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Wild Honor (to date); Enjoy!
Topic Started: Apr 28 2009, 08:02 PM (11,526 Views)
MageOhki
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I require Carrots
 *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *
As above, I'm posting Wild Honor complete, to date, here.
David Weber owns Honor Harrigtion, and this story is not to infringe on his rights, nor RT's for her Ranma 1/2. If he so requests (or she) to remove it, it shall be removed.

Ranma felt herself pushed back and felt the woman in front of her step aside for a man to peer at Ranma. Ranma felt him; he felt like Tofu. Weaker, but still. Ranma's eyes flickered around... confused. Where was she? She tried to call for the woman, but instead of what she wanted, a raspy "Ka... an..." came out, as she was pushed back into a pillow. She heard them speak, but didn't understand the words, though she thought they sounded somewhat familiar.

Ranma peered at the man as he spouted familiar-sounding gibberish towards several people. When she saw the familiar woman step back, Ranma struggled, causing the man near her to speak sharply and try to hold her down.

"Ka an!" She tried to shout, but a squeak came out.

While the doctor's voice muttered more gibberish, she collapsed back against the bed, spent already. She began to pant, afraid.

A glass of water was placed in front of her, with a straw. She sucked at it, greedily, till it was taken away.

"Kora!" Ranma objected to the removal of the straw, and then called out to the woman again, "Okaasan!"

One of the adults spoke more gibberish to the woman with the weasel-like creature, -- the woman Ranma wanted. "She doesn't English, apparently."

Ranma pouted. She knew one of those words and replied "Eigo!"

Ranma nodded, then scrunched her face slightly and tried to think of some of the words she knew she knew. "Makudonarudo?" she asked, beaming at the woman.

Ranma blinked innocently as the woman said several things, and Ranma just shook her head, not understanding.

"Kaasan?" Ranma asked, trying to figure out what was wanted.

Another younger-looking woman slid up next to the Tofu-like man and muttered something. Then she asked Ranma, "Japanese?"

"Un!" Ranma replied as she nodded, "Nihongo o hanashimasu ka?"

Ranma looked around, meeting blank stares and a slight pulling away of all three adults who had a conversation.

Fritz pulled Honor aside. "We got a serious problem here, Honor. I don't speak Japanese; you don't; and we're just lucky that Nurse Mizuno at least recognized it. You know anyone on the ship who does?"

Honor shook her head. "No, I can ask Mike to check, but I don't think we have anyone onboard who does. While it's not a dead language, it's not one spoken much outside the Verge, or the Old League."

"Damn." Fritz shook his head. "The odds of us having a dictionary onboard, Skipper?"

"Not that high. It's not one that we have that much call for, so most ships don't have a copy of it, Fritz." Honor sighed and then reached over to a comm panel. "Mike?"

"Yes, Captain?"

"Can you check if we have anyone on board who speaks Japanese or at least translation software?" Honor sighed. "Guess what our guest speaks."

She was greeted by dead silence, then laughter from the speaker. "Ok-kay, Honor. I'll get right on it. Also, we're about 38 hours out from Hephaestus, given us towing this rock back."

Honor waited while studying the girl. She had initially shied away from the plushie when one nurse tried to entertain her with it. She looking afraid, but then studied it.

"Fritz... she shouldn't be this active, should she?" Honor asked.

"No, nor that strong, Honor. It took most of my strength to keep her from going to you, and that's not really realistic. This is very much out of profile." He snorted and added, "Then again... why are we really surprised?"

Honor nodded, listening to Nimtz purr at the girl. She was interrupted in her contemplation of the girl, by a buzzing sound.

"Harrington here," she answered the intercom.

"Captain? No to both requests, but we've placed a request in with Hephaestus and are waiting for a reply. Kinda not surprising... I mean, I think I know three total who speak the language to any degree, and one of them's a professional linguist."

"I see. Well comm us down here when you get the translation pack and see if we can route it through the intercom." Honor replied, sighing.

"Going to be a bit, I see." Fritz noted, joining Honor in a sigh as he studied a pad in front of him, bemused.

"Yes... and?" Honor's quirked eyebrow indicated the datapad that Fritz was looking at.

"Well... we have meters and various scans running on her, and well, I'm trying to understand them. Her heartbeat is only about 50 beats a minute, unless she's panicking, and her breathing rate shows the same low levels. She's also healing faster than she should be... and her metabolism... wooo. Much faster than it should be. I can literally see her absorb and use the IV's nutrients, Skipper."

Honor's eyebrows shot back up. "... Excuse me?"

"Yeah," Fritz said, turning to look at the little girl shaking his head. "It could explain though how she survived, to some extent... but not all of it."

"Biofeedback training to a girl that age? Even that doesn't explain what she's doing." Honor's voice grew chill. "You know what you're implying, Fritz."

"Don't think so, Skipper. Or we'd need a better read of her DNA than what I can do here. But, call it a hunch, I don't think she's a super soldier product." Fritz shrugged.

"Oh?"

"Yes. Just... well." Fritz shrugged again. "It's just a feeling Captain... but... those projects are normal... I'm getting the sense... she isn't."

"... I see, Fritz."

Honor's slow words and tone made Fritz look at her, and respond, "I... don't think you do, Captain. Red-haired Blue-eyed Japanese girl... who is clearly healing faster than she should. Stronger than anyone from cryo should be.... especially given her age. And full of life. That you can tell. Easily."

Fritz turned back as Nimtz bleeked agreement.

"Fairytales, Fritz? Why, I didn't know you still enjoyed those." Honor smiled slightly and added, "Though they are nice bedtime reading to children."

Fritz snorted slightly. "Yeah... they do, but even fairytales have grains of truth, Skipper. Even fairytales."

Before Honor could respond, the comm buzzed again. "Skipper? You have a message from Vice Admiral Mancock; there's one for Commander Montoya as well," Lt. Commander Monet said through the intercom.

Fritz and Honor looked and Fritz winced slightly.

"... Ah... My office, Skipper?"

Honor nodded, and both walked to the office.

"Commander Monet, please transfer the messages to Montoya's office," Honor told her comm officer via the intercom.

"Yes Ma'am, transferring now."

As soon as the words were said, a light came on the video screen, indicating two messages waiting. Honor typed in her code and stepped back to look as the message digested the codes.

An older man, wearing the two stars of a vice admiral, with a caduceus on his collar appeared on the screen.

"To Captain Dame Harrington, and Commander Montoya. You will have your ship placed under quarantine upon arrival at HMSS Hephaestus, and you will not be allowed to disembark or otherwise connect any service umbilical cords. Furthermore, there will be a pinnace with several experts and equipment meeting you as soon as it can be arranged, Captain. This crew will attempt to determine whether your and Commander Montoya's actions placed your crew at risk, and if it was reckless, at least initially. I expected better of both of you, however compassionate you both must have felt towards the situation of the child in question. Surgeon General Mancock clear."

Honor rubbed her forehead and looked at Fritz. "I do hope you have an explanation for them, because he's right. It escaped my memory, but there's no idea what she might be carrying, Fritz. Or worse, and I'm sure this will be mentioned, the risk to her, given our own diseases and immunities."

Fritz sighed. "I do, Skipper. Several. And I've already run a basic blood sample, plus drawn a few more. I don't THINK there's any real risk, mind you, but it's always possible. I doubt it, the odds are too great."

Honor turned to walk out, and sighed slightly. "I suspect that your definition of risk is not the same as theirs, and I don't -recall- there's a specific regulation forbidding or authorizing us to do what you did, however. I doubt that they will drop the hammer, since we risked breaking her contaiment, which would have killed her."

Fritz nodded, and spoke. "That was what I feared the most, really, Skipper. We didn't know the stress it could take, or what the balances were in there; and to be honest, if we were going to move her at all, the risks involved to her, and the ship told me to go for it." Fritz smiled, and added. "That's what I'll say, Skipper. My call, and it was safer to get her out, than the risk of her dying."

Honor nodded. "That should do it."


*****

Honor studied her senior staff, and nodded. "Before BuMed and ONI's people come aboard, I thought I would bring you all up to date on the situation with our guest."

A slightly crooked smile accompanied the last word, and several people chuckled.

"Fritz?"

Honor sat down, and the doctor stood up.

"Well, her name is Saotome Ranma, at least according to her. Family name's first, as is common with some Japanese Cultures, which che calls herself"

Several snorts went around the room.

"I know, I know. An Asian with bright red hair, especially of that shade? I thought gene mod myself, though I can't see any traces of it." Fritz sobered, and continued, "The most important facts are that she remembers being in a battle against someone called Saffron, that she considers herself a boy, and that she thinks it's 1997, Anno Domini."

Lots of silence greeted Comdr. Montoya's words.

"... Her physical condition?" asked Honor, finally breaking the silence.

"Besides clear mental memory issues, her scans come back clean. I haven't found any traces of any disease in her systems, and while I haven't inoculated her against the standard diseases on Manticore, she'd take to them quite well. For someone who spent a long time on ice, she shows little if any of the cryo-sickness. Her EEG is very exceptional, with readouts very high in certain area's which are unusual, to say the least, for most people. I've seen similar readings in some marital artists, Honor for example, but not as pronounced. Fritz sighed. "Besides that, she's exceptionally strong for her age... or any age, really, and heals insanely fast. I'd swear she had an exceptional reaction to quick heal... except we never treated her with any."

Mike, as Honor's XO asked the question on everyone's mind, "So, a super solider project, lied to, and basically programmed?"

Fritz shook his head. "I doubt it, Mike. She's not aggressive, or at least not inherently, and doesn't try to prove her superiority. She _does_ insist on being a boy, though. I'm not a trained psychologist, but I know the basics. Her indexes are way off the scale for what you'd expect a super solider project to be. She seems to recall being trained as soon as she could walk, which if done ... sadistically, could cause some of this, in the martial arts, which she also insists she is trained in."

Chandler shrugged slightly. "So, you're saying in no sense is she a danger to the ship or anyone?"

Fritz nodded. "Except to our food supplies. She does eat as if she had a heavy worlder's gene mods." Fritz grinned at Honor, who grinned back.

"So... what did she call Honor?" asked Mike, grinning.

Honor sighed.

Fritz snickered as well. "Well, she seems to think Honor is 'Mother'."

Mike couldn't keep a straight face and began to laugh.

"It's not funny, Mike." Honor said repressively. "We're talking a 6-7 year old girl with clear mental trauma and heavy memory issues. How would you like to disabuse her of thinking she's just woken up near her family... when it's likely they're all gone."

Mike sobered up and nodded. "Not going to be pleasant... hey, where IS Nimtz?"

Fritz, who had sat back down, spoke for Honor, saying, "He chose to stay with the girl. She's clearly intelligent, but like so many, she's not interested in a lot outside what she wants. Nimtz seems to interest her, so..." Fritz shrugged.

The assembled officers nodded, and Honor continued the meeting.

"Ivan, what have your people discovered about the comet?" she directed at the chief engineer.

He nodded, and began to respond, "Well, Skipper..."

The meeting continued, discussing everything that had happened, and what they had learned.

*****

Honor shook her head, watching from the door of Medical Bay 1 as the young girl moved though a kata. She knew the Martial arts, and that wasn't any she had seen. Graceful, yes, but clearly showing that the girl was still suffering slightly aftereffects of the cryo. What troubled Honor was the fact the young girl knew a kata that complex.

Honor grinned as the girl stopped to applause from a few of the staff gathered around. She listened to the girl and had to smile.



"I'm good!" Ranma stated through the translation program that they had jury-rigged to respond in the medical bay. She stretched and nodded. "Man... thanks. That felt good. I really needed it."

Fritz nodded. "Yes, you're quite good." Fritz turned to look at Honor, and Nimtz from his perch bleeked. Honor's eyes narrowed, as Fritz's grin turned impish. "Why don't you spar with the Captain. She's quite good herself."

Honor frowned, then nodded as Fritz's expression suggested that she do it.

Ranma turned to study her, and then nodded. "Yeah, she looks good. Better than the tomboy..." Ranma paused, blinked and shrugged.

Honor's eyebrows rose, but said nothing.

"So, are we gonna spar?" Ranma's grin had returned, and was as impish as Fritz's.



Honor removed her boots, and nodded. "Certainly. I'll have to warn you, I am a seventh dan in Coup de vitesse."

Ranma blinked, and shrugged. "Coup De Vitesse? Never heard of it. Is it something like Martial Arts Dining?"

Ranma's question sounded honest, and Honor blinked. She studied Ranma, who seemed serious. Honor made a mental note to have the translation program checked out.

Honor replied, "Um... no. It was developed on Nouveau Dijon eight centuries ago."

Ranma blinked, then grinned in response to Honor's statement.

"Cool... new style to learn! Not that I can't beat you."

Ranma's arrogant tone itched at Honor. She cautioned, "Be careful."

Honor stepped to be directly opposite Ranma, and she bowed. Ranma blinked, but returned the bow.

Honor decided to let Ranma go first, and settled into a basic defensive stance. She waited, watching Ranma, as the girl slightly rocked, and grinned at her.

"Aren't you going to take a stance?"



Ranma grinned. "Formal stances are a waste of time. It's not like you get time to settle in, is it?"

Honor had to nod at that and decided to test the girl's defenses, instead of waiting since Ranma was clearly leaving the initiative up to her. As her open fist sailed in, in a perfect strike, she blinked, as she watched Ranma blur slightly and her hand get slapped aside. She narrowed her eyes and moved to trap the young girl against a wall letting her block the simple strikes but instead of trapping Ranma, she only succeeded in watching the young redhead soar over her. Before she could react, she felt two hands grab at her ankles, yanking.

"... Take me seriously... why don't you?" Ranma paused, to the laughter... "That... sounds familiar. Huh. Not to mention this fight... like I've done it before." Ranma paused, clearly in thought, then grinned. "Still fun."

With her back on the floor, Honor turned to look at Ranma. She couldn't help it. Ranma's grin was infectious. She laughed, and stood up. "I was being a bit... condescending. I should have read your body language better. You are good."

Ranma grinned wider. "I'm the best, and ..." Ranma paused. "... I'd like to know _why_ I'm the best, though."

Honor moved to the girl.

"It's all right. People coming out of extended periods of cryo often have problems with memory for a short period. It'll come back."

Honor studied the blue eyes which were pleading.

"Are you sure?"

She couldn't help but nod in response to Ranma's question.

"Yes, I am. We'll make sure that you're taken care of. My word on it." She hugged Ranma, feeling the girl stiffen slightly, then relax.

*****

As Honor finished up her paperwork, Paul stepped in, shaking his head.

"Paul?" Honor inquired.

"Please tell me that little girl isn't natural."

Honor's eyebrows shot up at Paul's rueful comment.

"Dare I ask why you want that reassurance?" Honor's voice deepened slightly.

"Do you know how emasculating it is to be tossed around like a rag doll by a girl you really want to pat on the head and buy candy for?" Paul winced as he stretched out an arm.

"Not quite, but I understand the sentiment. How many walls did she bounce YOU off of before you took her seriously?" Honor's laughter was heard in her voice.

"Unlike you, dear, I can learn from other's mistakes." Paul struck a superior tone. "I took her seriously from the beginning. She's just _that_ good, Honor. And fast. VERY fast." Paul's voice sobered. "I know Fritz said she wasn't a super solider, but Honor - she puts YOUR speed to shame."

"... Really." Honor couldn't help but be intrigued.

"What's worse, is she keeps grinning, and it's all like a game to her." Paul ruefully laughed. "Though... I think she's putting on a brave face. She's got to know SOMETHING is wrong."

Honor leaned back and nodded. "She does. It hasn't occurred to her _what_ yet, Paul. And when she gets poked and prodded by BuMed's visitors..." Honor made a point of looking at her chrono. "Who should be arriving in about 20 minutes, in fact, she'll get even more uneasy." Honor sighed.

"Not to mention ONI's interrogators. THAT will really ruin her day." Paul shook his head. "Poor kid. She doesn't deserve this."

Honor sighed and nodded. "Agreed... which is why I'm going to keep my promise to her, fully."

Paul's eyebrow's narrowed. "Dare I ask what promise?"

Honor looked innocently at Paul. "Oh, that I'd take care of her no matter what." She couldn't help but smile at Paul's expression.

"Um.... Does this mean you want to get married now?" Paul asked in a neutral tone.

Honor paused for a moment, closed her mouth, and then sighed. "Paul, I love you dearly, but you have a lot to learn about women."

Honor sighed. "Just... wondering what might have been, if I hadn't gone down this road. I'm forty seven years old, and I could be a grandmother by now." She smiled ruefully. "Children have a way of reminding us of things like marriage."

"Well... yeah," Paul accepted, then shrugged. "Honor... you've made a serious commitment to this kid. If you're thinking like this... try it out. See what it's like being a mommy." His grin widened. "Besides, I wouldn't mind seeing Honor Harrington, the Salamander, the Hero of Basilisk and Yeltsin, brought to her knees by a six-year-old."

"Oh, you..." Honor mock-growled at Paul, then smiled. "Thanks. And... you are right about the opportunity. It would be a good experience to be a mother for awhile." She tilted her head to one side. "Or a wife, for that matter."

Paul's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Are you offering?"

"Not yet. Are you?"

Paul hung his head down in reply. Honor smiled quietly, then rose from her seat. "Come on. Unlike us, it seems, ONI has a problem with waiting."

As she reached the door, she paused, and turned back to him. "Paul... I'm not ready - yet." She grinned. "But I am warming to the idea. You will be ready, won't you?" She closed her eyes in a manner that'd be considered coquettish on anyone else, and gestured to the door. "Let's go."

*****

Ranma eyed the door. She was clearly bored, and that strange critter was watching her. She really did hate hospitals, and it was time to see where she was. Just another place to get out of. She blinked and wondered at the thought... Shaking her head, she eyed the door again, and a glint appeared in her eyes.

"Bleek!" Nimtz's tone was reproving and Ranma felt something from the creature reach her mind, but she shrugged. The warning she felt from the weasel-like creature was ignored, of course.

