Vandread: Unsung Hero
Disclaimer: I do not own Vandread or Gradius.
Chapter X: Payback
"So that is what a Mission looks like? I've never seen one before." BC commented as she looked at the ancient space station through the viewing screen with Magno.
The crew had found the abandoned space station which looked nothing more than a derelict. After that Magno sent a salvage team consisting of Meia, Dita, Jura, Barnette, Hibiki, Pyoro and Seth to investigate this derelict and scavenge for supplies.
"I remember them from my youth. They prospered during the Colonization Era, serving as havens and supply depots for travelers and merchants." Magno explained, "However that time has gone and now it just stays there, hopefully we can find something useful from that thing."
…
"I can't believe I let the captain rope me into this." Seth whined as he kicked a random piece of junk away from him. The man was in his flight suit and had his hair tied into a ponytail. "I'm a freaking pilot for crying out loud, not a scavenger!"
"If you didn't want to come along then why didn't you say so?" Barnette asked.
"Oh I did say so, but the old lady wouldn't have any of it." Seth groaned, "She was mouthing off about me needing to clear my head and do something more productive than just working on my fighter, exercising, eating and sleeping."
"Well the captain does have a point. I mean all you mostly do is work on that ship of yours, spend time in the gym, eat and sleep in your room or the hangar." Jura pointed out.
"I don't think I want to hear that from someone who's been spending most of her time trying to maintain their beauty, practicing their swordsmanship or hanging around Barnette all day while cooking up another plot to get Hibiki or me to fuse with you." Seth countered.
"Hey! What's wrong with trying to fuse with you two to create something beautiful?" Jura protested.
"You trying to force the issue is what's wrong." Seth countered again.
Meanwhile Dita was listening attentively to Pyoro's explanation of the Mission, and Hibiki too was looking around for salvage.
"That's enough you guys. We've got a lot of work to do here and you're wasting time talking." Meia said to Dita and Pyoro, "And Seth quit whining and get to work."
"I'm on guard duty, which is more or less work." Seth said nonchalantly while looking up.
"This is work? All you're doing is stealing!" Pyoro complained.
"We're not stealing...we're salvaging parts and equipment that is no longer being used. Besides this station is abandoned and no one lives here anymore, and we can use what we salvage for good use." Meia explained to the robot.
Suddenly a gun shot went off causing everyone to stop whatever they were doing and turn towards where it came from to see Seth pointing his pistol at the rafters.
"Hey! What's the big idea?!" Hibiki yelled.
"Zip it! We're not alone here." Seth warned.
"What do you mean? Did you see something?" Barnette asked.
"I heard movement up the rafters, shot at it and heard something running off." Seth answered, "Looks like I spooked it, I'm going after it."
"I'm coming with you." Hibiki volunteered.
"Sure…Meia I suggest you inform the Nirvana that we aren't alone here."
Meia wasted no time getting her communicator to contact the Nirvana and inform them about someone else onboard the Mission.
Seth, Hibiki and Pyoro moved down the hallway where the strange thing ran to. They arrived at a room and began looking around. For a while it seemed like there was nothing around.
"Tch! You sure you're not hallucinating Seth?" Hibiki asked in annoyance.
"Keep your guard up. There's definitely something here." Seth said.
Suddenly something jumped down from a support beam above Hibiki and Pyoro and landed in front of them.
"What the heck are you supposed to be?!" Hibiki asked in confusion. Seth just turned to what it and lowered his gun.
The creature in front of them was an orangutan with red fur and judging by the clothing it was wearing, it appeared to be female. That got the Gradian's attention as he felt that he'd seen that animal before.
The orangutan first looked at Hibiki and Seth and ignored them before she turned her attention to the floating robot and before anyone could react she dropped whatever she was carrying, leaped at the robot and tackled it and before the males' eyes, the primate began to lick the Navi-robot all over much to Hibiki's confusion, Seth's amusement and Pyoro's absolute discomfort which it made known.
"AAAAUGGGHHHHH! STOP IT! THAT'S SO DISGUSTING!"
"Knock it off, Utan!"
'Utan?! So that means…he's here?!' Seth thought.
