These are the words of Hung Nguyen. I just have permission to post them and make it easier to read. Just want to give his stuff the recognition it deserves.

I am scrunching both works into one story, maybe even adding something extra. Any new updates will be told here. Think of this as the "Remastered version". Welcoming new and old readers alike!

Disclaimer: This story is based on someone else's works, and you know the rest.

italics: Thoughts

Chapter 21 Part 1

Darkon's Plan

Slade, formally known as Ranma Saotome, writhed fitfully in his sleep. In his dreams, a voice was heard in his head, repeating over an over in a scornful tone.

Foolish boy! You're nothing but a weakling! Where's your pride as a martial artist? Where's your honor? Stop your whining! A martial artist must be prepared to sacrifice his life for the sake of the ART!

But I don't want to! A young voice replied as Slade recognized it as a younger version of himself.

I am ashamed of you, boy! Oh what did I to be cursed with such a weakling, who can't even take a little harmless training? Now get in there and learn that technique!

Once again, Slade saw a young boy being thrown into a dark pit. The blackness was soon illuminated by those countless multitudes of red eyes. Then, the indescribable pain and anguish began again.

A minute later, Slade screamed himself awake as he fell to the floor of his quarters. Fortunately by this time, the space had been drained of the recent flood waters and cleaned, so he landed on a dry floor.

The Tekkaman panted hard as he sat up. That same dream had come to him again. He found himself shivering almost uncontrollably as he began to wonder if he wasn't going mad.


The force of Slade's reaction to his dream made three others aboard the Nirvana suddenly scream and drop out of their beds. On their foreheads, their symbols glowed in tune with Slade's even though he was on a different deck. Each girl wondered why they had reacted like that and then had an image of Slade in their minds.

Things were getting more serious.


The Nirvana's Conference Room...

Magno nodded as she, Slade, Meia, and BC were discussing the events of the past battles with their new enemy, the murderous Radam.

"So what you're saying is that the Harvesters are no longer a threat?" The aged woman asked.

Slade nodded. "That's what Meia and I were able to piece together from what I learned from Saber and Ghaleon. As far as we can tell, the Harvesters are extinct. Judging from what Saber stated, I think these aliens, the Radam, destroyed the Earth Forces and took over."

Meia nodded as well. "It makes sense. We haven't come across a single Cube Fighter or any other kind of Harvester Ship for a while now. Those Spider-Crabs are definitely organic in nature, judging from their remains. Parfet's teams and Duero have been studying them and they have found residual circuits that resembled those found in Cube Fighters, but arranged in patterns like rudimentary nervous pathways."

"It sounds so... impossible." BC stated as she looked at the holoprojections of the engineering team's findings. "Are you saying that those monsters were once Cube Fighters? That the... Radam are able to transform machines into living tissue?"

"Well, Parfet and the doctor wouldn't exactly call them alive." Meia amended. "Duero says that they're more along the lines of mindless drones of pseudo-protoplasm. They're like organic robots. And judging by the way this Radam has been using them so far, I think they're considered as nothing more than cannon fodder. They only seem to be concerned with destroying the enemy, regardless of their losses."

"Hmm." Magno nodded in agreement to Meia's assessment. "So what you're saying is that this Radam's strategy is totally different from that of the Harvesters."

BC became a little alarmed at this hypothesis. "Then that means that collecting human organs is no longer an issue. Captain, do you realize what this means?"

The hundred-plus-year-old woman nodded. "Yes. Our messages to Tarak and Mejele about the Harvesters are no longer valid. That is, if they ever received them. And I severely doubt they'd believe us about the Radam."

"But Captain, we do have undeniable proof of their existence." Meia affirmed as she gestured to herself and to Slade. "Slade, myself, Jura, and Dita!"

"She's right." Slade agreed. "We're living proof of what the Radam are capable of. We learned from Ghaleon that the Tekkaman Power Process was originally created by the Radam. And it makes sense as to how Saber and those other Tekkamen were created if the Radam were behind it all. And then there's the Paksis."

"Yes, we could show them our Tekkamen..." BC suggested but was stopped as Magno held up a hand.

"Indeed we could," Magno interjected. "But keep in mind who we are trying to convince. The governments of both Mejele and Tarak are not the most accepting of people. And seeing what a Tekkaman is capable of may stir up some power struggles. I'm quite certain that there are several members of both governments who would see Slade and the others as the ultimate weapons to use against their enemies. We cannot afford to have more conflict between our two worlds, especially when we all need to be united against this newer, deadlier enemy."

