Chapter 9 A new view

Another battle raged on as the nirvana entered a magnetic storm leading to their home planet.

Hibiki and Meia had combined and seemed to be doing well in destroying the harvester's cube-types but they all ways seem just inches from hitting another dread.

"Team leader's tighten up your formation" ordered Meia as they dodged another dread.

"Is everybody listening here!" ordered Meia . But their was no response. "This storm's making communications useless" thought Meia looking up. Just then she saw Dita's ship being chased. "Mr alien help!" Dita cried through the radio.

Dita was being chased by another copy of Vandread Dita. " Help me!" She shouted as a copy of Vandread Dita followed her as she looped.

"Boy she's such a nuance" said Hibiki annoyed. "We're going to spilt up now ok?" said Hibiki to Meia who nodded. Vandread Meia separated and Hibiki blasted off to aid Dita.

Meia however ended up seeing Nix's in his van defender protecting some other dreads in his shield. "Dark heart what's the situation?" she asked over communications joining the other dreads in the shield.

"It seems we have a copy of the van-defender is up ahead" responded Nix. "Any dread that goes near get a energy shot fired at them" he said as more shots bounced off his shield. He shook then continued.

"Even if the dread dodges the shots,the shield it has protects it from counter fire" finished Nix.

"I see" Meia said, she began to think when. "Arh its here" shouted a dread pilot in her ship. They looked to see the copy flying towards them, cannons at the ready.

Nix and Meia nodded as they combined. "Vandread defender M, move out" order Nix as the shark like ship blasted towards the copy.

As they came close, the copy fired its cannons. But the Vandread defender M just rolled aside dodging the shots.

"Time for some counter fire!" ordered Meia as the ships chest opened up.

"Fire" they both said as the ship fired its six energy shots.

The first two shots destroyed the shield of the copy and the rest finished it. "Hmph impressive work miss Meia" said Nix as he sat behind her. "I don't need you praise dark heart" she said coldly. "Your the leader" he said looking to his side with a grin.

Suddenly on their screen a warning came up. The dreads being brought back the hanger by the emergency system . "Hmm I wonder" said Nix thinking. "If this automatic system brings the dread back, that means that a combined ship likes our is not pulled back. Then that means " said Nix.

" Hibiki and Dita aren't effected by it either" said Meia interrupting him. Meia looked around to see if she could see the Vandread but she couldn't.

" The storm's fog is too thick to see clearly" said Nix as she looked at him. He could swear he saw worry in her eye's.

"Don't worry their a good team" he said again. She looked at him with her light blue eyes.

" I suggest we head back and protect the dreads going back to the nirvana" said Nix, Meia nodded and they followed the dreads back to the nirvana.

Meanwhile after having a difficult fight with the Vandread Dita copy, the real Vandread Dita got it's chance as the copy tried to chase the other ships.

The real Vandread grabbed the copy by its left foot as it prepared to blast off. "That's not who your one your suppose to be fighting" Hibiki said as Vandread Dita swung it's copy around and around.

Then flinging it into the air,Vandread Dita fired its two back cannons destroying the copy. "That's that" said Hibiki feeling his pride again at beating the copy.

"What do you say, we head back?" asked Hibiki to Dita nodded.

But as turned to leave a green cube-type suddenly appeared before them. It fired a powerful red beam at them,separating their ships. Sending Hibiki's ship crashing down and Dita's spinning off towards the nirvana.

Hibiki awoke to see himself surrounded by a group of three tribal dressed men.

"Well the young man still has breath in him" said first of them telegraphically . "Yes and he's met Sam before!" said the second tribal man telegraphically. "Oh, so he calls himself Rabat now huh" said the final man telepathically.

Finally Hibiki spoke. "Who the hell are you guys?" he said weakly trying to get up. "No need to worry, the sprites have not forsaken your people yet" said first man to Hibiki telepathically .

"What? Words echoing inside my brain?" said Hibiki holding his head in a shocked state. "Ha ha we have no need for voices" said second tribal man telepathically to Hibiki.

Hibiki was shocked at this comment. The men helped him up. "Come you seem injured" said the first man telepathically to Hibiki as they helped him to their village.

Meanwhile back in the magnetic storm. The nirvana had chained itself to a moving asteroid, as the bridge tried desperately to get in contact with Hibiki.

"Hibiki will you please answer me" called Ezra through communications but nothing. Then another bridge bunny spoke. "Oh no it looks dead" she said. Everyone on the bridge faced her with looks of horror.

"Oh no I'm sorry, I meant the radar that's all" she said nervously. "There's too much noise and the sensor just not any good, that's sort what I meant" she said finishing.