The orangutan stopped what she was doing and ran off towards the person who called, apparently her master and showed Pyoro to him. Hibiki and Seth turned their gaze towards where the voice came from.
Walking into the light was a tall man who looked to be in his 30s. He had black hair tied in a ponytail. He had some stripes of tribal paint on his face and had an eye patch over his right eye. He was dressed in a tunic and pants with boots and the man was well built too. Seth's expression instantly darkened as he recognized the man.
Hibiki ran towards the stranger since he was glad that he is of the same gender, however Seth rushed right between him and the other man with his gun drawn out and pointed right at his head while the stranger did the same with his own gun all much to Hibiki's confusion.
"Well, well, well…If it isn't Rabat! The biggest piece of dog shit to ever exist." Seth said with a feral grin, "How are you doing, dog shit?"
"Seth Reager…" Rabat grumbled. "Fancy meeting you here."
"You know this guy Seth?" Hibiki asked.
"Oh I definitely know this piece of dog shit." Seth responded, while keeping his focus on his target.
"Seth! Hibiki!" called Meia as she, and the others caught up to them. When they arrived they were surprised to see Seth and another man pointing their guns at each other but what was more surprising was that the stranger was sweating bullets. Then Barnette came up beside the man and took his gun from him while Jura also came up beside him with her sword at his neck.
"About time you all caught up!" Seth said.
"Seth? Who's this?" Jura asked.
"A piece of dog shit." Seth dryly answered
"Be serious Seth!" Meia scolded.
"Okay he's Rabat. The biggest piece of dog shit ever known on this side of the galaxy!"
"You know him that well?"
"Yes I know him very well. We've crossed paths more than once."
"Whatever. The question is what he's doing here then?" Barnette asked.
"I'm a trader and I'm just looking for salvage just like you all are." Rabat said.
"I find that hard to believe considering your track record." Seth deadpanned.
"I'm surprised that you're with these women and that girl." Rabat countered as he motioned to Hibiki.
"What?! I'm a guy!" Hibiki snapped.
"Ignore him. He's just trying to mess with your head." Seth said, "Besides Rabat, it's not like you ever cared about anyone but yourself, dog shit! Anyways tell your pet to let go of the robot before I make her species extinct."
Seth pointed his gun at Utan while still facing Rabat. Then he fired his weapon and barely missed her head and freaking the animal out.
"HEY! Watch where you're pointing that!" Rabat shouted.
"Don't keep us waiting Rabat!" Seth warned.
Just as Rabat was about to command the primate, the derelict station began rumbling and caught everyone by surprise.
"Now Utan!" Rabat shouted.
The orangutan threw Pyoro at Meia but Seth quickly tackled her out of the way. Rabat made a dash for the exit while dodging a swipe from Jura's sword. Barnette was about to shoot her gun at the fleeing man but Utan landed on her head and leaped off after making her shot go off target. Seth quickly got himself and Meia up and he fired his weapon at Rabat and Utan.
"What's going on?" Meia contacted the Nirvana.
"The Harvesters are attacking...we need you all back ASAP!"
"Roger that!" Seth said.
Everyone quickly made their way to their ships to deal with the Harvesters. Meia, Jura, Dita, and Barnette to their Dreads, Hibiki to his Vanguard, and Seth to the Alpinia. Same for Rabat and Utan. As they got in Utan showed Rabat something that made him smile. In the group's rush to leave the station they forgot something important.
…
Out in space the Harvesters had begun their battle against the Nirvana with the Dreads, Vanguard and the Alpinia taking them on. Meanwhile Rabat was trying to avoid the battle in his own ship that resembled a combination of a small barge and yacht. However something caught his eye as he saw the lone Vanguard and the black, orange stripped space fighter making him decide to watch the battle instead.
The trader knew that the space fighter was not a dread not withstanding its other weaponry. Then he saw the four multiple phantom spheres that came out of it and then divided into sixteen more and began to devastate the opposition. That alone told him that it was a Gradius space fighter which he found surprising as he never expected a Gradius ship to be around here but it also explained another issue. As for the Vanguard it definitely did not look like the Vanguards of the men of Tarak but seemed to be holding its own very well. Then things got interesting…
…
After taking down another Cube Fighter, Hibiki got contacted by Jura who spoke in her usual seductive tone.
