Crossover Crisis Side Story 1 Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 and all the other characters mentioned in this story belong to someone else. I think that says it all. < >: Thoughts (* *): Computer responses B-Ranma: Fighting Blind (Ranma) T-Ranma: Ranmatech (Prototype) D-Ranma: Dragon Child (Draco) P-Ranma: Fist of the Pikachu (Trainer) Kojiro: Cat Fist Fury Cat Fist Star Part 2 Flashback... "Do you have to go?" Alex asked with sadness as Kojiro began packing his belongings, which only included some survival gear and supplies that he had obtained since he came to Tiberius IV. "I'm afraid so, Alex." Kojiro replied. "I have to move on, since there will be some people coming after me now, and I don't want you or your mother getting involved or hurt." "Can't you stay? Please?" Alex pled as he grabbed hold of the Cat Fist fighter's legs. In the short time since he had come to the Verinda farm, the boy had come see him as a kind of big brother. "Alex, I'm sorry, but I have to leave. Take good care of your mother for me." End of flashback... Kojiro had hated to leave like that, but ever since that encounter with Aisha Clan Clan, he had no choice but to vacate the premises. His identity was now known and he didn't want Alex and his mother involved. He had been striking in secret at the mining company that threatened to force them and the other farmers from their lands to mine the Dragonite underneath. However, such an excavation would ruin the remaining fertile areas on the planet. Kojiro sighed again as he continued to hike toward the nearby town. He figured that he had earned enough money from working at the farm to pay for a room at the inn for a week or so. He could continue to attack the Galaxy Mining Corporation, but now that they saw his face, he couldn't to attack with impunity. Kojiro continued to consider his options. Now that he no longer lived at the Verinda residence, he had to think about what to do to help Alex and the other farmers, if he could help them now. Those sneak attacks he had been doing on Galaxy had slowed it down, but not stopped it. Then there were also those strangers that Galaxy had hired to hunt him down. That Ctarl Ctarl girl had proven to be quite an opponent, and there were those others that he had to watch out for as well. His mind then began to wander as he thought about his counterparts, where they were and what they were doing. ---------- Speaking of whom... "So where do we start looking for him?" Koga asked as he and his counterparts disembarked from the ship at the landing port near the Galaxy Corporation Mining Complex. Coincidentally, they were parked near the Outlaw Star. "Well, the first thing to do is to check in with the head of this mining facility." T-Ranma replied as they began walking toward the main office. "According to the reports, that huge monster cat has been specifically attacking this place for the past week or so. If it is our Felinar friend, then the people here should be able to give us the scoop on where he might be." "Why would Kojiro attack a mining corporation? Doesn't make any sense." Draco commented. "We don't know if it IS Kojiro." T-Ranma said. "Hmm, how many giant saber-toothed tigers do you know of?" Trainer asked. "Remember, we're on another planet in another universe. Saber-tooths may be a common sight. We'll know soon enough." Prototype remarked. ---------- "If you're here for the bounty, then you four look-alikes have some competition." The head executive said as he briefed the Ranmas on the situation. "Yesterday, a group came in on that red grappler ship out there and they tell me that they're very close in finding that big cat that's been ripping up this facility." "Do you have any pictures of it?" "Yep. Last night, one of the outer perimeter scanners got our first image of that monster. I didn't believe the stories that the workers had told me, but once I saw it, I had to admit that it was one BIG cat!" He flipped a switch and a nearby monitor began showing some fuzzy images of a large black shape bounding toward the outside wall. The picture then cleared up as the east let off a roar before disappearing into the night. Draco, Prototype and Trainer narrowed their eyes as the technological Ranma leaned over to Koga and whispered to him. "That's our tiger all right." The CEO nodded as he switched off the monitor. "That first group of bounty hunters told me this morning that it might be a renegade Ctarl Ctarl." "Ctarl Ctarl?" Trainer asked. "It's a race of lycanthropes or metamorphs." T-Ranma supplied. "You know about them?" Draco inquired. T-Ranma nodded. "When we first 'arrived,' I read up on the races that inhabited the neighboring sectors." "Yeah, well anyway, if you want that one million wong, then you'd better hurry." The Galaxy executive said. "That first group promised to bring in that cat by today and they've GOT a Ctarl Ctarl named Aisha Clan Clan on their team. Ctarl Ctarl are a LOT stronger than humans and can change into those huge beasts! That big cat doesn't stand a chance!" "Don't be too sure about that." Prototype said quietly as he and the others left the office. ---------- Once they were outside of the complex, the four began discussing among themselves. "So what now?" Draco asked. "First thing on the agenda is to get to Kojiro before those bounty hunters do. If we hear his side of the story, then maybe we can straighten out this situation." Prototype replied. "You think Kojiro is in danger if he fights with those bounty hunters?" The Pokemon trainer asked. "No." Koga said. "More like those bounty hunters are in danger if Kojiro fights with THEM." Prototype nodded. "Yeah, I'd say so. I've read up on the Ctarl Ctarl when we arrived in this universe. They're pretty similar to what Kojiro had told us about the Felinar and the lycanthropes of his world, but unlike the Ctarl Ctarl, Felinar fighters are more seasoned and are capable of KILLING even a supposedly immortal Ctarl Ctarl. Those lycanthropes may be tough, but they aren't totally invulnerable." Koga nodded. "I've been sparring with Kojiro and his Neko Ken fighting style is one of the most lethal and effective methods of combat ever. It is one of the few schools to rival even the Unseen Light. He's even more deadly in his cat form, but he's at his best in his hybrid form. His ki techniques aren't quite as refined as mine, but he's got huge stores of it and he CAN hurt even magical beings. His aura is combined with mystical energies, either from his experience at Jusenkyo or from his training from the goddess Bastet." "A goddess?" Trainer asked. "Yes, a goddess. Kojiro told me about his training." Koga replied. T-Ranma nodded in agreement. "I scanned those energies in him as well." "So it would be safer for everyone if we got to our Felinar friend first." Draco said. "Bingo." Prototype affirmed. "Those bounty hunters had better have some good life insurance if they find him before we do. They'll hunt him down like a cornered, wounded animal, and there's nothing more dangerous. Especially when he's capable of ripping through titanium armor." "By the way guys, did any of you sense something... odd about that Galaxy executive?" Koga asked. "What do you mean?" P-Ranma asked. "I don't know... I sensed that he was... holding something back. It was if he wasn't telling us the WHOLE story. For one thing, why would Kojiro attack a mining company for no reason?" "That's what I've been thinking too. I mean, Kojiro may be a bit of a hot head sometimes, but even he wouldn't be THAT reckless." T-Ranma held his chin in thought. "Something about this whole thing smells fishy, but it's not our business to interfere. All we have to do is to find our Cat Fist friend." ---------- Kojiro sat down in his rented room at the town inn, thinking about his next move. He knew that Galaxy had to be stopped, but what he could do now? He couldn't continue with his guerilla attacks on the mining facility and it would only be a matter of time before those bounty hunters caught up with him. It was at that moment that his sixth sense began to warn him that