Power and Responsibility: Chapter 5

Kojiro glared at the police officers back as the uniformed man wrote
him a speeding ticket.  It would have to be the one time he had ever
broken the speed limit that he got caught.  Knowing it was petty
and spiteful, and that the man was just doing his job, Kojiro raised
his hand, palm toward the officer, and shot a miniscule thorn into him.
The officer absently swatted at his back attempting to get rid of a
mosquito that didn't exist.  It'd be nice to know how many tickets the
man could write when he was so busy scratching at the new rash
already developing on his that he couldn't think.

With an almost polite farewell, the officer handed the citation to
Kojiro before heading back to his motorcycle.  He was already scratching
at the place where the thron had struck.

<Nice touch,> Jizo commented sarcastically as Kojiro put his Honda into
drive and pulled of the roadside.

If he hurried he could still make it to the tournament.<Thanks,>
Kojiro replied dryly.

It was almost half-an-hour later when Kojiro pulled into the driveway of
his and his parent's home.  There were several cars parked alongside
the road, and even more bicycles chained to lamp posts and the iron bars
that made up the front wall of the property.  He rushed into the house and
up the stairs to his room, retrieved his gi, and leapt out the window.
He changed into his gi before landing.  Sure enough, as he ran into the
huge dojo that his father and three brothers ran, Kojiro saw that the
fights had already begun.  At least they weren't very far along, he
noted, only second dan students.

Now knowing that he wasn't too late, Kojiro calmly made his way
through seated and standing audience members to where his family was
seated.

"I was worried you wouldn't be gracing us with your prescence,"
Akira, Kojiro's father said without taking his eyes off the fight between
his student and his opponent from a rival school.

"Lighten up, Pop.  I had a major exam today, then I got caught in
traffic." Kojiro didn't see why they had to have these little
tournaments between the three biggest dojos in the district.  If they
would wait for the yearly Tokyo-wide event there would be many
more competitors and fewer people who knew your students' strengths
and weaknesses.

The majority of the afternoon passed, much to Kojiro's chagrin, with
the Shotenko dojo winning a little over half of the matches.  If he had
known that he wouldn't have been fighting for almost three, Kojiro could
have taken his time and not gotten a ticket.  When it finally came to the
end of the competition, Kojiro found himself matched against an
arrogant kendoist who spoke in an archaic dialect.  Tatewaki Kuno was
a newcomer to the fights, with no school, and as such, he had had to
fight his way through the more experienced students in order to get a
chance at fighting the winning school's champion.  Oh well, it would be
worth the trouble if he got to pound a little of that Shakespearean
nonsense from the idiot's head.

"Who would challenge the mighty Blue Thunder of Furinkan High,
undefeated kendo champion, and dread enemy of the foul Ranma
Saotome?"

The fool's babbling caught the attention of several of the instructors
and students in the room.  Ranma Saotome was a legend in martial
arts circles.  There were rumors, though with reliable sources, that he
had fought and killed a Kami in China.  The raving also jogged the memory
of many present.  They had also heard of the countless defeats of
a delusional Kendoist at Ranma Saotome's hands.  Undefeated indeed,
they thought.

In response to Kuno's challenge, Kojiro stood, pulling a bo staff from
a nearby rack of weapons.  It was nothing compared to the one he had
created using the power granted to him by Jizo, but it would do."I
do," Kojiro said firmly.

Kuno scoffed,"You? They would send a mere boy to do a man's job?"

Kojiro scowled at the idiot.  Even if he had managed to beat the
others, Kojiro was on another level than Kuno, and he knew.  Even
before meeting Jizo he could have easily defeated him.  It would be
harder faking a small amount of exertion during the fight than anything
else.

Akira Senior, Kojiro's grandfather, and a judge of the tournament,
signalled them to the ring.  Once the two warriors, one wielding a bokken
and the other a bo, were in place, the elderly man brought his hand down
with a chopping motion and called for the fight to begin.

Kuno came rushing at Kojiro from the begginning, attempting to cleave
his skull with a vicious overhead blow.  Using his bo, Kojiro parried
the strike, leaving Kuno open wide open and defenseless as the butt end
of the bo crashed into his stomach.

The air exploded from Kuno's lungs with a *whoosh*, followed by a number
of deep, racking coughs.  Kojiro pulled back to give his opponent time
to recover, something Kuno was very good at since he recieved
countless  poundings by at least one Nerimian class martial artist
daily.