Ranma waited until one of the nurses made for the door. As the nurse pressed the door's pad, Ranma sprinted for the door. She slid under the squawking nurse, and before the nurse's grab could connect, Ranma had already bounced off one side of the corridor.

As she ran, she curiously looked around. While some English words rattled out of the speakers, she skidded around a corner, only to stop at a door. It had red lights over it and some English writing next to it.

She scowled, and studied it for a bit, trying to figure it out. She finally stopped, and looked around, taking a long look around her, noting things finally that shouldn't have been in a hospital.

"Halt!" Ranma turned to look at the collection of soldiers behind her, and sighed. All of them had weapons that just screamed "really weird" to Ranma, but she didn't feel any danger from them. She looked at them, finally taking note...

When asked afterwards, she honestly wasn't sure where the idea came from. She put her hands up, took a step forward... then leaped among the group.

She fought the urge to perform a leg sweep; she remembered performing them... somewhere... but also knew they wouldn't be anywhere near as effective against ninety-kilo grownups. So, if down was out, up was always a viable option. She leapt up from her position and past the first guard; she grabbed his ear as she passed, forcing him hard into the nearby wall.

The second guard didn't have time to react, as he found two child-sized fists flying into his face; Ranma propelled all her force and self into his face, then curled up to push off of his chest.

Already the remaining guards were raising their weapons; for most people, this would be a problem, but for Ranma was an opportunity. Ranma grabbed a third guard's arm as she passed; she heard the whine of the weapon as she passed him, but her swing was enough to send his aim off. If the soft exhale behind her was any indication, one more of the guards was down.

Ranma continued moving, and pushed off of the nearby wall; she needed the momentum to hit the temple of the guard she was currently using as a jungle gym, to send him down. She didn't hear any more shots; presumably, the one remaining guard was afraid of hitting his colleague. Which suited her just fine.

Her leap was taking her in the direction of his arm; he tried to move it out of her way, but it was already too late. With a twist of his wrist, the weapon was out of his hands and into hers; a few moves later, the other weapons accompanied it. She stopped and stared at the remaining guard - then smiled.

"Tanoshii desu. Arigatou!" A moment later, she was gone - off to explore some more. She turned down one corridor, then another... then saw one door that looked particularly important.

She opened the door, walked in...

Honor rubbed her forehead, having listened to her Marines. She summarized, "So, they've corralled Ranma at one of the observation lounges. She snuck out, likely to explore."

One ONI officer scowled. "Captain, this doesn't reflect well on your ship... a person from a high speed comet can just -wander- around? I find that... " He was cut off by his superior who simply nodded at Honor.

"We thought that having her in the medical bay was enough, given her age... and apparent lack of knowledge." Honor blinked as one of the medical officers began to laugh.

"Oh, Dame Harrington, you've forgotten what it's like to be a child. Boredom, active mind? She would've had to have been told flat out to stay put, otherwise she WOULD go wandering. Children LOVE to explore... and well..." Several other of the medical staff began to laugh with the first officer.

"... Oh." Honor rubbed her forehead, paying careful attention NOT to notice two laughing cousins of the Queen behind her.

One of the ONI officers, a woman snickered as well. "Yes, you're right Lt. Richardson... my daughter would have been out the door the moment someone's back was turned..."

The first ONI agent looked at the pair of snickering women. "It's no laughing matter, Lieutenants! She could damage or kill personnel!"

Honor looked upwards, and spoke. "Lt. Commander, if you're implying that a girl who has already had a good six hours to attempt actions like that, and has a Sphinxian treecat observing her, is a security risk... I do have to wonder about your priorities."

"Ma'am... It's my job to..."

He was cut off by the senior ONI officer present, a captain junior grade, who spoke. "Lt. Commander Winter... I will take your job about wondering if she's a risk away. It's no longer a ... serious consideration, from Adm. Givens herself."

Honor felt Mike's and Paul's eyes widen, as her own did the same.

The senior ONI officer continued, "Forgive me, Lady Harrington... you know young officers."

Honor nodded, her eyes narrowing in thought. She put the thought aside, and gestured down the hallway. "Shall we go acquire our little explorer before she manages to open something she shouldn't?"

Honor didn't take note of the two giggling parents who had come aboard her ship.

Shortly the gaggle of officers reached the corridor where several Marines were looking bemusedly at a scowling little redhead's reflection.

"Ah... Skipper," said one of several older Marines snickering at their younger comrades. They younger Marines had spent time and effort trying to corral the girl. "We're having a bit of a..."

Honor waved it off, not paying attention to the laughing officers with her, nor the grin on the senior Sergeant's face. "I'll handle it, Sergeant." She turned to look down the hallway, and had to sigh.

"Ranma!"

Ranma stood where she was, mouth agape, her eyes riveted to the window, her pilfered stunners dropped at her feet. It was a sight that still thrilled Honor, even after all these decades: the majesty of space. The gas giant Wyvern had come into view, its swirls of red and white as its storms raged; behind it, other details of Manticore A were beginning to make themselves known.

For most Manticoran Navy officers, the sight meant home; no doubt, for Ranma, it meant something very different. She gently walked up to Ranma, and put a hand on her shoulder. "Ranma?" she asked again.

Ranma's blue eyes slowly turned up to her, confusion and a touch of fear marring her features. "Mother? This.... this shouldn't be possible. This is like one of those shows Kasumi used to like... Captain Harlock, or Macross."

Ranma looked up at Honor. "I'm not on Earth, anymore, am I?"

Honor nodded softly as the translator replayed Ranma's words for her. "Ranma... we'll need to talk about that. We'll need to talk about a lot of things. Do you think you're up to it?"

Ranma frowned. "Sure, I guess." A soft growling sound echoed through the room. "Do you have any food? I'm hungry."

Honor tucked the girl next to her, and lead her back towards the sickbay. Her eyes, expressed that the people should keep their mouths shut. No one felt like commenting or getting in their way.

*****

Queen Elizabeth the Third, of the House of Winton watched as one of her soldiers gestured the Asian woman in. Beth always did enjoy meeting with the head of Velvet Glove's operations on Manitcore; she had often wondered if the fact that eight of the nine last CEOs of the transstellar had held the same post, made the young-seeming woman less impressed with teh rank and power of a mere queen.

"Hello, Nodoka." She stood to greet the woman, who did a slight bow, and smoothly sat down across from the Queen, as Beth herself sat down.

"Your Majesty." Tendo Nodoka enjoyed these meetings, but courtesy required her to follow the forms, even though both were aware of the actual power of both persons in this room.

"You're likely wondering why I requested your presence, Nodoka, today. After all, it's only been two months since your report on the Duchy," Beth began. She continued, “I'm afraid that was your last report to me. After all, it will no longer be my concern." Beth leaned back, and added, “I'll admit, I was surprised what your corporation wished of us, back during the founding period was... true. Forgive my family for doubting your wisdom."

Nodoka was silent for a moment, then quietly spoke. "Allow me to understand, Beth, but are you implying that Saotome Ranma has finally arrived? To Manitcore?"

Beth had to admire her poker face, but spoke softly. "Yes. She was recovered by HMS Nike, yesterday, and when her DNA was sent to ONI to run though our filters, well." Beth smiled. "As you must admit, we were... quite surprised. We honestly thought it was a bribe by a corporation that in essence wished to see our Experiment succeeded. Not that you actually believed in this person's eventual arrival."

Nodoka hesitated for a second, appearing deep in thought, then nodded. "When will her guardianship be transferred to me, as her steward on Manitcore?"

Beth's eyebrow rose. "Excuse me, Nodoka? Someone has already applied for guardianship, and I've authorized it. I... feel, given what I've... learned over the years, that while I do honor your views, at least in some aspects, others... are not good for the child in question. Furthermore, under Manitorican law, she's my responsibility as her liege."

Nodoka's eyes flashed slightly. "She is ...” She stopped at Beth's raised hand.

"She is a Peer of my realm, Nodoka." Her lips pursed into a thin frown. "As a royal, I have perhaps a better understanding of what young Ranma will be facing than anyone. As much as I respect Velvet Glove and all that it has done for Manticore over the centuries, I also understand some things of parenting and raising future leaders." She shook her head. "To many of you, Ranma is a goddess, someone to be revered. Nothing could be worse for Ranma's development than to be worshiped; she needs people who will treat her as a normal person, and raise her accordingly. Believe me, I know."
Elizabeth's voice cracked at the last statement; she took a deep breath, then softened. "I am willing to allow a contingent of Velvet Glove to accompany; however, for Ranma's well-being, she needs to be raised by someone outside of Velvet Glove. Otherwise, she will be worse than useless; she will be a spoiled child, neither a goddess in name or in fact."

Nodoka stared at Beth... and then nodded. "We have no disagreement in principle, and in fact, we would prefer if this happened, and that we were left out... in fact, any hints of her existence connecting her to us, would ... rather be discouraged. In fact, her arrival, if possible, we would prefer if it never got out." Nodoka paused again. "However, we do wish input into her new family, and if possible, some... arrangements made to put a discrete network around her, and arrange for some tutors."

Elizabeth blinked and nodded slowly - the only sign of surprise she would give. "I see. It is perhaps for the best that I put her in the hands of one of my most capable officers, then. I had intended that she be raised by the best my navy had to offer, so I approved the guardianship petition by Captain Harrington."

Nodoka looked at the Queen and spoke quietly. "Change that guardianship to adoption. With that name." Nodoka breathed deeply... "And leave no family name for her, on the originals, and you will hear no words from us, about it. We will... handle faking a will in Tokyo, on Earth that makes it clear that she came from a different family, and we were just honoring the will's commitment. We did honor those issues, initially, and still do."

Elizabeth tilted her head to one side. "If Captain Harrington desires it, I will immediately approve the adoption. The secrecy of her records will also be handled, as you say." She paused for a moment. "I suspect that you have good reason for your concern - which you will no doubt share with Captain Harrington. We will be most disappointed if secrets were to threaten any Peer of the Realm, or the pride of our fleet."

"... We are... loath to discuss this with Lady Harrington, simply because our analysis of her personality indicates if we inform her of the reasons, she or her mother would... be most disinclined to wait for... proper handling of this situation." Nodoka spread her hands. "We have taken steps to assure that she and her mother are safe, at the current time but if we inform her of our reasons, those steps would not only endanger Ranma, Honor and Allison themselves but several others who live unaware of their situation. Nodoka paused and nodded. "What may we offer as surety that we intend no harm? Ask, and we shall give, if we can."

Elizabeth paused in thought, then took a sip of her tea. "Captain Harrington will become suspicious if she is asked to adopt the child quickly, including with name. Also, were I to place Captain Harrington in a compromising position without explanation, it would no doubt damage my relationship with one of my relatives. Someone within the Star Kingdom MUST know - if for no other reason than to allay her suspicions."

She set down her cup of tea; dark eyes pierced into Nodoka's. "I WILL NOT compromise My people - My navy - My Peers - without reason. If you desire that Honor not know, then you will explain to me why I must place her in this position."

Nodoka nodded. "I find no disagreement with this. However, in exchange for informing you, and perhaps... well, we at Velvet Glove are aware of your navy's situation and do not prefer that Haven approach the systems we have possession of... aiding your shipbuilding efforts, or perhaps those of Grayson? Whichever you prefer, we would be willing to use as surety. We do however request that you do keep the ... information to yourself, and not inform the Protector of why our shipyards are at your disposal." Nodoka sighed. "Our read of HIS personality, and given the ... persons involved, would... be most inopportune at the current time." Nodoka smiled slyly. "You will find, due to... certain situations, others wish to aid you, and would be most willing to defray some of your or the Protectorate's costs."

For a moment, Elizabeth's mouth twitched. "Given the nature of your organization and that of the Church of Humanity Unchained, I have no doubts in that regard." Her eyes turned away, toward the window overlooking the Palace gardens. "That... is a significant promise, Tendo-san. Not completely surprising, but significant. We can agree in principle; however, we will need more details - on ALL counts - before we can agree fully."

Nodoka nodded. "Of course. Given the principle agreement, I will honor our obligation, then." Nodoka leaned back and studied her tea. "Are you aware of the
Leonard Detweiler situation, and why he left Beowulf? I assure you it is relevant."

"Of course, I'm aware that he was forced to leave Beowulf due to his views on genetic engineering, which of course lead to Mesa." Elizabeth's expression was harsh as she spoke the last. "I'm even aware Velvet Glove was targeted by Mesa's agents, for several decades after that. I've often wondered why."

"Excellent. The reason why we wish you not to tell any of the Harringtons, including their newest member, is related to that." Nodoka nodded at Elizabeth's narrowed eyes. "We were at the forefront of exposing Leonard's more... distasteful activities, even as he espoused his views. Mesa chose to avenge themselves on us." The executive poured more tea for both women, and continued. "As you're aware, Velvet Glove is as much family, as it is corporation. We, back on Terra, swore ourselves to a certain individual, in payment of the lessons she gave us, and the debts our ancestors owed us."

Beth's eyes flashed. "Both I can understand. What we swear our loyalty to, and what we do to those who threaten what we hold most dear." She frowned. "The vengeance must have been terrible, for it to echo so far into the future."

"It was. Young Ranma left a family behind, and a younger sister. Ranko Saotome." Nodoka sipped quietly. "Her children became our first family, of course. Detweiler knew this, and struck at them. Every single one of them. We..." Nodoka turned away and sighed. “Well, at the time, we were not the company we are now. He chose weapons we were ill equipped to face, and in essence wiped any clan member out he could find. We managed to successfully hide several surviving Saotomes, of course... who lead to Allison, and of course, Honor Harrington. However, we attempted once before to bring the clan back out, and Mesa struck again. We..." Nodoka paused, searching for a word, and then nodded. "Are preparing a suitable response... but it is not yet time." Nodoka's face grew chill. "When it is, oh, when it is, Detweiler's heirs will find the bill they have incurred most painful."

"I see..." A strange twinkle shone in Elizabeth's eyes. "I will inform Honor's current executive officer of the situation. She is a Winton, my cousin, and I would trust her with my life - and with the Realm. More importantly, Honor does the same. She will act in my stead to handle any issues that may come up." For the first time, a grin formed on Elizabeth's face. "As for your... activities regarding Mesa, I wish you happy hunting."

"We thank you. We might even invite several to join us... given Mesa's... tatame." Nodoka shook her head. "However, that's for a different time. To finish, we have had to change and grow, to face Mesa directly, and as their superior. Until we are truly ready, however the last surviving Saotomes, including the senior Saotome herself, _must_ remain in hiding... and unaware of the blood debts they are owed. Else Mesa will kill them." Nodoka grew pensive... "And then the Eridani Edict will come into play, since we will at that point, no longer care."

Elizabeth's eyes widened; her jaw clenched. "I see. That would be... unpleasant." She offered a weak smile. "We will do what we can to make sure that doesn't happen."

Nodoka looked Elizabeth directly in the eye. "We considered it five hundred years ago, Elizabeth. We... demurred, because of Ranma's views on people. If she dies... our more militant will demand blood. No matter the cost. And Mesa... well, we know they have a mask. We are trying to see what that mask is hiding... but if our soul is destroyed, we will destroy the masks and those who took our soul. No matter the cost, no matter whom." Nodoka paused. "I find myself in basic agreement, as well. Such light as she was purported to be... those who snuff such, shall not enjoy it. Now do you see why we are willing to provide you full shipyards, and even wallers? And while the majority of us have no wish to destroy Mesa in such a manner, due to the innocents, or Haven, or even your politicians, such as North Hollow and his son... Debts are paid in full. As regarding Mesa, Elizabeth... not only do they owe us... we fear what their masks hide, from what we have discovered." Nodoka sighed. "This of course, is what we wish to keep... quiet 'til the time comes to shatter their tatame, and reveal the sickness they present."

Elizabeth sat quite still for a moment, the movement in her eyes the only clue of the furious energy going on in her mind. After nearly a minute, she sighed, and took her teacup. "This is a dangerous affair, Tendo-san - and we understand your concern. The Star Kingdom will do whatever it takes to keep Saotome's existence secret. That said, be sure of secrets within your own group; it is possible that you may have security leaks within it. Choose only those who are beyond question within your organization." She smiled softly. "That said... we both know there is hope here. I've received reports from Nike; Ranma is... unique. My cousin sent me a holo of a sparring match between Ranma and Honor; Honor is a decent Coupe de Vitesse artist, but Ranma - a child - had her outclassed. And yet, she is still very much a child; she sees things with an innocence and joy that left me long ago." She raised her teacup, and smiled. "To the future - to Ranma's future."

"To her future and to all of ours. The promised one has come back, Saotome be-" she stopped herself, then smiled; tears of joy started running down her face. "Saotome be praised."

*****

Honor sipped at the cocoa that MacGuiness had left her. She was still absorbing the reports that the attached officers had given her, plus wondering if sending off the request to the courts for Ranma's guardianship was the smartest idea. Still, what was done, was done. She moved onto the next reports, and stifled a giggle at the senior Marine's report about how Ranma had used them for practice dummies. An added comment by the pithy NCO made her giggle out loud.

"Send her to us! She'd be great at breaking recruits' egos." Made the senior grade captain thank her luck that no one was around to hear her giggle.

Honor's head snapped up at a clearing of a throat. She eyed her exec, who looked shell-shocked. "Mike?"

Mike shook herself. "Sorry, Honor, do you have a moment?"

"Of course, what do you need." She pressed a button, as Mike sat down, and her steward James MacGuiness came in with another hot chocolate and coffee for Mike.

Honor's best friend waited for MacGuiness to leave, and then took a sip of the coffee. Putting it down, she looked at Honor and sighed.

"I got a private message, in Family only code, from Beth just now, Honor." Mike's tone was... a bit shell-shocked.

"... Oh?" Honor began to feel a sinking feeling, for the Beth her friend spoke about was the Queen of Manticore, her liege, and commander in chief of the Navy.