"Well now, let's combine and we can end this ourselves, what do you say?"
Hibiki however was not happy about that. "Are you still going off about that? Now's not the time for this!"
Still Jura was not about to give up just yet as she followed Hibiki's Vanguard, intent on fusing her dread with his vanguard. As she fought off several Cube Fighters, she was now closing the distance to her target and she was now going to create something beautiful…
But she got beaten to it as Dita's dread came out of nowhere and fused with Hibiki's vanguard to form Vandread Dita and the blonde was not happy about it.
"Dita! He was mine!"
"Sorry, but you snooze, you lose!"
"Grrr! I'll get you for that!"
Jura then turned her attention to the Alpinia as she saw another chance to create something beautiful through Seth's craft. Unfortunately she was denied once more as instead Seth fused with Barnette's dread instead.
"Barnette! How could you?!" Jura accused.
"Hey! Don't blame me Jura! He flew into me!" Barnette defended as she too was not happy to be in this mech again with Seth.
"Look alive you two! We still have a battle to finish!" Seth reminded them.
So the two combined mechs engaged the Harvester forces who were now focusing on them. Vandread Dita was shooting them down with its cannons while the other mech Seth had dubbed as 'Valkyrie' was slicing and dicing them with its gun blade and also bashing them around with its shield. Then Seth realized that the Mission was the area where the Harvesters were attacking from and therefore had to be destroyed.
"Too bad we'll have to destroy such resources…" Seth sighed, "But it's for the best. Yo! Hibiki!"
"What is it Seth!?" Hibiki answered.
"Let's take out that space station! It seems to be controlling these enemy units!"
"Is that so? Alright! Let's do this!"
Vandread Dita aimed its shoulder mounted cannons and The Valkyrie changed its weapon into an anti-material rifle and both aimed at the station. Both fired and destroyed their target and the other Harvester units in one combined blast.
Seth also noticed a familiar ship hiding in the distance from the battle which belonged to a certain spy.
"Tch. There's the spy once more."He muttered which Barnette heard.
"What is it Seth?" she asked.
"Nothing that concerns you." Seth replied. 'I have a feeling that that dog shit will be showing up soon.'
Barnette just growled at Seth who ignored her and made his way back to the Nirvana with the others.
…
Rabat's eyes widened as he looked at the massive mechs. Those machines were nothing like he had ever seen before and their sheer destructive power and abilities made the trader's eyes alight in excitement. His mind was already calculating the amount of money he'd make for the sale of not just the dread and vanguard but the Gradius space fighter too, not to mention that he had certain clients that would love to get their hands on that space fighter especially. Only problem was the pilot of that machine whom he guessed would more than likely kill him if he got anywhere near the machine.
"Did you see what I just saw Utan?" The orangutan nodded back in reply, "Then it looks like we've just hit the jackpot."
However his excitement was interrupted by explosions shaking his ship. He looked up to see some Harvester units that had not been around earlier. Rabat looked at his animal companion and nodded to it.
"Go ahead Utan, knock yourself out."
The female orangutan became excited as she rushed up to the back of the ship, and a few moments later a red humanoid mech came out of the top of Rabat's ship and went trigger happy, taking down the remaining Harvesters with bullets, missiles and lasers causing fireworks. Rabat ran his hand through his hair and groaned in frustration as he watched the ammunitions decrease rapidly and after two minutes, the Harvesters were scrap metal but the mech was out of ammo.
…
With the battle over the pilots returned to Nirvana and docked in the hangar. Immediately after docking Seth wasted no time getting out of the Alpinia before making a mad dash to the bridge. The presence of Rabat in the area angered him to no end and knowing the bastard's habits he needed to warn Magno and the crew. However just as he's about arrive at the bridge he hears the last part of the conversation between the bastard and the captain, which angered him even more.
"I guess we have no choice...you may come aboard."
"All righty then. I'll be right there!" Rabat said, "And while I'm there maybe I'll do business on your ship." And with that the transmission ended.
