Name: Androgene (formerly as Cyberoid13)
Website:
Email: androgene@lycos.com
Title: Reunion
Summary: Saber Rider has been missing for five years. When the Star Sheriffs finally found him, they find a friend with pieces of his memories gone and hints of a familiar enemy returning with a very different face.
Date of completion: 23 December 1999
Date of revision: 10 October 2001
Date of re-revision: 8 January 2003
Category: Drama
Rating: PG
Author's Comments:
This has been, to date, the most difficult fanfic I've written. The idea is there, the characters are there, and so the plot. Yet, because of my working life and commitments elsewhere, I am unable to sit down and concentrate fully on it. 'Saber Rider and the Star Sheriffs' was an eighties anime I used to watch when I was young. I watched many cartoons back then and for some reasons, this particular one remained vivid in my memories despite its tackiness. In fact, it was the culprit for introducing me to the art of writing fan fiction. This piece began five years after the original series ended. I have updated the technology, made the characters mature somewhat, and gave it a darker feel. If you are lost and bewildered about 'Saber Rider and the Star Sheriffs' or SRATSS, I have provided links to other SRATSS websites out there. It is best to read up on the anime before reading this fanfic. I hope SRATSS fans out there like this piece. It is my first for the anime, and I like to hear any opinions they might have.
Notes:
For the nitpickers, this is based on the American version of the anime, where Saber Rider leads the team, instead of Fireball in the original Japanese version. And yes, there are other Star Sheriffs as well. For our main cast, I'll sometimes refer them as the Ramrod Unit.
Disclaimer:
All 'Saber Rider and Star Sheriffs' characters belonged to World Event Production. I make no money from them and I do not own them.
~ Reunion ~
ONE - Excerpt from Fireball's Diary
It was ironic in a way.
Six years ago, we defeated Nemesis and his Outriders when they mounted a full-scale invasion of the New Frontier. At that time, we all thought the New Frontier would have a peaceful and safer future. After all, our one great foe was destroyed and his Outriders scattered to the winds.
Right?
Wrong.
Our one great foe gave way to countless small foes, all pecking away at the New Frontier like so many tiny blood-sucking mosquitoes. Raiders, pirates, warlords...you name it, we got it. Nobody is sure where these Outlaws came from. Most likely, they were always there, but were overshadowed by the looming threat of the Outriders. Only now were the people of the New Frontier able to turn their attention to them.
Three months ago, the Star Sheriffs were posted to the Dagora System. The Dagora System was one of the most pirate-infested regions of space in the New Frontier in recent history. It was Cavalry Command's hope that posting the Star Sheriffs there would deter the pirates. So far, we've been earning our keep.
With a little less than a week left to our tour of duty, I can't wait for our replacement team to arrive, so we can all go home to a well-deserved vacation. None of us has seen any real significant shore leave in these three months, and our tempers were running a little high...
"Colt! Will you stop that?!"
The race-boy and de facto leader of the Star Sheriffs stood next to Colt's saddle-unit, hands on his hips, as he glared down at the cowboy. Colt was slumped in his seat, the broad brim of his hat shading his bewildered expression.
"Stop what?"
"That ditty you keep singing over and over again!"
Colt's bewildered expression cleared. "It's a trail song, Fireball. Since we're on a trail, it's suitable."
"We're patrolling, Colt, not travelling." Fireball said tersely. "And suitable or not, 'My Sweetheart Put Glue in My Saddle' is just plain silly."
"It's supposed to be silly."
"Glad you agree with me."
"It helps to pass the time."
"It's driving me up the wall."
"Look, I'll understand if you're musically challenged -"
"Musically challenged?"
"- But that doesn't mean you can stop others from enjoying themselves."
"Oh yeah? How about I put glue in your saddle-unit, cowboy? I'll sure enjoy that."
"Give it your best shot, race-boy."
"Guys, guys! Cut it out!" April swiftly stepped in. Both of them subsided in sullen silence, glaring at each other. "Look, I know this tour of duty has been pretty stressful on all of us. But it's no reason why we should start quarrelling among ourselves. We'll be going home soon in a few days' time, so relax." She placed a soothing hand on each of their shoulders. "We've been through hell and back. You're not going to let a little thing like stress get the best of you now, are you?"
Fireball held the stare a little while and then subsided with a sigh, raking a hand through his tousled dark hair. "Sorry, Colt. I didn't mean to snap at you."
"Maybe I was a little inconsiderate," Colt apologised grudgingly.
"Friends?"
Colt's mouth quirked up into a wry smile. "Wouldn't have it any other way, race-boy."
"Yeah, you'll make a lousy enemy."
"Is that so?"
April relaxed. From the light, bantering tone of their exchange, the both of them were clearly back on track once again. Just the way they should be...at least the way they were supposed to be. Saber's disappearance had cast a pall over the Star Sheriffs that never quite lifted.
Five years ago, the Star Sheriffs' situation changed abruptly and drastically.
Saber Rider, their leader and most importantly their friend, vanished while on his way home to the Scottish Highlands. No matter how hard and how long they searched, they could not find him. It was as though he had vanished into thin air. His disappearance came as a blow to them. The Ramrod Unit was a tightly knit group, a family bonded together by blood and pain. They were even closer to each other than they were to their own kin, April was keenly aware of that even though she loved her father dearly. And Saber felt the same way about his teammates as well.
To have one of them disappearing without so much as a whisper...it was like having a vital limb chopped off. They were very nearly crippled in the initial days. April had trouble coping, so did Colt but Fireball bore the worst of the problems. As the second-in-command, he had to assume the leadership. Oh, he had led the team before on occasions when Saber was temporarily incapacitated, but that were just it – temporary situations. This was far more permanent and Fireball had to wrestle with not just his personal worries but also a countless hundred other little things that came with the job. For one, he had to play the diplomatic game that was unavoidable when dealing with high-ranking officers. Saber made it look easy but it was most definitely not, as he quickly learned. His fiery temper often got him to clash with the officers and April had to bail him out several times. And all April and Colt could do was support him and tell him repeatedly that he was not Saber Rider and nobody was comparing him to the Highlander.
Stoically, April refused to look at the only unoccupied saddle-unit in Ramrod's control room. No one ever replaced the owner of that saddle-unit; the Star Sheriffs couldn't even contemplate doing so. That particular saddle-unit belonged to one person in the whole universe. If they have to work with one man short, then so be it. No one else was going to occupy that seat.
A shrill alarm, emitting from April's saddle-unit, echoed through the control room. Recognising the warning klaxon for what it was, the Star Sheriffs rushed for their saddle-units. All traces of good humour were gone, replaced by the cool professionalism of their jobs.
"Distress signal coming in," April announced. "I'm putting it on air."
Static briefly crackled over the speakers in the control room before a clear signal came through.
"- The Nile is under attack. Requesting immediate help. To any ship in the vicinity, the Nile is under attack. Requesting immediate help."
"Send a response, April." Fireball instructed. "Buckle up, guys. We're burning daylight!"
"Roger that."
The Star Sheriffs wore advanced version of their old mecha armours. Their new ones were lighter, tougher and able to withstand more extreme conditions. The armours and helmets had more built-in functions as well, enabling wider interactive links with Ramrod's computer systems. Unlike the old armours, the new predominant colour was black, chased in individual colour – Fireball's was red, Colt's blue and April's pink.
It did not take the Equaliser long to reach the freighter ship in distress. It was surrounded by a pack of five pirate ships, all bearing no identifying markings.
It was a familiar sight for the Star Sheriffs, one they had gotten used to very quickly in the Dagora Region.
Colt whistled. "Wonder just how valuable that cargo is?"
"Never mind about that. April, do we know which pirate fleet that is?"
"They're not on files, Fireball. Of course our database is still sketchy despite our efforts. Just five boogies, nothing more."
"Right. We're going in."
Ramrod dived into the fray without fanfare, stabbing out with blue turbo lasers. The Star Sheriffs did not bother with a warning shot. In the rough-and-tumble New Frontier, they learnt a long time ago that chivalry did not always work to their advantage. Seizing the moment of surprise, Ramrod destroyed three pirate ships in quick succession. The remaining two pirate ships faltered, then finally broke off their harassment, choosing to flee for the safety of hyperspace.
