Chapter 2 The New Face

It had been a few day and misty finally seemed settled into the nirvana. Ezra and Dita were talking about her over a cup of tea in the cafeteria."Just who does she think she is anyway!" Dita complained, obviously talking about Misty. "She comes barging in here and hugs Mr Alien like that" she moaned.

Ezra smiles, concerned for the new arrival she asks Dita. "Well wouldn't you behave the same way if you suddenly woke up in a strange place?" Dita however did not see it this way.

"Well if she's that confused, then how come the first thing she did was hug Mr Alien?" Dita said angrily remembering the two hug. "How odd" Ezra smiled. "I guess that would be pretty shocking" she said looking out the window into the star filled space.

In the meeting room however Nix was alone again, busy flicking through his personal black pocket book. "Hmm so the van-defender joined with a dread, forming the Vandread defender M." He said walking up and down the room.

"May be the reason for this merging is due to the time we fought, when peksis was acting up." He thought sitting down with his then he sighed as he tore another page from his black book."Every time I think I have this peksis worked out it changes" he said closing his book in disappointment.

But back in the cafeteria. The two women were sitting perfectly fine talking until Ezra crouched over in pain. "Ezra what's wrong?" asked Dita worried, "the baby" Ezra said painfully. "What now?" screamed a panicked Dita. Ezra moaned in pain as she held his stomach. Dita decided to was best to get her to the infirmary.

It was just by luck that Hibiki was walking down the corridor near the meeting room. He ran into Nix as he came out the meeting room."Hey watch were your going!" the young pilot barked at him. Nix just smiled offering Hibiki a hand up. But Hibiki just got to his feet. "I'm fine" he said brushing himself down."If you say so soldier"said Nix calmly turning away. "I do hope you will keep your promise to miss Dita" he smirked."You too" said an annoyed Hibiki. He was fed up of everyone telling him about this promise he had made.

"Just leave it alone" barked Hibiki back at Nix who laughed. But then who should come around the corner, but Dita struggling to carry the hurting Ezra."Oh Mr dark heart, Mr alien please help me" she begged trying to carry Ezra. "She's having her baby" said a hard-working Dita. Nix looked over his shoulder to see Hibiki trying to sneak away.

"Soldier get back here" he ordered. Hibiki stopped as Nix spoke again. "Help me and miss Dita now!" he ordered helping Dita with Ezra. Hibiki sighed. He knew he had too. So the three carried Ezra into the lift and Nix pressed the button in the lift to take them to the infirmary. Ezra was now breathing heavenly as her pain got worse and worse. "Hold my hand miss Ezra" Nix said offering his right hand. She grabbed on to it."Any pain and you squeeze understand?" Nix said gently. Ezra nodded as she began to squeeze Nix's hand.

As the elevator was travelling up, Duelo contacted them over the intercom. "Hibiki, describe Ezra's condition to me" he said over the speaker. As Hibiki tried to explain to Duelo, Dita could see the pain on Nix looked down to Ezra was squeezing Nix's right hand. Meaning his muscles in his right arm were taking a hit. "Mr dark heart" she said concerned, but Nix put his left index finger to his lips and shook his this Dita seemed to understand. He was doing this for Ezra. His pain was nothing con-paired to hers. "It's soon doctor, she seems in great pain" said Nix from where he was sitting.

All of a sudden the elevator stopped and the lights dimmed. Before being replaced by what little life there was of the emergency lights. "What happened?" Dita gasped. " I think troops we have ourselfs a power cut" said Nix before Ezra squeezed his hand again causing him to hold back his was almost a few minutes before Duelo and Magno contacted them again. "There was a computer virus hidden in the capsule BC was decoding from misty's pod" said Magno over the intercom. "Its trying to shut down the ship".

"Has Ezra's condition changed yet?"Asked Duleo taking over the intercom. Hibiki looked at Ezra as she squeezed Nix hand tighter and tighter."She's almost at the point of birth" said Nix painfully holding back his pain."Then we don't have a choice any more" said the Captain looking at the young doctor."Without the lift working, she's going to have to give birth right there" she continued to say.

"Don't be ridiculous" Duelo said maintaining his calm disposition."Like I said doctor" Magno said forcefully. "We don't have a choice. I'm afraid that baby won't wait. Looking down at the microphone for the intercom. Magno began ordering the three trapped pilots."Listen you three do exactly as I tell you" she ordered. Her first order was to have someone at Ezra's legs ready to gently pull on the baby's head as it came out.

"Soldier your closest, get too it" said Nix relaxing as Ezra stopped squeezing. "What I can't" Hibiki said scared. Suddenly Ezra squeezed again catching Nix by surprise. He screamed at Hibiki."Soldier this is no time to be a coward!". So Hibiki took his place,But just as Magno was about to give more orders the ship rocked violently. "It can only happen now" sighed Nix as he held back another squeeze from Ezra.