he was being watched. He got up and looked around, but could see nothing. ---------- On an opposite roof, just outside the range of Kojrio's range of vision, Jim Hawkings was peering through a pair of high-powered binoculars. Behind him, Gene and the rest of the crew of the Outlaw Star stood by, with the exception of Melfina, who stayed behind in the ship. "That's him all right." The young boy said as he lowered the instrument from his eyes and turned to his comrades. They had visited the Verinda farm to question and/or capture Kojiro, but when they learned that he was gone, they tracked him down to the inn he was staying at. Now they were planning how to take the Cat Fist fighter down. "Just let me at him! I'll drag him to Galaxy and collect that million wong!" Aisha said as she flexed her muscles. "Oh sure you will." Gene said with some sarcasm. "And what makes you think that you won't have your tail handed to you again?" "Hmpf! He just caught me off guard, that's all! I'm ready for him this time!" The Ctarl Ctarl girl said as she gazed at the inn in which Kojiro was staying at. She had fully recovered from her bout with him the previous night. "He won't be able to use that Tao magic on me again after I've pounded him into the ground!" "Are you certain that it was a Tao spell that he used on you last night?" Sazuka asked. "And he doesn't LOOK like a Ctarl Ctarl either." "I'm telling you Suze, it couldn't have been anything else! HE HAS to be a Ctarl Ctarl or some other kind of shape-shifter! I SAW him transform!" "And I'm telling you again, not to call me Suze." The assassin said with irritation. "So what's the plan, Gene?" Jim asked. Starwind shrugged as he unholstered his Caster Gun and chambered a round. "I figure that a Number Seventeen Shell should do the job. One shot and we'll be able to take him back to Galaxy and collect that reward. All we have to do is to wait for him to leave that inn and make sure that no other innocent people get in the way. We'll take up positions around the area and tail him when he comes out. Simple really." He then cast a glare toward Aisha. "Try to control yourself Aisha when we face off against him. We don't need another animal rampaging in the streets." "WHO ARE YOU CALLING AN ANIMAL?!" ---------- Kojiro became even more edgy. He just couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched. However, there were other pressing matters to attend to. Such as the fact that his stomach was rumbling. It had been some time since he had eaten and he could smell some enticing aromas coming from a nearby restaurant. He needed to eat. He had burned off a lot of calories the previous night and needed to build up his strength. The Felinar were similar to the Ctarl Ctarl in the fact that their bodies were hyper-metabolic and used up tremendous amounts of energy in combat. However, with their control over ki, Felinar possessed greater endurance and could engage in prolonged battles as well as multiple transformations. Kojiro's fight against White Claw was proof of that. However, Kojiro shared the same trait that three of his counterparts shared; the famous Saotome stomach. He needed food, and he needed it now! He thought about it for a long while, then decided to take the chance and venture outside. ---------- On the outskirts of town, the blind Ranma led his counterparts as he used his extraordinary senses to track down the missing member of their team. "Are you sure he's here?" B-Ranma nodded. "As you guys know, my sense of smell is just as good as Kojiro's and I can tell by the imprints that his aura had left behind, that he's passed by here recently. The trail can't be more than half a day old. We're getting close." KABOOM! The four Ranmas quickly gazed over to where the explosion occurred and then looked over to each other. "Call me crazy, but I think that we might find Kojiro over there." P-Ranma said as he gestured with a thumb in the direction of the disturbance. The three other Ranmas nodded as they all started running. ---------- "I can't believe that you missed, Gene!" Jim exclaimed as they both ran down an alley after they quarry. "Hey, I didn't know that he could move that fast!" The bounty hunter replied as he loaded another Caster shell into his weapon. "Where's Aisha and Sazuka?" "They both split up to try and cut off that guy's escape." "Right!" Gene then cocked his gun and continued running. ---------- Sazuka had her wooden blade held at the ready as she ran down another alley in search of the one who was worth one million wong, dead or alive. She was very interested in their prey and the way he moved. This was no ordinary opponent they were up against and she was curious as to see how her skills would compare to his. After seeing that display of skills the day before, she was anxious to see what he could really do. He might even prove to be one of the few men that could match her own abilities. What she didn't know, but was about to find out, was that Kojiro wasn't the only person who could match her. Just as she reached the middle of the alley, a figure dropped down from above and made a silent landing in front of her, blocking her way. The beautiful assassin stopped in her tracks and went into a ready pose with her weapon held out as she assessed the person in front of her. He looked to be about sixteen or seventeen years old. His build was lean, yet had a muscular frame. Not bulky like a weight-lifter's build, but more like a gymnast's. He had long black hair tied up in a loose ponytail and held out a five-foot metal staff. He too was in a ready stance and she could tell that he wasn't some hired thug, but someone of exceptional skills. What caught her attention the most was his appearance and how similar he was to Kojiro. "You will not pass." B-Ranma said quietly as he twirled his staff in front of him. "I do not know who you are, but you would do well to stand aside. I have very important business to attend to." Sazuka emphasized her point with her weapon aimed at him. "Sorry, can't let you do that. That big cat you're after happens to be a good friend of mine. You want him, then you'll have to get by me." The Unseen Light fighter emphasized his point by pointing his weapon at her. Sazuka's eyes narrowed as she continued to assess her adversary. There was a long silence between them as they prepared to do battle. Sazuka was confident of her abilities and was certain that she could defeat this young one. That is... until the blind Ranma began powering up his aura. Now things got interesting. ---------- Gene addressed the three look-alikes in front of him and Jim. "Hey pal, I don't know who you guys are, but we've got some really important things to do right now, so if you don't mind..." "Sorry, but we can't let you get our feline friend." Draco said as he made his katana, Crimson Fang appear. T-Ranma stepped forward. Behind them, P-Ranma, with Raiden on his shoulder, was already powering up. "This is as far as you go." Prototype stated as he causally made his CXC-1900 Sonic Blaster Rifle appear. Gene gritted his teeth as he clutched his Caster Gun. It seems that his usual luck was holding. ---------- "I've been waiting for this chance!" Aisha said as she once again faced off against Kojiro in a dead-end alley. "This time I'm ready for you!" She then began to morph into her more bestial state. Her fingers elongated into claws, her form increased in muscle mass and a tail appeared at the small of her back. Kojiro's eyes narrowed as he let off a low growl and began focusing his own power. This time, he wasn't going to hold back as much. "Let's see if the little kitten can use her claws." The Cat Fist Fighter then shifted to his hybrid form. "YOWZA!" ---------- "I am Twilight Sazuka." "I am Ranma of the Joketsuzoku." Introductions had been made and the battle began. Sazuka charged forward with her wooden sword and made a series of intricate slashes and thrusts that would have had Tatewaki Kuno on his knees and groveling. However, her opponent easily sensed each of the attacks and dodged every one of them. He also made a few countering