"Huh." Colt was disappointed. "That wasn't much of a fight."
"Yeah. And if only other pirates give up that easily," Fireball said almost wistfully. He took off his helmet. "April, open a channel to the Nile."
"Channel open, Fireball."
On the screen of Fireball's saddle-unit, the race-boy gazed upon the relieved and harassed appearance of a bearded man with a bleeding gash running across his forehead. Behind him, the bridge of the beleaguered ship was filled with smoke.
"I'm Captain Fireball of the Star Sheriff Ramrod Unit," he introduced himself. "Are your people all right, Captain?"
"Yes, yes. Thank God for your timely assistance. I don't know how those pirates got the jump on us. My ship carries the most advanced rangefinder available on the market and yet we weren't able to detect their approach. If you hadn't gotten here in time, we'd have lost our cargo and our lives."
"We're just doing our job keeping the Outlaws at bay, Captain -"
"Beck. You can call me Captain Beck."
"Where are you heading for, Captain Beck? Perhaps we can escort you part of the way."
Beck chuckled wanly. "Now that's funny, Captain Fireball. We were on our way to Planet Dagora to meet you."
"To meet us?"
"Yes. Weren't you expecting a cargo from us?"
"No," Fireball replied slowly. "We weren't informed of such. Are you sure you got the right person?"
"You are Shinji 'Fireball' Hikari, aren't you? Of the Star Sheriff Ramrod Unit, right?"
"Yes."
"Then you're my man."
"What kind of cargo is it?" Colt asked.
Beck scratched his brow. "I wasn't told. All I know is that it's extremely fragile and the pirates were specifically after it since it's the only one I'm transporting right now."
Fireball and Colt exchanged mystified glances.
"Who is it from?"
"A man who called himself Mr. Nemo. Strange guy dressed in black and goes about masked. I almost didn't want to accept the job but he was very generous with his cash."
"Are we expecting any deliveries, April?" Fireball asked.
"Not that I know of."
"Look I don't mean to be rude," Beck said. "But I need to get started on my ship's repair and I really, really want to get rid of that cargo. No offence, Star Sheriff, but the pirates nearly wrecked my ship for that cargo. It's too hot for me to handle."
"I understand. We'll transfer the cargo to our carrier-bay."
"Thank you, Captain."
The cargo, when it was transferred to Ramrod's carrier-bay from the Nile, was nothing more than a huge nondescript container with heavy-duty shield plating. It was twice the size of a coffin, sealed by multiple magnetic locks. Save for the numerous 'fragile – handle with care' signs there was no other indication as to its contents, or where it came from.
The Star Sheriffs studied the container from a safe distance long after the Nile had left them. Captain Beck had decided to head for Planet Dagora, the only place within distance that has a spaceport and a repair facility. April was panning a scanner over the surface of the container, frowning all the time.
Colt idly scratched at his sideburns. "So what do you think is inside?"
"Your guess is as good as mine," Fireball replied. "April?"
"It's heavily shielded. My scanner couldn't penetrate the shielding."
Fireball sighed as he pulled out his blaster and put on his helmet. His friends did the same. "Stay alert. Get ready to blow it out of the air-lock at the first sign of danger."
Cautiously, Fireball tapped the release button on the container. Immediately, the series of magnetic locks began activating, each lock turning and snapping open with metallic thuds that echoed throughout the carrier-bay. There was a hiss of escaping air as the vacuum seal broke and part of the lid slid open.
A weak glow of light emitted from within the box.
Fireball cautiously leaned forward to peer into the container. The dim glow came from a second container within the first one - this second container closely resembling a glass-lidded coffin covered with a thin layer of frost. A dark vaguely human shape was visible within the softly glowing coffin.
Fireball brushed away the layer of ice covering the glass lid and froze in shock.
Staring back at him was the slumbering face of Saber Rider.
TWO - Five Years Ago...
"There you go, Colt." Saber Rider tightened the last strap on Colt's duffel. "All set to visit Robin."
"Thanks, Top Sword." Colt winced as he gingerly slipped his bandaged arm into the sling.
"Take it easy now," April advised. "It'll be some time before you can use that arm again."
"Only you, Colt." Fireball sighed. "When people get into accidents at the shooting arcade, they usually get shot. Only you could fracture an arm instead of receiving a bullet."
"Hey, it's not my fault that a fight broke out in the shooting arcade." Colt protested. "I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time."
"So what's this I heard about you starting the fight?"
"Well, um...er..."
"Ease off, Fireball. He's going to get an earful from Robin when she sees him in this state. Here, catch." Saber tossed Colt's duffel to the race-boy.
Fireball caught the duffel with both arms and a grunt. "What the heck did you put in here, Colt? It weighs a ton."
"Oh, just some presents for Robin and her little brother." Colt clumsily buckled on his gun-belt.
"We better go, or you guys are going to miss your flights." April announced, looking at her watch.
Saber buckled on his British cavalry sabre and slung his saddlebags over his shoulder. He had no presents to bring home, so he was travelling light. For a well-groomed nobleman, his worldly possessions were surprisingly few, all contained within two saddlebags. Unlike his friends, he wore his black-and-white, chased in gold, mecha armour. Despite the fact that peace had returned to the New Frontier for a full year after the death of Nemesis, Saber was still unable to relax his battle instincts.
It was quite understandable. In the chaos left behind in the wake of the Outriders' defeat, a new breed of enemy emerged to threaten the New Frontier. The Outlaws kept the Star Sheriffs very busy for the whole year. Only now when the rebuilding was well under way and Cavalry Command could afford to turn their attention to the problem did the Star Sheriffs managed to get some breathing space.
April and Fireball decided to seize the opportunity to go for much needed downtime. Colt planned to visit his sweetheart; he had first thought of making the journey in Bronco-Blaster. The incident at the shooting arcade forced him to change his plans somewhat. Now, he and his Bronco-Blaster were hitching a ride on a Cavalry cruiser heading out in the direction of Tranquillity.
Saber was going home to the Scottish Highlands on a civilian passenger ship, for rest and to make the most important decision in his life. Although still hale and healthy, Saber's father wanted to turn the lairdship of the Clan Rider over to him. It was a decision his father did not make lightly, and one Saber was having trouble deciding. From young, he was groomed for the role. It was his birthright and his responsibility. Nevertheless, after being a Star Sheriff for so long, Saber had grown fond of frontier life and he worried about the presence of the Outlaws. He was hoping this journey home would help in his decision.
"I really hope you'll stay being a Star Sheriff, Top Sword." Fireball said suddenly.
"Oh?"
"Don't get me wrong, but I think your father's still able to lead your clan for a couple more years. The New Frontier, on the other hand...I'll support whatever is your decision, Saber, but -"
"I understand, Fireball." Saber smiled at his friend. "I don't really want to give up this life either. I always knew I have to make this choice someday though. I just never thought it would be this difficult."
April reached out and squeezed his forearm affectionately. "Whatever your decision is, we'll still be friends. That is the most important thing."
"Yeah, friends." Colt held out an open palm.
"Friends." Saber clasped his hand tightly.
"Forever." Fireball and April clasped their own hands about the entwined hands.
They stayed that way for a moment longer, savouring the closeness that came from years of watching each other's backs, of sharing laughter and tears, joy and sorrow. A chapter of their lives was ending and a new one beginning. Whatever the future may bring, whatever paths they may have to travel separately, they would never give up this friendship.
April discretely wiped away a tear. "I'm going to miss you guys."
Fireball squeezed her shoulders comfortingly. "You still have me," he said but he knew what she meant. He picked up Colt's duffel. "Come on, or you guys will really be late for your departure."
Together the Star Sheriffs walked out of the barracks, joking and bantering. Colt took back his duffel and hopped down the steps to the waiting shuttle headed for the Cavalry Command spaceport.
"So long, partners! See you in a couple of months' time. Robin, here I come. Hee-haw!"