"Are you sure that's wise Captain?" BC asked, "We know nothing about this man, he could turn out to be a threat."
"But I do and I know he is a threat." Seth stated as he walked into the bridge.
"Really? And you know this because?" BC asked in interest.
"Because that same piece of dog shit is a liar, swindler and manipulator, not to mention an agent of the fucking Harvesters!" Seth stated with restrained anger.
"WHAT!?" Magno and BC yelled in shock. The others in the bridge too were shocked at that very same revelation.
"And how do you know this?" Magno asked, "Do you have proof of this?"
Seth slammed a data pad on the captain's table and pointed at it.
"There's your proof right there. A very good friend of mine managed to get enough dirt on this bastard swindler after we found out that he was also the one that helped the Harvesters with their attack on planet Gradius! Too bad the asshole managed to make a break for it after that failed attack."
That also shocked the crew again except Magno and BC who had already heard about the Harvesters' failed attack on Gradius.
"The bad aliens attacked your home?" Dita asked.
"Yes they did, but like I said they failed as Gradius pushed them back even though the enemy caught us off guard." Seth said before taking out his medicine and a water bottle.
"Captain. Rabat's ship has docked in the hangar." Belvedere announced.
"Well then, time to deal with our guest now. So no attacking him unless he does something to provoke such a reaction." Magno instructed Seth, "However we'll talk later after we read the information on your data pad."
Seth nodded and left the bridge to deal with their guest.
…
As soon as he docked his ship, Rabat disembarked and before he knew it, he was greeted by the Nirvana's security team, all of which were very attractive females and not happy to see him.
"Well now, this ship certainly has a lot of lovely young ladies on it." he quipped as he moved down towards the women, unfazed by the weapons trained at him. The man moved through the crowd of women attempting to give them gifts to them but for some reason they did not accept any of them and the women were clearly on edge around him. He found that very confusing but shrugged it off as the typical Mejerian hate. He then noticed Jura standing off in the corner by herself and he went to meet her.
"Oh you're that lovely lady with the saber. Here's one for you." he said.
"I don't want one." Jura refused immediately.
"I insist. They'll look great on you." Rabat insisted. Suddenly he felt a gun at the back of his head.
"For such a gentleman you just can't take no for an answer." said a familiar voice.
"Seth Reager…" Rabat growled.
"Yes it's me. How's life been treating you, dog shit?"
"How would you like to know?"
"I don't. I'd rather just put a bullet in your head and have your carcass tossed out the airlock."
"That's enough." A female voice called out. Both men then turned to see Meia who had her ring aimed right at Rabat. Considering what had happened earlier, the aqua-haired girl made it very clear that she was not in the mood.
"You're coming with me to see the Captain and don't even think about trying anything funny." She warned.
"Ah, yes ma'am." Rabat replied before getting kicked in the back.
"Save the flattery for someone who gives a shit!" Seth said dryly.
Meanwhile as Seth and Rabat escorted Rabat to the bridge, Parfet got into a chasing run with Utan to get Pyoro back, who the female orangutan was not keen on handing back to the head engineer, despite her pleas and Jura's insistence that they stopped running around her.
…
"Ah so you're here." Magno said as Rabat stood in front of her.
"Yes, I am though I didn't have much of a choice now did I?" Rabat said while looking at Seth who was giving him a blank look and an angry Meia. "Besides aren't most of your crew women?"
"Yes." Magno answered, "The men you've seen here are from Tarak. They are all prisoners of war and temporary members of my crew. We women are from Mejere however."
"So that's the deal eh?" Rabat said, then he activated a nearby switch and he saw Bart in the Navigation Well. "Don't catch a cold in there." All he got was a growl after.
"And what about the Gradian? Is he also a prisoner of war?" Rabat asked nodding his head towards Seth.
"I'm here of my own volition, that's all you need to know." Seth said coldly.
"Which is true as he's been very helpful to us." Magno added.
"Not a surprise since he's from Gradius." Rabat said before grinning, "But I'm more surprised that he's even around you considering that your planets are not on good terms with his own. Not to mention he's a wanted man too."
