A/N: I hope everyone reading this is doing well. Really sorry this chapter took quite a while to get done after saying in the last one I'd try to hurry it up a bit. Let's just say that it's not easy or fun being sick, and we should always be grateful for the gift of life. Stay safe, and please enjoy the continuation of the story!

Just a reminder, in the segment focusing on Meia and Jai in Vandread Knight, 'this' = Meia, and "this" = Jai, or another person if indicated.

.

CHAPTER 26

Over Load

"Simply put, we're probably screwed," Jai sighed wearily.

Phase Two was over; Hibiki and Dita were able to ultimately destroy two Harvester motherships with the help of Gascogne, Barnette and the other Dreads. Jai afterwards then briefly needed the Dita-Base to effectively coordinate with Parfet and Ezra at the Parthus hospital, as well as try to come up with the best strategy for Phase Three.

He was now inside Vandread Knight, having combined his Vanguard with Meia's Dread a few moments ago. As their very thoughts were conveyed to each other within this space, a conversation that might've taken a few minutes using spoken words was communicated in a fraction of the time.

Jai had just finished sharing with Meia what information he had gleaned at the Dita-Base; he didn't really make an effort to mask his overwhelming doubt that they would win the battle.

"I should've brought some Red Bull or Extra Joss," he said suddenly.

Meia cocked her head. 'And what are those?'

"Energy drinks...ah, never mind. I was just wisecracking."

'I wish you wouldn't push yourself too hard, you're exhausted enough as it is! I'm sure we'll figure something out,' Meia replied gently. She could sense Jai wasn't as composed as usual, meaning the stress was seriously taking its toll on him. 'Besides, you didn't exactly analyze the attacks of our Vandread Knight, correct?'

He stared blankly forward. "That is true," he conceded.

The Dita-Base was able to really only look at data as it unfolded on the battlefield, and so none of their superweapons could be analyzed as each required either Jai or Dita in another Vandread combination. Thus, any predictions he had regarding the Swan Shot, Mecha Twin Beam Cannon, and Spear Impel armaments were based on his own understanding.

Meia was thankful that there was a bit of a respite in all the fighting, due to most of the Harvester motherships – not to mention innumerable smaller enemy ships – being destroyed since the beginning of the encounter. Jai was having a difficult time staying on track.

"Yeah, I wouldn't do well at all if things were still swarming like earlier," Jai said in response to her thoughts. "But," he then did a big stretch and punched the air upwards quickly a few times before settling back in his seat, "I need to focus."

'Well that looked like it got the blood flowing a little. You ready?' Meia giggled a bit despite herself.

"It'll do for now. Here we go!"

It was either extremely bad luck or incredible oversight on their part that the remaining two motherships were the two that were now farthest away from each other; these were also the final ones to enter the fray, so it was certainly possible that the Harvesters were able to set it up after all that had transpired since the fighting began.

'I wonder if there's a way to limit the power output somehow so that we can use Spear Impel twice,' Meia suggested as they fought and dodged enemy minions on their way to the closest mothership.

Jai shrugged. "That is if our power supply can even handle it. My Vanguard's been running on fumes after the Swan-Shot and all that time in the Dita-Base without refueling. Hmm, and now that I think of it, I can't remember how exactly I even did the Impel last time when you were unconscious."

'Well, we don't use any complicated interface like in the Dita-Base, or fancy controls like in your Vandread Swan,' Meia offered, 'so it must have something to do with a mental command of some sort?'

"Like an intense outburst or a sense of desperation?" Jai mulled, trying to recall the events during the last time he used the attack. "I don't want to have either of us get injured again."

By this time they were right up on the side of the massive enemy craft. "What if we try damaging it with our other attacks?" Jai pondered. They tried striking at the hull with their spear and even loosed a barrage of bullets and missiles, but none produced any visible damage.

It was made all the more difficult while trying to evade fire from the other drones.

Vandread Mecha was once more on the battlefield, and close to the outlying mothership. "Damn! We've been trying to damage this other nuisance also but nothing's working. Unfortunately we can't use the Beam Cannon again right now," Hibiki grumbled from a com-link.

"Figures. We really need to use a much stronger attack," Jai replied, rubbing the bridge of his nose. 'Thanks, Hibiki and Dita,' Meia added.

Barnette appeared on another screen. "How about just making a hole in the side, and I can blow them away like before?"

Jai shook his head. "That's a good idea, but I asked Gascogne earlier while I was at the Dita-Base, and she's out of bombs. Almost out of supplies in general as well, looks like. Besides, it looks like we'll still need to use our Impel anyway just to do that much."