The rocking got worse and worse. Nix knew this was an attack.

Nix looked at Ezra with his calm eyes."Miss Ezra, I have to protect the ship for you and your child" he said. She stared at him with pain in her eyes. "I'm leaving you in the care of miss Dita and soldier, You are in safe hands I promise" Nix said comforting nodded and released his hand. "Thank you Mr dark-heart" she said softly as he stood to his feet.

Nix then looked at Hibiki and Dita with his normal cold stare. "Make sure this birth is properly done, I'm counting on you troops" he said as he reached for the the emergency hatch on the lift roof .They all watched as Nix pulled himself out, then seal them in the lift again. On the lift roof Nix looked over the edge. "Mistake dark heart" he said feeling sick as he looked up for the nearest door. The nearest door was up, so with a deep breath he began his climb.

Meanwhile outside in space a battle raged on. Two harvest eye drones flew toward the Nirvana . Shooting yellow energy chains at the arms of the ship, the chains impaled them and reeled the Nirvana in, like a fish to a fisher man.

"The nirvana!" shouted Barnette shocked at what happened to the ship. But Meia was not going to let them have the ship. "Jura, Barnette, ignore the other enemies, concentrate on the chains and take them out" she ordered over the two pilots nodded as they flew towards them. However just as they were getting close two huge energy shots hit the enemy eye ships dead on.

Destroying the chains and the ships in one go. "Hmph who would have guess?" said Meia in her usual tone as Nix appeared on her communication screen."Rule 1 of a being a leader, never let your home be taken" he smirked. Meia scoffed and closed the communication.

Meanwhile back in the elevator Dita and Hibiki were following Magno's instructions to the point. As Ezra tried her hardest to keep up a steady breathing pace."I need you to spread her legs and wait for the head to appear. Once you see it gently grab and pull it gently"ordered the captain. "Ezra on the count of three push with all your might" Magno commanded."All right" Dita nodded as she spread Ezra's legs and waited. Hibiki had grown to scared of his role so he and Dita swapped. Watching with tense nerves Dita finally saw the small baby's head coming out.

"I see it, now what Captain?" asked Dita pleased, but still scared. "It's the point of delivery" the Captain told her. "Support the baby's head and pull gently. Ezra still in pain muttered that she was scared, but Dita quickly shot down her worries, replacing them with confidence and hope."Everyone has been waiting for the birth of your baby Ezra. So don't give up I believe in you" Dita said happily. Ezra smiled in response at her friends words before pushing again. Finally everything seem to click. As the last enemy ship exploded, a cry was heard through out the ship.

Duelo smiled as he closed his new-found book. "What's wrong doctor ,giving up?" said the wise captain with a smile. He turned to her with his usual calm look."I've learnt that some things about life cannot be learned though reading, you have to experience it" he said with his smile. The captain nodded in agreement."I only wish I could have seen it" Duelo said resting his arms on his control panel.

As the dread teams returned to the nirvana, they all raced to see the new arrival. Nix however was walking slowly as he was waiting for some one. He grinned as Meia caught up to him."Your not rushing to see the baby?" Nix asked Meia as they walking on. "Babies aren't my thing" said Meia staring at Nix smiled at her. "Of course leader" he said as they walked on.

The two arrived just as Misty began teasing Hibiki in a flirting style before kissing him on the lips, making the young pilot smiled at this." I don't know how he's lived so long ,but he's a good pilot to have around" thought Nix standing behind the crowds of crew members wanting to see the noticed him standing in the back and called him over."Mr dark heart!" she called then covering her she was being too loud for Ezra. But Ezra just smiled as Dark Heart came over. He stood at the bottom of Ezra's bed.

"Miss Ezra how are you feeling?" he said in a quietly and gentle voice."Just tired" she yawned at him. "Oh I'm sorry" she apologized covering her mouth. Nix just smiled at her. "Its fine miss Ezra, you have worked hard" he said looking down to see the new-born baby resting in it's mothers arms.

"I see miss Dita and soldier took care of you" he said as the baby let out a tiny sound. Ezra nodded with a smile back. "They were great" said Ezra tiredly. Nix then turned to Dita who was standing beside the bed."Good work miss Dita, I knew my faith in you was not miss placed" he said saluting her. Dita smiled and saluted back "Thank you Mr dark-heart" she said quietly. With that Nix made his exit.

"A new life is born and an old leader's heart is warmed" he thought as he wondered back down the as he wondered the thoughts of what had happened through out his time on the ship flashed through his head. But they all seemed to have one thing in common.

Is that a joke or are you agreeing with the way I dealt with it. I only have the controls for steering. What are you doing, you did not wait for the captains orders. It's my duty. I'm not doubting you, just be on your guard. I think that is why I'm in charge.

Nix sighed looking back at the infirmary door were Meia stood. "Rule 2 of being a leader" He thought looking at her. "Never let your feelings cloud your judgement".