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 22 – Death Mission

"This is a transmission I had just received from the Orbital Ring," Freeman said. Next to him stood Noal, Aki, Honda, Levin, Goku, Shinjo, and Vegita, who had just brought in his mother in order to see his sister. Freeman pushed a button on the control panel, and the message played.

"Greetings, my Earth friends… my old Earth friends."

"It's Blade!" gasped Aki. Freeman nodded in agreement. The message continued.

"Not too long ago, we retrieved Tekkaman Rapier, a traitor that escaped from us in order to help you. You referred to her as Miyuki, my sister. Now that we have her, she is at our disposal. We thought of ending her life, but now we want to show mercy. We have brought her to our outpost on the Orbital Ring, the section that your diversionary forces attacked during Operation Sunset. If you want her to live, you'll send two men, by the names of Goku and Vegita, to the outpost. Anybody else is welcome to accompany them. When they arrive, they will receive instructions on how to retrieve her. We will wait for two hours. If Goku and Vegita do not arrive by the deadline, we will dispose of Miyuki in a very… inhumane manner."

"That message has 'trap' written all over it," muttered Noal. "They're not even trying to hide it."

"Yes, Noal. It clearly sounds like a trap, but it's a risk we may need to take," Freeman added.

"What do you mean?" blurted Levin.

"The enemy knows that we know that Miyuki has information about Radam that could be of vital importance to us," the Chief reasoned. "Thus, she makes good bait, enticing us to send these two up there to rescue her. The Radam want them because they're the only ones who can oppose their conquest now."

"And I bet when we take the bait and go, they'll have something planned for us," Vegita frowned.

"Yes, I'm afraid you're right. This is going to be an all-or-nothing mission. One scenario is that you two are successful; you go there and bring Miyuki back safely. Yet this seems highly unlikely with the reason that they stopped your cousin Kenshin quite effortlessly. In the other possible scenario, you and Goku will be trapped up there. They will dispose of Miyuki… as well as you two," Freeman explained.

"How do you know that they're not bluffing?" asked Goku, thoroughly disliking the mission.

"They could be, but that isn't certain," replied Freeman. "We still might be able to retrieve her."

"Chief Freeman, I will go because it is my duty to protect those that need it, even if it means my getting into a clear trap," declared Goku. "I don't want to have that girl's death on my conscience."

"Vegita, do you accept?" Freeman asked as he looked into the young man's face.

"Yeah, I'll go," Vegita spoke softly. "I guess I can't let her die either knowing that there was a remote chance of preventing it. And if we do succeed, we will have the key to all of those Radam secrets."

"I will go as well," a voice piped up from behind them as its owner entered the room.

"I'm glad to see you are back on track after these days of rest, Alena," Freeman smiled.

"Yes, you took good care of me," grinned Alena, giving Goku a big hug. Alena's mother, Viyolita, stood by her daughter's side and maintained a concerned expression.

"Will my daughter be safe on this mission?" Viyolita asked.

"Nobody can say for certain," Freeman replied. "It is going to be a definite risk."

"Alena," Viyolita turned towards her daughter. "Why, then, do you want to do this?"

"Okaasan," she replied. "I must repent for my misdeeds. This will be my chance at redemption."

"With the three of us together, we will succeed," Vegita said as he hugged his sister. He looked into her eyes and saw the Alena he knew. The smile on her face washed away any hint of her sinful deeds.

"And me too, I'm coming along," Aki said suddenly.

"Aki, this will be too dangerous for you," protested Noal.

"Noal… Goku, Vegita, and Alena are putting their lives on the line for the Earth. I share the same responsibility," stated Aki assertively. "With your permission, Chief, I will go. I must confront Blade."

"If she's going, I'm going as well," said Noal, not to be outdone by his fellow Space Knight.

"Pilot the Blue Earth close to the outpost. Noal and Aki, you are to remain in the ship at all times. And make sure to take Pegas with you," Freeman nodded. "Good luck, and move out."

"Do you think those fools will come?" asked Spear as he lay down and relaxed.

