The Heart of Rebellion
Blistering heat. That was all he could feel, as he rushed through the death-choked halls of the space-battleship with a laser rifle in hand.
"Where are they? Where the hell are they?" his mind ranted, even as his body reacted automatically to the sound of metallic voices and hollow-sounding footsteps. With a wild yell, he fired at anything that moved that wasn't a human; his shots striking true on his intended targets.
"First Officer! Over here, man!" a voice shouted, much to the relief of the fighter.
"Mallow! Chief Engineer! Where's the Captain?" the fighter asked, as he raced over to them; taking out a few more of his enemies as he did so. He got a grim shake of the head from the man he'd called 'Mallow' for a response.
"Those metal bastards got 'im, Phantom. There was nothing we could do." Mallow replied, guiltily; not even looking up when the First Officer gripped his shoulder to reassure him.
"It wasn't your fault. This attack caught everyone off guard...no exceptions. All we can do now is get what remains of the crew off of this ship, and then blow it up so the Machine Men can't use it or it's information against us." 'Phantom' stated, his eyes narrowing at the thought.
"You're right about that...But I'm sure it comes as much against your nature as it does in mine. You are your father's son, after all...If this were your ship, you wouldn't even consider evacuating." the Chief Engineer murmured, almost too quietly to be heard by the younger men with him. 'Phantom' only offered a slight snort of derision for that.
"Got that right...And, ordinarily, I'd consider staying and taking as many of the bastards with me as I can...but I have no intention of dying here." Phantom growled, than added, "Not until I can make my mark in the universe and hand them their asses while doing so."
"A 'Harlock' statement if ever I heard one..." Mallow muttered, shaking his head, even as a devil-may-care grin appeared on his face.
"Don't expect anything less." Phantom said, with a smirk of his own, before cautiously peering around the corner, and then firing a shot.
"Wouldn't dream of it...Now, what do we do? How do we get to the escape pods from here? Our rifles can't take much more of this...They're almost out of juice as it is!" Mallow stated, as he pointed out the light near the trigger of the weapon that signaled that its' energy was running low.
"Grab replacement rifles off of the destroyed Machine-men as we go. If we do that, we just might be able to make it." Harlock said, calmly.
"Then let's get to it, then. We won't get very far if we continue to sit here." the Chief Engineer murmured; getting nods from both of the younger men in agreement. Seconds later, the three men were running full tilt down the hallway; coughing and gasping as the smoke and death-scent filled their noses.
"Hope they don't start using poison gas. We can't outrun that." Harlock mused; letting out a yelp when a couple of stray laser bolts struck him across his back.
"First Officer!" Mallow shouted, when he saw Harlock stumble slightly in mid-stride, but quickly regain his footing and continue running.
"Don't...worry about me, dammit! Keep going!" Harlock snarled, even though he could feel blood beginning to soak through the material of his uniform. Nodding, Mallow and the Chief Engineer kept up their pace towards the docking bay. Almost as soon as they'd set foot within the docking area, relieved shouts came to their ears.
"First Officer! Mallow! Tsuyomaru! Thank God you're all right!" a woman's voice shouted, as the owner of it rushed up to them.
"Good to see you too, Second Officer Reia." Harlock muttered, tiredly; a relieved smile briefly appearing on his weary features as he said that.
"It looks like this might be it for the Vengeance, doesn't it, First Officer?" one man asked, after he'd saluted the tired man before him. Harlock nodded.
"Yeah. This old rustbucket'd somehow survived the Illumidas Occupation, but it couldn't survive this...The best thing we can do now is make sure the computers are destroyed, and then escape." Harlock said, reluctantly.
"I know of another way to get to the bridge from here, First Officer." Reia offered.
"You're nominating yourself for this?" Harlock asked, a bit surprised that she would do such a thing. Reia nodded.
"We can't let them have what's in those computers. We owe it to the Captain to destroy as much data as we can, before abandoning ship." Reia said, sadly.
