Ranmatech
Disclaimers.
That says it all
(*
*): Computer responses
<"
">: Chinese language
<>:
Thoughts
Chapter 2
Here's Ranma
Again
The Amazons who were huddled around both
Ranma and the
crippled
Shampoo were a little more than on edge toward the masked
stranger
who had just saved their village from destruction. After
witnessing
the nanotech soldier rip open forty-ton tanks with his
bare
hands and effortlessly blow up a mountain, the warrior women
were
a little intimidated. Just a little mind you.
<"Please. Let me help
her."> Ranma said as he knelt down toward
the
injured girl with purple hair. His optical scanners had already
diagnosed
the damage she had sustained and he was ready to
implement
the repair procedures that would totally restore her.
The Amazon who was supporting Shampoo's
head by kneeling
behind
her looked at the stranger with suspicion. <"What do you
intend
to do?">
<"I… have a way to heal her
wounds. It will only take a minute.">
<"You cannot help her. Although
she will live, she says that she
cannot
feel or move her legs. She had been crippled and there is
nothing
worse for an Amazon than being this helpless. She would
have
been better off if she had died in glorious battle. She'll never be
able
to fight again.">
<"She will when I'm through with
her."> Ranma assured. <"Please,
let
me do this.">
The Amazon was about to protest when
Shampoo interrupted in a
weak
voice. < "Let him do it Gloss.">
<"Shampoo?"> Gloss looked
down at her friend with concern.
Shampoo looked up and gave her a weak
smile. <"If he says that
he
can help me then let him do it. He saved our village and if there's a
chance
that I can walk again, then I say we let him try. What do we
have
to lose?">
Gloss looked at her friend for a long time
before nodding her
assent
to Ranma. The nanotech warrior nodded as he moved slowly
toward
the injured Amazon. Gently placing a palm on her abdomen,
he
then ordered the biotech computer in his head to begin the repair
procedures.
<Computer, begin telephasing nanite
repair groups to the injured
tissue
and initiate full bioregeneration.>
(*Acknowledged.*)
Ranma's hand shimmered with a faint blue
light as he began using
his
dimensional hole generators to phase thousands of the
microscopic
robots into Shampoo's body. As they had done with him
six
years ago, the tiny technological wonders traveled through her
system
and located the damaged muscle, epithelial, skeletal and
nervous
tissue. Once they had analyzed the girl's DNA, they set
about
the process of stimulating the remaining cells to reproduce at a
much
faster rate. To the amazed eyes of the Amazons, Shampoo's
wounds
began to seal themselves and the horrid cuts and punctures
that
were caused by the bullets repaired themselves in seconds.
The nanites located the bullets that were
still within her body and
dissolved
them into subatomic particles. They were especially careful
of
the one that was lodged in her spine. Once the spent projectile was
destroyed,
the nanites lined themselves up along her spinal cord and
fused
over the gap. Electromagnetic pulses were sent along the
repaired
neurons to stimulate sensation and the motor controls to her
lower
half. Shampoo blinked in surprise as she stared down her legs
and
moved her right foot. She then twitched her left foot and gasped
in
disbelief. She could feel and move her legs again.
Ranma smiled from behind his headmask as
his computer informed
him
that the repair procedure was nearing completion. <Computer,
begin
recall of all nanite repair groups once the structural damage has
been
corrected.>
(*Acknowledged.*) The nanotech processor
began telephasing
the
robots back into its host's body then brought up a question.
(*Query
Ranma?*)
<What is it computer?>
(*Repair subject possesses great potential
for genetic
manipulation
and physical improvement. Initiate genetic evolution
procedures?*)
Ranma thought about the suggestion for a
moment and then
asked.
<What kind of improvements?>
(*Subject possesses high genetic
potential, possibly due to
selective
breeding. The nanites can increase her overall physical
attributes
by approximately forty percent before returning to host
body.*)
Ranma thought about it some more before
deciding 'what the
heck.'