They watched and waved as the shuttle carried the jubilant cowboy away from the Cavalry Command barracks.
"That cowboy," April said in fond exasperation. "He'd never change."
"And we wouldn't want him to," Saber said. "Without his crazy antics, I'm afraid the rest of us would've forgotten how to have fun a long time ago."
"Yeah, just like the Outriders." Fireball agreed. "Which remind me, have you heard about the latest rumours about the Outriders? Seems like they're gearing up for another invasion."
"After the thrashing we gave them? Really, Fireball." Saber let out a shrill whistle.
"At least that rumour is more plausible than the one I heard yesterday," April quipped. "They're saying we didn't destroy Nemesis, just his physical shell. They say that Nemesis is still alive in the Vapour Zone, scheming on taking revenge on us."
"Now that's just plain hogwash," Saber scoffed. "Nemesis's dead. End of story."
With a friendly neigh, Steed cantered to a halt in front of the Star Sheriffs. Saber strapped his saddlebags onto Steed's back and swung up into the saddle.
"Goodbye, mates. You'll be the first to know when I make up my mind."
"We'll be waiting," Fireball promised.
"Take care now, Saber." April said.
Grinning, Saber touched his forehead with his forefinger in a quick salute and shook Steed's reins. "Steed, up into the sky!"
Jets firing, Steed made for the sky. With one last wave, Saber guided his mecha horse in the direction of the civilian spaceport. Fireball and April watched him go, noticing the lingering glances thrown in the oblivious Saber's direction from several female officers.
"You know, that guy could send an entire roomful of females swooning and not notice it," April remarked.
"Nope," Fireball disagreed. "He knows he's got the charms, but he doesn't really care."
April gave him a speculative look. "Since when you became the expert on girls' perception of the male population?"
"Trust me, April. I've seen him worked that charm successfully far too many times while undercover. It never fails with the girls." He wrapped his arm around April's shoulders. "So it's just you and me now. What do you want to do?"
A delighted glint came into April's eyes. "Well..."
Fireball realised too late what he had just volunteered himself to. "Oh no. No, no, no."
"Come on Fireball, it'll be fun." April grabbed his hand and dragged him over to Red-Fury.
"Shopping isn't my idea of fun," he muttered glumly.
* * *
It was nearly two weeks before they received the bad news.
"What do you mean 'disappeared'?" Fireball demanded. "Lieutenant, you better explain clearly to us what really happened."
"Yes, sir." The poor harassed-looking officer gulped. "The civilian starliner Aquarius Dream arrived at Earth about three days ago. Senator Edward Rider was at the Earth spaceport waiting for his arrival, but Captain Rider failed to show up. After making inquiries with the captain of the Aquarius Dream, Senator Rider realised that Captain Rider and his mecha horse had gone missing. They searched the whole of the spaceport and the Aquarius Dream, but could not find any trace of Captain Rider."
"What else did they do?" Fireball asked tightly.
"They retraced the starliner's route, searched the two port-of-calls the Aquarius Dream made but found nothing. One of the deck hands recalled Captain Rider disembarking at New Wichita - which was one of the port-of-calls - but couldn't remember if he had returned to the ship."
"And what did the New Wichita authorities have to say?"
"They are still searching for Captain Rider, sir." The poor officer took a breath, as though bracing himself for an explosion. "Sir, a sweep of Captain Rider's cabin revealed that all his belongings were left behind - including his sword."
Dead silence filled the room.
Everyone in the Cavalry Command knew about Saber Rider's weapon of choice – an odd choice for any soldier out in the rough-and-tumble New Frontier but fits the Highlander to a tee. Saber was also renowned for his superb swordsmanship and he was never apart from his sabre unless it was under the direst of circumstances.
"April," Fireball spoke at last in a deathly quiet voice, "prep Ramrod for takeoff. We're going to pick up Colt, then conduct an investigation of our own."
THREE - Present Day
To say that the Star Sheriffs were stunned by their discovery was something of an understatement. In all of their wildest dreams, they never expected to find their friend sleeping in a cryogenic icebox literally delivered to their doorstep.
For a long moment, they froze, unable to absorb the startling sight. It was only when Fireball noticed the critical red light indication flashing on the cryogenic case's control panel did they realised the imminent danger Saber was in.
The cryogenic case's power generator was nearly depleted. Once drained, the cryogenic case would shut down and thus, killing Saber without him ever waking up.
The realisation galvanised the Star Sheriffs into action. April, with some help from Colt, set up a power-cable, feeding the cryogenic case much-needed power from Ramrod. They sped back to Planet Dagora, to the Cavalry Command hospital situated on that planet.
Alerted by a message the Star Sheriffs sent out ahead of them, an EMT was already on standby, awaiting their arrival. The Star Sheriffs hurried after the EMT as they whisked the cryogenic case to the hospital.
"Prep the OR for cryogenic thawing, stat!"
"Five minutes to power flat-line, Doctor Pierre!"
"Faster! How long was he frozen, Captain Fireball?!"
"I don't know!"
"Somebody give me his medical charts ASAP!"
The Star Sheriffs slowed down as the double doors slid shut before them. Through the glass panels, they gazed after the EMT team hustling the cryogenic case into the operating theatre.
"Come on," Fireball urged. "We can get a better view from the viewing gallery."
Trying hard not to break into a run, the Star Sheriffs hurried to the viewing gallery above the operating theatre. From there, they could look down into the operating theatre to see the progress themselves. Terse silence was thick in the viewing gallery as they watched the medical team hooked the cryogenic case up to a power-port.
Only when the medical team was sure there was a steady flow of power feeding the cryogenic case, did they begin the thawing process.
Cryogenic-freezing was an arcane technique, made redundant with the invention of hyperspace cutting down on space-travelling time. Even when it was the standard mode of space travel, cryogenic-freezing was still very risky. Sixty percent of cryogenic-freezing failed, causing the occupants to die. Those who did survive the process sometimes did not slumber. Their consciousness stayed awake during the infernally long journey, trapping them in a world of blackness deprived of all sensory input, often driving them insane.
April winced as she got her first good look at Saber when the medical team carefully laid his thawed body on the operating table. Freed from the cryogenic case, under the harsh operating light, Saber was the ashen colour of death. He was not quite alive; neither was he dead. This was not how she wanted to find him, locked in this frozen mockery of in between life and death.
"I want the person who did this to him," Fireball declared angrily.
April finally tore her gaze away from the operating table. Her sweetheart's face was a mask of anger and pain – anger directed at the one responsible and pain at finding his friend in this state.
"Ditto that, Fireball." Colt growled. "Whaddaya say we go talk to Captain Beck again?"
Fireball abruptly turned away from the viewing glass. "April, stay here with Saber. Come on, Colt."
"I'm right behind you, partner."
April watched them go, striding determinedly away to find the culprit responsible for Saber's frozen state. She turned back to the operating theatre, hands clasped tightly together.
Please, she prayed silently, please let Saber live.
* * *
At the dry dock of the spaceport repair facility, Captain Beck stared at them in astonishment. "You're kidding!"
"No, we're not." Fireball replied evenly. "That 'cargo' you were transporting was our friend Saber Rider."
"And we want to know how he wound up in that icebox," Colt added belligerently.
Beck shook his head. "I'm afraid the only one who can answer your questions is Mr Nemo himself. I only deliver the cargo – pardon my expression – no questions asked."
"Do you know how we can get in touch with him?" Fireball asked.
Beck looked both rueful and embarrassed. "Afraid not, Star Sheriff. Part of our deal was I don't contact him, he contact me." He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "He did say if I was unable to find you guys, I was leave the, um, cargo at a certain address."
"Any chances of you giving us the address, Captain?"
"It'll be my pleasure."
"Thank you, Captain Beck."
"Don't thank me, Star Sheriff. I've heard about what you guys did during the Outrider invasion. I have a lot of respect for you Star Sheriffs and if I can help in any way, I'm more than happy to."
* * *
Oldelong Street was a very quiet industrial area during the weekend break. The shops and warehouses were all closed and there were no one around, save for Fireball and Colt.