"Yes... I suppose you're right."

"So where do we go from here?" Slade inquired.

"For the time being, all we can do is continue on our way to our home systems. Whether they will believe us or not, we still must warn them of the threat."

The others nodded as the meeting was concluded and they all got up. However, when Slade suddenly stumbled to the floor, they stopped and looked down at the former Saotome.

"Slade, are you all right?" Meia asked as she knelt down to help him up.

Slade shook his head to clear it, then nodded as he got up. "It's okay. I was just clumsy... that's all." He brushed himself off and promptly left the room, followed by the former Dread Leader.

Both BC and Magno stayed behind as the two exited. They had expressions of surprise and concern on their faces.

"Clumsy? Slade? That doesn't sound right." BC remarked.

"Yes..." Magno agreed slowly as she wondered about him. Slade had been acting somewhat uncoordinated as of late, which was odd for someone who was skilled in the martial arts. She had seen him practice intensely almost every day and he had never displayed anything less than the grace of a jungle cat from Mejele. Sometimes he would put even those felines to shame.


Later...

"Errrrrrrgh!" Slade grunted as he lifted a very heavy piece of machinery. However, the massive console barely made it off the floor as he staggered toward the place where Gascogne was indicating. After placing the console down, he wiped his brow and took a long, deep breath.

"Are you feeling all right, D-Boy?" The head supplier asked in concern.

The Tekkaman nodded as he rubbed his slightly sore arms and back. "Yeah, it's nothing. I've been a little tired for a while, that's all. I guess I should have lifted with my legs, eh Ms. Gasco?"

Gascogne was not convinced. Last week, Slade had lifted three times as much weight without any problems. How could he have so much trouble with a mere 5000 kilos?


Still later...

"You're getting better, Xian Pu. You managed to tag me a couple of times." Slade said as he helped his sparring partner up off the mat.

"Thanks. I think I've gotten faster." The Amazon said happily as she wiped off her sweaty forehead with a towel.

"Same time tomorrow, okay?" Slade said as he picked up his own towel and headed back toward his quarters for a shower. "And remember to always fight with honor."

Xian Pu nodded as she watched him go. Then she started thinking back to her training session. She was convinced that her reflexes and overall speed had increased, but she still couldn't believe that she had actually landed some blows on him. His speed today seemed slower and some of his punches and blocks were sloppy. Had he been purposely holding back or was it something else?


In his quarters, Slade held his right wrist with his left hand. In his right was a glass of water, but he was having a difficult time of keeping it steady. After a minute, his grip failed him in which the glass dropped to the floor and shattered, causing the water to spill into a small puddle.

Slade did not even the notice the mess he had made as his sense of balance was thrown off, giving him a feeling of vertigo. The room spun about before his eyes and he felt another sharp stab of pain in his head. His vision became clouded in a blood-red haze. The sensations lasted for a long minute as he fought to keep on his feet. Finally, the sensation ended as his vision cleared and the dizziness disappeared.

However, Slade was left shaken and a bit drained as he wondered just what was happening to him. These sensations only started after his latest transformation to Tekkaman Blastor. He wondered if they were connected, then decided to dismiss the possibility. He was only tired and fighting the Radam had taken a lot out of him, that was all. Besides, he had to think about the safety of the Nirvana, and he couldn't be bothered with any other problems.


Speaking of other problems...

Parfet nodded as her latest project was nearing completion. The salvaged components of Jura, Dita, and Meia's old Dreads were being integrated into the new systems and would soon be ready for testing.

As the chief engineer of the Nirvana worked, neither she nor any members of her team noticed a certain Radam device was making its way toward the interface console which was linked to the Nirvana's Paksis Core.

The thing was no larger than a mote of dust and was shaped like some grotesque insect. The Radam spy had been programmed to infiltrate the mainframe of the Paksis Core and was now just inches away from its goal. It had taken quite a while to travel through the miles of circuit relays and protection devices, before it finally reached its destination. Once it found the correct access port, it used a special program to subtly sneak its way into the heart of the pirate vessel.

As it found itself within the crystalline depths of the Paksis, it then got to work.

