Only A Dream Away

Tenchi Muyo - "If You Were Here"
By JockoMegane.

Send all comments, critiques and flames to jockowrites@earthlink.net

LOCATION: Lemon Section.

SYNOPSIS: Detective Kiyone Makibi isn't too hot on the idea of getting a partner, until she meets Mihoshi. Prequel to "Only A Dream Away."

DISCLAIMER: Tenchi and his bluegrass jug band are owned by Pioneer LDC and AIC, and have been stolen from Hiroki Hayashi by his former pal Masaki Kajishima. Tough old world, baby. I am not making any money from this, neither should anyone else.

NOTE: This story takes place five years before Nobuyuki and Mihoshi's relationship begins, as chronicled in my previous stories "Only A Dream Away" and "First Date for Mihoshi and Nobuyuki" It should also be noted that this story is not my best effort. I apologize now, really I do.

As usual, anyone who wants to MST this is welcome to. I only ask to know, and to maybe participate.

In the song below, the Chorus is quite obvious, I couldn't come up with anything good for Miho-Kiyo to do in between each verse and Chorus of the song. It is what it is.

The title is ripped from a Thompson Twins song title. In the interest of irony the title of this story is from a song, but not the song featured in the story, because that title was used in the story this is a prequel to.

"Only A Dream Away" is the property of the estate of the late great George Harrison and its use here is without permission, but with admiration and great humility. Please don't sue me. The song is also the theme for Terry Gilliam's classic film "Time Bandits."

This story is also a Lemon. No one under 17 (yeah right, never stopped me) should read this, and anyone who doesn't like the idea of Mihoshi and Kiyone getting down and randy, get your head examined.

***

'A partner?' Kiyone Makibi thought as she sat in the Detective Sergeant's office at Alpha Prime GP outpost AC-3. "A partner, sir?" she asked aloud.

"Yes, Detective Makibi," he smiled as he clicked through her record on his terminal.

Kiyone eyed him cautiously while formulating the proper response, "Sir, with all due respect, if I remember correctly my records and evaluations--both at the Academy-- and in my past assignments, state that I work best alone."

The DS looked at her for a moment before returning his attention back to the terminal. "Ah! Yes, I can see that but even the most extreme solitary officers have to pull at least *some* experience with a partner."

Kiyone nodded slowly, "forgive me, I must have forgotten that part of the manual."

"Detective Makibi," the DS smiled, "it's not in the manual."

"Ah," Kiyone smiled, "another GXPR-54, sir?" GXPR-54 was a Galaxy Police collective name for the occasional "unwritten, but you damn well better do it anyway" regulations.

The man nodded, "I've received word from Personel who your new partner shall be," he clicked some more keys, activating a monitor facing Kiyone; the face of a saluting young woman in Galaxy Police dress uniform appeared along with a name, rank, age, serial number, and other vital statistics.

Kiyone read the name, "Karamitsu..." she glanced at the DS, "the Marshall's grandaughter?!"

The DS smiled, "Detective third class Mihoshi Karamitsu, just graduated from the Academy this last month. She has extensive field training experience, but apparently has some...," he frowned, reading Mihoshi's record, "friction with some other officers for...," another frown, "varying reasons."

"I suppose Personel feels she would benefit from one-on-one partner training rather than starting her off in vice, sir?" Kiyone hoped she was not being too out of line.

To her relief, the DS agreed: "Quite correct, Detective Makibi," he glanced back at his terminal, "Detective Karamitsu's Academy record is fascinating to say the least," he clicked some buttons, some more screens appeared on the monitor facing Kiyone.

Kiyone's brow furrowed, "a perfect 10 on marksmanship during class conditions, down to 7.6 in simulated field conditions," she glanced back at the DS for a half-second, "and finally down to 6.3 in actual field conditions."

"She's eager to please, and more than a bit nervous."

"Obviously," Kiyone remarked dryly. Generally, a GP Academy graduate would only have a difference of 2 points on marksmanship.

"Academically, she was amazing," the DS sighed, "and her instructors say she has fantastic detective skills, her only real problem was 'an occasional lack of common sense and clumsiness.'" He handed Kiyone a file crystal, "that's her complete personel file. The Yagami will continue to be your patrol ship for the time being."

Kiyone nodded, taking the crystal. She was also pleased with keeping the Yagami. "I'll do my best to be a good partner for Detective Karamitsu, sir," she stood, saluted.

The DS stood, and returned the salute. "One more thing, Detective Makibi."

"Sir?"

"Detective Karamitsu has a certain..., umm...how shall I put it?" he frowned for a moment, smiled, "a *knack* for things falling into place for her."

Kiyone regarded the DS for a moment. "Yes sir, I'll keep that in mind."

"Dismissed."

***

Kiyone stood outside the dorm room in the Alpha Prime GP barracks for Detective third and second classes. She had decided that this would be a better way to introduce herself to her new partner than a simple transfer order from a commanding officer. So here Kiyone was, quickly reviewing in her mind what she would say when the door opened and a mass of golden hair and tanned skin collided into her full force.

"And never come back!" a female voice screamed from inside the dorm room as Kiyone and the girl (who Kiyone correctly surmised was Mihoshi Karamitsu) landed against the wall.

Kiyone, feeling very indignant, first carefully extracted herself from behind Mihoshi and after making sure the blonde was all right, marched straight into the dorm room.

Mihoshi's roomate was surprised, to say the least, to find herself suddenly being stared down by an irate detective first class. After soundly dressing her down for five minutes, Kiyone openly asked herself if she should bring this young woman, a detective third class, up on assault charges. It was then that Mihoshi made her presence known, quite respectfully of a superior, and firmly asked Kiyone to let her roomate off the hook, so to speak...