The Dread pilot winced. Just then, Jura also came up on communications. "I would've suggested another Swan Shot but my Dread doesn't have enough power too. And the useless Crab can't do anything attack-wise."

"Hey! It's just not designed for offensive firepower, alright?" Hibiki retorted.

The atmosphere grew heavier as the battle went on. The Harvesters were only getting closer to Parthus, and everyone knew that even if even one mothership reached the planet, it was all over.

Meia could see the turmoil in Jai's mind as he struggled to find a solution. At the same time, she also tried wracking her brain for answers without much success.

She could also sense his growing exhaustion and despair at not being able to figure out what to do. Even his breathing was starting to get ragged.

"We're just wasting more energy the longer this drags on," he finally sighed. "I think the best we can do is just to hit this one with an Impel, and hope we have enough for another."

Meia was silent for a while, then replied, 'I agree. At the moment it is our soundest recourse. We will deal with the consequences afterwards. Nirvana?'

From the Nirvana bridge, Magno wore a grim expression. "Do what you have to, Vandread Knight. We are also looking into how to best proceed next. We've gotten this far; there will surely be a way."

'Roger,' the blue-haired Mejale captain saluted towards the Boss, and then silently communed to Jai after terminating the com-link. 'You're not alone; everyone is doing their part and working together.'

"Yes, it's just – I can't put my finger on it, but there just has to be something..." Jai trailed off, at a loss for thoughts, which were as garbled and chaotic as all the fighting around them.

Meia decided to take the initiative. 'Just follow my lead for now, all right? This has to be done and quickly.'

He nodded. "I defer to your better judgment. Guess I'm getting a bit under the weather."

'Not only a bit, from what I can sense. Why is it that every time we do battle in this thing, one of us gets sick?'

"Coincidence," he countered. "In any case, lead on."

Briefly swatting away a few more drones, they swiftly positioned towards the side of the mothership. Meia gathered all the resolve she could, and somehow their Vandread responded accordingly.

Both shield and spear were poised in the attack stance.

'Here goes! Spear Impel!'

"Yeah, it feels great to shout out the name of the move, even if only in your head, huh?"

'Shut up and concentrate!' She felt a bit embarrassed all the same.

Their spear glowed a brilliant silver and cut through the mothership like the proverbial hot knife through butter, as Vandread Knight seemingly teleported from one side of the vessel to the other in the blink of an eye. The resulting explosion was enough to signify that the enemy vessel was destroyed.

Both Jai and Meia felt a surge of exhaustion crash upon them instantly.

"That's...new," Jai had difficulty even forming the words as his thoughts trailed off.

Meia was likewise fighting through the sudden weariness. 'I'm really sorry to push you like this but please hold on for a little while longer,' she replied, and started maneuvering them towards the other mothership to try for a second Impel.

To her horror, Vandread Knight was moving much more slowly, and was almost unresponsive to her commands. It was like thinking to yourself to run, but physically being unable to even move a muscle.

'As if it was fatigued.' Meia slowly realized this was maybe an effect of their mental overtiredness, or probably the manifestation of their Vandread's energy depletion.

She was in the middle of thinking 'our tiredness is because the Vandread has no power?' when Jai suddenly said, "I'd say that's one test successfully down, maybe we can get open-faced sandwiches at the school canteen now; shouldn't be many people since classes are over."

'Huh?' Meia was momentarily stupefied by the random remark. When she turned to look at Jai, he was slumped in the chair but breathing regularly, apparently knocked out.

'Dreaming? Must've passed out after that Impel.' Meia was anxious yet felt an odd fascination for just a fleeting moment. 'What was that all about?'

She called out to him, 'Jai! Wake up!'

His eyebrows twitched a moment and his eyes opened just a fraction of an inch. "Wha- oh crap. Sorry Meia, I'm, I can't help it. So tired. Just give me maybe five..." he trailed off before again falling unconscious.

'But we might not have that much time,' she replied bleakly before opening communications to the Nirvana.

.

The collective cheer in the bridge as another Harvester mothership fell was cut short when everyone realized that Vandread Knight was now hardly moving and could barely defend itself.

"Something isn't right," B.C. said, when Meia appeared on a com-link.

Even in her dire situation, the Dread captain's tone remained unflinchingly stoic. "Meia reporting from Vandread Knight. It seems that we have exhausted our energy supply after our attack. Furthermore, Jai is unconscious due to overstress. I fear that we are unable to take out the last Harvester mothership in our current state."

"Indeed grim news," Magno started to speak, when this time Jura appeared on another link. Apparently she had also been listening in.

"Are you serious, Meia?!" The blond-haired Dread pilot screamed. "You're just sitting out there! And how is Jai? I hope he's not hurt, or you'll get it later. Can't you un-fuse at least so we can form Vandread Swan and get him out of here?"

