Chapter 8: Lies and Deception
Disclaimer: I don't own Vandread or the Armored Core games, just my OC and his NEXT
Vandread Raven
As Keith slept happily, his thoughts are focused on a certain blue-haired woman. Ever since Meia finally accepted Keith as a friend, he felt as if a part of him had returned that he thought was lost and the fact that he stood by Meia's bedside while she was injured only strengthened their friendship and Keith hopes that soon he can turn it into something more. He wakes up and cleans up before he started to get dressed, then he hears a beeping noise on the control panel next to his bedroom door he wonders who could it be.
He pressed the button after putting his shirt on and asked, "Yes?" Meia's image shows up on the small monitor.
Meia said in a stern voice, "We have stumbled across an abandoned mission. I want you to join us in this salvaging operation since you have knowledge on structures like these."
Keith answered, "Understood, Meia. I'll be down there in a few minutes." After he ends the communication, he puts the ruby necklace on and stops by the cafeteria for a quick bite to eat before heading down to the hanger. Just as he prepares to board Black Dragon he sees that Parfet and her team of engineers have finished making a machine gun for his NEXT and coloring it along with the grenade rifle, laser rifle, multi-chain missile launcher, 07-Moonlight beam saber, and shoulder support missile units. The main color was black and the sub color was blood red. Yesterday Keith ordered the engineers to paint the weapons two different colors. He chose red and black because they symbolized darkness and chaos and also told them to retrieve debris from the destroyed Harvester units. The leftovers could prove to be very useful as replacement parts for the weapons in case they malfunctioned or were badly damaged but not for his NEXT because he learned that it can somehow repair itself, which astonished Keith.
Parfet saw the 16-year old Lynx and said, "Oh, hey Keith. We've completed the machine gun and updated the AMS. Now you don't have to worry about headaches when you overuse it."
Keith said, "Thank you, Parfet. That means a lot." After that he heads to the mission with Hibiki, Meia, Jura, Dita and Barnette after they're on board they go their separate ways. Jura told them if they find any flashy clothes they belong to her.
Keith and Meia are currently salvaging for anything useful from the core.
'Jura should have her own fashion show!' Keith thought.
Dita said as she looked at the core tower, "I can't believe the captain remembers this space station. It's enormous!"
Pyoro corrected, "It's actually called a mission."
The Lynx demanded, "OK, cut the chatter you two, we got a salvaging operation to complete." Meia seemed to nod at the statement.
The little white robot floated a little closer to them, "All you're doing is stealing!"
Meia thought up an alternative, "Consider it gathering abandoned assets." Then something flew past Hibiki, he heads off to the direction it went off to, when he appeared at the location Hibiki looked left and right to see where the thing went to. The mysterious creature jumps off of a support beam and lands in front of them.
It was an orangutan and it smiled at him with a toothy grin, Hibiki stares at the animal wide-eyed as if he's never seen it before. Suddenly the orangutan leaps forward and tackles Pyoro and starts to lick him.
Pyoro started to yell for Hibiki's help but the young Tarak just stands confused until a voice called out, "Knock it off, Utan."
Hibiki turns around to see a man possibly in his early or mid 30s dressed in Indian-style clothes and wearing a red colored patch over his right eye, the stranger probably lost it in an accident, Hibiki starts to run towards the man thinking that he's come to save them but that hope is shattered when he pulls out a gun with blazing speed. Hibiki stares at the barrel when the newcomer twists his arm and hides behind the pilot while aiming his gun at Meia, who aiming her laser ring at him.
The stranger said, "You're a woman."
Meia asked coldly, "So what if I am?"
The newcomer replied, "It's my policy not to kill women." He releases Hibiki. He hears the sound of a weapon being drawn out of the corner of his eye he sees a .45 caliber pistol pointed near his left temple. Keith was holding the gun.
The Indian-clothed man said, "Okay, looks like you got me outnumbered, doesn't it?"
Jura asked as she kept her sword pointed at the back of his neck, "What's he doing here? He's a man!"
Barnette takes his gun and leveled her own, "Sure looks like it!"