"I fight on!" Then he renewed his attack with a vengeance, once again
rushing Kojiro, heedless of the danger.  This time the attack came
at Kojiro's side.  It was fast and precise, and Kojiro observed, charged
with a moderate amount of chi.  It was the same technique he used to
cut through solid objects with his bo.  But used on a person, such an
attack was just as dangerous as a blade would be.

"Back off, you idiot.  We're not trying to kill each other!" Kojiro
shouted as he knocked Kuno's sword upward, making sure his bo had at
least as much chi in it as the bokken.  This time instead of going for
the once again exposed torso, Kojiro swept Kuno's feet out from under
him.

Kuno attempted to roll, but a bo planted at his adam's apple stopped
him.  Slowly, unbelievingly, he looked down to see Kojiro's staff poised
to end his life with a simple thrust.
****

It wasn't possible!  He could not have been defeated!  Tatewaki Kuno
was unbeatable, the greatest master of the blade ever.  But the proof
was right before his eyes, staring him in the face.  The answer came to
him in an epiphany.  This so called Shotenko school of Martial Arts was
no more than a temple of vile magic.  It sickened him to even be within
it's walls.  They were obviously in league with Saotome, using their
dark arts to cast doubt into his noble heart.  He couldn't allow it!

Kuno ignored the offered hand of assistance and stood on his own.
He surveyed the room, looking for an exit.  If he suprised them
quickly enough they would not be able to assume their true forms and
pursue him into the light of day.  With a loud shout of,"I will return!"
Kuno bolted.  He shoved aside two children and ran out through the
shogi.
****

Kojiro joined in as the entire gathering of martial artists, young and
old, laughed hysterically at the *Blue Thunder's* exit.
****

"So mom, is Oyaji going to be staying here too?" Ranma asked as he sat
down to eat, along with Satori and his mother.

"You should have more respect for your father," Ranma shrugged," but yes,
he too will be moving back home.  It has been almost eleven years since
he left."

Ranma sighed a bit regretfully, in a combination of knowing how much he
had missed as a child growing up without a mother, and the knowledge that
his good for nothing father would still be close enough to make his
life miserable.

Nodoka served them helpings of rice and stir-fried vegetables first.
Ranma, and suprisingly Satori, made short work of them and the
following courses.  Nodoka, who was on a diet no one knew about, she did
have to keep her figure afteral, ate only small portions.

"That was great Mom, Satori.  You really out did yourselves,"
Ranma complimented them as he leaned back, patting his stomach
contentedly.

"T-thanks Ranma, Auntie did most of the work though," Satori said
while blushing furiously.  Ranma recognized it for what it was now.
How could he have missed it?  He had seen the same expresiion, and
color, on the faces of countless girls at school when he caught them
sneaking glances at him in class.  Now he would have to be immensely
careful, or somehow, he would end up with another fiance.  That would
be bad.

<Ranma, you're giving me another headache,> Chiron pointed out.

<Sorry,> the boy muttered.  Happy thoughts, happy thoughts, happy
thoughts, he repeated continuously.  Eager to get out from under his
mother's approving and fawning gaze, Ranma said,"I'm going to go out
back and practice for a little while." It would also allow him to put
some distance between himself and Satori.

"That's nice, dear.  Don't overdo it, though."

Gratefully, Ranma made his escape.
****

"Did you see, Satori-chan?  He finally noticed you," Nodoka enthused as
they put the newly washed dished away.

"Auntie, I'm not at all good at this kind of stuff." It amazed Satori
that she could open up so easily to this strange woman, who it seemed,
had latched onto the idea of Ranma marrying her.  Just the thought
made Satori blush, again.

"You're doing just fine."

"But I'm not doing anything.  I just start blushing and stuttering every
time he looks at me," Satori admitted glumly.

Nodoka's smile was sly, and only slightly evil."And that's just what you
need to continue doing.  My son is accustomed to overbearing girls
throwing themselves at him, and he reacts badly to it, mostly by
becoming rude and standoffish.  So you see, he's never had a normal
acting girl to form a relationship with."

As Satori stood pondering the revelation, Nodoka dried her hands on a
small towel and pulled a cordless phone from the wall.  She didn't pay
any attention as the woman talked to someone she had called.  Satori
felt the same odd sensation she now identified as a signal that Ranma
was messing around with the forces of nature.

<Why don't you go out and talk with him?  It also wouldn't hurt if you
spent a little time further aqaunting yourself with your abilities.>
Shara's voice broke the silence.