"It was my fault," Mihoshi kept her eyes on Kiyone, "I accidently spilled coffee on her dress uniform."

Kiyone looked between the contrite blonde and the scared shitless roomate. What the fuck indeed.

Kiyone stepped up close, nose to nose, with the roomate. "Look, I don't care what she accidently did," her voice was low and venomous, "but I believe there is no sight more sickening than a police officer hitting another police officer...do...I...make...myself...clear?"

The roommate nodded quickly, gulped.

After that, Kiyone made the roommate apologize to Mihoshi. After that was done, Kiyone excused the roomate to go take her dress uniform to be cleaned. Mihoshi wanted to help, but Kiyone ordered her to stay put.

Kiyone indicated a chair at a small study desk, "may I sit, Detective Karamitsu?"

Mihoshi nodded in the affirmative.

Without preamble, "Detective Karamitsu, by order of the Detective Sergeant of this facility I have been assigned you as my patrol partner effective at 1300 hours tomorrow."

"A partner?" Mihoshi blinked.

It was now for the first time that Kiyone was able to really gaze upon Mihoshi's features. 'Her file photo does no justice...' the thought came unbidden, but Kiyone quickly quashed it, knowing herself to be on duty in all senses of the word. To Kiyone being on duty meant complete and total dedication and professionality. 'But, when one has a partner,' Kiyone thought as she explained the transfer orders to Mihoshi, 'a closer personal relationship is accepted and even encouraged.'

"So..." Mihoshi smiled, "I'm not going to vice squad?"

"No," Kiyone tried to match her smile. Hadn't she just told her as much?

"And, um, I'm going to be your new patrol partner?"

Kiyone nodded, "I've just said as much, Detective Karamitsu."

Mihoshi blinked, "actually, ma'am, you just said 'no.'"

Kiyone frowned, wondering if she had neglected to notice a Semantics or Logic major or minor in Mihoshi's GP Academy transcript. She shook her head, "Anyway, that doesn't matter right now, Mihoshi. I need you packed and ready to leave by 1500 hours tomorrow." It was so easy, Kiyone realized, to just call Mihoshi well...Mihoshi. Kiyone smiled, "and you can call me Kiyone, from now on."
Mihoshi's eyes sparkled, "You really mean it?! Oh Detec--I mean, Kiyone, I shall do my best to be the best Galaxy Police partner I possibly can be!"

On the back of Kiyone's head a sweatdrop appeared.

***

The door slid open revealing spartan, but comfortable quarters inside. Slowly, Mihoshi stepped inside, taking a big look around. Kiyone stood outside the threshold. "It's nothing fancy, but there's a bathroom with a sonic shower," she smiled.

Mihoshi clasped her hands together for a moment, "it's wonderful Kiyone, thank you so much!"

Completely involuntarily a blush crept unto Kiyone's face. Luckily, Mihoshi didn't see it as she was now pacing around her new quarters, checking everything out. She did this for about five minutes before Kiyone called her. Truth be told, Kiyone had to call her name several times.

As they walked back to Yagami's cockpit, Kiyone lightly berated her new partner. "You can't just space out and act like that on duty, Mihoshi."

Mihoshi nodded, looking down. "Yes, you're so right Kiyone," the blonde said as Kiyone palmed open Yagami's cockpit door. "I'm sorry," Mihoshi apologized, then she gazed around her at the cockpit utterly amazed.

Kiyone smiled at Mihoshi's reaction, remembering her first time in an actual patrol cruiser's cockpit and not one of the dinky one-man fighters the Academy trained cadets in.

"It's beautiful," Mihoshi breathed.

"And I'm going to teach you how to fly her."

Mihoshi gave Kiyone a look, "her?" the blonde aske
"
"Yagami is her name," Kiyone stated proudly, taking her place in the pilot's seat. Noticing that Mihoshi was still enamored with looking at all the kingking displays, Kiyone smirked.

"Mihoshi," she called softly.

The blonde was still gazing in awe at everything around her.

"Mihoshi," Kiyone called a little bit louder.

"Oh?" Mihoshi snapped out of her reverie. "Oh, I'm so sorry again, Kiyone," she bowed.

"That's okay," Kiyone chuckled, motioning to the co-pilot's seat.

From there, Kiyone's basic explanation of some of the more com con controls went well. In about twenty minutes Kiyone decided to try something. "You ready to proceed on your first mission, Mihoshi?"

Mihoshi looked at her, "Kiyone I thought we were under orders to leave space dock tomorrow."

Actually, the orders were given by the Detective Sergeant with the flexibility to leave early is Kiyone decided to. "Oh we can leave whenever we want," Kiyone grinned at Mihoshi, "and you can use the piloting experience."

Or so, that was the plan. While not being completely incompetent...she would probably be absolutely unbelievable in combat situations requiring evasive action, but after about an hour of practice Kiyone took the controls from Mihoshi and layed in a course for their assigned patrol area.

And so, that's how their partnership together began.

***

One month later...

"Mihoshi," Kiyone said as she sat down with her partner for breakfast, "I think we ought to discuss what happened yesterday."

"Yes," Mihoshi agreed.

Kiyone took a deep calming breath, "when we searched that parole violator's ship, you were careless."

Mihoshi was silently gazing into her bowl of cereal.

"Mihoshi," Kiyone said softly, soothingly, "look at me when I speak to you."