Meia fumbled a little, then replied, "No, I won't- I mean- we can't separate Vandread Knight while he is in this state. Besides, there is also no assurance you will be able to form the Swan afterwards. I will take care of him in the meantime."

"Hmpf, bet I could do a much better job of taking care of him than you," Jura muttered, though making sure that everyone could still hear.

Meia's tone rose a little at that. "If you have the vivacity to even say that, I suggest you focus on the task at hand instead."

The Boss had a throbbing vein on her temple with all the interruptions, but she kept her composure. "Leave the squabbling, both of you. There is still the threat of the remaining Harvesters." Her chastisement was calm yet forceful, enough to silence the bickering pilots.

The duo aboard Vandread Mecha also appeared on a com-link. Hibiki griped, "It's frustrating, but I also have no idea how to deal with it yet. For now we'll regroup near Vandread Knight and help you guys out." Dita nodded in agreement.

Only one last mothership remained, and it was drawing dangerously close to the planet. Magno knew the pirates would turn to her for advice on what next to do, and her mind raced to come up with a plan.

Belvedere spoke up hesitantly, "Will we have to abandon the planet, Boss?"

'Is there really no other way?' the pirate Boss mulled at the comment. "Hmm…" she muttered.

It was a possible outcome, though one that was best left as a last resort. Even the other pilots on comms hesitated to answer, as the battle still raged on around them.

"We will ABSOLUTELY NOT do such a thing!" came a shout from the lower bridge area.

.

Bart surprised everyone, including himself, with his sudden proclamation.

"Strong words, helmsman," Magno said, her voice still dead serious, "so you have decided to fight to the end, even if the entire crew and all the inhabitants of the planet end up dead?"

Her words were like a punch to his gut. Looking at it analytically, the obvious thing to do would be to run away from an unbeatable foe. Sure, he had been in life-or-death situations before, but this particular instance was especially significant.

"W-well, if you say it that way, uh, then I don't...really know about all that," he stammered.

Amarone relayed urgently, "Drastic shift in the enemy mothership's movement."

The Harvester mothership was now heading towards the stationary Nirvana. Though still at a considerable distance, it wouldn't take long until both ships were next to each other.

"Boss, it looks like it's coming directly for us at full speed," Belvedere reported from her station.

"They might have recognized us as the command ship. The drones and smaller enemies are being handled by our Dreads, but we have to move!" B.C. observed.

Bart's eyes were wide in fear at the terrifying news. The harbinger of doom was quite literally charging towards him at this moment; he was staring right at it straight ahead. He needed to run away or it would mean death.

But he remained unmoving in his spot at the bridge. The Nirvana likewise remained unmoving.

It was difficult to tell what emotion Magno had when she yelled. "Bart! You haven't answered my question yet!"

She had said something about fighting until the end. Why were they even fighting?

Of course! How could he even doubt at this point? For him, there really was only one reason.

This was perhaps the first time that he wasn't fighting to save his own life.

Shirley.

"Of course I don't want anyone to die, but it would be even worse if I gave up without doing everything I could for her!" Bart yelled back.

But what could he even do? It was one thing to boldly declare not backing down, but was there even a way to win?

It was then that everything else around him – the crew, the controls – suddenly disappeared. All that Bart could see was the Harvester in the distance ahead, and a small luminous blue sphere that hovered right in front of him.

'Bart Garsus'

"This thing is...talking to me?" He said to himself and reached out towards the sphere.

'An impossible enemy stands before you. Are you not afraid?'

"I can see that. I'm so scared my whole body is trembling. But I will fight because I made a promise to someone very important to me. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I broke that promise."

'To triumph you will need power, aside from your determination.'

"Can you grant me that power?"

In response, the sphere glowed even more radiantly and the blue light diffused all around him.

.

The atmosphere at the Parthus hospital delivery room was somber due to Nadya's passing, but there was a tense undertone because of the battle going on not too far off in the distance.

This time it was Parfet who was juggling a multitude of com-links instead of Jai. She was communicating with the mechanics onboard the Nirvana, as something big had just happened.

"The Pexis what?!" she exclaimed at her assistant, Fumie, who was in the Nirvana engine room.

The befuddled assistant was talking excitedly. "It was reacting to something again! It started glowing brighter, and then we also got a call from the bridge about..."

"Bridge, huh? Thanks!" Parfet couldn't wait, and opened another link to the bridge. "Boss! What's going on up there?"

"Perfect timing, Parfet. Perhaps you can shed some light on what exactly is happening here." Parfet noted that Magno didn't look alarmed, but rather was more amused at whatever was taking place. The Boss continued, "Midori, bring up a visual of the ship for viewing."

