AN: Whoa…you guys reached the quota a lot quicker than I expected. I had to really work hard to get this done in time for an update. Well anyway, this chapter is a little different. As you probably guessed it has a lot to do with what actually happened the day the ships went down. However I didn't want to just have Fred explain everything…kind of boring ya know. So wrote it from a different angle…you'll just have to read to find out.  (Author rubs hands together as she thinks about the torment of the readers when they reach this chapter's cliffhanger…hehehe)

AN: AH HA!!! I knew something funny was up when people kept asking me about wanting to see my drawings. Looks like FF.net don't allow website address in their ranks…I tried to uploud the site address again and it just came up an empty spot just like in the AN of chapter 17…I knew it did't forgot to type it in.

Anywho…I'll change my Author Bio and put the site address there. If you want to see my pics just go there. K :)

Enjoy.

"Vash, take care of Knives"

Rem watched smiling softly as the door to the escape pad closed completely. Only after Vash was out of view and on his way to safety did Rem let her tears flow. She wanted to stand there and watch them escaped. She wanted…she wanted to be with them. Her two angels…her perfect angels.

"I have to hurry."

Swallowing the fear that rose up like bile from her stomach, Rem turned around and ran toward the command room. It wasn't very far however every moment counted.

"JOEY!"

Rem ran through the doors, silently glad that they actually worked and opened for her. Rem could feel the ship start to shudder underneath her. The S.E.E.D.S ships weren't built for this kind of re-entry to a planet. She highly doubted it would last long at all. It was a miracle that the plants were still providing any power at all.

"Joey we have to…(gasp), god no…"

Rem swallowed hard as she stared at the still bleeding body of Joey. He was dead. A single gunshot wound to the head the cause.

"But how?"

Rem blinked as she tried to take in what she was seeing. Joey had been alive when Rowen had been sucked out of the ship. So Rowen couldn't have done it.

'He said to go to the escape pods…he said he was going to try and save the ships.'

Rem remembered the words of her angel. He had been the last to see Joey.

"Knives…was…it you?"

Rem didn't want to believe it. Knives was just a child. He wasn't capable of something so horrible. However she couldn't help but remember that day in the wreck room. The day he had crushed the spider.

He had said something like; it was the easiest way to save the butterfly. You couldn't save both.

But what does that have to do with this?

Rem didn't understand…but she did understand that if she didn't do something NOW then everyone was going to die. All the ships were going to crash. No one would even know what happened to them.

"DAMN IT!"

Steeling her nerves she pushed Joey corpse off the control panel. He fell to the floor with a squishing splashing noise. Rem shuddered as she used her sleeve to wipe most of the blood off the panel so she could see what she was doing.

She started to quickly scan over the readouts.

I'm no pilot? What should I do?

Panic started to kick in. She didn't know what to do. She didn't know how to fly these things. She was a Cryo Sleep expert. She handled the people sleeping below.

Rem sobbed loudly as she punched in a few commands. She felt the ship try to respond…then fall. There was just too much pressure.

Knives…what have you done! God no, where did I go wrong?

What if I had done something else? Tried to talk to Knives more. Showed him more how much I loved him. Showed him how special he was and how wrong it was to take life.

Rem toyed with the notion that she should have gone with the boys. She was just throwing her life away.

There's still time. I could…I could go.

Rem's thoughts drifted to the people sleeping. She knew them all. She knew their faces and their names. She knew who was related to whom…

All of it was part of her job. Despite the fact she had never met one of them while awake, she felt they were all her friends, all her family.

"I can't…Alan wouldn't have. I won't"

But she had to do something…but what.

"Akako Hana…she's a plant. She could…she could change the ships course. She could make the other plants react."

Rem didn't know if this would work. But it was the best idea she had. She had nothing else. Joey was dead…the only man really capable of flying the ships. Rowen could have done it and maybe even Steve…but they were gone.

This was it. It was all or nothing.

In all the times that Rem had gone to see Akako Hana, she didn't think she ever got to the Core room so fast.

She ignored the warning sign…that warned her (in name) to not enter this room. It was off bounded to everyone. Even the captain until they had a plant expert look at it. Steve was supposed to be the expert but he confessed to not really knowing anything about the bulbs themselves. He worked with the computer system attached the bulbs.

The room was forbidden because of Knives and Vash's birth.

"AKAKO HANA!"

Rem screamed as she ran in. Tears were coursing down her face.

"Please I need your help!"

Rem fell against the glass. Her hands were outstretched as she pressed her cheek against the bulb, hoping somehow, someway that Akako could hear her.

"The ships are malfunctioning! Everyone's going to die! PLEASE Help me!"

