Tekkadread the Second Stage
Disclaimer: Please don't make me do this again! I don't wanna tell people that these characters don't belong to me and I'm only writing this story for my own enjoyment.
' ' Thoughts
Chapter 12
Part 2
Learning Curve
Xian Pu and Ukyo were sweating hard as they continued to run laps with the rest of the Warrior Squadron. Running ahead of their group were the members of the Brawler Brigade, and trailing behind Slade's pilots were several women who had passed the basic aptitude and physical exams for Vanguard duty. Both girls had to admit that the men from Tarak were in very good shape. In fact, this was their thirty-fifth lap around a 400 meter track and not one of them was out of breath or had slowed in his pace. They were all in the training facility on one of the Sentinel Satellites. The men were dressed in plain black shorts, white T-shirts and simple running shoes. The women were clad in a variety of exercise clothes, which ranged from shorts, tank tops, long skirts, leotards and designer sweat suits and footwear, though some were ill-suited for intense workouts and were more for show than practical. Some girls did not want to ruin their nice clothes with sweat and lagged far behind the rest of the trainees. Only the Vanguard pilots from the Nirvana were conservatively dressed in modest but functional workout bodysuits and running shoes.
When it was decided to merge the military personnel of both the female and male planets, Slade's Warrior Squadron was paired up with the elite of the Vanguard fighters, along with several dozen new female recruits. The idea was for them to train together and exchange tactics and technology for the eventual Radam invasion. And for those women who still clung to the belief that men were inferior, they soon learned that what the males lacked in elegance and grace, they more than made up for it in brute force and drive. The Mejele officers also found out that living with the comforts of technology had its downside as they started to struggle and strain to keep up with them.
At the starting point/finish line, Hikar Fulson AKA Old Gun nodded as he watched his team and the girls from the pirate vessel maintain a good pace. In his hand was a stopwatch, and beside him was an aide with short, blonde hair, standing next to a table with several plastic cups and two pitchers; one was colored white, while the other was black. He looked back down at the time on the watch and nodded again. He had to admit that Slade had done a decent job in training those girls in strength and endurance. On Tarak, they would be considered as passable rookies in the Vanguard Fleet. And for the Old Gun to give even THAT much praise said a lot, considering his harsh and sometimes insane training methods.
And speaking of which, the Old Gun decided to give the stragglers some incentive to pick up their pace. As the first of the Brawler Brigade rounded the last corner of the track, he called out to the runners.
"All right. Time for a water break! Don't slow down, and drink as you go!"
There were cheers from several of the runners as they came up to the table where the aide handed out small cups of refreshment. As each person passed by him, he or she would down the entire contents of the cup while still running, then drop the empty container into a nearby bin as he or she continued down the track.
However, just as the Warrior Squadron passed by and had gotten their drinks, Hikar gave a nod to his aide. The young man gulped as he put down the white pitcher he was pouring from and switched to the black-colored one. When the one of the slowest of the recruits reached him, he poured out not water, but a green-colored liquid. When the young woman, a corporal with short black hair, took a sip, she immediately made a retching noise and fell to her knees. The three girls behind her also dropped to the floor in agony.
"AAAAAAGGGHHH!"
"YUCK! WHAT IS THAT STUFF?!"
"GREAT GRANDMA! MY MOUTH IS ON FIRE!"
"UGH! I'VE BEEN POISONED!"
The other runners stopped when they heard the screams, then looked at Fulson. The grizzled veteran smirked as he proudly held up a cup filled with that same questionable liquid. His expression became devilish as he explained what was going on.
"From now on, anybody who doesn't complete a lap within 60 seconds will drink this!" He started to pour some of it onto the floor, and several people noticed that the liquid was quick thick and had an odd sheen to it. He then drank the rest of the cup's contents with gusto, wiping his mouth with free hand afterwards. "Mmmmmm! Nothing like one of my special mixes to get you going!" (1)
At that moment, the entire Brawler Brigade let off a collective gasp of horror, then starting running at a frantic pace.
"OH NO! HE'S MADE ONE OF HIS SPECIALS AGAIN!"
"I'M NOT DRINKING THAT SLUDGE!"
"I STILL CAN'T GET THE TASTE OUT MY MOUTH FROM THE LAST TIME!"
"OUT OF MY WAY!"
The Warrior Squadron also got the message and started to run harder. The girls behind them who had not gotten a taste of Hikar's concoction began to speed up as well. Ukyo and Xian Pu led their team closer to the Fire Heart's Vanguard pilots. When they were running side-by-side with a slender, blue-haired man, they began to ask him questions.
"What's this all about?" Ukyo the 17th asked.
The young man, who was named Gin Zerga and happened to be the Brawler Brigade's Medic, nodded as he tried to pick up his pace. "It's one of the ways Old Gun gets us to train harder! I wouldn't slow down if I were you!"
"What is in that drink?" Xian Pu inquired.
"I don't know and I don't WANT to know!" Gin said as he pulled ahead of them slightly. "That stuff always defies the chemical analyzer in the Sick Bay! As far as I know, only Old Gun is able drink it and he's always making new concoctions! Last time we used that stuff to fuel the Vanguards!"
"You've got to be kidding!" Ukyo exclaimed.
"Do I LOOK like I'm kidding?!" The young medic exclaimed as he put on a burst of speed and pulled ahead of them to rejoin his teammates.
Back at the starting line, Old Gun smiled as all the runners increased their paces. The longer they ran, the more victims he would have.
A few laps later
"YUCK! IT'S SO SPICY!"
"I'M NOT FEELING WELL!"
"AND I THOUGHT THOSE PILLS TASTED TERRIBLE!"
"HOW CAN THAT OLD MAN DRINK THAT STUFF WITHOUT THROWING UP?!"
"BLAAAAAAAAAUUUUUGGGGGGHHHHH!"
At this point, just about all the new female recruits had gotten a taste of Hikar's Special Drink and were sprawled on the floor. The only ones that were still running and making the 60 second time limit were the members of Old Gun's Unit and Slade's Warrior Squadron. By this time, they were on lap number fifty.
As they ran, the girls had gotten to know some facts about the members of the Brawler Brigade. They had to admit that they were a somewhat odd bunch.
Running near the head of his group was the Brawler Brigade's second-in-command, Sergeant Sosike Tamar. He had been previously a captain and had a promising military career. That is, until he refused to follow an order to abandon his unit during a botched covert operation. Instead he risked his life to save his fellow soldiers and still completed the mission objective. However, his disobedience had ruffled the feathers of some of the more pompous and self-serving members of the higher brass. In order to save face, they had him demoted and sent to serve on a lowly refuse freighter. He would have been doomed to remain at his dead-end position until Jensen Dar and Old Gun found him and recruited him to serve on the Fire Heart.
Running slightly behind Tamar was the Brawler Brigade's demolitions and explosive expert, Corporal Zet Finnar. He had sandy red hair was about an inch shorter that Sosike, though his build was similar to his superior. What set him apart from was his teammates was that he was a former arsonist and bomber. He was a master at making things explode, even with the most mundane and ordinary of objects. Jensen had found him serving time at one of the more hardcore prisons, but was impressed with his ingenuity at making and disarming bombs and how to use them to maximum effect. In fact, his Vanguard was loaded with various explosives and all kinds of ordinance. His squadron knew that if Finnar ever fell in battle, it was for certain that he would go out in one massive blast. That was the main reason why he was given the nickname Boomer.
Running behind him was the man who had talked to Ukyo and Xian Pu. Gin Zerga was a skilled medic and a dedicated pacifist. He didn't believe in fighting period. In fact, he refused to arm his Vanguard with any kind of offensive weapons whatsoever. Many thought that he was some kind of oddball to choose to be assigned to the most battle-hardened mecha squadron in the Tarak space fleet. However, those who truly knew him were well-aware of his hidden strengths, and his comrades in the Brawlers were thankful that he was always looking out for their safety and health.
