Ryouko Balta

Although she named herself after Ryoko Hakubi, Ryoko Balta is hardly as bloodthirsty as she is rumored to be. Even though she was a member of the dreaded Daluma pirate guild, Ryoko Balta is the most educated and cultured pirate there was. She is well-versed in many customs from other planets, including the Japanese Tea Ceremony. And her beauty is such that some male Galaxy Police members would be willing to desert their posts in order to join her (it is rumored that there are many "Ryoko Balta Fan Clubs" in some G.P. posts). Within the pirate guild, however, Ryoko had few friends, and was hostile to Tarant Shank, the guild's vilest member. However, she is also a great friend of another of the guild's members, Kyo Komachi. Ryoko Balta is also a shape-shifter, and she often used this power to infiltrate Galaxy Police posts to gain information. One of her favorite forms is that of Erma, a Wau Galaxy Police clerk who works for Airi Masaki, the head of the G.P.'s Jurai office and the grandmother of Tenchi Masaki. Ryoko Balta first met Seina Yamada when her ship attacked the transport carrying him to the Galaxy Police Academy. Three of the crew - Alan, Barry and Cohen - forced a surrender when they found out Ryoko was onboard. However, when she met Seina, Ryoko was taken in with him and allowed the transport to leave. She even deliberately failed to add Seina's name in the Daluma Guild's enemies list. Ryoko later met Seina again, only this time in her role as Erma. She, along with Amane Kaunaq and Kiriko Masaki, moved in with Seina at Amane's home at the Academy. Shank forced Ryoko to participate in a plan of his by imprisoning the families of her crew and threatened to kill them unless she killed Seina Yamada. Using her disguise as Erma, Ryoko accompanied Seina on a shopping trip at the G.P. Academy. But when she finally confronted Seina, the boy gave her a present - a simple star pendant. Overcome with guilt and shame, Ryoko dropped her disguise and confessed to Seina. She then turned the gun she planned to use to kill Seina on herself. But before she could pull the trigger, Amane Kaunaq and Kiriko Masaki (who were following Ryoko and Seina to keep an eye on them) barged in and stopped her. Ryoko was later captured by Airi; it seemed that a short time ago, Airi found out that Erma was really Ryoko but didn't have the evidence to prove it.