I have a message from another time... Eyrie Productions, Unlimited presents UNDOCUMENTED FEATURES FUTURE IMPERFECT - SYMPHONY OF THE SWORD No. 4 - The Ceti Solution Benjamin D. Hutchins with Kris Overstreet (c) 2003 Eyrie Productions, Unlimited THURSDAY, JULY 9, 2409 10:17 AM HOTEL METROPOLE TAU CITY, TAU CETI The voice floated down to Kaitlyn through several layers of an exceedingly pleasant dream. As it happened, the owner of the voice was -in- the dream, and, at least at first, the dream-version of that person was saying the same thing, albeit in a completely different tone. As a consequence, it all got tangled up together inside her head for a few seconds, the line between dream and reality all muddled. "Kaitlyn! Kaitlyn, Kaitlyn... Kaitlyn? Are you planning to get up at all today? We have an appointment with Governor Kallon in a little more than an hour... " Kate stirred, then pulled the covers around her and burrowed down again. "... don'wanna," she mumbled, trying to shut the voice out, now that she'd determined it was real, and get back to the dream. The voice came again, stern. "Kaitlyn. You have to get up. Utena and the others will be here soon. Almost everyone else is ready." "go 'way," Kaitlyn requested, quite reasonably. "If you don't get up," the voice said, trying to sound threatening, "I'll just have to come in there after you." Kate smiled sleepily, turned partway on her back, and held up her arms invitingly without opening her eyes. "sounds good t'me." "All right, you asked for it," said the voice. Kate's smile widened somewhat as a weight pressed down on the bed next to her - - and then a very large, very raspy tongue slapped wetly across her face, and she sat up, instantly awake, spluttering. "SERGE!" she blurted, wiping at her face with her pajama sleeve. Sergei, her pet neotiger, only had his forepaws on the bed; it was just a flimsy fold-a-couch, and Serge was well aware of the effect his 500 pounds of muscle and stripes could have on weak structures. Now he looked slightly smug as he hopped down again and went to prowl around the legs of Juri Arisugawa, who stood by the foot of the bed with her hands on her hips trying (and failing) to look severe. Once Kate had finished with the cleanup, she blinked at Juri, then reached to the endtable and got her glasses. The tall, elegant redhead had obviously completed -her- preparations for the day some time ago. Her luxurious orange hair was in its accustomed heavy fall of French curls, and, Kate was mildly surprised to see, she was wearing her old Ohtori Academy Student Council uniform, with its snug peach-colored pants and gold-trimmed white jacket. Seeing Kate's expression as she noticed this, Juri reached up and touched the front of the jacket with a slightly self-conscious little smile. "I'm just borrowing it back for today," she said. "We decided that we'd all wear our council uniforms; it's important that we look our best for the governor." Kate smiled. "Works for me," she said. Then her smile took on a faintly nostalgic flavor as she looked the redhead up and down. "That's how you were dressed the first time I ever saw you," she mused. Juri chuckled and gestured to Kate's rumpled tiger-striped pajamas. "By a strange coincidence," she said dryly, "that's how -you- were dressed the first time I ever saw -you-, too." Kate laughed and got out of bed. "Is the bathroom free?" she asked. "No," Juri said, "but it should be in a moment - " She'd just said that when the bathroom door opened and Miki Kaoru emerged. He had also put on the uniform he had worn as an Ohtori Academy Student Councilor - well, not the exact one; unlike Juri, he'd grown considerably since those days. Still, in his blue trousers and white jacket, provided by the hotel's top-of-the-line autotailor from a pattern transmitted ahead from the Valiant's computer, he looked enough like his old self that it was momentarily as if he'd stepped back through time and emerged, not from a hotel bathroom, but from the conservatory of Kate's father's house in New Avalon, where she had first seen him one December morning years ago. That resemblance was heightened by the fact that he'd shaved off the mustache and pointed beard he'd cultivated since starting college, leaving him as babyfaced as he had been back in the Grand Tournament. He'd grown taller since then, but he still had a very slim build; his hair was much longer now than the Beatles 'do he'd sported back then, but with it tied into a ponytail behind him... Kate glanced at Juri and saw that she was having the same thought. One of the redhead's hands had come up and unconsciously closed into a fist against her chest, over the second button of her jacket, and she was gazing at him as though seeing him for the first time. "... What?" he said, coloring slightly. Juri smiled. "You shaved," she said. Miki's color deepened a little. "Well, yes," he said. "You said you liked me better that way, and... " He shrugged, not sure if he should go on. "Miki and I talked a little last night, after you went to sleep," Kate explained to Juri, coming up and putting an arm around the redhead's waist. "Nothing was really decided, since you weren't part of the conversation too, but before we do what we have to do today, I thought it was important that he know about -our- conversation from the other day." Juri blinked, her own cheeks reddening slightly. "Oh," she said in a small voice. "And... ?" Kate sighed, slightly exasperated, and joggled her redheaded lover with her arm. "And he shaved, genius," she said with gentle mockery. "What does that tell you?" Juri laughed, putting an arm around Kate's shoulders by way of masking the fact that her knees suddenly felt a little weak with relief. Her face got even redder - a delightfully uncommon sight for Miki, and so was the shy smile that followed the blush. The blue-haired musician smiled and said, "Kaitlyn did a good job explaining, but as she says, we -all- need to talk before anything happens, and that will probably have to wait until our job here is done." Juri nodded in agreement. "I understand. But, Miki - thank you. Thank you for... for wanting to -have- that talk." Miki grinned, his face a perfect mixture of his innate, untouchable innocence and his well-traveled, worldly wisdom. "I hope," he said frankly, "that we end up doing a lot more than just talking." Then, while both women blushed fiercely and smiled uncontrollably, he squared himself up quite formally and gave them a deep bow. "Now, if you ladies will excuse me," he said, "I must arm myself. I'll see you downstairs, presently." With a last conspiratorial wink for his old friend Juri, he turned and left the room by the side door. Juri and Kate watched him go, then looked at each other. "This," said Kate judiciously, "is going to be -good-." 