<Computer, initiate genetic enhancement procedures on her
physical
abilities before recalling all repair groups.>
(*Acknowledged.*)
Shampoo felt a new sensation within her.
This time, she felt it in
her
whole body. She could feel every cell in her being as new power
surged
through them. She felt stronger and healthier than before. She
looked
up at the one who had saved her and began to wonder what
he
looked like underneath that mask.
The tiny robots within her began enhancing
her cells to become
more
energy efficient and gently nudged her evolutionary processes
along.
As per Ranma's request, Shampoo's body was given added
strength,
durability, higher levels of coordination, a better sense of
balance
and faster reflexes. Once the task was completed, the nanites
returned
to their host body.
<"You can stand up now.">
Shampoo looked at Ranma with a sense of
awe for a moment
before
getting up. She was little bit unsteady when feeling returned
to
her legs but her savior was there to brace her before she could
stand
under her own power. She smiled and said, <"Thank you.">
<"No problem.">
The other Amazons were astounded at what
they had witnessed.
<"Amazing!">
<"Incredible!">
<"It's… magic!">
Her comrades surrounded Shampoo as Ranma
smiled a bit while
stepping
away. Thinking that his job was done, he quietly started to
slip
away from the crowd. However, when he turned around, he
found
himself facing a trio of elderly women.
<"I must say, that was very
impressive!"> The first one said. She
was
approximately two feet tall and was wearing green robes. She had
long
silver hair and was carrying a long wooden staff that was about
two
feet taller than she was. Ranma's computer gauged her age to be
around
three hundred years old. This didn't really surprise him all
that
much. He had met thousands of aliens that had life spans that
lasted
for centuries, even millennia.
The other two women behind her were also
extremely aged, but
they
were about a few decades younger than the first. They also
carried
wooden staffs and were about a foot taller than their leader.
<"Yes, very impressive
indeed."> The first woman repeated. <"We
owe
you much stranger. You are a warrior of extraordinary skill and
ability.">
<"Great-grandmother!">
Ranma looked over his shoulder and saw the
purple-haired girl run
up
and stop before the trio of elders. Giving them a small bow, she
then
gestured toward Ranma. <"I'm healed great-grandmother! He
saved
me! He saved us all!">
<"I can see that Shampoo. So what
do you think of him?"> The
elder
known as Cologne smiled as she looked at Ranma with a
calculating
eye. To her, the nanotech soldier was like a huge bonfire
of
ki energy. Plus all those strange weapons he carried would make
him
a very valuable asset. In the back of her mind, an old legend was
remembered.
She recalled an ancient tale of dragons that took human
forms
and aided warriors in their times of need. She had not put much
faith
in those stories, but after witnessing Ranma's power, she could
think
of no other explanation.
<"What do you mean
great-grandmother?">
The elder whispered to her
great-granddaughter. <"The village is
in
need of strong warriors and you can't get any stronger than him.
The
Chinese Army could send their tanks and war machines and we
could
simply laugh if we had this man. Plus, he's already shown other
useful
skills. He'd make a fine addition to the tribe, don't you think?
We'd
be fools to let this one get away.">
Shampoo smiled, as she too was impressed
with Ranma's display.
She
also wanted to get a good look at the face that was under the
mask.
She imagined a handsome face underneath that black fabric.
This
would also be a way of finally getting that pathetic Mousse off
her
back. With that in mind, she whirled around and said to Ranma.
<"You!
I challenge you!">
Unknown to the both of them, Ranma's
enhanced hearing had
picked
up on Cologne's comments and he had gotten nervous about
it.
He was then taken aback by Shampoo's reversal. He had just
saved
her life and this was her way of thanking him? He looked
around
and saw that the other Amazons also had funny looks about
them
as they began to get the same idea.
<Computer, I don't like the looks of
this. What's going on?>
(*Unable to provide answer due to
insufficient data. Suggest a
strategic
withdrawal.*)
<In other words… run away.>
(*Affirmative.*)
The computer's assessment of the situation
was made valid as the
Amazons
unsheathed their weapons and began charging him. Ranma
was
unwilling to hurt the ones he had just saved so he simply did the
most
logical thing. He took off… literally.
