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I don't own any of the characters herein

Tail Kinker Presents

Genesis

Chapter Seven

October 11th, 2047

The familiar grinding, wheezing sound of the capsule's engines faded out, and Ranma checked the controls. "Earth. We made it."

Akane chuckled. "It took us long enough. The Scalosians were nice enough, despite their appearance, but it just wasn't home."

Ranma shrugged. "Until we got the guidance circuits fixed, there was no way to get home."

"They aren't fixed yet. Just less broken."

"Yeah," chuckled Ranma. "And the chameleon circuit still doesn't work."

"It will be so nice to see Ami after all this time," said Akane. "We haven't seen her since just after we left Gallifrey...When was that?"

"Twenty twenty-four, just after Susan was born." Ranma smiled. "She's probably all grown up now."

"Fourteen, nearly fifteen...what's the local date again?"

"October the eleventh. She'll be fifteen today." Ranma pulled the door lever, and the capsule's doors cycled open. "Well. Shall we go say hello to the birthday girl?"

Akane giggled. "Ready when you are."

Ranma knelt next to her chair, and lifted her in his arms. Her hand, so frail and brittle compared to when he'd first met her, stroked his hair gently.

"Finally, you're starting to gray." She smiled. "I guess Time Lords do age after all."

"Yeah. I've been feeling kind of stretched thin, over the last five decades." He smiled down. "You're still doing really well for someone who's a hundred and thirty."

"Time Lord blood, just not the whole deal."

"I do hope Susan isn't too shocked."

"Mom! Dad!" Ami was starting to gray herself, though not nearly as badly as her father. "Glad you could make it."

"We did our best to get here earlier, but, well..." Ranma shrugged. "That capsule seems to have a mind of its own."

"Your father managed to crash us on a planet called Scalos, and we were stuck there for almost thirty Earth years while we made repairs."

"Way to go, Dad." Ami chuckled. "But the capsule's a time machine, right?"

"Yes, but the steering is wonky. In all five dimensions."

"Five?" Susan had walked in halfway through the conversation.

Ranma jumped. "Man, I must be gettin' old if you can sneak up on me like that." He glanced over at Ami. "Uhh, what does she know about us?"

Ami looked embarrassed. "Just about everything."

"Oh. Well, that saves time." He turned back to Susan. "So you know about our spaceship."

"Yes." She nodded. "It travels in time and relative dimensions in space."

"Well, it turns out that the steering system on it really was designed by a Hibiki. And it doesn't always go where we want. Including where in time we want to go." He sighed. "We meant to come and see you ten years ago, about fifty years ago."

Ami blinked, but Susan didn't even change expression. "But when you finally got here, fifty years late, it was ten years late."

"Yes."

Akane chuckled. "I'm glad you understand it, Susan dear. It still tends to make my brain hurt."

"It makes perfect sense, provided you are willing to think in five dimensions."

"Well, that explains it. I have difficulty thinking in three."

Ranma nudged her. "You're not that bad, Tomboy."

"So many people thought you were an idiot when we were younger." She sighed. "Wish they could see you now."

"Well!" Ami broke in. "Since it is Susan's birthday, I think we should sample one of the better restaurants in the area. What do you say, Father?"

"You know me and food," snorted Ranma.

Ira did a complete walk-around of the vehicle, then upon starting it, checked all his instruments, and nodded his approval.

"You take no chances with your car," commented Ranma. "I like that."

Ira shrugged. "You work in a scrapyard, you quickly learn respect for machinery, and learn to be wary of it."

"True enough." Ranma looked over at the other car. "Does Ami do the same?"

"Absolutely." Ira grinned at him. "You gave her a solid respect for proper routine; I just added a routine."

"Good." Ranma leaned back, and adjusted his seat belt. "I'm not really familiar with autos. Always wanted one, but never managed to get around to it."

"Why not?"

"Well..." Ranma shrugged. "It's really expensive to own an auto in Japan. Parking is almost as expensive as petrol."

Ira glanced in the rear-view mirror. "Susan, seat belt."

"Gimme a moment," grumbled Susan. "I'm still trying to get--" She managed to get the seatbelt into place, and looked up at her father. "Okay, buckled in."

"Great little car, this thing." Ira put the car in gear, and followed the other one out. "But it seats four only, no real room for a fifth. Luckily, we have the SmartCar as well." He grinned. "Picked it up for a song, last year. The guy who sold it to me had a brand-new Ferrari sitting next to it, so I guess he upgraded."

"Good deal for you."

"Yeah, but he--"

The car ahead wobbled, and Ira paused, frowning. "That's not right. Looks like the steering is--"

The SmartCar suddenly accelerated, surging ahead, its steering still obviously awry. It rolled, coming to rest on its roof in a ditch. Ira all but stood on the brakes, bringing his own vehicle to rest alongside the SmartCar. He opened his door and jumped out.

"Susan, stay in the car. Dad, let's get over there."

"Just a minute." Ranma rummaged through his pockets, and pulled out a tiny first aid kit. A product of Sontaran technology, its tiny size made it easily portable, and the many functions built into it had saved their lives on many an occasion. He opened the passenger side door, and climbed out, to see Ira bent down by the door of the SmartCar.

"I can't open the door," yelled Ira, "or the roof of the car will collapse."

Ranma stepped around the car, but paused. A sudden chill ran up his spine, and he yelled, "Ira--"

The SmartCar exploded. Ranma ducked down behind the other car reflexively, then slowly stood up. "Oh, Kami, no..."

Susan got out of the car. "What happened? It blew up! How did that happen?"

"I don't know." He shook his head, and started towards the burning wreck.

"Grandfather--"

"I have to try to save them. You stay back, Susan."

He reached Ira first, but his son-in-law was quite beyond saving. Metal fragments protruded from his body, including one temple. He then approached the still-burning car, but even given his greater than normal resistance to heat, he could not approach the car. He sank to his knees, and buried his face in his hands.

"I am afraid that both passengers were killed instantly," said the constable.

"Akane was a hundred and thirty," muttered Ranma. "She had a good run. We were coming home because she was ready to die. But Ami..."

"A hundred and thirty?" The constable looked puzzled. "Our records indicate that she was sixty-seven."

"Never mind. She was old. But Ami was only forty-five. She still had decades ahead of her. Ira was forty-nine." He shook his head. "I just wish I could have saved them. Even at the cost of Akane's life...she would understand that."

"The explosives in the car--"

"Explosives?" Ranma blinked. "It was an accident, the car--"

"The auto was sabotaged," said the constable. "A small explosive charge disabled the brakes and steering. What caused the petrol to explode, however, we do not know. There was no sign of any chemical explosive in the petrol tank, but the tank itself was just plain shattered."

Ranma stared at him in disbelief. "Someone shattered the fuel tank? With what?"

"I wish I knew." The constable dropped a photo on the table. "As you can see, the tank itself was completely broken up, into bits no larger than confetti. I've never seen anything like this."

Ranma looked at the picture. "I think I've seen something like this before. Years and years ago."

"Doctor Saotome, I must ask. Do you have any enemies?"

Ranma's face hardened. "Only one who could do this."