moves of his own and the assassin had to push herself a bit to avoid the end of his staff. After trading a few dozen strikes in the span of a couple of heartbeats, the two leapt away from each other to get more fighting room. Ranma went into a modified crane stance with his staff held high as Sazuka stood in a standard pose with her weapon held out in front. "Very impressive." Sazuka allowed. She had used some of her more advanced sword techniques, and the teen had countered or dodged every one of them. "Your skills are very impressive for such a young man." "You're not too bad yourself." Ranma remarked. Sazuka's skills outstripped Kuno's kendo skills by light years and could probably give the Elders or his old mentor Koga a good workout. He could sense high ki control in her, but he could also sense a potential weakness in her fighting skills. A weakness that she shared with the so-called Blue Thunder. "You have the potential to become a great warrior, Ranma of the Joketsuzoku. If you wish to attain that potential, then you will stand aside..." Sazuka warned as she prepared to unleash a special technique. "I told you before, I will not let you pass." The blind fighter affirmed as he readied himself. "You want that tiger, then you will have to defeat me first!" "So be it." The swordswoman said as she lashed out with the sword and caused a blast of wind to slice toward him like a battering ram. B-Ranma dodged the technique after his sixth sense warned him of the buildup of ki. The pressurized blast of air impacted hard on the alley wall behind him, causing it to crumble. He leapt high and let loose his own technique, making a storm of three dozen throwing stars hurtle down toward her. Sasuka's eyes widened as she barely got her Light Shield up to deflect the deadly projectiles. Where had that youth pulled out those shurikens? To her eyes, they seemed to have appeared out of thin air. After the last of the throwing stars rebounded off, she saw her opponent leaping down toward her with his staff thrust out. The end of the weapon hit hard against her Light Shield and she felt the circuits begin to heat up. She could feel that the teen was actually focusing his ki into his staff in the same manner that she did with her sword. The Light Shield began to overheat and she knew that it couldn't hold out forever. In the split-second before the protection device burned itself out, she dropped it and brought out her sword to counter B-Ranma's staff. However that was the moment in which B-Ranma suddenly split into two images. Sazuka's blade thrust into the space between the two Ranmas. Then the two became four. Then they became eight and then sixteen. The assassin then found herself being surrounded by multiple images of her adversary as they floated and started spinning around her in a wide circle. "What the...?" "Behold the Splitting Cat Hairs Technique!" B-Ranma exclaimed from within the illusion. Sazuka looked from one image to another as they spun about her. She then closed her eyes and stood in concentration. "A very nice trick, but you shall not defeat me with such a simple illusion!" B-Ranma smiled as he sensed how she was concentrating her inner energies. It was at that Sazuka lashed out with her sword at the REAL Ranma, causing the other images of himself to disappear. In the nanosecond before the blade touched him, he swerved to his right and let the sword pass under his right arm. He winced as the ki-enhanced blade ripped his shirt and slashed his side, but at that instant, he brought his arm down and trapped her weapon under it while dropping his own staff. With his left hand, he lashed out while leaning back, pulling Sazuka forward. His left index finger jabbed a nerve cluster near one of Sazuka's wrists, causing the hand to open up reflexively. He then sent a kick to her stomach, driving her back and causing her to lose her grip on her weapon. Living with the Amazons for eight years had taught the sightless martial artist to get over his reluctance to hit females. Before Sazuka could react, B-Ranma lashed forward with blurring motions. "KATCHU TENSHIN AMAGURIKEN!" Sazuka felt dozens of jabs to her chest, arms, legs and abdomen, then suddenly felt her entire body lock into stiffness. She then heard her sword clatter to the pavement and felt two fingers pressed against either side of her neck. B-Ranma now stood behind his paralyzed foe with both of his index fingers positioned on some very special areas on her neck. "You lose." Sazuka gasped as she heard those words. "No...I can't have... lost! Not again!" "Face it, you lost." B-Ranma said simply. "The shiatsu technique I used on you will keep all of your voluntary skeletal muscles rigid for about five minutes. A very effective attack don't you think? And my fingers are now positioned on two very important power points. If I apply the right amount of pressure, it will cause your medulla oblongata to cease working. I happen to have extensive medical training. If I use this lethal technique, you can kiss all of your vital autonomic functions goodbye. Breathing, heartbeat and circulatory flow will stop in an instant! It's not a very pleasant way to join your ancestors." "How could you have...?" "Easy." B-Ranma replied as he removed his fingers from her neck and stepped away from her. He winced as he held his injured side while bending down to pick up his weapon. "Your techniques are very impressive, but you rely too much on your weapon. Take the sword away and you are put at a serious disadvantage. Your swordsmanship is excellent, but you leave no room for the unexpected. I used that illusion technique to force you into a position in which I could disarm you. You really should learn to rely on yourself, for a weapon is no more than a mere tool." He then began concentrating his energies and began taking slow measured breaths as he invoked a healing technique. The wound on his side then closed up before Sazuka's astonished eyes. "You're... a Tao Master?" B-Ranma then shook his head as he turned around and walked away from his still-paralyzed opponent. "I'm not much of a magic user, but I do know a few tricks." "Until we meet again, Twilight Sazuka." ---------- "Look out Gene!" Jim shouted as he and his partner dove for cover. T-Ranma was laying down a withering barrage, forcing the two to take shelter behind a nearby trash bin. "Where does this guy GET his weapons?!" Gene exclaimed as he ducked to avoid a volley of armor-piercing shells. He had barely gotten off a few shots with his gun, when the technological Ranma opened up with his Sonic Blaster rifle, then began switching between different weaponry to keep his opponent pinned down and guessing. P-Ranma and Draco were also launching ki blasts and electrical attacks. Gene and his partner thought that they were up against a couple of Tao magic users as well. "Gene! You're going to have to try the Caster!" Gene winced. He hated to use his most powerful weapon since he only had a limited number of shells and those things were expensive. He had already wasted one when Kojiro got away. However, there seemed to be no alternative. T-Ranma wasn't letting up the barrage and the weapons he was using were far more advanced than any he had seen before. He loaded his weapon with a Number Twelve round and then waited for a chance to fire it. He then popped up and fired the weapon. The spell contained within the shell lanced out toward the technological Ranma. However, the shot would never reach him. Draco simply intercepted the blast with the flat of his mystic blade. Crimson Fang easily dispersed the attack as it had been forged in the fires of the Dragon World. P-Ranma and Raiden then fired off a volley of ki blasts and electric bolts to force Gene to duck back down. "Damn it!" Gene gritted as he loaded a Number Ten shell into his Caster. "Looks like they've got a couple of Tao Masters with them!" "Why not try those Number Nines?" Jim asked as he furiously worked at his laptop, trying to determine any weak points to their foes. "Those things suck the life out of the user! They really