Another notable member of Old Gun's Unit was a man named Kir Lesat. He was a meek-looking individual with short blonde hair and wiry build. He was a somewhat shy individual who appeared to be always unsure and nervous. However, that all changed when it was discovered that he had outstanding piloting skills and his personality did a complete 180-degree turn. Once he was in a Vanguard, he became a completely different person, (like Jekyll and Hyde, and any enemy that appeared in front of his gun sights was blown to pieces before he knew what hit him. Kir becomes more aggressive and his teammates normally give him a wide berth when in battle. The psychiatrists in the Tarak military called him a schizophrenic, and labeled him as unfit for combat duty, for fear of endangering fellow soldiers while engaging the enemy. However, this did not stop Old Gun or Jensen from recognizing Kir's innate talents and immediately signed him on.
As the remaining runners completed another lap, the Old Gun decided to give them an incentive to give it their all. He took the black pitcher from his aide and called out to them.
"THIS IS THE FINAL LAP! THE LAST PERSON TO CROSS THE FINISH LINE DRINKS THE REST OF THIS!"
The members of both the Warrior Squadron and the Brawler Brigade took one look at the pitcher and everyone made a mad dash around the track to keep from finishing last. Everyone started pushing and shoving to try and get ahead. As they neared the finish line, they were so tightly bunched together that it would only take a single misstep to cause all the runners to trip up. By a miracle, everyone managed to cross the finish line at the same time. After completing the run, they all dropped to the floor in complete exhaustion, especially the women.
Old Gun smirked.
'Works every time.'
Both Ukyo and Xian Pu were sprawled on the floor as they panted heavily. The two girls were drenched in sweat after completing what was equivalent to sprinting through a ten kilometer run multiple times.
"And (huff) I thought (whew) Slade's training (puff) sessions (huff) were tough!" The Amazon pilot remarked as she tried to pick herself up.
"ALL RIGHT YOU SCUMBAGS!" Old Gun bellowed. "GET YOUR BUTTS OFF THE FLOOR! WE'RE GONNA DO THE EXECUTIONER COURSE TODAY! ANYBODY WHO'S NOT ON HIS OR HER FEET IN TWO SECONDS, I'M GONNA SHOVE MY SPECIAL MIX DOWN THEIR THROATS AND MAKE 'EM DO PUSHUPS UNTIL THEY PUKE!"
The two eeped as they found the strength to stand up in an instant.
The Warrior Squadron were not the only women who were getting a harsh lesson on the ways of Tarak. The females that had been assigned to the Fire Heart were getting first-hand experience on the Spartan lifestyle of the men and many came to realize just how much of the simplest of necessities were wasted on Mejele, due to their less-conservative manner of living.
The Quartermaster Section
"Request denied." The officer said as he looked at the girl, after she had asked for an extra roll of toilet paper.
"What do you mean? I really need an extra roll! I only have about half a roll left!" Shenia Acron pleaded.
"I said request denied." The officer maintained. "All crewmembers were already given their regular allotment for this renewal period. Are you telling me that you used up nearly two rolls of toilet paper in one week?"
Shenia's cheeks reddened as she didn't want to tell him as to the reason why she had used up so much of it in such a short amount of time. The rolls were small and didn't hold as many sheets as she'd prefer. Unlike the men, females had certain other bodily functions to take care of and she had to use up a good amount of the precious material. (2) Furthermore, considering that she had grown up using a bidet, she was unused to cleaning off her backside with her hands, and had used more than the recommended three squares per day, a LOT more.
However, as much as she needed another roll, the officer remained firm and denied her request. After another five minutes of arguing, Shenia left the Quartermaster Section in a huff and walked back toward her room. As she silently brooded, she passed by a certain officer's quarters.
"Hey!"
Shenia stopped when she heard the voice and turned toward the person who had called out to her. Her scowl became a bit more pronounced as she recognized Carden Zemer as he leaned against the side of the doorway to his living space. His arms were casually folded across his chest and he had a bit of a whimsical expression on his face.
"What?" The agitated female asked as she was in a very sour mood.
Carden shrugged his shoulders and said in a matter-of-factly tone, "I'm guessing that Sergeant Cutzer said no about giving you more toilet paper, right? He's a real miser when it comes to re-supplying our necessities. I told you not to use more than three or four squares a day."
"What would you know?!" She immediately stopped herself from saying something embarrassing. "THAT'S NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS!"
The man gave her a smug expression then held up a hand, motioning her to wait. He went into his quarters and walked over to his closet. A few moments later, two white, cylindrical objects came flying out his doorway toward her.
"Here! Catch!"
Shenia was almost hit in the face as she barely managed to catch the two rolls of toilet paper. She looked at the unexpected gifts, and gave the returning officer a confused stare.
Carden went back to leaning against his doorway. "That should hold you until the next re-supply period."
"I don't need your charity!" Shenia said in anger and was about throw the two rolls back at his face.
"Who said anything about charity?" Carden remarked. "I expect to you to pay me back for those two rolls, with interest. Of course, considering that I've got more than fifty rolls myself, I don't really NEED to be paid back."
"What?"
Carden gestured for the confused female to follow him into his quarters. Like all men of Tarak, his room was simple and utilitarian, with very little personal effects. He then opened his closet and above his spare uniforms and other clothing was an upper shelf that was loaded with rolls of toilet paper. There was enough to last him for years without being re-supplied.
Shenia stared at the shelf in silence, then looked down at the two rolls in her hands. Then her temper started to flare again as she jumped to a conclusion.
"So that's it?! The men get all the supplies while the women are given next to nothing?!"
The tall man gave her a glare, immediately silencing her. Then he sighed as he explained. "You don't get it, do you? Let me set things straight for you. The reason why I got so much is because I know how to SAVE and stretch things. What you're seeing here is the result of three years of being thrifty. Just about every man on Tarak has to learn not to use more than necessary because there isn't too much to go around. Go to any man's quarters and you'll find the same thing; like extra rolls, some buckets of water for emergencies, hidden pill rations, spare towels, etc. Whatever we don't use, we hoard. Little by little, it adds up and even though we're supplied on a regular basis, we ALWAYS keep whatever's leftover, in case of shortages, or when one of our crewmates need it, like YOU."
Shenia was taken aback by these words and became speechless. So he wasn't just giving away the rolls to be condescending? Carden nodded at her reaction and continued.
"From what I heard, people on Mejele don't save much and waste a lot of energy and stuff for really STUPID reasons. I heard that the Captain of the Nirvana lost her home because some idiots drained her apartment's power for something useless. On Tarak, we would have thrown people like that into prison for wasting that much energy."
"Really?"
"That's right. If you want some extra water rations, go to the Engineering Section. Those guys always have a few extra gallons they can spare. If you need more toothpaste or soap, then try the Weapons Department. The Mess Hall is the best place to get spare cleaning supplies and rags. You want more food? Go to the Navigation Section. I'm pretty sure those guys won't mind parting with a few ration packs."
"How do you know all this?"
"EVERYBODY on the Fire Heart knows this, even that miser in the Quartermaster Section. Captain Dar set this system up so that none of the crew ever goes without the necessities. That Quartermaster Sergeant is stingy for a reason. He knows that anyone can get spare supplies from the other crewmembers, so he doesn't have to keep on giving out whatever limited stores he has. That way, we'll always have an extra store of necessities. We look to our own on this ship, and you'd best learn to save more and spend less."
The Captain's Office
"You set up this system?" Aika Shan asked. She had been going over some initial plans on how to deal with the impending Radam offensive. She, like Shenia, had learned of the mutual sharing of necessities and supplies between crewmembers.
Jensen nodded as he looked over a proposed flight pattern to be used against the Spider-Crabs. "Early on, I found out that the upper brass were too slow and full of themselves to provide our ships and crews with even the minimum amounts of food and supplies. So I encouraged my men to save and store whatever food and materials that they can and promoted sharing among the crew. Not only does it ease up demands on the Quartermaster Section, but it also promotes trust and cooperation among the crewmembers. And so far, it's been working and the Fire Heart is among the most efficiently-run vessels in the fleet."
"I have to admit that is very ingenious." Aika said with a bit of admiration in her tone, (though she didn't want to admit such a thing about a man). "I imagine this system would keep costs down."
"That's right. Our ship may not be as pretty as those from Mejele, but we don't care much about looks and competing against each other for some frivolous reason only wastes resources on both sides."