Seth tilted his head to the side and drew out his gun, aiming it at Rabat's head. Meia, BC and the bridge operators were surprised at what Rabat said and Seth's reaction.
"Permission to kill him, captain?" The Gradian asked with his finger on the trigger.
"Stand down Seth." Magno ordered and then turned to Rabat, "Explain what you mean about that?"
"Did the Gradian ever tell you about him being a wanted man by Gradius with a bounty on his head, not to mention that your own people also want him dead for his actions at Operation Reprisal?" Rabat asked as he looked around, "The man shot down more than half of Mejere's Dread Squadrons by himself, especially the Red Vixens, all because of a personal vendetta. Quite the monster you have here, huh?"
"Your point?" Seth asked dryly, surprising everyone including Rabat whom expected the Gradian to snap.
"That's enough! We're not here for talking about people's personal histories." Magno shouted to quickly defuse the situation, "Now…what exactly do you want from us?"
"Not much really, I just want to make some repairs to my ship…and maybe do a little business here while I'm here since I'm a trader." Rabat answered. Seth just scoffed which the trader ignored.
Magno looked at him hard and nodded, "You may do so, but cause any trouble on this ship and I will have you removed from here, understood?"
"Yes Ma'am. Now that that's settled where would be a good place for me to start my repairs and set up my shop too?" Rabat asked.
"I'll have BC show you." The captain answered.
BC walked over to Rabat and told him to follow her, leaving the bridge. After they left Magno looked at Seth.
"Looks like you are still hiding some things from us?" she asked.
"I didn't see any reason to tell you about that at the time. Besides I would have told you all eventually but that bastard's more than likely forced my hand." Seth replied, "Still that's for another time as I need to keep an eye on that same bastard. Have you read the intel I gave you?"
"BC and I are still reading it." Magno replied.
"Do that and you'll understand why I'd rather kill that bastard than let him be anywhere near this ship."
…
Rabat was upset. Why? He'd set up shop and hadn't been able to make a damned profit as the women on the ship simply refused to buy any of his goods, well except the engineer named Parfet, but still he was at a loss. And he had a good guess why…Seth Reager! That damned Gradian just had to be up in his business once more. He and the Gradian had crossed paths more than once, with the first time being at Gradius when he met a younger Seth in his delinquent days. He had just done whatever sabotage he needed to do of the planet's defenses and needed a scapegoat and his inside man had suggested he'd simply frame the young Gradian who wasn't well liked then. Which he simply did by bribing certain individuals and planting false evidences. Soon after he heard of the failed attack on Gradius and wasted no time getting out of their space. He'd also heard about Seth's subsequent prison sentence from his inside man too and felt that he was safe.
Then years later he met the Gradian again on another planet called Akzerith and he was much older and very pissed off. The trader/spy/saboteur was shocked to hear that Seth had killed his inside man and learned about his actions in Gradius' attack and framing him. Rabat barely escaped with his life as Seth had warned the planet's government about the traitorous bastard which gave them time to fix and improve their defenses against the Harvesters therefore saving the planet from annihilation. Seth had nearly killed Rabat during that same battle after shooting his ship full of holes but thanks to distraction by his clients' forces he barely managed to escape.
And now once more Seth was getting in his way as his attempts to learn any of the Nirvana's secrets was impossible due to the crew tightening up their security and the Security Teams barring him from going into any secure areas. Even the Gradian himself was keeping an eye on him! It was getting frustrating for him.
…
Seth had followed Rabat around the ship trying to make sure he didn't try anything funny. He knew that the Harvester's agent was looking for something for his masters. Magno had warned the crew about Rabat and ordered the Nirvana's Security Crew to tighten the ship's security and make sure Rabat didn't go to anywhere he wasn't welcome in.
Seth wanted nothing more than to just kill the man in front of him right now and be done with it but he couldn't as he'd been ordered by the captain not to. He followed him back to the hangar where the trader's ship was docked and saw Rabat walk up to BC whom had been inspecting the man's ship. Seth hid by the doorway to listen to the conversation.
"Looking for something?" Rabat asked.
"Your ship shows no signs of battle damage anywhere." BC said as she faced him.