It was the perfect time for a discreet delivery.
Warehouse 48 had been abandoned a long time ago. It was almost empty inside, save for discarded machinery scattered about the ground. A clean spot was cleared for the now-empty cryogenic container placed in the centre of the warehouse, bait for the game.
Fireball and Colt, dressed in their mecha armours and armed, hid among the debris. They have been waiting ever since Beck's people brought in the cryogenic container four hours ago. Beck's people had left, leaving the two Star Sheriffs behind to keep watch.
Fireball's chronometer had reached the fifth hour mark when the back door was silently opened. He tensed at once, hunching lower behind his pile of machinery. His hand fingered the butt of his blaster nervously.
The mysterious Mr Nemo stepped forth from the shadows. He was dressed in cowboy attire completed with a long duster and a wide-brimmed hat in the deepest black from head to toes. Fireball was not too sure but he thought he glimpsed a metallic black mask beneath that hat. Mr Nemo seemed to carry no weapon and he walked with a gait that was too fluid. Fireball felt his hackles rose; no human could exhibit that kind of alien grace.
Impulsively, he rose from his hidden place, aiming his blaster in the newcomer's direction. "Freeze."
The newcomer halted in mid-step, darting a surprised look in his direction. Fireball smiled grimly as he advanced towards the newcomer. "I bet you're wondering how the Star Sheriffs knew about this place."
"Give up the game, Nemo or whatever you're calling yourself." Colt said as he advanced from the opposite direction. "We know you've something to do with Saber Rider."
"So how about you come peacefully with us and spill the beans, eh?"
Nemo bowed his head as though in acquiescence. All fight seemed to leave his body. Fireball relaxed minutely. So far so good. The alien's next move caught him by surprise. He flung something at them. Fireball had only time to catch a glimpse of a small black canister before it burst open and released a thick, quick-spreading fog.
"Smoke grenade!" he heard Colt cried out.
Neither of the Star Sheriffs was wearing their protective helmets and the fog soon stung their eyes and noses. Fireball hurriedly cupped a hand over his nose and mouth, backing away from the noxious smoke. Through his tearing eyes, he saw a dark shape darting away.
"He's escaping," he managed to croak out as he gave chase.
Colt was way ahead of him. Apparently, the cowboy was made of more paranoid stuff than he was; he already anticipated Nemo's escape route. As Fireball ran free of the smoke blind, he saw Colt tackling Nemo to the grimy floor.
What happened next both confounded and alarmed Fireball. Mr. Nemo twisted around and flicked an open palm in Colt's direction. Fireball did not know what he did, but it seemed to affect Colt instantly. The cowboy sagged to the floor, as though all the strength had been sapped from his body.
Pulling free, Nemo raced for the door and freedom.
"Colt!" Fireball was by the cowboy's side in a heartbeat, giving up the chase in favour of his friend's well being.
The cowboy did not answer, his vocal cords as paralysed as the rest of his body. But his eyes spoke volumes of his fear.
"Don't worry. I'm getting you to the hospital." Fireball heaved the dead weight of the cowboy over his shoulder in a firefighter's lift and stumbled out of the warehouse.
Whatever Nemo did to the cowboy, he prayed it was not long lasting.
FOUR - Luwashanka
The throne hall was chilly and silent. Light, from hidden sources, reflected off pillars of white marble and steel-wrought carvings and the highly polished white marble floor. Translucent drapes cascaded from the high arching ceiling in gauzy waterfalls, softening the cold hardness and veiling the floor-to-ceiling glass window that covered an entire wall.
At the end of the throne hall was a white marble dais, and on it was a massive throne of crystal and steel.
The poor lieutenant could not help sweating, as he stood at attention before the throne. He kept his poise rigid, hoping none of his fear would show, and his eyes forward fixed on a point somewhere below his ruler's feet.
Even under the best of circumstances, he dared not look at his ruler full in the eyes.
No one dared.
His ruler was the epitome of ice and winter. Long straight hair fell to his waist in a gleaming white fall, held in place by a heavy crown of crystal and steel. His skin was so pale that it looked almost to be carved from marble; his bloodless face surprisingly handsome for its exotic and finely crafted features. Beneath the finely arched white brows, his silver eyes were so pale that they were almost colourless. He was dressed in full body armour and fine cloth of the same cold white hue. Wrapped about his right forearm was a spidery-webbed gauntlet of steel. Leached of all colours, he was the ice warrior-king – beautiful, unearthly...deadly.
His ruler had many names, yet his most commonly known name was an ironic contrast to his white, glacial image. He was Black Ice, the Lord Conqueror. Beneath that cold icy splendour laid a heart darker and rumoured to be crueler than Nemesis', the deceased Overlord of the Outriders.
"I gave you five ships and you failed," Black Ice spoke at last in a voice as frigid as winter.
The lieutenant cringed. "The Star Sheriffs' intervention caught us by surprise, Lord Conqueror."
Black Ice shifted, transmitting a current of his displeasure. His eyes glittered with a cold light. "I have no use for incompetent fighters."
The lieutenant broke out into another wave of cold sweat, literally trembling in fright, anticipating his punishment. It was a well-known fact that Black Ice dealt out horrible punishments.
"I give you one last chance, lieutenant. If you fail me again..." the frigid voice trailed off ominously.
The lieutenant hurriedly bowed, thankful for this second chance at redeeming himself. "I won't fail you again, Lord Conqueror."
Black Ice watched as the lieutenant scurried out of the throne room while trying hard not to break into a run. His face remained as immobile and unreadable as stone.
"Why give him a second chance?" a raspy voice slithered from the shadows the moment the great double doors closed again. "You should've fed him to your pets."
A sinister-looking man emerged from the shadowy corner of his throne room. In contrast to Black Ice's cold pristine appearance, this newcomer was as dark as night. His skin was soot-black and deeply pockmarked as though he had skin disease. Straggly wisps of black hair covered his scalp. Tall, bowed and gaunt, he had the hag appearance of a plague ghost. Corruption and decay clung to him like a second skin and was most evident in his eyes. His eyes were pools of utter black with no white and taint the soul of those who gaze into them. Somehow, his rich black clothes only served to emphasise his unclean and unholy image.
"People tend to work better when under duress." Black Ice rose from his throne and strode to the great windows lining the side. Outside, his kingdom laid slumbering under the darkness of night. "It has been three months since he was taken from me. It is time he returns."
"He may not want to come back if he's been tampered with."
"He will return. His nature will not allow him to stay away for long. And when he does, we will exact our vengeance on our enemies."
He raised a gloved fist, as though envisioning his enemy in his clutch. His sharp white fangs gleamed as his colourless lips pulled back in a cruel smile.
"I will bring Armageddon to the New Frontier."
His subordinate did not say anything, simply bowed low in agreement to his statement.
In this dark and evil realm, Black Ice burnt like a cold fire, a focus for his people's hatred and the harbinger of a new dark age.
FIVE - Planet Dagora
The Star Sheriffs gathered back in the hospital again. This time, their object of concern was Colt. It was several hours before his paralysis began to show signs of wearing off, much to their relief. The cowboy laid on the bed in a private ward, concentrating on flexing his fingers and wriggling his toes.
"Well," Doctor Pierre said at last, after a fifth check-up, "you appear to be recovering smoothly. You should regain full mobility by tomorrow."
"Thanks, doc." Colt croaked, extremely relieved to hear that. His vocal cord had been the first to start working again.
"What happened exactly?" April demanded.
Colt looked up from his finger flexing exercise. "Beats me. Nemo must've sprayed something at me. I felt a mist on my face, and the next thing I know, I can't move."
"Smoke grenade, nerve-paralysing gas." Fireball reiterated fretfully. "What is he? Some kind of chemist? And how is he involved in Saber's disappearance?"
"Well, whoever he was, we didn't do a very good job of catching him." Colt said glumly. "How's Saber, doc?"
"We've thawed him out successfully," Doctor Pierre said. "He has no injuries, internal or external-wise. He's very healthy, too healthy in fact. I could not detect a single trace of age deterioration. As far as I can determine, he's still the same age as when he disappeared five years ago – twenty-one."