"True. But who will lead the evacuation, if both of us go?" Harlock questioned.
"Don't worry, sir. Mallow and I will keep 'em in line. You two go and do what you can to keep those metal-heads from claiming an absolute victory." Tsuyomaru (the Chief Engineer) said, with a certainty that only an older soldier could show. With much reluctance, Harlock agreed with the plan, then both he and Reia took off.
"Godspeed to you both, you two. And be sure to come back alive." Tsuyomaru muttered, as he watched the two youthful figures disappear into the smoke.
vvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)
Less than an hour later, the pair had finished demolishing the control room and were on their way back. After a few hair-raising wrong-turns, something happened that would affect the course of Harlock's life forever. They had almost reached the metal catwalks that spanned the docking area when laserfire erupted from either side. As they watched, one side of the catwalk was blocked off by Machine-Men; effectively cutting off their retreat.
"Very bold move on your parts, First Officer, Second Officer...but it was all in vain. Give yourselves up now, and maybe we'll give you eternal life." the Machine-Man closest to them said, as he slowly approached; backing off when Harlock fired a shot at his feet.
"I'd sooner swallow fire." Harlock snarled, then added, "Besides, eternal life isn't something the likes of you can give."
"Oh really?" the Machine-Man droned, his tone dripping with sarcasm, before adding, "We'll soon see. But, in the meantime, we'll give you your fire to swallow." With that said, the Machine-Man raised his arm, a few of his subordinates grabbed Reia and pulled her roughly aside, and a barrage of laserfire began.
"HARLOCK!" Reia screamed, when she saw the first few shots strike the stubborn officer; sending him reeling to the metal grating.
"R-reia..." Harlock muttered, even as he felt the blasts tear into him. With the stubbornness his father had been so well known for, Harlock got back to his feet, and struggled to get where Reia was standing...only to fall once again when another blast struck him right across the face. As the world began to fade around him, Harlock could hear when Reia's screams faded into the background, and felt it when someone picked him up and started running.
"Reia...I'm sorry..." Harlock thought, before consciousness left him completely.
vvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)
Tochiro looked on in worry, as what remained of the crew of the Vengeance made landfall; anxious to hear any news about his friend.
"Any word yet?" a woman's voice questioned, as the owner of it sat down alongside him. Tochiro shook his head.
"Not a thing. The last of the escape pods is about to land, so maybe those on board know something...We can't give up on 'im yet, Emeraldas." Tochiro murmured, grimly. Emeraldas nodded quietly in agreement. They knew the chances of survival were slim, especially after an attack as vicious as the one the Vengeance's crew had endured. Yet, the solemn mood was disrupted, when panicked shouts came from the just-arrived escape ship.
"Make way! Hurry up!" a man's voice shouted, as he shoved his way through a gathering crowd, with what appeared to be a severely injured man in his arms.
"Kami-sama...Please tell me it isn't..." Tochiro muttered, before he and Emeraldas dashed over to see if they could be of any help.
"Come over this way! We've got a shelter set up with some medical supplies!" Emeraldas said, as she helped guide the man in that direction. It was in that moment that Tochiro got a good look at the wounded soldier in the man's arms; his face paling when he recognized his face.
"I'll stay here with him, you two go and get a doctor! Hurry!" Tochiro ordered, as the man laid the lifeless soldier onto a makeshift cot, and then rushed off without a word along with Emeraldas.
"Harlock...my friend, can you hear me?" Tochiro asked, fearing the worst as he placed a hand on the wounded man's shoulder. He got a slight flinch for a response, and then his eyes feebly opened.
"T-tochiro...what're you...doin' here?" Harlock whispered, painfully.
"Don't try to talk, buddy. You got pretty badly chewed up." Tochiro said; disheartened when he saw how much difficulty his friend was having just breathing. Blood soaked the shredded and burnt remnants of his uniform; a grim testament of how desperate the situation had been.