The captain sighed as another bridge bunny spoke. "Well just watch your choice of words ,we're rattled enough already "she said.

Meia appeared on the bridge screen. "Captain, I request your permission to go outside and scout" she said. "You can't see you hand in front of your face out there" said the captain holding her hand out in frotn of her face.

"There 's not point rushing out there" the captain said. "But there maybe still enemies out there and" Meia seem to stop.

"It that boy, isn't it?" said the captain looking at her. Meia looked away trying to hide her concern.

"Now listen" but before the captain could speak Dita appeared on another screen crying. "Captain" she cried. " Please, let me go look for Mr alien" she sobbed.

Then Misty popped up asking to use the radar room to look for Hibiki .Then Jura and Barnette asked about using just the supply ship to look for him. It was getting a little heck-tick.

"Calm down everyone" shouted BC in her stern voice. The women fell quiet. "We haven't determined that we're giving up on Hibiki just yet" said BC .

"Hmph he's probably just learning about himself" said a voice. The bridge crew looked to see it was Nix standing at the bridge door .

"My,my. We are confident aren't we?" said BC to Nix. Nix just smiled at her. "He's a good troop ,why worry?" said Nix confidently.

The captain shook her head at the two. She then returned her view to the pilots.

"There's no need to be haste,in any case" said the captain with a smile. " We're not going to be able to get out of here for a while, I suggest you all get together and talk this through." she said as her chair lifted her into the private meeting room.

"Ha ha it's not that they need to combine that they want the boy so much, it's because they believe he is a valuable ship mate" she said before her heart started to have an attack . She hunched over holding her heart. "Oh of all the times for this" she groaned.

Back on the strange planet Hibiki was brought to a temple in a small desert like village. He seemed to be the interest of the local children. He was given a bowl of green coloured soup as he was seated in the temple.

He looked at it as it was given to him in a small clay cup. "Drink this" said the leader of the people through Hibiki's mind. "It will give you power" he finished as Hibiki began to drink. Hibiki almost was sick because of how bad the soup tasted.

The children watching outside found this to be amusing.

"So why is it you guys don't use you voices?" asked Hibiki to the leader sitting beside him. "Earthlings" said a tribal man telepathically, sitting the other side of Hibiki. Hibiki was shocked at this.

"Earthing took them from us" he said angrily through his mind. "Tatonka" said the leader telepathically. The man looked at the leader.

"Do not be filled with hatred,hatred leads to nothing" said the leader said though his thoughts. The leader then turned to Hibiki.

"Our ancestress had the ability to talk with the spirits, but it was not something that could be explained by any aspect of human technology " he continued. Hibiki was amazed.

"Earthling's were scared of us. Because we surpassed their understanding" the leader continued to say calmly through Hibiki thoughts.

"They stole our voice from us and locked us away here on this planet"continued the leader.

"How could they be so cruel?" said Hibiki getting anger. "Yet thanks to that" thought the leader.

"We were able to divine the language of the heart. we also found out how to speak with the spirits more directly" he carried on saying though his thoughts.

"I wouldn't forgive them for that" barked Hibiki standing up. "What does it take to tick you guys off" barked Hibiki at the tribal people, who looked at each other as Hibiki spoke.

"You have contacted a negative consonance haven't you?" said the leader telepathically . "What the hell is that?" barked Hibiki confused.

"The negative consonance never bears fruit" said Tatonka telepathically to Hibiki. "It just merely destroyers" he finished.

"We do not seek fights that destroy one another, the spirits do not aid us with any power for hatred" said another tribal man through his thoughts.

"Oh come on a fights a fight right, no matter how your look at it, there's no big meaning if you lose" barked Hibiki standing.

"Regardless of how it may be" said the leader telepathically. "Victory is not always won by fighting" spoke the leader through his thoughts.

" It is true your home land is near and the final battle between you and earth who wishes to perform the harvest is also near.

"That is where the negative consonance as entered" said the leader through his thoughts again.

"You are being haste as a result of that. It looks like you need to speak to your inner-self once more. You should visit the cave of the spirits" said the leader through Hibiki's thoughts.

"The cave of spirits?" asked Hibiki. "It is were we train our mind and find our oneness" said Tatnoka telepathically.

"ur um" Hibiki seeming scared. "Do not be afraid, for you have already have talked to a spirit" smiled the leader.

Meanwhile back on the nirvana the peksis seem to glow a brighter blue. All the while in the radar room stood Meia,BC,Barnette,Jura, Dita,misty and Nix working on finding their lost comrade.

"We've finally figuring out the astronomical made around here" said Meia to BC who watched them. "We've also managed to find several planets in this area" she continued.