"Yes, Boss!" The costumed crewmember answered, and an image of the Nirvana appeared where Parfet could also see it.

The chief mechanic could just stare in amazement as the Nirvana was reconfiguring itself. Numerous turrets emerged from all across the top and sides of their ship.

Parfet exclaimed, "That's almost an absurd number of lasers! We had that kind of weaponry?"

Everybody else seemed just as surprised. B.C. responded, "Nobody had any idea, or else it would have been mentioned while we were planning for the mission. Even Jai hasn't said anything about it, though we can't really confirm anything from him right now."

Meia, still on the other com-link with the bridge, answered. "I can say with certainty that he didn't know either, despite using the Dita-Base."

"I'll bet anything the Pexis is making this all happen. I mean, we can form the Vandreads because of it; why can't the Nirvana transform too, right? That being said," Parfet thought for a while then asked, "Who is controlling all this?"

A brief silence followed while the bridge crew looked around at each other. Amarone then tentatively said, "Uh, Bart?"

"Helmsman!" Magno shouted towards his area below. "Is this another one of your surprises?"

His voice was more confident and steady, vastly different from just a moment ago. "You might think I'm crazy, but just now a glowing blue sphere spoke to me and showed me the untapped capabilities of this ship. Don't worry, I'll definitely take care of all these Harvester bastards!"

As he spoke, the weapons began charging in preparation to fire.

Parfet frowned. "Wait, you're going to fire all of them? Are you serious?"

"That's right! None of these enemies shall be left alive!"

Allied and enemy forces were still engaging in dogged skirmishes all around them. Parfet yelled, "But our Dreads are still out there, and the Vandreads as well!"

Hibiki shouted from another com-link, "What the heck are those lasers?! With that many, we're all in the line of fire, darn it! You trying to kill us?!"

The other pilots definitely shared the same sentiments that he voiced out, but nobody on the Nirvana's bridge had a response – nobody, that is, except for one.

"Bart! All this firepower you wield could result in friendly fire in a battlefield this chaotic." Magno called out.

Nevertheless, Bart remained undeterred. "I believe in myself, and in the sphere that showed me this power. I promise you, Boss, that none of our comrades shall be harmed!"

While all of this was going on, Parfet's attention was called towards Fumie who was waving excitedly from the Nirvana engine room. The Pexis was a vibrant bright blue and shimmering splendidly.

Bart then loudly declared, "And now, infernal Harvesters, you plague Parthus no longer! Begone!"

At once, every turret shot a fast-moving, pure-white beam of light energy. Even more remarkably, each beam didn't travel in a straight line, but rather homed in on enemies while at the same time avoiding any ally craft.

"No way," Parfet could only watch with her mouth agape. Each enemy drone was decimated as the lasers kept on going.

The beams finally converged on the mothership, ending in a huge explosion of white light.

When the illumination faded, all the Harvester ships were reduced to rubble while no Dread (or Vandread) was harmed.

Everyone was stunned to silence, wondering whether it was really over.

Looking back at the engine room com-link, Parfet noted the Pexis had returned to its usual state. Fumie also reported that all ship parameters were stable once more, and there was no danger whatsoever.

Despite being on Parthus, the Mejale pirates' chief mechanic was the first to break the silence on the Nirvana's bridge. "You did it!" Parfet cried happily.

Then the cheering and celebrating began in earnest everywhere. Even in the delivery room of the hospital.

"We did it, Nadya," Parfet heard a sobbing Ezra speak. Her tears were of both happiness and sorrow. "Your baby and Parthus are both safe from the Harvesters."

"You did very well, Ezra," Parfet smiled emotionally at her crewmate and friend, who also smiled and nodded back at her.

B.C.'s voice then boomed over all the jubilation, "All right, all ships back to the Nirvana so that we can get back to Parth- hey, what?!"

As she was speaking, the Nirvana had already begun moving towards the planet.

Bart wailed, "No, I need to get back now! Shirleyyyyyy!" There was no doubt he was the one hurrying the ship back.

Magno rubbed her temple, but allowed this occurrence. "Very well, you've earned it. Once we're on the planet, all ships back to the hangar."

"Well, seems like everything turned out okay." With her heart still pounding from the victory, Parfet then tried contacting Duero, but for some reason, she couldn't establish a communication link.

'That's strange,' she thought, 'where could he have gone to?'

.

A/N: This was supposed to be a longer chapter but I thought this would be a good place for a pause. I have a bit of the next one written so maybe there's some momentum going and (here we go again) won't be very long until the next one. Stay safe, everybody!