Homework
                                by Ken Arromdee

    For the past six years, Sasami had lived with the Masakis.  It was a good-
sized portion of her entire life.  (Well, not counting cold sleep, or
experience that comes from being united with a space tree.)  Now, she was in
high school, just like Earth teens.

    And it came time to do the chores again.

    Looking back on it, Sasami could never remember exactly when she had
grown tired of cooking for the whole family.  Her interest just faded away, as
she grew and began to develop more interests, as well as wrestle with her own
personal demons in the shape of a tree-goddess that was and was not herself.

                                *   *   *   *   *

    "That was delicious", said Ryouko, patting her stomach.  Pulling Tenchi
aside, she whispered something in his ear and he blinked several times.

    "Thank you--" said Sasami, but Ryouko hadn't even turned away; Sasami
realized that she had never been looking at her in the first place.  It was
just an offhand remark, meant for nobody in particular, least of all the
youngest princess who was just part of the meal plan in this house.  Ryouko
began to drag her husband off to their room; Sasami knew that there was a
fifty percent chance that Ryouko and Tenchi were going to be in bed in the next
few minutes, a fifty percent chance that Ryouko was only keeping up
appearances... and a hundred percent chance that she wouldn't even give Sasami
a "You're welcome".

    She turned to her sister, who was busy washing the dishes.  "What do you
think, Aeka?  Did you like the food?"

    "Yes, I did, it was wonderful, Sasami."

    "Nobody appreciates it."

    "Now that's not true.  I..."

    "You're not 'nobody', Aeka.  I don't know how I managed to get myself
roped into this... I'm supposed to be a princess.  So are you.  There *are*
people to cook the food and wash the dishes and take care of the house on
Jurai.  It's not supposed to be us."

    "No, it's not, Sasami.  But we really don't have a choice.  There aren't
any maids or servants here.  If we didn't take care of things, nobody would."

    "That's not right.  When was the last time you saw Ryouko or Mihoshi wash a
dish, let alone Tenchi?  Why can't Washuu make a housecleaning robot?  It's
like we went from one extreme to the other... from having everything done for
us, to doing everything for everyone else."

    "Do you have any ideas, Sasami?"

                                *   *   *   *   *

    "You're what?" said Ryouko.

    "We're going to Jurai for a month", replied Sasami.  "It's very important.
We have to show up at the independence ceremony for planet Bamatu."  Aeka
nodded in agreement.

    "I've heard of that", replied Yosho.  "It's a glorious thing, full of pomp
and circumstance.  I hear the whole ceremony is going to be two full days
long."  He paused and added "I didn't think the length of the day had changed
that much since we were last on Jurai."

    "It's also a vacation", said Aeka.  "Sasami's school lets out in a week and
there will be a while before it starts up again.  We need to get away from
this planet."

    "Oh, come on", said Ryouko.  "What could we do without you two around here?
I need someone to argue with..."

    "Well..." mused Aeka.  "I *might* consider staying, just to show a space
pirate that her proper place in life is to..."

    "...and besides, who'd clean the floors and cook for us when you're gone?"

    "That's it", said Aeka and Sasami in unison.  "Why don't we go out to
shop for some suitcases?" suggested Aeka.

    "What's eating them?" asked Tenchi.

                                *   *   *   *   *

    Nothing anyone could say would stop the two from taking a sudden vacation
without explaining why.  After they had left, the only one left to prepare the
food was Yosho, who had to try to remember how he had been doing it before all
the girls came.  He thought he had it down pretty good; nothing was really
burned badly.

    "This food is bad, Daddy", said eight-year-old Mayuka.  "I don't like it."

    "Well", replied Ryouko to her adopted daughter, "that's because there isn't
anyone to cook it right.  Sasami left yesterday and she can't make food if
she's not here."

    "I want to learn to cook!  I could make my own good food and you could all
eat it forever!"

    "All by yourself?" asked Tenchi.  "You're awfully young to make a whole
meal for us."

    "Sasami wasn't much older when she started", said Ryouko.

    "Really?" said Mayuka.  "Then I can learn to cook like she did.  Oh, and
Daddy?"

    "Yes, dear..."

    "Why are we using paper plates today?"

                                *   *   *   *   *