11:30 AM GOVERNOR'S PALACE TAU CITY, TAU CETI Charles Kallon, the duly appointed governor of Tau Ceti Colony, was impressed by the group which stood before him in his office today. He'd first seen all of them here a day and a half before, following the Art of Noise concert at the Tau City Amphitheatre. At that time they had been tired, dispirited, demoralized - not the most impressive-looking group. Today, they were entirely different. They stood before his desk in a tidy group, not organized into ranks but neatly arranged all the same. Many of them wore uniforms in a variety of colors, some gold-trimmed, one gleaming with buttons and epaulets of silver. Those not uniformed were dressed well but sturdily. Most were armed; all looked ready for action. Kallon had just finished looking them over when the intercom panel on his desk buzzed and the voice of his secretary said, "Sir, Captains Tenjou and Shustal are here with their party." "Thank you, Winema," said Kallon. "Send them in, please." A moment later, the door to the outer office opened, and in came a group whose blaze of uniforms made those standing before the governor now pale in comparison. Utena Tenjou came first, and her uniform was reasonably subdued in itself; it was mostly black, the dress uniform of the International Police Space Force, with scarlet trim, golden embellishments, and a single slash of white - a sort of ruffled petticoat under the tails of the kilted jacket which gave the whole martial ensemble a peculiar touch of femininity. Like so many of the others, she wore a sword at her waist. Against the serious black, red and gold of Utena's IPSF dress uniform, Liza Shustal's uniform was almost shocking in its informality and its colors. The merchant captain - or pirate, depending on your interpretation - wore soft black leather boots, tight red leather trousers, and a dazzling white silk shirt with flowing sleeves, a shirt which failed to meet in front above the waist. Her long, curly golden hair was drawn into a tight braid shot through with red and purple ribbons. The purple was echoed in the bright, broad sash knotted around her waist, through which she wore not one but two swords, curved blades with grey leather grips; in the jagged lightning bolt that adorned her right cheek, slanting down from the corner of one bright blue eye to the corner of her smiling mouth; and in the complicated pattern tooled and painted on the laced black leather bracers which bloused her sleeves at her wrists. Standing in the group which had already gathered, Anne Cross couldn't help but stare. She'd seen Liza before, but at the time, the pirate captain had been dressed differently - still flamboyantly, yes, but not with anything like this level of flash and daring. The really amazing thing about it, though, was that Liza carried it so naturally. She didn't -look- like a woman trying to be daring or shocking; seeing her in that outfit, Anne could only think, Of course. How could I have expected her to be dressed any differently? Next to her, Gunnr Brynjelfr leaned over and murmured, "Close your mouth, Juni dear, before someone puts a bean roll in it." Anne (known to friends, sometimes, as Juniper) hurriedly did as instructed, blushing furiously and looking away from Liza to Gunnr's smiling face. The elven Valkyrie mock-pouted and said in a hurt tone of voice, "Looking elsewhere already? I never could get used to the human mania for novelty... " Then she grinned. "... but on the other hand, -damn-, that outfit is hot!" She fanned her face a bit with an open hand. Juni suppressed a giggle and did not reply, for fear that the murmured exchange would earn the disapproval of her sensei if it continued. She did not yet know Kaitlyn well enough to realize that, behind the thoughtful little half-smile on her face, the samurai master was thinking pretty much the same thing as Gunnr. For his part, Governor Kallon took her appearance - as well as that of the two battle-painted t'skrang who accompanied her, one green tiger-striped in black, one the pure bright blue of a gas flame - completely in stride, rising from behind his desk to greet both captains cordially. Behind them came the rest of the team which had accompanied Utena to wrest the Valiant back from those who had stolen her, and they, too, were uniformed - Kyouichi Saionji in white and green, Kozue Kaoru in deep blue and white, Corwin Ravenhair in the most remarkable silver-trimmed black armor, and Anthy Tenjou in gold-edged scarlet. The first two wore swords, and Corwin had a large pistol holstered at his side. John Hyatt, the Valiant's AEGIS liaison, was with them, and there were those in the contingent who had stayed on Tau Ceti who were very glad indeed to see the black-haired telepath looking well as she accompanied her captain and comrades into the office. "Captain Tenjou," said Governor Kallon with a smile. "I trust your expedition was successful?" "Very successful, Your Honor, thank you," Utena replied. "I have a message for you from the Chief." She reached into the front panel of her uniform jacket and removed a folded piece of paper, which she handed to Kallon. The governor unfolded it, read it - whatever it was, it wasn't very wordy - and smiled again, a little wider this time. "That's excellent," he said. "Shall we get started, then? We have a lot to plan for, and not a lot of time to do it." 12:30 PM Charles Kallon, Utena mused to herself, did not look like a man of destiny. He was a shortish, rotund, middle-aged