The man asked, "I suppose you're some kind of gang?" Despite being outnumbered 5-1, the man is completely relaxed which made Keith uneasy.
Meia answered, "We prefer to be called pirates."
The man wondered, "Like that lady over there?" He referred to Hibiki.
The Vanguard pilot is momentarily open-mouthed but regained his composure, "Hey! I'm a guy, stupid!" That just made the stranger laugh and Hibiki yelled, "What's so funny?"
The man cried, "Sorry about that, it's just that you look so cute!" Suddenly their attention is drawn to Dita screaming as they saw the man's orangutan licking her leg, he pointed his thumb at Utan, suggesting that he can stop the charade. He gets a nod from Meia.
The man walks over and grabbed the animal, "Alright that'll be enough out of you, Utan. Your partner is in trouble and all you're doing is being useless." He grabs Pyoro and whispered, "Now!" He throws the white robot at Meia but Keith pulls her down to avoid being hit. Barnette tries to shoot her gun but Utan uses her as a springboard to escape, Jura attempts to cut the man down but misses and he disappears into the shadows.
Keith got up and demanded, "You snake, get back here!" All of a sudden the entire mission starts to shake. The group decided it was time to leave. They head back to their machines.
Hibiki asked, "Man, this sucks! What's going on now?"
Meia answered, "I guess pirates like us aren't exactly welcome around here!" After they board their machines they immediately depart, when they reach outside cube-types started attacking them. It looks like this whole thing was a trap indicating that the Harvesters mean business.
Hibiki uses his Vanguard's axe against a pair of Normals he destroys them without difficulty.
That's when Dita asked, "Mr. Alien, let's combine!"
Hibiki refused, "Thanks but no thanks!"
Dita groaned, "Why not?" She's snapped out of her whining by Meia.
Black Dragon extends its heat whip and super heats it, making it glow red-hot. Keith destroys 20 cube-types come out of the structure with little trouble and turns his attention toward a formation of 70 Normals that are approaching him.
He said, "When will the Harvesters learn? A Normal is nothing compared to an Armored Core!" The 07-Moonlight is pulled out and extended to its maximum length. His NEXT starts spinning as a tornado of destruction. The Normals are cut down one by one normally all this spinning would make a pilot vomit but all the training that Keith went through under Katrina's tutelage has made him build up phenomenal endurance. After the 70 Normals are trashed Black Dragon stops spinning with its red eyes glowing.
Keith finished, "Mark my words, Adam. When we meet again you will suffer the same fate that these Normals did!" To his left Keith spots Jura trying to make her crimson Dread combine with the Vanguard but is thwarted by Dita's. Vandread Dita appears out of the light.
Jura cried, "No fair! I won't forgive you for this, Dita!" The redhead makes a mocking face and sticks her tongue out.
Dita said, "Too bad! You won't be combining today. Alright, let's go!" Hibiki looks away from the two women with irritation on his face. The Vandread cocks the shoulder cannons and is joined by Black Dragon pointing its Karasawa Mk 3 laser rifle at the target. The two machines fire at the mission and it explodes in a blinding flash. The stranger stares at the sight with amazement in his eyes!
He gasped, "Utan, did you see what I saw?" The orangutan nods. Then the man gets a deceiving smile on his face, "Utan, my friend I think we just hit the jackpot." Suddenly his ship is rocked by an explosion the Harvesters start attacking him without mercy.
He said, "I suppose it's time. Go ahead, Utan knock yourself out." The prime ape hops into a red humanoid machine and goes trigger happy on the attacking cube-types, the man places a hand in his hair as he looked at the ammunition meters rapidly declining. After 3 minutes of non-stop firing Utan's machine runs out of ammo. The chimp exhales. The Nirvana crew looks on.
Magno said, "What a shame. All that material gone to waste."
The man replied, "That's my line. My engine got damaged in that attack and what are you going to do about it?"
The pirate leader growled, "Who do you think you're talking to? We're pirates and we don't accept help from nobody!" Keith felt a bit of anger in her voice as Magno thought her crew was being mocked.
The man teased, "Oh really? Then I suppose you don't care about this little guy, do you?" Utan holds up a familiar robot.