Aika felt a bit of twinge of anger at the implied statement, but she couldn't help but agree that the people on Mejele had been generally very wasteful with their resources. If they hadn't squandered so much, then perhaps they could have lasted longer against the Radam. And the more she thought about it, the more she had to admit that the men of Tarak knew how to make the most of what little they had. It seemed that the lack of technology and the comforts it afforded had made the males more sensible and efficient.
However, this bare bones, no-nonsense approach to running things also left next to nothing for pleasure. For the men, it was work, work, and work with very little time spared for recreation. Granted she had only been on the Fire Heart for a week and had never been down on the planet and visited one of their cities, but she couldn't imagine going through life without have some kind of fun. It was if the men toiled away from the time they were born, to the time they took their final breaths. She had heard that the citizens of Tarak did engage in the occasional celebration, but even they themselves admitted that such events weren't considered as enjoyable.
To live an efficient but dreary life, or waste precious resources while enjoying oneself. Aika began to wonder if there was some level in which one could find a balance between the two. Or was it even possible to find such a life on the world called Tarak?
On the planet's surface
Barnette and Parfet looked around in awe as they rode in a transport with Duero. The vehicle was boxlike and was approximately the size of a 20th century compact car. However, instead of moving about on wheels, the machine actually rode on an antigravity field and traveled at a height of 36 inches above the ground. Ion thrusters in the rear provided forward momentum, while directional manipulators on the sides and front handled turning and stopping. The top was down and the two females took in the sights and sounds of one of the larger cities on the all-male world.
Like all the other population centers, the city was built within one of the many huge crevasses that dotted the surface of the planet. Since water, minerals and several key ores tended to be found in large quantities within them, it made sense for the men to build their cities near these resources. Furthermore, their locations also afforded natural protection against the elements, such as violent windstorms and the harsh rays of the Tarak sun.
The two women from the Nirvana were quite amazed at how different Tarak was in comparison to Mejele. They were used to seeing gleaming towers, bright colors, and displays. The city they were seeing now was rougher, and more harsh-looking. There were no gardens or parks. In fact, everything they saw seemed to be geared toward one theme, industry. Just about everywhere they looked there were factories and assembly plants. They were of course utility, waste management, commercial goods, financial and food production facilities, but the majority of those industrial units were centered on building weapons and space vessels. At this point, it was a good thing, since the planet was on full-scale military production in preparation for the inevitable Radam assault that would occur in less than a month. Duero had given the girls a short tour of one of the facilities and Parfet had to give men credit. When it came to mass production, they knew how churn things out in a hurry. There was barely any waste at all and their efficiency put even Gascogne's Support Team to shame.
As they drove toward the outer limits of the city, Duero thought back to the reason why he was heading out into the untamed Tarak wilderness
Flashback
The Nirvana's physician stood in front of the desk of a high-ranking official and his aide. The doctor noted the man's rank to be that of a colonel and mentally hoped that he wouldn't try to coerce him into fighting against the women due to his power as a Tekkaman.
Fortunately, that was not the case as the officer told him of the reason why he had sent for him.
Duero blinked in surprise after being informed.
"Let me see if I understand correctly. You want me to go out into the Badlands and find HIM?"
The colonel nodded as he handed Duero a folder with some files. "That's right. You would be the most logical person to ask to locate that man. We've sent some of our best operatives, but we haven't been able to contact him or even determine his current whereabouts since he left the service three years ago."
"There's a reason why he quit the military." Duero stressed.
"Yes, we're well aware of his current disposition toward the military and we have everything on file. However, we desperately need him. There are no others who could match his skills and expertise. With the coming war with the Radam, we will require experts in sniping, guerilla tactics and survival techniques. He was the best in those fields and would be the ideal instructor. Even though we are strengthening our orbital defenses and space fleets, we expect some very intense ground warfare and we need to prepare."
Duero nodded in agreement at the assessment, then said, "Assuming if and I mean IF I do find him, there's no guarantee that he'll agree to come back, even with me asking him. I haven't seen him in well over two years, including the time I spent on the Nirvana."
"We have no other option. We need him to train new recruits and lead some of our ground forces. I will personally guarantee a full upgrade to First-Class citizenship for him."
"You should know that he doesn't care for that. The only reason why he trained me to undergo the Spirit Trial was for my well-being."
"Still, Grand Pa himself has promised to give him a FULL PARDON for all of his past violations. You will bring him back?"
"Is this a direct order?"
"No. This is not an order. This is a personal favor being asked by Grand Pa."
"I see" Duero owed a debt to Grand Pa, due to his orders to his commanders to leave the good doctor alone and not try to turn him into a weapon against the Mejele military. "Very well. I will try to find him and convince him that his cooperation is required to defeat the Radam. However, I make no promises as to whether he will agree. Nor do I make any guarantees that he will remain with the military after the war."
"Fair enough. May Grand Pa watch over you on your journey."
End of flashback
"So where are we going?"
Barnette's question brought Duero's thoughts out of his reverie as he looked over his shoulder and answered her.
"We're heading out into place called the Badlands. It's a very unpleasant and hostile area and you two don't have to come with me."
"It's okay! We don't mind!" Parfet said. "It's not too dangerous is it?"
"I don't expect any trouble."
"Then it's all right. So why are you going to a place like that?"
"I have to find someone."
"Who?" Barnette inquired.
"Tensen Mcfile. My Prime, or in Mejele terms he was my Ohma. In other words my father."
Some time later
The small hover transport was gliding easily over the hot, sandy and rocky landscape as it ventured further out in the Tarak wilderness. Even though they were protected by the roof of the vehicle and cooled by its air-conditioning system, the two females were awestruck by the heat and desolation of their surroundings. This was nothing like the lush green hills and forests of Mejele, before the Radam invasion. There were numerous formations of stone and very little vegetation. After having lived in crowded areas nearly all their lives, being in such open spaces was unknown to them. For as far as they could see, the untamed land stretched out before them in all of its near-barren glory.
Another hour later, Duero stopped the vehicle in front of an odd-shaped mesa. As the three disembarked, the good doctor motioned for them to follow him toward the face of what appeared to be a solid wall of rock. As they exposed themselves to the hot, dry heat of the planet, both women were thankful of the sun block they were wearing. Though the Tarak lotion was foul-smelling, it did its job of warding off a good amount of the sun's heat and rays, and kept them from getting sunburn. Both were also provided with thick-soled boots that were sized for their smaller feet, protecting them from the planet's scorching surface. Barnette was especially familiar with such precautions, ever since her experience from that other desert world.
"Follow me." Duero said as he walked toward the mesa wall.
Barnette was about to ask why he was walking into a wall, when he suddenly vanished from sight. Parfet took out a handheld scanner and adjusted its instruments. She let off a low whistle.
"Wow. A holographic camouflage screen with a false energy emitter. I wouldn't have caught it with a regular scan."
"So the wall's not real?"
"Nope. There's a tunnel, but no door. Then again, why bother having a door to an entrance that you'll never find?"
The taller brunette nodded as she stepped through the illusion and into a large, well-lit tunnel. She was closely followed by Parfet. Not seeing Duero anywhere, they assumed that he had gone ahead. They quickly made their way down the long corridor until they spotted a light at the end. When they came to it, they entered a large room which had various storage lockers and other containment vessels. At the center of the room was Duero, who was currently studying a computer interface screen that was built into a large table.
"Duero?" Parfet asked as she and Barnette approached him.
Without facing them, the physician acknowledged their presence with a nod and motioned them to join him. When they came up to the table, they saw a large map of the surrounding area being displayed and some data readouts appearing at the bottom of the screen. However, both girls showed looks of confusion since neither one could understand Tarakese.
'Darn it! I left my Inter-Pricko on the Nirvana!' Parfet swore-snapped her fingers as she had neglected to consider taking the device with her when she decided to go with Duero to his home planet.
Duero noted their puzzlement and explained while still keeping his eyes on the screen. "It's all right. I doubt even the best cryptologists on Tarak could decipher this script. It's not Tarakese, but an ancient language that my father discovered that had its origins on Old Earth. It's also been encoded in three different numerical patterns. The only people who could read this are himself and me. He taught it to me when I was six. According to these records, my Prime had replenished this secret supply station 4 months ago, though he hasn't been here since then."
"Supply station?" Barnette asked.