"So he's been in cryogenic sleep for these five years?" Fireball guessed.
"No. Gauging from the thickness of the cryosulin coating Captain Rider, I would say he's been in cryogenic sleep for only two months." Doctor Pierre folded his arms across his chest. "This would probably sound impossible, but I don't think Captain Rider had aged in the slightest even when he was awake."
"How is that possible?"
"I'm still investigating."
"Is he awake now?" April asked eagerly.
"Actually, he's in a coma."
"What?!"
"How did this happen?" Colt demanded.
"Is it an after-effect of cryogenic sleep?" April questioned.
Doctor Pierre shook his head. "No, no." He walked over to a holographic display. "Come here, Star Sheriffs. I'd better explain this to you."
Fireball and April crowded around the holographic display, standing to a side to give the still-paralysed Colt a clear view of the hologram.
"Captain Rider's coma has nothing to do with his cryogenic sleep. My theory is it has something to do with his genes."
Colt tried to shake his head and failed. "I don't get it."
"As you know, DNA is the building blocks of life. It is the basis of our biological make-up and psychological personalities. How the DNA is combined will give us different kinds of results. That's why no two people are alike, unless you clone them. To change a single trait in a person, you have to find that specific DNA and manipulate it."
Doctor Pierre called up a holographic diagram of a DNA strand. "This is Captain Rider's Identification-DNA-Print – IDP for short – as recorded in his medical files." He called up another display. "This is the same IDP we mapped twelve hours ago. I think even you can see the discrepancies."
The Star Sheriffs stared in silence at the two DNA strands revolving on the holographic display. It was as Doctor Pierre said; even to the untrained eyes, the difference was all too obvious.
The DNA strand mapped twelve hours ago had way too many extra sequences.
"Doctor Pierre, are these natural occurrences?" Fireball asked in a very quiet voice.
"I'm afraid not, sir. When we discovered the discrepancies, we performed a full-body DNA scan. Everywhere we map, we found extra DNA sequences that aren't naturally found in a human body. His entire DNA has been re-written and that isn't all."
"There's more?" April questioned.
Doctor Pierre called up a small holographic diagram of a male body riddled with red dots in several areas. "I have found nearly a hundred implants throughout his body, mostly grafted to his spinal cord, brain, his entire nervous system and hormonal glands. They are inactive, but I can't risk removing any of them without causing certain harm to Captain Rider."
"Where do the implants come from, doc?" Colt asked from his bed. "Surely the make of the implants can tell us something."
"The make isn't found in any known medical database, I'm afraid."
"So it's contraband?"
"To be honest, I doubt you can find it on the black market either. Captain Rider's implants are much more sophisticated than what is currently available in the New Frontier. It most certainly isn't human-make."
"Alien, then? Outrider, perhaps?" April guessed.
"If it is Outrider, then they have suddenly made an tremendous leap in genetic engineering." He paused a beat. "Star Sheriffs, someone had performed invasive bio-engineering on Captain Rider. And whoever it was did a very good job."
Doctor Pierre pointed to the mutated DNA strand. "One of these bio-engineered aberrations is keeping him in a coma. Something like a computer on 'idle' mode until somebody comes along to use it. Unless we can find the right sequence and somehow activate it, Captain Rider isn't going to wake up."
Defeated silence filled the cubicle as the Star Sheriffs absorbed the disheartening news.
"I'll try my best to wake him, but I can't guarantee anything." Doctor Pierre said.
It was Colt who broke the silence. "Where is he now?"
"In the intensive care unit."
"I want to go see him." Colt made to get off the examining bed and only managed an ungraceful flop.
Fireball stirred from his thoughts. "Not unless you're in a wheelchair." He pushed the contraption forward from its corner.
For once, Colt did not kick up a fuss.
When they got to the Intensive Care Unit, the Star Sheriffs almost wished they had not come.
The too-still form hooked up to various machines in the ICU could not be Saber. He was no longer the ashen pallid colour of death, yet he was still too washout for a living person. In the Star Sheriffs' memories, Saber was a virile and vibrant person - skin bronzed, blond hair streaked with darker gold and almost white highlights from his activities out in the sun. Quiet and reserved, their friend was nevertheless expressive in his own unique way. This person carrying his name had lost his tan, and the blond hair whiter than they remembered. Against the bleached sheets, Saber was simply a pale slumbering ghost of himself.
"This can't be him," Fireball said softly. "I don't remember Saber ever needing a hospital."
April snaked a hand into Fireball's. "I know."
Fireball squeezed her hand. "I'll stay here for the night. Just in case he does wake up."
* * *
In the wee hours of the night, the intensive care unit was quiet as a tomb. That itself was an uncomfortable thought.
Fireball shivered, shifting his position for the thousandth time in the hard plastic chair placed beside Saber's bed. He looked up when he sensed, rather than heard the soft footsteps of the nurse on night duty.
"Can't sleep, Captain?" the nurse whispered sympathetically.
"No." Fireball smiled ruefully. "You might think for someone who've learned to sleep anywhere would find this a breeze, but I just can't seem to get comfortable in this chair."
"It's a common complaint from everyone who tried to sleep in hospital chairs. I'll let you in on a secret, Captain." The nurse leaned forward conspiratorially. "These chairs are made uncomfortable, so people would actually go home to bed."
Fireball chuckled. "Point taken."
She grinned at him. "I have to go now, Captain. If you need anything, just page the nurse station."
"I will," Fireball promised. "Thanks."
"You're welcomed." Turning, the nurse quietly left the ICU.
Fireball turned his tired eyes to the comatose Saber. For the countless time, he made a comparison of the flesh-and-living Saber to the one in his memory. It was funny how everyone tended to remember Saber as larger than life. Perhaps in some ways, the Highlander was. Fireball could not quite get used to the vulnerable state Saber was in; it was still a shock every time his gaze fell upon his friend.
But these were only minor changes, changes that would cease once Saber was up and about. That is, if he would ever wake up.
The thought was depressing.
Sighing, Fireball gave up trying to make himself comfortable. He rose from his chair, going off in search for a blanket and a cup of coffee. Stretching out the kinks in his back, he exited Saber's ward, failing to notice the shadowed figure lurking at the end of the white sterile corridor.
The black-clad figure rounded the corner and swiftly, soundlessly, made for Saber's ward. There was a glint from beneath his wide-brimmed hat, as light reflected off a metallic black mask. Slipping into the ward, he studied Saber's face, relaxed in repose, for a long moment. From within his jacket, he took out a hypo-syringe filled with a clear colourless liquid. His every movement betraying a professional skill with the delicate medical tool, he injected the contents of the hypo-syringe into the IV drip.
Tucking the hypo-syringe deep into his jacket, Nemo glided from Saber's ward, as silent as he had first came.
SIX - The Next Day
A gloomy morning greeted the Star Sheriffs aboard Ramrod as April prepared breakfast for the team.
"How are you feeling?" she asked the cowboy.
Colt looked up from his toying of his gun, a relieved smile curving his mouth. He had been playing with his blaster ever since he woke up, trying to detect changes in his reflexes. "Good as new, April."
"Wonderful," April said gratefully. She did not want to think what Colt would do if he lost the reflexes that earned him the reputation as the fastest sharpshooter in the New Frontier.
"Morning, guys."
They turned to see Fireball standing at the entrance of the lounge, mouth agape in a huge yawn.
"Morning to you, race-boy. Sleepless night?" Colt asked.
"It's the hospital chair. They're not built for sleeping. I'm stiff all over."
"Any changes?"
Fireball shook his head. "I'm going to grab a hot shower. Then we need to talk."
Colt and April exchanged worried looks as Fireball left for his cabin.
"He wants to find a way to revive Saber?" It was a statement, not a question.
"It's what I was thinking of when I got to bed last night," April said.
"Same here," admitted Colt. "Try as I might, I just can't see Top Sword lying helpless in a hospital, oblivious to the world around him."
"Neither can I."
A chirping sound from the communicator panel caught their attention.