Slowly, Mihoshi raised her eyes to look into Kiyone's. "There," Kiyone said, "you can see that I'm not angry with you."

"I'm sorry," Mihoshi said.

"Apology accepted," Kiyone smiled, "but you have to be thorough when you're frisking someone and relentless in your questioning."
The incident being discussed here was the aforementioned search of a parole violator's ship where Mihoshi had not searched as vigorously as she should have, and didn't question as forcefully as she should have. Kiyone had been busy quickly searching the rest of the ship as per SOP. It wasn't that Mihoshi had done anything glaringly wrong, it's just she left an opening that a smart, or desperate, criminal could use to gain the upper hand with a blaster, or even something as simple as a straight razor. Suddenly, a dark knot of fear grew in the pit of Kiyone's stomach at the thought of what could happen to Mihoshi...

"Um, Kiyone?"

Kiyone's attention snapped back to Mihoshi, "yes?"

"You were spacing out back there."

Kiyone threw on a hasty smile to cover her fears, "Hey, I guess we both have that problem sometime."

They laughed lightly at this.

"Still Mihoshi," Kiyone used the tone that Mihoshi had learned of late meant: "Pay attention!" She continued, "I would not be a good partner if I didn't point out your mistakes. I do that out of respect for the great detective I *know* you can become," Kiyone smiled, "from now on after dinner we'll spend an hour going over arrest procedures."

For the next ten months that's how things went. There was only one occasion that Mihoshi screwed up so bad that Kiyone actually shouted at her. This was when Mihoshi had inadvertantly gotten drunk while on duty. Steadily, Mihoshi learned from her mistakes and times when Kiyone had to take her aside and have "mission reviews" were becoming more and more infrequent.

In the eleventh month of Mihoshi's time on the Yagami, Mihoshi seemed to have all her i's dotted and her t's crossed. This was put to the test when Kiyone and Mihoshi tracked down and boarded a small frieghter which had just pulled a hit and run out of Canopus IV.

Once they had boarded the ship, Kiyone went off in one direction chasing some punk who opened fire on them at the airlock while Mihoshi proceeded to the bridge to place the captain under arrest. Kiyone got her man--or rather woman--soon enough and handcuffed her to a conveinant piece of conduit and started to quickly check out the rest of the ship. After a few minutes of finding everything secure, Kiyone radioed Mihoshi:

"Report, Mihoshi."

[Looks like it was just these two, the captain tried to bribe me into letting him go, Kiyone!]

"Oh?" Kiyone chuckled, "how much did he offer you?"

[Mmm, let's see...ah, he didn't get to that Kiyone.]

"Heh," Kiyone glanced down a corridor that went back to the bridge cautiously, "typcial; he's probably broke."

[Um, nope Kiyone. You see, he pulled a blaster on me.]

Kiyone froze, began sprinting towards the bridge. "I'm coming, Mihoshi!" she hollered, when Kiyone arrived she found the captain unconcious with a big bump on his head.

"M-Mihoshi..?"

Mihoshi smiled at Kiyone from her place, hunched over the engineer's console. "Yeah Kiyone," she punched in a few commands, powering down the ship's engines.

Kiyone stilled the fear in her, "you said he pulled a blaster on you," she cocked her head in the captain's general direction. Almost in response, he groaned. "Oh, him?" Mihoshi glanced over, "he pulled a small palm blaster--a Mizui 27Z--I think it was, I kicked it out of his hand. He resisted, and I uh had to headbutt him."

Kiyone nodded, a wide smile spreading on her face, "I see our martial arts refresher practices are paying off."
ihosihoshi giggled, "golly, they sure are, Kiyone!"

***

This incident got them both a nice commendation. To celebrate, they docked at Granger IV, and decided to go kareoke bar crawling. This was their favorite way to unwind over the months when they got a chance. As the months passed, Kiyone found it more and more difficult to deceive herself that yes, she was looking at Mihoshi probably more than a police partner should, and looking forward every morning to seeing Mihoshi's bright smile.

Quite predictably, this all came to a head on their third night of looking for the best kareoke bar on Granger IV. Mihoshi's choice of music was sentimental Jurain love ballads, unrequited love songs, what-have-you, etc. While Kiyone greatly enjoyed singing those type of songs with Mihoshi, as with other things in their partnership, Kiyone took it upon herself to gently introduce Mihoshi to the experiences the wider universe had to offer.

"All right," Kiyone said as she put the coins into the machine for a new song, she then made her selection on the computer touch screen.

The kareoke room they were in wasn't one of the private ones in one of the more expensive joints. This was more like a sunken cubicle with two couches and the console in the center with the microphones. The monitor was nice and big, though, a nice trade-off for the lack of privacy, along with an absolutely kick-ass selection of songs, as Kiyone had just found out. After about an hour of singing and having a drink here and there, both were in that happy buzz state of intoxication so well known to the "gimme another round, barkeep!" crowd.

Kiyone looked at her partner with determination, "we're going to sing a song from a little backwater planet called...um," she thought for a moment, then remembered, "Earth!"
"Earth?" Mihoshi mused, "but nothing happens there, Kiyone!"

Kiyone smirked, "how little you know," she handed her partner a microphone as she took the other one.

"What's the song called, Kiyone?"

"'Only A Dream Away' by George Harrison," Kiyone smiled as the song began playing. Slowly, pleasant music began to well up around them. Then, the goofiest music Mihoshi had ever heard in her life began. The blonde was about to ask her teal haired partner just what the hell this was, but Kiyone started singing. Loudly, proudly, gracefully...

