Partings and meetings come and go.
Today, the travelers who fell,
Will rise and start walking again!
(Yumi Matzusawa - Jidai)
- Who are you? Who sent you?
Tadashi Daiba stepped back.
The fragments of the lamp gave a faint crack under his feet .
A drop of cold sweat trickled down his cheek as he clutched his bleeding hand to his chest.
The dark figure, still in the doorway, did not answer.
The sudden flash of a lightning lit up the room for a moment and he gazed, unbelieving, shocked.
- No... that can't be...
The man stepped forward, came out of the shadow and was lit by the milky glow of neon lights filtering through the window.
A cold light shone into his only eye, the same one that lit up with a metallic sheen the smoking barrel of the Cosmo Dragoon he held tight between his fingers.
Despite the pain in his hand testified it was all true, Tadashi wondered if he hadn't fallen asleep, and if that was nothing but a nightmare due to weariness and concerns.
- Why?
The man remained silent. His index placed itself on the trigger.
The words of a song came to Tadashi's lips. It was the same the man he now faced had sung a day seven years before, in the midst of a wild jungle, with enemies everywhere and only him by his side, so terrorized he thought he would have gone mad.
A few stanzas and the warmth of his back.
It had been enough to make all fear vanish from his heart.
It had been enough to save his life.
Since then, Tadashi had always hummed that song every time he had to face what appeared to be an insuperable problem, whenever fear or discomfort threatened to overwhelm him.
The memory of that voice and of the warmth of that back were always able to cheer him up.
The man didn't turn a hair. He took a step further and pointed the gun at his chest.
Tadashi knew he had no way out: what had been his Cosmo Gun until a few moments before was now a mosaic of fragments scattered on the floor and stuck in his hand, the Dragoon was in the jacket, out of his reach... and his opponent was an unerring shooter.
As in slow motion, the man pulled the trigger.
A sharp pain tore him, body and soul.
He stopped singing and collapsed on the floor. His eyes filled with tears.
- Why, Captain?
Disclaimer: fanfic based on the world and the characters of "Captain Harlock" (Uchu Kaizoku Kyaputen Hārokku "and" Cosmo Warrior Zero "(Zero Kosumo Wōriā), created by and © Leiji Matsumoto.
All rights to these characters are © Leiji Matsumoto, Toei Animation, Enoki FIMS and probably a bunch of other people. Their use in this story does not imply support, approval or permission from their part. Since this story was conceived and written by a fan for other fans, please do not plagiarize it, give me my credit as author when publishing elsewhere and do not to redistribute it for a fee. Thank you!