In her room Dita is sowing a pillow together with Paiway watching her. Poking herself with the needle Dita quickly retracted her hand and said "Ow, that hurt". Paiway tilted her head and asked with a smug smile "Hey Dita you giving that to a guy?" The red-haired dread pilot placed a hand on her face and blushed. "Cause I was thinking you could give it to me" Paiway said leaning against the table. Dita grabs the pillow and turns away "No way I'm giving this to Mr. Alien" she cried. In her puppet voice Paiway said "Barf out".
On the bridge Chase was with BC and the captain watching as Belvedere and Amarone were chatting while Ezra slept not too far away. BC sighed "When we're not under attack things certainly get dull around here. Looking up at her second in command Magno said "I didn't know you were one for that military bally hoo". Turning to her captain BC replied "I'm only thinking of the crew's morale". The old pirate turned her head once again to face her sub-ordinate "Our business is pirating right BC?" Before BC could answer Chase yawned loudly and turned to both of them "Well I'm bored so I'm outta here" he said waving to them.
In the hanger Chase noticed Dita peering into the Vanguard's cockpit "Check his room he might be there" he yelled to her. Looking down at the cowboy Dita smiled at him "Thanks Mr. Cowboy" she said before running out of the hanger. Chase smiled slightly as she passed him, waiting until after she was gone he looked up at the Vanguard and yelled "You owe me kid". Jumping out of the Vanguard Hibiki glared at Chase "I don't owe you nothing so just butt out" he barked. Chase grinned before he turned around "Have it your way then. Hey Dita I found him" he yelled down the hall.
Surprised the young Tarak yelled "Ok Ok I owe you just stop already". Looking back to him Chase changed his grin into an evil smile "I knew you'd see it my way. Now keep in mind that I can call in this favor at anytime I choose so be ready" the cowboy said before leaving the hanger. Walking through the halls the cowboy yawned again before he decided to check on Dita's 'progress'. Entering the holding area Chase quickly walked to Hibiki's cell to see Dita slipping into a white cleaning outfit, letting out a sharp whistle Chase tilted his hat at her "I must say Dita you look beautiful in white". Blushing at him Dita placed her hands on her face "Oh you think so?"
"Definitely" Chase replied looking around the young-tarak teen's room "Want some help?". Dita looked around the cluttered cell before returning her eyes to Chase "Sure" she smiled. Hanging his hat behind his neck Chase grabbed a rag and got on his knees "And so it begins" he said as the two pilots began cleaning. After the two finished Chase stretched his arms out and yawned "Wow I can't seem to stop yawning today" seeing the pillow Dita made Chase smiled nervously 'Creepy' he thought before he bowed to Dita and left the cell.
Walking past Hibiki in the hall Chase smiled at him "Enjoy" he whispered as he passed him. Turning around Hibiki glared at the cowboy as he turned the corner disappearing from view "What is it with that guy he's more annoying than the crazy girl". Walking into his room Hibiki screamed as he saw the state of his re-designed room "What's going on?" he muttered before seeing Dita on his bed. "Wake up" he yelled. Rubbing her eyes Dita smiled at him "Welcome home" she said happily. Hibiki growled "This isn't my home and just what the hell are you doing". After showing him the pillow she made Hibiki yelled "Get out" and kicked her out along with the alien stuff she placed in his room.
In the darkened Meeting room Meia was working on new formations for the dread teams adapting them to include the Vanguard and Nighthawk, hearing the door open she looked up to see Chase "So this is where you've been all day" he said walking over to her and checking the screen. Moving her eyes away from Chase, Meia recalled the images of his past that he showed her since that day Meia had agreed to allow Chase to command the Dread teams in the event of her absence. "Now that's just funny" Chase said leaning against the wall continuing to stare at the formation on the screen.
Turning her head Meia asked him what he found funny "That's the same formation I flew in before the harvest wiped out all my allies that day. The ships are different sure, but the placement and everything is the same" the cowboy said smiling sadly. "Don't worry about it too much though, whatever it was that wiped out my fleet was destroyed so this formation will work just fine" Chase told her before the doors opened once again this time it was Dita.
Seeing the sad look on her face Meia asked what was bothering her. After Dita explained what happened Chase looked at Meia "Can I kill him now?" he asked eagerly. Ignoring Chase's comment Meia returned her attention to Dita and said "Dita. I'm no good with words, and I don't want to encourage your curiosity, but I don't think its right for you to try and force your way into someone's heart". Closing his eyes Chase turned away "I'm going to check on Nighthawk see how he's doing" he said before he left the room.
