHEILA (PHONE)
                    Listen ... this has been a long day
                    for pretty much everyone in the
                    city.  I want to talk to you ... but
                    you sound as beat as I feel.  Would
                    you like to go out for coffee
                    tomorrow?  

PRISS stares up at the ceiling.

                                SHEILA (PHONE)
                    Priss?

                                     PRISS
                    Why?

                                SHEILA (PHONE)
                    I want to get to know --  

PRISS sits up, her face tense.

                                     PRISS
                    *Why* are you following me around?

                                SHEILA (PHONE)
                    I'm *not* following you!  We just
                    keep running into each other by
                    coincidence!

                                     PRISS
                    One time is an accident, twice is a
                    coincidence, three times is a --

                                SHEILA (PHONE)
                    It's only *been* two times!  

PRISS blinks.

                                     PRISS
                    But --

                                SHEILA (PHONE)
                    I don't know why I'm drawn to you,
                    either!  I don't *like* violent
                    people!  I don't like my *mother*
                    when she gets violent!  I lost my
                    parents because they were Senshi,
                    dammit!  BEAT I don't know why I
                    want to be around you.  I just know
                    that it makes sense to my heart.  

PRISS closes her eyes, and for a long moment there is silence.

                                SHEILA (PHONE)
                    Priss?  BEAT  Still there?  

PRISS still has her eyes closed.

                                     PRISS
                    Yeah, I'm still here.

                                SHEILA (PHONE)
                    So ... what do you say to a coffee
                    to discuss ... things?

                                     PRISS
                    OPENS EYES I'll see what happens
                    ... I'll call you back, okay?

                                SHEILA (PHONE)
                    O-okay.  Listen, I'm sorry that I --

                                     PRISS
                    Never mind.  I'll call you.  

PRISS clicks the phone off, sets it down, and stares up at the ceiling.  

Cut to SHEILA, holding a corded phone to the side of her head with an 
immensely dissatisfied expression.  After a moment, she slams the phone 
down.

                                 CATTY (O.S.)
                    Please don't use hospital property
                    in anger.  

SHEILA turns to look down at CATTY, who is sitting at the desk on which 
the phone rests.  She forces a smile.

                                    SHEILA
                    Thanks anyway, Catty.  I owe you one
                    now.  

CATTY smiles.

                                     CATTY
                    She's not quite what either of us
                    expected, is she?  

SHEILA shakes her head, pain in her eyes.

                                    SHEILA
                    No.  No, she isn't.  

Cut to PRISS.  Her foot is rubbing against something, and she looks up to 
see what it is -- the thick book "A Journal".

                                     PRISS
                    Maybe I should get some reading done
                    tonight.  

An image of Sylia's smirking face hovers over the book.  PRISS blinks. 
The hallucination vanishes.

                                     PRISS
                    Maybe not.  HEAD DROPS  Lights
                    off.  

Cut to an exterior shot of PRISS' small appartment complex -- which looks 
remarkably similar to Ikkoku-kan -- just as the light in the top middle 
room goes out.  

Cut to RANMA's bed.  A human form is wrapped up in blankets, and curled up 
as if sleeping.  SHAMPOO approaches, her face serious.

                                    SHAMPOO
                    Ranma, we have a serious situation.
                    Orbital control just reported that a
                    small ship registered to a Kurenai
                    Konatsu just took off from Crystal
                    Tokyo starport after filing a flight
                    plan for Mars. BEAT From the name,
                    you can guess who it probably was.
                    She has the Dark Crystal, Ranma.
                    Mizuno-sensei has stated that she
                    was told that Gennosuke wants to
                    bring Ukyou back to life.  BEAT
                    We *can't* let that happen.  

TENCHI slowly sits up in bed and smiles at SHAMPOO, who looks at him 
nonplussedly.

                                    TENCHI
                    Very interesting.

                                    SHAMPOO
                    Ranma is where?  

He's standing behind her.

                                     RANMA
                    And why should it be a bad thing if
                    she brings Ukyou back to life?  

SHAMPOO turns to look at RANMA.

                                    SHAMPOO
                    If she uses the Dark Crystal to
                    grant any wishes of her heart --
                    things that she desires above all
                    else in the world -- the Crystal
                    will twist and pervert the wish to
                    maximize the amount of chaos and
                    pain the wish could cause. BEAT
                    Bringing Ukyou back would fit into
                    that category, I think.

                                     RANMA
                    FROWNS That could be bad.

                                    SHAMPOO
                    Mars and I are going to Mars after
                    her.  Will you come with us?  

RANMA stares daggers at her.

                                     RANMA
                    I'll come.  I'm not coming to stop
                    her, I'm coming to protect my
                    daughter from you.  That's all.  I
                    don't want you to imitate Cologne.
                    BEAT One person that I loved dead
                    at the hands of the Amazons is
                    enough, thanks.  

SHAMPOO closes her eyes.  When she finally speaks, her voice slowly grows 
in intensity until she shrieks the final words.

                                    SHAMPOO
                    You are absolutely right.  Cologne
                    killed Ukyou.  OPENS EYES  And
                    when she did, it was all that I
                    could do to STOP MYSELF FROM
                    CHEERING WHEN THE STAFF SPLIT HER
                    SKULL AND PULPED HER BRAINS!  

RANMA is staring at her furious face in utter horror, and everyone else 
has stopped in their tracks to stare at them.

                                     RANMA
                    Wha -- what d-did she EVER do to --

                                    SHAMPOO
                    *Nothing*.  To *me*.  I hated her
                    for the *despicable* thing that she
                    did to you after Akane died.

                                     RANMA
                    You jealous ...  she *comforted* me
                    after ...

                                    SHAMPOO
                    After she --  

SHAMPOO breaks off, closes her eyes again, lets out another deep breath, 
and turns to walk away.  RANMA grabs her arm.  His face is white with 
anger.

                                     RANMA
                    After she *what*, damn you?  

SHAMPOO slowly turns to stare at him.

                                    SHAMPOO
                    After she murdered Akane.

                            To Be Continued.  


Together Again: 2937 Chapter, 04/21/97