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Episode 22 -	Showdown Between Good Luck and Bad Luck
	un tai fūn no kettō
Dub title -	Duel
First aired -	28th August 2002

After the downfall of the Da Ruma Guild, activity returns to normal as cargo ships can go about their business no longer threatened by space pirates. General Da Ruma himself, now in Galaxy Police custody, seems oddly contented with his lot. Airi, Mikami and Seto discuss the future of the remaining space pirate ships, considering placing them under the rule of other authorities (such as the Balouta kingdom), and allowing some of the smaller guilds to reform. They consider the fall of the Da Ruma Guild an important step towards a unified galaxy. However, there are still plenty of other loose cannons to deal with, most importantly Seiryo and his ship the Unko.

Seiryo is indeed causing trouble, busily looting cargo ships. In the name of continuing his family's business with the Guild (see episode 18), he plans to release General Da Ruma and, of course, defeat Seina.

On board the Kamidake, Seto updates Seina and crew on the situation. Seiryo has no intention of surrendering while the Tennan family's business relationship is at stake, and Kiriko has calculated that it would take them up to four years and two months to track down the Unko! Fortunately, Seto already has a cunning plan. NB, meanwhile, is still feeling the effects of his encounter with the rapacious NaBiko, and even looking at his favourite girlie pictures cannot raise his spirits...

Some time later, on the Unko, Seiryo discovers that all the ships he has looted recently were carrying letters challenging him to a duel against Seina. Meanwhile, Seto, Seina and his crew oversee the construction of a vast and grandiose battle arena where the duel is to take place. The whole operation is designed to take advantage of Seiryo's weaknesses, luring him out by threatening to harm General Da Ruma if he fails to rise to the challenge. Enraged by such an obvious trap, Seiryo piles the challenge letters into the ship's incinerator, but neglects to check the location of the duel until he tosses in the last one!

Meanwhile, Seto has provided Seina with a fine mentor to train him up for the duel; commander Kanemitsu Hirata (who Seina met in episode 3). However, when he takes Seina away for training it becomes apparent that Hirata is not the usual kind of tutor. As the two of them laze in one of the parks at the Academy, Hirata explains that with so little time before the duel there is no point teaching Seina any new combat techniques. He should, he suggests, spend the time relaxing so as to be calm and collected ahead of the big fight.

Aboard the Kamidake, the girls meet with Principal Mikami to discuss the duel. The girls want to have a backup plan ready in case Seina should lose, but Mikami disagrees; she is confident Seina will win, and doesn't want anything like that to undermine his confidence.

Seina's "training" continues with Hirata recounting tales of his time at the Academy and his memories of Yosho and Airi. Next, he takes Seina for a slap-up meal at the Washu's Pore restaurant ("for energy", he explains), followed by drinks at a pavement café. Seina has lost his appetite in the face of the impending duel, but Hirata reassures him by telling him he has already learned valuable skills at the Academy. Instead of thinking of it as a duel, he tells him, he should think of it like one of his many battles aboard the Kamidake. Seina protests, saying he had the backup of his crew then, but Hirata tells him he will have the same support in the duel as well.

As the day of the duel approaches, Airi, Seto and Kiriko are worried about there being no news of Seiryo. However, they receive a call from Komachi requesting directions to the battle arena; Seiryo has incinerated all the letters containing the directions, and almost burned himself to a crisp trying to retrieve them!

Meanwhile, Hirata plans to take Seina to his favourite bar to enjoy "wine and women". However, his plans go up in smoke when Seto's intelligence officer Minaho turns up, telling him that particular avenue of pleasure is strictly off-limits! However, she goes on to tell them, she isn't there to spy on them, but to enjoy the evening out. She has even brought some companions with her; Amame and Kazuki Yotsuga, the parents of the emperor of Jurai. Both are dressed in Galaxy Police uniforms. Seina salutes them and introduces himself.

Later, at a public bathhouse, Hirata explains to Seina why members of the Juraian royal family are in the Galaxy Police. Originally a member of the Masaki house, Amame left in order to marry Kazuki. This is not an unusual thing, he continues; since the very beginnings of the Juraian empire, many people have tired of the royal lifestyle and gone on to other pursuits, and Yosho is another such example.

At long last, Seiryo arrives at the battle arena. Before he leaves his ship he gives his crew a farewell speech, telling them not to forget the spirit of the Unko and proclaiming he will put everything into the duel. After he leaves, Alan, Barry and Cohen decide to do just that, betting the entire ship on Seiryo's victory!

When Seiryo and Komachi arrive at the arena, they find that the arena's only hotel is fully booked, forcing them to spend the night waiting out in the cold! Watching from the Kamidake, Airi is annoyed; she had prepared plenty of traps inside to try and incapacitate Seiryo before the duel. Seto and Mikami note that luck may still be on Seiryo's side, even if the freezing weather makes it seem otherwise! Seto, however, wants to see a fair fight in the duel itself, believing that if Seina is to win, it should be by fair means rather than foul. Kiriko remarks that Seiryo is a skilled swordsman, and she is worried Seina might get hurt. Seto reassures her that they will be using shock batons instead of real swords, so no harm should come to either of them. Meanwhile, Seina lies awake wondering about the duel awaiting him in the morning.

Morning comes, and the arena is filled to capacity with eager spectators. Seto, Airi and Mikami watch from a private box, and even Seto's four ladies-in-waiting have joined them. Everyone has placed a bet on Seina, whose odds are running at 9999:1, so they all stand to clean up if he wins. In the dressing room, Seina meets his old roommates Kenneth and Rajau who have come along to watch the fight. Seto's ladies-in-waiting drop by with bouquets of flowers to wish Seina luck, and Kenneth and Rajau wonder exactly what Seina has been getting up to in his absence when the girls throw themselves upon him, proclaiming to be his mistresses. Seiryo, meanwhile, is annoyed at the discovery they will be using inflatable shock batons instead of real swords (in his fury he manages to twist his into a comical balloon animal).

At last, the contestants step into the arena for their showdown. As Seina and Seiryo step up to the centre, a tarpaulin is thrown back to reveal the centrepiece of the stage; a life-size replica of the Masaki house, placed there to replicate the scene of Seiryo's fateful duel in Tenchi Muyo! OVA episode 13. Seiryo boasts that he is above such psychological trickery, embarking upon a long-winded rant on how he is a changed man since that fateful day. Rather than listen to Seiryo's soapboxing, Seina takes time out to exchange pleasantries with Komachi, Mitoto and the transporter captain, who are seated in the audience. When Seiryo notices Seina is ignoring him, he brandishes his shock baton and warns Seina that his inattentiveness will be his downfall. His final pre-victory boast earns him a rousing cheer from the audience, who also toss bags of candy onto the stage, then at last the two face each other for the duel.

Seiryo makes the first move and charges at Seina. Seina tries to dodge but slips on one of the bags of candy. As he falls his shock baton catches in Seiryo's belt, pulling it off, and Seiryo's trousers fall down. There is a moment of stunned silence before the entire audience bursts out laughing at the sight of Seiryo standing there in his underwear! With Seiryo too ashamed to even move, Seto declares Seina the winner.

Unbeknownst to everyone at the arena, the duel was watched by a mysterious group of men wearing Galaxy Police uniforms. One comments that Jurai's "devil princess" (a derogatory name for Lady Seto) has grown arrogant of late. Another remarks that since this duel's outcome means the end of the Unko, there is no need for the Decoy Squad any more. And without the Decoy Squad, the Kamidake II should be put to a greater use...

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Episode 23 - Pursuit >>

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