Okay, finally I've completed the next chapter! I started on this several times, didn't like it, and restarted it. This is one version that I'm pretty satisfied with, though I still need some practice writing CB 'fics. Heh heh, thanks for bearing with me despite the extreme delay between ch. 1 and this one, but I spent a lot of time working on my Trigun fic so I've decided to work on this one for a while (with an advance apology to people who want me to continue that!). Unlike some people, I can't really work on two fics at once successfully.
So, you know what I realized? "Spiegel" means "mirror" in German! Isn't that awesome? *Cricket noise* Er…well I thought it was awesome. ^_^;
Thanks to:
Red-tenko, Demon Princess Ryoko, Ms. Grim, Case, HealerAriel, Picasso-bebop, Amber725 a.k.a.Stimpy, Sexy Vixen, and Space Cowboy and Cowgirl
Er, sorry, still only minimal S/F in this chappy. I'm still trying to get the main plot on its feet, so bear with me for a little while. I SWEAR the next chapter will have some!
#########################################
The Bebop descended to the water ringed in a halo of sunlight like some sort of divine chariot, or so Spike thought in a slightly fevered manner. The battered old ship came in and out of focus rapidly, and Spike felt his head spinning in an overall unpleasant fashion. With an act of mighty willpower, he pushed himself up from his bench, making his head reel in another fit of intense dizziness. He vaguely saw a few figures emerge from the ship and staggered a few steps towards them before darkness descended over his vision like a heavy veil. He felt himself falling forward and before he fell completely unconscious heard a female voice calling his name.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Faye felt a painful ache in her heart as she looked at the condition Spike was in. She held his limp form in her arms and noted unhealthy pallor of his skin and its wet and chilled texture.
"You big lunkhead…" She bit her lip in an attempt to hold back the unwelcome tears that had sprung unexpectedly to her eyes. Damn, she hated crying, especially since Jet and Ed were rapidly approaching.
She stood up with difficulty, dragging Spike up with her.
"Shit…" Jet said, looking at him with wide eyes. "What has he done to himself this time?"
Faye felt a warm wetness on her arm and pulled it back, revealing the huge gash in Spike's abdomen which was now bleeding profusely. She drew in a short gasp of surprise.
"Here help me with him," She said, quickly recovering from her shock. Jet hoisted up his legs and they dragged him back to the Bebop, trailed by a strangely subdued Ed.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"So," Said Jet, two hours later as he and Faye sat in the living area of the Bebop. "Where do you think he's been all this time?"
Faye glanced over at Spike who was still lying, unconscious, on the couch. "I think we might never know. It's been this long, yet his wounds haven't completely healed yet. They're not really infected and they're partially bandaged, so I'm guessing that someone helped him. But if someone did, I have no idea why they would just turn him out onto the street before he was even finished healing." She sighed and ran a hand through her purple locks. "None of it really makes sense."
"You really think that?" Jet turned to look at her and smiled wryly. "I thought you knew Spike better than that. He's moody, he's stubborn and worst of all he hates accepting help from other people. Chances are, he left by himself. It would be just like him to wander around aimlessly until he collapsed." His expression darkened. "What I want to know is what suddenly made him decide to come back."
Faye shook her head. Now that Jet said it, it made a lot more sense. Spike was a jerk.
But he was also a jerk that Faye had missed a hell of a lot, though she would be loathe to admit it.
"Jet-persooooooon!" Ed called from her Tomato.
Jet sighed. "What is it, Ed?"
She jumped up onto the table, walking on her hands. "We have a problem, Cap'n! Horrible, teeeeerrible problem!" She said dramatically. "Bebop-Bebop is being tracked by a mysteeeeerious ship!"
"What kind of mysterious ship?" Jet asked, walking over to the overly exuberant girl, who had pretended to faint on the floor.
Ed pointed at the screen where a box reading "Incoming Message" flashed steadily.
"Are you going to answer it?" Asked Faye, who was also leaning over Ed's shoulder to peer curiously at the screen.
"I guess," said Jet, rubbing his neck. He punched a key and a video feed appeared, displaying the face of a man wearing a lab coat and thick-framed glasses.