Oh Ry In Eye Ay - Oh Ry In Eye Ay
Oh Ry In Eye Key Ooh Lay
Ka Kay Ooh Lau Ee - Oh Ry In Eye
Say Te Lee Ay Vee Show

Mihoshi laughed at the completely unabashedly absurd chorus, Kiyone smiled wider in response, the alcohol making everything sillier. As the chorus ended, Kiyone made sure she was looking straight into Mihoshi's eyes.

Midnight sunshine silent thunder
Sky as black as day
Only a dream away

Mihoshi caught onto the song fast, immediately keying into the rythme of the lyrics as she loudly sang the chorus along with Kiyone:

Oh Ry In Eye Ay - Oh Ry In Eye Ay
Oh Ry In Eye Key Ooh Lay
Ka Kay Ooh Lau Ee - Oh Ry In Eye
Say Te Lee Ay Vee Show

Together, they sang the rest of the song together. Gently, Kiyone found herself taking Mihoshi's hand.

Waking while you're still deep sleeping
Finding you're not here
Watching a dream appear

Tumbling through a thousand centuries
You don't know where you'll land
It's so dark in mythology
Treasures of history to be found
Near the legends of time
All the handiworks remain there
Only a dream away

Chorus

Greedy feeling wheeling dealing
Losing what you won
See the dream come undone

Stumble you may with the elementary
Lucky you got so far
All you owe is apologies
Measure the mystery and astound
Without taking up time
So the handiworks remain there
Only a dream away

Chorus

In out, hot cold, up down, young old
What a lot to do
Sharing a dream with you

Chorus

The song ended, and the pair collapsed back on the couch, laughing. "How did you ever find that song, Kiyone?"

Kiyone smiled, "when I was your age, I used to spend hours searching through obscure music databases. Completely by accident I stumbled unto 'Only A Dream Away,'" she blushed a little, "I've been thinking of that song quite a bit in the last few months, actually..."
"Why, Kiyone?"

Kiyone gulped down another mouthful of liquor, "think about the lyrics a little Mihoshi..."

"Umm," Mihoshi thought real hard, the alcohol either making it harder or easier, "...because I sleep too much? The title of the song?"

Kiyone smiled, sang again softly, "'Stumble you may with the elementary, Lucky you got so far.'"

"'What a lot to do, Sharing a dream with you'?" Mihoshi picked up.

Kiyone grinned, "but you kept at it. Stick with it, and march on..." she gestured vaguely into the air ahead of them, finding her words oddly affecting.

"I'm sorry for being such a burden to you, Kiyone..." Mihoshi looked down.

Kiyone shook her head, "No, Mihoshi...no, you're hardly a burden. In fact, I'm proud of the excellant officer I've helped train. When I was first told I had to have a partner, I was hesitant because I'd always worked alone..." she took another swig of liquor.

"Why was that, Kiyone?" Mihoshi eyed the drink in her hand.

"To be perfectly honest," Kiyone began, "I didn't have too many friends at the Academy because I was so busy studying," she chuckled, "it's always the studying that drives 'em away, ain't it?"

Mihoshi said nothing. She also knew from a previous conversation that Kiyone was orphaned at the age of twelve and had no other family.

"Ever since I graduated and got patrol duty," Kiyone sighed, "I've been staying away from people as much as possible. In some ways it made me a bit stuck-up, as in retrospect I was when the Detective Sergeant first said I had to pulltnertner duty for a while."

Mihoshi knew a bit about this. She also knew that standard partner duty was only for a year--

"I've already requested permanent assignment with you and Yagami, Mihoshi," Kiyone told her.

Mihoshi's eyes widened, "oh really, Kiyone? Thank you, thank you, thank you," Mihoshi jumped up around the room a little as Kiyone watched happily.

After a few minutes, the blonde settled down, finding herself back on the couch next to Kiyone. "I love you," Mihoshi whispered, looking deeply into Kiyone's eyes.

Kiyone nodded, "I love you, too," looking down at Mihoshi's hands, she clasped them firmly in hers. Both women thinking the same thing, they embraced and kissed.

After several long kisses of increasing intensity, the two hugged for several long moments, both women crying tears of joy and speaking words of love, completely oblivious to the fact that other omeromers could hear them. When it is said they were *speaking* words of love, it should be infered they were blubbering these words. Confessions of love amid drinking will do that. Kiyone had taken Mihoshi's face in her hands and was preparing for another round of kissing when they were confronted with a most curious event...

...they were bodily thrown *out* of the kareoke establishment by the manager and two bouncers (bouncers...at a kareoke bar...Kiyone mused later) for "making a scene." Just in one moment Kiyone was about to stick her tongue into Mihoshi's sweet mouth again and begin work on fondling her, and in the next moment they were hauled up by the bouncers as the manager was saying something very fast--then they found themselves on the sidewalk outside as the manager shut the door behind them.

"Golly Kiyone," Mihoshi hiccuped, "I guess they have a problem with two Galaxy Police person's kissing."

"I suppose," Kiyone said as she gently grasped Mihoshi's hand as both lay on the sidewalk. There was something Kiyone felt she should do, something with Mihoshi...and whenever she thought it might be "make love with Mihoshi," all she could do was wonder "here on the sidewalk?" This problem swirled in Kiyone's mind over and over, the answer laying just out of reach...

After several minutes, another thought popped into Kiyone's alcohol and love fogged awareness. "Hey Mihoshi..." she smirked, " do you realize we're loitering right now?"

Mihoshi laughed for about a minute straight, then she sat up. "Come on, Kiyone! Race you back to Yagami!"