"That's right. My Prime, Tensen Mcfile, believed in always being prepared, and he had set up several hidden stockpiles of food, water, weapons, and other supplies in key areas in the Badlands. I was hoping he'd be here or had left a clue as to his whereabouts, but it looks like we're still going to have to keep on searching."
The physician turned off the monitor, then walked over to one of the storage lockers. Punching in a code on the door's keypad, he opened it up, reached inside and pulled out a familiar-looking weapon to Barnette.
"A Gladiator Mark II Assault Rifle?"
The healer nodded as he took out two more of the weapons, along with several bandoliers of ammo packs. He also opened up two more lockers and began rummaging about for water bottles, food packs, medical supplies and other necessities.
"What are you doing?" Parfet asked.
Duero stopped for minute and replied. "My Prime isn't here and my guess is that he's out further into the Badlands. That's VERY dangerous Shelari territory."
"What?!" Barnette exclaimed. She still had some traumatic memories about being nearly devoured by those giant sandworms on that desert world Saber had trapped them on. She had no desire to go up against Tarak's versions of those horrors. Duero had described them as larger and fiercer, which made her shudder just imagining about them.
"What's a Shelari?" Parfet asked innocently.
Duero handed her one of the heavy rifles as he answered. "Something that I hope we don't encounter, but we'd best be prepared. I have an idea as to where my father might be."
"You do?" Barnette asked as she hefted the rifle and checked its magazine.
Duero nodded as he finished raiding the supply lockers. "It's about that time I think. He always goes there to commemorate the anniversary and he always takes the same path. If we go there, we're certain to meet up with him."
"Where?"
The good doctor's face took on a solemn expression. "Grand Pa's Pass."
"Isn't that the place that you had to go to, during your Spirit Trial?"
"That's right. Though my father never showed it on the outside, he was always very proud of the fact that I completed it in less time than all the other candidates. I still hold the record of 4 days, 9 hours and 53 minutes."
"Spirit Trial?" By this time, Parfet was both puzzled and annoyed that Duero and Barnette shared some knowledge between them and she did not.
Duero motioned for the pair to follow as he hefted two large packs full of supplies and ammunition. "I'll tell you about it on the way. Right now, we have to get going. Knowing my father, he's probably halfway there."
Another hour later
"You traveled all this way on foot? And you were only seven years old?" Pafet's eyes widened in amazement after Duero related the story of his Spirit Trial to her.
Duero nodded as he continued to drive the transport across the planet's desolate surface. "That's right. It took me over four days to cross a hundred miles. And let me tell you, it was the hardest thing I had ever done and it wasn't just the Shelari and the Sand Stalkers. There were other obstacles and "
His voice trailed off as he saw a small formation of rock in the distance and off to the right. He immediately turned the vehicle toward it and accelerated. Both girls were puzzled at the sudden silence and change in direction. They had assumed that they were going directly to Grand Pa's Pass to meet up with Duero's father.
When they arrived at the formation, Duero immediately got out and walked toward an recess on one side of it. He knelt down in front of what looked like the remains of a campfire. Reaching down, he picked up a small amount of ashes and tested the consistency between his fingers. The two females walked up behind him.
"Hmmm this fire was put out recently. I'd say four maybe five hours ago." He commented as he assessed the surrounding area.
"Your father was here?" Parfet asked.
"Definitely." He confirmed as he stood up, then gestured to a small mark in the side of the rock formation. "See that? I made that mark years ago during my Spirit Trial when I came to this place. My Prime is following my route to Grand Pa's Pass exactly. And I recognize the pattern he arranged his campfire with. It's the exact same one he taught to me. Which means, he's not too far off and"
Duero stopped in his explanation as he noticed someone approaching them. Barnette and Parfet also turned to meet the newcomer and were surprised to see that it was a child.
The boy looked to be about six or seven. He was dressed in a brown tunic with matching leggings and boots. Slung over his shoulder was a small pack and in one hand was a walking stick. His dark hair was tied back in a small ponytail. He was quite dirty and his clothes were tattered and worn. Duero estimated that the child had been spending a long time out in the desert. The boy looked up at the good doctor with curious brown eyes then looked over to his companions. His expression took on a confused look as he addressed Duero.
"Who are you? Are you here to help me on my Spirit Trial? You can't help me you know. I got to do this all by myself."
Duero nodded. "Yes, I'm quite aware of that. I did my Spirit Trial when I was your age. You're quite the young man to have made it this far. How long have you been out here?"
"About five days."
"What's your name, son?"
"My name's Kennen Cortan." He pointed at the two women. "Who are they? They're really funny-looking men."
"We're not men." Parfet said. "We're women."
"WOMEN?!" Kennan said in shock and took on a scared look. He started backing away while holding out his stick in defense. "STAY AWAY! WOMEN ARE MONSTERS!" He immediately turned about and began running away.
"KENNAN! WAIT!" Duero called out as he started to run after him. His compatriots followed.
"Nice going, Parfet! You just had to scare him like that!" Barnette chided her rival for Duero's affections.
"I'm sorry! I didn't think he'd run off!"
"He's a boy that's been raised to believe that women are monsters that suck out men's innards. He hasn't been taught anything else and he probably doesn't know that women now live with the men, since he's been out in the desert for days! Of course he'd be scared of us!"
The three chased after the boy across a very wide, sandy area. Duero immediately recognized some telltale sand dunes and cried out to the child.
"KENNAN! WAIT! DON'T GO THERE! THAT'S A SHELARI"
The sand in front of the boy's path suddenly exploded as a huge and ominous form burst upwards. Kennan stopped and tried to backpedal, but he tripped and fell backward. Towering above him was Tarak's most lethal predator.
The Shelari was gigantic, even by Tarak standards. The beast measured at least fifty feet in length, and had massive, armored plates around its head and upper body. Beady eyes locked onto the tender morsel in front of it. Its mandibles were like wicked scythes, and its jaws dripped with saliva and acid as it prepared to lunge at its diminutive prey.
Kennan screamed as he knew that this was the end.
At this point, a certain someone made a crystal appear in his hand as he shouted out.
"TEKSETTER!"
Duero was engulfed in a flash of light as his body became encased in near-impenetrable armor. In less than a heartbeat, Tekkaman Razor was between the Shelari and its prey. The boy looked up in awe as the armored warrior faced off against the most vicious beast on the planet.
The sandworm let off a howl as it lunged forward toward what appeared to be larger prey. However, to its surprise, the Tekkaman stood his ground and braced for impact. The worm's mandibles opened wide, intent on cutting Duero in two. The doctor in armor held out his arms and caught both mandibles in his hands, preventing them from closing. His superhuman strength was far more than the Shelari expected. Unable to crush its intended victim in its jaws, it instead spewed out a torrent of acid from its mouth. The caustic liquid splashed heavily on Razor's chest and helmet but the armor was far more durable than most starship hulls. The acid had no effect as it ran off the surface and dripped down to the ground, making hissing noises and wisps of smoke as it burned through the sand.
Duero gritted his teeth behind his helmet as he continued to hold the creature at bay. With the boy frozen in fright behind him, he couldn't finish off the Shelari without harm befalling the lad. Fortunately for him, Barnette and Parfet gave him the chance as they quickly grabbed the child up and carried him off to safety. Once they were a safe distance away, they called out to him.
"He's all right now, Razor!" Barnette shouted.
"Let him have it!" Parfet said.
Razor nodded as he looked back up at his opponent. With his hands holding open the beast's jaws, he couldn't engage his Tekka weapons, so he would have finish it off another way.
"As much as I prefer NOT to use brute force "
Tekkaman Razor let off a growl as he exerted even more of his power. The Shelari desperately tried to pull away as the pressure increased but then
SHHHHHRRRRRRRRIIIIIIIPPPPP!
Barnette, Parfet and Kennan watched in awe and shock as Tekkaman Razor tore the Shelari's head in half! The massive skull exploded in a mass of brain tissue, bone, muscle and fluids. More acid splashed all over the doctor as the worm's acid sacs burst apart. However, this made no difference to him as his armor easily withstood the dousing of the Shelari's innards. The large, headless body toppled to the ground with a thunderous crash, causing sand and dirt clouds to spread across the barren landscape. When the clouds settled, and silence returned, Tekkaman Razor simply turned around and walked toward the two women and the still frightened boy who had just witnessed one man destroy the deadliest predator on Tarak with ease.