"Yeah. Easy stuff first." Mike cleared her throat. "The fact that there was a girl in the comet, is to be deleted from all records. Period. It never happened." Honor's eyebrows shot up, but before she could speak, Mike nodded. "Our request for Japanese will be listed as a recovery of a lost freighter's lifepods, and the girl listed as coming from them."

Honor blinked, and blinked again. "Mike?"

Mike shook herself again and looked at Honor. "She's already backtracking to erase the rest of the trails, as well. Forget classifying this, she wants it buried." Mike just shook her head. "I'll handle telling the recovery crew and the rest." Honor nodded.

"That wouldn't require Royal commands, though, Mike." Honor's tone indicated that she was surprised.

"You know Velvet Glove, right?" Mike inquired.

"Yes..." Honor responded, noting Mike's bemused expression.

"Even before we clear quarantine, they'll be having several of their reps come aboard. No, I don't know why, nor do I know why they have such an interest." Honor's eyebrow rose and she waited for Mike to continue. "Last, but not least, Ranma won't have a last name, though anything she'd normally inherit is still hers. Beth insisted on that." Honor's eyebrows shot up.

"... But... that's..." Honor shook herself. "... I need a name to put on the court paperwork."

"Beth has a request for you, Honor." Mike looked sober, and worried. "Not an order as your liege, or your Queen, but a request."

"... Which is?"

"You adopt her. Give her the Harrington name. She wouldn't say why, even in our private code, but I got the impression something very very very deep is going on, Honor... and the way she indicated, she knows it. She stated she'd explain in as much detail as she could, when you meet with her."

Henke's tone indicated that she was as puzzled as Honor.

"I... " Honor took a sip of her cocoa, and used that to cover her confusion. "... don't see."

Mike nodded. "Agree on that... only thing I can think of is that she's someone important, but a girl on coldsleep for thousands of years? Please Honor. What enemies would she have that are still around 2000 years later?" Mike snorted, to Honor's nod.

"It's also possible that the Queen wishes to keep that secret to keep the press and others away from Ranma, Mike. You can imagine how they'd go into a feeding frenzy over her. Especially the tabloids." Honor couldn't keep a smile off her face as Mike grimaced about it. "And I can see about Historians too. Or do you remember my cousin, Devon?" Honor grinned at Mike's expression.

"Well... that might be it, really. Makes sense, in a way." Mike shrugged. "Anyways, do you want me to send a response back?"

Honor hesitated. "... not yet. I... need time to think about this."

Mike nodded, as she put her coffee mug aside. "I figured as much. I'll leave you to it. I got a LOT of people to quiet." Mike hesitated, then spoke.
"Honor? When you make this decision... remember, she already sees you as what you'd be applying. As much as I hate to inflate your head, I think you'd make a good mother... and even if the war... well. Your father and mother did a good job, and I think they'd do it again. Consider that, Honor."

Honor remained speechless as Mike went out of the cabin.


*****

Honor carefully studied the sleeping child. Nimtz had stretched himself out and was acting like a furry purring blanket for the girl, which indicated to Honor that the girl was special. She couldn't quite catch something, but it was tickling the back of her mind. Almost like Nimtz was projecting to the girl. Honor shook that conceit away, and gently stroked the red hair and young face, noting how the girl snuggled into the touch.

A soft voice interrupted her musings, and she turned to listen. "Got to admit, Mike had a point about you making a good mother, Honor." Paul spoke, sitting down across from the girl.

"You think I should?" Honor didn't bother asking if Mike had told the message to her cousin, Honor's lover.

"Yeah. I don't know why, but I get the feeling she's going to need all the help she can get. Mike's not convinced, nor am I, that Beth's only reason is to keep the press away. Our family's had too much dealing with Velvet Glove to consider this anything but out of the ordinary." Paul shook his head.

"I agree. It's unfair to her, though, I'm a naval officer." Honor's voice was soft. "I can't be with her all the time, and it'd be unfair to my parents if I just dumped her on them... and unfair to her, too."

Paul snorted slightly. "I seriously doubt anyone who raised you, Honor, would mind this ball of chaos in their lives. Wonder at where their energy went, yes, but mind?" Paul waved his hand. "That, I seriously doubt. You're a good person, and you got that way because of your parents... and I think you'd do as good of a job as they would." Paul's crooked grin didn't assure Honor's biggest worry.

"That only says what I could do, Paul... not what job I might be able to do, given the situation. We're at war, you know." Honor leveled a glare.

"The fact you're considering that, is one reason WHY I think you'd do better than most. Also... honestly, we're not technically at war, and given Nike's damages... it'll be months before you see action. Plenty of time to get her used to the idea of her family being military. And it's not like I couldn't be a part of her life actively... if you'd let me, of course." Paul smiled softly.

"... Of course, you cad. It's not easy riding herd on her even with a treecat." Honor's crooked grin made Paul grin, and shoot back.

"So, a wild horse tamer, you want me to be." Paul sighed tragically. "What a fate for a city boy like me..." Honor snickered, then asked.

"Wild horse?" Honor's eyebrow raised.

"Yeah, it's what Ranma means. Though it's a male only name, oddly enough” Paul shrugged slightly, then continued. "Another oddity."

"Doesn't matter. She's ... " Honor tried to describe.

"Yeah. She's herself. And I think you WANT to... but don't want to hurt her, Honor. You've already taken her into your heart." Paul stood, nodding.

"Paul..."

"Honor, why don't you ask her?" Paul nodded at both women, and the treecat who softly bleeked in agreement. "I think that'd be a lot easier than debating this all night long. I think she'd get it, and give you an answer you really want. Don't deny yourself what you want. Not when it's what others want for you, as well. Goodnight, love."

Honor watched as Paul left the sickbay, and then turned to look at the girl. "So, Stinker. You agree with Paul." Nimtz's bleek was clear enough for Honor.

"I... will. I'm not that stubborn." Nimtz's bleeking laughter at her last statement, caused Honor to turn a glare on him.... though Ranma hadn't stirred.

"Just think... two of us." Nimtz stopped laughing.

*****
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For much of her life, Corporal Ono Kikuko had run away from her heritage.

It couldn't be helped, for the most part. Her family had sworn fealty to some god of martial arts, the ultimate expression of fluidity and adaptation. Her mother had told her stories from the book of Nerima and from the Acts of the Warriors. She knew about the Promised One, who would come back one day, and how she - in keeping promises her grandmother's grandmother's grandmother had made - needed to help prepare the way.

She hadn't believed. Belief stopped once she reached puberty and found boys more interesting than fairy tales. It all seemed so silly; honestly, who in the world would believe that some two-thousand-year-old martial artist would come back? And even if she did, what could they do about it on Manticore; after all, the Solarian League was named that for a reason, and wouldn't she come back there? And that didn't even begin to cover the other problem: what could a martial artist do in an era of faster-than-light travel, where genemods were considered passe?

So, with her beliefs in fairy tales gone, Kikuko took the one thing she could use from her heritage and went into something she could believe in:
the Royal Manticoran Space Marines. Her training in the Musebetsu Kaketou made her coveted among the Marines; she'd won the regimental martial arts competition the first year she'd entered, and was favored to win again this year . She'd made corporal already; word was she was being considered for officer training a year or two down the road.

And then... everything changed. She'd gone home to Manticore while on leave to visit her family and friends; while there, her assignment had changed. She was being transferred from her regiment to guard duty aboard the Nike - and would attend officer training part-time while Nike was being refitted. While she was grateful and flattered that she was getting what would be every Marine's dream job, the whole thing seemed off. Why her; why now?

The weirdness factor multiplied the next day. Velvet Glove was large enough that visits from Elders weren't that common. And, yet, there, in her parents' living room, were no less than THREE Elders... all wanting to talk with her.

Alone.

She wasn't sure how to respond to them. They said they already knew of her faith issues - but that she had remained true to Velvet Glove's ideals and tenets. And then they asked what she would do if she found herself facing The Promised One, if she found herself assigned to guard The Promised One. She gave her answer; she knew all about the Saotome Purge, after all, and the danger the child was in. They nodded, satisfied with the answer, then informed her of just WHY she was being transferred to Nike.

That was a shock, one that left her questioning everything she'd ever believed - or not believed.

It was nothing compared to what she found later that day when she reported to Nike. Though there were only five others in the room, the collection was impressive, and she felt almost out of place. Commander Henke stood in one corner, an amused smile on her face; nothing like royalty to make one feel inadequate. Captain Harrington dominated the room, as a captain should; it was hard to measure up when standing against the Salamander herself.

But none of them could hold a candle to the slip of a girl next to Harrington. She couldn't have been more than seven years old, but Kikuko could read auras, and no one, not even her old sensei, compared to this girl's power. Hair red as fire, blue eyes like water, just like the legends said. A smile that could warm anyone's heart. The girl tilted her head to one side, grinned, and spoke in the old tongue.

"You're strong. Not as strong as me, but good. You want to spar?"

Kikuko blinked at this... child but not child... the one she had doubted, the one she had denied... and tried to find her voice. "I... I would like that."


*****

“Welcome Honored Elders, to this extrodary meeting.” Tendo Xian, 35th Chairman of the Council of Elders of the Way, 35th CEO of Velvet Glove, and finally, a role she treasured the most, 35th Clan Head of the Clans of Saotome sat down, and examined the fifteen members that were responsible for advising her and handing the fuctions she had no time for. She nodded, smiling.

“You called us, we assembled, Clan Head in Vice. ”Kuno Ti-ling smiled cooly. As the head of the Kunloites, she carried great prestige, and didn’t mind rubbing Xian’s face in the fact that they were all subordinate to the one. Xian sighed. Several other members also sighed, but didn’t say a word and waited for the chairman to speak.

“Elders.” Xian stood, taking a position she hadn’t taken in front of the Elders since her swearing in, and bowed to them. She returned to her standing position and saw the shocked looks on all but a few faces, and a dreadful light in those few faces. “Our waiting is over. We now stand called to redeem our oaths and our debts from long ago. We shall honor them!”

Ryu Tsu blinked. “… Safforn!” Several other elders simply stared at their head. One finally shook her multicoloured head and spoke.

“Forgive me, Clan Head, but are we sure? If the Great Enemy ever…” Kuno Midori took a look around and sighed. “It’s my job to be paranoid, you know.” She was noting her position as head of Velvet Glove’s internal security.

“No offense, Midori-chan.” Xian sat back down, and nodded at her. “We didn’t find her.” She noted several raised eyebrows as one of the questions was answered regarding the lost Saotome.

“Oh?” Tendo Genma looked at his cousin. “Then who did?”

Xian pulled a datachip, and plugged it into the reader next to her seat, and let the data flow into their terminals. “According to Nodoka-chan’s report, HMS Nike, Captian Harrigton, yes, Allison’s daughter, did.”

Several blinked. “Kasumi’s hand!” Taro James muttered. “The odds… and one of her blood.”

Xian nodded. “When Nike sent the DNA back for a check, the process we had King Roger the first install, came back… and did what it was supposed to. Nodoka managed to gain other verification, but let’s be honest, since no one’s tried to use that DNA, ever, the odds of Mesa or … well, having the information needed to fake the Great One’s personality and information is…”

“Slim.” Ti-ling smiled. “Of course, we will have to verify, using the life stone. But, Nodoka-chan from this report did well. Very well.”

One of the usually more quiet members of the council leaned forward. Ono Kimiko held the dubious distinction of being the gentlest person on the board, except where it came to children, and given the often frequent clashes in this chamber, she could predict certain things. “Several of us will go, Elder Ti-ling.” Her usually kind smile was tinged with steel. “It’s clear from Nodoka’s report Ranma has fragmented memories, which was expected, and we… rather not an indicent.”

Several of the elders blanched at Ti-ling’s tone as she spoke again. “You dare accuse me?”

Kimiko smiled. “Oh, no, Elder, that wouldn’t be proper… it is, many things have changed in 2000 years, and a teacher and healer is what is needed, not a lore and tradtion keeper, wouldn’t you say?”

Xian raised her hand to stop the verbal war that was on the process of breaking out. “Enough. Ti-ling is of course, correct. The child will be verified with the lifestone. Kimiko is also correct, and several of us shall go.” She scanned the chamber and nodded. “Myself, Kimiko, Ti-ling, and… Ah. Mamoru.”

The effective War minister of VG blinked. “Xian-sama? I’m… flattered, indeed, but this I would think..”
Kuonji Mamoru stopped at her raised hand.

“Nodoka-chan was able to aid the Star Kingdom, and I feel you would be best suited to handle the detailed negotiations, since you’re aware of most, I, of course, should be obivious, along with Kimiko and Ti-ling. I would bring you along, Mariko-chan, but…”

Hibiki Mariko nodded. “Of course, I shall ensure there is no disruptions while you are on Manticore, Xian-sama.” She tapped her finger and added. “However, before you go, I will gather all the information we have on how our… more… eager contacts are willing to aid the Star Kingdom, in this matter.” Xian nodded.

“That will be all.” Xian rose, and accepted their bows, as they filed out, many of them conversing between themselves. Xian studied them all, and was sasified that none questioned that this was the time.

Ti-ling stopped next to her clan head and smiled. “Finally, at the time we were preparing to handle her giri regarding the Great Enemy ourselves… she comes to lead… found by one with more call to venangce than we have. Intresting, isn’t it.”

Xian shot a quelling glare at the older woman. “You know as well as I do, the Statements of Nabiki mentions her mere presense stirs interesting times. Should we be surpised?”

Ti-ling smiled. “Of course not. She shall be the chaos humanity needs to learn, grow and thrive.”

“If she chooses. We do not impose. We guide, teach and let others chose. Remember that, Ti-ling. Forget, and be at peril.” Xian’s cool stare bored into the elder.

“Of course, of course.” Ti-ling, being who she was, waved off Xian’s warning. “But how can she choose otherwise? She IS the Great one.”

Xian simply studied the elder in front of her, and then said nothing, but her eyes were hooded and dark.



Honor studied the redheaded girl as Nimtz and her played Frisbee. She had to smile at the thought of Nimtz suckering another person into his Frisbee addiction, but she sobered up. Ranma had begun to soak up English at a frankly astoninting rate, but for this conversation, she perfered to rely on the translator.

“Ranma!” Nimtz caught the Frisbee as Ranma surriced over to Honor, who was shaking her head.

“Yeah?” Ranma was inquistiy eying Honor.

The older woman sighed, and gestured at a bench along the wall. “Sit down, Ranma.” She watched as Ranma did so, and followed suit. Honor looked at the wide innocent eyes and sighed.

“I didn’t do anything!” Honor blinked, taken aback. Ranma’s statement puzzled her… then she had to laugh.

“No, no… it’s not that.” Honor had to relax. “It’s just…” Honor ran her hand though her hair, and sighed again.

“Then what?” Ranma began to look at the Frisbee again, a sign she was losing intrest and wanted to go play.

Honor took a deep breath, and nodded. “How would you like to be my daughter, for real?”

Ranma blinked. Shrugged. “You’re Momma. You sayin’ you’re not?” Ranma’s eyes narrowed and her head titled slightly. “Though your hair’s wrong” Ranma’s eyes narrowed and she mumbled. “Should be red.”

“Ah… the law says otherwise, but… if you want, we can change that.” Honor sighed, trying to convey the meaning to Ranma, without disturbing her emotions, and telling her everyone she knew was dead.

“Oh, okay! Sure!” Ranma bouned over, and hugged Honor, and got hugged in return. Honor turned her head to look at a bleeking Nimtz who wasn’t making any pretense of his amusement over the whole thing.



Honor looked at sleeping Ranma, and sighed. Since her ship had arrived in orbit of Manticore, she had been playing catch up, and filing certain applications took all her time. She glanced thankfully at her steward as a blanket was put over the child, and a cup of Cocoa was put at her hand.

“Thank you, Mac” Her tone incidated more than just for the cocoa, and he nodded with understanding.

“If there’s anything else, Ma’am?” Her steward raised an eyebrow at her open communication request.

“No, I’m afraid this is one I’m going to have to do on my own. It’s a good thing that Mother is on Manticore.” Honor grinned slightly crookedly. “This way I can tell her the news before she finds out from the press, or a letter.”

“Very good, Ma’am.” James MacGuniess’ tone was repressive. She had to smile again at her keeper’s tone. It was clear that something as important as presenting a mother with her first grandchild, over the phone, wasn’t his view of properity.

“Oh, I think she’ll be up here fast enough, Mac.” Honor’s smile was innocent. “I don’t know why, mind you.”

“Of course, Ma’am, I can’t figure out why.” He nodded, and countined. “If you need anything else, I’ll be in my quarters.”

Honor nodded. “I’ll buzz if I need anything.”

Honor waited as her terminal showed the icon of ‘call processing’ and knew it was early enough for Allison Harrigtion to be in the Harrigton’s landing apartment, they kept for when they were in the city for business. A symbol changed, and a face Honor envied as a teenager appeared.

"Honor?" Allison's voice inquired, as her eyebrow raised on the screen. "It's not like you to call when your ship is in dock; normally, you'd just wait to visit. What's wrong?" Allison's eyebrows narrowed. "Were you injured?"

Honor couldn't help but grin. "No, Mom... it's just that something else happened on the way home, and I really wanted your thoughts on some things before we arrive." She looked down at her hands.

Allison frowned. "Oh, oh... I know that look. Last time I saw it, I got an explanation from my five-year-old daughter as to why an invisible treecat broke my best china." She sighed. "What did you do now?"

Honor blushed. Her mother would remind her of that... she took a deep breath and steadied herself. Only one way to get out of this. "Mom... how would you feel about me adopting a daughter?"

Allison blinked. Repeatedly. "Um... what brought this on?"

Honor sighed. She wanted to tell her mother the truth; for now, an abbreviated version was best. "She was drifting in cryo in deep space; Nike picked her up. She... well, she seems to have bonded with me." Her blush deepened. "And I've bonded with her."