April frowned as she accessed the panel. "An incoming communiqué from the hospital."
"Well, put it on. It could be about Saber!"
The wall-sized blank screen above the lounge table was replaced by a video feed from the hospital. It was Doctor Pierre, and his agitation caused the Star Sheriffs to sense the bad news even before it was delivered.
"What happened, Doctor?" Colt asked without preamble.
"Captain Rider has been kidnapped from his ward."
* * *
The Star Sheriffs rushed back to the hospital in record time; Fireball broke every traffic rule in his haste. The local police force and Cavalry Command have been notified and put on the alert. The Star Sheriffs were going to do everything in their power to prevent Saber from disappearing a second time.
"We were caught completely unaware," Doctor Pierre explained agitatedly. "Two unidentified male orderlies came and took Captain Rider from his ward. When the nurse tried to find out where they were going, they opened fired! At her! In a hospital!"
"Is the nurse hurt?" April questioned.
"No, thank God, but the fake orderlies escaped with Captain Rider. By the time the hospital security was alerted, they had taken off in an ambulance."
Fireball's communicator chirped, and he turned away to answer the call.
"Do you have a description of the orderlies?" Colt asked instead.
"They look perfectly human, if that's what you're asking. There was no way of telling that they were actually Outriders."
"They've found their hideout," Fireball said aloud.
They turned to him.
"The local police cornered the kidnappers in an abandoned apartment building."
"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go!" Colt exclaimed.
* * *
The Star Sheriffs arrived at the kidnappers' hideout mere seconds after the SWAT team has arrived.
"Who's in charge here?" Fireball asked the nearest police officer.
"Sergeant Harrison. The one with the loudspeaker."
They hurried over to the overweight sergeant bellowing through the loudspeaker, taking care to keep under cover behind the barrier of police cars.
"Sergeant Harrison?" Fireball spoke.
Sergeant Harrison took one look at the young captain and yelled, "Who the hell let the civilians in?!"
"Captain Fireball, sir." Fireball flashed his EBU. "Star Sheriff."
That did not seem to make Harrison any happier. "This is a local law-enforcer matter. We don't need any big-shot Star Sheriffs interfering."
With an effort, Fireball held his temper. "That's our comrade being held hostage in that building. And the Star Sheriffs take care of our own. What's the situation?"
Harrison scowled at the young man. "Five gunmen and one unconscious hostage. So far they aren't responding to our demands to surrender."
"Of course not, not when you got a prized Star Sheriff in there with you." April muttered. Pulling her scanner from her jacket pocket, she aimed it at the building. Adjusting the controls, she frowned at the readings gathered by her device. "Fireball?"
"Yeah?"
"The kidnappers seem to be Outriders."
Fireball gaped at her, and then shook his head. "That's impossible. The Outriders completely retreated from the New Frontier after Nemesis died."
"Tell that to my scanner, Fireball. Those are Outriders in there."
"Damn." He studied the building with a frown, and then his gaze fell on a sewer cover. His expression brightened. "I have got an idea."
"This is the most smelly idea you've ever come up with, race-boy." Colt growled minutes later.
April turned around, trying her best to ignore the sewer stench, and made a shushing motion.
"Well, I mean it. Couldn't you have come up with a less offensive-smelling idea, Fireball?"
"Bear with it, cowboy." Fireball said irritably. "I am."
"Of course you are bearing with it. It was your idea," Colt said pointedly. "But why do we have to suffer alongside with you?"
"Because we're a team, that's why." April explained patiently. "So be quiet."
Colt sighed and trudged reluctantly after his friends.
Guided by April's scanner, the Star Sheriffs emerged from the sewers in the basement of the building. As quietly as they could, they hauled themselves out of the manhole and crept up to the ground level.
Fireball carefully peered through the open doorway. Sergeant Harrison was correct. There were indeed five gunmen in the room. All but one was posted at different windows, vigilantly watching the police outside the police.
The limp body in the far corner was immediately obvious to the Star Sheriffs. Anger surged up in Fireball when he saw the crumpled form of his unconscious friend, smudged and stained with grime and dirt. Saber's helpless condition and the careless attention given to him made Fireball's blood boil. Furious, he primed his blaster and charged in without warning.
"Freeze! Star Sheriffs!"
As one, the gunmen immediately spun around and opened fire. Fireball rolled and ducked for cover behind a pillar. He glimpsed Colt and April diving for cover outside the room. Not for the last time, he cursed his recklessness. Once again without thinking, he had charged into a dangerous situation without considering the risks.
"This is the Star Sheriffs," Fireball yelled when there was a lapse in the blaster fire. "Put down your weapons and surrender!"
A spat of blaster fire answered him.
Fireball looked over to where his friends were hiding. Signing to them, he lurched from his cover and dashed across the room. The gunmen immediately fired at his moving form, their attention staying with him, which was what he was hoping would happen.
Colt was quick and a heck of a shot. The cowboy sprang from his hiding cover and fired rapidly. All his aims were accurate, shooting the weapons from the kidnappers' grasp.
"Drop your blasters!" someone yelled suddenly.
The Star Sheriffs froze.
One of the kidnappers had hauled Saber up to his knees, gripping the dead weight of the comatose man against him like a human shield. There was a gleam in his cruel eyes that matched the gleam of sunlight reflecting off the barrel of his blaster pressed against Saber's head.
Colt held his poise rigidly, finger hovering above the trigger of his blaster. He could not get a clear view of the kidnapper, not with Saber in the line of his fire.
"I said, put down your blaster or he dies!"
"Fireball?"
"Do as he says, Colt." Fireball's voice was taut with helpless frustration. "You too, April."
The Star Sheriffs reluctantly placed their blasters on the floor and stepped away.
"Good little tin stars," the kidnapper sneered. "Now you're going out there before us, clear us a path to our getaway car. So move it!"
A twitch of a limp hand. A galvanised blur of motions too fast for the eyes.
The Star Sheriffs gaped at the one sight they never thought to see.
Saber Rider wavered on his knees – pale, panting and dazed, but very much awake. At his feet laid the dead body of the kidnapper, his neck broken. A heartbeat later, the body vaporised, leaving behind clothes and a blaster.
A long silence ensued - both parties stunned by the lightning speed of the supposedly comatose Highlander.
Then one of the remaining kidnappers stealthily raised his blaster towards him.
Exploding into a storm of inhuman speed and brutal directness, Saber fell upon the surviving kidnappers. It was all over in a matter of seconds. The kidnappers littered the floor, all their necks cocked at odd angles. Then moments later, they too disintegrated into vapours.
Saber slowly turned to face the stunned Star Sheriffs.
They couldn't help but flinch back from the cold baleful fury, edging out the foggy expression. There was absolutely no recognition in those hate-filled blue eyes, eyes burning with such malicious rage that they seemed nearly inhuman. There was nothing in those blue orbs that told them their friend was back.
"Saber?" April whispered hesitatingly.
As though the sound of his name was a trigger, the fury abruptly disappeared, to be replaced by dazed confusion. He stared blankly at them. Then his eyes rolled up until they showed only white, and he collapsed in a dead faint.
April was the first to regain her composure. She slowly stepped forward, approaching Saber's unconscious form. Gingerly laying a hand on the sweat-drenched wrist, she felt for his pulse. It was beating rapidly but strong. She looked up at Colt and Fireball, both of them still stunned, still trying to absorb what had happened.
"I-I think we better bring him back to the hospital."
SEVEN - Together Again
Fireball watched Saber closely as he sat quietly on the hospital bed. So did April and Colt. Their concern remained unspoken, but their unease was growing.
Saber was too...still. There was no other word to describe it. He had awoken just an hour ago, justifiably disoriented and bewildered but...he had barely given a sign that he was aware of their presence. Quiet and so withdrawn into himself that they didn't think he was completely 'all here', as Colt would say.
"Saber," April spoke softly as she sat beside him, "how are you feeling?"
Blue eyes flickered in her direction and slid away again just as quickly. But Saber did not answer.