Later, sitting by a campfire
"It's all your fault!" Kennan said in anger.
After lengthy explanations had been made and the shock of seeing a Tekkaman for the first time had worn off, the young boy had become very upset when he realized that Duero and the others had interfered in his Spirit Trial.
"We were only trying to help " Parfet began, only to be cut off.
"You weren't supposed to! Now I'll never become a First-Class citizen!"
Duero tried to reach out to the boy to reassure him, but Kennan would have none of it and refused to let him come near him. The doctor let off a tired sigh, then said, "We didn't mean to interfere with your Spirit Trial, but we couldn't just stand there and let you get devoured by that Shelari."
"Then you should have let it eat me!" The boy snapped back. "It would have been better than having to go back and tell the judges that I failed because I was helped by women!"
Both Parfet and Barnette winced at the boy's stinging remarks, though they really couldn't blame him. A year ago, they would have had the same attitude toward men. They had been taught since childhood to hate the opposite gender, and it seemed that it was identical on Tarak.
However, now that both sexes were united against the Radam, they wanted to try to get along with the men of Tarak. After all, both were attracted to one.
"Although I understand why you want to become a First-Class Citizen, it's better to have failed than to lose your life." Barnette said.
"You don't know anything!" Kennan shot back. "First-Class is the best and you ruined my only chance!"
"Well, perhaps not." Duero said. "I'm certain we can persuade them that our interference was only accidental. If we were to speak to the judges and your Prime and Second"
"I don't have a Prime or Second." The boy sobbed as tears started to well up in his eyes.
Duero and the females became surprised at his admission.
"You don't have a Prime or Second? I thought your family name was Cortan."
"It's not." The boy said sadly, then sighed as he decided that it didn't matter anymore. "It's just a name I took off the planetary registry, along with the false records I provided to the Spirit Trial Center. They wouldn't let an orphan go out on his own, so I bribed a couple of Third-Class workers to pose as my fathers. It cost me all the food pellets I had saved, and now I don't have anything left."
"You're an orphan?" Parfet asked. "Did your parents die?"
"I don't know who my Prime and Second are. No one came to claim me at the factory when I was born. The records of the people who made me were lost. I only knew of the name I was given when I was sent to be raised at the orphanage it was Kennan."
Both women shuddered. They were familiar with the way Tarak men reproduced and didn't like the idea of growing up without the warmth of a mother's arms.
"So I take it you left the orphanage?" Duero surmised.
"Yeah. The head of the orphanage was some really bad man who used to beat me and stuff. One night, when I was five, I slipped out of there and since then, I've been on my own. I thought that if I could become a First-Class Citizen, I could get a better life, but now that's over with."
There was a long silence as Duero considered the lad. Then he placed a comforting hand on the boy's shoulder and smiled. "Kennan it's not over yet. According to the rules of the Spirit Trial, the candidate must get to Grand Pa's Pass on his own, and you can still do that. As far as anyone is concerned, you are still eligible to become a First-Class Citizen. No one else knows what happened here except for myself, and my two friends and no one is going to tell." He turned to his companions. "Right?"
Barnette and Parfet both nodded.
With this, the boy smiled as he began to consider that women weren't the monsters he had believed.
Duero smiled as he, Barnette and Parfet watched Kennan walk toward the horizon. In a little while, he was out of sight and well on his way to Grand Pa's Pass.
"Will he be all right by himself?" Barnette asked.
Duero nodded. "He should be fine. He's following the same route I did, and as long as he sticks to that trail, he shouldn't have any problems. I estimate that he'll reach the goal in about a day or so. Besides, all candidates are given a homing device to use in case they cannot make it to Grand Pa's Pass."
"Speaking of which, shouldn't we get there as well?" Parfet said.
"In a while." The Tarak doctor said as he headed toward the decapitated body of the Shelari he had killed. "First, I have to take care of something."
"What?" Both women asked simultaneously.
It was then that a low growl was heard from Duero's stomach. The physician blushed a bit as he explained. "Even though I was a Tekkaman for only a short while, I still burned up a great deal of calories. I have not had lunch nor breakfast. I'm quite hungry." He gestured to the Shelari carcass. "And there is no sense in letting that go to waste."
Both females became very nauseous at that moment.
Some time later
The fire roared even higher as a large piece of Shelari meat was being roasted. Sitting on a small boulder, Duero had a simple metal plate in his lap, with a knife and fork in his hands. He was busy enjoying Tarak's version of Barnette's filet mignon. It was his fourth helping as he devoured the Shelari steaks he had prepared for himself and his companions.
After dragging the sandworm's body completely onto the surface, he efficiently cut off a large section of the its flank and prepared it on a makeshift spit, using some supplies he had in the hover transport. Fifteen minutes later, the surrounding air was heavy with the smell of roasting meat and pungent Tarak spices. Though very rare to come by, the men of Tarak did enjoy to season their food once in a while.
Barnette and Parfet watched in amazement as Duero continued to eat the very thing that had tried to eat him. They were also somewhat squeamish about eating something that was so hideous and dangerous. Their plates were still in their hands, the food uneaten.
Duero stopped eating to look up at his companions' untouched meals. He smiled and said, "Go ahead. Enjoy. As I recall, you two haven't eaten either. Aren't you hungry? Is the food not to your liking?"
Parfet gulped as she shook her head. "Oh no! It's fine! It's just that I'm not really hungry"
It was then that her stomach growled in protest.
Parfet chuckled nervously, then looked back down at her plate.
Barnette also considered the meal in her hands. She too was feeling hungry and it SEEMED to be all right. She was still hesitant to sample it, though the smell was quite tempting. If she didn't know where the meat came from, she would have taken a bite.
Duero understood their reluctance, then addressed Barnette.
"McFile Survival Rule Number Four."
"Huh?" Parfet said in confusion.
Barnette pondered Duero's statement, then nodded as she remembered. "Always keep an open mind, right?"
Duero nodded. "Correct. Are you going to let that meal go to waste, or would you prefer the pill rations I brought with me?"
Both females winced as they remembered sampling those dreadful things back on the Nirvana. With that in mind, they picked up their forks and took their first bite of Tarak cuisine.
The taller brunette's eyes widened in surprise as the meat's flavor reached her taste buds and she chewed thoughtfully. She then swallowed and smiled at the cook.
"You're right. It DOES taste like pork! You've got to show me the recipe!" She then proceed to consume her meal while still smiling.
Parfet was also enjoying her first Tarak meal. In fact she was enjoying the Shelari Steak so much, she didn't notice something crawling about on the ground near her.
Duero however, did notice and in a flash, threw out his right arm. A streak of silver sped by the bespectacled girl and impacted hard against the creature's body, sending it flying back several feet. This startled Parfet, causing her to drop her plate. She looked toward where the thing had landed and let off a gasp.
The desert spider was about the size of a man's fist and had eight, spiny legs. It's body was covered in what appeared to be spiked scales and it was colored a light tan, which blended well with the desert ground. It had large, curved fangs which looked like miniature, bent hypodermic needles. Its beady eyes, all seven of them, were colored black. It twitched a bit before finally expiring. Imbedded in its body was the knife Duero had been eating with.
This caused Parfet to faint. As Barnette set down her plate and went to check on her, Duero walked over to where the dead spider lay.
"Is that a Sand Stalker?" Barnette asked in a trembling voice. She still remembered her near-fatal encounter with a venomous spider.
Duero nodded. "Yes. That's a Sand Stalker." He paused for a long while, then remarked. "We can have it for dessert."
Barnette then fainted alongside her companion.
Meanwhile, on the Nirvana
Slade walked down the corridor toward Jura's quarters and wondered why the former Dread pilot had insisted to see him. She had promised to show him something that he would like, and that only made him shiver at the thought. Though she had promised not to be show any displays of affection toward him during the Tarak/Mejele truce, the White Tekkaman still felt very nervous about the whole thing. Now it was true that he was attracted to her and under different circumstances, he just might have considered
Slade shook his head in denial. The threat of the Radam took precedence over anything and everything. With that, he made up his mind to tell her just that. Though a large part of him didn't want to, he had to make Jura understand that they needed to be focused on stopping the Radam. This was not the time to be thinking of anything else!