Dita however didn't feel any better if anything she was more depressed. Entering the Nirvana's garden and throws rocks into the stream. She screamed, "Why? Why? All I want is Mr. Alien being happy!" Paiway snapped a picture of her with a weird looking camera and said "I took a picture with this new aura camera that Parfet built. Dita, are you feeling depressed?" Dita answered in a with a weak voice "Isn't that obvious?" As Dita began telling Paiway about a pet bluebird she used to have Chase silently walked over to them.
"Are you trying to say that I'm doing the same thing. That I'm making Mr. Alien tired to?" Dita cried grabbing Paiway by her shoulders. Holding up her frog puppet Paiway spoke in a gruff voice "I did hear Hibiki say he gets real tired around Dita". Dita frowned as she looked at the ground feeling crushed by what she just heard, "How is that helping?" Chase asked making his presence known. "Listen Dita there are a few things people should never do for any reason. One of those things is to change the way you are for someone else. I know this must be hard for you and I'm sorry I can't be of more help, but this is something everyone has to learn themselves" he said before walking away.
Seeing Hibiki in the halls outside the meeting room Chase narrowed his eyes as he reached into his vest and retrieved his colt revolver "Hey kid" he called approaching the young teen. Looking down the hall to Chase Hibiki growled "What do you want now?". Grabbing him by the throat and lifting him against the wall Chase held the barrel of his gun to Hibiki's temple "About that favor you owe me. I've decided to make it two, a second favor for not killing you. Remember these words well kid these lovely ladies may tolerate your presence, but I have no problem killing you". After his threat Chase dropped Hibiki and placed the colt back in its holster before entering the conference room yawning.
"You're late" Meia said as the two pilots entered the room. Chase waved his hand to the side tiredly motioning hello to his captain "Sorry I'm unusually tired today" he said before standing behind the right most chair of the speaker table. "Where's Dita?" Jura asked as Hibiki sat down. Hibiki immediately jumped back to his feet and growled "How should I know? What do I look like her baby-sitter?" Angered by his self-centered behavior Chase took his vest and hat off placing them neatly on the table "You know kid this is the last time I'm going to say this, lighten up. Next time I tell you it'll be with a bullet got it?" he said before sitting in the chair.
After Dita entered the room and sat at the front row Meia began explaining their new formation. "Forget it" Dita said cutting Meia off. "Don't bother with that because I won't be combining with him anymore" she continued shocking the pilots around the room. Quickly taking advantage of the situation Jura looked over to Dita and said "Ah I get it. You're starting to get bored with Mr. Alien aren't you?" Slowly shaking her head Dita sadly said "No. I've realized that Mr. Alien isn't happy with me, so from now on you can combine with him Jura". In the back of the room Hibiki nervously turned his head looking back and forth at Dita and Jura.
"Dita. I will tolerate the mixing of private matters in this room. This isn't a game" Meia said in a stern tone. "And we're back" Chase said under his breath as the meeting continued.
Watching from a small monitor on the table Chase kept an eye on the formation and flying style of each of the pilots making mental notes and tally marks on a piece of paper for each of their maneuvers. "Dita you're response time is dropping" Meia said watching from the wall monitor. Across the table Gascogne sighed and said "Well this is no good the girl's mind is somewhere else". Standing up Chase yawned and stretched his arms out "They need a lot more training" he said catching Meia and Gascogne's attention. "I could easily shoot down each of them alone if they keep flying like this" he continued before sitting back down.
After a few hours the pilots are in the cafeteria eating lunch Chase was sitting with Meia at the back table playing a game of solitaire "You know what my favorite card is Meia" he said after drawing a single card from the deck. Meia slowly turned her eyes to the cowboy as he leaned back and turned the card around. "The Ace of Hearts. Why?" the blue-haired pilot asked. Chase smiled as he set the card at the corner of the table "Well it was my first bulls eye when I would practice at the firing range, hit it dead in the center, but there's more to it than that" pausing to retrieve a slim transparent case from the left front pocket of his vest he showed her a green Ace of Hearts card with a hole in the center "That same card I shot with an arrow saved my life one day". Meia stared at the card before returning her attention to the cowboy "Is that why you have that emblem on your ship?" she asked. Chase nodded as he placed the case back in his pocket as Dita joined them.
Over at the food line Jura walked over to Barnette and whispered to her "You know there really is something strange going on with these two". Looking across the room at Dita then to Hibiki a few tables away Barnette said "Yeah there is". Jura moved closer to Barnette and asked "Think this is my big chance?" At a loss for words Barnette watched as Jura laughed mischievously.