Nothing seemed to happen.

Rem's eyes flew back and forth as she looked into the plant. What could she do now? How could she make Akako Hana listen to her?

"I know you are alive! You made life! You're babies…they are so beautiful! I sent them to the planet already! They'll live…your babies are safe!"

Only silence and the sound of her own tears met her eager ears.

"DAMN IT HANA! PLEASE! I don't want to die! I don't want the people in Cryo to die! All life is precious! Please…I don't know what to do. I can't fix this by myself!"

Rem fell to her knees.

"I'm so sorry. My little angels…you are perfect. I just wasn't good enough for you."

Rem leaned against the side of the plant. Her mind and body numb with the knowledge that everything she held dear would soon be gone.

"I hope at least one of the ships make it. That some of the people survive. Else…you two will be alone. Alone on that barrier planet. I'm sorry I left you!"

Closing her eyes tightly Rem felt the ship underneath her shudder. She could tell it wouldn't be long now.

"I should have stayed with you! But I thought I could help! I thought I could be like Alan and be able to save everyone! But it looks like…I'm only human. Not quite good enough."

**********

"Fred, what do you mean by Akako Hana happened?"

"I mean exactly that."

Millie looked down at her hands. She was suddenly very confused. Why would Akako Hana do something that would cause the death of so many people? Didn't she hold true to what Rem said? Didn't she believe that killing was wrong and that no one had the right to take the life of another?

"I'm sorry I don't understand. What happened?"

"Akako Hana woke the other plants to try and save the ship. The plants seeing their own imminent demise started to do something about it. Plants are normally very docile creatures. They sleep…in what Humans call 'outside of time'. From what I was able to gather from Akako, is that the normal plant barely even recognizes humans. They simply don't care. They don't care that humans use them for power…the analogy I believe is accurate is that of a mosquito biting a human while they sleep. The worst that happens is the human my itch from the anti coagulant in the Mosquito's saliva. However, even plants know the difference between living and dieing."

"So the other Plants caused the separation?"

"No."

 ********

Everything is wrong.

Akako Hana, who had fallen asleep after the birth of her children, for the second time in her life allowed herself to exist in the waking world. She was upset and didn't know why. She could hear things, sense things, and feel things that made no sense. Everything was wrong and she didn't know why.

Rem…

Akako smiled comforted by the familiar presence of her human. She hadn't seen Rem since the birth of her sons. Akako wondered at that, but decided the other humans might have been alarmed by her actions and not allowed Rem to see her. They had seemed rather alarmed by the crying of her children.

Rem is talking to me again…I am happy…

Akako Hana could hardly hear Rem for some reason. Maybe it was because of the strange sounds echoing through her world. But Rem's voice seemed far away to her. So soft and quiet, despite the emotions behind it.

"They'll live…your babies are safe!"

My babies? Why would they not be safe? What is happening?

So confused and starting to become slightly alarmed Akako did something none of her kind had ever done before. She willing left her comfortable and safe haven and slowly descended from her bulb.

What she saw and felt shocked her to her core.

The ships are failing! We will die! Rem will die. I will die!

Akako had never felt fear before. Had never felt the need to survive before. After all she like her kind were not made to live in the mortal world. But she was a living creature, and everything that lives, desires furiously to continue living.

Akako tried to access the network. She was connected she knew to the entire ship. It was how she had been able to tell Rem about her babies so they didn't stay alone for long. When they had been born, Akako had been surprised how very small and helpless they were. She had been upset until Rem came and loved them. Rem had cried in happiness over them. Rem had called them Angels.

Now she wanted to use the network again and force the ship to change. Force the ship…all the ships to allow life. For if they continued the way they were…all would die. All would cease to live.

However something was wrong. She couldn't get to the ships computers. The way was severed from her. The humans had taken her off the network. Her power wasn't even being used to run the ship anymore.

There was nothing she could do to stop the ships herself!

Akako despaired for a moment. She listened to Rem's tears and words of death. She knew she was going to die. Like Akako she couldn't stop it.

I cannot stop it. But maybe…

Akako searched for her sisters. The sleeping ones that had not understood her desires and need for life. They had been upset and disturbed by her tries and pains. They had in the end helped to tell the humans about her children. Maybe now they could, save, where she could not.

SISTERS!

Akako Hana sent all she knew about the situation to her kind. One by one she felt them awaken. None had ever been awake before, but each still had the desire not to die. They knew what emptiness and blackness meant. Despite the fact they never truly lived, they still wanted life.

So they reacted!

******

"MEOW!"

"ACK!"

