Note: Both NieA_7 and VanDread are owned by Pioneer. Okay... so Pioneer made NieA_7, and distributed VanDread. But they're still from the same company, even if Gonzo made VanDread... so... both are related, even if distant... ah, who cares ! On with the fiction !

Here's to more NieA_7 fan fiction !

~

Some time had passed since the final (well, hopefully at least) incursion of the Earth Harvesting Fleet.

Soon, Hibiki and Dita, along with Bart, Duero and BC returned to the Nirvana, after Dita's short excursion into Talark (this matter proved to be much of an emberrasement to Hibiki, which is why he never even uttered a single word of it. Suffice to say is that Dita must have been responsible for some mishap there.).

Nonetheless, the men finally came back to the female dominated ship of Nirvana. However, it was to be a short visit, as much work was still left to be done on Taalrk, and Hibiki had to return with Dita (some business of Dita being a representative for women on Talark. Rather outrageous, but, it happened).

Their return was proved to be of much fanfare. Pyoro, was reunited with kahlia, known as rather affectionatey as "Pyoro 2" to him. Meeting a being of small stature was always of great joy to Pyoro.

BC had to catch up on some business with the Boss, over some rather comoplex matters. One of them, apparently, was the fact that the Boss couldn't do without her. There's only so much a 100+ year old woman can do.

Bart, was, once again, amde to navigate the ship. And so, for old time's sake, he had to endure the nakedness, and the coldness, of manning the Nirvana's complex navigation system.

Duero met Parfet, who chatted long about the Pexis's new upgrades, which she added a while back. Duero, as he normally did, listened.

And finally, Hbiki and Dita, were together. Misty was good to see them together (despite her past affection for Hibiki), and was glad to see the teo going along well (though her dirty thought, as she now realised, would never come to fruit). Meia was also happy to see them, mainly as a form of friendship.

Barnette was still busy on finding out how a man can be a homme for a femme (she might never know, to).

Though they spent more time together, Hibiki was still put off by Dita's pre occupation of alluding him as an alien. However, on the other hand, she called him, by his very own name: Hibiki.

And Hibiki called her by her name: Dita.

And they remained a good couple, and, for a few days, the reunion was going rather fine.

Until, one, rather fateful day......

~

"Madame ! We have detected an object coming straight for us !"

"What ?! What is it ? A hostile ?"

"Hardly. It seems to be a hibernation pod of sorts. It seems rather old and dated..."

"Have our crew haul in this pod. I want to se it for myself."

~

Rumours had now been spread, all over the Nirvana, on this mysterious new pod.

"It's rather ld"

"How ?"

"It's dated back to the time of the colonial days... perhaps older."

"Really ?!"

That vopice, was, of course, Misty's voice. Being the only one on board, aside from Hibiki, who was a mere babe when cryogenically frozen, who possesed a clear memory of the colonials days, meeting another, mch like her would prove to be an adventure. Of a sort.

"He could be a boy...."

"So that he'll be your boyfriend, huh ?"

"You don't even know what that means."

"Umm.. it's a friend, that is a boy... right ?"

"You're all hopeless. Anyway, have they brought it in yet ?"

"Well, sooner or later.."

~

"Hibiki ! HIBIKI ! Let's go see the new alien !"

"Not so fast, Dita ! And it's not an alien: it's one of the humans from the old days..."

"Still... it'd be fun to meet a new member ! SO long as she doesn't take my uchuuji-san....."

"Look: we don't even know if he's a boy.."

"It's a girl !"

"Boy !"

"Girl ! Remember when Misty came in ? She was a girl....."

"Boy! Just because the last one was a girl doesn't mean ANYONE that has been frozen is a girl !"

"Well, i still say it's a girl !"

"Let's make a bet !"

"Right ! 10 credits, and this time: YOU cook me dinner !"

"I thought you liked cooking for me..."

"Yeah.. but, how about a change, if I win ?"

"Deal !"

~

"Meia... you've heard about the new pod they've found."

"Yes. I don't mind finding out who this person could be..."

"From that response, you sound mildly enthusiastic. You've changed Meia."

"I know. Who knows ? I meet another person, like Hibiki or Misty. Or someone entirely different...."

~

And so, a large portion of the Nirvana were glued to the television monitors.

Soon, the significant members of the Nirvana, all the men, Meia and her company, all assembled around the hauled-in pod.

Amongst the crowd, a little girl, holding a camera, was waiting for a possible candid moment.

Duero, was on hold, since the possible newcomer, just in case a possible medical situation would arise.

~

Two engineers, using powerful torches, went about to cut an opening in the pod.

The smell was thick, and filled the air, but did little to hinder everyone's enthusiasm.

For, son, an opening was cut through.

"All clear ! Let's role it away !"

As the large, bluwark of metal was removed to reveal the pod, the crew of the Nirvana stared at the being housed within the pod.

~

Youth.

Perhaps in the prime of her adolescence. Young, yet mature, in another degree.

A tattered white shirt, it's buttons, loose from overuse, lined it's front. A pair of simple, tattered denim shorts, were worn. The white rag tht covered the chest, was not enough to cover the slight paunch, and belly button.

Blonde hair drooped down her face, which was rather round. Two red facial markings highlighted her cheeks.

But the most unusual feature was her ears.

They were pointed.

"A real alien ! WOW !"

"Quiet Dita !"

Upon hearing those words, two purple eyes opened, and drank in the details, surrounding her. She took them rather hazily, still in a daze, after a possible century of sleep.

The plexiglass door of the pod lifted, and, after years of supplied oxygen, the being took in it's first breath of outside air, which was really more supplied oxygen.

She rubbed her eyes, then, looked at everyone around her closely.

She uttered a young, child-like voice, a bit younger that that of either Misty's or Dita's.

"Where am I ?Who ARE you idiots ? Is there any food ?"

~

A great chattering occured. A new being ! Wow ! A new addition...

"I said..... is there any food ?"

"Umm... no."

"WHAT ! I DEMAND FOOD ! YOU HEAR ME ! FOOD !!!!"

The shout was loud, and clear, the incredible cry of one, feeling hungry, after ages of starvation.

"Help !"

"Everybody out !"

"Hey, where's my food ?! Must I shout ??!!"

"Somebody send in some food !!!!"

"But.. but... we ddn't cook anything..."

"Oh... crap !"

And the cries of the being continued.

~

The Nirvana, was in for a hard time.

~

TSUZUKU