man, mostly bald except for a rather monkish fringe of iron-grey hair; in skin tone, he was somewhere between coffee-black Moose MacEchearn and coppery Azalynn dv'Ir Natashkan. His suits were expensive but seemed perpetually crumpled, and every time Utena had seen him so far, his tie had been slightly askew. He looked more like the popular conception of a middle- management bureaucrat than a leader, and, truth be told, that was more or less what a colonial governor -was- under the Earth Alliance system. Now, though, as the governor emerged from his office into the press-packed briefing room, Kallon's suit was neatly pressed and his tie perfectly straight. He walked past the two uniformed TCMP officers flanking the doorway with a brisk stride and took his place at the podium which Utena stood beside. Standing straight upright with his shoulders squared, he had something of the bearing of a soldier, which he had been once. "People of Tau Ceti, the Earth Alliance, and the United Federation of Planets," Kallon said, his flabby face looking unexpectedly hard and stern as he spoke, "when the time comes for a people to reform, modify or replace their existing form of government, it is considered proper that the reasons for such a change be placed before the people and their neighbors. I therefore present to you today our grievances against a government which has proven not only to be unresponsive to them, but to be the principal cause of them. "The preamble to the Constitution of the Earth Alliance claims that the Alliance was created to preserve, promote, and protect the peace, freedom, and well-being of its member worlds and their citizens. Under this promise the proud colony world of Tau Ceti, having been independent for over two hundred years prior, ratified the Charter and placed itself under Alliance authority. "In the sixteen years since Tau Ceti joined the Alliance, this promise has been betrayed in numerous ways, which I shall now list: "The freedom of Tau Ceti's citizens has been severely curtailed by the institution of martial law and by the actions of the Earth Defense Forces and the Psi Corps, which censor free speech, prohibit free assembly, and commit arrests and seizures without due process in a court of law; "The peace of Tau Ceti has been broken by Earthforce and Psi Corps officials, who have treated protest and self-defense as rebellion and who, in their retaliation, have engendered contempt for the law; "The prosperity of Tau Ceti has been severely reduced, through high Alliance taxes to pay for Earthforce ships and troops, for Psi Corps equipment and training, and for the reconstruction of Earth itself; while the lack of peace and freedom on Tau Ceti has restricted our interplanetary trade, reduced our employment, and increased the ranks of the impoverished; and "The political freedom of Tau Ceti has been eliminated altogether. I, an appointed governor set over you by the Alliance, represent the breakdown of the right of the people to choose their own government and to call that government to account for its actions. Those seeking to re-establish elections have been prevented by the Earthforce authorities and by the Earth Alliance government. "All of these things the majority of our world's population bore patiently, for we know that altering the laws we live under is not something to be done lightly. "However, when a brawl instigated by a small group of thugs was expanded by the Earthforce occupation force and Psi Corps authority into a full-scale insurrection against the established government, we could no longer remain idle. Article XXXIV of the Earth Alliance Constitution guarantees to every member world a free republican form of government. On Tuesday afternoon the Earth Alliance attempted, unsuccessfully, to overthrow a government it itself had imposed upon our world, a government which itself is neither free nor republican. "Article XL of the Constitution allows any member world, deprived by events of its civil government, to reinstitute that government in such manner as it shall see fit. I hereby invoke Articles XXXIV and XL of the Earth Alliance Constitution. I declare the colonial government of Tau Ceti unable to function and in violation of Article XXXIV, and in order to remedy this, I hereby declare the unilateral and immediate secession of the independent world of Tau Ceti from the Earth Alliance and the United Federation of Planets. "As governor, I shall act as interim head of state until a constitutional republic shall be elected by the people. Elections for a constitutional convention shall be held in two months' time, with elections for the new government to come no later than six months from today. Upon the election of the new government, my post shall be rendered irrelevant and I shall step down. "In the meantime, as the acting government, it falls to me to provide for the defense of our world against all external threats, which include any possible attempt by the Earth Alliance to subjugate our people. I have already disarmed and interned all Earthforce troops and Psi Corps operatives throughout the Tau Ceti system. This includes one Earthforce cruiser and five destroyers, plus numerous smaller craft, which shall be operated by the Tau Ceti Military Police until a treaty of recognition shall be established with the Earth Alliance. "As further security against attack, I have requested the assistance of the International Police, the Wedge Defense Force, and the Confederate Freespacers Mercenary Fleet. As I speak, fifty ships are en route to Tau Ceti to assist in repulsing any potential attack." Kallon gestured to his left, and the camera pulled back to reveal Utena and her two companions. Seated to her left was Captain Spock, looking very Vulcan in his WDF dress uniform. Beyond Spock sat a very short man, dark of hair and eye, his head seemingly too large for his under five feet of height, wearing a CFMF dress uniform remarkably clear of the clutter usually found on a vice-admiral's clothes. "To formalize the relations between Tau Ceti and its allies, I have here with me Captain Utena Tenjou, representing the Babylon