"Do you think Mr alien is on one of the planets?" asked Dita looking at the many planets. "There also a possibility he was pulled away by one of the astounds" said misty facing BC.

"It what you call looking for a needle in a haystack" said BC looking at the radar screen. "Hmm with so much space to cover I think we'll be sitting here a while" said Nix leaning on the left wall of the radar room.

Meia looked at him. "Does he really think Hibiki will just come back?" she thought as he closed his eyes.

Meanwhile back on the strange planet Hibiki now was in the cave of spirts,climbing up a huge wall . "Shesh. I can't see a thing" he said looking up into the darkness of the cave above.

As he climbed on he started to hear voices. "I've lost faith in you" one said. "What was that?" said Hibiki looking around.

"Don't you understand other peoples feeling" said another. Hibiki began to panic as sweat ran down his face.

"It's easy to mistake you for a girl cause your such a cute little thing" said a third voice. "Hey stop it " said Hibiki angrily.

"It's not you barking, its just your machine right?" said a forth voice driving Hibiki into rage.

"Just shut up. What ever the hell you are, knock it off" he barked suddenly the cave seemed to fill with laughing. It echoed around him.

"Stop it, stop it!" he shouted as his left leg slipped and he fell into the darkness below.

"Chief Kokopei, perhaps the warriors trail was too much for that young man? " said tatonka through his thoughts. "No it all depends on what's in his heart" thought the leader.

Tatonka then felt someone in his mind. He looked up above the entrance to the cave to see . "Sam!" he thought, the cheif smiled.

On the nirvana Duelo was looking through Hibiki medical file. "What you doing rib bit?" said a frog puppet to Duelo over his shoulder with Paiway behind it.

"I'm looking at Hibiki physical records, so when he returns, I will be able to treat him should he have injures" said Duelo. Paiway looked at Hibiki file on the doctors screen.

"Wow that looks complicated" she said as a zombie like Pyoro floated in.

He then floated over the doctors machine and started to bring up screens and screens of data on both Hibiki and Nix.

"What are you trying to do?" asked Duelo calmly. "What is Hibiki,who is Nix the proof of who they are is here" said the zombie like Pyoro showing Duelo a small screen with a picture of a kid Hibiki and a teenage Nix on it.

"Hmm but this is?" said Duelo looking at both pictures shocked.

Hibiki opened his eyes to see a blue light consume him. "There's no way someone who's showing all there emotions can win" said a voice again. "A truly strong man fight by his own words" said another voice.

"Aren't you here because of your pride? Or is it you came here to show the need to prove your existence" said a third voice. Suddenly the other voices faded and only one remained.

"What is Hibiki?" "why do you exist?"it asked. "The proof that I am myself" Hibiki said. The he thought again. "I don't know" Hibiki said sadly again.

"I am me, but who am I?" He asked himself. Suddenly the blue light blinded him as memories of his battle in the Vandread's flashed before him.

"What this?" he said before more flash backs happened. A man and a women. A little girl. Life pods and himself as a child on a ship.

Back on the nirvana strange things were happening to. The peksis glowed more and Meia, Dita,Jura and Nix felt something in their head.

Suddenly they all went to the radar screen and pointed to one planet with their index finger. "Hibiki is" said Jura, "right in this area" finished Meia.

But Nix head started to hurt more and more.

He held his head as images flashed through his head. "A ship,myself, a man and a women,myself as a teenager" thought Nix . Suddenly the pain stopped. Nix looked at his hands."What is going on? He said.

"What did you say?" said the captain shocked at what Duelo told her in the meeting room. "There can be no doubt Hibiki and Nix are from the first generation" he said showing her the two pictures. They both were aboard this ship" he continued.

"When this pioneering fleet was leaving the space curve,it left only the absolute minim number of necessary crew on duty and put the others into cold sleep" he said looking at the pictures.

"And it's seems Hibiki and Nix were just two of them".

"Ar so that baby from back then, that's the arrogant boy we all know" said a shocked captain remembering herself carrying a small baby.

Back in the blue light Hibiki saw images of his past."Is this me? or ah" the blue light blinded him peksis shone even brighter as the ship unclipped itself from the asteroid it was clamped onto and began to move.

"What are doing?, I don't recall any orders to get moving yet" shouted BC at Bart who was flung out the portal again.

"Its not me," he said nervously. "Its was the ship on it's own will" said Bart rubbing his head.

"What is this" BC asked herself as the nirvana flew on.

Meanwhile back in the engineering room Parfet tried her best to see what the peksis was doing when the zombie like Pyoro floated over to her.