The Nirvana's Paksis was certainly corrupted from its continued interaction with these pitiful humans. The Radam device deduced that the core's prolonged absence from Radam influence had made it impossible to return it back to its true calling, serving its Radam masters. The core resisted all attempts to subvert it and the device concluded that the exercise was futile. The spy lacked both the power and the time to force the Paksis to change sides. Any continued attempts would most certainly alert the crew to its presence.

The initial plan to bring the Paksis back under the control of its creators was abandoned, but the secondary plan would be carried out. Tapping into the core's memory banks, the spy started downloading certain processes and modifications to the Tekkaman Transformation. Once it had obtained the data it needed, the spy then exited the Paksis and went to carry out the second part of the plan.


The Sick Bay...

The spy found its way into Duero's console through a service port. As it made its way through the physician's security protocols, it started delving into the ship's personnel files. Every last detail of each crewmember was taken in, including their physical, psychological, and personal data. It sorted through every one until it came across two particular individuals. Making more extensive calculations, it decided that these two would serve Darkon's purposes well.

After completing the data scan, the tiny device headed toward the sensor relay systems of the ship. After integrating itself into the circuitry, it scanned the routine sensor emissions that the ship normally let off. It began transmitting a tachyon carrier wave during a sensor phase. The data stream then rode its way out into space and toward its destination... the Earth.

Once its mission was completed, the device activated its self-destruct circuit, which caused it to be burned out, leaving no trace of it ever existing.


Earth...

Darkon was waiting patiently in his Throne Room when he was alerted that a certain transmission was being received. He smiled as the data appeared on his monitor.

Oh yes... these two will do nicely...

He then signaled to the Earth Paksis to begin phase two of his plan. At the same time, he began the awakening process for his Tekkamen.

"Saber... Lance... Axe... Rapier... come to me. Your master commands you."


"We are here... Master." Saber said with a slight bit of irritation, as he and the other Tekkamen appeared before the Radam Warlord. The four space warriors were in their human forms. For the most part, they had recovered from their bout with Slade and the three former Dread Pilots, but one could tell that the battles had left their marks.

Rapier now wore her hair like Duero's, which covered the right side of her face. Underneath those tresses, her face was disfigured from the wound she had received from Jura. Since then, she had vowed to make that blond Tekkaman pay.

Axe had several scars criss-crossing across his own body after being on the receiving end of Meia's Voltekker. He too was anxious to encounter the Nirvana's defenders and make Diamond suffer each and every wound he had suffered, a thousand-fold.

As for Lance, though he had suffered some damage, the biggest injury had been to his ego. He couldn't believe that a novice like Sapphire had gotten the best of him. When Saber had taunted him about it, Lance became even more determined to show him and everyone else that he was not to be taken lightly.

For Saber, he was still angered that Darkon still would not give him the secret of evolving to the penultimate form. However, he was still bound to the Radam Warlord, just as the others were. He had no choice but to follow his orders or face annihilation. Darkon had ensured their loyalty from the moment they had been created, for each contained a certain parasitic organism embedded within their medulla oblongata, which used hypnotic and painful incentives to remind them who was the master and who was the slave. Even the Harvesters had been unaware of the machinations of the Radam and their obedience chips would have been overridden, but that was a moot point.

Darkon nodded to his operatives as he waved his hand. A holographic projection appeared before them, showing the Nirvana's present coordinates.

"The pirates are nearing their home systems and we cannot allow them to reach Mejele and Tarak before our forces." Darkon said. "Therefore, I am sending several battle groups of Spider-Crabs to delay them until phase two of my plan is complete."

"How may we serve you, Lord Darkon?" Lance asked with an eagerness that made Saber feel the need to hurl.

Bootlicker. Ass-kissing little toad.

The warlord pointed to a section of space in which the Nirvana was heading toward. "The pirates are heading toward this asteroid field, which happens to be near twin red stars. The solar flares and electromagnetic fields are intense and will cause massive interference with their navigational and sensor systems. I believe this will provide us with the optimum setting to obtain our... guinea pigs."

"Master? A question."

"Yes, Rapier?"

The female Tekkaman gestured to the files that had been downloaded from the Nirvana's personnel database. "I can see how we can get this person, but the other is most likely to remain on the Nirvana. How are we to draw him out?"

"Excellent question, Rapier." Darkon commented as he then changed the images and showed them his answer. "We simply use the appropriate bait."

All four warriors were quite surprised to see a certain someone on the monitor.