Allison muttered something to the heavens in Chinese - Honor had only ever heard her mother use the language in extreme situations - then turned back to the screen. Honor gulped; she knew that mischievous grin and twinkle in her mother's eye, and knew to fear it. "I see. So my daughter has finally found a maternal instinct, and doesn't know if she should listen to it, seeing as she's a Navy captain and fears she doesn't have time to raise a family. Meanwhile, she tapdances around her relationship with that handsome Mr. Tankersley, for whom she has her own instincts - but refuses to listen to them, too, for the same reason." She tilted her head to one side. "I'm not sure, but I could be sensing a pattern here."

"Mother!" Honor blurted out. "I'm serious!"

Allison sighed. "I know you are, dear. And we will have a lot to talk about when you get here. But you need to understand that, just because you put on a Navy captain's uniform doesn't mean that you become a monk. You need to live your own life, Honor - before it's passed you by." She smiled. "And if you decide it's a good idea, then your father and I will help you, if need be - even if it means babysitting."

Allison paused for a moment, then grinned. "Especially if it means babysitting."

A stray thought lanced through Honor's mind. "I don't know, Mom... Ranma's more than a handful. She's already giving the Marines fits around here."

Allison huffed. "If I could raise you without losing my mind, I should have no problem looking after my granddaughter." Allison paused at the statement, then smiled. "I've been waiting nearly thirty years to say those words..."

Honor nodded. "Okay. Nike should be in dock within twelve hours; I have a couple of debriefings to go to afterwards. I'll call when I'm done, so we can get together then, okay?"

Allison shook a finger back at her from the screen. "And you'd better bring my graddaughter..." She paused for a moment. "What's her name?"

Honor grinned. "Ranma. Her name's Ranma."

Allison frowned. "A boy's name. How odd." She straightened up. "Ah, well. It will be nice to meet her. See you tomorrow, Honor."


Honor grinned, as she looked at Ranma’s wide eyed reflection as the cutter arced towards Mount Royal Palace, and leaned over to her friend and executive officer.

“Were we ever that wide eyed and young?” Honor asked softly, in a bemused tone, as Mike grinned back.

“Once, I’d think” Mike mused as quiet as her friend, and smiled. “Wonder why Beth wanted her to come with us.”

Honor shrugged slightly. “No clue, just that… Ah, yes. ‘We wish to meet your daughter, Our newest subject, and peer.’ Was the way your cousin put it.” She eyed Mike repressively. “I know now that I’ve adopted her, under Manictorian law, she’s my firstborn, and inherits my title, but I didn’t think the Queen would see every new heir to a title.”

Mike sighed. “She doesn’t, Honor. I think she wants to see what Velvet glove wanted hidden.”

Honor nodded. “That’s my suspicion as well. We didn’t get the reps you were told about, from them, so I suspect we’ll meet a few of them today.”

Mike nodded, as the cutter landed and both stood, Honor collecting the redhead, or more presicly, keeping her from rushing the hatch. “No, Ranma, tradtion and you need to wait.” She carefully didn’t look at the girl’s face, else she’d have crumbled, she knew.

Mike’s laughter didn’t help her mood. Honor shot Mike a look as the hatch opened, and Honor stepped out, as the senior peer and officer aboard the cutter, and Ranma followed, with Mike trailing. Nimtz bleeked from Honor’s shoulder in a reproving tone at Ranma, and both women noted that Ranma seemed to settle down.

At the bottom of the hatch, a major waited for the party with a honor Guard. His facings indicated he was a officer of the Queen’s Own, and his shoulder flash stated his battalion was the Copper Walls, the Sphinxian battalion of the Regiment.

Honor and Henke returned the saulte, while Ranma figedeted.

“Ladies Harrigton, Commander Henke. I am Major Dupre, your escort.” Honor noted his accent, reminded of home.

“Thank you, Major.” Honor nodded at the Major, and followed his gesture for the exit, with Ranma and Henke trailing… and a firm grasp on Ranma’s hand, to keep the child leashed. She just knew the amusement she was feeling was from two sources, along with the eagerness from another.

Honor was distracted by collaraing Ranma again, then she noted that they hand’t arrived at the Crown Chancery yet. “Excuse me, Major. Just exactly where are we going?”

“King Micheal’s Tower, Milady.” Honor shot a glance at Henke’s indrawn breath, but didn’t notice anything but an innocent look back.

Honor’s eyes widened slightly as they approached the tower, even though a modern counter-grav civilization wouldn’t consider it one, and she realized where she had heard the title before. The thought of taking Ranma into the Queen’s private retreat just smacked of… intresting events. Before she could mention something, the two sentries had snapped to attention, and the door opened.

The Major lead them though the structure, and into the elevator, and shortly, he knocked on a aged wooden door.

“Your Majesty. The Ladies Harrigton and the Honorable Commander Henke.”

“Thank you, Andre.” A female voice rang from the door, and the Major opened the door, standing aside to let the ladies in, and then closing it. Before Honor could react, Ranma had darted out of her grasp, and across the red carpet towards the waiting snacks, only to be brought up short by a a repressive hiss from the treecat on Honor’s shoulder. Ranma slumped, and headed back to Honor, accompanied by laughter from the three women sitting down.

Honor’s face heated with embarssment, but before she could scold Ranma, the woman in the center of the three people smiled. Her husky voice carried well. “Oh, please, let her nibble away, Dame Honor. It’s not often I get the pleasure of being passed up for sweets.” The amusement in the woman’s tone was clear, and helped to remove Honor’s embarssment.

Honor walked across the carpert herself, Ranma in tow, with Mike stifing laughter behind them both, and kneeled. Ranma hesitated and then did the same, remembing beladetly Honor’s instructions on how to greet their liege.

“Get up, Dame Honor, and let her at the sweets. That’s what they’re there for.” Honor stood, and let Ranma go after the snack table with a quiet wishper of watch her manners. “Espically since my cooks went to too much trouble to get Japanese style sweets.” Her warm mahogany skin lit up with amusement as she watched Ranma begin the process of laying waste to the artistically arranged display.

“Much better. I thought they were too pretty and sterile when I saw them. And since this is a private audience…” The Queen’s tone took an impish note. “We can most defiantly save the formatlies for another time.”

“… Ah, yes. Your Majesty.” Honor kept her emotions out of her voice, but her eyes and the snickering of both treecats in the room conveyed her feelings quite well.

Elizabeth held out her hand, and Honor took it, feeling a bit off balance, and she felt the Queen’s companion and her own have a deep and subtle exchange, that she only caught the edge of. The smaller of the two treecats bleeked, and turned his head from Nimtz to study Ranma… and bleeked again. Honor and Elizabeth stared at the tense treecat who then relaxed, starting to purr, as Ranma’s head turned to study the smaller cat.

“… Well. I was going to indtoduce you both to Ariel, but I see he has already.” Elizabeth studied Ranma and shook her head. “Though that was a bit odd…” She shook her head, and looked at the third guest. “Well. If it isn’t Cousin Mike!”

“Your Majesty.” Henke shook hands with her cousin in turn, and Elizabeth shook her head.
“So formal, Captain Henke?”

“I… What did you say?” Mike demaned to the Queen’s chuckles.

“I said ‘Captain’, Mike. You are familiar with the rank, I do hope.”

“… Of course I am, But…” The Queen laughed as Mike stopped, and looked at Honor.

“I can only put Mike’s deference down to your good influence, Dame Honor. I seem to recall at least once when she kicked me in the shin. Both of them, if I remember right.”

"Only after you dumped sand down my swimsuit," Henke said. "Wet sand. And I seem to recall Mother sending us both to bed without supper. Which," she added, "was grossly unfair, since you were the one who'd started it!"
Honor’s expression was a study, as she fought to keep from quailing at Mike’s tone. She relaxed as her queen grinned with delight, and spoke.
“Ah, but I was a guest. It was your responsibility to be a gracious host to your future monarch!”
“Sureeeeee it was. But you don’t go changing subjects on me. What is this Captain Henke business?” Mike asked in an dry tone.
“Sit down both of you… and as for the young imp, I think she’s had a chance now to devour a decent bit of the sugar, so, if you would?” The Queen pointed at a couch, and watched as Ranma was lead to it, by Honor, looking a bit pelutant.
“But…” Ranma started, only to cut off, and slump again, at Honor’s stern face. Ranma sat on the couch, looking disgrunted but still cute. As Honor and everyone else sat, Nimtz flowed down to lay across both Harrigtions, and butted his head agaisnt Ranma’s hands, and got her to pet him.
“Good.” The Queen nodded, and added. “I don’t belive ethier of you have met Tendo Xian, or Baroness Mourncreek?” She inquired.
Honor shook her head, feeling Ranma tense at the first name. “No, Your Majesty, I’ve never had ethier privilege.”
“I do hope you consdier it a privilege at least in the Baroness’ case, after this meeting. I think I’ll let her explain, then we can deal with what brings Tendo-dono here.” Honor blinked at hearing Ranma mutter something in Japanese, only to be greeted by a laugh from the lady mentioned.
She replied in Japanese, and Honor’s translator bug responded. “Oh, no, Ranma-sama, it’s not about marriage.”
Honor felt Ranma relax slighlty, but still stare at the woman.
“Anyways…” Beth shot the smiling asian woman a sharp glare, that seemed to roll off her back. “Francine?”
The woman that hadn’t spoked nodded. “Of course, Your Majesty.” She turned and looked at Henke. “Despite Her Majesty’s somewhat unconventional and premature way of expressing herself, she’s essentially correct. As of this afternoon, you’re a junior-grade captain.” Honor and Beth enjoyed the expression on Mikes’ face, and Morncreek smiled slighlty. “Furthermoth, you’ll be receiving formal orders detaling you to take command of Her Majesty’s light cruiser Angi, within the week. Congratulations, Captain.”
Mike started, then turned to her cousin.
“Was this your idea, Beth?” Mike’s tone indicated some accuscation, but the Queen just shook her head.
“No, this one is Dame Honor’s fault. As I understand, when a captain who has distinguished herself in action, her executive officer is promoted. If you have to, I think I can get them to take it back…”
“Don’t you dare!”
“Somehow, I thought that’d be the case, once you learned that wicked and unworthy nepotism was not invovled…” The Queen murmured.

Henke shot a repressive glare towards the Queen, then turned to the Baroness. “Thank you, Milady.”
“You’re welcome.”
The Queen grinned and nodded at Honor. “Don’t worry, we have some things planned for you. A richly deserved thank you in the Blue hall, and appointing you to the rank of Colonel of Marines, I think will do quite nicely, at least for a start.” The Queen’s grin widened, and she noted Honor understood the meaning behind it.
“Thank you, Your Majesty.” Honor managed to get out, before the Queen shook her head.
“Don’t thank me for regonizing your own actions, Dame Honor. One of the few pleasures of this job, is rewarding those who excel in service, and I should be thanking you for letting me open up my toybox.” The Queen’s tone turned serious. “Now... for why Tendo-dono is here.”
Tendo Xian nodded. “Several reasons, given my position and rank. I, Tendo Xian, am the chariman and CEO of Velvet Glove, and the Legend Trust. I hold other positions, but they’re not important today. I also til elven years ago, ran the operations of both the cartel and trust on Manitcore, including running the Duchy that is held in trust.”
The Queen snorted, and added. “Not to mention you’re also about as well informed as I am on the political situation.” Xian shrugged in agrement.
“Of course, Your Majesty, Velvet Glove DOES speicalise in analyist. However... To open this...” Xian paused. “Ah. My successor here, negotiated an arrangement with Her Majesty, for vaild reasons, which... I disagree with, and as such, I can rearrange that arrangment. However, before I commit, I have to request that... anything we discuss here, you take no action. Period. Not until _we_, and we I mean Velvet Glove, Beowulf and Manticore do so.”
Honor’s eyes narrowed, as well as Mikes. “... Why do I have the feeling I won’t like this?”
“Becasue you won’t. To give you an taste... you have seen Ranma spar, have you not?” Xian’s voice was amused.
Mike grinned, and Honor sighed. “As well as her trashing Marines, not to mention an Regimental champion, and one viewed as a likey Corps winner this year. Not to mention being defeated handly by her myself.”
“Ah, yes... “ Xian grinned at Beth. “Corpral Ono is only a brown belt in her style.” Honor’ s jaw dropped.
“... Excuse me? I saw both Ranma and her spar... was like greased lighting. If you want me to belive that she was only a brown belt...” Honor began.
“She is. Musabetsu Kakuto Ryuu is an very elite, very demanding school. Ono-san pratices the Tendo varaint; I myself am a practitioner of the Wu Shu variant." Her eyes darkened. "There are nine variants of the Musebetsu Kaketou: the Tendo, Wu Shu, the Dragon style - which your own Coup de Vitesse is a descendent - the Ono, the Kuno, the Hibiki, the Himura, the Kamiya, and the Kuonji." She frowned. "There was once a tenth; the central school to the Musebetsu Kaketou - the way of the thief, oddly enough, as the originator developed it to practice larceny. It died out centuries ago - a strategic assassination of an entire family, as vengeance against us. All that exists of of the school are hints and legends, some scrolls that only the chosen can unlock... and that thief's eldest child." Xian's eyes pointed at Ranma.
Honor blinked. "Excuse me... you mean to tell me that Ranma... is the daughter of the founder of Velvet Glove?"
Xian chuckled. "Would that Genma could create something like Velvet Glove; he was a thief and martial artist, little more, and little less. No... it was that child - YOUR child, now - that was the true inspiration behind Velvet Glove. She may not look it, but Ranma is even older than you think."
"Older than two millenia?" Honor asked.
"Older in terms of experience," Xian replied. "It would take a lot to explain, but the amniotic fluid Ranma found herself in rejuvenated her, made her younger physically; she was actually seventeen years of age when she battled Saffron." She looked over at Elizabeth. "With your permission, Your Highness, I would like to show everyone here just who Ranma was before her launch."
Elizabeth nodded; Xian moved to the holoprojector. "The picture is only two-dimensional, I'm afraid; Earth didn't really have holo technology back then. However, it should give you a good idea of Ranma's origins and life, and how she was launched into space."
The light automatically dimmed for the holoprojector; Honor's eyes widened.
"Hey, that's me!" Honor's translator picked up from Ranma. "And that's Pops, Mr. Tendo, Kasumi, Nabiki, Akane..." she paused at the last name, "Akane." Ranma turned to Xian. "Is Akane all right?"
Xian stopped at the question; Elizabeth sensed the unease, and paused the holo with a gesture. "Ranma..." Xian breathed, "Akane lived a long and prosperous life. She met Kouta when she was in college; they had four children, and dozens of grandchildren. While Nabiki and Khu Lon were the brains behind Velvet Glove, Akane was very much its heart; even today, the Tendo school holds a revered position within Velvet Glove." Xian forced a smile. "She left a message for you to listen to in private, when you're ready."
"oh." Ranma seemed to sag into Honor; Honor wrapped her arms around Ranma, while Nimitz offered a soft bleek in sympathy.
"Tell you what," Mike interjected. "Why don't you tell us about yourself, Ranma? About Akane, about your family?"
"I... it's so hazy," Ranma replied... "There's a lot I'm really not sure about - and some of it doesn't make sense. I..." she blushed. "I remember being a boy... and a curse... traveled around with Pops, mostly; he wanted to make me the best... and I was. I was the best." She said the last words with conviction. "How did I get so small, anyway? And why do I remember being a boy - and being proud of that fact?"
Xian coughed. "Ah, yes. Much more comfortable territory, oddly enough." Her dark eyes bored into Ranma's, to get her undivided attention, and returned her language to the old tongue. "What do you remember of Jusenkyo?"
Ranma flinched as if slapped. "I... I lost something there. It... it hurts to think about... but..."
"You lost a lot there, yes," Xian replied. "Your first time there, you gained a curse. You were a boy before then; after that, you changed between male and female with hot and cold water." She licked her lips. "The last time you were in that area, you fought Saffron. You won... but..." Her lips pursed. "Tell me what else you remember?"
"Not a lot. The art seems to be the clearest; I remember that perfectly. It's like it's burned into me." She sighed. "I remember Akane." She quickly changed subjects. "Kasumi and Nabiki, Mr. Tendo and Pops, you saw. Kasumi was... kind; she kept the family together; Nabiki was smart - and really scary sometimes." Xian smiled broadly at the description. "There were others... Ryouga? Ucchan? Impressions mostly, little else."
Xian nodded slowly - then tilted her head to one side. "Has she been exposed to hot water yet?"
Honor nodded. "She takes a bath every night. Is there a reason?"
Xian sighed. "The few samples my ancestors took of the amniotic fluid indicated that long-term exposure might cause the curse to become locked, but we weren't sure. Not to mention what effects the destruction of Jusekyou would have."
"Curse?" Mike interjected. "If you'll excuse me, the idea of curses seems a little far-fetched."
"N... no. It's true," Ranma added once the translator kicked in. "Panda, right?"
Xian smiled. "Your father's curse." She gestured to the holo. "It might help to watch the rest of the holo."
Honor and Mike’s eyes narrowed listening to Ranma’s various comments, and they traded a look at several of Ranma’s “Huh, I don’t remember that” or “Don’t think it happened that way…”
Honor watched the final battle, and felt Ranma shiver next to her. Her eyes widened, and she just blinked. Mike was the one to speak for both of them.
“Oh, please. It couldn’t have happened.” Mike’s head shook and she snorted. “You expect us to belive any of that was possible? Its like the bad martial arts animation put out. If people could do that, why aren’t they now?” Mike settled back and smiled.
Xian shared a look with Beth, and a smile. “I owe you five dollars, Your Majesty, I was so sure it’d be Dame Honor who would reject the recording.”
“I would have, but I saw a 6 year old, moving at speeds, quite frankly are impossible to anyone not from ethier a total cyborg project, which I don’t belive exists, or a super solider gene mod, and even then, I’d have to call it years of hard training and honing to get that fast.” Honor leaned back. “I have to agree with Mike though, it’s like a bad animation.”
Queen Elisabeth grinned at Ranma’s snickering. “You agree, Ranma?”
Ranma listened to her little earbug, and in english went “No!” She stopped, then nodded, and added in Japanese, “Like Naruto or some such… but I can do it for real!”
Xian nodded. “And part of Velvet glove’s mission was to collect and record all the schools that taught that. “ She leaned back, pondering. “A lot of what I’m about to say is learned assumption, learned, highly reasoned, and with some theory behind it, but still assumption.” She got three nods, and a shrug from Ranma.
“Magic, or ki manpuation seems to be a constant legend amoung people. We thought it though, and in reality, Dame Honor, Captain Henke, the numbers of elite, truly elite, as in able to do what Corpral Ono did, remained the same, pretty constantly thoughtout history. As an ABSOLUTE number. Given that most were… belonging to sects, or used as ‘elite’ heros during the varoius wars, no absolute contunaton and long term building of their arts could realsitically happen, espically when, even at –best-, with elite progidies such as Ranma, put though hell, in the name of training, and then pressed to the breaking point, it was at best 20 years before you got to Ono’s level, and to the level Ranma was at? She’s a prodigy, put though training that quite frankly no one belived.” She looked at Ranma’s scruned face.
“Stupid panda…” Ranma muttered. Xian grinned. Elisabeth and Mike had to smile as well.
“Adding into that fact, was the simple fact that it was very hard to train that level to anyone except on a one to one raito, espically when trying to improve yourself… Well.” Xian took a sip of tea, and added. “Colt ended the era of martial artists as true weapons, simply… well. Same as longbows. Espically when it was far easier to train an archer, than it was to train a truly legendary martial artist. Even now, amoung my clan, less than 1 in 100 have skills simliar or better, and that’s after at least a century of training.” Xian was to add more.
“Ghoul was good… but.” Ranma started, and blinked. “Huh… forgot.”
“Yes. Far too often the truly elite only reached that level where they could do that, at when it was that, or life.” Xian nodded. “Which is why they were never a major factor in wars. Truly elite, were ethier too old, too hard to find, or too in tune with life to make major impacts.”
Mike snorted. “That doesn’t explain why we don’t hear now, Xian. It’s not like there’s not more people, and time to learn.”