"That's it!" Kiyone shouted. The two women sprang up as fast as possible. Luckily, they weren't quite drunk enough to pass out or vomit. And so, for reasons that were not apparent to any of them, they began merrily running hand in hand in the direction they vaguely remembered the spaceport being in.

***

After about an hour of running, the two had sobered up and found themselves back at the Yagami. As the hatch closed behind them, the two collapsed in an embrace of sweat, tears, and that wonderful feeling left over after heavy kissing.

"I guess," Kiyone said, "we should get out of these clothes..." Mihoshi was starting to creep her hand onto Kiyone's crotch. "Uh, we can skip the shower. My quarters. Now."

***

They were able to divest themselves of their civilian clothes quickly enough, but as the two women stood in front of each other in their GP regulation panties and tank-tops they just gazed soberly into their eyes for a moment not quite sure how to proceed. Kiyone glossed her lips with her tongue as she thought of something.

"Um...Mihoshi," Kiyone asked, "this is your first time, right?"

"Yes," she began to gently hold Kiyone's hands. "What about you, Kiyone?"

Kiyone sighed, remembering a handful of experis. s. "I've had some trigger time, nothing to write home about, but I know...what to do," she reached up to caress the left side of Mihoshi's face, pushing a stray strand of hair back over her ear. "Such beautiful ears you have, Mihoshi," Kiyone laughed idly.

"What, um, big eyes you have, Kiyone!" Mihoshi giggled.

"Guess I'm still a little sloshed, aren't I?"

Mihoshi smiled, not responding. Deciding to start, Mihoshi leaned in to kiss Kiyone again. Kiyone closed her eyes and accepted with a slight smile. This kiss was softer than before, Kiyone noted. Gently, Mihoshi began to let her arms encircle Kiyone's back. When they came up for air, Mihoshi looked straight at Kiyone, "what do I do now, Kiyone?" she asked quietly, blushing; adding a slight tinge to her tan features.

"Hmm," Kiyone smiled, gently reaching out to touch Mihoshi's breasts through her undershirt. "You're a bit overdressed for starters..." she slipped her hands up Mihoshi's shirt and cupped her breasts gently. Mihoshi moaned in ecstasy, enjoying Kiyone's hands as they gently slid the undershirt over the blonde's impressive hair and threw them across the room.

"Now you, Kiyone," Mihoshi smiled, reaching out to remove Kiyone's tank top. Once that was done, Mihoshi drew closer to Kiyone and began to cautiously touch and feel her partner's breasts.

"Ah...yes," Kiyone moaned, "that's good..." she smiled at Mihoshi, "but I should be the one leading, dear." Mihoshi nodded and allowed Kiyone to go to work.

Kiyone gently bent down, and took one of Mihoshi's nipples into her mouth, sucking it gently. Mihoshi responded with a pleasing series of moans before hugging Kiyone tightly, enjoying the sensation.

Kiyone gently wiggled out of Mihoshi's embrace, "next," Kiyone slowly dropped to her knees, hooking her hands in the waistband of Mhi'shi's panties and pulling them down. Mihoshi stepped out of them and looked down at Kiyone smiling back up at her. "Mihoshi, you're standing on my hand."

"Oh!" Mihoshi jumped back a little.

"Thank you," Kiyone flexed her fingers a bit before continuing. Thinking back on her past experiences, and wrestling with an increasing amount of sobriety, Kiyone decided that a little instruction first-hand would help Mihoshi later on. Kiyone was aboo teo tell this to Mihoshi, but the blonde had other ideas first.

"Kiyone," she sniffed, "what's that smell?"

Kiyone blinked, "oh--um," she blushed even more, "don't you touch yourself, Mihoshi?"

Mihoshi blushed, looking down at her partner, "Um, sometimes yes," realization hit her, "ah, yes!"

"You'll be saying that a lot more very soon, my love," Kiyone nodded towards the bed, "Sit down, Mihoshi."

She did so, sitting with her hands folded on her knees. Kiyone moved over to the foot of the bed, sitting in front of Mihoshi. "Spread your legs," she whispered.

Mihoshi did so.

"A little wider."

Mihoshi complied.

Kiyone inhaled Mihoshi's fragrance, "move closer to me." Mihoshi's crotch was now mere inches from Kiyone's face. The teal haired woman inhaled her partner's musky scent deeply, during this, Mihoshi began gently stroking her partner's hair and shoulders.

"Kiyone..."

"Ye

"I feel so warm...and *wet* down there," Mihoshi licked her lips.

Kiyone grinned up at her, "good girl. Just relax, this is going to be just like one of our training drills...just watch, listen, and feel what I'm doing. Do you trust me, my dear?"

Mihoshi nodded, "are you....going to...to..?"

"Yes, I am." She looked closely at her partner's vagina, its perfect blonde hair glistening with its dew. Kiyone was most pleased that Mihoshi didn't shave so much as to leave her with very little hair to enjoy; not too much, but not too little. The hair itself was smooth and fine to the touch, Kiyone found out, and only a shade darker than the hair on her lover's head. These experimentations were met by an enthusiastic moan from Mihoshi.

Kiyone gently traced Mihoshi's vagina with her index finger, enjoying the moans this elicited. Gently, soundound Mihoshi's clitoris and began to gently slip another finger into her, beginning a thrusting motion.

"Ah!" Mihoshi moaned loudly, "I...usually...do...this."

Kiyone smiled as Mihoshi grew more wet, adding another finger to her thrusting. "It's a tried and true method, dear!" Kiyone chuckled. After adding a third finger, Kiyone leaned in and began licking andhtlyhtly sucking that sensitive nub of flesh slowly, and sipping Mihoshi's sweet nectar.

