Author: Nadz
Email: vegitto02 at yahoo dot com

Disclaimer:
The title "DragonTek" is owned by the author.
Any characters owned by the producers of Tekkaman, Dragonball Z, Dragonball GT, or Rurouni Kenshin are, of course, the property of those respective individuals or companies. Any original characters are strictly owned by the author of this fan fiction.
The story line of the entire DragonTek series is also owned strictly by me.
This story may not be distributed to anybody without the author's permission. However, the author does encourage you to welcome your friends to read DragonTek on FanFiction dot net. Much thanks...

DragonTek (Part II: The Blood Saga)

Chapter 19 – A Night's Happenings

"Lord Omega, I have a pleasant surprise for you," greeted Spear as they entered the main chamber of their base on the far side of the moon. Behind him walked Blade and Saber, who knelt before Omega.

"Tekkaman Blade," started Saber, "is ours to keep."

Omega didn't respond but continued to look at them silently, narrowing his red eyes menacingly.

"Lord Omega…"

"Spear, you have failed me once again," Omega snarled.

"H-how?" gasped Spear, beginning to feel weak in his knees.

"As the most experienced of the Tekkamen, I would not have expected you to have been so careless. Two things went wrong today."

"My lord…"

"The humans managed to destroy two of the generators. That cuts our power in half, which means it will cut our potential bugger army by at least half as well. This is your first failure."

"But…"

"If you interrupt me again, I will take away your powers and leave you as fodder for the buggers."

"My apologies, Lord Omega."

"Your second failure lies in the fact that you let a Tekkaman slip by you."

"Slip by us?" wondered Spear. "Impossible, we were being very meticulous."

"Were you really? Why don't you take a look at the pod to my far right?" ordered Omega. The three Tekkamen turned their heads left, only to see the hole in the wall with juices dripping out. It could only have meant that another Tekkaman had hatched while they were gone.

"That was the pod of Tekkaman Rapier," said Saber. "Our sister."

"Miyuki," whispered Blade to himself. So, their sister Miyuki, or Tekkaman Rapier, had fled.

"Yes, you are correct Saber. But she left before completing the process, so she is still loyal to Earth. It is a pity though, that she has to suffer the effects of my stronger fail-safe system. Due to her incomplete transformation, she only has several days to live, if even that much."

"What?" Blade asked as he stepped forward. "She can't die that quickly."

"Tekkaman Blade," started Omega, "it seems to me that you still care for your sister. That could be a good thing. But remember that your loyalty to me should be unquestionable. As a renegade, you caused much damage to us, and I could terminate you for that right now. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, Lord Omega," Blade replied, lowering his head.

"Good. I want you three to go find and retrieve her. I do not want her giving out any information that she may have learned about us. Leave at once!" Omega ordered, dematerializing from the chamber.

'Our sister… she survived,' thought Blade. He could recall glimpses from their childhood; most particularly, he could remember how they had played at the beach when they were young. His sister had loved the Amaryllis flower; it was the flower that had defined her and had always made her cheerful…

"Come, Blade, why do you hesitate?" asked Saber. "We must fetch our dear loving Miyuki."

Kenshin, Goku, and Vegita watched silently as two military personnel placed Ichiro in a body bag.

"Wait," said Kenshin. "Put him down; I will take care of this right now. And get out of the way."

"I am sorry, but we cannot…" the soldier started.

"Put him down NOW!" roared Kenshin, generating a visible amount of energy in his hand. The frightened men complied and backed away a good distance. With one powerful blast, Kenshin vaporized Ichiro's corpse for the same reason Vegita had done for Gejin; he did not want his mother or sister to see it. Tears rolled down his cheeks, and his cousins bowed their heads in respect for the fallen warrior and father.

"… I see, we'll try to take care of her as best as we can," said Chief Freeman as he watched Alena lying on a medical bed. Her fight with Kenshin had severely weakened her, and she needed much rest in order to recover from the stab wound of his katana blade. The Chief was himself unsure about keeping her there. She seemed to have overcome the Radam influence, and she was in need of medical attention. Thus, he could not simply deny her help. On the other hand, what were they to do if she turned on them?