Dita cried, "We forgot Pyoro!"
Magno agreed reluctantly, "I suppose we have no choice. Come on board."
The man replied, "Right and maybe we can do a little trading while at it." The image closes.
BC asked, "Is this wise, captain?"
The old woman told her, "Pyoro is a part of our crew now, BC and besides..." She looks at her sub-commander with a big smirk on her face, "If he tries any funny business we'll simply have to relieve him of all his wealthy possessions."
The man's ship docked with the Nirvana and the ramp extends before the man walks down to see the female crew. He begins to act casually around them and attempts to lower their guard.
Parfet tries to retrieve Pyoro from Utan but the orangutan runs and the engineer ends up chasing it through the halls.
The man opens a box filled with every kind of jewelry that any woman could want needless to say the crew immediately dives into the jewel box. However a few remain suspicious about the guy, namely Keith and Meia, the 16-year old talks with Magno and BC who are also suspicious about the trader.
Keith said, "I don't trust this Rabat guy, the way he acts around the crew makes my skin crawl."
BC agreed, "Yeah, I'm with Keith on this one. He knows what planets we're from and what we're up against."
Magno picked up a card and said, "Maybe he's conspiring with the enemy?" She looks at the card, "The 'Hermit' eh? An outsider one who searches! An enemy or perhaps something more?"
Hibiki gets a mop and a bucket full of water and heads to clean the Register room's floor to get his mind off of Rabat while Duero has his own suspicion about the guy.
In the Register room Gascogne is talking with two of her workers.
One stage hand said, "He acts so kindly around us like Keith does just thinking about the NEXT pilot is making me blush, I think I may be falling in love with him."
Gascogne sighed, "You girls work too much." They hear a sound of crates crashing, they look to see Hibiki slipped and had crates on his back.
The Reg leader said with raised eyebrow, "Well, I guess that explains why everything is so quiet around here." Rabat reaches the engine room to see Parfet installing a new engine part she bought from him.
The engineer said, "Hi, sir. How are you doing?"
Rabat answered, "My engine will be fully repaired in no time." He then looked at the Nirvana's engine.
'What's that? Is that the Pexis?' Rabat thought.
Hibiki gets a bandage pulled off of his forehead.
He said, "That stings!" Then Paiway comes into the infirmary. After hearing her say that Rabat was in the hanger, he runs to it.
Bart asked, "Which one do you think he's more concerned about? Dita or his machine?" Hibiki arrives just in time to see Rabat trying to kiss Dita.
The young Tarak yelled, "Get away from her!"
Rabat said, "You're really annoying, you know that?"
Hibiki furthered, "A person like you has no right to call himself a man! Is that eye of yours working right?"
The trader pointed to his left eye, "Sure is." He lifts the glass patch to reveal a complete healthy right eye, "So's this one!" He said in a mocking tone.
Hibiki growled, "You little! Your presence is not welcome here so I think it's time for you to leave!"
Rabat asked, "And if I don't?"
The raven-haired youth answered right back, "Then I'll have to throw you out!" Rabat glares at Hibiki before walking down to his level.
Fed up with enough waiting around, Hibiki brashly runs at Rabat, the man's eye patch flashes temporarily blinding him the next thing Hibiki feels is getting kneed in the gut, knocking the air out of him then is slammed onto the floor. The crew watch as the Vanguard pilot gets clobbered by Rabat more importantly Dita watches in worry as her friend suffers physical abuse.
He taunted, "You're all talk and no game, you use other peoples' words and never your own. That's what makes you weak."
Dita screamed, "STOP IT!" Rabat smirked at her but it didn't last long as Hibiki bites his ankle.
Rabat stumps on Hibiki's face until the Tarak is forced to let go taking a piece of the trader's pant leg with him. Dita rushes to Hibiki's aid but Rabat kicks her out of the way.
Rabat growled, "You little brat! I'm going to finish you off right now!" Suddenly he feels a boot connect to his cheek, which sends him flying into a wooden crate. Everyone, including Rabat, look to see who threw that kick and it was Keith standing protectively in front of Dita and Hibiki. The teenager prepares to put his physical training to use.