“Agreed. However, Velvet glove as part of it’s founding went out of it’s way to collect every single martial artist of a certain level. Get them to impart their knowledge, and then hide them. We countined that trend, and added to it, by using avadanced Research and development to explain some of their abilities, and making bad animation as you called it, of the rest.” The woman grinned. “It’s so much easier to explain stuff when its speical effects or techology, than the art.”
“Of course, this leads to why haven’t others developed it?” Honor smiled, only to be wiped away by Xian’s response.
“Several have. We keep our eyes and ears out for them, and tend to bring them into the fold, or in rare cases wipe them out, if we can’t get them to agree to a quiet is best policy. Furthermore… and I can now pretty much confirm this theory… Sphinxian treecats _do_ use ki in some form, for their telepathy.”
Honor and Beth shared a look. The Queen picked up the conversation. “So, in essense, the ones most capable are psionically tasty?” Xian nodded in response.
“Yes. Which is why so many Harrigtons have been chosen.” Xian mused. “Several theories are on why, but, it boils down to a ability that around 1 in 1000 posses, we think. And yes, it can be genemodded into people.” Honor’s eyes narrowed at that statement.
“You have done so, not you personally, but Velvet Glove.” Xian blinked in response.
“No, Dame honor, Velvet glove does not do such things, not under any of the previous chairs or my watch. Have some of our staff?” Xian sighed. “Yes. And we’re a bit more flexable about the Code than most Beowulfians, though we’re no where near as bad as…” With the next word, her face went bleak and cold. “The Mesans.” She shook herself. “However, I’ll point out others have as well, without realizing it. It takes the training, the ability, and the knowledge of what you’re doing.” She shrugged again.
“I see.” Honor traded a look. “This doesn’t explain why you would agree so readly to having Ranma with me, instead of with you.” Ranma didn’t care and started to look at the snacks again.

Xian sighed. “I require your oaths, now. Your Queen has already agreed, and she knows the details, but I do require them before we go farther.” She nodded. “Most presicely you do not tell anyone, and you do not act on the information.”
Mike shrugged and nodded. “Sure, my word.” Honor hestiated, then nodded herself.

“I do not like it, but.. My word.” Xian nodded and looked at Ranma.
“As for you, Ranma-sama… I think this is best left to us, now, not you.” Ranma was about to protest, until Honor’s hand slighlty squeezed hers.
Ranma sighed and stood up. “Outside while a kid. Stupid panda and things he didn’t want me to see.” Ranma truhged out, to an waiting Marine who took her into tow.
Xian waited til the door closed and sighed. “The reason why? You have the second strongest legal claim, under any law, exculding your mother.”
Honor and Mike blinked. Honor turned back to Xian and spoke. “Excuse me?”

“Didn’t you wonder why we lost the central school to our art?” Honor’s eyes narrowed as Xian countined. “It was wiped out, by Mesans, acting on Dewhitter’s orders, to avenge his being chased off of Beowulf, for our role.” She sighed and countined. “We saved some of the children, as babes, but everyone else he could find, he got. The school, given only Saotomes praticed it, was lost. You’re desended via Allison, from Ranma’s parents.”

Honor blinked. “… Mother doesn’t’ know.”
“No, she does not. And we perfer to keep it this way. We attempted to restore the bloodline at least twice, and Mesa wiped it out again. Even 200 years later.” Xian’s face was icy. “Which explains our recent expansion into heavy military areas.”
Mike’s eyes narrowed. “Recent? Velvet Glove’s had warships for hire for over 250 years.”
“Well, recent for us, Captain.” She grinned.
Honor’s eyes narrowed as well, and she spoke. “You think if they knew Ranma was of this bloodline, they’d go for her.”
Xian’s face grew icy. “Excatly. Worse, is the fact she _is_ the ONLY heir to the Legends Trust. I’m sure you realize how bad that could turn out.”
Honor nodded. “I’m sure I can… and why don’t you want me taking action agasint Mesa?” Honor’s icy voice inquired.
Xian returned her icy look. “Because we intend to. And oh, do we intend to.”

Honor nodded. “I see. How long will Ranma have to hide?”
“Well… since this war started, we’re not sure. Before this we were on track for a 1920 date of destruction of Mesa.” Xian shrugged. “We were planning to have not only Beowulf join us, but the Star Kingdom, and even early on the Republic of Haven.”
Beth interrupted. “Wait. Let me get this straight. You were going to use MY Kingdom in a war?”
Xian nodded. “As an willing ally. The Star Kingdom has always been one of the most staunchest enimies of the Mesans. Even before we decided to plan for open war with them, we viewed you as an natural ally. Admit it, Your Majesty, you, yourself have no qualms about squishing the Mesans, as long as you can be sure it’d be done without destroying or severly impacting your Kingdom?”
The Queen sighed. “You do have a point. Still… it’s … cavialver to think of a transstellar planning to manipuate independent and major worlds around.”
“No more so than our enemy. They’ve done it as well. And they really don’t like you.” Xian sighed. “I’ll admit it. We aren’t saints. We’re going agasint Mesa mostly for vengance. We don’t like their slavery, we don’t like their beilf in superhumans should rule, we don’t like the way they behave. But, in the end, our reason is revenge.”
“I… see.” Beth sighed. “I cannot blame you for that, in my own way. I understand your feelings, and accept them. Doesn’t’ mean I have to like it.”
“Of course not. And one reason, why Nodoka’s offer is still good. Consdier it our apolgies for our actions.” Xian smiled and bowed.
“And such a nice apology it is, given we have a embargo with the League.” Beth’s face was sour.
“What the League doesn’t know, won’t hurt them. And if it becomes known, well… we estmaite by that time, Haven would have gotten in contact with some other League cartels and, well… who’d care what a few corps would do… If we need to, there’s a simple way around it.” Xian smiled. “Though I’m sure Beowulf would not like it.”
Honor and Mike looked at each other sharing the same ‘What the hell’ looks and turned to look back at the two senior women, and the Baroness who was smiling.
Mourncreek spoke. “My, moving Velvet Glove’s headquarters to Manticore would be a intresting way around it, yes.”
Honor’s and Mike’s eyes widened at the thought of the transstealler moving to Manticore.
“Excatly. Which is why Beowulf would… handle covering for us. They don’t want to lose our tax revenue any more than we really want to move. At least yet.” Xian shrugged. “Some of our plans right now, are in flux.”
“I... see.” Beth blinked, putting that aside. “We will discuss this later, Tendo-san.” Her tone was flat. “I do assume that Ranma will get all her inheritance.”
Xian’s blink and quick answer reassured Honor. “Of course. We’ll create a cover story, which you’ll agree to to cover the duchy. No one knows excalty what the Legend trust is for, after all... and when she comes of age, we can reevaluate the situation.”
“Good. Let’s move on.” The Queen turned back to Honor and Mike.
Xian nodded. “Your status as a steadholder is acutally to our benfit. Since Grayson law requires all steadholders and their offical heirs to be accompained by armsmen... we can use that to insert our operatives to cover both of you.” Xian smiled. “Plus, I’m sure your armsmen from Grayson itself would enjoy access to all that Velvet glove can offer.”
Mike snickered at Honor’s flat look. Honor shot her a sharp glance and turned to look at Xian. “I see. Is that all?”
Xian nodded. “All that matters to me. The queen has some details to cover about your county, and proxy for Nerima, and... other situations.” She turned to look at Elisabeth who nodded.
Honor nodded slowly. "So. In a nutshell... I have the task of raising Ranma to adulthood. To protect her from a planet - a PLANET - that wants her dead. To nurture her in an art that I can barely understand. To somehow bring her into a universe that's passed twenty centuries beyond her. To bring this child to adulthood in one piece." She rested her head in her hands. "I must be out of my mind..."
A gentle hand touched Honor's shoulder; she looked up, into the dark eyes of Elizabeth the Third. "When Nodoka made this request of me - and the reason why - I initially quailed, because I was asking someone to take on what I still consider to be the most difficult part of my responsibilities as queen. I face the most terrifying navies and armies known to man, millions and billions of people - whole nations - wanting me dead, and politicians, nobles, corporations and talking heads that would stab me in the back at the first opportunity." She chuckled softly. "Most people would be concerned about that, but I'm not. What frightens me more than anything else is that I know Roger - or, even scarier, Joanna - is going to face the same things, and that they're not going to be ready." She swallowed. "Like I wasn't."
Honor's nostrils flared. "What do you mean, Your Highness? Your reign has been nothing short of exemplary!"
Elizabeth almost snarled. "I got this job because some people thought I would be... 'pliable'... 'easy to manipulate'... a 'puppet queen'... and had my father killed. Everything I've done since has been to make sure that my enemies want me killed... and that they fear what my children could do far more than what I would." She took a deep breath, and her tone softened. "Ranma... in her own way, she is as much a princess as I was. Make her a queen, Dame Harrington. You are the best this Star Kingdom has to offer. I can think of no greater service to this Star Kingdom... and no tougher service." She reached down, and knelt before Honor. "Please."
Honor tried to find her voice. "Y... Your Highness. Please get up. I had already decided to raise her. What I've learned here isn't going to change that." She swallowed. "It's just that... I'm a soldier. I'm not a mom. I really don't know if I'm up to this. I keep on hearing that everyone has these nerves when they first become a parent... but that doesn't make them any easier."
"Beth? Do you mind if I..." She tilted her head in Honor's direction; Beth raised an eyebrow, then nodded. "Honor, do you remember what you felt aboard the War Maiden?" Honor's face twisted slightly; Mike smiled and nodded knowingly. "That feeling never goes away, does it? Every time you face combat, you feel that wrenching in your gut, that gnawing feeling that you force down to get the job done, right?" Honor nodded again.
Elizabeth smiled. "I think what my cousin is trying to say is that the nervousness in being a parent never goes away - but you get used to it; it becomes manageable. And it does. Even more importantly, you learn to use it; you never forget what you have to do, and it helps you focus on being a parent - doing the right things, making the right decisions." She rose from the floor. "You know what it's like to have people under you, with their lives depending on your every decision. Now... you have a daughter - someone whose future depends on your guidance." Her face twisted into a wry grin. "You may find her more insubordinate than your average ensign... but the rewards are far greater in the end."
Honor nodded. "I know." She looked around at her surroundings, and started to chuckle. "You know, just about every officer imagines what a trip to Mount Royal is like. I never thought I'd be here to get parenting advice."
"Oh, we aim to please," Elizabeth replied. "Come on. Let me show you what a visit to King Michael's Tower should be like."


Garden after garden covered her vision, a celebration of the floral arts and of the Star Kingdom itself. In the center lay the crest of the House of Winton; beyond it lay a magnificent fountain with elegant water arcs thirty meters into the air. 'Lesser' gardens - lesser only in importance - ringed the main garden and fountain, blasts of colors arranged in fractal patterns that somehow suited the grounds. Honor let her eyes drift on their own, to enjoy the details of the pattern on their own.
The Queen was slighlty behind the rest of the party, as Honor slowed down to look around on the way to the Blue hall. The Queen sighed and nodded. “I know the Pavel Young situation is... disqueiting to you, but I’m afraid it’s going to get worse.” Honor’s eyes widened slighlty as the Queen sighed. “I’m afraid that you will be taking your seat tomorrow, and assuming the Nerima proxy.” The Queen shrugged. “As you’re quite aware proxies can only be held by members of the lords, and while it’s rare, it’s not totally unheard of for a mother to hold her child’s proxy as regent, in some cases.”
Honor winced. “Your Masjesty...” Honor was stopped.
“No, Dame Honor, I’m not letting this one slide. The Queen’s bench has confirmed that. You have to take the proxy up before you can assign it. And you have to take your seat before taking the proxy up. You could desigtate a regent, without question, but you first have to activate the proxy over it.”
“I... see. I assume you have a time in mind?” Honor winced at the thought of taking up a role in the Kingdom’s House of Lords.
“I think... tomorrow. I’ve had the leader of the Crown Loyalists, Grey Hill, sponsor you. He was quite pleased to.” Beth grinned wolfishly. “Something about securing two votes firmly into the Centrist’s block helps.”
Honor nodded. “Your Masjesty, I don’t... really think it’s right for me to be sitting among the Lords, espically since...” Honor stopped again at Elisabeth’s grin.
“Oh, you mean the fact that your only claim is the Steading? Don’t worry about that. I’m sure that nice chunk of the Unicorn yards that you just aquired will offset any attempt of that nature.”
Honor stared... then shook herself, and opened her mouth to speak again as the two women approached the entry to the Chaneolloy.
Beth grinned, stopping her. “Dame Honor. Nothing you can say will convince me otherwise. I’ve already asked you to take on a responsiblity that dwarfs even being Grand Duchess would be. Even a Steadholdership is nothing compared to the responbility you now have to undertake. Consdier the seat and lands a gift from me... but more importanly...” Beth smiled. “My way of saying thank you for saving thousands of your fellow naval pesonnel from imprisonment, a world from theronuclear bombardment, and an priceless ally. So... it’s my way of putting action to my words... and.” The Queen’s grin grew wider as the treecat on her shoulder bleeked. “Let’s be about it.”


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It was the finest set of clothing she'd ever worn... at least, she couldn't remember any finer.

There was a lot she didn't understand. The colors of her armbands, at least, seemed familiar; the dark blue and scarlet brought faded memories tantalizingly beyond her reach. The coat she wore seemed oddly formal, black, reminiscent of... a tuxedo, she believed it was called.

The word seemed to bring about a slight revulsion, though something also told her it could have been a lot worse. Still, they were nice; the white shirt, undershirt, and trousers were the finest material she'd ever felt. The problem was, there was meaning behind all of this, meaning she didn't understand.

If her clothes were good, Kaasan's were positively jaw-dropping. Ranma had seen enough uniforms in her time to know when an outfit meant power, and Kaasan's was no exception. Scarlet dominated the day, with a scarlet and black robe embroidered in gold covering a black suit with green bands on the cuffs.

The outfit, as worn by a warrior who had earned every honor implied by the suit, would leave anyone breathless - and Kaasan carried it well, with a tight ponytail and severe makeup accentuating her features.

"Looking good, Honor," Mike Henke smiled wryly as she looked them over. Her outfit was a simple black suit, but Ranma had a feeling the messages were there again, as a gold embroidered mark glittered on her forearms. "I miss the firstie I had to help get dressed on her first date."

Kaasan's eyes narrowed, but only for a moment. "Well... we all grow up eventually." She looked back at Ranma. "And this is one example. While I don't like politics much..." she let out an almost theatrical sigh, "it is a necessity at times."

"Indeed, indeed," Earl Gray Hill, the head of the Crown Royalists, chuckled. He walked over to Ranma, and straightened her tie. "It is time for your first lesson in politics, Lady Nerima. Politics is evil - dangerously evil. Countless people have died at the words of people in that chamber, countless families ruined. And not all of these deaths, these destructions, were just."

He sighed. "But... those deaths pale in comparison to the deaths that would have occurred had there been no government, no politics. This chamber is the voice of all - the people, the military, the businesses, the landowners... and the royalty as well." He touched the orange and green armband, his family's colors.

"Listen to those voices in there... and seek peace among them. Most... not all, but most... seek what you seek: a better Star Kingdom, a better cosmos with which to raise our families." He smiled, and straightened up. "Duchess Nerima, you will follow The Honorable Henke. Countess Harrington, if you will follow me?"

Ranma nodded nervously as Mike led her to her seat and Gray Hill led Honor to the front of the chamber. Something told her she would have felt better if they were bringing her Marines to play with; all that was in here was weak people who screamed No Fun.

She looked closer at the chamber, and grinned at a stray thought - the concept of bouncing around this chamber and teaching a few Marines just why she was the best - even if she wasn't sure, still. She was bouncing around in the dojo of her mind as she heard Gray Hill introduce Honor to the group.