<But he'll look at me, then I'll turn into a blushing idiot,> Satori all
but wailed.  Despite information from Nodoka, it just didn't seem natural
for a popular guy like Ranma to be attracted to someone as quiet and shy
as she was.

<I really wish Chiron had programmed me with basic psychology instead of
a bunch of useless recipes that don't even apply to the wildlife of
this planet,> Shara mumbled.

That made Satori laugh.  The yellow Priziuns, as Shara had told her, were
the beuraucrats, doctors, and caretakers of the great planetary
libraries.  Because of this, and since Shara was meant for a yellow,
Chiron had intended to cram as much information into the little yellow
cube as possible.  Unfortuantely, the information download had
been interrupted by the attack on the lab.  The last subject to
be transferred had been Priziun Cuisine.

<Hey, it's not funny.  If I had those files I might have been able to
tell you how to stop making a fool of yourself.>

Satori snorted at Shara, and steeling herself, marched into the backyard
to meet her fate.
****

<Ease up Ranma, or you'll destroy it,> Chiron advised Ranma.

Ranma was sitting cross-legged in the backyard, floating several inches
above the lawn.  Levitating slightly above his upraised palms was what
used to be a knife.  Ranma had liberated it from his mother's kitchen
and after stripping the wooden handle from it set to work.  Using
a combination of magnetic and gravitational force, Ranma was
slowly compressing and reshaping the former  ginzu.  It had started
out as little more than a large butcher knife, but now had the privelage
of being no thicker than a knitting needle and about a foot long.

<Pretty good idea, Chiron.  Mom'll probably think that Pop stole the knife
to sell for food.>

<I'm not complaining.  Now, for a few moments, double the pressure on
it.>

Ranma did as he was told, then asked,<I know it's good practice, but why
am I doing thins.  I'm not going to be able to use this thing for any
useful purposes.>

<No, you won't, but Satori will,> Chiron answered.

<How is Satori going to use this?  She isn't a fighter, and even if she
was I doubt she could come up with much use for a super hard spike except
to throw it.> Ranma still hadn't figured out what to do about the girl.
She was nice and beautiful, and she didn't hit or smother him, so she
had several good points, but there were the other girls and well...

<It isn't to throw, Ranma.  Shara requested that you create it so that
Satori could more adequately focus her plasma attacks.>

<Oh, okay.> Ranma unfolded from his position and dropped to the
ground, intent on giving Satori the spike, or wand, whatever it was.

Sliding open the back door, Ranma found himself face to face with
Satori.  Her eyese were wide and her cheeks quickly colored.  Ranma
stepped back, but remained close enough to catch her if she fainted.  It
had happened before, afterall, so he couldn't be too careful.

"Satori, just who I was looking for.  Here this is for you." Ranma handed
her the spike.

Satori held the spike in her hand, obviously suprised that it weighed
so much."T-thanks, Ranma.  It's...nice."
****

It's nice?!  That was all she could come up with?!  Although she
really didn't know what she was supposed to do with a piece of metal, and
had no idea what it was, Satori was flattered by the simple fact that
Ranma had given her a gift.

Shara's mental head shaking grabbed at Satori's attention.<You didn't
act like this before you met Ranma, maybe I can get Chiron to make Ranma
stop whatever it is that effects you so strongly.  Anyway, that piece
of metal in your hands is not a gift.  Chiron, at my request, had Ranma
to produce it using his power.>

A little disappointed that it wasn't from Ranma, but also relieved at
the same time, Satori asked,<Um, what does it do?>

<It doesn't do anything.  What it 'is' is important.  That piece of steel
is compresses far beyond what human engineering is capable of and has a
much a melting point.  I'll finally be able to teach you how to do
more precise attacks.>

Defensively, Satori said,<I know how to do everything that your systems
are capable of.>

<That doesn't mean that you do it well, or can't do it better,>
Shara remarked.

No use arguing the obvious.  Satori realized that she had just had a
minute long conversation with Shara while she stood in front of Ranma.
She shook herself, blinking a couple times to moisten her eyes that
sometimes stayed open when she had mental conversations."Shara was
just telling me what it is."

Understanding dawned in Ranma's eyes and he seemed to relax."That's
good.  Well I'm going to go wash up."

Ranma left her on the back porch.

<Okay, now that the main distraction is gone, we can get down to business.
I want you to focus a very small sphere of plasma at the blunt end
and...>
****

Ranma ran into his mother before he could make it up the stairs.