Keith said, "Why don't you face someone who'll fight back?"
Rabat wiped the blood from his lip and smirked, "You probably won't prove as much of a challenge as the boy." He hoped that taunt would faze the Lynx but it doesn't sway him.
Keith retorted, "Whatever you say, pal. Unfortunately for hitting my two friends behind me, I'm going to kick the hell out of you!"
Rabat charges at the American but receives a boot to the face, the trader tries again, this time Keith does a back body drop. Taking advantage of his opponent lying on the ground, Keith delivers a series of punches then unleashes a final, massive one that causes Rabat's head to bounce off the floor.
Keith said, "Still think I'm weak? You damn sicko!" He picks up Rabat and prepares to slam his face onto a crate but the trader counters and slams Keith's face against the wooden crate, making him grunt. Rabat swings a few punches to the teen's waist before the 16-year old catapults his opponent onto the squared-object. The NEXT pilot gets up as if he is possessed and when Rabat turns around, Keith grabs him by the throat with one hand, places the other on his back then brutally choke slams the man onto the crate with authority, shattering it and possibly breaking Rabat's back in the process. His enemy gets to his feet despite the excruciating pain plaguing his back; the crew watches in amazement as Keith displays his incredible strength.
When Oswell stands over his victim Rabat hits Keith's groin, of course the U.S. Lynx clenches his teeth in agony he doesn't let this stop him from fighting. Keith punches Rabat right in the face breaking his nose since it's made of cartilage, a flexible bone. The broken nose bleeds profusely. Man, you talk about a restaurant quality ass whipping the crew's seeing one right here! Meia's second-in command of the Dreads kicks Rabat across the face, sending him flying against a metal crate. Rabat barely has enough time to move before a fist collides with the metal, denting it. If any of the Nirvana crew would dare to challenge Keith to physical combat would do so with caution! The trader picks up a nearby metal trashcan and slams it against Keith's face, knocking the Lynx off his feet, Rabat strikes Keith's knee with brutality. Despite the pain that is striking his nerves Keith gets up and head butts his opponent hard enough to have Rabat let go of the trashcan but he quickly recovered and starts punching the American but the chest muscles act like body armor, protecting Keith's vital organs from harm, Keith just looks on with disappointment on his face.
Keith taunted, "Is that the best you can do? Katrina hits harder than you!" That taunt worked flawlessly it rattled Rabat's nerves so much that he is consumed with anger. The Lynx decided to tease the man some more.
He said, "You may have defeated Hibiki with ease but unlike him, I trained 24/7 until I got these muscles and the raw power behind them. Funny that a grown man got beaten by a teenager." Keith grabs Rabat's neck with a vice-like grip and does another violent choke slam onto the metal floor, doubling the pain on Rabat's back. Keith stops his assault after that.
Barnette whistled, "Whew, Keith certainly did a number on him. I better not try to pick a fight with Keith. I wonder if all NEXT pilots are like this."
Deciding that he taught this pathetic excuse for a man a lesson, Keith grabs his shirt collar and warned, "If you ever harm my friends or sell us out to the Harvesters again, I will rip your arm off and shove it down your throat! Now get your rotten carcass out of here before I change my mind! Oh, one more thing. If you cross paths with that terrorist Adam Archer, tell him that Keith Oswell is still alive and is waiting for him."
Noticing the glares he is receiving from the crew including Meia, Rabat said, "I take the hint when I'm not wanted around. Come on Utan, we're leaving." Dita looks at the unconscious Hibiki.
Keith said, "Dita, get Hibiki to the infirmary so Duero can attend to his injuries. Don't worry about me I'm fine. Katrina didn't teach me how to fight for nothing."
On the Nirvana's bridge Belvedere said, "Rabat's ship is leaving, captain."
Magno ordered with a smirk, "Parfet, put the engines at full power! Let's do what pirates are meant to do!" The Nirvana gives chase.
Bart said, "You better watch out because we're coming, buddy!"
The captain cried, "You're not getting away. I'm gonna strip you of every valuable item you got!"