She tried to follow Kaasan's speech, really she did; that said, most of it was of things she barely understood - concerns about "Haven", for instance. Weren't havens good things? Nerima, she remembered, was a haven of sorts. And what was this "Grayson" she spoke of? Did Gray Hill have a kid?

A chill went up her spine. Whenever someone's children were mentioned, she seemed to remember being betrothed to a lot of them. Was that was was expected of her - to marry Grey Hill's son? And why did this seriously creep her out?

Fortunately, Kaasan was not one to spend too much time talking. She just knew; Kaasan was the sort of person who would spend more time acting than talking. She concluded her speech before Ranma got too bored, thank goodness; Mike collected her, and led her down to the bottom of the chamber.

"Nice speech, Honor," Mike chuckled. "That took what, only four practices?" Other people came by to offer their welcome; Ranma felt slightly overwhelmed, but tried to act with a polite, quiet air. After all, if everyone thought you shy and retiring, it sure made for a surprise when you turned out otherwise, right? Besides, her language skills still weren't that good, even with the translator.

One person asked her about Velvet Glove; she gave her best answer, that the seat did belong to Velvet Glove, and that they felt it important to get more involved in Manticoran politics. Anything beyond that... well, she was seven, at least physically. She could claim some ignorance.

After what seemed an eternity of boring people, Kaasan let out a deep breath, smiled, and grabbed her close by the shoulder. "Come on. We've got one more 'maiden speech' to give before the day's done." Her grin widened. "Besides, this one has food."

Food. Ranma smiled. She could live with that.

***


For the most part, Ranma tended to classify people into two groups: the living and the dead.

Oh, the dead weren't really dead, of course, though she couldn't understand how they could live. They didn't take joy in anything that Ranma could see; instead of taking joy in the art or in their lives, they took joy in... well, Ranma wasn't sure, but they never let it show in their eyes. Whatever kept them living, Ranma couldn't tell. They didn't dance any more.

Ranma's life was the Art; she felt it in her bones, saw it in her kata, breathed it in the spars and fights. She wasn't quite sure what Kaasan's life was, but she could see it was there; from what Auntie Mike and Uncle Paul had told Ranma about their lives, she was a warrior, a master strategist and tactician, but on a scale different from the hand-to-hand combat Ranma knew. Uncle Paul's calling lay in the mind; she'd watched him stare for hours on end at an 'engineering problem', he'd called it, and how his hands and eyes danced at the challenge. She hadn't figured out Auntie Mike's yet, but suspected it had to do with Honor in some way, or maybe that regal-looking woman who'd told her about her past.

Not too surprisingly, the woman in front of her was also very much alive. The woman's dark eyes danced as she hugged Kaasan tightly; Nimitz chose that moment to leap from Kaasan's shoulder and onto her own, as the older woman's hug was quite enthusiastic. Behind her, Ranma idly noted another person, a man, his eyes twinkling in amusement at the whole scene. A long moment later, the older woman disconnected from Kaasan, and focused those piercing eyes her way.

"So... is this Ranma?" As if in response, Nimitz bleeked, and put a forepaw on Ranma's head. Kaasan soon followed, with a hand on her shoulder.

"Mom... Dad... this is Ranma. Ranma... these are my parents... Alison and Alfred Harrington."

Ranma blinked slowly. Alison - Obaasan - made her realize something she hadn't thought about. That said, she'd learned enough - just enough - about tact to not ask what she was concerned about. She bowed to Obaasan, careful to move slowly enough that Nimitz wasn't upset. "Hello, grandmother," she said, hoping she had the word right.

Alison blinked for a moment. "It's been a long time since I've seen a formal bow like that." She chuckled softly, then wrapped Ranma up in a gentle hug. "Welcome to the family, Ranma." She blinked. "It's been awhile since I've run into a Nagasaki native..."

Ranma opened her mouth to correct her, but Kaasan beat her to it. "Um... she's not from Nagasaki, Mom. At least, not the planet. The city, maybe, but not the planet."

Alison blinked in surprise. "Old Terra, huh? Don't see that many in this neck of the woods anymore..." She tilted her head. "Come on. We want to find out all about you."

Shortly, after the group had sat down in the restaurant, Allison opened conversation with “Oh, Honor.” She eyed the departing waiter. “Not only did you go ahead and make me a countess’ mother, you decided to make me a grandmother of a duchess too. I swear, dear, you seem to overachieve.”

Ranma’s eyebrows squished together in a cute fashion as she stared at Allison. “… Ano… overachieve?”

Allison blinked, then nodded. “Excelling. Being the best at something… in this case, pulling her poor mother from world without nobility into the nobility” Allison’s sigh was overblown, making it clear to the two other adults at the table, she wasn’t serious.

Ranma’s face cleared, and she smiled. “Oh, good then. That’s what you’re supposed to do.”

Allison’s face cleared and she slowly began to smile as she gazed at Ranma. “Oh… my.” She stopped for a second, turning to smile fully at her daughter. “Honor, dear. Thank you.”

Honor blinked, her eyes narrowing as she recognized the tone, not that Nimtz’s bleeking on her shoulder wasn’t a major clue. “For what.”

Allison replied airily, as she studied the menu, as Alfred helped Ranma quietly with the menu as the two women talked. “Oh, for making my second fondest wish come true.”

Honor’s tone indicated she wasn’t amused by her mother’s lighthearted comments. “Dare I ask what it was?”

Allison blinked. “Didn’t you know? Making the old homily ‘May you have a child just like yourself’ come true in your case. Somehow, I think she’ll be just as… interesting as you, dear.” Allison’s 'butter won’t melt in my mouth' expression drew a cough from her husband, as he hid his mouth behind a hand, and a completely puzzled look from the young redhead.

Honor blinked for a moment, and then titled her head to the side. Her expression was as innocent as her mother’s but her eyes were glinting with mischief as well. “Did I ever beat up a half-dozen Marines when I was a six year old, Mother?”

Allison blinked. Blinked again. Looked at Ranma. Looked back at Honor. “No… I don’t think you did. Of course, having you decide to climb up trees at six was interesting… especially since you decided coming down wasn’t a needed skill.”

Alfred sat back grinning, as the two ladies just smiled at each other.
Ranma’s head had been moving back and fourth, trying to figure out the conversation, until she finally sighed, and turned to Alfred. “Um… what are they doing? What’s wrong with sparring with Marines? Until Ono-san showed up, it took six to be a challenge!”

Alfred blinked, blinked again, and slowly put his head into his hands. Allison turned to look at Ranma with a bit of surprise.

Honor grinned as she watched her mother just shake her head. “Oh, I see this is going to be so… interesting.” Allison had to smile. “But fun. Oh, so much fun.”

Alfred hadn’t removed his hands from his face They didn’t muffle his response. “Alley, dear. Your definition of fun is … curious. Remember who our little terror of a granddaughter will be living with as Honor goes off on duty?”

Allison shrugged. “It’s not a problem. I mean, we survived Honor and Nimtz… we’ll survive Ranma.” She beamed at her granddaughter, who was clearly puzzled, but responded to the smile, smiling back.

Honor’s crooked grin and words drew her mother’s eyes back to her. “I’ll remind you of that, I suspect. Of course, I’ll remind myself of that, too, I bet.”

“Now, now, dear. I raised you, and I didn’t get a single grey hair. Ranma can’t be any worse. Honestly.” Allison sniffed. “It’s like you expect her to get into more trouble in a day than you got into in a year. What could go wrong.”

Honor’s crooked grin disappeared. Before she could respond, Alfred cut in, with a slightly horrified look, oddly enough mirrored on Ranma’s face. “Oh, Ally… Tell me you didn’t say that.”

Ranma’s frantic nod seemed to indicate she agreed with her grandfather. “… Oh, no…”

Allison turned to look at the three horrified family members, but was spared asking just what she did wrong, as the waiter arrived.

After the dessert, Allison broached a topic as she watched Ranma sleepily snuggle into Honor’s side. “So, dear, do we take her back to Sphinx now?” She was rewarded with a flat look from Honor. Allison blinked and continued. “It’s not like you can keep her on Nike with you, dear. I’m pretty sure that the regulations are written to prevent that.”

Honor nodded, sipping at some cocoa, as Ranma drifted off next to her. “They are, Mom, but I’ve already acquired cubic aboard the station. Families live here, too. Paul’s even agreed to live there, helping to keep an eye on her.”

Alfred’s eyes rose a bit, and he smiled. “Well… that’s good for nights, Honor, but… what about the daytimes? You have Nike to worry about, and Paul’s got his duties as well. It’s not like we don’t know what your schedule would be like.”

Allison added. “Honor.” As her daughter looked at her, she shook her head slightly. “I’m glad you don’t want to ‘shuffle’ her off, or ‘shirk’ your duties as a parent, but dear… You do have a ship to command.”

Honor smiled suddenly, and responded. “And your careers and patients?” Honor’s eyebrows rose slightly and she shook her head. “It’s not like you can just up and leave those, is it?”

Allison waved her hand slightly. “Well, I could, in theory work from home. It’s not like I didn’t do it before, you know.” She sniffed. “It worked for you, so… And it’s nearly winter, so, keeping her inside would help a bit.”

At those words, Honor blanched. “Winter. Oh, no…”

Allison raised an eyebrow. "It's not that bad, dear... you had no problem with staying inside."

Honor shook her head. "Remind me to send you the holo of Ranma 'having fun' with the contingent of Marines on Nike. Trust me, within a month, both of you will be going stir crazy."

Allison snorted. “Honestly, Honor. You act like I’ve never raised a child before.”

At that moment, Honor smiled. A chill rose up Allison's spine; her daughter didn't smile like that unless she had something truly evil planned. "Care to make a bet?"

Allison's eyes narrowed. "I'm your mother, Honor. What are you planning?"

Honor grinned. "Hold out both your hands, palm up." She looked over at her father. "You too, Dad."

The couple looked at each other, shrugged, then held their palms up. Honor then dropped a sugar cube into each one. "I'm willing to bet dinner - several, in fact - that Ranma could snatch the cubes out of your hands before you can close them." She grinned. "To make it more fair, I'm going to be holding her hand - so she only has one to work with. Fair?"

Allison sighed. " You've been watching those old movies again, haven't you? Besides, she looks like she's about to fall out of the chair!"

Honor gently nudged Ranma awake, then whispered in her ear. Ranma shook the cobwebs out of her head, then nodded. "Now is it okay?"
Allison sighed. "Okay..."

Honor grasped Ranma's hand. "Okay. One... two... three!"

Allison instantly clasped her hand closed, then sighed. It wasn't like the girl could move that -

She opened her hands, and found empty air. Beside her, Alfred was discovering the same thing.

In front of them, stacked in a neat pile, were four sugar cubes - the cubes that had been snatched from their hands.

Honor rubbed her hands through Ranma's hair. "Good job, sweetie."

Ranma just smiled; Allison shivered, as it was the same smile Honor had given her. "Ice cream, right?"

Honor nodded. "After supper, like I promised." She then turned back to Allison. "Ranma... I could describe her as a prodigy, but that would be understating it. At her current skill level, she could - and has - taken down a platoon of Marines... for FUN! Leaving her cooped up in the house for a year without someone to spar with would be... bad."

Allison shrugged. "Well, do you know someone who could spar with her?"

Honor blinked at the comment. "You know... I just might."

Allison blinked. “That doesn’t solve other problems.” She ignored Nimtz’s bleeking, and his flick of an ear at her, and moved on. “Sparring’s all nice and good, but really, Honor. Education is more important.” She sniffed. “She’s going to have to catch up, and that’s going to require more time than you or Paul can give. Even with school on the station being like in Sphinx, and distributed, she’ll still need a tutor.”

Ranma’s squished expression at the word school amused all three adults. Nimtz’s sigh, and bleek at Ranma didn’t go unnoticed by any of the adults, nor Ranma’s relaxation.

Alfred nodded. “She’s right, Ranma. Being a martial artist isn’t a career, after all, not in this day and age. Very few teach it, and even then, most have a secondary career. And as a duchess, you’d be expected to know many things.” He smiled at Ranma’s sigh there.

“Don’t wanna be a duchess.” Ranma’s pout made Allison smile.

“Not that you have much choice, not really. There are upsides, but overall, that’s a fairly smart response there, kiddo.” Alfred smiled. “But… sometimes we have to do what we don’t want to do.” Nimtz’s nod and bleek at Ranma, made the young redhead hang her head. Allison finally broke down and asked.

“Ranma… are you understanding Nimtz?” Allison asked intrigued that Ranma was reacting very well to Nimtz, and seeming to act on cues that others wouldn’t pick up on.

Ranma shrugged. “Sure. Don’t you? He tells me when not to do something.”

Nimtz sighed, as three adult eyes turned to the treecat, and then back to Ranma. Honor carefully asked the next question. “How does he tell you not to do something, dear.”

Ranma blinked, shrugged and muttered. “Says no, when I want to do something fun. Like ‘Sumi’s stares.”

“So, you don’t -hear- the word no.” Alfred asked, confirming what Ranma seemed to have said.

“Nah, but I know when no’s in someone’s ki. Nimtz’s good at projecting it. Lot like Kasumi!” Ranma sighed, adding. “Won’t have her to project at me again, will I?” The little redhead seemed to shrink into herself, until Nimtz bleeked at her, disapproval clear in the tone. Ranma shook herself and seemed to forget about what she just said. “Why?”

Honor looked at her parents, and then back at Ranma. “Well, Ranma… not everyone can feel treecat’s emotions. In fact, you’re about the only one I know of for sure that can hear a treecat. I can feel Nimtz, but that took a lot of stress to do so.”

Ranma’s eyebrows cocked. “But it’s just reading ki…” Ranma paused, nodding suddenly. “Well, kinda. Nimtz feels really different. And… kuso.” Ranma paused, searching though her English knowledge. “Like he had to teach me?” Ranma paused, looking at the treecat, who nodded. She didn’t notice the stunned expressions on the three adult faces as she suddenly yawned. “Sleepy…” Ranma yawned again.

Honor nodded. “We’re going.” She looked at her parents, and stated. “Sorry, Mother, but I think we need to be going.” Honor shook her head slightly.

“Of course, dear.” Allison responded for both. “Let’s get her to bed. Then… we do need to talk.”

***

After she closed the door to Ranma's bedroom in the suite she had acquired on the station, Honor nodded, as she watched MacGuniess serve Allison tea, Alfred wine, and Honor herself, cocoa.

Allison waited until MacGuniess was out of the room and shook her head. “Only you, dear.” She was rewarded by a glare from her daughter. “Only you would find someone who’s empathic.”

Honor opened her mouth, only to be cut off by her father, who answered his wife. “Now, Ally, we don’t know Ranma’s empathic. She did mention its like reading ki, which I’d have to check, but some martial artists of legend were reputed to do. Could be Nimtz was able to project what Honor would send, and Ranma picked up on that.”

Honor nodded. “Though, she did mention Nimtz had to ‘teach’ her.” She shook her head. “It could be because of her ki abilities, she’s empathic. Which…”

Allison nodded. “Implies that others are, or sufficiently trained in … and I can’t believe I’m saying this, sounds like we’re talking about bad movies…” Allison shook her head, and added. “Ki manipulation.” Alfred nodded, picking up the thread.

“I’ll agree with Allison, though I know of cases and case studies of blinded and deaf people who were able to ‘sense’ people, though it was always assumed their tactile senses gave them that. It could be ki reading is a extra sense.” He looked at Nimtz, grinning. “And that treecats can use it.”

“If so, why hasn’t more people felt Treecats, Dad.” Honor grinned at him. “It’s not like I’m not a martial artist, after all.”

“Truth is, dear, from what you’re saying, and not saying, you think Ranma’s better trained in those arts. And it could be she’s just naturally more sensitive to this ki. It could explain why you now can hear Nimtz, your ‘ki’ reading grew strong enough.” Allison sighed. “It’s all supposition, til we can get an ‘ki’ expert… and I don’t know of any of those.”

Honor stopped for a second and then nodded. “Actually… I think you’re right, because something the chairman of Velvet Glove said. She said she believes the treecats use Ki. Which implies that she is a ki expert, herself.”

Alfred’s eyebrows rose slightly. “Very nice catch, there, Honor. I suspect though that other Velvet Glove ki adepts have been around treecats… and none have caught the ability to read as Ranma appears to have.”

Honor shrugged slightly, and nodded. “It could be that Ranma’s naturally gifted with ki. Or…”

Allison picked up on Honor’s trailing off. “She has the same trait you and the Winton’s do to make you tastier to treecats.”

Honor blinked at Allison’s words. “Momma?”

“Just… a thought. I’d have to do some research, but I have a feeling. Let me check on it, and get back to you, dear.”

Honor’s eyes narrowed, and then she sighed. “Yes, Momma.”

“While we wait for her to work her mysterious ways, what are you going to do about Ranma’s schooling, Honor?” Alfred sipped at his wine, raising an eyebrow at his daughter.

Honor shook her head. “I guess I’ll have to hire a governess as Mother suggested.” Honor shook her head. “I just…”

Allison nodded. “You don’t feel that it’s right. You had us, and you want to give that to her.” Allison shook her head. “Honor, dear. Thanks to Alfred’s being in the military, and the Harrigton lands, we were very well off by most standards, and I didn’t need to work, though I love my career, and I kept it going, just at a lower level. You, unfortunately, don’t have that option. Alfred and I agree with the decision. Plus, as you point out, this governess better be a skilled martial artist… to help ride herd on her.”

Honor laughed. “Oh, you and Paul both love using that word, don’t you?”

Alfred blinked at Allison’s wicked grin. “Ally, dear… I’m missing something.”

Allison grinned wider and patted Alfred’s hand. “That’s quite all right, dear.”

Alfred eyed the two grinning ladies in front of him, and sighed. “Three of them now. Oh, well. More confusion.” He toasted both women in front of him, and grinned.