The warrior women were shocked beyond
belief as Ranma
engaged
his anti-gravity field and rocketed up toward the heavens.
Cologne silently cursed herself and the
other Amazons for not
being
more subtle. They had a prime opportunity and it just flew
away.
She was still looking up at the tiny dot in the sky, which then
disappeared
behind some clouds. She then sighed to herself and
motioned
for the others to return to the village.
As the matriarch hopped along on her
staff, she began wondering
about
the unknown stranger. In retrospect, Shampoo and the other
girls
should have handled that situation better. The stranger had
already
demonstrated that he was quite capable of reducing the
village
and everyone in it into nothing more than a memory. It was
just
as well that he decided to depart, rather than retaliate to the
headstrong
and reckless attack of Shampoo and her sister Amazons.
But
to have been so close to all that power…
Cologne shook her head as she passed the
main gates
A while later, Ranma flew down to where
his star cruiser was
parked,
still hidden from sight by its cloaking field. After entering the
craft,
he engaged its hoverjet system and the invisible ship took off
and
accelerated to over five times the speed of sound. A sonic boom
was
heard as Ranma's ship departed the area. In less than a minute,
Ranma
was out of Asia and was flying over the vast expanse of the
China
Sea.
Ranma was sitting in the pilot's seat in a
relaxed manner as he
pondered
his next move. He had disengaged the protective headmask
of
his cyberweave suit and was conferring with the biocomputer in
his
head.
<Well, that was a pointless
endeavor.>
(*This unit did warn host to not get
involved.*)
<Yes, well I couldn't just stand by and
watch those people get
slaughtered.
In any case, I haven't learned anything else from my
past
other than I'm from this planet. Any ideas?>
(*Working…*) Ranma placed his hands on the
console and let the
biocomputer
interface with the ship's systems. After a while, the
nanotech
wonder had answer. (*Suggest interfacing with the planet's
global
information systems to acquire basic knowledge of this planet.
Sensors
indicate that this world has a primitive data network called
the
Internet.*)
<Establish contact with this… Internet
and begin downloading all
relevant
data concerning this planet in general and my connection to
this
world. If I'm going to be living here, then I'd better know some
stuff.
>
(*Affirmative.*)
The ship's console became alive with
lights as the sensor and
long-range
interface arrays began linking the craft's processors to
the
net. The ship uplinked itself to communication satellites and other
long-range
devices. Trillions of bits of data were sent into Ranma's
neural
processors to be perused later at his convenience. In less than
a
minute, the nanotech soldier received staggering amounts of
information
about the Earth, its life forms and the customs of
hundreds
of races. Languages were translated and stored within him.
He
could now comprehend hundreds of dialects, adding to his
already
impressive knowledge of alien tongues. When the transfer
was
complete, the console became less bright and Ranma slumped
down
in his seat.
(*Data transfer has been completed. Now
reviewing pertinent data
concerning
host's origins.*)
<So who am I?>
(*According to all accumulated data, your
appearance matches
those
of Asian descent, more specifically the people known as the
Japanese.
The majority of these people are concentrated on an island
nation
called Japan.*)
<Can you be more specific about
myself?>
(*Unable to comply with request. Internet
search was extremely
limited
due to several complications.*)
<What kind of complications?>
(*Planet's records on host not found. Data
has either been
destroyed
or unavailable. Unable to find birth certificate or any
identification.
Furthermore, record files are incomplete. Does not
contain
DNA files so genetic match up impossible. Computer network
is
primitive and cannot provide all needed data. *)
<Great! I know more about this world
than any average Earthling
does,
but I can't even find something as simple as a birth registry.
Computer,
are you sure that you can't find anything more about me
from
this Internet.>
(*Negative. Personal information is not
listed on a public basis.