Back at the table with Dita, Chase and Meia Chase had just finished his game of solitaire with a dead end "I love this game" he said gathering the cards up and looking at Dita. "Aren't you going to eat?" Meia asked seeing that Dita hadn't touched her lunch. Looking up at her commander Dita said "I've decided that I'm going to change myself. Because I know it's bad for Mr. Alien the way I am now" she said before noticing that Hibiki was watching her. Seeing Dita's eyes meet with his Hibiki quickly returned to his food swiftly gulping it down "I hope he chokes on it" Chase said placing the deck of cards back in his pocket "Well ladies I'll see ya around" he said placing his hat back on and leaving.
After a while Chase decided to return to his room for some rest, but he sees Dita running down the hall tears streaming from her eyes. After the young pilot ran past him Chase looked up the hall his expression changing from laid back to a grim and evil look "This time I'm gonna kill him" he growled retrieving the gun from his vest and swiftly walking towards the holding cells. Standing in the dark doorway of Hibiki's room Chase aimed his gun at the young boy's head and fired The bullet grazed the side of his face leaving a scratch yelling Hibiki jumped off his bed and looked at the cowboy with fearful eyes. Grabbing the dark-haired pilot by his shirt collar Chase lifted him against the wall and punched him in the stomach before dropping him. "Listen to me boy. That girl is trying her hardest to be friends with you and all you do in return is make her feel like shit, well no more" pausing Chase grabbed Hibiki by the neck and began choking him "Next time you hurt her I will end you" he said before throwing the boy onto his bed as if he were a mere doll.
In Jura's room Bart was sitting across from Jura while Barnette was sitting away from both of them hanging her head in disbelief. "Well now just what did you young ladies want to talk to me about?" the helmsman asked. Jura smiled slyly and said "I want you to become better friends with Dita. You see, Dita has been getting in my way lately so I think you should baby sit her and in that way I can have the boy all to myself." Bart asked, "Well what's in it for me?" Jura told him "Don't be silly if you had Dita by your side you would instantly become popular on this ship. You'd eat very well and you'd be treated like royalty".
Bart wondered, "Royalty" as he began thinking up an image of him being catered to by several cute young ladies. He develops a mischievous smile, "That doesn't sound bad." The blond Dread pilot said, "I want to do it soon!" She thinks up an image of her along with Hibiki standing on a golden craft. The two start laughing at the plan. Barnette sighed, "I can't keep up with them anymore."
In the darkened Cafeteria Chase joined Dita and Ezra as the two began eating sweets "No matter how much I eat my stomach still feels empty" Ezra said holding her hand over her mouth. Chase smiled "That's because you've got a parasite living in you sweetie" he said jokingly. Laughing at Chase's joke Ezra turned back to Dita and asked "Your still on good terms with Hibiki right?" Dita shook her head "I over heard him saying he can't stand me. That's why I've decided to change myself" she said leaning over the table. Ezra protested "But Dita I think your wonderful just the way you are" Chase added "Yea and besides didn't we have a talk about this earlier". Dita refused to listen "No I'm not I have to change". Chase sighed as he got up "Your choice just make sure its what you want" he said as he left the room.
Watching Gascogne play Hibiki in a game of poker Chase couldn't help, but laugh at the young teen's humiliation "How's this flush this is a man's game baby so give up" he barked. Gascogne revealed her hand "Four of a kind" she said with a smile. Chase laughed once more "This is much more fun than actually playing". Hibiki's eye's twitched with anger as he watched Gascogne shuffle the deck then deal out the hands "Four of a kind" he yelled. "Straight flush" Gascogne said showing her hand. Chase fell out of his chair laughing, lying on his back he smiled at the ceiling "Kid you really suck at this game" he said before the ship's alarm went off. "Aww Dammit I finally find some entertainment and now you show up" he yelled running out of Reg central.
"Go time" Chase cheered as he launched into battle Nighthawk releasing its war cry as the rest of the dreads and the vanguard joined him. Flying alongside Barnette and Meia, Chase looked around "Hey Barnette where's Jura?" he asked. Back in Jura's room her and the helmsman were laughing hysterically at their fantasies as they continued to sip down more wine.
"Her loss" Chase said as he activated Nighthawk's MK-45 laser rifle. Inside Dita's dread Hibiki appeared on her monitor "Hey listen, just don't do anything you wouldn't normally do its just that...dammit now you've got me confused. Just don't change you got that" he yelled. Dita's eyes widened with joy at Hibiki's words "Sure" she said happily. "All right then let's go" Hibiki grinned as the two ships combined into Vandread Dita and sped towards the incoming enemy. Inside their respective ships both Meia and Chase smiled from the corner of their mouths as they watched the Vandread fly into battle.