However, when he got to her quarters and the door opened for him, what he saw made him forget about the Radam completely! Ever since he had first met the blonde girl, it had been a well known fact that she constantly strove for elegance. And what she presented at that moment came VERY close to the epitome of its definition.
Jura was clothed not in her usual, revealing dress with the plunging neckline, but in an emerald green, silk robe with flaring sleeves. Belted at her waist was a very wide, red band that was tied at the back in a large bow. Her kimono had white cherry blossom petals etched in the fabric near the sleeves and upper body areas. However, the top of her outfit was strained as it was just barely able to contain her generous bosom. Her hair was done up in a modest topknot style held by a pair of decorative, long pins, though much of her tresses flowed down her back. She was currently barefoot.
She was currently in a Seiza (3) position on a series of large, straw mats in the center of her room. Small sticks of fragrant incense burned in ceremonial urns, giving off thin wisps of smoke, which were sucked up slowly by the ventilation system so that the atmosphere would not be ruined, but the smell would not be overpowering. In front of her were various utensils, pots and drinking vessels which stirred up faint memories in Slade. He seemed to recall something like this during his childhood and for a brief moment, he saw an image of a young Nodoka Saotome kneeling in the same place where Jura was. Then his eyes widened as he realized what Jura was presenting to him.
She was about to perform the traditional tea ceremony for him!
In her mind, Jura went over what Nodoka had taught her about the tea ceremony and its significance. When the aged woman demonstrated it, Jura could only marvel at how refined the captain looked and pleaded with her for training. She wanted to impress Slade and show him, that she could be mature and wasn't just another 'dumb blonde.' She was certain that this display would prove that she was worthy to be the mother of his children.
Jura had spent the week practicing each and every movement. Slade's mother praised her on how quickly she learned and how well-versed she was with etiquette. After finishing with her instruction, she then set up the perfect scenario so that Slade would be at ease when she performed the ceremony. She smiled as she placed both of her hands in front of her, with fingertips pointed forward and the index fingers touching. She gave him a solemn bow as she silently bid him to enter, sat up and waited. As she remained slightly bent over, the front of her kimono began to part, giving her intended a very interesting view.
The White Tekkaman gulped hard at the sight, but then was at a loss of what to do. The tea ceremony had not been done for centuries! And yet, this was quite a change from what he had been expecting. He had assumed that Jura would suddenly jump at him the moment he opened the door and try to get him to do (well, you know). However, she was being amicable and well-behaved. She had gone through the trouble to set this up, just for him. It would be disrespectful for him not to appreciate her efforts.
With that in mind, he gave her a nod and smiled warmly. As he was about to step inside, he remembered another thing from his childhood about Tatami mats. He stepped back, bent down and took off his boots. Leaving his footwear near the doorway inside her room, he took a deep breath and stepped forward. The door closed silently behind him as he walked over to where Jura was and knelt down opposite to her on the mats.
The blonde-haired girl smiled as she began the tea ceremony.
Down on Tarak
Both Barnette and Pafet were still bit unnerved as they continued to ride with Duero in the hover transport. After watching him roast that Sand Stalker over the fire, then gobble it up as if he were eating a candy bar, both girls began to see the Tarak pills as more appetizing.
Duero maintained that it would have been wasteful to have killed the spider and not eaten it. However, he understood that it would take time before the women got used to the idea of eating things that didn't come from a clean and sterile grocery store. Those were hard lessons and unfortunately, there was very little time for them to learn.
He decided to table those thoughts for later as he guided the vehicle toward Grand Pa's Pass. He had opted to take a more direct route toward their destination rather than follow the original journey he had taken when he was seven. The terrain was rougher and more frequented by Shelari, but as long as he maintained an altitude of four feet above the ground at a high speed, with the sound suppressors on, there was very little chance they would attract any of those underground predators.
He then gestured toward an area in the distance, and the two women gazed in awe at the enormous stone structures looming before them. Twin pillars stood tall and proud, marking the entrance to a canyon that was know to all on Tarak as Grand Pa's Pass.
As they entered the canyon, all three were unaware that they were being watched
The lone figure hid behind the shadows of a large boulder in one of the canyon walls' many recesses. He lay in the prone position as he observed the vehicle. In his arms, he cradled a high-powered sniper rifle. He recognized the insignia of the Tarak Military on the vehicle's side and frowned. He sighted his intended target, took careful aim and squeezed the trigger.
Two shots rang out in succession as both bullets flew straight and true toward their targets. The first armor-piercing projectile easily shot off the latch to the engine cowling of the vehicle's left ion thruster, exposing its insides. The second played havoc with the mechanisms within. In an instant, the craft's forward momentum became erratic as the propulsion unit started to sputter. A few seconds later, the other thruster also began to malfunction.
Duero fought hard at the controls in an attempt to bring the vehicle to a halt. As it careened toward one of the canyon's walls, Barnette and Parfet braced for impact. Fortunately, the emergency systems kicked in and repulsion fields were projected on all sides. At the same time, Duero activated the inertial dampers within the hover transport to further protect himself and his passengers. The machine came to a ear-splitting halt just inches from the wall.
The doctor immediately shut down all systems and turned around in his seat to check on the status of his companions. Both women nodded to him, signifying that they were no worse for wear. The three quickly vacated from their disabled craft. Barnette looked about for any sign of their attacker, with her Tarak Assault Rifle held at the ready. Parfet was a bit shaken by the sudden stop and had to be examined by Duero for a minute before she assured him that she was all right. He also took up arms alongside Barnette. Long minutes would pass, but no further attacks came.
It was then that Duero checked out the damaged hover transport. When he opened up the engine cowling, his expression became hardened as he reached in and pulled out a severed wire. The two Mejele pirates came up to him as he showed them his discovery.
"What happened?" Parfet asked.
"Take a look at this." The doctor said as he showed them the wire, then gestured at a hole in the engine. A small stream of green-blue, viscous liquid was leaking out. "We were hit by high-velocity rounds from a sniper rifle. The first one probably opened up the cowling while the second severed the ion relay cable and punctured the capacitance gel reservoir. The bullet also got the redundancy control interface."
The bespectacled girl let off a low whistle at the damage. "Whoa. He hit the latch and took out the propulsion and maneuvering systems with just two bullets!"
Barnette was also impressed. "He got them all from a distance? While we were moving? That's not too shabby."
Duero shook his head as he pointed at the end of the wire. "Actually, it wasn't his best. Look at this wire. The end is frayed. I know from experience that he would never be this sloppy unless he was very upset about something."
"You don't think it's good shooting to hit that thin wire from a distance with a rifle?" The brunette asked incredulously.
Duero shook his head again. "Whenever he gets serious about hitting his target, he could pick the eyes off a Sand Stalker at five hundred feet during a heavy sandstorm."
"Who?" The two females asked simultaneously.
The shooter nodded as he sighted the group in his rifle's scope. After firing off his first shots, he had immediately moved to another position. After adjusting the power levels to his weapon, he efficiently took aim and squeezed the trigger again.
Two more shots rang out, this time catching Barnette completely by surprise. The assault rifle she was carrying took a bullet between the magazine and the loading mechanism, causing it to jam and rendering it useless. The second bullet impacted hard against her hip holster, knocking away the ancient Colt 45 she had carried with her when she decided to visit Tarak.
"TAKE COVER!" Duero cried out as he pushed his companions toward a nearby recess in the canyon walls. All three pressed their backs hard against the hard surface. Their adrenaline levels became elevated along with their breathing rates. The two females strained to listen for the next shots as they tried to determine who was shooting at them. Duero however, already knew.
"Who's attacking us?!" Parfet asked in a panicked but hushed tone.
Duero took a long and tired sigh as he answered. "My father."
"YOUR FATHER?!" Both girls cried out.
The doctor nodded. "I recognized the shooting style and there's only one man on Tarak with that kind of marksmanship."
"Then why is he shooting at us?!" Barnette demanded.
The Tarak healer shook his head. "He's not shooting at us."
"What?!"
Duero gestured to the damaged rifle in Barnette's hands, then to her hip where her pistol had been holstered. "He aimed at your weapons, not you. If he really wanted to shoot you, then you would have a grossly incorrect number of body openings by now. So far, all of his shots were meant to disable and disarm, not kill. He's been giving us warning shots."