That
kind of information may be deemed as classified.*)
<So now what?>
(*Records concerning the birthdate and
other relevant information
of
host may be stored on hard copy format. Suggest visiting country
of
Japan and retrieving data in person.*)
<So I have to go to Japan, right?>
(*Affirmative.*)
<All right, set course for Japan. You
can fill me in on Japanese
culture
on the way.>
It was an early Monday morning in Tokyo as
Ranma's ship
entered
into Japan airspace. Its cloaking field left it undetected by
radar
or other sensing devices as it made a quiet descent near an
empty
clearing in the forests outside of the city. As it landed with
nary
a whisper, Ranma looked at the main viewscreen.
<So where are we?>
(*Geographical location is in the region
near the foothills of
Mount
Fuji. We are 10.5 kilometers from the capital city of Japan,
Toyko.*)
<Suggestions?>
(*Japanese culture is highly focused on
one's identity. Since host
is
unable to provide own identification, this unit suggests that a
temporary
identity be created as a cover. *)
<All right. Begin scanning database and
create a false history for
me.>
(*Name?*)
<Ranma…> The nanotech soldier paused
as he scanned a list of
names
that were downloaded from the Japanese Government main
records.
A moment later, he chose a last name that was obscure and
not
well known.
(*This unit suggests that host acquire
employment and blend in
with
the locals.*)
<You mean get a job.>
(*Affirmative.*)
<But I have more than twelve trillion
zentrees in my account, not
to
mention eight billion intergalactic credit units. Why do I need a
job?>
(*This planet is not part of the
Intergalactic Trade Routes and will
not
recognize the value of zentrees or credit units. Host will have to
obtain
local forms of currency. Furthermore, a jobless individual is
not
deemed as desirable in this particular culture. Will arouse
suspicion
if host does not have a purpose here other than main
objective.
Also, will be able to accomplish mission of self-discovery if
host
can blend in with the populace.*)
<Point taken.>
(*Scanning all related job-offering media
based on host's current
age
and abilities. Working…*)
Ranma's ship made several links to the
newspapers, the television
programs,
the radio ads and every other kind of data network
available.
It then cross-referenced all available positions with his age
and
abilities. Chronologically speaking, Ranma had only lived sixteen
years
and therefore was supposed to be in high school. However,
due
to his rapid aging and long experience while wandering through
the
cosmos, he had the enhanced body of a twenty-year old and
more
knowledge than even the best of Earth's supercomputers.
When Ranma came across an ad for an
assistant coach in a high
school
he decided to take it. It was a good environment for learning
social
skills and would give him an opportunity to study people near
his
own age. If he really did come from this place, then he would need
to
know how to act in this world. The biocomputer took care of all the
necessary
arrangements and details. Ranma was now listed as the
newly
hired assistant coach and martial arts specialist to the gym
instructor
at Furinkan High. A false address, history and e-mail
account
was made.
<Good work computer. But we still need
some of the local currency
to
start off with.>
(*Working.*) The biocomputer interfaced
with the ship's
mainframe
then had the answer. (*Able to comply by utilizing solid-
energy
replicators. The natives of this world place high value on the
crystalline
forms of carbon.*)
Ranma nodded as he pressed a button on his
console. Priceless
gems
of this world were mere baubles and were of little value to the
places
Ranma had been to in the last six years. They could be easily
synthesized
in seconds where it would take the natural process
thousands
of years. A moment later, a small hatch to his right opened
up
and a pile of glittering stones appeared on a tray. Flawless
diamonds,
sapphires, rubies and emeralds sparkled in the cabin as
Ranma
pocketed a small handful and made a note to get them
appraised.
Once he got the money for them, he would open up an
account.
Although it was possible for him to simply have the ship
create
more whenever he needed it, such wealth would arouse
suspicion
and it would also seriously undermine this primitive
world's
economy.
Ranma then sat back into the chair and
conferred with the
nanotech
wonder in his head. There were still a few more details to
take
care of before he would once again walk among the Earthers
again.
Two
days later…
Ranma prepared to exit his ship and start
his new mission.