"I was able to finish the repairs faster than expected" Rabat told her as he walked closer.
BC looked at him in suspicion, "What are your real intentions?"
"Just finishing up some trading business, that's all, which hasn't been as good as I expected." Rabat said coolly as he grabbed her chin, "In the meantime, how about we go somewhere a little more private so we can get to know each other better?"
'Sheesh! Has he no fucking shame? Oh wait a second…he doesn't!' Seth thought.
BC only gave him a smirk as a response before Rabat noticed something was off.
"Wait a minute that smell..." he muttered, taking his hand off BC's chin, "Maybe we'll take a rain check on that." Rabat starts backing up nervously and decides to head somewhere else.
'Looks like I'm not the only one who noticed something off about her.' Seth thought as he too had been suspicious about BC ever since he met the crew.
"You know it's rude to eavesdrop on people."
Seth sighed as he walked into the hangar while scratching the back of his head.
"You know I'm just doing my job of keeping an eye on that dog shit. I'm also glad to see that you all are taking my warning seriously."
"Well with what the captain and I have read so far I'm convinced that he's not only a threat to our crew but also humanity as a whole."
"Glad to hear that."
"You seem to hate Rabat a lot."
"Not just hate…I despise the man."
"Yes it was mentioned in your data pad. What I'm more surprised is about how he got successful in doing that to you."
"Corruption and manipulation. Now if you excuse me I have to continue to keep an eye on our guest."
…
Arriving at the Hangar Bay on the men's side of the ship, Rabat spotted the vanguard docked there and a container that had the words "Alpinia" on it and noticed that it was code locked. He figured that it was likely the Gradius fighter he'd seen earlier and since trying to unlock it could take time he decided to settle for the vanguard instead to figure out the system that enables the transformation.
However, as he made his way closer to the mech, someone else came on the scene to interrupt him.
…
Magno had just finished reading the Seth's data pad and she was not happy about what she'd read. Rabat is an agent for the Harvesters and he secretly gave information about those planets to them where they later go and raze and harvest for certain organs from the unfortunate people. Rabat was nothing but a traitor to the whole human race! Not only that, Gradius put a bounty on his head too for a lot of credits and he also more or else made Seth's life a living hell by setting him up to take the fall for what he did to Gradius and scarred him for life just like Seth's former family and her fellow Mejerians had already done to him.
Now she had to give Rabat the boot before Seth decided to kill him first.
…
Seth was cursing himself right now as he'd somehow last sight of Rabat due to talking with BC. Not to mention that his blood pressure had been getting higher and higher due to so many years of pent up rage wanting to be let out and even with his medicine it wasn't helping his condition. He was now in the med bay with Duero to deal with his condition. Then suddenly Paiway rushed into the med bay to tell them that Hibiki was fighting Rabat in the hangar and she had to avoid being ran over by an enraged Seth who stormed his way towards the hangar. When he arrived he spotted the traitor beating the crap out of Hibiki before the teen managed to bite the man in the ankle and piss him off.
Dita tried to get in the way but Rabat kicked her out of the way and proceeded to step on Hibiki's head in an attempt to crush it. Suddenly Rabat found himself gasping for air as he stumbled backwards due to someone kicking him in the gut and making him bend over in pain. Then he got kicked in the side of the head and was knocked on his ass.
Rabat groaned as he got to his feet, surprised at who hit him that hard until he looked to his front and saw Seth Reager standing protectively between him and Hibiki.
"You okay Hibiki?" Seth asked.
"Barely." Hibiki painfully replied.
"Dita?"
"I'm okay too." The redhead replied.
"Glad to hear it."
Seth then fully focused on Rabat.
"You've overstayed your welcome motherfucker. You're leaving this ship right now."
"Heh! Really? And what makes you think you could do any better than the kid?" Rabat smugly asked. The trader/spy thought that he could take him in a fist fight as he knew that in space combat he'd get destroyed by the Gradian. "You know what? I'm sick of your ugly mug Seth Reager. You just don't know how to stay down."
