Zero, the imposter posing as Ryouko in order to get to Washu, has reluctantly brought down her energy blade at Tenchi, who is lying asleep in bed. She lets out a cry of anguish since in taking on Ryouko's form, she has taken on Ryouko's feelings for Tenchi as well. Opening her eyes, she finds that she had missed Tenchi's head, probably due to her subconscious feelings of not bringing harm to Tenchi. She is relieved that in the end she did not harm Tenchi, and she teleports out of his room.
Zero materializes outside Tenchi's door. She hears something and turns to find Washu commenting on Zero's inability to harm Tenchi. Zero then goes after Washu, saying that if she can capture Washu she would not have to kill Tenchi. She succeeds in capturing Washu, only to find out that the Washu she has is not the real one but a mere doll. The real Washu appears on the other end of the room, and Zero turns on her. However, she stops as Aeka, accompanied by her guardians Azaka and Kamidake, confronts Zero. Zero merely blasts Azaka and Kamidake into a wall. Zero then tells Aeka not to interfere or she will kill Aeka. At this point, Tenchi comes down the stairs and asks what is going on. He is about to approach Ryouko when Aeka stops him. Seeing Aeka with Tenchi saddens Zero, and with tear-filled eyes she disappears. Washu then calls on a sleepy Ryo-ohki so that she can pursue Zero. She asks Aeka if she is coming, and she agrees, quite a change from when she was first called to rescue Ryouko from Kagato. Thus Washu, Aeka, and a very confused Tenchi leave in Ryo-ohki in search of Zero and Doctor Clay.
Tracking the fleeing Zero, they come upon Doctor Clay's ship. They are also surprised to find that Mihoshi is engaging Doctor Clay's ship. Tenchi tells Washu to find a way to board Clay's ship, but he is interrupted by he sees Mihoshi's ship crash land on Clay's ship. Not waiting for Washu to finish her search for a way in, Tenchi and Aeka teleport to the surface of Clay's ship in order to help their friend Mihoshi. They find Mihoshi being chased by some of Clay's defenses, but Mihoshi quickly turns the tables on her pursuers and begins blasting them with her energy pistol, much to the amusement of Tenchi and Aeka.
Meanwhile, Dr. Clay is observing what is happening on the surface of his ship. He is surprised when Washu appears on his bridge. His bridge was supposed to be impossible to find by normal means. Washu then confronts Clay in a match of wits. Clay begins to go into a narrative about how he and Washu were competing for the Directorate's chair at the Science Academy when Clay got expelled. He blames Washu for his misfortunes and plans to have his revenge. Washu tries to close in on Clay, but Clay activates a panel and says that he will blow up the ship, thus killing Tenchi, the others, and Ryouko, whom he shows to Washu being held in a giant beaker, if Washu gets any closer. Doctor Clay then tells Washu that she is to be brought before Lady Tokimi. Washu claims that she has never heard that name before.
Inside the ship, Tenchi, Aeka, and Mihoshi are racing through several passageways in an attempt to reach the bridge of the ship. They come to a fork in a passageway, and Aeka comments that it seems like they have been there before. Mihoshi tells them that they should go down the right passageway. Racing down this corridor, then come upon the same fork in passage! Suddenly, the entrances to where they are are closed shut, and Mihoshi makes the obvious observation that they are trapped with no apparent way to get out.
Back on the bridge of Clay's ship, Clay tries to ensnare Washu in the same substance he used to capture Ryouko. However, he finds out that the Washu he had captured was not the real one (Washu pulled the same trick she performed on Zero). Washu, producing an energy sword, corners Doctor Clay, but then Zero shows up and blasts Washu's sword. Zero then tells Washu not to move. Dr. Clay then traps Washu, but as he approaches her, Zero tells Dr. Clay to stop where he is as well. Zero then tells Dr. Clay not to get Tenchi involved anymore. Dr. Clay says that it is Ryouko's feelings that are affecting Zero, and he tells Zero that he will remove Ryouko's memories from her. Zero fires a shot at Dr. Clay as he approaches her, saying that she wants to keep these new feelings that she has. Dr. Clay accuses Zero of turning traitor and blasts her. Washu, seeing this, grows extremely angry at Dr. Clay. Dr. Clay then tells Washu that he plans on probing Washu's mind to find out what Tokimi wants with her. As he is about to do this, Zero, apparently still functional, fires a shot that frees Washu. Washu, in a rage, immediately attacks Dr. Clay. In a panic, Dr. Clay activates the self-destruct sequence, and he escapes while Washu tries to find a way to stop the destruction of the main body of the ship where Tenchi, Aeka, and Mihoshi are located.
In the corridor that they are trapped in, Tenchi and the others feel the ship beginning to break apart. Looking at Mihoshi's wrist indicator, Aeka concludes that with the way the ship is breaking apart, they are about to be sucked into a black hole. Aeka tries to protect Tenchi and Mihoshi by generating one of her force fields, but the strain proves to be too much for her, and the force field fails. However, as they are sucked into the black hole, Tenchi's power is activated, and he forms that Light Hawk Wings to protect Aeka, Mihoshi, and himself as he takes them out of the black hole.
Doctor Clay's instruments in his escape shuttle begin to notice a change in the black hole, and Dr. Clay brings up his view screen to find the Light Hawk Wings. Knowing that they are produced by a Juraian ship, he searches for one, but instead he finds that the Light Hawk Wings are being produced by Tenchi! Since Tenchi is in league with Washu, he plans to return to Lady Tokimi with this information. However, Ryo-ohki appears in his path and apprehends him.
Everyone is now aboard the remains of Clay's bridge, and Mihoshi is about to leave for Galaxy Police Headquarters with Doctor Clay to have him sentenced. Meanwhile, Zero is with Tenchi and apologizes for her actions. She also tells Tenchi that she is not the real Ryouko. Washu, speaking with Ryouko through their mind link, asks Ryouko to merge with Zero. Washu tells Ryouko that Zero possesses Ryouko's positive qualities and that Ryouko will never be whole without them. Ryouko reluctantly agrees to merge with Zero.
Back on Earth, Aeka is knitting while Washu and Ryouko are sitting when Washu says that she thinks she hears Tenchi coming home. Ryouko, becoming very giggly and blushing, immediately gets up and runs for the door. Aeka comments that Tenchi is not supposed to be back until later that evening, and then she begins to giggle as she realizes Washu is merely playing upon Ryouko's newfound good nature.
In the surreal realm of Lady Tokimi, Tokimi and D3 are conversing about the events that have transpired. Tokimi sends D3 forth to deal with Doctor Clay for failing her, and after D3 leaves, Lady Tokimi wonders on why both her sisters (silohuettes of both Washu and Tsunami then appear!) have come to this dimension.
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