(*Suggest using cyberweave armor's
camouflage mode to blend in
with
the native populace.*)
Ranma nodded as he exited the ship and
activated the craft's
protection
systems. The hatch closed up and there was no evidence
of
the vessel ever existing. Then the nanotech martial artist took off
in
the direction of the still slumbering city.
When Ranma reached the outer areas of
Tokyo, he descended
toward
a deserted lot. As soon as he landed, he used his sensors to
scan
the area. Spotting a billboard that advertised a person drinking a
new
kind of soft drink; he focused in on what the person was
wearing.
It was the image of a gaijin drinking a Coca-Cola. After
taking
in the picture, he gave a mental command to the black body
suit
that he was wearing.
The tiny microcircuits in the fabric were
activated as the fibers
were
reorganized to match the appearance. The material changed in
shape,
color and texture as it began to reform itself. In twenty
seconds,
Ranma found himself decked out in a pair of blue jeans,
Nike
running shoes, white shirt and a black leather jacket. Taking in
the
appearance, Ranma nodded before proceeding into the city.
After a fifteen minutes of walking, the
martial artist from space
found
himself at the front of a high school. He looked at the front
gate
and saw the name; Furinkan High etched on a plaque. He was
about
to pass through the gates when he noticed a huge group of
adolescent
males gather at the front of the school. Many of them
were
brandishing hockey sticks, tennis rackets and other blunt and
sharp
objects. He paused as he used his optics to scan the area.
When
he looked over his shoulder, he noted a teenage female
running
toward the school. It was then that someone shouted out.
"ATTACK!"
Hearing this, Ranma's computer instantly
went into defensive
mode
and began assessing the situation.
A
few minutes before Ranma's arrival…
Nabiki Tendo and her cohorts were busy
taking in the daily
wagers
of how fast her sister Akane, could take out the mob of
lovesick
(emphasis on the word sick) adolescents that attacked her
every
morning. It was then that Ayoko, one of Nabiki's lieutenants,
spotted
Ranma nearing the gates of Furinkan.
"Hey Nabiki! Look over there. Who's
that?"
The middle sister's eyes narrowed with
interest as she took in the
tall
stranger in the black leather jacket. "Hmmm, I don't know, but
from
the looks of him, he's not from around here."
"Hey, maybe he's that new assistant
coach that we've been
hearing
about from Mr. Takana."
Nabiki nodded slowly as she said, "It
could be him. Looks a little
young
to be a coach though. What other information did you get
about
him?"
Ayoko began looking over a set of files
that she had gleaned from
the
school records and began reading. "Well, according to this, he's
a
Japanese national but he spent a few years in America." The girl
looked
down at the figure and nodded. That would explain his gaijin
appearance.
"It also says here that he's spent a couple of years in
coaching
sports and he's a martial arts expert."
"Great, another one." Nabiki
commented. "So what's his name?"
Ayoko was about to answer when they both
heard the word
'attack"
shouted from the mob below the third-floor window they
were
at.
On
the ground near the gates…
<Computer, what's going on?>
(*Multiple hostile contacts approaching.
Assessing threat level to
host.
*) A moment later, it was completed with the analysis, just as
the
first boys were about to reach his position. (*Threat level to host
rated
as barely negligible.*)
<Great. First those violent females,
now this. All right, initiate non-
lethal
neutralization of all attackers. Use minimal force.>
(*Affirmative.*)
Ranma exploded into action, leaping into
the fray just as the girl
came
to within visual sight of the front gate.
The boys who usually attacked Akane Tendo
in the morning got
the
shock of their lives as a sudden blur went darting through their
ranks,
dropping them like flies. Boys were thrown back like rag dolls
as
if they were going against a hurricane. A hurricane by the name of
Ranma.