"THOSE WERE WARNING SHOTS?!"
Duero could only nod.
"So what do we do now?" Parfet asked.
The man cocked his head to one side in thought. "Hmmmm. If I know Father, he'd have already moved to another firing position. Taking into account of his stealth skills and visual acuity, I'd say that he'd have taken a position" He lifted an arm and pointed toward a rocky overhang about one hundred fifty feet to their left and twenty feet above the canyon floor. " right about there."
As if on cue, a tall figure stood up from behind a rock on the overhang. He called out to Duero in a gruff but commanding voice.
"I'm glad to see that you didn't forget what I taught you, Son!"
Parfet and Barnette could only stare in shock at Duero's father, Tensen Mcfile.
Slade swallowed hard as Jura performed the ancient tea ceremony as perfectly as he remembered it. Using a fukusa (4), she purified the tea container and scoop. She made a careful inspection of folding and handling of the fukusa, She then ladled hot water into the tea bowl, rinsing the whisk, then emptied the bowl with the chakin(5).
Lifting the tea scoop and tea container, she placed three scoops into the tea bowl, which was made of fine ceramic and elaborately decorated. She carefully ladled hot water from the kettle into the teabowl to create a thin paste with the whisk. As she stirred the tea with the wisk, she carefully added more water to bring the tea to the correct consistency. Unused water in the ladle was returned to the kettle.
Jura then passed the tea bowl to Slade. He gave her a bow in accepting it. He then had to dig very deep into his memories as Ranma Saotome, then nodded as he finally recalled. He raised the bowl and rotated it, admiring its pattern. He drank some of the tea, while holding it in one hand, and placing the index finger of his other hand on the side. He then wiped the rim of the bowl, and passed it back to her. Jura smiled as she rinsed the tea bowl and offered the utensils for his inspection. Slade held up his hand and shook his head, deciding to skip the remaining phase of the ceremony.
Jura smiled as she carefully laid the items to the side and gazed longingly into his eyes. At this point, the front of her kimono was almost bursting at the front as her generous breasts threatened to spill out completely. Slade was having a hard time from keeping his eyes from straying.
"How was it?"
The question brought Slade out of his stupor as he quickly answered. "Uhm it was perfect."
"Really? I'm so happy!"
"Uh where did you learn the tea ceremony?"
"I learned it from your mother, I mean, the Captain. She also loaned me this kimono. Do like it?"
"I think it's very beautiful. And I have to admit, you look really, beautiful in it. I mean it."
"I'm very glad to hear it" It was then that she leaned forward. At that time, he got REALLY nervous as he saw a very close view of her cleavage. He found himself rooted to the spot as she leaned even further, then finally their lips came together.
At that point, Slade's cognitive processes were offline and his instincts went on full blast as he kissed her back. His hands took hold of her shoulders and brought her closer. However, before he was able to act on those instincts, the intercom went on
"Tactical to Slade. Tactical to Slade. Please report to the War Room immediately."
Jura took on a look of resigned disappointment as she and Slade parted. She let off a sigh and held up her right hand before he could say anything. "I know, I know. Duty calls. Go."
Slade nodded as he and Jura stood up. However he paused for a long moment, before saying to her, "I really did appreciate the tea ceremony Jura."
The blond smiled and replied, "And I fully intend to FINISH what we started here."
The White Tekkaman quickly turned about and headed out the room.
As he left, Jura smiled as she knew that she was getting closer and closer to her goal. She vowed that the next time, she would have him!
Meanwhile back on Tarak
"I'm NEVER going back." Tensen Mcfile said simply.
"But Father" Duero began, only to be cut off by his sire.
"No ifs, ands, or buts about it, Son." The elder Mcfile affirmed. "I left the military with no intention of ever coming back to it or the city. I thought I made that clear to you three years ago."
As they argued, Barnette and Parfet stood nearby and took in all the similarities and differences between the two generations of the Mcfile family. Duero was about the same height as Tensen and both had their hair styled in the same manner, with one side of their faces obscured. Both were built with lean but well-toned physiques and their skin was darkly tanned, though Duero's was a lighter hue, due to his time on the Nirvana. And most noticeably, both men had the same serious, yet perceptive expression on their faces when facing a challenge.
However, unlike his son's, Tensen's hair had several gray streaks in it and he was in his mid to late forties. His eyes were blue as compared to Duero's hazel. He wore a kind of survival jumpsuit with a poncho that was well-worn. In his hands was his weapon of choice, the Tarak Sniper Rifle also called the Long Shot Mark IV. Like the assault rifle, it fired a variety of ammunition, though Tensen was especially proficient in using the armor-piercing, long distance rounds. He also carried a pistol that resembled an ancient Berretta 92, but had a longer barrel and greater stopping power than its predecessor. Due to his incredible survival skills and ambush tactics using the rifle and pistol, (not to mention his unbelievable eyesight and marksmanship), Tensen was quite possibly the most accomplished sniper ever to graduate from the Tarak Academy. As such, he was known by his nickname of Sure Shot McFile. There was virtually no target on Tarak or any other planet that he couldn't hit.
"So Duero, are you going to introduce me to your friends?"
The good doctor became somewhat flustered as he gestured to both women. "Oh yes, of course. This is Barnette Orangello and Parfet Balblair. Both are members of the Mejele Pirates, in which I had been serving as their ship's surgeon for the past year."
"You were the medical officer on board an all-female ship?" The elder McFile said in surprise, then gave his son a knowing expression. "I'm willing to wager that it was quite the experience for you."
Duero nodded. "Far more than I would have expected and well, it's a very long story."
"I'm not going anywhere, Son. I have the time."
A lot later
Tensen nodded as his son finished retelling his adventures for the past year. He and the others sat around a campfire. The sun was just starting its downward journey toward the horizon. Duero's father had currently dismantled his rifle and was cleaning the parts.
"So that's it, huh? No wonder you never responded to any of my messages for the last twelve months."
The Nirvana's doctor nodded. "I couldn't do that from the other side of the galaxy."
Tensen shook his head. "Well, it's good to see that you're still alive and kicking. I can understand the situation that got you into the position of being the women's doctor." He then addressed the females. "Seeing that he's still around, means that he did a decent job on your ship, right?"
Parfet nodded eagerly, hoping to allay any doubts and perhaps impress Duero's father. "He's a GREAT doctor! I don't think we've ever had one better than him!"
Not wanting to be outdone, Barnette also added, "We wouldn't have gotten as far as we did without him!"
Tensen smiled slightly as he sensed a certain something coming from them, but decided to table that thought for later. He then readdressed his son. "It's just what I'd expect from someone who made it to the top of his class. So tell me more about these invaders, the Radam. Are they the reason why those military idiots have been dogging my trail for the last week?"
Duero nodded. "I was told by one of your former superiors that they have made several attempts to find you, but they never succeeded."
"That's right. About six days ago, I got wind of some officers trying to contact me. I couldn't understand why, since the ITSF never bothered with me, after I resigned my commission. I didn't really care in any case, and I made certain that whoever they sent, never got within a thousand meters of me. I gave a couple of them some warning shots like I gave to you and your friends. They sent one really obnoxious bastard that I knew back then and well, let's just say that he won't be sitting down properly for the next month or so." He chuckled at the memory, then continued. "When I saw the insignia on your transport, I thought you were another bunch that the upper brass sent. Imagine my surprise when I saw it was you and two women. I was even more surprised when you told me that all the women from Mejele are now on Tarak. Never thought I'd live to see the day."
"Yes, things have changed and now we must all unite against our common enemy. Father, we need your help. Will you not reconsider coming back, at least until the Radam are dealt with?"
Tensen gazed upon his only offspring for a long time. Both Parfet and Barnette held their breath as they awaited his answer. Finally, he replied.
"Tell you what, Son. You came all this way to find me, so I'm going to give you a chance. You have until sunrise to convince me to come back with you. I'd like to see just what you gained from being with the women for the past year."
A while later
"So, my son tells me that you're quite the shot." Tensen said as he addressed Barnette. The two of them were standing in an open area of Grand Pa's Pass. Both were armed with rifles. Barnette had an ancient M1-D Garand rifle that she had brought along with her. Tensen had in his hands his trusty Long Shot Mark IV.