April exchanged anxious looks with Colt and Fireball. Saber's behaviour was worrying. They looked up when Doctor Pierre entered the ward.
"How do you feel, Captain Rider?"
"..."
"Captain?"
"...Different." The word finally came out on a low whisper. His tenor voice was still soft and cultured, still carried the distinct Scottish burr, but a kind of hushed uncertainty thrummed through the word. It reminded Fireball of a wild animal tentatively exploring strange and potentially dangerous ground.
Saber did not lift his gaze from the floor. "Like...I'm not really me."
"You've been in cryogenic sleep for two months," Doctor Pierre pointed out. "Your body needs time to adjust being awake again. I don't believe it's anything to worry about. However, I'll like to keep you in the hospital for a week for observation."
"I got to stay here?" Saber echoed, wary eyes flying up to the doctor's face.
Doctor Pierre blinked. "Why yes, just to be on the safe side."
"No."
Doctor Pierre frowned. "Captain -"
"I will not stay here," he stated adamantly. Rising from the bed, Saber's knees unexpectedly buckled under his weight. Fireball and Colt caught him in time before he fall, and they helped him back to the bed. "I will not stay."
"All right, then you won't stay." April quickly soothed the agitated man. She could practically feel the panic rising in him. "What about overnight? We'll be here with you the whole time and you'll go back to Ramrod in the morning. How about that?"
Saber took a deep breath, trying to calm his racing heart. "How about now?"
"I can't discharge you now," Doctor Pierre said gently. "You are still very weak."
"It's going to be fine, Saber." Fireball coaxed. "We are not going to let anything happen to you again. Okay?"
Saber finally nodded hesitatingly, unable to get the words past the panic constricting his throat.
"Very well," Doctor Pierre said. "I would need to speak to one of you in private."
"I'll go," Fireball volunteered. He clapped a hand on Saber's shoulder, noting the tension in the muscles, and smiled warmly. "Good to have you back with us, Top Sword. I'll see you in a while."
April and Colt gathered protectively close to their now-calm friend, regarding him with worried expressions. Finally, as though with a great effort, Saber looked at them. A wan smile tugged at his mouth.
"What? Have I sprouted an additional head?"
"We're just worried, Saber." April replied, breaking out into a relieved smile. "You did scare us for a minute back there."
Saber's wan smile faded. "I'm sorry. I just can't stand the thought of being in a hospital. I don't know why but I just don't like it here."
"Do you remember anything about the confrontation with the Outriders?"
"Confrontation?"
"Yeah, where you woke up so suddenly and..." Colt's voice trailed off at his blank look. "You don't remember, do you?"
Saber shook his head.
"What was the last thing you remember?" April asked.
A frown furrowed Saber's aristocratic brows. "Our parting. Steed and I boarding the...Aquarius Dream. We toured New Wichita during a port-of-call...something happened?"
"You were abducted."
"Abducted? By whom?"
"We don't know." Colt took a deep breath and said, "You were gone for five years."
Saber stared at them incredulously. "No," he whispered.
"Yes."
"We have to get back out there," he declared. "Alert the Cavalry Command."
"Why?"
"The New Frontier's in danger. If we don't do anything, we'll fall."
"To whom?"
"I...I..." Saber's face twisted with agony. He seemed to be struggling with himself, trying desperately to unlock some parts of his memories. "I don't...I don't remember. Why...can't I remember anything?"
"Don't force it, Saber." April said quickly. "It'll come naturally on its own."
Saber rubbed his palm against his forehead, eyes closed and brows furrowed, as he tried to calm his turbulent emotions. His control over his own emotional state was almost non-existent and that was scaring him. With his eyes closed, he could not see his friends' pained expressions.
It hurt to see Saber visibly trying to pull himself together again. Whatever he had been through did a serious number on him. Colt mouthed silently to April. She nodded and turned back to Saber.
"Saber, we have to go talk to the doctor. Will you be all right on your own?"
He nodded.
"We'll be right outside."
They quietly exited the ward, joining Fireball who was still talking to Doctor Pierre.
"How is he?" Fireball asked.
"Calmer," Colt replied. "I think he's still disoriented. He keeps saying the New Frontier's in danger but couldn't explain why."
"He doesn't remember anything of his abduction," April added sadly. "Just up to the point where he was touring New Wichita. I don't know if that's a blessing or a curse."
"Doctor Pierre has been telling me some interesting things. Doctor, can you brief them on what you've just told me?"
"I just got the results from the bio-scan performed when he was brought back to the hospital. The results were interesting. Captain Rider is aging at a slower rate than others."
"Slower? What do you mean?"
"Every living thing has a regenerative factor. That's why we heal. His regenerative factor is at least three times faster than it is naturally possible for a human being. With a regenerative factor that fast, his aging process has been slowed down. He will most likely live a lot longer as well. And that's not all."
Doctor Pierre handed them a data padd.
"Our bio-scan also revealed that one of his implants has been activated. Right here attached to his pituitary gland."
"Is that what woke him?"
"I'm guessing yes. Genetic engineering isn't really my field of expertise, Star Sheriffs. I know of a doctor on Planet Yuma, Miles McGregor, who is better at this. He is also working for the Cavalry Command. My recommendation is that I refer Captain Rider to him. He will be of more help than I – that is, if Captain Rider is willing to let himself be probed."
"It might be difficult," Fireball admitted. "He almost panicked when he thought he has to stay in this hospital for a week."
"But what could make him so afraid?" April asked. "He never has such a phobia of the hospital in the past."
"Captain Rider's phobia is perfectly understandable and normal under these circumstances," Doctor Pierre answered. "Remember, he was experimented on and if I'm not wrong, he was mostly alert and aware during the experiment. It may take him a long time to overcome the trauma."
Fireball raked a hand through his dark hair. "God, what a mess. We got him back, but he's totally messed up and we don't even know how to undo it."
"Just concentrate on getting him back on his feet," Doctor Pierre advised. "Get him past this trauma first. The other problems can be solved later on."
"Easier said than done, doc."
* * *
Alone in his ward, Saber remained seated on his bed, absently rubbing the back of his neck as he tried to adjust his perceptions.
Five years was a long time to be MIA. No wonder his friends had changed in appearances; they looked older. What happened during these five years? Why couldn't he remember a single thing? And why did he feel the urgency to rush back to Cavalry Command and warn them that the New Frontier's in danger? What actually happened to him?
So many questions, no answers in sight.
He never felt this unsure about himself. He needed answers, but at the same time, he was afraid of what the answers might be. Somehow, he just knew in his guts that it couldn't be anything good. Shivering, he rubbed his bare forearms. A puzzled frown furrowed his brows. He glanced down at his own forearms, rubbing the skin more thoughtfully.
"Hey."
Saber looked up, blinking when he saw Fireball's head poking around the door. The race-boy was grinning too cheerfully.
"Up for some visitors, Top Sword?"
Saber managed a forced smile. "Sure."
His friends entered his ward, settling into chairs around him.
"What's wrong?" Colt asked, noticing Saber's thoughtful rubbing.
"I'm not sure...but I can feel little bumps in my arms...like, like there's something beneath the skin." They exchanged quick startled glances. Saber continued, oblivious to their looks. "I could be imagining things, but I think there's something in the back of my neck as well."
Fireball braced himself and said, "Saber, we have something to tell you. Those bumps in your forearms, they're actually implants."
"I beg your pardon?"
"There's one in the back of your neck, just above your spinal cord. And almost a hundred scattered throughout your body."
Bit by bit, they told him about his altered condition.
"How-how did this happen?"
"Our guess is you were abducted and experimented on," Fireball told him. "By whom, we don't know yet."
Saber didn't know what to think or feel. He was stunned. Threading through that shock was the unpleasant feeling of being violated. At the same time, there was a knot of red raging anger unfurling in his guts, the pressure building up like a volcano. He ducked his head, almost shaking with the effort of controlling the strange wild rage.
"I-I need to be alone," he said in a tight voice.
"All right," Fireball agreed. He recognised the danger signs. Saber almost never lose his temper but when he did, everyone learned to stay out of his way.