The nanotech soldier had visited hundreds of worlds and
learned
thousands of fighting styles, both armed and unarmed. He
knew
countless ways of killing, but fortunately, he also knew how to
disable
as well. The teens were either knocked out by pressure points
or
just plain knocked out, but Ranma took special care not to
seriously
injure them. He didn't know what was going on, but it
wouldn't
do for him to inadvertently kill someone. Within five
seconds,
it was all over and more than a hundred boys were sprawled
all
over the landscape.
On the second story window, Nabiki Tendo
whistled. She had
never
seen anyone take out the morning mob so quickly and
efficiently.
The stranger had displayed incredible skill and handled
his
opponents far better than her sister Akane had ever done. All the
other
spectators who were crowded at the windows were also
impressed.
Just who was this guy?
Just as Ranma had taken a neutral stance,
he heard an angry voice
from
behind.
"Hey! That was my fight!"
Ranma looked over his shoulder and saw the
girl. He gauged her
age
to be about sixteen. She was about a foot shorter than he was
and
had long black hair. She was dressed in the blue school uniform
for
girls and was carrying a bookbag.
"Who are you to butt into other
people's business?" The girl said
in
a huff.
"Excuse me?" Ranma replied in a confused voice.
"YOU THERE!"
Ranma and Akane both looked over toward a
nearby tree where a
teen
of seventeen or so stepped out. He was wearing the robes of a
samurai
and was holding a wooden sword. He smiled as he gazed at
Akane
and tossed her a single rose. The girl snarled in disgust as she
batted
away the offering.
"What do you want Kuno?"
The newcomer simply disregarded Akane's
brush-off as he
pointed
his sword at Ranma. "What business does a mere commoner
have
with the lovely Akane? Just who are you?"
"Well…" Ranma wasn't really sure
how to answer that one.
"Wait! Is it not the custom to give
one's own name first?" Kuno
interrupted.
"Fine then! Mine I shall give!" The adolescent then took
a
pose. "I am the undefeated captain of this school's kendo club. The
rising
new star in high school fencing world. My peers call me the
Blue
Thunder of Furinkan High!" To emphasize his point, he raised
his
bokken to the heavens as a bolt of lightning went off in the
distance.
"Tatewaki Kuno, age seventeen."
On the second and third floors of the
school, the crowds began
whispering
among themselves.
"Blue Thunder? That's a new
one."
"Yeah, last week he was calling himself
the Shooting Star."
"Who's that new guy taking on
Kuno?"
"He looks really strong."
And well traveled. Nabiki thought as she
let her gaze run over the
stranger's
form.
Ranma took a moment to analyze Kuno's
fighting power then
shrugged.
"Whatever. As I was about to say to this girl here…"
"WHAT?! YOU DARE TO PRESUME TO SPEAK
WITH THE
BEAUTIFUL
AKANE?! I WILL NOT HAVE IT! HAVE AT THEE!"
Kuno
charged at Ranma, intent on striking him with his bokken.
Ranma's biocomputer began analyzing Kuno's
style and cross-
referenced
it with the fighting styles that it had scanned during their
interface
on the Internet. (*Second dan Kendo. Power level readings
rated
at 25. Threat level LESS than negligible.*)
<Any suggestions?>
(*Utilize Galforian Galactic Digit
Fighting.*)
Ranma nodded as he simply extended an arm
with his index finger
pointing
out. The finger made contact with the wooden blade as it
came
slashing down.
SNAP!
Kuno looked down in shock as he saw his
bokken beak off at the
point
in which his opponent's finger had touched it. Before he could
do
anything else, Ranma stabbed forward with that same finger at his
face.
Curling the digit with his thumb, he then gave a casual flick at
Kuno's
chin.
Kuno's was sent hurtling backward. He
landed on his back with a
thud,
losing his weapon in the process. He looked up and saw his
opponent
standing there with a smirk on his face. He angrily got up
and
withdrew another bokken hidden in his robes.
"What manner of sorcery is this, you
low-bred cur! You dare to
mock
the noble name of Kuno? I will smite thee!" Kuno charged at
him
again.