"Thank you, Commander," Goku said. "Don't worry, I'll stay here until she recovers."

"I can stay, you know," cut in Vegita. "After all, she is my sister."

"No, Vegita," Goku shook his head. "It's better that you go home and keep your mother safe."

"I suppose you're right," sighed Vegita, nodding. "Then take good care of Alena."

As the heart of the night fell at the Space Knight Command Center, Aki rose from her bedroom and walked towards the balcony outside. The moon was so bright; it was truly a magnificent sight to see. Yet, its presence was almost eerie. Noal had spent much of the evening trying to comfort her for Blade's loss. Even though they knew each other for a very short time, she had developed a powerful attraction for him. It hurt her deeply to know that the Radam had taken control of his mind and his humanity.

'Blade, where are you? What have they done to you? I wish you were here with us, so we could fight the battle together,' thought Aki as she climbed onto the railing at the edge of the balcony, witnessing the ground laying fifty feet below. 'Now, we'll have to fight against each other.'

"Please hear my prayer, Blade," she whispered, balancing herself on her toes as she stood up straight and held out her arms. "Please wake up soon and remember us."

'Come back to us, Blade… We need you … I need you…' the words echoed in her mind.

A moment later, she leaned forward and dropped off the balcony.

Goku woke up from his short nap, only to see Kenshin approaching him. What was he doing there so late at night? Kenshin had his guest quarters, and Goku wondered why the boy wasn't in his chambers.

"How's she doing?" Kenshin asked as he looked over to Alena, sleeping soundly in bed.

"Same as before; her condition is stable, and she's getting her rest. Say, why are you up so late?"

"Well, I couldn't sleep because I kept thinking about my father. I miss him so much already."

"He was a good person," replied Goku softly, who never remembered seeing his own father.

"Also, I had been thinking about how I acted towards you earlier today, and I regret it. I came to apologize for my behavior," said Kenshin as he lowered his eyes. Goku was surprised to hear an apology so quickly regarding the matter, given that Kenshin had just lost his loved one.

"Please have no regrets about it; I didn't take it hard," Goku replied. He saw Kenshin pull out two cans of juice from his jacket pocket, and the boy handed one to Goku.

"I figured you'd get thirsty down here, so I brought you one," said Kenshin as he popped the cap on his can and began to drink. Goku followed suit and found it to be surprisingly good, soon finishing it.

"That tasted really nice," asked Goku, feeling relaxed… even a bit groggy. "What was it?"

"A very sweet citrus drink," replied Kenshin, eyeing his cousin carefully.

"Citrus drink in a can, huh?" asked Goku. "I wonder if… if… I ever… had… "

Goku closed his eyes and slipped into a deep sleep. Kenshin listened intently to his breathing, making sure he was okay. He smiled; everything was working according to plan. Kenshin quietly got up and approached Alena, still lying in her bed. Her eyes were closed, and her breathing was soft but normal.

'I should end this now,' Kenshin thought as he stood next to her bedside, narrowing his eyes.

From the back of his shirt, he pulled out a concealed kodachi. Gripping it tightly in his hand, he pointed the blade vertically downwards so that its tip was just an inch above her throat. The boy froze.

'But she looks so peaceful; did she really hurt anybody? What am I saying? She took my father's life, as well as of those soldiers fighting out there. She's a menace to all of us,' Kenshin thought as he raised the weapon, ready to bring it down. He felt the sweat in his palms, and his throat became dry.

'But she's sleeping; how can I kill her like that? There is no honor in this, is there? Would I just be a cold-blooded murderer? What if she destroys more human life? No, it would be good to take hers now rather than having innocent people die. But will I really go through with—'

"Kenshin," Alena whispered softly as she opened her eyes. Kenshin stared into her green irises.

"When did you wake?" he asked, still holding his blade above her. Alena's eyes followed the edge of the kodachi up its length and saw Kenshin's firm grip on the hilt. His hands began to tremble.