"Him?" Saber exclaimed as he recognized the individual. "I would have thought he'd be long dead by now."

"That's what I thought too, when I had the entire Harvester fleet transformed into the new Radam Armada, but apparently, he managed to survive, though not totally intact. I've been keeping him under wraps until I decided how to 'dispose' of him... in the most painful way possible, of course."

"Why did you not submit him to...?" Axe began.

"He would not have survived." Darkon said, answering his incomplete question. "Especially in the condition that I found him in. However, his mind, though partially gone, still offered some possibilities."

"You say that you intend to use him as bait." Saber interrupted. "As I believe, the people on the Nirvana were not very fond of him and he made several other planets... angry. And I also recall that the Harvesters had abandoned him as well."

"Indeed." Darkon agreed. "However, he is still a human being... more or less and I know that the Nirvana will answer the call of ANYONE in distress. You've already proven that, Saber. It is, after all the HUMANE thing to do. In any case, he will provide enough cause for them to at least investigate and he is considered expendable. As soon as our objective is achieved, I don't really care what happens to him afterwards."


Later...

Saber nodded as he read the Nirvana's files concerning Slade. They were quite informative as the Tekkaman began to get more insight on his greatest opponent. The personal records were specially helpful as Saber discovered a few traits about Slade, which he could use to his advantage.

Ever since his creation, Saber had developed a kind of obsession with the white Tekkaman. The red cosmic warrior had been created for the sole purpose of destroying Slade. The fact that he had been unable to do that yet, has been a source of great irritation. Saber wanted the title of greatest warrior and Slade was his biggest obstacle to achieve it. The Harvester Council had never given him the fear and respect he deserved, and even his true master Darkon considered him as nothing less than a lackey. Now that Slade had achieved the penultimate state of the Tekkaman, it seemed that Saber would never be able to overcome him.

However, with this new information, Saber now had a weapon in which he could use against his opponent and bring him down to his level. Psychological warfare was not his specialty, but this new tactic just might be enough.


Deep in the bowels of what was once Earth, a lone figure lay in a stasis tube. He was barely alive by human standards, and his overall form was a ruin. Then again, what could one expect from someone who had been... harvested.

Rabat's body was missing both his arms and legs, one lung, and part of his liver. He would have been completely dissected had the Radam not taken over and transformed the Harvester Craft that had captured him. As a result, the process had been halted and the rest of his body had been shunted into near-suspended animation. He was still alive, if one could call it that. He could see and hear everything, but could not do anything. He couldn't even speak as his vocal cords had been removed during the dissection process. All he could do was drop in and out of consciousness and stare at a never-changing environment of metal, circuits, and the strange organic growths that had corrupted the Earth Ship and made it an instrument of the Radam.

As for his simian partner Utan, since she was not human, the Harvester Craft had considered her as worthless and had ejected her into the cold, airless vacuum of space. Rabat could only watch helplessly as the orangutan's body contorted and imploded. The only solace he could find was that she didn't suffer for long. She was the lucky one. As for him, his seemingly endless torment continued.

Since his internment in his living tomb, Rabat had learned from a nearby console that the Harvesters were no more and the Radam had been resurrected. He didn't know why he was being fed such information, but figured that the new masters of Earth were merely torturing him for their amusement. Over time, he began to finally see the pain and suffering he had caused to those other planets and wished many times that the Radam would just kill him and get it over with. However, his silent prayers continued to go unanswered as Darkon saw fit to continue putting him though agony after agony. His limbless body was connected to several organic tendrils which allowed the Warlord to activate any number of Rabat's remaining nerves, especially his pain receptors. Darkon found it very amusing to watch his helpless captive writhe in anguish as he experienced pain that was barely endurable.

Rabat wanted to die. He wanted to die badly! There was nothing that could be worse than death! Just why didn't those Radam bastards end it already?! What more could they want from him?

It was then that he noticed a new tendril being extended toward him. Looking out of the corner of his right eye, Rabat trembled as he saw something crawling down the tendril toward the back of his neck. The thing was about the size of a large cockroach, but possessed wicked-looking mandibles and claws. His breathing increased as he tried to squirm away from it, but the other tendrils held him fast. The creature's jaws dripped with gooey saliva and its beady eyes focused on its target. Within a minute, it had crossed the distance between them and began biting into his flesh.