Millie jumped nearly a foot when Mr. KeroNeko suddenly jumped on the table in front of her face. He seemed to have forgiven her for disappearing as he started to purr like a little fuzzy motor right off the bat. Millie gave him an annoyed look. She silently wondered how much time he had spent on top of her table while she was away.

Scolding him lightly for (what else) jumping on the table, Millie took him into her arms. She petted him a moment before letting him drop back to the floor.

"So what happened then?"

Fred shrugged.

"The other plants did what Akako wanted. They sent new data to the other ships thus insuring their survival. From what I understand, one even managed to avoid crashing. However…their ship, the one that Akako Hana and myself were one was too far into the atmosphere. They couldn't simply start the thrusters to avoid a fatal crash. They had to do more."

"What did they do?"

******

Rem's stared into the computer screen in shock. The other ships…they, the thrusters were turning on. Her heart felt like it was being cramped into her throat. She was so happy. Akako Hana had done it. She knew it had to be Akako, how else would all the plants suddenly start up like this.

She had almost given up hope. Hope of surviving, hope for the other people, and hope of seeing her twin angels again. Sure Knives had done a terrible thing. But the ticket to the future was always open. They could start over…start over on the planet below them and create Eden together.

Now hope was burning bright and strong within her.

Suddenly something started to beep loudly from the computer. Gasping at the warning signal Rem looking over what was happening. Surprisingly enough she understood what the computer was blabbering to her about.

Ship speed and trajectory was something she wasn't really trained for. She understood too fast and not at the right angle. However…the computer wasn't warning her about that.

What it was saying was that the Cryo Sleep Sections were in danger.

"The ships turning around?"

Rem watched in horror as the ship started to slowly spin on its axle so that in the end the Passenger Section would be out in front. But why do that?

"A human shield…dear god!"

Suddenly she understood. The plants…the plants were going to use the passenger section to save themselves. There was no way to keep from crashing hard now. This was the lead ship, and thus had entered the atmosphere before any others. It was to far gone to ensure a safe landing. So instead of risking that, they were going to use the Cryo Section as a cushion.

The computer calculated a 95 percent chance the main ship would survive this way…and a .04 probability of the Passengers surviving.

"NO! They can't do that! There has to be another way. No one has the right to decide if these people should die! Turning the ship will insure their deaths! THAT'S MURDER!"

Turning from the computer Rem ran up to Akako Hana again.

"HANA! Please! You can't do this! You can't let them do this. All life is precious; we can't just give up on them. Don't give up on them please!! I beg you!"


Akako Hana heard Rem and she understood. However she couldn't tell Rem that the humans that had feared what she did had disconnected her. She couldn't tell her that there was nothing she could do now. The other plants on the ship were forcing the ship to turn. They wanted to live even if it meant death to the humans.

But they don't understand. They don't know. No one has the right to take the life of another. They don't have a right to choose if the humans should die instead of us. They should at least be given a chance.

Suddenly a thought penetrated Akako Hana's thought. This thought scared her. It terrified her of what might happen. Not only would it almost insure her own, Rem's and the other plants death, but also it would only give the humans a very slim margin to survive themselves.

I could force the computers here to think the ship will explode. The Cryo Section will automatically go into emergency separation. The humans will have a chance at least. A small one, but better than they do now. The way things are they will die.

But if she did this, her own survival chances were lowered extremly. Rem's would be even less. So the choice was before her. Let the humans die, or kill Rem.

She didn't know what to do. She was so confused. Rem had never told her a story for a situation like this. A situation where she had to chose between two evils. Taking life was wrong, but so was doing nothing when she could do something.

"I BEG YOU!!"

Akako heard Rem scream. Heard the voice that had soothed and taught her for so long. This was Rem. The human that allowed her to truly live. She had seen Rem's words as if they were happening to her. She had felt love and sorrow. She had felt the wonder of the creation of life.

This was Rem, the woman that taught and loved her children. The one that called them perfect Angels.

I'm sorry Rem…

***********

Vash finally came to a stop. Beside him Meryl had finally taken his advice and fallen asleep. She was making the cutest little snoring sounds, soft windy sounds. It amazed him day in and day out how this woman didn't seem to realize how beautiful and special she was.

Behind him his brother was still extremly conked out. It was kind of creepy the way he was sleeping. He looked more like the living dead. He didn't move, didn't even seem to breath.

But then again he does look a world of better than before. He doesn't have those dark circles under his eyes now.

Climbing silently out of the car Vash looked over the small house. It was very non descript. It was a one story, and probably one bedroom home. It was made of mud brick with a very simple brown roof. The lights were one so someone…maybe several someone's were inside.

The house was nothing special…except for the huge vehicle in the driveway.