"Well, my crewmates say that I'm pretty good." The brunette said with a bit of pride. She had been surprised when Duero's father challenged her to a shooting match. Parfet was busy setting up the target some distance away, and though close-quarters firing was Barnette's preferred method of shooting, she was also proud of her marksmanship at long ranges. Behind them, Duero watched closely as the two shooters prepared to square off.
Barnette loaded up her weapon with an eight-round stripper clip as Parfet came up to them.
"Everything's all set Mr. McFile." Parfet announced. "I have that target set up with those rivets facing out, just like you asked."
Some distance away, a small plate of light-grade steel was standing with a circle of sixteen small rivets sticking out from its center. The rivets were only halfway embedded into the metal.
"You can see those rivets, right?" Tensen asked.
Barnette sighted the target through her rifle's scope and nodded.
"Good." Duero's sire remarked, then said, "Let's see how many shots you take to drive eight of those rivets all the way into the metal."
Barnette smiled as she took careful aim at the topmost rivet and squeezed the trigger. As soon she fired, she reacquired the target and fired again. She repeated the process six more times, and each shot struck its mark. Eight loud pings were heard as the rivets were driven fully into the metal. A ninth ping was heard as soon as Barnette fired her last bullet and the stripper clip was automatically ejected.
Tensen nodded. "Nice. Good accuracy and consistency." He then prepared to shoot, then addressed Parfet. "How far did you set up that target?"
The girl with the glasses shrugged. "It's about a hundred and twenty feet."
The elder McFile considered the rifle in his hands, shook his head, then put it down. "Too close for this gun." He then un-holstered his pistol, twirled it with a flourish, then fired without seemingly aiming it, and with incredible speed. What sounded almost like a single gunshot was actually six fired in rapid succession. Six rivets were driven into the steel at almost the same time.
Barnette's eyes widened in disbelief at the accuracy and speed he displayed. Then he raised the bar even higher by purposely aiming his gun several degrees to the right. The last two bullets ricocheted off two nearby boulders before perfectly driving in the final rivets.
At this point, the Mejele girl with the hobby of collecting ancient firearms was in awe as she dropped her weapon to the ground.
She was in the presence of a master sharpshooter.
"So what are you doing?" Tensen asked as he approached Parfet. At this point, Barnette and Duero were setting up camp for them to spend the night.
The young engineer nodded as she showed Duero's father the systems to their hover transport. "I'm fixing up the damage you caused to our ion drives. With a little work, I should have them up and running in an hour."
"I do apologize for that. I had thought you were with the Tarak military. Are you certain you can repair them? I aimed to disable this vehicle completely."
Parfet smiled at him. "I have to admit that you shot our most vital systems. Normally, without the proper replacement parts, I'd either have put this thing through a complete overhaul or chalk it up as a loss. But since I don't have the necessary components and there's no sense moping about it, I decided to do some improvisation. I figure that if I can jury-rig a connector to fix the severed relay cable and patch up the holes with some homemade sealant I came up with, then we can get going again. It'll take until morning for the sealant to harden, but we should be good."
"Impressive." Mcfile agreed while thinking to himself. 'She already knows about McFile Survival Rule Number One. Don't worry about what you don't have, and work with what you do have. Very impressive indeed.'
Later
Both girls were laughing and giggling almost uncontrollably as they and the two men were huddled inside the tent. As they prepared to bed down for the night, Barnette and Parfet had asked Tensen to tell them more about his son. He was more than happy to recant tales of his son during his childhood, much to the doctor's embarrassment.
"Father!" Duero said with a bit of irritation. "You did not have to tell them about THAT time!"
Tensen chuckled a bit. "Well, I THOUGHT it was cute when you were five and you"
"I do not want to REMEMBER THAT!"
As father and son got into a bit of a heated discussion over that event in Duero's past, both females smiled at their interactions and began to imagine a younger version of the physician. Then they started to see versions of Duero with some their own features. Then they saw themselves as the mothers of such children and began to consider the future after the Radam were defeated. That got them thinking even more.
Their expressions did not go unnoticed by Duero's father. He smiled slightly at their curiosity toward his only offspring. Throughout their time together, they constantly asked about Duero and tried to learn as much as they could about him. And for some reason, this pleased him immensely.
The next morning
"What are we doing here?" Barnette asked as she and Parfet accompanied Duero toward an area near the center of the canyon.
"Before we head back to the city, I need to go to a certain place that's very special to both myself and my father."
"Really?" Both girls said simultaneously.
Duero nodded as he pointed toward a place just around a winding bend and hidden behind a large outcropping of rock. When they circled around, they found themselves in a large open space. Near the center was a huge pool of water, surrounded by a ring of misshapen boulders. Near the middle, the clear liquid bubbled from several fissures at the bottom. The trio stopped at the edge of the hidden spring as the physician explained.
"This is the spring that was discovered by Grand Pa more than a century ago. It's fed by a hidden reservoir deep within the ground and is heated by a subterranean magma pocket. It's said that the water is mixed with several rare minerals and chemicals which give it a kind of miraculous and medicinal property."
"What do you mean?" Parfet asked.
"Well, according to what some reports say, when Grand Pa arrived at this spring and drank the water, his strength returned in an instant."
"Really?" Barnette asked with interest.
Duero shrugged shoulders. "Well, it's never been scientifically proven, but then again, no one's ever analyzed the waters. The only ones who has ever drank the water were the original eight men of Tarak, and any child who has passed the Spirit Trial. It's forbidden for any other person to partake of the water. Then again, I suppose anyone would feel refreshed after trekking though the desert for several days. And speaking of the Spirit Trial, I would say that a certain someone is due to arrive right about now."
As if on cue, a certain boy came around the bend and noticed the three.
"HEY!"
The physician smiled as he waved back. "Kennan! I knew you would make it."
The young boy dropped his pack and ran up to meet with him and his companions. He had a wide grin on his face as he looked up at the three who had saved him the other day. The boy had some scratches, cuts and bruises from trekking through the wasteland and navigating the canyon, but was in good spirits.
"I did it! I did it! I'm a First Class Citizen!"
"Not quite." Duero said as he decided to remind the boy of the remainder of his trial. "You must now mark your name on that stone over there. Then you must take the ceremonial cup and drink from the spring. Leave your homing beacon on the stand to signal that you made the journey."
The healer pointed to a large boulder at the far end of the spring. Beside it was a small pedestal with a cup on it. The boy nodded as he left his pack and ran toward his final destination. As he went to finish his Spirit Trial, Duero smiled as he turned about and gestured to his two female companions.
"It's time to go."
"Aren't we going to stay and make sure he'll be all right?" Parfet asked.
At that point, Duero's father approached the trio. "No need Parfet." He gestured to the boy. "Once he puts his homing beacon on that stand, a signal will be transmitted to the Spirit Trial Council. They'll send out a retrieval team to bring him back to the city. He'll be fine. Besides, this is his moment and it wouldn't do for us to be here when the retrieval team arrives. They might question whether or not the boy made the trip on his own. In any case, we have to get going."
"We?" Duero stressed as he was surprised at how amicable his father was. "Are you?"
"Coming back with you to help fight the Radam?" Tensen nodded. "Yes, I believe I will. You three have shown me some VERY good reasons why I should return with you."
"We have?" Barnette asked in confusion. "But all we did was talk about your son last night."
"Exactly. Now shall we go?"
The three bewildered at the ease in which the formally stubborn individual was cooperating and wondered just what had changed his mind.
As they headed back toward the repaired transport, Duero's father smiled at their puzzlement. They didn't know that they were on the verge of rediscovering the ancient practices between men and women and this intrigued the survivalist and Tarak's best sniper. He liked what was beginning to develop and wanted to see the end result.
To be continued
Author's Notes
Wow! Long time since I've written anything and I think the initial conflicts between the men and women of Tarak have been met and will be developing even further as the war with the Radam grows near. As of part 3 of this chapter, we'll have some excitement and some interesting developments as this story comes close to its conclusion.
(1) Got this idea from watching Prince of Tennis.
(2) You know those little functions women have to take care of during certain times of the month?
(3) Kneeling position commonly found in many Japanese rituals.
(4) Fine silk cloth.
(5) Tea wiping cloth.