Mihoshi's orgasm came soon thereafter. Surprisingly, to Kiyone, it was a rather quiet orgasm. No wild bucking; just a long moan, heavy exhale followed by Kiyone getting a nice face wash.

"Oh my Kiyone," Mihoshi sighed, "that was sooo great," she looked closer for a full minute, "why is your face all shiny, Kiyone?" she frowned.

Kiyone shot Mihoshi a goofy grin, "I love you, Mihoshi, but the way your mind works is the Gods' own private mystery."

Mihoshi accepted the compliment, sliding back in the bed, and reaching out to Kiyone. Her eyes sparkled, dazzling Kiyone. "I want to make you feel good, Kiyone..."

"Do you want to have a shiny face just like me?" Kiyone gave a wry smirk.

"Goodie!" Mihoshi beamed, "do I get to...um," blush, "....er, what you did, Kiyone?"

Kiyone smiled deeply, took Mihoshi's hand, stood. They kissed for several long moments, Mihoshi finding her taste on Kiyone's lips quite interesting. Mihoshi also took special care and time with Kiyone's breasts, enjoying the impressive mounds more and more. "Now, on the floor like I was, dear," Kiyone whispered.

Mihoshi was soon face to face with Kiyone's regulation white GP panties. Cautiously, Mihoshi slid them down and off Kiyone's legs and feasted her eyes on her partner's vagina with its teal pubic hair.

"Kiyone! It's just like your head only um...different."

"...yeah, I guess that's a way to put it, Mihoshi."

Soon Kiyone was guiding Mihoshi through the process of performing oral sex on a woman. Mihoshi was a good student, yes, but it took twice as long for Kiyone to come than Mihoshi. Not that she noticed, in fact, it was the most fun Kiyone had had in bed or out of bed in years. In all her wildest fantasies Kiyone never thought that it could *tickle* so much if done in a certain way.

"Right there," Kiyone whispered as Mihoshi would lightly suck or lick. Kiyone had her fingers spread just above where she wanted Mihoshi to focus her efforts. "Ahhh, Mihoshi...that's it, I'm so proud of you..." were the words Kiyone spoke in between moans as she came like a freight train crashing into a milk truck stopped on the railroad tracks at Mingo Junction in Youngstown, Ohio.

***

The next year was the most joyous time of Mihoshi and Kiyone's life. Only two people knew about their relationship in the Galaxy Police chain of command. These two people were Mihoshi's grandfather and their immediate supervisor, who both approved as long as all the regs for fraternization were followed to the letter. Over the course of the year, Mihoshi and Kiyone visited the former's mother and grandfather and generally lived in a euphoric dream world when off duty. On duty it was formal but neither saw a need to be 100% professional at all times.

During dinner, often times their discussions would turn to their futures. It was Kiyone's intention to simply rise through the patrol ranks in the trade corridors, and eventually someday they'd find themselves with a nice Intel posting on Galador III or HQ. One where they could get some nice, big quarters all to themselves. Mihoshi's desires were simple: Be with Kiyone and fight crime while reading manga and watching Moldiver.

One day, while perusing the usual morning "suspects and criminals at large" reports on the wire, Kiyone's eyes stumbled across what she told Mihoshi was the "big opportunity" that they've been waiting for. The subject's name was Androvar Dramijin, suspected gunrunner and member of the Orion Syndicate. He was wanted for 13 counts of piracy and 5 counts of aggravated assault with a laserarm in the commission of a crime. Dramijin was also wanted in connection to three deaths over the past five years. Everyone Kiyone had talked to told her the trail was cold, Dramijin was suspected to be either dead or institutionalized on some planet outside the Galactic Union or Jurain Empire.
Mihoshi voiced apprehension on them going all-out for someone who A) was only a mid-level member of the Syndicate and B) had dropped off Intel's radar over a year before. The reason why Kiyone seemed to want to try and track him down was she insisted that Dramijin was the one doing basic piracy of freighters going to Jurai by way of Alpha Centauri over the past several months at a rate of two or three incidents a month. Kiyone also believed that Dramijin was a possible key to some other significant cases pending in Galactic Court. It was simply a matter of finding him, putting the cuffs on him, and letting Intel do the rest.

"Mihoshi," Kiyone whispered to her one night before drifting off to sleep, "it's all about the chase, the hunt," she yawned, holding Mihoshi tighter, "the pride of just doing good and bringing a serious asshole to justice. And getting both of us promoted..."

For three weeks they poured over maps, checked up on leads, crossreferenced Intel scuttlebutt, rear echelon paranoia and chatter, and offered plea-deals to assorted low-lifes to the point where the ship's galley and their quarters were almost completely covered by Kiyone's post-it notes, data pads, and marked starcharts. Not to mention paperwork from "higher-up." They were getting *very* popular at the GP General Accounting Office and with the local prosecutors in that sector, especially a GP prosecutor named Mitsuki. The cockpit was never cluttered.

Often times during these weeks, Mihoshi would awaken during the night to find Kiyone not in bed, but in the galley, sipping coffee and pouring over local and long-range ion scans on the computer. It was this dedication that led to Kiyone calling Mihoshi to the Yagami's computer core one afternoon to show her something.

"Here, here, and here," she pointed to three screens. All three screens had the same class ship with different transponder information. "This is, most likely, the same ship," Kiyone stated, "the ion readings from all three match to within 85% of these," she pointed to a star map on the work table, "last five piratings and two hit and runs in the last month."