"Not too long ago. I felt your teardrops fall on my cheeks," Alena whispered. Kenshin hadn't even realized that he had been crying softly. "Kenshin, I'm so sorry; you must believe me. I've committed many wrongs, and I deserve to have my life taken away."

"You lie," he countered. "How can you speak with such remorse when you're one of them?"

"No, Kenshin, I am still one of you. I become one of them when the Radam side of me takes over and suppresses my humanity," Alena said as she continued to look at her cousin. A soft light fell on his face, and his irises flickered between a yellow and violet color.

"Yet, this is not an excuse," she said. "The pain inflicted on you is the result of my own doing."

"Yes, it is," the boy gripped his sword tighter.

"Kenshin, if you want to take my life, I understand. But if you do kill me, please remember that my last thoughts are with you and your cause for helping the Earth," Alena said. "I will keep my eyes open so that I can witness my death. Closing them would be running away from the punishment for my actions."

Kenshin only gritted his teeth as he tried to grip the blade with steadiness. This was his chance to execute a curse. Yet, could he bring himself to do it? Would he truly be saving many lives by doing this?

"Kenshin, I am ready," said Alena, encouraging him with her eyes. "End my misery before I become a Radam again. Take my life now before I take others'."

The boy steadied his hands and tightened his jaw. With a breath, he sharply jabbed his sword downwards upon his cousin.

Viyolita, Vegita's mother, lay crying in her bed. Deeply disturbed upon learning about her daughter's deeds, the widow could do nothing but weep. Who could blame her, for luck and fortune had turned against her family. It was only recently that her husband had departed; it broke her heart knowing that her daughter had sided with the enemy that had murdered Gejin. Yet, she felt solace in the fact that Alena was alive. It was the only thing that comforted her aching soul.

Vegita fared no better, for he lay in his own bed, his mind clouded with bitterness towards Radam.

Aki gently landed feet-first on the grass below, making sure that nobody had been watching her. This was a little secret she had kept hidden from the rest of the Space Knight team. Her dark blue hair was strange enough; had people found out her other secrets, they would consider her a freak. Even Freeman might consider her an item of study, rather than a person. It was for these reasons she kept her abilities to herself. Aki stroked her hair as she sat down on the soft grass below.

She had very minor abilities, such as softening a fall as well as levitating herself a foot or two into the air. Aki didn't know where her powers came from, but all she knew was that they were there. Her mother had warned her never to show her powers or else people would fear her. Several fireflies were flying about her, and one landed in her outstretched palm. She smiled at it, admiring its glow.

Her peace was disturbed as she heard a ruffle in the bushes in front of her. Aki let the firefly go as she slowly stood up. Whoever was out there had been spying on her, observing her every move. She felt foolish at having been so careless in concealing her unusual abilities.

"Show yourself," Aki loudly whispered. Out from the bushes slowly emerged a figure. Aki let out a small gasp as the moonlight shined upon it. He was wearing his trademark red jacket and his white pants. The person smirked and flashed his scarlet irises at Aki.

"Blade…" she trailed off.

Alena looked surprised at her cousin, who released the hilt of his sword. Kenshin had cleanly missed her, having impaled a lock of hair just next to her throat. Kenshin breathed heavily with relief and wiped the tears from his eyes. He removed the kodachi from the bed and placed it in its concealed sheath.

"I'm sorry, Alena," whispered Kenshin, bowing his head in shame. "I almost… took your life."

The girl just smiled sadly as she extended her arms, "I am proud of you, Kenshin. Despite the fact that my murderous self lays here, you have not lost your own sense of humanity and honor. Kenshin, if it ever comes a time when I become a Radam again, do not hesitate to end my life. Fight me with your heart and soul. I, as a human and Saiya-jin, would be willing to die by your sword."

"Alena," Kenshin choked. He bent down and gave her a long hug as he shed the remainder of his tears – tears for his father as well as her suffering. How horrible it must have been for her to know that, as a Radam, she was responsible for so much death. She would never be able to forget the gravity of her sins.