With his vocal cords gone, Rabat couldn't scream out, at least not verbally. However, his mind was letting off mental screams that would have woken the dead as the Radam parasite continued to gnaw its way into his neck and clamped onto a certain bundle of brain stem nerves. It embedded itself deep within his flesh as the former Harvester agent lost the last bit of his own being to the Radam.


A few days later...

"Captain, I'm receiving a distress signal coming from a nearby sector of the asteroid field." Misty declared as she worked at her station.

"Really?" The old woman replied as she looked at the main viewscreen, which indicated the position of the transmission. "Any idea who is hailing us?"

"One moment." Misty said as she read the identification code. "I've got it. It's someone by the name of... Rabat?"

The rest of the bridge crew blanched at the mention of that name. Even Bart made his reaction known as his Navigation Well glowed with an angry aura. Understandably, since she had never met him, Misty couldn't comprehend their reactions.


The Conference Room...

"Rabat? That piece of space trash? What does HE want?" Jura snorted as she and the others discussed their reactions to the mercenary's request for aid.

"Apparently, he seems to be in need of our help." Magno answered as she waited for the inevitable response. More than a few people harbored a grudge against the traitor to the human race.

"OUR help?! After he SOLD us all out to the Harvesters? I say we let him rot!" Jura said emphatically, which made many of the others nod in agreement.

Even the cool and collected Meia had to concur with her cohort. "Captain, you aren't really considering coming to his aid, are you? I mean, this could all be another Harvester trap."

"Keep in mind, Meia, that the Harvesters are no longer an issue." BC interjected. "According to all available data, the Harvesters are gone."

"Well, even if they are gone, that STILL does not excuse him for his deals with the Earth and all those planets that had been destroyed because of them."

"Agreed." Magno nodded. "However, his distress signal appears to be genuine, and he also claims to have some vital information about this new enemy, the Radam, which he is willing to share with us."

"How much?" Slade asked with suspicion.

"As far as I can tell, it's free. He hasn't asked for anything... yet." Magno answered with a shrug of her shoulders.

This took everyone completely by surprise. The mere notion of Rabat offering something without charge was absolutely ludicrous!

"No way!" Barnette said in denial. "Nothing's ever FREE, especially when it comes from that sneak! There HAS to be a catch!"

Duero nodded. "I'm inclined to agree with Barnette on this matter. Judging from our previous encounters with Rabat, I find it very difficult to believe that Rabat would offer such important information without wanting something in return. In my personal opinion, he must have an ulterior motive in mind."

Barnette smiled a bit when the doctor agreed with her and there was a slight tinge of red on her cheeks.

Not wanting to be outdone, Parfet also put in her two cents. "Yeah, and you DO remember when he gave us that bootleg piece of junk of a power coupling. It took my teams THREE DAYS to get the engines back on line!"

"So are you suggesting that we should ignore his pleas for help?" Magno asked of her crew, then directed her gaze to Duero. "Will you ignore your oath as a physician? According to Rabat's message, he has been critically injured and requires medical attention."

Duero was taken aback, then sighed as he shook his head reluctantly. "As a doctor, it is not my place to pass judgment. You asked for us to give our opinions. However, I will carry out my duty, regardless of any personal feelings. The decision is yours, Captain."

Satisfied with his response, she then turned back to the others. "And what of all of you? Are you going to just let someone die? Are we no better than Rabat?"

There was a long silence as the others considered the thought of abandoning that mercenary to his fate. He most certainly deserved it. It would be so easy to simply ignore the distress signal and continue on their way to Mejele and Tarak. However, their consciences just wouldn't leave them alone.

Finally, Slade decided to speak.

"Captain, we may just regret doing this, but I suppose nobody deserves to die like that. But you have to admit that the last time we answered a distress call, it turned out to be a trap, and we were almost blown to pieces. This could be another setup."

"I have considered the possibility." The pirate captain admitted. "Therefore, I have decided to leave this decision to a vote. All those in favor of answering Rabat's call, raise your hands."

At first, no one responded, but after a long silence, Slade was first to raise his hand as he let off a tired sigh. He hated Rabat and wanted nothing more to do with him. However, it was in the code of the martial artist to help others, despite what crimes they had committed.

He was immediately followed by Duero, Meia, Jura, Dita, and Bart. Another moment later, the others followed, with BC being the last to agree. They all began making some contingency plans in case this 'rescue' was a trap.