HURT!" Gene fired off his weapon, but once again, the blast was deflected by D-Ranma's katana. P-Ranma saw that they were wasting time and took out a Pokeball. He tossed it over their opponent's head and waited for it to release his ally. The device popped open and out came his Golduck. "SEA STORM! DISABLE!" The evolved form of a Psyduck nodded as he focused his mental powers on their adversaries. The two found themselves paralyzed as their bodies became stiff like statues. "What the...?" "Gene, I can't move!" "NOW, USE CONFUSION!" Gene and Jim were levitated into the air and then were sent flying toward each other. Their heads knocked against each other and the two fell to the ground unconscious. The Golduck then struck a victory pose and gave his master a thumbs up as Trainer held out his Pokeball. "Good work Sea Storm. Return!" After collecting his Pokemon, he gestured to his counterparts to continue their search for Kojiro. The others nodded as they ran off to find their missing comrade. ---------- Kojiro was bit nervous as he saw the strange look that Aisha was giving him. He would much rather have her fighting him to the death. Once he had triggered his transformation to his hybrid form, the pheromones that his new form gave off were having quite an effect on the Ctarl Ctarl female. In her more bestial state, Aisha's sense of smell and more primitive instincts were heightened and when she got a good whiff of those pheromones... "ROWR!" "GO AWAY!" ---------- The four other Ranmas heard Kojiro's shout and ran toward the sound. They almost collided into their companion as he was frantically trying to escape from his pursuer. He was still in his hybrid form. "Kojiro! Where have you..." Draco began. "Guys! Am I glad to see you!" "We've been looking all over the galaxy for you and..." T-Ranma said but the Cat Fist Fighter cut him off. "Never mind! I'll explain everything later! Prototype! Get us out of here with that transporter of yours!" "Huh? But...?" "Hurry! Do it now!" T-Ranma was about to ask further, but then picked up someone approaching their location. Seeing that they had found their counterpart, it wasn't necessary to stick around any longer. (*Affirmative. *) The five Ranmas winked out, just as Aisha came onto the scene and looked around. "Mrowr... now where did that hunky Ctarl Ctarl go?" ---------- Some time later... "So that's the whole story." Kojiro finished as he took a sip of tea inside T-Ranma's ship. "So that's why you've been attacking the Galaxy Mining complex? To keep them from forcing those farmers off their land?" T-Ranma asked. The Neko Ken martial artist nodded as he took another sip of tea. "That's right. Alex and his mother had been real good to me when I first came here. If those miners dig up the Dragonite underneath their property and all the others, then the remaining lands would become unsuitable for farming. If that happens..." "Then you can kiss this planet goodbye for colonization." T-Ranma finished. "I made a geological scan of this world and you're right. Without fertile lands, this planet would become a barren wasteland. All the previous excavations have taxed this planet's natural resources to its limit in their search for Dragonite." "Yeah, and since Alex's family and all the other farmers are on top of the largest vein of Dragonite on this world, Galaxy has been trying to strong-arm them into selling their properties. A couple of days after I arrived here, a couple of Galaxy's thugs came in and tried to blow up their equipment and farming supplies." "And that's when the demon tiger first showed up, eh?" Draco said with a knowing smile. Kojiro nodded as he replied. " I've been secretly making nightly attacks and tying up their operations, but now that I've been identified..." It was at that moment that he realized something and his face went pale. "Oh no! I just thought of something." "What is it?" Koga asked. "If I'm not there, then there's no one to stop Galaxy from forcing Alex's family and the other farmers off their land!" "Well then... I guess it's up to us to stop them." B-Ranma said without hesitation. "You mean, you guys are going to help me?" Kojiro asked. "You believe me?" "I have no reason not to." The Unseen Light fighter said as he shrugged. "Remember, that I can sense when someone is telling me an untruth. Though I don't agree with your views on the Amazons, and you're a little on the wild side, I have also known you as an honest person and will do what needs to be done." T-Ranma nodded after his bio-scanners had analyzed Kojiro's voice stress, heart rate and breathing. He then gestured to a nearby monitor. "I'm inclined to agree with our visually-challenged friend. Besides, there WAS something odd about Galaxy that prompted me to do some research after Ranma mentioned it to me. I had my ship's computers hack into the company's files while we were in town and they found some very interesting facts." "Like what?" Trainer inquired. "Like the fact that Galaxy had some dealings with some shady characters, especially during recent times with the Kei Pirates." "The Kei Pirates?" Draco asked. "Yes, and they have been frequenting this sector for some time now. The authorities in this area have been giving them a hard time and if they get their hands on a large amount of something like Dragonite, that could tip the balance in their favor. And this sector is strategically located near several other very important systems which are heavily involved in shipping, arms and research development. If the Kei Pirates were to get a foothold in this sector, then they could dominate the surrounding planetary systems. That could spell bad news for everyone else." "So it's really important to keep Galaxy from getting at that Dragonite." Draco concluded. "Very important." T-Ranma affirmed as he began powering up his ship's engines. "We'd better get to those farmers before Galaxy does." "What about that group of bounty hunters we ran into?" Trainer asked as he and the others strapped into their seats. "We'll deal with them if we meet up with them again, which I'm pretty sure we will." T-Ranma replied as his ship took off for the farmlands. ---------- A few minutes later, at the farm where Kojiro had stayed in... "No! You can't!" Alex's mother said as she pushed her son behind her. With the beleaguered family were the other farmers and landowners. In front of them were the bulldozers, demolition teams and hired thugs of the Galaxy Mining Corporation. Tension was rising between the two sides and it was about to erupt into violence. Unfortunately, the farmers were only armed with pitchforks, hoes and other agricultural implements, as well as some small arms. The Galaxy men were armed with high-tech weapons, heavy machinery and outnumbered the defenders two to one. Furthermore, they had no qualms about causing serious injury or even death to their opponents. They had nothing to fear now that the monster tiger was gone. "Last chance, people." The CEO addressed the farmers with a cruel edge to his voice. "Now we've been nice so far and have made several generous offers for your lands. More than three times than what they are worth. Now why don't you all be sensible and...?" "You don't fool us!" Alex's mother spat back. "We know that there's a huge deposit of Dragonite under these lands, but we're not going to be forced off our property! If you mine these areas, then all the usable farm lands will be ruined! This planet will become a wasteland! The towns need the farms to survive on!" "Come now." The CEO said as he made one last attempt to sway Alicia and the others. "You could all end up very well off from this. With the money that we're offering, you can buy anything that you could ever want!" "What good is a pile of wong on a ruined planet?" Alicia countered. "We don't need your money! The farms and the lands have provided for the people for generations! Our ancestors came to this world to build a new life here! They had to work hard and sacrifice a great deal to cultivate the lands and make it fertile enough for farming! We were just fine doing without