"An accumulation of carbon and hydrogen,human's,organisms, men ,women" he spoke. "Pyoro you acting pretty strangely"she said as the nav bot when on.

Back in the ball of light the voice of the zombie like Pyoro spoke to Hibiki. " What are humans?" it asked, "what is Hibiki?".

"What are you? Asking all this, are you a god or an illusion?" barked Hibiki.

"Unable to comprehend, humans are primate organisms" said the voice."I get it now,your a living thing too aren't you?" said Hibiki the voice fell silent.

"That's it so that explains it" he said as a light shone through the blue that surrounded him finally shallowed him again.

Outside the cave entrance chief Kokopei smiled. "He has arrived, where the spirits await" he thought as he sat down to begin his ceremony. He used a vary of powders as he began to draw on the ground.

"The blue kakchena, the three prays, the eight shadow and the fifty hearts"he said though his thoughts. Just then Rabat's orangutan jumped into Tatonka arms.

It chattered to him until Tatonka put his finger to his lip and said "shh Kokopei is performing the ceremony" .

The orangutan fell quiet as the chief continued the ceremony."Sam, welcome back" he thought as Rabat walked over to him.

"I had a feeling he'd make it here someday" said Rabat looking at the chief who sat with his back to Rabat as he drew. "It was like this when you fist came here" said Kokopei telepathically to Rabat, who looked at him.

"He has the very same look that you had in your eyes then" continued saying Kokopei though his thoughts. Rabat has a flash back of him as a younger him dressed in a spacesuit crash-landing on the planet. Only to be found by the orangutan and another tribal man.

"Ah come on Kokopei" smiled Rabat. "I was hardly then as he is, beside"Rabat said before Tatnoka cut in. "Are you saying the spirits choose him over you?" he said though his mind.

"It is true ,we saw the blue kachena within him" said Kokopei cutting in. "Not just the blue giant you'll notice he got a hold of the white wings as well as the red claw" said Rabat as the chief drew on.

"If that is the will of the universe ,then he will surely over the challenge of himself" said Kokopei leaving his drawing of Hibiki in a circle with three mystical creatures flying around him one,blue,one red and one white.

In the cave Hibiki again was climbing and seemed to be making good process as the voice spoke to him again.

"The ticking of time, the lives with limits" it said. "You don't have what you call the ticking of time right? but human do have it , from your perspective we may be just primal organisms, but that's why we got to appreciate each day we have" he said climbing on.

"What is Hibiki ?why does he exist?" the voice again. "I don't know the answer to that, but I will live on to find out what I can!"Hibiki said struggling on.

"That is Hibiki's proof?" said the voice. "I hate to admit it but I can't survive alone , I can barley make it supported by an army of people that I've come to know" he said climbing on.

"Those are comrades for great value" said the voice. "That's right, they all go to far out of their because they are there I can be me" Hibiki said as on the nirvana the 5 pilots found his location.

"If I lose even one, I would not be able to be myself" said Hibiki as pictures of Nix with his arm hurting came to his mind.

"The desires of many,dream,hopes" the voice said. "Yeah it's a lot on my shoulders ,but whatever happens. There no way I can bring myself to give up on them". For when think they be sad, I cannot slack off. He said as a light shined from the cave roof.

"Worry,doubt, jealousy" said the voice ."Until I came here I only cared about myself, I never cared about other people but I get it now, their on my mind." said Hibiki climbing higher.

"If I can be even stronger, I can save everyone" he said grabbing onto rock and forcing himself up. "Now it's dawned on me, I can ever think of running away ,I really feel from the bottom of my hearty. I want to be stronger for all of them" he said when a red light hit his left almost knocking him off .

"Out the way, I won't give in" he shouted as the red light faded . "Even if I'm like this there are people out there who believe in me,so for them and i'll do my part to protect them.

"I will continue to fight on" Hibiki said nearing the light. "That is the circle of life, the proof of life" said the voice again. "Right and this is the prove I am alive! " shouted Hibiki.

From the cave Hibiki emerged. He now stood high on a cliff.

"And thus we have the birth of another true warrior" thought Kokopei as he finished his drawing. Around Hibiki was now more worlds and planets."That boy is the centre of the universe, is this too the will of the spirits" thought Tatnoka, Rabat smiled.

" You've stood on your own stage for the first time. Now raise your voice and introduce yourself and use your own words" he said. His words echoed in Hibiki head as he gave a mighty roar.

"Raarrrrrrrrh, I am Hibiki Tokia .I will fight, I will never run away, for them. For all the people who believe in me" he looked out to the sky to see a blue dread flying towards him.