"Any idea where to find the suspect now?" Mihoshi asked.

Kiyone nodded, "I'm placing my bets on System J3\45," she pointed to a solar system of absolutely no value, "or in the surrounding area."

Mihoshi threw a sideways glance to her partner, "you put all the crime locations on a map and threw a dart at the middle, didn't you?"

"You'd be surprised how many cases have been cracked that way," she smiled, "ever hear of the Whitman case?"

Mihoshi nodded, smiling, "I did my freshmen year report on it. Got a 97 on it."

"Senior, 89" Kiyone replied with a grin. "Don't let anyone ever tell you're not smart, Mihoshi."

***

After four days of exhaustive and flustrating searching, they were chasing a freighter that matched almost every bit of information they had. The ship had been hiding in the crater of a small moon and its captain seemed quite surprised to suddenly find a GP patrol ship breathing down their neck. With Kiyone's voice demanding they identify themselves and state their business, the freighter's captain made the quick decision to flee.

This was not an easy pull-over job from the very start. Before the ship had been disabled enough for the Yagami to begin boarding procedures, the patrol ship had sustained moderate damage on 57% of the hull and the port side laser cannon was now burned out. Much to Kiyone's surprise, scans revealed only one lifeform aboard...a lifeform matching Dramijin's species.

The ship they boarded was brightly lit, fairly clean for a freighter, and filled with obviously stolen goods and other items of varying legality.

The captain decided to wait it out on the bridge, offering no obvious resistance. When they arrived, Kiyone was proven right in all her weeks of research and detective work. The man standing there, dressed in a generic jumpsuit, obviously distressed with his back to the pilot's chair was Androvar Dramijin.

"Freeze!" Kiyone said, "hands on top of your head, palms flat out where I can see them!"

He did so. "Your name?!" Kiyone barked.

"Androvar Dramijin," his voice shook.

"Androvar Dramijin under Article 73 of the Revised Criminal Code I am placing you under arrest for sundry crimes which include--but are not limited to--piracy, theft, and wanton destruction of property. You have the right to remain silent--"

For a moment, it looked like Dramijin was so overcome with stress that his legs had buckled and he was going to sink to the ground. This did not happen, Dramijin used the moment of distraction as he fell to throw a knife he had conceiled in the cuff of his left sleeve.

The knife was thrown with a flash of light not unlike a lighting bolt.

In the same instant Mihoshi saw this, corrected her aim, and opened fire. Dramijin was thrown back against the pilot's chair as the blast impacted into his temple, penetrating his skull and searing away a few inches of the frontal lobe of the brain. Dramijin crumpled to the ground, for real this time, as blood, bone fragments, and pieces of brain seeped out.

Mihoshi took a cautious breath as she closed her eyes.

"Great...shot," Kiyone commented faintly.

Mihoshi spun around and found Kiyone, leaning against the wall with the knife sticking out of her chest. The knife was in deep. Mihoshi rushed over to Kiyone. Just in time, too, as Kiyone's strength was about to give out. Gently, Mihoshi lowered Kiyone to the floor as the blonde started speaking into her communicator.

"Yagami!" she shouted, "officer down, send for help."

[Affirmative, Detective Mihoshi.]

"It was a damn fine throw..." Kiyone gurgled, smiling, "I should have taken a quick side-step instead of a pivot on my left heel...might have gotten me in the arm," she coughed, "I wonder what--" another cough, "type of knife it was... blade wasn't that long, but I'm pretty sure it pierced my heart...had to be sharp enough to go through the body armor, though."

"Don't talk, Kiyone!" Mihoshi began to pick up her partner, but Kiyone shook her head in the negative, "I'm not going to make it," she said softly, the reality just now seeming to sink in for her, "I'm sorry that I'm not going to see you make Detective Sergeant," a spot of blood appeared on her lips. Mihoshi took a closer look at the wound, blood was steadily dripping from it. As a single tear began tracing its way down Mihoshi's face, she began looking around the bridge for a Med Kit, or even something to act as a compress...

...Kiyone reached up with a finger and touched the tear. "Mihoshi...please, just, hold me," Kiyone started to cry, her hand searching for Mihoshi's hand. When she found it, Mihoshi noticed how weak her grasp was.

"I am so proud of you, Mihoshi," Kiyone told her, "and I am even more proud that you accepted me as your love. You're the best thing that ever happened to me, and the best detective I've ever known. I love you, please tell me that and give me one last kiss..."

"I love you, my partner," Mihoshi wept.

As Mihoshi's lips lightly touched Kiyone's, the blonde felt her love's grip on her hand weaken and become cold.

The only sounds on that freighter for the three hours it took for help to arrive were Mihoshi's sobs.
***

As according to the customs of Kiyone's home world, the funeral was held eight days later after the body was wrapped in burial robes and special embalming rites were observed. It was decided that Kiyone would be buried on Okun II, the nearest GP base with a veteran's cemetery. It was a simple graveside funeral, as Mihoshi had requested of her grandfather, just an honor guard, 18-gun salute, and only about fifteen mouners attending. The sun was shining clearly and the wind was slight. The sky was blue and Okun II's dozen moons were truly sights to behold.

As Mihoshi, in full dress uniform, sat in front of the casket draped with the flag of the Galactic Union as her grandfather and mother held her hands. As the service proceeded, and invocations and prayers were made in the religion that Kiyone adhered to, Mihoshi found herself looking at the sky above.

'What now, Kiyone?' she mentally asked the sky. The answer came immediately into Mihoshi's awareness, 'keep going, do your job and your best.'