any outside help, and we certainly didn't need some big mining company coming in and destroying what took our forefathers decades to create!" The crowds behind Alicia all cheered and shouted out their support. They were not going to be intimidated. They were willing to die to protect what was theirs. However, it seemed that it was going to come to just that situation. The CEO shrugged as he gestured to his men to prepare to attack. "Oh well. I had hoped that it wouldn't have to come to this. However, I happen to have made some major investments on this world and I am not going to let a bunch of dirt farmers stop me now. If you won't leave peacefully, then we're going to have to do this the hard way." He turned to the hooded woman who was standing behind him and addressed her. "Tell your employers to bring in their ships to receive their Dragonite. It shouldn't take more than an hour to clear this planet of these vermin!" The woman nodded as she took out a small signaling device from her robes and tapped in a coded message. The executive then nodded to his men and was about to give the order to open fire when suddenly a huge gust of wind was swept up as T-Ranma's ship zoomed overhead. Everyone on the ground looked up as they saw the cruiser come to a stop several dozens of feet above their heads. Then one of the hatches opened up and they saw someone leap out of the ship and hurtle down toward the ground. Four more figures leapt our after the first person and that was when they saw the first jumper begin to shift his form. A huge roar was heard and Kojiro landed on the ground as cats usually did, on all four feet. The workers and hired goons all panicked and scrambled back a bit as they got their first look at the monster tiger of Tiberius IV in broad daylight. Then the other four Ranmas landed beside their Felinar ally and took battle stances. T-Ranma had twin concussion rifles held up, along with shoulder-mounted particle blasters. Draco's sword Crimson Fang flashed in the sunlight. Beside him, B-Ranma's staff also glinted as the blind fighter took up a ready position. Trainer stood on the other side with battle aura flashing and one hand on his belt of Pokeballs. Raiden stood beside him near his feet and charged up his electric cheek pouches. The five interdimensional Ranmas stood poised and ready between the farmers and the Galaxy mining corporation. The CEO glared at the five with an irritated expression. "What are you doing here with that monster?! I thought I hired you to hunt that thing!" "I don't remember agreeing to any such deal." Prototype then turned to the others. "How about you guys?" "Nope." Draco replied. "Can't recall such a thing." B-Ranma said. "No." Trainer said. "Pika!" Raiden affirmed. Kojiro let off a menacing growl. T-Ranma nodded as he addressed the CEO once more. "I did some background checking on your operations in this system. We know all about your little scheme to give the Dragonite to the Kei Pirates. If they get a hold of the Dragonite deposits here, they'll be able to overrun the local law-enforcement here and take over this sector. Tiberius IV would become a wasteland after you've mined out those last deposits. The planet would become unsuitable for colonization, but it would still be a good base of operations for the Kei Pirates to invade this sector!" The farmers, including the Verinda family gasped in horror at the true purpose behind Galaxy's actions. The technological Ranma nodded as he continued. "Right now, this planet and the surrounding areas are considered neutral territory between the Kei Pirates and their rivals. Because of the local law enforcement had been keeping them under control, and that the planet was primarily an agricultural world, they had no real reason to bother with Tiberius IV. That is, until the survey team of the Galaxy Mining Corporation discovered that the planet had huge deposits of high-density, naturally-occurring Dragonite. The Kei Pirates want that, but since the planet belongs to the inhabitants, Galaxy couldn't mine this place legally." "So that's why they've been trying to force us to sell our lands?" Alicia exclaimed. "Right. But you people knew that Dragonite mining would ruin the fragile ecosystem of this world. All of the farmlands would be rendered useless after Galaxy had dug up every last fragment of Dragonite here." He glared back at the greedy CEO. "But that doesn't matter to you, now does it? You don't care if the Kei Pirates were to overrun this sector and that the neighboring systems would be put into jeopardy if they do!" The executive snorted and nodded. "That's right. I don't care about that. This is strictly business. The Kei Pirates happen to be my best customers at present and they are willing to pay a great deal of money to get the high-quality Dragonite that's beneath us. I've invested far too much to be stopped now by an overgrown pussycat, some interloping bounty hunters and a bunch of dirt farmers. In any case, there's nothing that the four of you and that monster can do." "Make that five of us." Trainer stated. At that moment, the saber-toothed tiger let off another roar and shifted back into his human form. "Kojiro!' Alex piped up as he saw his friend. "Wow! You really ARE a Ctarl Ctarl!" The Cat Fist fighter smiled at the boy and took a stance. "Well not really, but I'm with the others." He then growled at the head of Galaxy as he shifted to his hybrid form. "I'm not going to let you hurt these people or steal their lands!" The CEO's eyes widened as he saw the person who had been harassing his company for over a week, but then sneered at him. "So, you're the one who had been costing me so much time and money. Well, killing you here saves me the trouble of paying off those bounty hunters. Not that I intended to pay them that million wong anyway. When the Kei Pirates arrive to collect their shipment of Dragonite, I was planning to have them eliminate that lot. It seems that the crew of the Outlaw Star is very high on their wanted lists." "Just like a rotten snake to go back on his word." Draco stated. ---------- On a nearby ridge, Gene and his party were in a state of shock. They had just arrived at the place to catch the entire exchange between Galaxy and the five Ranmas. Jim had set up his laptop with a listening antenna and amplified the conversation. "Did you hear that Gene?" The boy said. "That lousy rat was going to double-cross us! He wasn't going to pay us that million wong!" "Yeah, and now we know why this sector is so important to Galaxy. They were planning to sell out the planet to the Kei Pirates. It looks like those guys were right in protecting that Ctarl Ctarl. Guess he wasn't a renegade, eh Aisha?" Gene turned to address the Ctarl Ctarl and was surprised to see the catwoman with a starry look on her face. "Aisha? What's the matter with you?" Aisha said nothing as she continued to drool at the sight of Kojiro's hydrid form and thoughts of what yummy things she could with that sexy Felinar. Sazuka was also silent as she gazed at B-Ranma. ---------- "Enough talk!" The CEO then signaled to attack. "Kill them all!" At that instant, T-Ranma took out a small device that resembled a floppy disk and tossed it behind him. The device landed in front of the farmers and projected a shaft of light, which immediately expanded into a dome of energy. The force-field began protecting the civilians as shots from pulse rifles and laser pistols began firing from the Galaxy men. At that moment, the five Ranmas exploded into action. ---------- "I never saw a Light Shield like that one before." Gene remarked as soon as the energy dome appeared. "It's more advanced that the latest military models." Jim said as he used his computer to analyze the protective field. "I can't determine its main power source or wavelength. It's absorbing energy and projectile shots like they were nothing." The boy then looked up and saw that two of their team were gone. "Hey, where did Aisha and Sazuka go?" "I can guess, Jim. Come on!" Gene Starwind then brought out his gun and ran down the ridge, followed by his