"Tell me something...I don't know..." Harlock retorted, in an attempt to assume his usual attitude and reassure his lifelong friend.
"What happened up there?" Tochiro asked, turning slightly when Emeraldas returned with a doctor in tow.
"Just...what you think. They broke through...and ripped as many humans apart as they could...while doing so. I'm...the only...commanding officer... left...of the crew on the Vengeance." Harlock softly replied; wincing with every word spoken.
"Then it's an absolute miracle you'd survived this. There are many others who have not been as fortunate, First Officer." the doctor murmured. Harlock nodded in agreement. Moments later, explosions could be heard coming from the direction of a few cities; signaling that the bombing phase of the attack had begun.
"Damn...What the hell are they tryin' to do? End all life on earth?" Tochiro asked, as horror emerged in his voice, and his eyes widened at the fiery deaths of the cities.
"Life as we know it...Those damn machines...want nothing more...than to subjugate mankind...And, to do so...they are striking where it hurts humanity's spirit the most..." Harlock murmured, painfully; watching as realization appeared on both Emeraldas' and Tochiro's faces.
"The soldiers' families...Kami-sama...Those damned metal cowards!" Tochiro growled, furiously.
"I...only wish...we could've stopped them...But they've broken Earth's defenses, and are now free to ravage her as they see fit..." Harlock said, as the doctor treating his injuries injected a painkiller into his arm. As darkness began to surround him, once again, Harlock could barely see when a grim smile appeared on Tochiro's round features.
"Not so, my friend...Not with the DeathShadow around to give them hell. We'll see to that." Tochiro stated, determinedly.
"DeathShadow?" Harlock heard himself ask, faintly.
"Yeah. You'll soon see what I mean. For now, rest easy...We'll be handing the Machine Men their asses soon enough." Tochiro replied, as consciousness drifted away from Harlock, and painless blackness took over.
vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)
It was the deep sound of a ship that brought him back around. The slight vibration of an immense engine deep within the hull...the very feel of the ship in question's power, it's soul, if you will, that brought his slumbering mind back to the realm of the living.
"Are you awake, Harlock?" Emeraldas' voice asked, quietly, from somewhere beside him.
"Somewhat...if you can call it that..." Harlock responded; his voice sounding rougher to his ears than he remembered. Moments later, he managed to open his eyes and blearily look up at her. Vaguely, he could see the relief in her eyes, and definitely heard it when she breathed a sigh of relief, as well.
"Good. Tochiro's been worrying himself sick." Emeraldas stated, then added, "We've had to keep you unconscious for quite some time...Your wounds were so severe..."
"How long...exactly?" Harlock managed, as his seemingly fogbound brain began to clear.
"A full month. The doctor had told us that a lot of your wounds, if not all of them, will leave scars...and you'll carry them for life." Emeraldas replied, hesitantly. This only got a sigh from the man as a response.
"I guess I know now what Lady Emeraldas, the previous captain of the Queen Emeraldas, must've gone through when the Illumidas left that scar on her face..." Harlock murmured, as he thoughtfully, yet carefully, touched the left side of his own face; flinching slightly when his fingertips met the upraised flesh from the still-healing sutures.
"Indeed...Harlock, do you feel like getting up? I'm sure you'd like to know where you are." Emeraldas stated; her tone of voice alerting Harlock to the fact that she had some kind of important news to tell him.
"I guess so...But I might need a new uniform...Seeing as my old one is gone..." Harlock replied, as he motioned to himself with a wave of his hand. With a slight blush (which Harlock thought of as a personal achievement, considering how unflappable she normally was) Emeraldas pulled what appeared to be an old duffle bag into view and unzipped it. Inside it, lay the uniform in question.
"I'll be right back in a few minutes. I need to go and tell Tochiro that you're awake." Emeraldas said, as she stood to leave the room and give him some privacy. Within seconds, she'd left the room and closed the door behind her, leaving him to himself.