April dug out a communicator from her pocket and left it beside him on the bed. "Here, in case you need us."
Saber didn't trust himself to speak, so he said nothing. He waited until they left, and waited some more to ensure he was truly alone.
Then slowly, one of his fists lifted and the fingers uncurled, revealing bloody gouges where his nails had dug into his flesh. Bloodstained fingers picked up the communicator. There was a tiny breaking sound as he crushed the device.
* * *
It was late at night before Saber felt calm enough to attempt sleeping. To be more accurate, he felt completely numbed and empty. He lies in bed, staring up at the whitewashed ceiling. Colt had volunteered to stay for the night and the cowboy was currently trying to sleep in the waiting room.
He raised his hand and studied his smooth palm. The gouges had healed; he had watched the wounds closed rapidly and the scars fading with a horrified fascination. He flexed his fingers, feeling the strength rippling in that hand. A Star Sheriff's communicator was made of the toughest metal found in the New Frontier. It took a lot to destroy one and he had crushed it without breaking a sweat. Add the dark homicidal fury that had clouded his mind, urging him to hurt someone, kill someone, Saber was truly frightened of what he had become.
If he hadn't asked his friends to leave, he was sure he would have hurt them. Badly.
Oh God, what am I?
The beeping intercom above his bed distracted him from his troubled thoughts. He reached out and touched the 'answer' button. "Yes?"
"Saber Rider?" The business-like male voice most assuredly did not belong to a nurse's.
Saber's hackles rose, as did his fighting instincts. With an effort, he suppressed his combative nature. "Who is this?"
"Meet me in the hospital garden at one o'clock and you'll know. Come alone and make sure no one sees you."
"Wait! Who -" Saber stared at the now-silent intercom, the question dying on his lips.
* * *
One o'clock.
Saber waited until the night nurse had walked away in the opposite direction before creeping to the exit. Along the way, he peeked into the waiting room and was satisfied to see Colt dozing in his chair. Saber padded barefooted down the steps, trying very hard to ignore the churning in his stomach.
The differences in his altered body was becoming clearer to him with every move he made. He could feel the changes in his every step, in every gesture he made, in the preternaturally acuteness of his senses. He could not remember being this aware of his surrounding, or his instincts being so finely sharpened. It was as though everything that made him a warrior in the beginning had been refined and enhanced, and everything else that did not was burnt away as unnecessary.
Saber didn't like it one bit.
A cold wind was blowing as Saber cautiously stepped out into the hospital garden. It tugged at his hair, penetrated the thin cotton pyjamas he wore. The grass was cold with moisture beneath his bare feet, but he was oblivious to the discomforts. All his senses were focused on his surroundings, sweeping the area for any signs out of the ordinary.
There.
Standing underneath the thickly spreading branches, he spotted a shadowy figure barely discernible from the night. Cautiously Saber went closer. When he neared the figure, he saw that the man was dressed like a cowboy in unrelieved black. Distant light glinted off the black metallic mask he wore. Saber stared hard at the stranger, having the nagging feeling that he had met him somewhere before.
The wind shifted and a strangely familiar scent tickled Saber's nose. His hackles rose. He didn't know how he could recognise through smell but the masked man was a Vapour-Beam.
"Saber Rider?" the stranger inquired softly.
"Who are you?"
"A friend."
"That's funny. I know there's gaps in my memory, but I'm sure I don't have friends among the Outriders." Saber took a closer look at the stranger. "No, I wouldn't call you 'friend'."
"Then consider me your rescuer. I'm not an Outrider, though I am a Vapour-Beam. I was the one who released you from your...captivity and hired Captain Beck to bring you to Dagora, to where your friends are. I'm also the one who woke you from your coma."
"So you did not send the hirelings to recapture me?"
"No, that remained solely the responsibility of our mutual enemy."
"What mutual enemy? Speak plainly."
"Later you would know when your memories comes back to you. Right now I'm just here to give you a welcome-back present."
The stranger stepped forward and placed a metal briefcase on the grass before backing away. Saber, still wary and alert for danger, cautiously approached the case and gingerly opened it. His eyes widened when he saw the contents.
The case contained weapons. Weapons he had never seen before.
They were compact, sleek and glinted with a burnished silvery light in the gloom of the night. One was a foot-and-a-half silver rod of indeterminable function, but Saber knew instinctively it would fit his hand most comfortably. The other was a blaster of a design that was strange and alien. It had a solidly built body; the grip and angle of the curve more pronounced. Instead of just one barrel, it had two – one sitting upon the other.
Saber did not think Cavalry Command manufactured these weapons. Even if the New Frontier military had came up with new weapons during his missing five years, the weapons would retain the reassuring human design. These weapons had the suggestive look of alien manufacture. What disturbed Saber even more was the sudden gut conviction that not only did he knew how to use these weapons, they had at some point in the past belonged to him.
"I've never seen these weapons before," he said quietly. "But they are mine, aren't they?"
The stranger's silence was answer enough.
Saber rose to his feet. "Some kind of welcome-back present this is," he said sardonically. "Most people just give flowers or cards."
"I'm not like most people and neither are you. They're yours and they'll serve you well in the near future."
"I still don't understand what you want from me."
"Nothing, save to be your ally. There is a storm coming, Saber Rider. A storm that would sweep undeterred through the New Frontier if we are caught unaware. I, for one, refused to be caught helpless in the storm." The stranger gestured to his left. "Oh, before I forget, there's a friend wanting to see you."
Saber peered into the darkness. His sharp ears have already picked up the sounds of clattering hooves. Listening intently, he heard a familiar whinny.
"Steed?" the name slipped involuntarily from him. "Is that you, old boy?"
A happy whinny answered him.
Saber rushed forward, a grin starting to form but died when he beheld the appearance of his faithful mecha horse.
"Steed," he breathed in dismay. "What did they do to you?"
His mecha horse had lost his proud warrior colours. Gone were the black-and-white markings, the yellow mane and the red cross that marked his chest. Steed was now a completely black mecha horse, with yellow mane and tail and opaque red eyes. In fact, save for its size and obvious warhorse bearing, Steed looked nothing like its old self.
"I had to give it a new coat of colours," the stranger explained. "I didn't think you would like the colours it wore during your disappearance. Pity I only had black and yellow available on hand."
Saber stroked the nuzzling nose of his mecha horse. "What happened to him?"
"Exactly what happened to you," the stranger answered cryptically. "But unlike you, he's completely all right now. Nothing a complete program reload couldn't fix."
The stranger turned to leave.
"Wait! I don't know your name."
"You can call me Nemo."
"Nemo." Saber shook his head. "It means 'nameless'. What kind of name is that?"
"The only one I'll carry until I've earned the right to a new name."
"Will we meet again?"
"Count on it, Saber Rider."
EIGHT - Luwashanka
The silence that descended after Black Ice carried out his punishment was deafening. The unfortunate lieutenant lay on the floor of the throne room, panting and curled tightly in pain. Towering over him, like an ice sculpture, Black Ice lowered his right arm. Sparks of energy still chased each other over the webbed surface of his gauntlet.
"You're forgiven." His voice was icy, belying the agonising pain he had dished out mere moments ago. "Take him away."
Two of his retainers stepped forward. Each grabbing the nearly unconscious lieutenant by an arm, they dragged him out of the throne room.
"Such a waste of good potential," the black-robed man commented wistfully from the sidelines.
Black Ice remained silent.
"It'll be difficult to find a replacement for him. Perhaps -"
He never got to finish his sentence. Barely stirring from his throne, Black Ice flicked a finger in his direction. A bolt of energy shot from the Conqueror's gauntlet, striking him full in the chest. Crying out in pain, he collapsed to the floor.
"I dislike your suggestion," Black Ice said. His eyes were flat and cold.
"Forgive me, Lord Conqueror." The black-robed man gasped breathlessly as he rose slowly to his feet. "I meant no disrespect but merely wish to suggest a replacement so our plans can proceed smoothly."
"He is one of us." Black Ice turned to face him. His colourless eyes burned with cold determination. "One way or the other, I will have him back again."