partner. ---------- B-Ranma easily dodged the shots being fired into his direction as he closed in on a group from the right. Using his staff to deflect incoming blasts, the blind fighter launched himself into a sidekick, plowing into two of his opponents and knocking them back. He then pivoted on one foot to take out a third and drove one end of his weapon into the gut of a fourth. Just as he took out another three more with his staff, he sensed the approach of three more coming in from behind to bushwack him. However, he also sensed someone coming in from behind them! WHACK! THUMP! WHAM! The three men fell facefirst onto the ground as Twilight Sazuka stood with her sword held out. The Unseen Light Fighter tensed up as he recognized his unexpected ally. The assassin smiled back at him and said, "Consider that as a show of respect between true warriors. A small favor if you will." It was at that moment that she heard a sound and a whoosh of air behind her. However, a nanosecond later she head another series of sounds. FFFFFT! THUNK! CLANG! Sazuka then turned around and saw that a military techno-tiger had tried to get her from behind. However, the machine was now twitching on the ground and throwing off sparks. It had a throwing spike embedded in its steel cranium which had pierced its main CPU. She turned back to a smiling bind Ranma. "Favor returned." ---------- T-Ranma wasted no time in blasting away at his opponents. For the most part, the men that the Galaxy executive had hired began running off as soon as the technological martial artist opened fire with incredible accuracy. Men found their weapons being shot out of their hands and got the message that Prototype could have easily have aimed for THEM instead of their guns. The heavy machinery that they had brought with them were also easy targets as the intergalactic troubleshooter blew them away. As Prototype continued to blast away, he began hearing gunshots off to one side and glanced in that direction. He nodded as he saw Gene Starwind joining in the fight and firing his own weapon. Knowing that they were no longer enemies, he started concentrating his fire to give support to the captain of the Outlaw Star. ---------- Aisha Clan Clan let off a roar as she transformed into her more bestial form. At the same moment, five techno-tigers came at her. The Ctarl Ctarl readied her claws to do battle, but that was when a black shape suddenly blurred in front of her and she saw several flashes of light. "RIP CLAW BARRAGE!" In less than a heartbeat, the machines fell apart into scrap metal before they completed their charge. Aisha was left speechless as she saw Kojiro in all of his hybrid glory. She then saw something large coming right at them. One of the Galaxy men had commandeered a large drilling machine and was driving it straight toward them. However, just as Aisha cried out, Kojiro charged at the huge industrial vehicle. He easily dodged the large drill module and delivered a powerful slash at the tip. "RIP CLAW SLASH!" The point had been a reinforced, alloy composite, but it was sliced off like parchment. Then the Cat Fist fighter grasped the end and began pushing back, digging his feet into the ground. The vehicle tried to move forward, but the Felinar kept pushing back with increasing force. The classic confrontation between irresistible force and immovable object took place, but the Neko Ken martial artist wouldn't budge. A minute later the machine's engine overheated and shut down, then the driver gasped as Kojiro braced himself against the machine and began straining to lift the twenty-ton monster. Amazingly, the machine shuddered and then rose off the ground. The driver decided to bail out as the driller was held aloft. In his hybrid form, Kojiro superhuman strength was more than five times greater than in his enhanced human body. Then he slammed the vehicle back down on the ground before upending it. He delivered a series of slashes to the broken digger to finish it off, reducing it into a heap of scrap iron. Aisha could only give off low wolf whistle. ---------- Gene smiled as he took out another of Galaxy's thugs, but then felt a cold, foreboding presence behind him. He turned around and his eyes widened in shock as he saw who was standing there. "You! I thought you were dead!" The hooded woman smiled at Gene and replied to him. "Ah yes. So we meet again Gene Starwind. And as handsome as ever. I don't believe that I properly introduced myself when we were both at the Galactic Leyline. I am Han Moshe, formally of the Antan Seven." "I remember you." Gene gritted his teeth as he loaded his Caster Gun with a Number Nine Shell. "But I thought that..." "That shell you fired at me was quite an experience." The assassin cut him off. "An experience that I do not care to repeat. You took me by surprise and I went through a world of pain in which the likes you couldn't possibly imagine!" Han Moshe's voice became a bit bitter as she recalled the experience. "I would have been better off dead, but thanks to the energies of the Galactic Leyline, I was able to eventually escape from that spell! Now you shall suffer even greater agony before you die!" She then began chanting as she held up a fan in front of her. Gene wasted no time and fired off the Number Nine. At that moment, the woman let loose with a ball of mystic energy which impacted against Gene's blast. The bounty hunter felt an intense pain as the spell began stripping him of some of his life force. However, unlike the last time, Han Moshe did not get sucked into the spell as the two attacks canceled each other out. Gene gasped in pain as he saw that his foe had not been defeated. In fact she was laughing at him. "Surprised Gene Starwind? I have grown more powerful since we last met, and my experience at the Galactic Leyline had taught me how to evade such spells that you had used. You will have to do much better than that!" Gene gritted his teeth as he loaded a Number Six Shell. His hands were trembling a bit and he was still feeling a lot of pain. Han Moshe smiled as she saw him take aim. "Ah, resorting to a Number Six are we? And just how long will your life force hold out after you fire it?" She then began chanting again, building up a greater amount of mystic energy to counter Gene's next shot. However, just as he was about to pull the trigger, his gun was snatched out of his hand. Gene looked over and saw Draco standing with his katana in one hand and his Caster in the other. "Hey! Give that back!" "Take a rest, friend. I'll handle her." D-Ranma assured as he put himself between Gene and the former Antan Seven member. He then addressed the hooded woman. "Take your best shot!" "Fool! I don't know who you are, but you will die with him!" She then released a massive blast of energy that resembled a ghostlike shape of a dragon. However, Draco simply shrugged as he held up a hand. "DRAGON WINDFIRE!" The combined elemental fire and wind magic formed a torrent of flames and swept up a hurricane blast of compressed air like a battering ram. Han Moshe's blast was canceled out as she felt herself driven back from the pneumonic pressure of the wind attack. At that moment, Draco rushed forward with his sword at the ready. With one clean stroke, his blade sliced through her very being. However, the sword did not draw blood, but caused a flash of light which made the woman disappear. Han Moshe let off one final scream before she vanished from sight. Gene could only stare in amazement. "What the...? What happened?" Draco simply shrugged as he placed his sword back into its scabbard. "I placed a spell of banishment on my sword to turn her own mystical energies back on herself. She got shunted to wherever she was the last time, which to me looks like some kind of Limbo." Gene smiled. "I get it. But now without the Galactic Leyline, she's permanently trapped there." ---------- The CEO saw that the battle was a losing one as his forces were steadily being picked off. Not only was that first band of bounty hunters turning against him, but those five strangers were systematically destroying