"Wow…Is the dog shit actually growing a back bone? Well someone give the guy a prize." Seth mocked while clapping to Rabat's annoyance, just as several more members of the Nirvana came on the scene to witness just what was going on before he turned serious.
"I never said that you'd be leaving in one piece did I?" Seth corrected in a sadistic tone, "You'll be leaving in a bag, preferably in pieces."
"Let's see if you can back up your words better than the kid." Rabat said, but before he could do anything Seth rushed at him at a speed no one expected and grabbed Rabat's arm that was reaching for a flash grenade and he elbowed it to break that arm causing Rabat to scream in pain before Seth grabbed his neck and stopped his screaming.
"I've waited seven years for this. So don't worry…I'm only getting started."
Seth then kicked Rabat sending him flying into a bunch of containers with a loud smash and causing a mess.
"I have seven years of pent up rage built up in me and now I get to unleash it on you."
He walked towards Rabat who somehow forced himself to his feet with his good arm. He then drew out a pistol and aimed it at Seth but the Gradian caught his hand and twisted his arm and disarmed him of the gun, quickly ejected the clip from the gun and threw the gun away and then grabbed Rabat by his neck again.
"You seem to know a lot about Operation Reprisal. You're not part of Gradius High Command and I sure as hell know that you weren't involved in that operation either. So tell me, how do you know the grizzly details?"
"Sorry…Could you say that again? I think I didn't quite catch that."
Seth smashed Rabat's head twice on a nearby container and then threw him unto the floor and then kicked him in the face.
"Get up dog shit! I'm not done with you yet!"
Rabat did stand up but with difficulty. He then swung at Seth with a haymaker but the Gradian countered with an overhand punch stunning him, followed by an uppercut, a punch to the throat and an over hook to the back of the ear to drop Rabat to the floor. Then he picked up Rabat by the neck and looked him in the eyes.
"How many other lives have you ruined, huh? How many worlds have you sold out? Just to line up your pockets and save your own worthless ass?" Seth asked while Rabat was struggling to breath. "Don't answer that…TOO FUCKING MANY!"
Seth pushed Rabat to the wall then kicked him in the groin, then grabbed his head and smashed him into the wall and then another nearby box. Then Seth picked Rabat up by the neck again. Then he punched him in the groin, followed by an uppercut to the jaw, a knee to the gut and a haymaker to the side of the face that knocked Rabat onto his back.
The other pirates watched in awe and fear as Seth ruthlessly beat down Rabat and made it look easy.
"It's like he's enjoying this." Jura said.
"More like he's torturing the man." Meia stated as she saw the sadistic smile on Seth's face.
To Magno and BC they were seeing Seth taking out his anger on the man that made most of his life hell.
Rabat spat out a gout of blood along with some teeth as he tried to get up but his body was in pain as he felt like his liver, stomach and balls had been smashed to jelly. One arm was broken by the elbow and his face was sore with one eye swollen shut and he felt some teeth were missing.
"You cost me three years of my life! Framing me for a crime you committed…hoping I'd die… and you'll live so that you could continue with your atrocities." Seth yelled at the downed man, his blood pressure rising, adrenaline rushing through him and his blood burning. "Then you come here trying to lie, cheat, swindle and then dare to mess with this crew? Well no more…it ends today…"
Rabat then chuckled painfully, "Really…that's rich! W-What of the Verons? What do you think they'd-" He was immediately cut off by Seth's hands around his throat, picking him up to eye level with Seth.
"Don't you DARE mention those pieces of shit you bastard! They're nothing but failures and sorry excuses for people!" Seth said and then threw Rabat back on the ground. He then sat on Rabat's chest and began to land punch after punch on the man's face as he unleashed all the rage he had on him. This went on for a while as Rabat's face became less recognizable with each punch. Just as he was about to land another punch someone grabbed his hand. Seth turned his head to see Meia holding his hand.
"That's enough, Seth!" Meia said.
"Stay out of my way, Meia! This bastard needs to die!" Seth tried to use his other arm but a firmer grip caught it and he growled as he looked up to see Gascogne holding his other arm.
"You've sent your message to him Seth and you need to calm down." Gascogne said.