"Give us back our subject," said the scientist with barely concealed anger.
"Give you back your what?" Jet asked in confusion. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"You know damn well I'm talking about," the manned whipped out a clip-board and consulted it for a moment. "Mr. Spiegel. The man you are harboring on your ship."
"What do you have to do with him?" Faye asked defensively.
"He's our subject," the man waved a hand impetuously.
"Yeah, I think we've established that." She snapped. "So could you tell us who the hell you are?"
"My name is Dr. Atkinson. I'm the head of the Institute for Specialized Genetic Studies, or the ISGS. If you do not return our subject immediately, we will be forced to use force to remove him ourselves."
Faye snickered at this statement but Jet motioned for silence. "Spike is our crewmember. He returned to this ship voluntarily, and you have no power over him."
Dr. Atkinson narrowed his eyes. "Be that as it may—and I'm not saying I believe you—Mr. Spiegel is necessary to current research the ISGS is conducting and we will involve the ISSP if you do not cooperate."
"Then go ahead and involve them," Faye hissed, turning angry suddenly. "We're not giving up our crewmate to you bastards."
"I agree with her, Dr. Atkinson," Jet said sternly.
"Well, if that's the way it is," The man said huffily. "Then I'll see you when we board your miserable wreck of a ship—"
Jet slammed the "end conversation" button with a snarl and stalked off. "I'll show him what this 'miserable wreck of a ship' can do! Faye, get the Redtail ready! Ed, try and hack into their system. I want to know what exactly they have to do with Spike."
"Aye, aye captain!" She said, skipping off and leaving the room completely devoid of life except for the figure on the couch.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Spike's eyes opened slowly to the scene of the empty room.
I wonder where everyone is... He thought, sitting up with a slight wince.
After a short moment, the ship was rocked by a vibrating explosion that nearly knocked him off the couch.
"Shit! What are they doing?" He cursed, nursing the jarred wound in his abdomen. He got up from the couch slowly and made his way down the corridor towards the control room, pausing when more explosions shook the ship. He found Jet in the room, trying his best to evade the artillery of the attacking ship, which was a noble but largely useless effort due to the size and relative clumsiness of the Bebop.
The ship attacking them was pure white and brand-new looking, standing out like a sore thumb against the blackness of space.
There was a streak of motion as Faye's Redtail swerved in front of the ship, shooting protecting it from the missiles and doing a much more effective job than Jet's efforts.
"Looks like you've gotten yourself into quite a situation," Spike said with slight amusement.
"Just shut up, Spike," Jet grunted as more explosions racked the ship.
"What can I do to help?"
"Go back to sleep."
Spike shrugged and exited, though he didn't head back to the couch. A few moments later found him in the hangar, looking up at the Hammerhead.
"I wonder what this old piece of junk can do?" he said, climbing carefully into the ship.
He quickly identified all of the controls and started it up. He punched the comm link.
"Open the hangar, Jet."
Jet's pale, slightly startled face filled the screen. "Like hell I will! You're in no condition to fight!"
"And you're in no condition to stop me, seeing as it doesn't look like Faye can hold out on her own for much longer."
Jet sighed at the truth and opened the hangar doors.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Flying the Hammerhead turned out to be a lot different than piloting the Swordfish. It was larger, heavier, and clumsier, requiring larger movements to steer it.
The grappling hook also took a while to get used to as the first time he tried it, it almost flew through the front of the Bebop.
"Shit, Spike! Watch what the hell you're doing!" Jet barked. "I don't want you wrecking either of my ships!"
But Spike was hardly listening. He was having fun. He managed to reel the grappling hook back in and turned the Hammerhead around to face the attacking ship. Faye's face appeared on his comm. screen with a beep.
"Spike you lunkhead! What are you doing? You're supposed to be resting!" She screeched.
"Am I?" Spike smirked. "It looked to me like you needed a little help."
"What are you talking abou—"
Spike closed the comm. link and focused at the task at hand. Now that he thought of it, that ship looked kind of familiar.
And he didn't like it one bit.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Yay! Spike's gonna kick some ass! Review or else it will be yours!