"I must go now," said the boy, looking over to Goku, still sleeping soundly.

"Good night, Kenshin," said Alena.

"Good night," he replied before returning to his guest quarters.

Alena stayed up for a little longer, crying, before falling back to a long sleep.

"Blade, you've come back to us!" Aki smiled as she stepped towards him. He observed the smile on her face, her beaming expression, and her eyes that reflected the light of the moon. She seemed so happy to see him again and so soon.

"Aki, I am not here to come back to the Space Knights," Blade said softly.

"What do you mean?" asked Aki, the smile disappearing from her face. "Why not?"

"I have come here to look for my sister," he stated.

"Your sister?" she asked with genuine surprise. "I never knew you had one."

"Yes, I do have a sister. Her name is Miyuki, and I want to know if she has come here looking for me," Blade looked at her steely-eyed. "She's a few years younger than me."

"No, Blade, I don't know of anybody like that who's come to us," Aki responded with concern.

"Too bad."

"Blade, please tell me what is going on? Why can't you return to us?"

"You know far more than what you need to know," Blade said as he stepped towards her. "In fact, you know too much. If I dispose of you now, then perhaps everything will be okay."

"Blade?" Aki stood frozen in fear while he approached. She clenched her fists as she saw him pull out a red crystal, approximately half the size of his normal one. She suddenly wondered how he could have reverted back to his human form if the Space Knights had Pegas, the only way Blade could de-transform.

"This crystal allows me to assume my human form for a brief period. When I wish for that time to end, I will automatically become a Tekkaman again. Then, I will have all I need to silence you quickly."

"Blade, you can't…" she trailed off, only to look in wonder as he soon reverted to his armored form. Flashing a red eye, he continued to approach Aki, who took several steps back. It wasn't long before he stood directly before her, staring down into her face. With a frown, he raised his arm, ready to strike.

"Blade," whispered Aki as she looked into his facemask. At such a close distance, she could even see his red eyes behind the visor of his protective mask. His eyes twitched as he looked at her, yet he could not bring himself to hit her. Moments later, he lowered his arm and stepped backwards.

"I will return to find my sister, Aki," Blade said. Without another word, he flew off into the night sky. Aki looked at him longingly, knowing that not all of his humanity had disappeared completely. She grieved at the sadness the man must have been feeling, and she continued to stare at the fading, soft, red trail he had left behind. Closing her eyes, Aki whispered a prayer for him.

"Any luck?" Saber asked as Blade regrouped with his brothers.

"No, she never went there at all," Blade responded, choosing against mentioning Aki.

"She will show up there sooner or later," interrupted Spear. "But until then, let us return to the Orbital Ring and rest in the pods. We will need our energy for an extended search in the days to come."

"Takaya… oniisan (brother)…" Miyuki said as she reached an oasis. Only hours had passed since her escape from Omega's vessel. Unable to control her flying, she had crash-landed on Earth in a desert, somewhere in the Middle East. A group of desert wanderers camped nearby had found her and had nourished her with food and water. It was not long before a bugger had attacked the encampment. Seeing no alternative, Miyuki had transformed into Rapier and destroyed it. Yet, the wanderers showed her no appreciation; in fact, they wanted nothing to do with her. To them, she was a harbinger of evil – a curse.

"What is that… thing?" the words rang through her scarred mind as she took a slow, weak step through the sand. "Look at its gnarled hands… its cloven hooves."

"Don't go near it!" a young man from the group had yelled. "It is the daughter of the devil!"

"We want nothing to do with you," the tribe leader had said. "Leave us at once!"

Nothing could describe the pain that had crushed Miyuki's will at that moment. She had been left alone to cry; those she had wanted to save had rejected her. She had been so hurt, so alone; all she had tried to do was help them, and they called her a monster. Miyuki fell to her knees, only a few feet away from the oasis before her. Desperately crawling, her hands trembled as they brought water to her mouth.

"Blade… Oniichan…" she whispered, her eyes closing. "Where… are you?"