"I'll calm down when he's dead!" Seth argued as he got off the unconscious Rabat and stood up.
"ENOUGH!" Magno yelled, stopping Seth and startling the other crew members. She looked at Seth, then Rabat and then Seth once more.
"You've done enough Seth Reager. No need to dirty your hands with that scum's blood."
Seth then looked at Magno incredulously.
"I've already dirtied my hands with blood of other scum like him. What's wrong with adding his own blood to the mix?" he coldly stated.
"Maybe you've done that but don't let your rage blind you this time. Besides you're going to make your health worse if you don't calm yourself down."
Seth felt himself getting light headed and inhaled and exhaled to calm himself while freeing his arms from Meia and Gascogne's grasps. With a lot of reluctance he reined in his rage and looked at where Hibiki and Dita were and saw the redhead supporting the vanguard pilot.
It was then that Utan appeared, while chasing Pyoro who managed to make his way free of the female orangutan, she then spotted Rabat just beginning to regain consciousness in his bloody and battered state and rushed to his aid, helping him to his feet. The trader/spy/con-man looked at the Gradian who looked right back at him, those soulless eyes of his made Rabat terrified of this man. That and the death glares the other crew members gave him, some of them pointing their weapons at him made him know that he'd better get out of here.
"You're lucky I convinced Seth here to not kill you right where you stand." Magno said to Rabat, "However that could change if you don't leave right now, so leave while you can."
Utan already scared of the Gradian wasted no time getting Rabat and herself into their ship and soon after they took off from the Nirvana.
However after they'd left Magno gave the order to Bart to give chase after the trader, as they still wanted to rob him of his possessions like good old fashioned pirates. Unfortunately before they could get close to him the Nirvana's engines shut down for no reason and Rabat got away. Magno inquired what happened and Parfet confessed that she had bought an upgrade for the Nirvana's engine systems from Rabat. That got the engineer a ruthless verbal lashing from a once more pissed off Seth for letting her curiosity endanger the crew.
…
After getting treated for his injuries, Hibiki sat alone in front of the stream in the garden, staring at his reflection in the water and brooding about his weakness.
"It doesn't matter what he said." Meia said as she approached the edge of the observation platform, leaning her back against the rail. "Everything he said was nonsense, he was nothing more than a con artist."
"And a good for nothing traitor." Seth added as he walked in wearing his casual wear instead of his flight suit.
"I know…but…" Hibiki said before he clenched his fists in anger, "…he was still right about one thing, I don't have any words to call my own, only what I've heard from others...It's also funny that I'd get saved by you whose planet hates both of ours." The young then pilot looked up at the stars. "When I do get up on my own stage, I wonder what kind of lines would come out of me. Heh, I'm looking forward to that day, but at the same time I'm a little bit scared. I'm kinda worried that my play would be a comedy."
"It doesn't matter how silly the lines are." Meia spoke, "If they come from the heart and spirit without any lies nobody would laugh at you. Or at the very least I wouldn't. Both you and Seth even stated it, man or woman we're both in this together and have to co-operate to survive through this and we shouldn't be afraid to ask for help if we encounter something we can't handle…something we both still have a ways to go in."
"Maybe so…but at least you're both making progress in that area." Seth said.
Meia smiled at that before she left the garden, leaving the men to themselves.
"Seth, am I really a man? Or do I just think I am?" Hibiki asked as he looked back at the stars.
"You're already one." Seth answered, "Your standing up to Rabat already proved that even if you got your ass handed to you. That dog shit may be a swindler but that it doesn't mean he's defenseless."
"Thanks, Seth." Hibiki replied while barely making a smile before he stopped, "Maybe so but I'm not like you. You're very good as a pilot, you do whatever you want and you're actually strong…"
"Enough with comparing yourself to me. You are you and I am me. Do what makes you who you are and don't try to act like someone else. You're a man now Hibiki so act like it." Seth said, "Now if you'd excuse me I have to go back to the med bay to get another one of that medicine for my hypertension. The events of today have messed with my health once again."
Seth then left Hibiki behind for the med bay while fighting off another headache.
Chapter X End.
Read & review and don't give me no back talk/flames fool!