Foundation and the International Police Space Force; Captain Spock, on behalf of Admiral James Kirk, representing the WDF Tactical Fleet; and Admiral Miles Naismith, representing the CFMF Strategic Fleet." Kallon pulled out a series of pens, gold-plated pens of the kind used for signing legislation and decrees and then giving to supporters afterwards. "By these signatures," he said, as an aide brought four leather-encased binders to the podium, "I hereby ratify, as acting head of state, the Pact Babylonica, the International Police Organization Accords, a system defense contract with the Wedge Defense Force, and a mutual treaty of recognition with the Confederate Freespacers Alliance." He signed, with slow, deliberate strokes, the first three documents, each with a different pen. As each document was signed, he handed it back to the aide. On the fourth one, however, he paused, staring for a moment at something written on the document. He stepped away from the podium, walked over to Admiral Naismith, and muttered in a voice Utena had to strain to hear, "Are you certain one of your people didn't add a zero to that figure?" "This is a rather poor time to attempt to dicker on the price," Admiral Naismith said with the flat, slightly nasal accent of Beta Colony. Utena struggled to keep a straight face, and almost missed the little admiral adding, "We can re-negotiate later, if need be." Kallon returned to the podium, signed the last document with rather more speed than the others, and handed it to the aide. The aide then took the binders to the three representatives, setting down two in front of Utena and one each for Spock and Naismith. Pens were handed to each, the same type as Kallon had used; again, two for Utena. As the dignitaries (Hey! Utena realized abruptly; I'm a dignitary!) opened their binders and began to sign the documents inside, Kallon continued, "As interim head of state, I hereby declare Tau Ceti a free port, open to any and all trade with the United Federation of Planets and its member worlds, pending formal recognition by the Federation Assembly..." Utena tuned him out, concentrating instead on her unaccustomed task. Inwardly, she grumbled a bit, wishing that the Chief had come himself, or delegated somebody with some experience in this kind of thing, to do this part. It was kind of a rush being the IPO's designated representative on the scene, but she'd never signed a treaty before, and she found herself worrying that she'd commit some embarrassing gaffe in front of this army of reporters, sign in the wrong place or some damn thing. Fortunately, nothing of the sort happened; she signed her documents, the others signed theirs, and then they all sat and looked satisfied with the way the galaxy was working while Kallon worked his way through what little remained of his speech. Finally, with the ritual and boilerplate ended, he said, "Now, I will take your questions." The media frenzy ended at three, at which point the governor and some of his guests retired to his office to wait for the other shoe to drop. At four-thirty, drop it did - but not in the way they were expecting. The group in Kallon's office, the other members of the crew standing a reinforced watch on the Valiant, and the small group maintaining a loose watch over the crew's Psi Cop "guest" at the Metropole, who didn't seem inclined to come out of her room as yet, were all watching Network 23 as the thin, colorless figure of Earth Alliance President Neville Greeley, sitting at his desk with the panoramic view of Geneva behind him, began to speak. "People of the Earth Alliance," he said in his thin, colorless voice. "We here at Earthdome share your deep concern that one of our worlds has declared itself independent from the Alliance, without any consideration of the mutual responsibilities of all member worlds of the Alliance to each other. We feel that the governor of Tau Ceti has committed a reckless and foolish act which will, in the fullness of time, do the people of that world more harm than good. "Governor Kallon has quoted Articles Thirty-Four and Forty of the Alliance Constitution to justify his actions. He also quoted the preamble of that document, but only in part; he ignored the final clause, quote, 'do hereby establish this charter for a -permanent- alliance of Earth and its colonies.' We feel that, based on that fundamental premise, no world may pull out of the Alliance without the consent of the other members, as expressed in the Alliance legislature." "(Here we go... )" muttered Utena. She readied her communicator, certain that she would momentarily have to open it and call the allied forces overhead to full alert. What Greeley said next, though, surprised her and made it unnecessary. "However, until the courts decide on the proper interpretation for this government to use, and in light of the events immediately prior to Tau Ceti's secession, we are inclined to err towards the side of caution. Rather than subject the innocent citizens of Tau Ceti to a destructive invasion, or risk the lives of Earthforce troops and Federation citizens, we have decided, in this unique circumstance, to recognize Tau Ceti as a free and independent nation." The explosion of noise and shouts which followed that pronouncement drowned out the President's next few words, and only with much shushing did the noise level drop enough for the speech to be heard. "... no precedent in Alliance nor Federation law. Any other Alliance world which seeks to gain its independence shall have to gain the support of two-thirds of the Alliance legislature and two-thirds of its own citizens, and have its constitution approved by both the Alliance and Federation prior to being granted its independence. Any would-be tyrant who wishes to seize an Alliance world through armed revolt shall be met with the full might of the Earth Defense Forces. "As for Tau Ceti, our representative at the Babylon Foundation shall negotiate a temporary treaty of mutual recognition and trade until that world establishes its own popularly elected government. We rely on the International Police to ensure that Governor Kallon's deadlines