"Mr alien" said Dita happily blushing. Hibiki smiled for he now had conquered himself. With the nirvana now circling the planet ,a rescue team was sent down to recover Hibiki's Vandread.

On the nirvana misty was receiving lots of kisses on the cheek from Jura ,while Barnette sighed watching. On the bridge Meia let out a sigh of relief. "What did I tell you?" said Nix walking up beside her.

"His van guard was too damaged to move" said Meia looking at him, but Nix just smiled. "Hmph yes but Hibiki is now ready to return to us, he's changed" said Nix looking out at the planet.

Meia looked at him as he smiled. "For now Mr Hibiki, you have my respect" thought Nix looking out to the starry space.

Back on the planet Hibiki vanguard was being loaded into the rescue ship as Kokopei and Hibiki talked.

"You have been reborn and withstood the challenge, you are indeed a noble warrior" said Kokopei through his mind. Hibiki seemed to embarrassed at this rubbing his finger under his nose.

"Ha ar knock it off" he said shyly. "I'm sorta embarrassed about making such a big scene early" he said. Just then Kokopei moved Hibiki fringe aside and stuck a green stone on his forehead.

"As long as you have this stone ,we will always be with you" smiled Kokopei letting his hand drop from Hibiki's forehead to his right shoulder.

"You have overcome this great challenge and have been reborn as one of us" said Kokopei removing his hand from Hibiki shoulder ."From now on this planet is your new home land" said Kokopei through his mind. Hibiki gasped.

"You may come back here any time. In hard times or happy times,we will always be here to greet you" Kokopei said through his mind.

"Do not hesitate, because forever more we are your family" he continued. Hibiki eyes seem to fill with tears. "Your my family" he said as his head dropped. "Thank you" whispered Hibiki.

It took a while but soon Hibiki and his vanguard were back on the nirvana and the ship sailed into the magnetic storm once again.

"Once we're past this storm will be at our home land, everyone keep up your guard " said the captain over communications. "Roger" replied the crew as the nirvana flew on.

Hibiki made his way made his way to the infirmary only to be meet by Nix waiting for him outside the infirmary door. "Nice to see back solider"he said standing tall again.

"What no lecture?" asked Hibiki they both laughed. "Hmm you've changed solider, I feel you've finally found who you are Mr Hibiki" smiled Nix .

Hibiki looked at him. "Now get in there and get fixed" Nix said turning away.

"After all the words.I will fight, I will never run away. For them, for all the people who believe in me. Can not be fulfilled if you are too injured" said Nix walking away.

"What wait those were" but Hibiki stopped. "Yes those are my words" he smiled entering the infirmary.

A while later Nix,Jura, BC and the captain were called to the meeting room by none other then Hibiki himself who know looked as bright as ever.

"I have a plan to get us through this magnetic storm" he said confidently. " Do share" said the captain in her chair. As Hibiki explained the plan, another pilot was on a mission of her own.

"Meia, I don't think we should be doing this" said Dita as they crept into the men quarters. "I need to know more about Nix" Meia said walking slowly towards Nix open cell.

She looked inside. All Nix had was a bed and a small pile of books.

"Hmm this shouldn't be too hard" she thought approaching with care. Fist Meia looked under and in his bed . "Hmm no" she said putting the bed back as it was.

She then looked in his small pile of books. "Hmm not here either" she thought going though them. Just then Dita picked picked up a huge red book from the pile .

"The tales of the planets and the aliens" she read, at this her eyes lit up. "Oh I have to ask Mr dark-heart if I can borrow this" she said. But in her excitement she dropped the book and pages fell out.

"Oh no I broke it" cried Dita then Meia noticed something.

"No wait" she said picking the pages up there were not the whole page just squares cut to the size of a.

"Ah" said Meia. She opened the book to the middle page and their in the small cut square was Nix black book .

"Clever I admit" she said opening it. She looked through until a date caught her attention.

Nix dark heart log 13, Time: after the battle of the first harvester mother ship.

The battle was a hard one and more seemed to come. With this my worries seem to have made me more weak, but even now i worry about what happened that night.

Meia read on with Dita looking over her shoulder. "My actions seemed to have been rash. But that night in the meeting room. Perhaps the battle had knocked my seances or perhaps .

Either way what happened in that room and what miss Paiway saw, I wonder was it true? or was my heart playing with me? I know perhaps how I want it to be but.

Meia then closed the book.

"What's wrong?" asked Dita looking as Meia held the closed book in her hands. "Nothing thank you for your help Dita, you may go now" Meia said returning the book to it's place.

As the two walk looked back remembering what Nix wrote. "Was it true? or was my heart playing with me? I know perhaps how I want it to be, but is it possible?" She thought returning to her duties.