Soon, Mihoshi watched as the honor guard began to carefully lift and fold the Galactic Union flag.

"Attention!" the six police officers with blaster rifles snapped to attention.

Two members of the honor guard slowly and methodically folded the flag, starting with the far ends.

"Ready!" the rifles' capacitors could be heard charging.

They began to slowly work their way inwards.

"Aim!" the rifles were pointed at the sky above.

Mihoshi could see the standard triangular shape of a casket flag beginning to form.

"Fire!" six blasts shot into the sky above.

"Reload!" shells hit the ground.

By the time eighteen shots had been fired, the flag was now completely folded. The commander of the riflemen stepped forward with something in an ornate box. The empty blaster shells were carefully placed inside the flag. The commander of the honor guard stepped forward.

"Detective Mihoshi," he began, placing the flag in Mihoshi's lap, "on behalf of the Galaxy Police and the Galactic Union, and in recognition of your partner's years of service and her sacrifice in the line of duty, I hereby give you this flag." The commander gently shook her hand, as did all the other members of the honor guard as they filed past. Mihoshi whispered out a faint "thank you" to all of them.

"Grandfather?" Mihoshi asked softly.

"Yes?" he answered.

"Please hold Kiyone's flag for a second."

"I'd be honored to," he took the flag.

Mihoshi stepped up to the casket with her mother at her side. Without asking, Mihoshi turned to her mother. Her mother handed her a bouqet of flowers that Mihoshi had requested, a rare type of flower found only on one of the planet's where Mihoshi's mother did most of her archeological work. The flowers were in the exact shade of Kiyone's hair. Silently, carefully, Kiyone placed the flowers on the casket, and let her palm stay there for a moment. She let go, stepping back and turning back to her family. Most of the mourners were beginning to file back to the waiting groundcars. Mihoshi took back the folded flag, and they began walking away from the gravesite.

As they walked down a hill to the road, Mihoshi spared one last look back as the burial crew set about their work.

As the groundcar left the cemetery, Mihoshi turned to her mother. "Mom?"

"What is it, Mihoshi?"

"I think I'd like some ice cream."

"I could do with a bucket myself," the Marshall said.

***

Two days later, Mihoshi sat alone in Yagami's co-pilot chair. The patrol ship was in dryk awk awaiting repair. Around her indicators and status lights did their usual thing, even in Yagami's damaged state. Mihoshi looked to the empty chair beside her, making a decision.

"I don't want Yagami if I can't have you along with it, Kiyone."

No response.

Mihoshi's supervisor had told her that if she wanted to keep the Yagami and accept field promotion to Detective First Class, she could. "You've had this promotion coming for a while now," her supervisor had said.
Mihoshi refused the Yagami, requesting reassignment. And here she was sitting beside Kiyone's chair after she had cleaned out their personal belongings, and after she had put a starchart on her dartboard and decided to request reassignment to wherever the dart landed.

Somehow, Mihoshi reasoned, Kiyone would not want her requesting a transfer to the galley's wall.

"I just need some patrol time to myself."

With that, Mihoshi made her decision. Slowly, she stood from the co-pilot's chair and one by one started to shut down all of Yagami's systems. This took about fifteen minutes, as she left the cockpit she took one last look at Kiyone's chair before blowing a kiss to it.

Her eyes glanced around the darkened cockpit, "Goodbye Yagami. Thank you for providing a good home for me and Kiyone."

The next day Mihoshi's supervisor reassigned the Yagami, and approved Mihoshi's request for a transfer to solitary patrol work. Her supervisor decided that a new AI patrol ship, the Yukinojo, would suit Mihoshi just fine.

***Epilogue

The sky was blue above the Okun II GP cemetery. The wind was kicking up a bit, but this was normal for that time of year. It was mid-afternoon as a figure in a GP uniform made their way among the headstones. Soon, the figure found its destination. The headstone said in simple Galach text:

Kiyone Makibi
Detective First Class #D/2649

"Hi Kiyone," Mihoshi said, placing some flowers at the base of the headstone. "It sure has been a while, hasn't it?" Mihoshi looked around, breathing in the fresh air. "Weather's nice here...much better than breathing Yukinojo's air, I can tell you," she laughed a little, "I miss you, as usual, Kiyone."

The blonde wiped a tear from her eye, "I came to tell you that I won't be able to visit you as much anymore. You see, I'm being transfered to patrol the solar system of that little backwater planet you got that song from, isn't that great?" From her tone of voice, the blonde didn't seem that convinced.

"I haven't...been doing too well, I don't think," she sniffed, "in the last few months, Kiyone. I've been solving cases and doing my job just fine, but it seems that a lot of things happen too that cause a lot of bills...I really think the General Accounting office has it in for me," she laughed at this. "I guess I'm still a little stressed out about losing you, eventhough its been two years. Maybe a nice low stress system patrol assignment with nothing to do is what I need, read some mangas...catch up on Moldiver, you know," she smiled down at the grave.

"I'll try to come and see you when I'm in the area again, Kiyone...don't worry about me forgetting you...I love you," Mihoshi began to slowly walk away.

As events developed, Mihoshi wasn't able to come back to visit Kiyone's grave for quite a while. But Mihoshi contemplated Kiyone's photograph from her nightstand every night in her quarters, along with the flag displayed in a case on the opposite wall. That's where the flag could be found for a while, until Mihoshi accepted Nobuyuki Masaki's offer to put the flag in a place of honor in the Masaki household, since Mihoshi would be living there from now on as not just a houseguest, but as his wife.

THE END.

My thanks to Kai_Kerrigan for prereading.