all of his other forces. One of them was letting loose some strange creatures that were shocking, freezing, dousing, pounding or burning his men. The others were reducing all of his machines to junk and the farmers were still being protected by that force-field. He decided that it was time to leave and ran for his car. However, just as he came within fifty feet of it, a missile from T-Ranma's launcher came down and caused the car to go up into flames. He then turned and saw that the five Ranmas had just finished with mopping up with the rest of his forces and were now approaching him. "You haven't won yet!" The CEO sneered as T-Ranma grabbed him by the front of his vest and hoisted him off the ground with on hand. "What you talking about?" Trainer asked as he stroked his Pikachu's ears as the electric mouse was perched on his shoulder. He had already recalled his other Pokemon. "All of your goons are either unconscious or deserted you. You don't have any more muscle left." "That's what you think!" The executive stated. "You may have beaten all of my men, but when the Kei Pirates arrive, they'll blow you and everyone else off the surface of this planet!" "The Kei Pirates?" Prototype repeated. At that moment, Gene and the rest of his crew joined the others. Then Jim got a message on his laptop. He opened it up and gasped as he received the data from Gillium II. Ever since they had arrived, the Outlaw Star had been patched into the surveillance satellites that orbit the planet. thereby increasing the range of their scanners. "Gene! He's right! Melfina and Gillum have just picked up a lot of ships on the long-range scanners, heading toward this planet! He must have contacted them! ETA is around twenty minutes!" Gene winced as he saw the readout. At the same time, T-Ranma also received confirmation from his own ship. (*Confirmed. Scanners indicate multiple spacecraft heading toward this sector. Approaching forces number at twenty ships, all identified as grapple-type Kei Pirate ships.*) Both T-Ranma and Gene's eyes met as they considered their options. Though they had initially met as enemies, they now stood together against a common foe. They both nodded and ran toward their ships, leaving the CEO in the custody of the farmers. ---------- Ten minutes later, both ships were now breaking free of the planet's gravity and were streaking off to meet with the Kei Pirates. Aboard the Outlaw Star, Gene was at his position at the grappler arm controls. Behind him, Melfina stood naked within the suspension pod as she computed all the navigational data. Sazuka and Aisha were at their positions on either side of Starwind while Jim sat in front of him. Gene flipped the retinal sensor in front of his right eye. "Prepare for Grappler Combat! Jim, scatter the camera pods now!" ---------- Aboard T-Ranma's ship. the technological martial artist was also preparing for space combat. Though the Kei Pirate ships didn't really pose much of a threat to him. After all, he had gone up against armadas that could blow away planets! He could simply tell the targeting computer to take them all out with the particle cannons and auto guns. However, he thought that when in Rome, do as the inhabitants do. He decided that this was the perfect opportunity to give the new enhancements a workout. "Prepare for Grappler Combat." Prototype said. Kojiro then tapped him on the shoulder. "Hey, Prototype! Mind if I give this Grappler Combat thing a go?" T-Ranma shrugged. Kojiro was probably the best suited for this kind of operation. His close-quarters fighting skills would be an asset. "Okay. Kojiro, you'll take care of the grappler arms and the weapons. Ranma, you'll be in charge of navigation and the sensors. I'll take care of steering. Draco and Trainer, you'll both be handling the other weapon systems not involved with the grappler arms." The other Ranmas nodded as they took their positions. T-Ranma then flipped the switch which activated the ship's new grappler arms and armaments. The liquid metal arms then took shape and the ends became pointed, forming claw-like appendages which mimicked Kojiro's own claws, which suited him just fine. Ki energy flowed into the arms as Prototype mentally commanded the systems to patch into the Cat Fist fighter's inner power. --------- "Gene! Look at that!" Jim gestured to the monitor at T-Ranma's craft. "Whoa! That ship has grappler arms too! Never saw that kind of design though." "The grappler arms of that ship does not conform to any known design." Gillium announced. "I cannot identify what materials they are made of and... that will have to wait. Enemy contacts will arrive in less than thirty seconds and... alert! Enemy has launched multiple missiles! "Launching anti-...." Before Jim could complete his sentence, T-Ranma's ship then suddenly accelerated forward and cupped its grappler hands together. A ball of light appeared in front of the palms as the crew of the Outlaw Star watched in awe. --------- "RAGING TIGER BOLT!" The ki projectile, amplified by the ship's systems blasted forth and struck the first of the missiles, causing them to detonate. At the same time, Trainer and Draco fired several dozen autocannon rounds and laser bolts to take out the remaining missiles. The craft then maneuvered with incredible agility as Kojiro brought his Neko Ken-style Grappler Combat moves to bear. One pirate didn't know what hit him as he suddenly found that his grappler arms had been severed when that strange craft flashed. A second later, his entire ship suddenly split in two and exploded. Two more pirates shared the same fate as T-Ranma's ship passed by them. First their weapons were shredded like newspaper, and then their ships followed suit, exploding moments later after they fell apart. ---------- "Look at that Gene! He's not even using any grappler weapons! He's cutting them up like they were nothing!" Gene was rendered speechless as he watched T-Ranma's ship execute an extreme turn and cut apart two more Kei Pirate ships. In less than thirty seconds, the number had been whittled down from twenty to fifteen ships. However, Gene was shaken out of his stupor when a couple of Pirate ships decided to charge them. Though he did not have the slashing and ki abilities of his ally, he was no slouch when it came to manipulator arms. The Kei Pirates soon found that out the hard way when the Outlaw Star took out its grappler weapons and began returning fire. Twenty seconds later, the two pirate craft became drifting wreckages. --------- Kojiro let off a roar as his grappler arms slashed open another pirate ship and then charged at a trio that were coming at the five o'clock position.. The center ship let loose with a barrage of missiles while the other two took out huge hand-to-hand combat weapons with blades. However, Kojiro was undeterred as he focused his ki once again. Unlike other Grappler Ships, the controls to his manipulator arms were cybernetically liked to his nervous system and could duplicate his claw techniques. The missiles were disposed of as Kojiro employed his Tiger Claw Frenzy technique to slice each one in half, separating the warheads from their engines. Just as the two outer ships brought their bladed weapons up, they were cut apart with two Rip Claw Slashes. The middle ship tried to evade, but one of Prototype's grappler arms dug its claws into the hull and the smaller arms came out to take control of the pirate's main systems. Kojiro then aimed the front of his captive's ship at the other pirates and fired off the remaining stores of missiles and ammunition. Four more pirate ships were blasted into oblivion before Kojiro causally tossed aside the ship he had captured into a nearby asteroid. The number of pirate ships were now down to five. ---------- Gene couldn't believe the ferocity and skill that Kojiro was displaying. Just as Gene polished off his third kill of the day he spotted the remaining four foes.. However, as he charged at another of the enemy, he found out that his Grappler Gun was empty. "Jim! I need the spare gun!" "I'm sorry Gene! We don't have a spare! We