***

Honor stretched, shaking her head as she reviewed the final clip she had of her new daughter. Seeing a six year old tossing Marines around was always amusing. Of course, it was also worrisome. Mike had already left the ship, so bouncing ideas off her in private wouldn’t work, and she already had MacGuniess’s view from his quiet approval of Allison’s thoughts of a governess. Honor leaned back, studying a holo on her desk in the quarters aboard Hephaestus. Hard to believe such a cute innocent face was capable of so much chaos. Honor grinned, looking at the snoozing Nimtz on top of Ranma, through the open bedroom door. Figured that the two troublemakers would get together. She grinned and then sighed scanning though the video of Ranma’s clumsy attempts to pick up modern English. Her eyes narrowed, and nodded.

“As usual, Mother. You’re right.” Honor muttered to herself, and then nodded. Pressing a stud, she started typing in a number and hit send.

“Tendo.” The asian woman’s eyes brightened slightly. “Countess Harrigton, how pleasant to hear from you.” Tendo Nodoka’s smile was unfeigned. “How may I help you this fine… evening.” Her smile took the implied sting out of her words.

“Ah… Nodoka. I’m afraid I’m going to have to request a small favor of you.” Honor leaned back, and sighed.

Nodoka raised an eyebrow. “Oh?”

"Also, I need someone who is willing to teach Ranma at an accelerated rate, given her... unique gifts." She sighed. "In short, I need a governess. You wouldn't happen to know of anyone available, would you?"

Nodoka smiled wryly at the words, then typed up a few commands. After a moment, her eyes brightened. "Yes! I won the pool!"

Honor blinked. “What pool…”

“The one on how long you’d take to break down and hire a governess.” Tendo Nodoka’s grin was impish. “We might … “ A pause in her words, indicated she was thinking and then a sharp nod. “Admire and respect Ranma, doesn’t mean we’re not quite aware of what a… handful she was, and can be. Plus, the situation she’s in, requires an excellent tutor.”

Honor shook her head. “And so, you gambled on how long it’d take me to figure that out?”

“Of course we did. You’re not noted for reasonableness, after all, and your personality is the type to take on all duties, head on, and personally, that you accept.” Tendo Nodoka shook her head, sadly. “Oh… yes. You’re definitely one of the Family.” The sad grin on the woman’s face unsettled Honor slightly.

“Ah…” Honor blinked, unsure how to respond, and was saved by Nodoka.

“However, would tomorrow at Nerima house be a good time to meet with who I think would be excellent for the role? Trust me. Ono Kasumi… is almost uniquely suited for this role.” Nodoka’s smile was a bit crooked.

Honor’s eyebrows rose slightly in a questioning glance. “You do realize she’d have to ride herd.” With this a crooked grin made it’s way onto Honor’s face, matched by Nodoka’s answering grin. “On a 6 year old with more energy, brains and training in an martial art that’s frankly insane for any age, plus a disinterest in ‘book’ learning…”

“Oh, yes, I’m quite aware of that… Trust me. Ono Kasumi would be ideal. She… well, let’s just say I’m quite glad to have her here for this. Say noon local at Nerima House?” Nodoka’s eyebrow rose in a question.

“Yes. That would work.” Honor closed her calendar program and nodded. “Until tomorrow, Nodoka.”

“Until tomorrow then. Good night.” With Nodoka’s words, Honor clicked off the link.

***

Honor often thought that people tended to build homes that reflected the character of the area they were in, or wanted to be in. Failing that, they reflected the society the builder was from. Thinking that, she wondered about Velvet Glove’s mentality. Nerima House, or as it was called by various wags, Nerima Castle, was something that Commodore Perry would have recognized after his visit to Japan, and wouldn’t have looked out of place in a historical movie about Japan. But for 15th century Post Disapora era civilization, Nerima Castle was a oddity and an anachronism . Walled in native stone, pagoda roofs soared above the thick and tall walls that surrounded the complex. The inside of the walled complex was a pattern of gardens and walkways, intersected between rock gardens, and ponds where Old Earth koi swam. Looking at the building that was the heart of Nerima’s administration, she shook her head. Ranma at her side was grinning, looking around.

Various small buildings seemed to guide one towards the main building, the one with the roof appearing visible. Ranma had to be dragged away complaining from a traditional dojo where people were practicing, and Honor chuckled. Both appeared in front of a sliding door, made of thin heartoak and paper-mache. It opened, and Ranma was already tugging at her shoes to get them off, as the servant presented two pairs of slippers.

“Welcome to Nerima Castle, Lady Harrigtion, Lady Nerima. Nimtz.” A soft alto invited them in, after putting on their slippers. “I am Ono Kasumi, I will lead you to the castlelane.” Honor studied the nearly purple haired woman in front of her, who seemed to move with a grace only seasoned martial artists attained. Her presence was oddly soothing, though Honor didn’t feel like arguing with her for some reason, even though she was quite short by modern standards and had a willowy build.

Honor managed to keep an amused expression off her face, as the young seeming woman managed to keep Ranma from wandering off with a simple glance. Nimtz’s laughter in her ear didn’t help. Nor did Ranma’s muttered “Kasumi-look”. Didn’t Nodoka mention something about a Kasumi for governess? If this was her… she already appeared to have the basic skills needed. Honor’s slight smile grew as Kasumi carefully explained the various features of Nerima house, and Ranma paid attention.

Shortly the three of them ended up at the main office, where Kasumi knelt and slid the door open. “Tendo-dono… Lady Harrigtion and Harrigtion-dono are here.”

Nodoka had stood to greet them, and bowed at Kasumi. “Thank you, Kasumi-san, please wait a moment?” She received a nod from Kasumi and turned to bow to the two women still standing. “Ranma-dono, be welcome in your castle, as well as your Lady mother.” Ranma’s shock didn’t keep her from bowing in response, but Ranma was clearly at a loss for words.

Honor blinked, and bowed, not as smoothly as the other three had, and spoke. “Thank you for your welcome, Miss Tendo, we do appreciate you taking time out of your schedule.”

Nodoka knelt beside a tea setting, and gestured at it, letting the two Harrigtions sit around it, as Kasumi began to make the Tea. Honor blinked, feeling some weight from the three others in the room, and she grasped that this had meaning. She knew about the Japanese art of tea ceremony, vaguely, but this seemed not to be it, but had meaning. Even Ranma was sitting quietly on her knees.

Nodoka sipped and nodded. “You seek… someone to assist you in your role, covering for areas where you are weak, or are unable time wise to give Ranma the time she needs.” Ranma started to rise, then settled back at Honor’s hand.

“I wouldn’t quite put it that way, Nodoka, but, in essence, demands of the Queen’s Service are a bit more pressing than normal.” Honor smiled slightly, and added. “I’m grateful for your aid in helping me select someone to help educate and raise Ranma.”

Nodoka nodded. “It is our pleasure. As I noted in our previous conversation, Ono Kasumi would be ideal for many reasons.” Nodoka smiled slightly evilly. “Not to mention, she is an accomplished tactical officer, and martial artist herself, as well as a direct lineal descendant of Ono, nee Tendo Kasmui.” Ranma blinked at that, and both women blinked at Ranma’s startled comment.

“Hey… I remember the doc.” Ranma smiled as she continued. “Wait… Kausmi-chan and he got together?” Ranma blurted. “… I missed that.” Ranma seemed to shrink in a bit, until Kasumi herself spoke.

“Yes, they did, Ranma-dono. They sorely missed you at the wedding, and remembered you always. In fact…” Kasumi smiled. “I was hoping that I could be the one to say thank you.”

Ranma blinked. “For what?”

“My ancestor's and all that followed her to myself’s life, of course. You gave of your present, so we could be here, in the future… to thank you and help you.”

Ranma blinked and shrugged slightly, hand reaching for the base of the braid she had her hair in. “Aww… was nothing.”

Kasumi’s eyes flashed slightly. “No. It wasn’t nothing. It was a deed that even now stirs people’s minds and souls. You took on a god… and won. For love and to protect those who couldn’t… for those who in the balance of honor… didn’t deserve it. Make no mistake, Ranma-dono… you are owed much by many. For things left undone by my namesake, and for insults and actions done against you.”

Ranma blushed slightly, and looked aside as she scratched the base of her pigtail. “Hey… it’s a martial artist’s duty to protect the innocent, ain’t it? And I’m the best.”

Honor watched as Ono Kasumi closed her eyes and sighed. “62 predecessors of my line have waited. And apparently we’d owe Nabiki-sama money if she was still alive, since, she bet that was the exact words you would say.” Honor watched as the woman opened her eyes, and she nodded at Ranma. “Yes. It is a martial artist’s duty to protect those who can’t protect themselves… but there are things your fists cannot stop, and you aren’t the best. Not now.” She smiled calmly. “And in many ways… fists aren’t the weapons anymore to use to protect innocents.” Honor watched as she stared down Ranma’s incipient outburst and nodded. “Allow me to show you just what I mean. Consider it a challenge.”

Honor watched as Ranma’s face scrunched slightly. “… A challenge? So, you’re going to try to beat me?”

Kasumi’s eyes danced, as she responded. “Well, if I win our spar… let’s say you’ll let me show you what the way of the fist can’t prevent.”

“And if I win?” Ranma’s tone indicated she believed she’d win.

“You don’t have to.” Kasumi responded, and watched as Ranma nodded. “With your permission, of course, M’lady?” Kasumi asked looking at Honor, who nodded, curious if this approach would work.

Kasumi and Ranma rose, with Ranma bouncing slightly, and the smaller of the two was grinning as Kasumi led the way towards the dojo that they had seen. Honor and Nodoka trailed behind the pair, slightly bemused, for different reasons. As they entered the Dojo, Ranma glaring at Honor, when she didn’t remove her shoes, an older wizened woman intercepted them.

“Ah, Kasumi-chan… so this is the young child.” Kun Ti-ling spoke, eying the redhead of the group.

“Yes, honored Elder.” Kasumi’s voice was dry, as she added. “We were just on our way to spar.”

“I see, children.” Before Ti-ling could add… Ranma had spoken.

“… old ghouls still exist?” Ranma’s eyebrows had drawn together, apparently trying to remember something, and Honor sighed. Her expression grew rueful as she heard suppressed snickers from those who had stopped their practice or spars to watch.

“Ranma-dono… it’s not polite to say that, she is an honored Elder.” Kasumi’s tone indicated no disagreement with what Ranma had said, just that she had said it. Honor blinked, and heard Nodoka mutter next to her.

“True too, if she added meddlesome and domineering…” Honor blinked at Nodoka’s comments, but before she could ask, the elder in question had spoken.

“At least this saves me a trip, Nodoka-chan. I can… test her.” Ti-ling smiled at Ranma, who glared back, clearly not liking this pronouncement.

“Oh, no… I’m sure we have different methods in mind, child.” Ti-ling grinned at Ranma, who shot back a response.

“You aren’t going to make me marry your great-granddaughter, are you?” Ranma’s apprehensive expression indicated she didn’t buy the elder’s jovial expression.

“Actually… as fun as that’d be, at least for comedy, I’m not here for that… today. I’ll keep the suggestion in mind for future, however.” Ti-ling smiled, as Ranma groaned.

“Then how do you plan to… test her, Elder?” Honor inquired, her tone darkening on the last.

“Oh, nothing serious. She just has to hold still for a moment.” Ti-ling suited action to her words, by removing a small box. Honor’s eyebrows rose at the clear age of the box, not to mention the workmanship present in it.

Ti-ling opened the box with clear reverence, and Honor risked a glance at the other two Velvet glove personnel next to her, noticing their intent and reverent expressions. She got a feeling that this was a religious experience to the ladies, and as the box opened, her eyes snapped back as it was lit from within by an insanely bright glow. Her artificial eye dimmed the light, as Ti-ling removed a chain necklace. Honor squinted as Ranma squeezed her eyes shut, and the other two ladies breathed deeply. Honor’s left {check?} eye noted the stone that was glowing as a pendant piece from the chain. Ti-ling simply dropped the chain and it’s pendant around Ranma’s neck, and nodded as the glow was even stronger now, and a rich deep blue.

Ti-ling, to Honor’s surprise kowtowed. “Welcome back, Honored one. We have missed your presence in these troubling times.” Ranma simply stared, and blinked repeatedly, as the elder continued, her head touching the cement. “I, according to the oaths I took, have confirmed your presence here. My duties to my ancestors are fulfilled, my duties to you, if you wish… continue as my oath requires.” She remained still, waiting for Ranma’s response. Honor blinked, noting the expressions on the various people in the area, and was deeply disturbed by what she saw.

Ranma looked down carefully at the glowing necklace and winced. “Um… what just happened?”

Honor nodded. “I would also like to know the answer to that question.”

"It's a lifestone. They were initially made for the Elders of the Tribe of Amazons. Ranma was the first outsider to have one made for her - nearly two thousand years ago." Nodoka smiled, somewhat in awe at the person in front of her. "Genetics can do some things, but this... this can't be fooled by cloning. This is... This is Ranma."

Electricity raced through the crowd at the pronouncement; the reactions, while varied, shocked Honor to the core. Urgent whispers passed through the crowd, disbelief warring with amazement that they were actually witnessing the event. A few were knocked to their knees, shook by faith rewarded, while others moved tentatively toward the child. One bowed his head and approached Ti-ling. "Elder, if this is the One... may we see…"

“That’s the next test,” Kasumi interrupted.

Ti-ling nodded. “Of course.” She stepped back, motioning at the rest of the crowd that had gathered to do so. Honor watched the eager and exalted faces with a sigh.

“Nodoka…” Honor quietly mentioned to the named lady. “I don’t…”

Nodoka herself nodded. “Quite true. I’ll handle it. A lot of us have studied the life of the 14th Dali Lama, not to mention others of his line.” Honor’s eyebrow rose slightly, then a nod.

“I see.” Honor and Nodoka turned to watch Kasumi show Ranma how to turn the lifestone back to it’s faint glow that Kasumi’s had shown. Both listened to the chatter.

“So, gonna get changed?” Ranma’s voice was amused, no longer caring about what others thought, clearly cheerful to be where she understood the rules and ways. “Don’t want to damage those nice cloths, do we?”

Kasumi smiled back. “Is it not Anything goes? Meaning be prepared anywhere, anywhen?” Ranma grinned back at Kasumi.

“Ayup!” Ranma simply rocked back and forth as Kasumi returned the grin, also not moving. Honor’s eyebrow rose, as she waited.

Honor later would swear she didn’t see anything, but the flashes of the various clothing’s colours in her eyes, though for a good solid two minutes, she heard staccato taps, leaps, laughing mockery, and tearing clothing, along with approving mutters from the crowd. Whatever they were watching, they hadn't seen before - at least, not in their lifetime - and the speed of it was far beyond anything she could discern. The blur that her mind had tagged as Ranma was always in the air, moving and weaving in a pattern that seemed to be chaotic, but with a pattern. The other blur that was Kasumi stuck to the ground, occasionally leaping back, seemingly herded, but with a clear pattern that represented that she was managing to block or significantly lessen the strikes that Ranma was attempting. Her eyes widened as both fighters leapt back, slightly out of breath, and nodded at each other. Before she could speak, the two had closed the range, and she saw a blue glow project out of Kasumi’s hand as she rammed a strike into Ranma, dropping the speeding redhead into a uncontrolled tumble against a wall. The various onlookers nodded or cursed, or simply were amazed by the skill shown by the small redhead, even in her defeat.

“Ow… what was that?” Ranma’s voice was slightly pain ridden, though Honor had no clue what Kasumi had done.

“The Gentle Way, Ranma-dono.” Kasumi’s voice was smug. “An art that was developed since you’ve been asleep.”

“… you projected ki into my pressure points… ow, ow, ow… even though they were on the back!” Ranma’s voice sounded disgusted.

Kasumi’s eyes widened slightly then nodded. “Of course you’d figure it out. You were considered a prodigy for good reason.” She turned to look at the gathered people. “I assume you are satisfied with this test? I do have a challenge’s reward to claim. And a child to teach.”

Honor twitched a bit, as the gathered watchers applauded enthusiastically, and with a admonishment from Ti-Ling, appeared to return to their own practices, though sneaking glances at the gathered women. Ranma had gotten up after Kasumi had tapped a point on her chest, and was glaring at Kasumi.

“That was sneaky. Won’t happen twice.” Ranma’s grousing brought a smile to Honor’s face, and threatened to become an inappropriate smirk as Kasumi responded.

“No, you won’t be caught the same way twice. But I did win this challenge. Now, I will show you why, as skilled of a martial artist as I am… it’s not enough to keep our code.”
Kasumi simply looked at Ranma, who sighed, nodding.

***

“So, you wanted to see me, Isabel and Kima?” Ablercht eyed the two women. Both were alpha lines, and members of the Alignment, but cordially hated each other. Kiima had always warned them about Velvet Glove’s operations, while Isabel had always laughed at Kiima’s paranoia. Forgivable, in both cases, especially since Kiima Horui was focused for the Alignment on Velvet Glove and the media, and Isabella on other operations.

“Yes, Alberceht.” Isabel looked slightly chagrined. “I’ll let Kiima explain, since it’s more her area, but I suspect she’ll be gloating about this for a while.”

The leader of the Mesan Alignment raised his eyebrow. He liked both women’s ability to admit they were wrong, when they were, but Isabella giving Kiima points? Unusual to say the least.

“Go on.” He turned to look at the predatory seeming woman with her reddish gold hair, and sharp features. Even with the centuries of modification, Kiima and her fellows still reminded everyone of raptors. Not that this bothered anyone on Mesa, since the Horui had come to Leonard, not Leonard asking them to join, and what they brought with them, and the price they requested made it all worthwhile. Not to mention that they were far more adept at internal security and keeping the Alignment on track than most would believe.

“It’s simple. Tendo Xian left Beowulf nearly 11 days ago, and arrived on Manticore.” Kiima paused, letting her superior digest that.

“… I see. This is what? The third time in a thousand years, a chair of Velvet Glove left Beowulf except for a visit to Old Earth?” He shook his head, realizing what was going on. “I suspect that’s not all you want to tell me.”