are met and that democratic government is restored to Tau Ceti within six months. "Details of the final recognition treaty, including the repatriation of Earthforce personnel and property, the apportionment of Tau Ceti's share of the Alliance debt, and other potential disputes, shall be worked out over the next few weeks. In the meantime, we wish Tau Ceti well in its experiment. Go, erring sister; we in the Alliance shall await your return with open arms." The last bit of rhetoric sounded especially hollow in Greeley's characterless voice - a nice little bit of speechwriting wasted on a figure as completely unimpressive as the president. The man was widely regarded as a pale shadow of his predecessor, the dynamic (some would say dynastic, since Greeley was reputed to be his hand-picked sucessor) William Clark, who was now the Federation Senator from Earth. Greeley didn't seem to realize that the last line didn't really work as he'd delivered it, or possibly he just didn't care. He blinked expressionlessly into the camera, like an automaton which has reached the end of its program, until the network cut back to a rather puzzled-looking John Trussell. "A surprisingly soft response from the Earth Alliance government, which just four years ago crushed a similar uprising on Proxima Centauri with overwhelming military force," said Truss. "The experts will be debating this tonight: Is the difference President Greeley, or the much-increased strength of the International Police compared to 2405? We go now to our Babylon 6 studios to discuss this question with members of the Babylon Foundation's diplomatic staff." This time the cheer was allowed to go unabated - nobody in the room gave a damn what Londo Mollari thought of the Tau Ceti situation. Smiling, Utena let the chatter go around the office for a couple of minutes, then got up, straightened her uniform tunic, turned, and saluted the governor. "Well, congratulations, Your Honor," she said. "It looks like you're going to get away with it." Kallon sighed, visibly relaxing in his chair. "Looks that way, doesn't it? You know, I wasn't sure for a while there." He smiled. "I suppose that means you'll be leaving us now, Captain." Utena nodded. "As soon as the rest of Captain Spock's group gets here, we'll be shoving off. Valiant needs some repairs, and we have to run a complete security audit and figure out how Black Omega got on board before we can resume the tour. But thank you for your hospitality," she went on, adding with a wry grin, "I won't say it hasn't been interesting!" The governor, still smiling, rose from his chair, moved it aside, and addressed the lot of them. "Thank you all for your help," he said. "You didn't owe me or Tau Ceti a thing, and we couldn't have done this without you." With gracious acknowledgements, the Duelists dispersed; they had a lot of packing and checking to do before the rest of the WDF group arrived and they handed the situation over to them absolutely. 5:15 PM By chance it was Utena, going between the temporary WDF liaison office in what had been the Earthforce wing and the office of the governor's chief of staff, who was walking past the reflecting pool in the palace's entrance hall when it started to glow and bubble. She paused, curious but not overly alarmed, for this was a phenomenon she was quite familiar with; and so it failed to surprise her at all when, a moment later, a woman sprang up from the glowing surface of the pool, skipped lightly to the edge, and stepped down to the flagstones of the entrance hall floor. Skuld Ravenhair grinned and bowed with a flourish as Utena applauded lightly. "Hi!" said the captain as she unhesitatingly embraced the Goddess of Technology. "Wasn't expecting to see you here. We're just about through." Skuld returned the embrace and kissed her adopted daughter on the cheek. "Just passing by," she said with a wink. "I have a little business with a couple of your shipmates." The Valiant's cargo bays, the only really large rooms on board, were still a bit of a mess. Thus, when the Duelists assembled at Skuld's request, they did so in a conference room graciously offered (and cleared of furniture) by Governor Kallon's staff. They stood in a loose rank at one end of the room, wondering why the lights were turned down so low, as Skuld smilingly reviewed them before speaking. "Some of you already know," she said, "that the path to the International Police Lens is not always a straight or simple one. My criteria for administering the Test of Light, the ritual which leads - or doesn't lead - to the final awarding of the Lens, probably seem weird and arbitrary to most of you. To tell you the truth, they sometimes seem weird and arbitrary to me, too," she added with a wry grin, "but that's the way great workings go sometimes. "Anyway. After the events of yesterday, I find myself here to offer that Test to more of your circle. If you're not among those I call, don't feel bad, and don't assume that it means you're out of the running forever." The Norn of Tomorrow folded her hands at her waist and looked slowly from one side of the room to the other. As she did so, she took on a curiously regal air which the gathered Duelists found odd, since it contrasted so sharply with the happy-go-lucky attitude they were used to seeing from her. It was a subtle thing - a faint straightening of her back, a slight hardening of her expression. Most of it was in her eyes, which raked over the group like searchlights, suddenly and completely serious. When they stopped on one member of the assembled group, a person not easily intimidated even for -this- bunch, that person found herself looking back with a hint of trepidation. When Skuld spoke, her voice, too, was similarly changed, its tone businesslike and its timbre ever-so-slightly unearthly. It was the voice not of the Duelists' pal Skuld, Corwin's mom, but of Skuld of the Raven-Hair, lastborn daughter of Odin. "Juri Arisugawa," she said; and then her gaze traversed the group and stopped on a second Duelist, who looked shocked and disbelieving even before Skuld spoke also her name: "Shiori Takatsuki. Come forward and be