Ranma simply stabbed forth again with that
same finger. This time,
he
aimed for the hands that held the wooden sword and hit a series of
pressure
points, causing the hands to open up. When the sword
dropped
from Kuno's hands and the fingers spread out a bit, Ranma
made
his move. Closing his index finger, he then extended his pinky
and
curled it around the pinky of Kuno's right hand. He then pulled
back
and had Kuno off his feet and into the air. With no loss of
momentum,
Ranma began spinning his opponent above his head by
the
baby finger.
Akane could only stare in open-mouth
disbelief as her eyes and
head
moved to track Kuno's rotations. After dozen or so 'around the
world'
spins, Ranma slammed the insane kendoist to the ground, still
by
the pinky.
Ranma was still smiling as he saw Kuno's
dazed look. A moment
later,
the insane kendoist lapsed into unconsciousness. When Ranma
saw
that he was no longer a threat (not that he was any threat to
begin
with), he turned his attention back to Akane.
"H-H-H-How did you…?"
Ranma's smile became a little wider as he
raised a closed hand with
the
pinky extended. He waved that digit a bit before putting his arm
down.
"Who are you?" Akane demanded.
Ranma's expression became serious as he
recalled the new identity
that
his biocomputer had forged for him. "My name is Ranma
Saotome.
I'm the new assistant coach and I just came in from
America."
In a dimensional pocket of subspace,
located within a small broom
closet
no less, the greatest scientific genius in the universe was busy
looking
over the latest data that had been downloaded from the
secret
network of spy satellites that she had set up a month ago.
After
that business with the Jurai armed forces and that bounty
hunter
Nagi, Washu wanted no more surprises from space coming
down
without her knowing it. In the last two days, her devices had
picked
up some unusual readings.
<Hmmm, two days ago, something from
space came down and
landed
in a remote region of China. It looked like a ship. Whatever it
was,
it had a pretty good cloaking device. My satellites were just
barely
able to pick up its ion trail. Then they picked up the huge
surge
of an anti-matter explosion. The interference caused by it
garbled
up the sensors of my spy satellites. I haven't been able to
track
that ship since then. All I can tell was that the ship was heading
for
Japan. If I'm right though (and I usually am), whatever or
whomever
was in that ship is now walking among us. Oh goody!
Looks
like I might be getting a new guinea pig!>
On the outer reaches of the solar system,
another small craft was
making
its way toward the inner planets, following the ion trail left by
Ranma's
ship. Within the confines of the pilot's cabin, a being of
immense
power quietly contemplated his mission of vengeance.
<Soon, I shall have my revenge against
you Ranma!>
About several thousand parsecs away,
another craft was racing
through
the vastness of space in hot pursuit of the first ship. This
ship
was different from the conventional appearance of the first one.
For
one thing, it looked more organic and its form resembled an odd-
looking
top with a large jewel in its center. It had four large
projections
and it was white in color.
Inside the command center of the craft was
a tall, very athletic and
attractive
young woman. She had blue hair that was pulled back by a
hair
band and cropped in a spike-like style. She wore a blue and black
body
suit that hugged her figure like a second skin, but the leggings
were
cut off above the knees. On her feet she wore a pair of stylish
boots
that went up toward three quarters of her calves. On her waist
was
a belt in which her main weapon, a particle-disrupter sword hung
from.
The weapon resembled a high-tech version of a European rapier
but
its smooth, rounded blade could slice through trimidium armor
like
a hot knife going through butter.
As she stood watching the main viewscreen,
several crystal
projections
floated toward her and glowed while emitting a high
pitched
noise.
"Ciao!"
"So he's heading was toward THAT
system, eh Ken-oki?" The
blue-haired
woman said.
"Ciao! Ciao!" The crystals said
in a happy tone.
"This is business Ken-oki!" The
woman said in a stern voice.
"We're
here to take in that scumbag Vorak! He's got a bounty of four
billion
credit units on his head! We're not here to visit your old girl
friend!"
"Ciao! Ciao!" Ken-oki pleaded.