“No. As you know, I’ve been tracking their various contacts, and I found that all as the information reached them, contacted their contacts in the Core Worlds, and United Interfaxes began a coordinated campaign against Haven. Not that they weren’t already, but it was severely ramped up.” Kiima pulled a datachip, and added. “Along with Isabel’s contacts in some of the governments, we’ve seen preliminary work on sheer cash donations to the Manitorican alliance, and spade work with the Andiermani to allow them to be the ‘official’ conduit for it.” She paused, adding. “Not to mention that Tendo met with Queen Elisabeth, and then her military advisor met with the Manties’ first Space lord _and_ the Foreign minister.”

“I… see. Reason why? I mean, as much as I don’t want to admit it, they saw this situation as fast as we did, if not faster.” Albertch shook his head. “There has to be a reason, for them to suddenly speed up plans. It’s not like they didn’t predict when the war would start.”

“We don’t have many contacts inside VG, Albertch. They’re insanely compartmentalized, and well, like us, they literally are born into position. It takes several generations before they’re let into the outer layer of the core, so…” Isabel shrugged. “You know all this, so we try hard to corrupt their contacts, or people around them. Occasionally we get lucky, but even then… So finding out the reason for this sudden change of pattern on their part, is very difficult.”

“I know, I know. Kiima, you look like you’re not in agreement with Isabel in this case.”
He raised an eyebrow with a sardonic smile. “Not that that’s a surprise, mind you.”

“It’s not that I’m in disagreement with Isabel. I just think I know why, but without confirmation. She disagrees with the logic.” Kiima shrugged slightly. “We all know they’re as much of a religion as a family, or even a corporation. Their core beliefs have a similar tone to buddists, that their ‘figure’ Ranma Saotome.” With this name she hissed slightly, showing a long and old hate, that her family and associated members didn’t discuss with others, but didn’t affect their work. “Will return.”

“Oh, please. Supposedly this figure lived 2000 years ago. Not happening, unless it’s some reincarnation or so they believe.” Isabel snorted.

Kiima raised an eyebrow at Isabel’s snort. “Well, it doesn’t matter what _we_ think, though I would point out, there are more things in Heaven and Earth…” She trailed off, and Isabel nodded.

“Okay, Kiima. I’ll give you that.” Isabel turned to Albertch and before she could speak, he interrupted their usual squabble.

“As fun as it is to watch you two go at it, I’m afraid that I’m going to have to cut it short. In essence, I think I see Kiima’s theory. The fruitbats believe that their savior has returned, and I’ll bet you, it’s on Manticore they found this person. Find out, and kill him or her, Isabel. Let’s keep them out of our affairs. Kiima, work with the Media to start discrediting the governments that are working with our rivals, and Isabel? You help her as well with the various agencies in the League. Maybe we can actually hurt Velvet Glove more than we have in hundreds of years. Their haste we can turn against them.” He smiled cruelly. “And with a bit of luck, we can burn them down… and have one less problem. Oh, Isabel? Priority is on damaging and destroying Velvet Glove. It’s not like this ‘savior’ of theirs is a major threat or problem currently.” He nodded at both woman’s nods of acceptance, and grinned at Kiima's firey eyes.

***

Honor watched as Ranma struggled into a snug bodysuit, which had wires linking it to a computer. Kasumi then helped Ranma to put on a odd helmet, and nodded in satisfaction “It’ll only be a moment before the simulation runs, Ranma-dono.” Kasumi responded to Ranma’s grumble. She nodded at the techs, and turned to watch the holotank that would show the sims that Ranma would experience via Virtual Reality. Honor had seen similar rigs, but no one used them. They were too costly to use on a regular basis for anything short of an expensive toy, mostly due to the processing power involved.

“Are you sure…” Nodoka trailed off seeing Kasumi’s serene expression.

“We had a… while to think about this, and what better way?” Kasumi nodded at the tech, and for the next several hours, a litany of horror sunk into Ranma’s mind, as she experienced it first hand. Epsion Erandi, Terra’s Final War, Cleanup after slavers, and watching as slavers took a merchant ship. Honor’s eyes rose at the Casmir Depot, where she had personally lead Marines to smash the slavers and rescues slaves. Ranma was struggling, and before halfway though, had ripped off the helmet, to be messily sick into a bucket that was conveniently placed. Honor turned to glare at Kasumi who simply looked back at her.

Honor knelt by Ranma, and wiped her mouth, as she coughed. Kasumi simply shrugged, and asked. “Now do you see why the way of the fist is no long the way to honor the code? Far too many atrocities can be carried out by those who don’t prefer to meet their foes in face to face conflict.” Kasumi sighed. “The way of the warrior, the true warrior, one who protects those who cannot, is no longer fists and swords, Ranma. It’s an art of words, of pulsars, of beams and missiles railing in the Deep Black, stopping those who pervert the way. Do you still honor your code?”

Ranma’s wide eyes informed Honor that the lesson had been driven home. “I do.”

Kasumi’s sad smile as she knelt by Ranma, hugging her, indicated she didn’t like the lesson at all, but believed it had to be done. “The art now is a lot harder to learn.”

“I’ll learn it!” Ranma’s face showed the resolve that ancient photos had shown when she had decided to help others. “No matter how hard. I’m Ranma, and _I_ don’t lose!”

“No, you don’t, Ranma-sama. Not when others depend on you.” Ti-ling smiled grimly. “And they do. Even now. Far too few seek to defend, instead they seek to take and destroy.”

Ranma turned to look at Honor, wonder in her eyes. “You follow the code. You saved those people… on that funny planet.”

“Casimar… and yes, I do. No matter the cost, we stop the rabid dogs. For that’s what most of them are.” Honor’s state over Ranma’s head was seeing other planets and other ships she had retaken for the Queen. Ti-ling, Nodoka and Kasumi had similar looks.

“It’s not right what was going on.” Ranma’s eyes narrowed, and her face and eyes took a look that only a few photographs had shown, those before her most challenging battles, though people such as Herb and Safforn would have recognized the look.

“That’s what I’m going to do. Follow the code.”

***

Honor watched as Ranma seemingly lost herself in a kata, to absorb the simulation’s information, and she turned to Kasumi. “I… don’t think that was…” She was cut off by Kasumi’s raised hand.

“Dame Honor. We know a lot more about Ranma than you do. She is strong… but willful.” Kasumi grinned. “And unless her nose is rubbed into it, she’ll tend not to notice what is going on around her. Sometimes…” Kasumi sighed.

Honor shook her head. “I do hope if you plan to remain her tutor, you won’t use lessons of that nature again.” Before Kasumi could respond, a voice spoke up.

“I have to agree with Dame Honor, Kasumi-chan.” Tendo Xian looked upset. “That was out of line, and out of what anyone would have expected!”

Kasumi and Honor turned to look at the CEO of Velvet Glove who was a bit incensed.
Kasumi bowed, and stated to her. “But, it was needed, Tendo-sama. Else how would she have learned why…” She was cut off by Xian who overrode her.

“… We are not her masters, Kasumi. We are here to support her. We work for HER. She doesn’t work for us.” Xian snarled. “At the very least, you should have warned her!”

Honor winced and sighed. “I doubt Ranma would have believed anyways, Xian. Some things…”

Xian turned to look at Honor. “You mean to tell me you approve?”

Honor smiled crookedly. “Approve? Not quite.” Honor turned to look at Kasumi. “But… I can see the point. And I can make sure it’s always Ranma’s choice in the end.”

Xian smiled. “Quite so, Dame Honor. Quite so.”

Kasumi looked at both women, and raised an eyebrow. “Are you sure she’d have chosen any other way?”


***



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“Okay, Honor. You’ve been jumpy all afternoon. What’s up?”

Honor gave Mike a baleful look. “I’m not that bad, am I?”

Mike chuckled. “There was a reason I made sure you never went to the poker games, Honor. Anyone who had enough exposure to you could tell when you had the cards – and when you were bluffing. Now let me guess. Considering you’ve stared down Havenite q-ships and suicidal Masadans, there’s only two things I know that would make you this nervous. Now which one is it – that good-looking cousin of mine, or that firecracker you adopted?”

Honor sipped her hot chocolate, taking the second to gather her thoughts. “The latter, mainly.” She set her mug down on the table. “I guess I’m realizing just what I’ve gotten into with this. Let’s face it; our job isn’t exactly the safest one in the galaxy. What’s really starting to worry me is that, if something happens to Mom and Dad and I end up on the losing end one day… that there’s a very real possibility that Ranma could be orphaned. Again.”

“You know that’s not going to happen,” Mike replied quickly. “Even in the unlikely case that all three of you die, too many people have an interest in the child for her to be neglected. Velvet Glove is staking their future on her, and I know Libby’s taken an interest.” She snorted. “Heck, all things considered, I’d probably be next in line if…” She trailed off, a knowing smile crossing her lips. “Ah. I see.”

Honor nodded slowly. “Mike… I was wondering if you would stand in to be Ranma’s godmother… and to take care of her if anything should happen to my family.”

Mike took a sip of her coffee, then chuckled. “Honor, did you honestly think I’d say no?” She spread her hands expansively. “Honor, you may not realize this, but I knew a day like this would come ever since Academy. Some day – when you were ready – we’d both find men to share our lives with, and we’d go from career officers to career moms. Mind you, I wasn’t expecting it to happen this suddenly…” She tilted her head to one side in thought. “… though I do have to wonder. Is Paul going to be the godfather?”

Honor blushed. “Um… no… I asked Alistair to stand in as godfather.”

Mike grinned maliciously. “Which means you’ve got much better plans for Paul.”

“Well… yes,” Honor admitted. “I… I admit to being interested in starting a relationship with him.”

Mike snorted. “Relationship you call it. Honor, I swear, at times you do have a way with understatement, girl.” Mike stood up, and nodded. “Let’s go twit that cousin of mine, and watch him lose at darts to Thomas… again.”

Honor grinned crookedly, and stood up herself nodding. “Oh, I don’t think it’s Tomas he’ll lose to tonight.” Her grin turned wicked. “Wonder how much I can get out of him.”

Mike grinned. “I didn’t take you to poker games, true… but we did fleece many a poor astrocrat over darts.” The two women grinned at each other.

“It’s all in the eyes, Mike. You know that.” Honor grinned as they walked towards the door.

“Sure. Pratice doesn’t have a thing to do with it. They belived us.” Mike stopped at the hatch. “Not.”

Honor grinned at her friend. “Mike, since you wouldn’t let me lose my shirt in poker, I had to do something while you were doing exactly that. Literally, once.”

Mike turned and glared at Honor. “I thought we agreed NOT to bring that up. Ever.”

Honor smiled innocently. “You did. I… well, you never know.” Honor’s crooked grin grew more as the two ladies walked towards Demsey’s.

Mike started to speak, and then shook her head as Paul and Tomas spotted the two women. “One of these days, One of these days…”


*****

Paul shook his head. “You sure you want to do this Honor? Sure, I know that they allowed for a trainer for a bit, but she’s still young. And well…” Paul trailed off.

Honor quirked an eyebrow at Paul and answered his question. “I’m sure, Paul. Not only does her martial art style lean towards being more… aerial, I’m pretty sure she’ll love what even a trainer can do.”

Paul shrugged. “You might be right, though she showed no real intrest in the aircars.”

Honor tapped her chin, as she watched Kasumi chivy Ranma out in a g-suit that the tutor had found. “Acutally… that makes sense.” Paul’s slightly disbeilving expression invited her to countuine. “Paul. Air cars are just that… cars. She was around on Earth when the old cars were, so… it’s quite likey she just equated that. She was interested in looking around.”

“Not flying them, Honor. Never even asked.” Paul shrugged slightly, then grinned. “I’ll grant you a Jav is a whole other level, though, dear. Have fun terrifying the newbie!” He stepped back to finish the postflight checks on the two normal Javlien avadanced aircraft that they had used, shaking his head.

Ranma finally came to Honor’s side, looking disgusted. “Why do I have to wear this for a flight? The aircar was pretty tame.” Honor had to grin at her daughter’s disgusted expression.

Kasumi responded for her. “The Haputman Javlien avadanced airfoil is… not quite an aircar. I guess the closest to you would be a fighter jet.” Ranma’s eyes crossed slightly, and she spoke.

“Oh… like those F-15’s the JSDF showed off at that airshow that ‘Kane dragged me to?”

“Excatly. Now you get to ride in one… and they’re fun.” Kasumi’s eyes grinned at Honor. “Well, they should be. I never flew a Jav. I flew a Sparrowhawk.” Honor’s eyebrows rose. She knew from some offhand comments that Kasumi was from the military forces VG hired out to others, this just added another piece to the puzzle.

“I see. Ready to go, Ranma?” Honor grinned. “I promise, you’ll enjoy this.”

Ranma grinned, disgust banshied. “I thought the F-15’s were cool… this should be fun!”

Honor strapped herself into the instructor’s seat, locking out the front controls. She watched as two ground crew techs finished plugging Ranma in, grinning at some of Ranma’s choicer comments. Shortly she had the aircraft at the end of the runway, and she spoke into the mike. “You sure you’re ready? This is going to be a bit different than the aircars.” Ranma’s growl of impatence answered her, and she grinned.

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Seras
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ooh Taking Ranma out into an air car huh? this should be interesting, There really isn't much for me to critique but I look forward to more of this fic. (especially since I hadn't read any of the honor Harrington series before this and am now looking forward to getting a few.)
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Dumbledork
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I'm happy that you will continue writing.
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spooky316
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I've never actually read David Weber's books, but this story has interested me. I may have to look them up.
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drakensis
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It is good to see more of this.

One very minor query:

Quote:
 
“I think... tomorrow. I’ve had the leader of the Crown Loyalists, Grey Hill, sponsor you. He was quite pleased to.” Beth grinned wolfishly. “Something about securing two votes firmly into the Centrist’s block helps.”


Has Honor's adoption of Ranma made Ranma Honor's heir? Titles of Earls or higher come with two seats in the House of Lords, one for the Lord and a cadet seat for the heir, both of which carry votes. While Honor, as regent for Ranma's title, can vote for it, the cadet seats are both vacant (Ranma could only sit as Honor's heir if she was old enough, in which case she would have her own seat and the Harrington cadet seat would still be vacant, and obviously she has no heirs of her own). However, if Ranma is not Honor's heir then the Harrington cadet seat would be open to Devon Harrington if he could be pried out of academia to be seated. That would open three seats.

More relevantly, why is a Crown Loyalist delighted about the Centrists gaining seats? He'd hardly be opposed - the two parties are allied after all - but they are distinct parties and I'd have expected a Centrist such as the Duke of Cromarty or William Alexander (White Haven's little brother) to be the one doing the nominating. If Grey Hill's going to be making more appearances, that might be worth explaining. Possibly as Ministers of the Crown, they are not supposed to do so?

It will also be interesting if the addition of two seats is enough to sway the votes for war against Haven in a couple of years. Honor being seated then would be one more, Ranma a second. It was, IIRC, a very close call on whether Cromarty could muster a majority without Pavel Young's father's support. I'd be surprised if it could, assuming the issue falls out the same way.
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Jervic
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drakensis
Apr 29 2009, 03:48 PM
It was, IIRC, a very close call on whether Cromarty could muster a majority without Pavel Young's father's support. I'd be surprised if it could, assuming the issue falls out the same way.

It all hangs on the outcome of Pavel Young's Court Martial right now, in my opinion. Ranma's presence has already altered the political landscape by having the Queen make Honor make her Maiden Speech to the HoL earlier than in canon, and it was Pavel Young's Maiden Speech endorsing the war that gave the Government enough backing to get it done. And Pavel became a Lord when his father had a heart attack at his sentencing.

Hope that makes sense,


Jervic
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MageOhki
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First: Ranma's a duchess... However, Ranma still needs an heir for the title (And no, I'll rule upstream inheirtance doesn't count) Yes, she can inheirt Honor's lesser title, but since she's sitting _AS_ a Duchess, no cadet seat.
Second: Honor votes Ranma's seat, now that it's been ... don't want to say created, but activated.
Third: Time will tell.

Why was Grey Hill happy to see it? A: The QUEEN wanted it. Big time. Remember the CL's primary limtus test.
B: He hates High Rigde and Young. Nuff said there.
C: The war acutally is still RAGING right now, just not declared (it's only a few months, remember) so, Grey hill sees those two votes as a "Okay, so we don't have to comprimse AS much to GET the war offically"
D: Honor, has already assigned the proxies. Henke's mother has Ranma's, Henke's father has Honor's. Meaning TWO assured votes for the war effort (they need about _12_)
E: Grey Hill plans to get Honor's cadet seat activated for Devon, who IS more of a Loyalist than a Centrist. (THREe votes. XD) RANMA's cadet seat is a bit more complex. Haven't decided who'll get it's cadet seat.. if anyone. Devon might get that seat too.

However, yes, it'll backfire. Pavel will STILL be needed to get the last 8 votes.

Ja ne.
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BlackKyuubi
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Seeing as I went out and bought, Honor among Enemies I will assume this takes place after book three, since Paul is still alive. Are we going to see a change in that or will we be seeing the fall out of Honor capping what's his names ass?
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MageOhki
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Oh, Paul's toast.

That won't change.


Now... well, WHO excalty kills Pavel...


A.
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BlackKyuubi
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Cant say I will miss him, only read the first, second, and whatever one Honor among enemies is, but then again I have a tendency to try and lessen the suffering as much as I can in the few stories I come up with. Guess its the whole, "Y kill someone when you can figure out a way to save them while not destroying the story thing" I got. Sort of y I like FF7. If you can keep Zack alive Aerith's chances go up in my book, which can be done all sorts of ways.
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Akhorahil
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well i can´t wait to see the reaction of Grayson - and on a side note - i kinda miss the Armsmen ?

best regards

Akhorahil
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Druid
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The new adition looks pretty cool. One question though, where is the scene where they find Ranma in the first place?
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