"Sand Crawler…where the hell did they get one of those?"

Vash walked up the Sand crawler gently running a hand over the smooth reinforced steel sides. It was perfect, looking like it came from a showroom floor than from a S.E.E.D.S ship over a hundred years ago.

Vash glanced back toward the car once more before he started to sneak toward a window. He had to see if he could see Millie. Was she ok? Was she a prisoner or what?

As he came closer to the window Vash could make out voices. One was Millie's…thank god she didn't seem to be in pain, or afraid. The other one was a man's voice, a deep frightfully familiar voice. However he couldn't place where he had heard the voice or why he was making him so antsy.

"So Miss. Thomson when shall we begin our search?"

Vash lowered himself to the ground and did a good job of an inch worm impression as he moved closer to the window.

"Um, I guess as soon as I get my stuff."

"Will we go after Vash the Stampede first then?"

Vash froze at the sound of his name.

What the hell? Is it a bounty hunter?

"I don't know. I guess. We already know where Mr. Vash might be. I don't even know where to begin looking for Knives.

Vash frowned.

Why does she always call me Mr. Vash but called Knives just that? And why the hell would she want to go looking for him?

Disregarding that thought and some others that were pressing against his skull. Vash started to slowly pull himself up to try and peek in the window.

"That's simple, use the connection."

"Connection?"

Connection?

Now the man's voice sounded confused.

"Did Akako Hana not tell you?"

Akako Hana…red flower. What the hell?

"No, she wouldn't talk about it."

Finally unable to hold out any longer Vash looked into the kitchen.

"AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHAAAAAACCCCKKKKK!!!!!!!!"

His high pitch girly scream was heard for Iles.

Instantly three things happened.

One…Millie and the man inside knew he was there.

Two…both Meryl and Knives were awake with guns out.

And three…faster than either Meryl or Knives had ever seen Vash move; he ran and hide behind Meryl!

"Vash's what's wrong!"

Meryl tried to turn around and face Vash but he was holding her around her waist too tightly.

"Let go!"

"IT'S A GHOST! OH MY GOD IT'S A REAL LIVE FUCKING GHOST!"

Since neither Knives nor Meryl had ever heard that particular word uttered out of Vash's mouth they both blinked at him in surprise.

Finally Knives asked.

"What?"

"IT'S…IT'S…"

Vash pointed toward the house…and the two people walking out to met them.

"ITS ROWEN!"

Meryl not understanding a word Vash was saying or why some dude named Rowen was so important, was thus surprised when she heard the clatter of a dropped gun.

Looking over toward Knives, she was shocked beyond belief to see that he had been the one that dropped his gun. It was now lying innocently next to her feet and he was making no move to retrieve it. Meryl knew all to well Knives type. And for someone like Knives to actually drop his gun…well…that really said something.

Knives himself was deathly pale (well more than usual) He also had a decidedly green tint to his skin. He looked scared out of his mind. Which somehow just didn't sit right with Meryl.

"Am I missing something?"

Kicking Vash in the shin, she forced him to let go. As she stepped out of range Vash instantly dive bombed his brother and held on to him much the same way as he did her. He hadn't even opened his eyes during the feat.

Knives was the opposite. He didn't seem to be able to blink. He just stared. Finally he spoke again…his voice was shaking, very shaking.

"He's…de..dead. I killed him. I watched him ge…e…get sucked out into space!"

"Who's Rowen?"

Meryl finally asked. Vash, still cowering behind Knives answered.

"He was a crew member on the S.E.E.D.S ship! He's dead! He died over a hundred years ago!"

Meryl rolled her eyes and sighed. Men, whether they be plant or human were just whining babies.

"Get real you two! HI Millie!"

Meryl deciding to ignore the plants and instead go to greet her missing friend went running toward Millie.

The two women embraced each other crying tears of joy.

"Oh Meryl…what are you doing here? Corre told me you guys went after me?"

Meryl smiled up at Millie.

"We found the robbers. They said that you jumped out. We then followed the car tracks back here."

Millie looked over toward the car they had come in and went a shade paler. Meryl frowned at this. In her mind this told her a lot about what happened when Millie was left alone with Knives. Well…told more than what Knives had already told her.

"What is Knives doing here?"

Meryl took a step back to study Millie a moment. The young woman blushed under her friend's scrutiny. However Meryl didn't notice. There was something wrong with the tone of her friend's voice. That didn't sound like a woman scared to death of a man.

"Well he's the reason we were in this town in the first place. When he found out you were kidnapped he came with us to help. Kind of weird if you ask me."

Meryl looked behind her, her eyes were filled with distrust.

"I'll tell you want happened later. Anyway, who is this?"