tested." Slowly, hesitantly, both women came forward. As they did, they glanced at each other, as if searching for some hint of what they could expect. Shiori regained her aplomb first; to Juri's searching look, she shrugged slightly and winked one violet eye. Juri blinked, then smiled a little, mocking herself gently for having expected that her old friend would have any more idea what was happening than she had. Skuld stood near the center of the room, waiting for them. As they arrived, she stepped slightly back and gestured them into position. They stood facing each other at a little more than arm's length, both now smiling calmly, and waited for the goddess to do whatever she was going to do. What Skuld did was to smile slightly at them both, breaking her regal, divine air just a little, and then raise her hands, place one on each girl's shoulder, and lean her head back, eyes closed. /* Looking Glass Studios "Operations D" _System Shock 2_ */ A soft white light appeared around the three figures in the middle of the room, swirling gently around them. It looked a little like smoke, or the gaseous tendrils of a nebula; as it grew in brightness, little motes of harder, brighter light started dancing within it. Both of the subjects' eyes slipped shut as well as the light and a strange, quiet musical sound surrounded them. Utena leaned toward Corwin and murmured, "(It wasn't like this when Saionji got his.)" "(They're all a little different,)" Corwin replied. "(I've never seen her do two at once before... )" The glow brightened further, the little points of light dancing within it. and then, with a startling suddenness, it seemed to coalesce. On Juri's side of their little formation, the light became orange, collapsing to a brilliant point before her face; on Shiori's side it did the same, but turned a bright and shining bluish-red. Skuld released their shoulders and stepped back, her eyes opening. The light flared further and then condensed into a pair of lenticular gems, each hovering in the air before one of the Duelists' faces. At the same moment, Juri and Shiori opened their eyes. They found themselves looking through the gleaming gems - colored, but quite transparent - and making eye contact through the combined gleam of orange and red. Then they smiled, as if agreeing at the end of some silent conversation, reached out - - and each plucked from the air the Lens suspended in front of the other's face. The rest gasped, some audibly, at this sudden, unexpected move; the light flashed again, and most of those present expected to hear cries of pain as each Duelist took hold of and hurriedly released the wrong Lens. Wakaba, who had inadvertently brushed Saionji's once when he'd left it on the washstand during a bath, remembered well what it felt like to touch another's Lens out of contact with its owner. But they heard no such thing, and when the glow faded, both recipients stood looking down at their wrists with an air of satisfaction. Clasped there on silver bands were the new-made Lenses: Shiori's brilliant orange, Juri's rich wine-red. Kozue Kaoru, her face blank with astonishment, leaned toward her brother and murmured, "(Miki... what does it mean?)" Miki chuckled and replied, "(I can't think of anything that isn't a platitude... )" Kozue gave him an odd look, and then understood and smiled. Those of the Valiant's crew who had stayed at the Hotel Metropole returned there after the Test to pack up what few things they'd had with them and prepare to head back to their ship. Kaitlyn stood in the living room of Suite 2104 with a small pack on her shoulder, looking out at Tau City as she had done the previous day. This time, though, rather than being sunk in gloomy contemplation of the fates of her missing friends, she was wondering what the city would look like the next time she saw it, and whether Governor Kallon's experiment would work out as the people of the city seemed to hope. On their way back to the hotel from the Governor's Palace, the Duelists had seen ample evidence of that hope. Tau City, which had been wracked by a massive riot just two days before, now seemed to be one giant party from one side to the other. July 9 appeared destined to be a major holiday here, if everything went according to the governor's apparent plan. Kate smiled as she heard a door close behind her, and turned with that smile still on her face, assuming that the sound was Juri emerging from the bedroom they'd shared. Then she hesitated, the smile taking on an awkward quality before disappearing entirely, when she saw that it wasn't Juri at all. Beside her, Serge tensed slightly and emitted a low, cautionary growl. Carmela Sunderland stood stiffly in the doorway to the room where she'd spent most of the past day sleeping, looking at Kate with a level, unreadable expression. She stood stiffly partly because the pain of her injuries wouldn't permit her any other posture, but only partly. Her uniform was hopelessly rumpled - it couldn't be helped, but she'd cleaned up as best she could and looked as presentable as possible under the circumstances. "Miss Hutchins," she said quietly. "I would appreciate it if I could speak to Captain Tenjou immediately." Utena came down to the hotel as soon as Kate called her. Liza, spurred by curiosity, tagged along. As they entered the living room, they found Kate, her tiger, and the Psi Cop all right where they'd been when they'd first seen each other, in an uneasy arrangement just short of a standoff. Utena was faintly amused, in a weird sort of way, to see Gunnr Brynjelfr and Anne Cross standing by the doorway to their room and Miki and Juri by the door to the main room, all of them sporting expressions that were faintly humorous mixtures of curiosity and concern. As the captains entered the room, all their friends glanced at Utena. She sent a questioning look around the room, but the only response she got was from Juri. Despite the strange tension of the situation, she had to suppress a giggle at the sight of Juri Arisugawa giving her a little shrug and a "damned if -I- know" expression. When she saw Utena entering, Sunderland turned to face her