used up the spare on our last job!" However, Prototype was there to led a helping hand as he guided his ship toward where the Outlaw Star was dodging enemy fire. He temporarily took control of one of the grappler arms of his craft and made a heavy particle cannon appear. He then tapped the communicator switch. "Hey Starwind! Catch!" Gene smiled as Prototype tossed him the weapon. The Outlaw Star grabbed hold of the huge cannon with both arms and brought the muzzle to bear on the attacking pirates. The ship bucked a bit at the recoil as Gene fired the weapon. A huge beam of orange-white light blasted forth and caught two of the pirate ship, causing them to explode like miniature supernovas. "Whoa! This gun's got quite a kickback!" ---------- The remaining two pirate ships decided to beat a hasty retreat as they saw that they were clearly outclassed. However, Kojiro wasn't about to let them get away scot free and decided to give them an extra special farewell present. He focused his power into the ship's systems, which caused the entire craft to glow with power. On the Outlaw Star, the crew watched in awe as they saw T-Ranma's ship become surrounded with a dark energy and was then obscured from sight within that aura. Suddenly it accelerated forward after the two fleeing pirate craft like some huge black comet. Then the comet began to take shape and Aisha gasped as she saw what it was forming. A shadowy outline of Kojiro's tiger form shaped itself around the ship as it blazed toward its targets. Within the craft, Kojiro shouted out his most powerful move. "CAT FIST FURY!" ---------- The pirates had no time to scream as the huge black shape overtook them and blew them into the Great Beyond. The shadow form of the tiger made one complete pass over the exploding ships before beginning to fade away. T-Ranma's ship became visible again as the energies which had surrounded it dispersed. Inside the cockpit, Kojiro was panting a bit after expending so much energy. However, he took a series of calming breaths before signaling back to Prototype to take control of the ship again. On the outside, the grappler arms began melding back with the ship again, and at the same time, the particle cannon in the Outlaw Star's arms also faded back into its storage area in subspace. Aisha could only say one thing. "ROWR, ROWR!" ---------- Epilogue... "For the last time, Aisha! I AM NOT A CTARL CTARL!" Aisha was still trying to snuggle up to Kojiro as he and the other Ranmas were preparing to leave this universe. Both the Outlaw Star and T-Ranma's craft were parked on the launching bay of Tiberius IV as they were bidding their last goodbyes. Nearby, B-Ranma had finished tracing Sazuka's face with his fingertips. "I still can't believe it that I was beaten by a blind person!" Sazuka remarked as she shook hands with the Amazon male. B-Ranma shrugged. "It doesn't matter whether one can see with one's eyes. It being able to see with one's mind and heart that really counts. It has been a pleasure Twilight Sazuka." "Are you certain that you cannot stay a while longer? I'd like to know more about this Unseen Light and these special Amazon techniques. It isn't very often that I encounter someone like you." "I'm honored that you think of me in such high regard, but no. We must get going now. Though we may never meet again, I wish you and your friends good luck. Stay sharp." B-Ranma and Sazuka bowed to each other. Meanwhile, T-Ranma and the others were waiting for Kojiro as the technological Ranma finished giving Gene and his party the recap. "Well that's it. The Galaxy Corporation has arrested by the local authorities and this planet won't have to worry about any more people coming to mine the Dragonite." "What do you mean?" Gene asked. "Well, I used my ship's technology to inactivate all the remaining deposits of Dragonite, making it worthless and without harming the ecosystem of this planet. Without Dragonite, the Kei Pirates won't have any reason to come back to this world." "What?! You mean that you destroyed all that Dragonite?!" Jim exclaimed. "Hey, the inhabitants of this world got along fine without Dragonite. And since there isn't any more to be mined now, they'll be left in peace. I only left enough to power their ships and other farming equipment. That isn't much to be a temptation to pirates or any other greedy corporation." "Yeah, well still..." "Still what, Jim?" Gene asked. "Still, it would have been nice to have gotten a hold of some of that Dragonite. Remember, we never got that million wong bounty and we still have that huge debt that we owe to Fred Luo." "How much do you owe?" T-Ranma asked. "Over two million wong." Jim replied. The technological Ranma thought for a moment, then nodded as he mentally gave an order to his ship's transporter. ---------- In orbit around Tiberius IV... The crew of the Outlaw Star watched from the bridge as T-Ranma's ship flashed once before engaging its quantum phase drive. In an instant, the ship vanished from view as the five Ranmas departed this reality. Aisha Clan Clan sighed sadly as she saw Kojiro disappear from her life. She had tried her darndest to make the Cat Fist fighter stay. She had used all of her feline and feminine wiles to seduce him, but became greatly disappointed when he had informed her that he already had someone waiting for him back home. She let off another sad sigh as she sat back in her seat. It was then that she and the others heard Jim's excited voice over the intercom. "Gene! Everyone! Come to the storage bay now!" In under a minute, the crew of the Outlaw Star rushed to the main storage area and gasped when the doors opened. They couldn't believe what was piled up in front of them. The Dragonite glittered like a mountain of gems as the pile reached the ceiling. Jim was clutching a handful of the precious ore and was very excited. "This is high-density Dragonite everybody! One quarter of this pile alone is enough to pay off Fred Luo, Swanzo and all the other people we owe!" Gillium appeared on one of his repair tracks. "I must say that this is a welcomed surprise. With this much Dragonite, we can finally have all those long-overdue repairs to the ship as well as restock all of our supplies. Though I do not know how all this Dragonite appeared in my cargo hold. My internal sensors did not pick up anything until after Jim opened up the main doors. "I don't believe it!' Aisha exclaimed. "Where did all this stuff come from and... what's my cut?" The Ctarl Ctarl's feelings of sadness over Kojiro's departure were gone as her usual, money-grubbing self came to the fore. "I don't know." Gene replied, then caught sight of a note that was sticking out from the middle of the pile. "Hold on... what's this?" He reached over and plucked the piece of paper. He then read the note out loud. "To the crew of the Outlaw Star. I was feeling sorry for you for not getting anything out of all this and you did help us back there. So I had my ship's synthesizers create this high-density Dragonite for you. It should be more than enough to pay off all your debts and set you guys up. I know that you are trying to make a name for yourselves." "What?! He can MAKE Dragonite?!" Jim exclaimed. In this universe, scientists had been trying without success to artificially create the precious mineral that was used to power ether drives. Gene shrugged as he read on. "Now don't you get any ideas. This is only a one-time deal to pay back for all the trouble we had inadvertently caused to you. In any case, it was nice knowing you all and we bid you good luck in the future. P.S. to Aisha Clan Clan from Kojiro. I am NOT a Ctarl Ctarl!" Gene then looked at Aisha who could only give him a sheepish smile. "Well, even a Ctarl Ctarl can dream, can't she?" THE END OF CAT FIST STAR Author's Notes Phew! That was a real long one! Real Life has been holding me back as of late and starting a new job has made time for me to write very limited. In any case, that takes care of the first side story to the crossover crisis. In the next chapter, we shall be starring Pokemon Ranma. See ya there!