"Of course they will. They won't allow us to kill a human without trying to stop us. Perhaps those at the military might, but these are sentimental types. They'll get here," Blade responded.

"And when they do…" Saber trailed off, glancing at Miyuki, sprawled on the floor, tied up, and unconscious. "You would like that, wouldn't you, dear sister? They'll be risking their lives to save yours."

"Mr. President, I have sent you documents regarding Freeman's failure," said General Galt, eyeing the video screen in the private room. "It is proof regarding the Space Knights' loss of Tekkaman Blade."

"General," the President replied. "I will personally look into these documents. The enemy could strike now any day. Perhaps having let Freeman keep control of Blade was a decision I will live to regret."

"For once, the buggers aren't attacking us," commented Noal as he piloted the Blue Earth towards the outpost, an enormous hive-like complex that suffocated a whole thousand sections of the Orbital Ring. The buggers created two lines, signifying that the craft make its way between them. Noal did just that.

'Having those things around but not attack is far more creepy than fighting them,' he thought. 'Then at least I know what they are up to. But they're letting us pass so easily this time.'

"Goku, Alena, I just want to say that we may not survive this mission," Vegita's confidence began to deflate as they approached the opening in the outpost. 'If they neutralized Kenshin, who achieved the Super Saiya-jin level, they may be able to do the same with us.'

"Alena, don't forget our good times together. Vegita, live a long life," Goku's confidence also began to waver as he felt the immense level of dread in his chi. 'They only gave us a two hour window. Had they given us more time, Kenshin could have woken up and told us what they did to him. Now we are going in completely blind. They'll be able to use their attack again without the fear of us having seen it.'

"Vegita, Goku. I love you both," Alena said softly. 'I am doing this not only for the Earth… but also for the people that I love. Kenshin, Nio, Vegita, Goku, father, and mother… I am doing this for them. My soul is tainted, but I will fight for them.'

"Good luck to all of you," said Aki. 'Blade, I will bring you back to us. I won't return otherwise.'

"We've reached the opening to the outpost. There's a platform right beneath us; I'm taking her down," said Noal. "Take care of yourselves out there. Maintain radio contact at all times."

Goku, Vegita, and Alena stepped out of the craft as its engines powered down. Around them were the dark interior walls of the outpost, colored dark shades of green with viscous trails of purple liquid flowing down them. It was surprisingly warm and humid, and the ground itself was somewhat moist.

"Where do we go now?" Goku wondered aloud. As if in response, several lights turned on the floor before them, illuminating a curved walkway that bent to their right. The three followed it and entered a long tunnel. As they walked down the tunnel, ooze dripped on them from above. The smell was rancid, and they breathed through their oxygen masks. Strange vines protruded from the sides of this tunnel.

When they finally reached the end, they saw darkness surround them. The nauseous smell had disappeared, and the air was still around them. Nobody made a sound as they tried to listen; all they could hear was dead silence. Within moments, hundreds of jelly-like pods on the walls began to glow and shed their own light. The room gradually lit, making it visible. In front of them was an enormous black wall.

"Welcome," a voice said as a crack appeared down the middle of the wall. Slowly, the two sides of the wall moved out of the way, revealing a cavernous chamber that was soon illuminated. Goku, Alena, and Vegita watched in silence. In this new room, a high platform raised at the far end. Two stairs led up to it on its sides. In the middle of the left stairway stood Tekkaman Blade. In the middle of the right stairway stood Tekkaman Saber. At the top, in the middle of the platform, stood Tekkaman Spear. On the floor in front of the three Saiya-jin lay Miyuki, with each of her extremities tied to stakes in the ground.

"We've come to you," said Vegita, removing his oxygen mask.

"We knew you would," replied Spear. "To rescue our sister, correct? That's why you're here?"

"Yeah, that's right," replied Goku.

"No, it is not. In fact, you have come here for very different reasons," said Blade.

"What do you mean?" asked Alena.

"Your reason was not saving her. It was proving something to yourselves," countered Saber.

"Vegita, you came here because you want to see us all dead. You still haven't forgotten your father's death, and you perpetually blame the Radam for this. You came here for our blood," said Spear.