"Might as well." Harlock mused, as he carefully got up; wincing when his body protested to the movement. Within fifteen minutes, he had the uniform on; feeling some surprise when he noticed the captain's collar.
"Well, I guess I don't really have to worry about rank anymore, since by now I must be listed among the dead..." Harlock thought, as he fastened his gunbelts into place, and then quietly left that room behind him.
vvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)
Tochiro couldn't help but grin when he saw the tall form of his friend emerge into the hallway. He could remember very clearly how dire Harlock's injuries had been, and the near-misses with death he had suffered...And yet, there he stood. True, he wasn't completely healed yet, but he was well enough to stand on his own; and that, above all, made all the difference.
"So, what do you think?" Tochiro asked, grinning as Harlock gave him a bewildered glance.
"Wasn't this a Solar Federation vessel?" Harlock asked, his voice holding some of his disbelief as he stared at the restored corridor in wonder.
"Yep, sure was. In fact, it's not just any old overhauled ship, either." Tochiro stated, as he patted the gleaming wall, fondly.
"What do you mean?" Harlock questioned; arching an eyebrow when Tochiro gave him an unreadable grin.
"Y'mean you don't know? Harlock, this is your father's DeathShadow! His old Solar Federation battle cruiser!" Tochiro announced, his smile growing when a look of shock mixed with joy appeared in his friend's eyes.
"I can hardly believe it...Can she fly?" Harlock asked, his voice just barely audible. Tochiro nodded.
"Hell yeah! She's been completely restored, and, on top of that, refurbished! At your command, we'll leave the hellhole that earth has become for the Sea of Stars!" Tochiro stated, gleefully; overjoyed that the light had returned to Harlock's brown eyes.
"Then alert the crew. We leave within the hour." Harlock ordered, as he rushed to get to the bridge.
"Okay!" Tochiro shouted; letting out a whoop as he went.
"I take it he likes the 'gift'?" Emeraldas asked, smiling knowingly as her beloved raced towards her. Her response was an excited hug from the diminutive engineer.
"We're leaving within the hour! We're soon gonna be following in our fathers' footsteps!" Tochiro gleefully cried, as the excitement over their imminent departure spilled over into Emeraldas' heart as well.
"Then let's get ready to go, so the moment he gives the word, we'll be ready." Emeraldas said, as Tochiro's now-contagious smile touched her lips as well. They were finally leaving the earth behind...and Destiny would no longer have any say in their lives.
vvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)
"Are all hands at their positions?" Harlock's voice asked, as the newly-named captain stood behind the wheel.
"Aye sir!" the First Mate replied.
"All right. DeathShadow...hasshin." Harlock commanded, feeling it when the ship roared to life beneath his feet; the vibrations traveling through the deck and into the wheel.
"This ship's heart has started once again..." Harlock thought, then looked out at his crew. Many of the men on deck were the sons of his father's crew; gathered together by Tochiro and Emeraldas during his month-long recovery. They were very eager to prove themselves worthy of their names, and, in so doing, make a name for themselves.
"When we reach the atmosphere, raise our flag. The skull and crossbones will fly over this ship, from here on out." Harlock announced. This got a chorus of 'Ayes' from his crew, and especially from Tochiro.
"Wonder if we'll come across our fathers out there, somewhere?" one man said, thoughtfully, as he watched the instrument panels for any response from the Terrestrial Military.
"Who knows?" Harlock murmured, then silently added, "We just might..."
Owari
Take your message to the streets tonight, rebel son
There's a restless voice that's calling you.
Through the darkest night, fight the fight, rebel son
To yourself alone you must be true, rebel son
Rebel Son (by Survivor)
Author's Note!
This might seem a bit disjointed, but this is my attempt at a prequel fic for 'Don't Pay the Ferryman' (in other words, my attempt to explain what had happened to 'Young' Harlock before he met Zero and the crew of the Karyu). Hope this was a passable attempt!
Gemini14