"I just got off the phone with Tendo-san.  He was very worried about you,
as was the rest of the family.  Kasumi calmed him down long enough to get
the phone and I invited them over to visit.  Genma's bringing over your's
and his belongings."

Wordlessly, Ranma nodded and ran up the stairs to his sparsely
furnished room.  Things had just went from bad to worse.  Another girl
was in love with him, a super-powered crazy woman was trying to take over
the world, but worst of all was Akane.  She would be in the same house
as Satori, and she definately wouldn't miss the look directed at him.
She would tear Satori to pieces...Ranma's own thought rebounded of the
sides of his skull.  Akane had barely been able to hurt him before he
met Chiron and now she couldn't even scratch him.  Which translated
to Satori, too, being practically immune to Akane's, Ukyou's, and
Shampoo's wrath.  He didn't know about the chemical side of things,
and that was Kodachi's strong point.  Come to think of it, the only
people he had to woory about would others that had found a cube.

Wow, that just changed things immensely.  Even knowing how big a boost he
had gotten from Chiron, Ranma had had his new powers for less than a
week, and he wasn't fully accustomed to them.  It came as a shock to
realize that his old enemies and rivals were to him as babies were to a
meat grinder.  His mood brightened with the knowledge that he would
survive the coming confrontation, Ranma laid down in his bed, he actually
had a bed now, to take a short nap.  Tendo wouldn't be calm enough to
travel for a while so he had some time.
****

Nanami, along with Leffan, who she had called back, and a few select
members of her R&D team, observed the grafting of the cybernetic jacks
into the first of the new soldiers, by way of video-feed.  The man on
the table was sedated heavily and nude while surgeons capable of
performing medical miracles went about making incisions and
attaching artificial nerve fiber connections to the major nerves
throughout his body.

"As you can see Leffan, my people and I have not been wasting our
time.  There are nearly a thousand men, all prepared for implants,
waiting for your shipments," Nanami commented.

Leffan didn't acknowledge Nanami directly, instead asking,"Why are
those discolored patches of skin there."

Upon close observation, there were, at the groin, neck, and armpit,
oddly colored areas of skin ranging from green to yellow, that showed
up against the man's light brown skin.

"Merely a harmless side-effect of the genetic treatments needed to make
his nervous system receptive to the artificial neural tissue."

"We could not remove that particular trait without making the entire
series of gene treatments useless," added an older woman with gray
shot hair and in an immaculate white lab coat.

"With my surgical teams operating on eight hour shifts and the robotics
lab bringing the new automated units online, I expect to have a
full compliment of soldiers within the month.  Will the goods be ready
by then?" Nanami asked.

"Actually, we're shooting for two weeks, but like I said earlier, the
lasers are going to be a problem.  With a month, however, we may be
able to push about fifteen discharges out of the energy cells before
they have to be recharged."

"Pardon me, Kanzaki-san, but I may be able to help with the energy
cell problem," a young man with a ridiculously thick pair of glasses
said.

"Yes?"

"Last night I created an alloy that should behave desirably with
the reactancts presently being used in the cells."

"How much of a capacity increase?"

"I can't be sure, M'am, but a third, maybe a half more."

Nanami turned to Leffan."Hakubi will be accompanying you back to Berlin.
See that he is provided with whatever he needs."

Leffan didn't argue.  He was still getting paid and it would save him
money in the long run.  He shrugged and said,"Fine by me."

"Good." Nanami reached into her pocket and pulled out an inget of
some unidentified black tinted metal."Have Hakubi analyze this, he's my
chief metallurgist, and use it for the frames of the exoskeletons.
I'll double your payments if you do."

Once again he didn't argue.  More money was more money."What's so
special about the stuff?"

"It's completely non-ferrous, and once tempered is as hard as
industrial diamonds."

Leffan whistled in appreciation and Hakubi's eyes came alight with
the opportunity to study Nanami's mysterious metal.
****

Nanami wasn't about to tell them that the little piece of metal had been
part of the casing that Tirna and the other cubes had traversed space
in.  Leffan was the only one who knew what she was capable of and
spreading the information around was on her things-to-do list.
****

Author's notes: I know that nothing really happened in this chapter, but
I 'did' get it done pretty quickly, so that's a point in my favor.  Stay
tuned for the next chapter when things start to get violent!

dark_phoneix@hotmail.com