"That isn't true," protested Vegita in frustration, realizing that Spear was indeed correct.

"Goku, you've come because you don't want to give up on Kenshin. You know the pain he's endured, and you want to serve as his role model. If you give up, how would that reflect?" said Blade.

"You read me well, Tekkaman Blade," Goku scowled.

"And the girl… I don't know why you're here. Perhaps her life truly is your motivation," said Saber. "At least one of you is genuinely concerned about Miyuki. At least somebody in this world cares."

"And you don't?" Goku demanded. "She's of your lineage, your blood!"

"The Radam is a huge family unto itself. A traitor nullifies any sort of relation that may have existed," Saber countered. "Doesn't it work the same way in humans? If a member of your family betrays the family, is that person still your family? Or doesn't he become an outcast? We work the same way."

"No, human families stay together. They overcome their problems," seethed Goku.

"Blade overcame his problem, and he is back with the family," Saber snorted.

'What is going on here?' wondered Vegita. 'Is this some sort of a mind game?'

"Our mission here is to retrieve Miyuki, regardless of what our personal reasons are."

"Well, Son Goku, your personal reasons do indeed matter," replied Saber. "They matter to us."

"Why?" Alena asked.

"It was hard to imagine that you would come and risk your lives for the sake of a person you didn't even know; a person that potentially could be dead or be a secret spy on our side," replied Spear.

"Well, it seems like you already knew our reasons for coming," said Goku.

"Yes, but I simply wanted to see the expressions on your faces when we told them to you," replied Saber. "They were educated guesses on our part, but it turns out that we were correct."

"So what difference does that make now? I know you have a plan that should effectively kill us," said Vegita. "Nobody would be stupid enough to invite us without setting up a strong defense."

"Yes, we do have something planned for you," admitted Saber, "and your fate will depend on the answers to the last set of questions."

A new, bodiless voice presented the next question, "Alena, knowing that you were responsible for the deaths of many, do you see the value of your own life? Or do you consider yourself expendable?"

"I see myself to be expendable," whispered Alena. Goku and Vegita both flinched at her response. "The blood spilled from my hands must be purged."

"Goku, do you still love Alena after all that has transpired?" the voice continued.

"Of course I do," Goku said as he turned towards Alena, who lowered her eyes. "It was her other side that was the cause of so much suffering. The real Alena I know is a marvelous person."

"Vegita, do you still love Alena after all that has occurred?" the voice asked once again.

"Yes," said Vegita. "I had felt shame, but I realized that you Radam were forcing her to carry out actions that contradicted her will. It is you Radam that I blame."

"Do you blame these three Tekkamen as well? Blade, Saber, and Spear?" the voice countered. "They are also humans being controlled by us. You look at them with such anger and spite; yet, do they deserve to be the targets of your wrath?"

Goku and Vegita could not give a fitting answer.

"Your silence tells me your inability to decide. Well, then let me decide for you. There is only one being at whom you should target your anger," the voice said as its owner's body stepped out from the darkness. The delicate light from the surrounding pods shone on his light purple skin.

"And that being," the voice chuckled softly, "is me."

"Bezel …" Alena trailed off as she felt the cold pry at her skin.

"Bezel? I've heard that name," said Goku. "I've definitely heard it."

"Bezel… the creator…" Vegita whispered.

"… Of the Tekkamen," finished Goku. "The original Tekkaman himself!"

"Precisely," Bezel responded.

"You still desire to continue this sick quest of vengeance?" asked Vegita.

"Perhaps, but there is no need for me to inform you of my true intentions."

"The Orbital Ring is not your main base. Where is it located?" demanded Goku.

"Miyuki can provide you the appropriate answer," responded Bezel. "It really is a pity, you Saiya-jin, I mean. You are exceptionally strong, but you lack the element needed for true victory. That element is the ability to utilize the unseen. You have been trained to fight and destroy what appears before you, but you do not know how to defend what you cannot see. Even though you can reach the level of Super Saiya-jin, your fighting techniques are nothing but puerile."

