VANDREAD: The World After.
Chapter 10: Save…
It has been almost a month since the rescue mission started. Duero has been awake for weeks, Gasco and Barnette spend free time playing with some toys that look like tops, while Arthur spends his time on the bangata holding bay.
"Damn, this mission isn't going anywhere! Duero, there's nothing to look at other than nothing!", Barnette said.
"You have your orders. Follow it."
"But-"
"Just follow it"
"Yes sir.", she murmered.
Then Arthur entered the bridge.
"So, what's up?", he asked.
"Everything's normal", Gasco said.
"Nothing's happening."
"Ya…"
"Okay… Um, Barnette, I need you at the holding bay to help me with my bangata. Can you come?", Arthur asked.
"Um… okay."
Then the two went on the holding bay.
"I can bet those two will have a good time.", Gasco said.
"You said it right."
"You seem to be fine in this mission Duero."
"Well, I keep a memory of Nirvana with me here."
"Where?"
Duero pointed at the small note at his console.
"What the hell is that?", Gasco asked.
"It is the first note Parfet gave me."
"O…k"
"It was the Diagnostic Parameters of the Paekesys system. She gave it to me when I worked on fixing Paekesys"
It was weird for Gasco that a man would keep a note filled with numbers that wasn't for the layman. She thought that he would bring a picture or a love note. No… It was a diagnostic note.
"By the way Gasco, where are we now."
"Sector 45.a. Were still inside the known Anpatos' claimed territory, still no sighting of that signature Duero."
Just then a beeping sound and a bleep on the main console display were lit.
***
"Oh my god!"
*moan*
"Something wrong?"
*moan*
"You heard something Arthur?"
*moan*
"Nah, it must be jitter."
*moan*
"When… when did we start this?"
*moan*
"Last week… No… Two weeks ago…"
*moan*
"I swear I heard something."
*moan*
"HEY GUYS! IT'S THE SIGNATURE, WE'VE FOUND IT!"
The two stopped.
"Gasco, what are you doing here?", Barnette asked.
"Fetch you guys up. So this is what you are 'fixing' at the holding bay."
The couple blushed.
"Okay, you caught us red handed! Were going!", Arthur replied.
***
"This is the signature were looking.", Duero displayed the image on the main display.
Both Gasco and Barnette were shocked. It was the Vulture! Then Barnette pushed Duero straight into the wall. Arthur was pulling her back.
"So this is the 'secret mission' you're talking about. I can bet this involves rescuing Hibiki and his Vanguard. Why did you hid this from us?", Barnette shouted,
"It was the boss' orders. She didn't want you to get your hopes up. Now you know what is happening, I'll brief you with the upcoming mission. We will de-cloak the Vulture by force and intimidate Hibki to come out. Arthur, take your Bangata to grab the Vanguard and use the EM pulse pistol to disable him. In case that Misty would come out also, Barnette, you will cover Arthur."
"Roger."
The two take on their positions.
"What is the nearest Alliance ship?", Duero asked.
"It is the Columbia.", Gasco replied.
Just then, the missile bay of the Falcon de-cloaked to fire a missile.
***
"Lady Cromwell, we have detected a missile appearing in our bow.", a operator at the Vulture reported,
"What?"
The missile hit the ship, disabling their cloak.
"I'll take care of it, my lady.", Hibiki said as he walked away from the bridge of the Vulture.
***
"The Vanguard is out.", Gasco reported.
"Now Arthur!", Duero ordered Arthur.
The Vanguard was just there when he felt a grip from something. It is the Bangata of Arthur. It was cloaked. He used the EMP pistol to disable the Vanguard. Unfortunately, his cloak was disabled also. The tractor beam of the Falcon dragged the Vanguard to the holding bay.
"What treachery is this? Who is taking my precious Hibiki away?", Misty asked.
"He is not your Hibki!"
Barnette's dread entered the scene covering Arthur's Bangata.
"You! You bastard!", Misty replied as the Vulture fired to the two machines.
"Barnette, initiate surfer mode!", Arthur asked her.
"Roger"
The surfer mode was a refit to Barnette's dread. It allows the Bangata of Arthur to attach in top of the dread. Looking like a surfer on a surfboard. They attacked the Vulture trying to buy some time.
"Just a little more."
"Duero, The Columbia is a lightyear ahead. We couldn't be there this fast.", Gasco replied.
"Just, see. Barnette, Arthur, return to ship."
"Roger."
As they were docked to the Falcon, its experimental drive, the V-system drive was warming up. It was a drive that was the same as the Void transport of Nirvana. It sped away the scene even before reinforcements was there.
***
"This is the Falcon, registry SGA-0048. We would like to use your communication systems as a relay to Nirvana. Since we have no long-range communication system for our ship.", Duero requested the Menerasu Starship Columbia's captain.
"This is Nirvana.", Magno said through the relay.
"Mission Accomplished."
***
On the dimly lit bridge of the Vulture, Misty was in her chair, crying.
"Why?"
Then she vomited.
TO BE CONTINUED
Author's notes:
Thanks Zauriel for the some of the suggestions. And this is my memorial to the Shuttle Columbia. Without those seven souls, Nirvana will not be built.
Keep the fascination of Space alive!