and straightened a little more, coming as close as she could to attention in her condition. Then, to Utena's considerable surprise, she raised her right arm, pressure cast and all, and saluted, grimly refusing to show any outward sign of the pain the gesture caused her. It only showed in a barely perceptible tightening around the Psi Cop's eyes. Not knowing quite what else to do, Utena stopped in front of her and returned her salute. "Captain Tenjou," said Sunderland. "I have watched Governor Kallon's declaration and seen the Earthgov response. From that, and the presence of Miss Arisugawa," she added, inclining her head in the redhead's direction, "I gather that your forces have recovered your ship and the prisoners taken by Black Omega." Utena nodded. "I understand we have you to thank, in part, for the last part," she said, "but I can't say I understand why." Sunderland smiled faintly; with the bruises on her face and the pressure bandage over her fractured cheekbone, it looked more like a grimace. "The explanation for that is a lengthy one," she said with dry irony. "However I explain it, though, it leaves me with a problem. In betraying Black Omega to your group, whatever my motivation, I have signed my own death warrant. "If I am interned by the Tau Ceti Military Police like the rest of the Psi Corps and Earthforce personnel here, if I am repatriated to the Earth Alliance, my life will be worthless. I will disappear. Your people have seen for themselves how Black Omega can make that happen; it will be as though Carmela Antonia Sunderland never existed." She paused, looked down, experiencing a final hesitation; then she straightened again, raising her eyes to meet Utena's, and said clearly, "Having placed myself in mortal danger to assist your crew, I therefore request political asylum in the Republic of Zeta Cygni and the protection of the International Police Organization." "BUAH - !" said Juniper before she could stop herself. Before Utena could put together any better reply, the battered Psi Cop's chin came up a little, some of her old pride coming back into her dark eyes, as she went on, "I am a fully trained and qualified P12-grade telepath with ten years' experience in criminal investigation, fugitive tracking, and law enforcement. I know a great deal about the inner workings of the Psi Corps, especially the Enforcement Division. I can be an asset to any organization with a need for those skills and abilities." Her piece said, Sunderland lapsed into silence, maintaining her rail-straight attention and betraying nothing of the discomfort it caused - except that she could do nothing about the beads of sweat which began forming at her hairline. Noticing these, though deep in thought, Utena said distractedly, "Liza, do you think you could... ?" Liza, who had stopped a couple of steps behind Utena and watched the whole thing with an air of intense fascination, smiled slightly. "I suppose I could," she replied. Then she stepped around her pink-haired comrade, approached Sunderland, and said, "This will be easier for me if you try to relax." Sunderland looked puzzled, then wary, and then tried to follow instructions as the blonde pirate reached and placed her hand gently against the undamaged side of the Psi Cop's face. Liza closed her eyes and concentrated for a moment; as she did so, Sunderland's eyes flew wide. The wariness, worry and suppressed pain all vanished from her face, replaced by a combination of awe and intense relief. The bruises, too, disappeared as if by magic, leaving her thin but well-arranged face looking just as it had when she'd challenged Kaitlyn two days before. She faltered on her feet for a moment, almost swooning, and then caught herself against the doorframe behind her and slowly raised herself back upright. Unable to speak, she gave Liza a look mingling astonishment and gratitude. Liza just grinned and went to stand by Kaitlyn, who had watched the whole scene with an expression Sunderland couldn't read. Now, as the curly-headed blonde leaned and murmured something to the young samurai, Kate smiled, just a little, and chuckled silently, reaching down as she did to pet her still-suspicious tiger on the head. Utena came back from the inner space she'd entered to consider Sunderland's request. "I'm not in any position to go granting people asylum in the Republic, or to make a judgment about your value as an asset to the IPO or any other organization," she said, and Sunderland's newly healed face took on a look of dawning horror as she concluded that the IPO captain was preparing to throw her to the wolves. Well, she thought resignedly, I suppose it's as much as I deserve... But Utena was preparing to do no such thing. "However," she said, and then turned with a sly smile to Juri. "Juri, would you ask Kanna to step in here for a moment, please?" Juri raised an eyebrow, wondering how Utena expected her to do that, and then remembered that, a few minutes before, she'd become a Lensman. She'd already tried her Lens's communication function once, but that was with the fellow Lensman she was contacting right in front of her, so she had to concentrate for a moment before she was able to fulfil the captain's request. A minute later, the towering, well-built form of the Valiant's acting security chief appeared, resplendent in the red and white of her Teikokukagekidan Hanagumi uniform. (Juri amused herself momentarily picturing what Shiori would look like had the 2405 Ohtori Academy Student Council uniforms resembled these even more, down to the cravat and the swallow-tailed jacket.) "Hey, Cap'n," said Kanna Kirishima cheerfully. "What's up? We're just about ready to go, all but this suite." "Kanna," said Utena with the same little I'm-up-to-something smile (Kaitlyn mused that it was the kind of expression she was more accustomed to seeing on Anthy), "Officer Sunderland here is under arrest as a material witness in the abduction of you and the others. She'll have to come with us to Babylon 6. Would you arrange some suitable onboard accommodations for her? And remember - she's a witness, not a suspect." Kanna looked mightily confused and