On Rabat's ship the battered and bruised man said, "The Pexis Progma. There's something strange about it and why does the name Keith Oswell sound so familiar?" Utan alerts Rabat that the Nirvana is chasing them. Little do the pirates realize that the engine part they got from him is a fraud! The part blows up, causing the Nirvana's engine to go offline. This allowed Rabat to escape.
Later on, Hibiki sits cross-legged by himself in the garden with his disfigured face hung low. Dita attempts to comfort him but Duero stops her.
He said, "Sometimes it's best to leave him alone, Dita." They walk away.
Meia leans against the railing with her back towards Hibiki.
She assured, "Don't worry about it. Everything that man said was non-sense, he was nothing more than a con artist!"
Hibiki cried, "No, it's my fault. Even if he was a liar and cheater, if he really wanted to I'd be dead right now. I hate to admit this but I don't have words to call my own only repeat those I have heard! But when I do get up on my own stage I wonder what lines I'll say, I'm looking forward to that day but at the same time I'm kind of scared. I keep thinking my act will be a comedy!"
Meia said, "It doesn't matter how silly the lines may be. If they're coming from the heart and soul without lies, no one will laugh at you or at the very least...I won't." When Hibiki turns his swollen and disfigured face around Meia is gone, he looks at the endless sea of stars as he stood up.
Keith rests on his bed after his fight with Rabat to the pilot it felt great to face another person. He was getting tired of facing programmed machinery! Then he hears the beeper on his door panel.
He said, "Come in." To his surprise it was Meia. The Dread leader observes the interior of Keith's room it was neatly organized and smelled nice.
She looks to where the outlets are and spots a Glade plug in with a new lilac spring scented freshener in it. This aroma had a soothing effect on Meia as if it calmed her and relieved her of stress; she continues her survey of his room. He had a few poster boards on the walls one particular board caught her eye. Keith looks to see which one Meia is staring at and gets up.
Keith said, "That's the solar system I come from, Meia. That gray, cratered planet is Mercury, the closest planet to the Sun, the one behind it is Venus, and the Earth's twin the planet's atmosphere has been digitally removed to show its surface features. It's more of a hellish planet than a pretty one! The third planet is Earth that is what the planet looks like. Two-thirds of its surface is covered with water, it has continents, ice caps and has a nitrogen and oxygen atmosphere. It fulfills the requirements for life to thrive. The fourth on that poster board is Mars. It's also known as the 'Red Planet' because of the iron oxide in the rocks that give it its red color. The fifth planet on there is the gas giant Jupiter. Behind it is Saturn, another gas giant. The seventh one is Uranus, the eighth planet is Neptune, and finally we have Pluto. Though now the official count is eight planets in that solar system because Pluto is now considered one of many dwarf planets. Heh, to tell you the truth I'm actually starting to feel homesick. I wonder how far the terraforming of Mars has come." He sits on the bed but then notices the way Meia is moving, she almost tumbles over but Keith catches her.
The Lynx told her, "You look tired, Meia. You should get some sleep."
Meia replied, "I'm fine." Her sub-ordinate isn't buying it.
Keith said, "Nice try. Your mouth says one thing but the way you're moving says something else. Why don't you sleep in my bed? I don't mind." Meia looks at him, probably thinking he's going to do something to her while she's asleep.
Keith assured, "Don't worry, I'm not going to do anything I would regret. Just get some shuteye." Meia blushes at the sincerity in his words and her eyes seem to shine. She takes his advice and sleeps in his bed. When Meia closes her eyes, she feels her circlet being removed. Keith kissed her on the forehead like a father would to a child.
The young pilot said, "Sleep well, my friend."
A/N: Whew, chapter 8 done at last! I decided to add a fight scene between Keith and Rabat since not much of that scene is in most Vandread fanfiction stories.
Also if you thought I was going to do a lemon in this chapter, sorry to disappoint to you but I decided not to because I didn't want to rush this developing friendship between Keith and Meia though I might do a few lemons in later chapters of this story or during the Second Stage.
I added a new weapon to Black Dragon's arsenal, the MOTORCOBRA-03 machine gun.
Read and review.
Stay tuned for chapter 9.
Vader 23A.