"You think you can win by unnerving us?" asked Goku calmly.

"Alena," Bezel said as he ignored Goku and turned towards her. "Come to me, my child."

"Like hell I will," Alena shot back. "You're nothing but a maniac."

"And it is this maniac you will continue to serve," Bezel smiled gently, his yellow eyes boring into hers. "It has come time for the blood child within you to awaken."

"What…" she whispered, feeling her heart race as an invisible pressure was placed in her head.

"Let the repressed spirit inside of your mind be free," continued Bezel, stepping forwards.

"Don't come near me!" yelled Alena, holding her head in her hands. "Get away!"

"Accept its rule," the Radam leader chuckled, "and serve your true master once again."

"No," whispered Alena, feeling the familiar, enormous throbbing in her head. "NO!"

Alena screamed a beastly roar as she grasped her head in her hands. Her body began to twist in wild proportions. She fell to the ground, screaming. A red aura glowed around her as she struggled.

"Get out of me! Leave me alone!" she cried out, suffering from the spasms. Yet, her evil half had already begun to take control of her own mind. She begged for the pain to stop, but it did not listen. Goku and Vegita watched in horror as she convulsed on the ground. Within seconds, her green irises had changed to a vicious, scarlet red.

"Alena!" Goku yelled. He tried to step towards her but realized that he could hardly move.

"Now!" Bezel yelled. Spear activated the lights on his chest and bellowed. Instantaneously, Goku and Vegita felt the impact from Spear's attack, which the Tekkaman had secretly been accumulating during the long questioning period. Their vision immediately blurred, and they lost all sense of balance in a matter of seconds before crashing to the ground. Worst of all, they felt chi only from Alena.

"GOKU! VEGITA! HELP ME!" Alena shrieked, but soon her body ended its spasms. She stopped her cries, for she could not feel the pain anymore. In fact, she felt good, very good. Slowly, she pushed her self up off the floor and stood on her feet, observing the boys on the ground. Her humanity faded away into oblivion as it spoke its final words through her person…

"Goku… Vegita… I'm sorry… good-bye…"

"Chief Freeman, I don't know what they were doing. They were conversing for a while, asking all sorts of questions. The last thing I heard was screaming. No communication has been received since," reported Noal, sitting tensely in the pilot's seat of the Blue Earth, still parked on the platform in the outpost.

"Sit tight, Noal. The best bet is for you two to remain in the Blue Earth. If your situation becomes life threatening, get out immediately," Freeman replied.

"But sir…" Aki protested.

"That's an order," Freeman silenced her.

'I can't even get up… what did they do?' Goku wondered in desperation. The boys would be sitting ducks for any sort of attack that would be delivered next. "Have to find a way…"

"How do you feel, boys? Helpless?" Bezel asked. "Good."

"Bezel-sama," Alena interrupted. "Shall I finish them for you?"

"Getting eager so soon, my dear?" Bezel chuckled. "No, I have a special assignment for you."

'What is she going to do?' wondered Vegita as he struggled against the attack.

"Murder everyone who is related to you, except for these two right here."

"Understood," Alena bowed her head. Spear, Saber, and Blade looked curiously at this girl who so obediently followed Bezel's orders.

"And destroy the Space Knight Command Center, along with any personnel in it."

"Yes, my lord."

"And finally, finish the mission you left uncompleted. Obliterate Allied Military Headquarters," Bezel smiled. This was going to be another fulfilling day for him.

"Yes, my lord," Alena smiled in return. 'Finally, I will prove myself worthy to Bezel-sama.'

"Now go at once, and take the exit path behind me."

"What did they say?" asked Aki desperately, trying to comprehend the garble coming from the communicator. Looking out the cockpit window, she saw the lighted path that led into the tunnel inside.

'Whatever is going on in there isn't working towards our favor,' she told herself.

"I can't tell at all, there's too much static," Noal replied. While Noal and Aki waited anxiously, a red object, like a thin bolt of electricity, speedily made its way towards the Earth's surface. In particular, it headed for a house – a house in which a mother and her little daughter resided…