"I said no, and I mean no!" The
bounty hunter named Nagi didn't
want
to encounter Ryoko again.
"Ciaooooooooooo!"
<Just my luck that Ken-oki's got a
thing for that damned cabbit of
Ryoko's!>
Nagi had been subjected to Ken-oki's pleading for several
days
now as they had started to track Torak. When it was apparent
that
he was heading toward the one system that Nagi had sworn to
avoid,
her cabbit partner had started getting an itch to go see
Ryoko's
ship. Day in and day out, her ship had been whining and
pleading
for his mistress to allow for a short visit to the Masaki home
where
her arch-enemy and his love resided. The incessant wailing
had
become slightly annoying, to mildly irritating and then to
downright
unbearable.
Finally, after a lot more wailing, Nagi
finally shouted, "All right! All
right
already! We'll go see your girl friend! But AFTER we catch
Vorak!"
"Ciao!" Ken-oki replied happily
as he increased his speed to catch
up
with their prey. As he sped across the cosmos, his sensors
suddenly
picked up the faint, almost undetectable ion trail of another
ship
that was parallel to the one they had been following. "Ciao!"
"What is it Ken-oki?"
"Ciao! Ciao! Ciao!"
The ship's main viewscreen then put up a
reading of the faint
energy
trail and compared it with the one belonging to Vorak's craft.
Nagi
didn't understand what it meant until she got a good look at the
trace
elements that was floating around the energy fields.
"Wait a minute… boradium, zythenium,
myleurim. That other ship
must
be using a Trimaxian quantum-phase drive to put out a
signature
like that. There aren't that many of those special engines
made."
Nagi thought for a moment. The Trimaxian quantum fold
drives
were among the best in propulsion systems and unlike the
standard
warp drives, they didn't cause any spatial imbalance within
the
fabric of space by warping it to make distances shorter. Instead
they
allowed a ship to slide through subspace and renter real space
by
a form of hyperspace bypass. However, the drives were extremely
expensive
to make and utilized special elements that were quite rare.
However,
due to its reliability and long warranty, it was well worth
the
price. Nagi had only encountered one being whose ship utilized
such
a drive system.
<Could it be… him? After all this
time?>
Within her, Nagi felt a something that she
had not felt in two
years.
It was certain longing that only a woman would know.
Memories
of a man who had proven to be her better in combat and
one
hell of a bounty hunter came back to her. Although they were
rivals
at the time, she couldn't help but admire the mysterious and
powerful
individual who had sent all wanted criminals running for
their
lives. And then there were those brief moments when something
seemed
to ignite between the two of them whenever they met face-to-
face.
Nagi had thought such feelings were only for the weak and
foolish,
but when she was with him, she could strength and
something
else.
However, that feeling was not to last as
he suddenly and without
warning,
vanished from the bounty hunter racket two years ago and
she
hadn't heard from him since. Now, she had evidence that he was
nearby.
<Hmmm, if he's on that planet, then
maybe going there wouldn't
be
such a bad idea.> Nagi smiled as Ken-oki neared the Earth's solar
system.
To
be continued…
Author's
Notes
Okay, I admit it. I couldn't resist having
Ranma just choose a name
out
of the blue and in sheer coincidence, it's his actual name. Now
that
Ranma is in Japan, things are about to become more hectic. Who
is
this mysterious enemy and what is his business with our nanotech
martial
artist? What will the Tendo family say when Ranma meets up
with
him? Stay tuned.
This rewrite now has Ranma done as the new
member of the staff
as
he will be teaching a few classes in sports and the martial arts at
Furinkan.
Now with his abilities and what he is already displayed,
Ranma
is going to make certain people either very interested or very
unhappy.
People like Kuno and Akane will be very miffed as he
unintentionally
shows them up with his superior skills. Nabiki will be
especially
interested with the newcomer as he displays certain
knowledge
and abilities that could make her incredibly wealthy.
As for Nagi, you're also probably
wondering what's her
connection
to Ranma? Well what can I say but stay tuned.