Saber nodded as he watched from within a hidden Seed Ship in the asteroid field. On his monitor, the Nirvana began making some course changes toward Rabat's position. Beside him, the other Tekkamen also watched with interest.

"Hmmm, so they've taken the bait." Lance remarked.

Saber snorted with disdain. "Hmpf! Such weakness. Actually going out of their way to save a worthless scumbag like Rabat. They're too soft!"

"What does it matter?" Rapier said. "Everything is going according to Lord Darkon's plans. Now all we have to do is wait until our two test subjects appear."


The Nirvana slowly made its way through the dangerous masses of rock, ice, and various space debris as it homed in on Rabat's supposed distress signal. Two squadrons of Dreads and a few Tekkasuits led the way. The Dreads provided cover for the smaller versions of the Vanguards as they were more suited to maneuvering about the dangerous obstacles.

Among the Warrior squadron, Duero was also present as he flew in his own modified Tekkasuit. Unlike the others, it was equipped with more sensor arrays and medical paraphernalia. It was only armed with a light quantum-energy sidearm and small shoulder-mounted missile launchers. Flying nearby, was Slade, Pegas, and Gascogne's delivery ship. Meia, Dita, and Jura were standing by in the Nirvana along with Parfet's latest addition to their arsenal. They would be the backup, if things turned out badly.

Despite the protests of both the captain and Parfet, the Tarak doctor insisted that he be part of the away team as Rabat did state in his message that he needed medical attention. The captain was reluctant to let her top physician and surgeon be in danger again, regardless of the assurances that Paiway would be able to take over if something happened. As for Parfet, she made extra-certain that his Tekkasuit would give him the maximum amount of protection. He had turned down using the Vanguard as he surmised that he might need more fine-manipulation and work in limited spaces.

Barnette however, was more than happy to be flying cover for Duero as she maneuvered her fighter as close as she could to his position. Her sensors were sweeping the areas around her for any sign of the enemy. It was then that her sensors picked up something that was nearby. The rest of the squadron also registered the object on their sensors, which they all confirmed as the energy signature of Rabat's vessel.

Duero and the other members of the Warrior Squadron lead the way, but as they neared the ship, the energy fields of interference grew more intense and communications became garbled.


The Nirvana...

"Duero! Are you still there? Your communications link is beginning to break up!" BC called out.

Amidst the static, the good doctor answered.

"I'm trying... (sqwark)... to boost my... (bzzzt)... sssmisssion... (crackle)... all right. Have visuals with... (snap)... and beginning survey. Keep in contact... (phssst)... stand by."

Ezra kept a close eye on her console, and especially on the homing beacons of the Tekkasuits.


Duero was suspicious as he gazed upon Rabat's ship. It was a mess and there were several hull breeches. Energy pulses were being randomly emitted from various areas, which could explain the interference, but things didn't seem right. The damage did not seem recent and the physician was wondering how Rabat could have fared for very long with the ship in this state.

He then put to the test, Parfet's sensor enhancements to his Tekkasuit. Cutting through the electromagnetic pulses and other energy emissions, he began picking up faint human life signs, but the signals were barely detectable. They were just hovering above a comatose state.

Using his quantum-energy sidearm, he began cutting into the hull near one of the holes, which was located close to the bridge. When the opening was wide enough, he gave a few hand signals to Slade and the others, indicating for them to hold back and prepare for anything.

He then entered the ship and came across his patient.

"Duero to Nirvana... I've found him."

So that's why his life signs are so low. The doctor thought as he saw the former mercenary encased within a strange-looking cryo-stasis pod. His body was definitely in need of medical attention and he seemed to be in a kind of trance-like state. This got Duero to thinking as he approached the pod and began examining it. Hmmm... it looks like he's been in near-suspended animation for... three months? He took note of the bio-chronology readings of his sensors. That doesn't make any sense! If he was in stasis for that long, then how did he transmit that distress signal? It wasn't more than a few hours old! And if I'm reading my med-scanners right, then he shouldn't have been able to speak, let alone transmit an audio message. He's missing his larynx and... wait a minute! What IS that thing?

His Tekkasuit's bio-med scanners began focusing on a certain structure that was implanted at the base of Rabat's medulla oblongata. It was putting out its own life signs, which were attuned to Rabat's. They were synchronized so closely that Duero's sensors could barely distinguish one from the other.

I have no idea what that thing is, but I'm willing to bet that it has something to do with the Radam. And if that's the case, then this entire setup may just well be a...