"I am called Fred."

Meryl smiled and turned toward the boys.

"Here that! This is not Rowen! It's FRED! FR..EEE…DDD! You can both stop acting like frightened children now."

Hearing this Vash finally got around to opening his eyes. He also let go of his brother's waist.

"Do you believe her?"
He whispered to his brother. Knives was still in shock. He had vaguely heard Meryl, but…how in the hell? There was no way a man could look so much like another. He was even wearing the S.E.E.D.S uniform that Rowen had worn.

Come to think of it…Millie was wearing the same uniform.

What the hell?

Knives eyes narrowed after he finally blinked a few times. His eyes were starting to hurt a little from staring so much.

"Knives…there's no way! He's even wearing the same glasses!"

Vash was clearly frightened…but then again Knives had to admit so was he.

Suddenly the man…Fred (???) sighed heavily and started toward them. Knives kept his ground…Vash, well Vash yelped in panic did an amazing feat of agility that somehow got him behind the car. Out of the corner of his eyes Knives could see his spiky blonde hair and blue-green eyes peeking over the drivers seat.

"This is ridiculous!"

The man said with quite a bit of disgust in his voice.

"I am not Rowen Zadrakas. I am a model Trigun =)) class six beta zoid humanoid android. Rowen Zadrakas was my late owner. This body design was based off his form."

Vash poked his head fully up from behind the car.

"You're a robot?"

"Yes."

Knives looked at Vash, Vash looked at Knives…and they both blushed bright red.

"Of god Knives…Meryl's never going to let me forget this. I'll never live it down."

Knives muttered something nasty about a particular short hair human woman that neither Fred nor Vash caught.

Smiling extremly sheepishly Vash edged around Rowen and ran over to Meryl and Millie. Could things get anymore embarrassing for him. He had just acted like the biggest chicken of the planet…over a damn robot.

Still he doesn't look like a robot. I don't remember any of them looking like that. Damn!

Swallowing his wounded pride the best he could Vash grinned at Millie.

Just by looking at her, she seemed all right. Her coloring was good, no bloody bandages that he could see, and no flushed cheeks to suggest an infection. She looked rather good all things considering.

"Hey Millie…you ok?"

"I'm good Mr. Vash."

Vash nodded…

"Umm…well I was just wondering…Fred?"

"VASH! Leave her alone she's probably exhausted!"

Vash jumped and took a step away from Meryl. She glared at him just to tell him (not that she needed to) that she was still mad at him from before.

Man her fuse is even shorter than usual.

"Sorry Meryl…its just…"

Vash turned slightly to look at 'Fred'. He shuddered slightly.

"Its hard to see a face from the past like that."

Millie placed her hand on Meryl's arm to save Vash from a further chewing out. She loved Meryl like a sister, but sometimes the girl was just to hard on Vash. Or at least that's what Millie thought.

She watched as Vash sighed in obvious relief when he realized that Meryl wasn't going to bit his head off. She then turned her attention to Knives. He was still looking a little pale, but other than that he looked wonderful.

She could hardly believe her luck. Both Mr. Vash and Knives had literally come to her. The only thing to do now was give them the boxes and tell them what happened. After that…

Well after that I have to decide what to do about Knives.

"Perhaps they would like to come in. I believe we have a lot to tell Vash-sama and Knives-sama."

"Sama?"

Vash blinked…he tried but he didn't think he had ever been called sama before.

"Sure go ahead, Fred."

Fred made a graceful gesture, and Vash and Meryl started toward the house. Millie stood back, waiting until they were inside before she turned and walked toward Knives. He was still by the car. Millie swallowed hard feeling more than a little flustered as Knives steel blue eyes followed her every movement. There was something defiantly predatory in that stare.

Once she was close enough she reached out and ran her hand across the dark green coat. Knives took a step toward her so that they were only inches apart. From the look in his eyes Millie suspected that only the threat of Vash or Meryl seeing them, kept him from kissing her then and there.

Not that she would have minded one bit!

"Hi Knives."

Knives tilted his head slightly in a nod.

"I'm glad you're wearing the coat. It looks very nice."

Millie glanced to his hip and even more pleased to see the gun hostler that she had given him. Millie blushed as Knives continued to simply stare at her.

"Say something?"

Slowly he reached out and gently cupped the side of her face with his hand. Millie sighed and leaned her head into the touch as she enjoyed the feel and the warmth of his hand.

He leaned forward a little and Millie couldn't help but wonder if he was going to throw caution into the wind and kiss her.

As it turned out he did not kiss her. Instead he leaned in and stared deeply into her eyes.

"A few shades lighter than the sky…just like I remembered."