replied, "Huh?" Then she blinked and her open, honest face broke into a huge grin. "Oh, I get it!" she said. "Sure, no problem. C'mon, you." "When we get to B6," Utena told Sunderland, "you can take your request up with the Chief." Sunderland finally allowed herself to smile. "Thank you, Captain," she said. "Don't thank me yet," Utena replied. "He might have you spaced. He's kinda touchy about people who mess with his daughter." Kaitlyn unsuccessfully suppressed a bark of laughter as Kanna led the Psi Cop, who didn't look like she knew whether to take that part seriously or not, from the room. Once they were gone, Utena turned to Juri and said, "Are you OK with that? I don't figure I had much choice, but... " Juri smiled dryly. "You have the most remarkable effect on people," she observed. "You know, I think that woman is genuinely sincere. She wants to join the International Police." Kate nodded. "And I th-think Dad will p-p-probably l-let her," she added. "She's a dying breed," Gunnr chipped in as she and Anne came the rest of the way into the living room. "As the Corps expands its influence, they'll weed her kind out and replace them with more like that slime Garcia." Juri folded her arms. "That will be their downfall, then," she said flatly. "Our kind will never be overcome by the likes of -him-." Utena glanced at the redhead, surprised by the venom in her tone. For a moment, she was more like the old Juri, with her occasional flashes of icy vindictiveness. Seeing the surprise in Utena's eyes, Juri smiled, her stiffly disapproving manner relaxing, and she said, "You'll understand when you see him... " The rest of the WDF's ad-hoc Tau Ceti task force arrived at quarter past six, by which time Utena had completed the handoff and was prepared to welcome the IPO Tac Div group sent in with them to augment and take over the management of the Tau Ceti Military Police. By 6:40, the Valiant's work was finished and her crew ready to take their leave. To Utena's surprise, Governor Kallon himself came out to the plaza where, so recently, the great Tau City Riot had reached its peak. Upon arriving back at Tau Ceti, Utena, Corwin and Kozue had used the plaza as an impromptu hardstand, and now the three G-Getter Machines stood ready to take them back up to the waiting destroyer. Kozue and Corwin were already aboard G-Getter Machines #2 (which Kozue had affectionately nicknamed "Getter Arrow") and #3 respectively. Utena paused by the boarding ladder of G-Getter #1 as Kallon emerged from the palace and strode briskly toward her. His gait at this moment, another echo of his former military career, surprised her. "Captain Tenjou," said Kallon as he reached her, "after what you and your crew have done for us here, it seems somewhat ungrateful to let you leave empty-handed. Unfortunately, as a provisional governor, I have no authority to present official awards or decorations, so this is purely a private affair - but I hope you'll accept this, anyway, in the spirit in which it is given." So saying, the governor reached into his pocket and removed a bit of metal on a short ribbon. He reached as if to pin to her uniform jacket, hesitated, thought better of it, and placed in her hand instead. Then he stepped crisply back, his bearing now entirely that of the soldier he once had been, and rendered her a nicely executed salute. Utena, at a loss, tucked the item he'd given her into her pants pocket and returned the salute, at which point the governor dropped the military bearing and smiled. "Thank you again, Captain, for everything - you and all your crew. I hope that if I invite the Art of Noise to perform at our election celebrations in January, they'll consider it." Utena grinned. "We'll be back in school then," she said, "but we just might be able to arrange it." Then, growing serious again, she added, "Just make sure we're not coming to make sure those elections -happen-. I read between the lines of President Greeley's speech just as well as you did, Your Honor. The IPO has a lot riding on your good faith." Kallon didn't take offense, for he knew none was meant. He only nodded gravely. "Your trust, and that of your Chief, are not ill-placed," he said. "You'll see." "I'll be watching," she agreed. Then she smiled, breaking up the faint tension of the moment, and said, "Unlike President Greeley, I mean it when I say this: Good luck with your experiment, sir." "Thank you, Captain. Clear skies to you." Not until she arrived on the Valiant and secured her Getter Machine in the cramped hangar bay with the other two did Utena take the thing Kallon had given her from her pocket and examine it. It was a military decoration, a five-pointed star made of some golden-white metal about an inch and a half across, its face inlaid with a deep blood-red gem, on a slightly faded scarlet ribbon. Beneath the gem, embossed on the face of the medal, was a symbol resembling a globe of the Earth surrounded by laurel branches, the emblem of the old United Earth of the twenty-fourth century. The metal bar at the top of the ribbon was engraved, "BLOOD AND HONOR". Utena turned the medal over; on its back was engraved, 1SGT C. KALLON NEW YORK 2388.08.12 The pink-haired Duelist raised an eyebrow and made a mental note to ask Corwin, who would probably know, or his father, who would certainly know, if that date meant what she thought it meant. Then, thoughtfully, she put the medal back in her pocket and went up to the bridge to get started casting off. /* A. Vivaldi "Summer, Part 1" _The Four Seasons_ */ Eyrie Productions, Unlimited presented UNDOCUMENTED FEATURES FUTURE IMPERFECT - Symphony of the Sword No. 4 - Entr'acte: The Ceti Solution The Cast (in order of appearance) Kaitlyn Hutchins Juri Arisugawa Sergei Miki Kaoru Charles Kallon Utena Tenjou Elisabeth R'tas Shustal Anne Cross Gunnr Brynjelfr Kyouichi Saionji Kozue Kaoru Corwin Ravenhair Anthy Tenjou J'onn Hy'aat Spock Miles Naismith Neville Greeley Skuld Ravenhair Shiori Takatsuki Carmela Sunderland Kanna Kirishima Governor Benjamin D. Hutchins Political Officer Kris Overstreet Crowd Control The Usual Suspects The Symphony will return E P U (colour) 2003