Chapter 10: Save…
It has been almost a month since the rescue mission started. Duero has been awake for weeks, Gasco and Barnette spend free time playing with some toys that look like tops, while Arthur spends his time on the bangata holding bay.
"Damn, this mission isn't going anywhere! Duero, there's nothing to look at other than nothing!", Barnette said.
"You have your orders. Follow it."
"But-"
"Just follow it"
"Yes sir.", she murmered.
Then Arthur entered the bridge.
"So, what's up?", he asked.
"Everything's normal", Gasco said.
"Nothing's happening."
"Ya…"
"Okay… Um, Barnette, I need you at the holding bay to help me with my bangata. Can you come?", Arthur asked.
"Um… okay."
Then the two went on the holding bay.
"I can bet those two will have a good time.", Gasco said.
"You said it right."
"You seem to be fine in this mission Duero."
"Well, I keep a memory of Nirvana with me here."
"Where?"
Duero pointed at the small note at his console.
"What the hell is that?", Gasco asked.
"It is the first note Parfet gave me."
"O…k"
"It was the Diagnostic Parameters of the Paekesys system. She gave it to me when I worked on fixing Paekesys"
It was weird for Gasco that a man would keep a note filled with numbers that wasn't for the layman. She thought that he would bring a picture or a love note. No… It was a diagnostic note.
"By the way Gasco, where are we now."
"Sector 45.a. Were still inside the known Anpatos' claimed territory, still no sighting of that signature Duero."
Just then a beeping sound and a bleep on the main console display were lit.
***
"Oh my god!"
*moan*
"Something wrong?"
*moan*
"You heard something Arthur?"
*moan*
"Nah, it must be jitter."
*moan*
"When… when did we start this?"
*moan*
"Last week… No… Two weeks ago…"
*moan*
"I swear I heard something."
*moan*
"HEY GUYS! IT'S THE SIGNATURE, WE'VE FOUND IT!"
The two stopped.
"Gasco, what are you doing here?", Barnette asked.
"Fetch you guys up. So this is what you are 'fixing' at the holding bay."
The couple blushed.
"Okay, you caught us red handed! Were going!", Arthur replied.
***
"This is the signature were looking.", Duero displayed the image on the main display.
Both Gasco and Barnette were shocked. It was the Vulture! Then Barnette pushed Duero straight into the wall. Arthur was pulling her back.
"So this is the 'secret mission' you're talking about. I can bet this involves rescuing Hibiki and his Vanguard. Why did you hid this from us?", Barnette shouted,
"It was the boss' orders. She didn't want you to get your hopes up. Now you know what is happening, I'll brief you with the upcoming mission. We will de-cloak the Vulture by force and intimidate Hibki to come out. Arthur, take your Bangata to grab the Vanguard and use the EM pulse pistol to disable him. In case that Misty would come out also, Barnette, you will cover Arthur."
"Roger."
The two take on their positions.
"What is the nearest Alliance ship?", Duero asked.
"It is the Columbia.", Gasco replied.
Just then, the missile bay of the Falcon de-cloaked to fire a missile.
***
"Lady Cromwell, we have detected a missile appearing in our bow.", a operator at the Vulture reported,
"What?"
The missile hit the ship, disabling their cloak.
"I'll take care of it, my lady.", Hibiki said as he walked away from the bridge of the Vulture.
***
"The Vanguard is out.", Gasco reported.
"Now Arthur!", Duero ordered Arthur.
The Vanguard was just there when he felt a grip from something. It is the Bangata of Arthur. It was cloaked. He used the EMP pistol to disable the Vanguard. Unfortunately, his cloak was disabled also. The tractor beam of the Falcon dragged the Vanguard to the holding bay.
"What treachery is this? Who is taking my precious Hibiki away?", Misty asked.
"He is not your Hibki!"
Barnette's dread entered the scene covering Arthur's Bangata.
"You! You bastard!", Misty replied as the Vulture fired to the two machines.
"Barnette, initiate surfer mode!", Arthur asked her.
"Roger"
The surfer mode was a refit to Barnette's dread. It allows the Bangata of Arthur to attach in top of the dread. Looking like a surfer on a surfboard. They attacked the Vulture trying to buy some time.
"Just a little more."
"Duero, The Columbia is a lightyear ahead. We couldn't be there this fast.", Gasco replied.
"Just, see. Barnette, Arthur, return to ship."
"Roger."
As they were docked to the Falcon, its experimental drive, the V-system drive was warming up. It was a drive that was the same as the Void transport of Nirvana. It sped away the scene even before reinforcements was there.
***
"This is the Falcon, registry SGA-0048. We would like to use your communication systems as a relay to Nirvana. Since we have no long-range communication system for our ship.", Duero requested the Menerasu Starship Columbia's captain.
"This is Nirvana.", Magno said through the relay.
"Mission Accomplished."
***
On the dimly lit bridge of the Vulture, Misty was in her chair, crying.
"Why?"
Then she vomited.
TO BE CONTINUED
Author's notes:
Thanks Zauriel for the some of the suggestions. And this is my memorial to the Shuttle Columbia. Without those seven souls, Nirvana will not be built.
Keep the fascination of Space alive!