It was at that moment, the Radam parasite sprung the trap. Using Rabat's nervous system as a conductor, it transmitted an electromagnetic pulse which activated certain devices within the pod. Tendrils of pseudo-cytoplasm shot out from the pod and wrapped themselves around Duero's Tekkasuit. The physician had no chance to defend himself as the tendrils pierced through the reinforced alloys and began playing havoc with the circuitry. The Tarak man found himself trapped within an armored straight-jacket as all of his systems, save for life-support, were deactivated.

At that moment, the others found themselves under attack.


"Captain! I've lost contact with the doctor's homing beacon!" Ezra cried out.

Just as she spoke, the entire ship shuddered from a massive barrage, putting the entire crew on battle alert.

From within hidden pockets in the nearby asteroids, swarms of Spider-Crabs emerged to assault Magno's crew. Among them were four agents of Darkon.


In the main hanger of the Nirvana, Dita, Jura, and Meia were given the GO signal. Each climbed aboard her new fighter and powered up its engines. The new Mini-Dreads, as Parfet referred them as, were fully armed and fueled. The hanger doors opened up and they were systematically launched.

Each fighter was about the size of an old-style Earth F-86 Sabre Jet and was similarly-designed as its former larger incarnation. Each emphasized the best traits of the pilot. Meia's was of course, sleek and designed for speed. Being smaller meant that it presented less target space and offered greater maneuverability. Jura's offered high protection as well as a wide cone of fire with its eight quantum cannons mounted in quads on each side. Dita's was a combination of the others, with an even balance of speed, armor, and firepower.

Each girl felt as if she back in the Dread Squadrons again as her new fighter easily made short work of her Spider-Crab adversaries. With Paksis power coursing through each machine's circuits, the three Tekkamen began decimating the hordes of Darkon.


Meia made a tight banking maneuver and led four Spider-Crabs on a merry chase through the asteroids. Two of them were unable to navigate the tight spaces and fields of debris. They ended up crashing into the chunks of rock and exploding into pus and organic debris.

She then put her Mini-Dread into a reverse-loop, putting herself behind her remaining two pursuers. With a couple of quick bursts from her forward quantum blasters, she picked them off like a skeet shooter taking out clay targets.


Jura absolutely loved her new weapon as she activated its reflector satellites. Each device was circular in shape and rotated about her fighter like her original Dread. With a special coating of Paksis crystals on each, the satellites easily reflected every shot made against her. When she used them to reflect the blasts of her own cannons, it caught the groups of Radam drones off guard, devastating their numbers and causing confusion among their ranks.


As for Dita, it was as if she was saying hello to an old friend. Though she was still a novice pilot as compared to her comrades, but with her new Paksis-powered Mini-Dread, she was able to take out several dozens of Spider-Crabs. It was like playing a video game!

ZAP! ZAP! ZAP!

Five thousand points!


With this new turn of events, the Dreads and Tekkasuits were given a reprieve as the pressure was eased off. Barnette took this opportunity to check on Duero and headed toward Rabat's ship. What she didn't know was that she was playing right into Darkon's hands.

The actions of the new weapons caught the attention of three of the Radam Warlord's minions and they began making a beeline toward them. The three Dread pilots caught sight of them and took evasive action. However, each girl knew that their opponents had the advantage in maneuverability, power, and armor. So that only left them with one recourse.

Each girl pressed a switch on their consoles, which made a small panel open before them. Her Tekkacrystal was raised up in a slot. Parfet had created the Mini-Dreads by using their crystals as focal points for their Paksis energy systems. They grasped their most precious possessions and...

"TEKSETTER!"

In a flash, their canopies opened up and the girls became their more powerful alter-egos. The Mini-Dreads flew off to one side as Sapphire, Diamond, and Ruby took on Lance, Axe and Rapier.


Meanwhile...

Slade gritted his teeth as he grappled with Saber. Pegas was unable to come to his aid as it was busy with several Spider-Crabs. The two rivals exchanged blow after brutal blow as the battle raged on. The white Tekkaman found himself being pushed harder and harder as his scarlet foe continued his relentless assault.

"What's the matter, Slade?" Saber taunted as he landed a savage kick to Slade's head. "You're not putting up much of a fight. Have you been letting yourself slide?"

"SHUT UP!" Slade growled as he countered with a fast diagonal slash with his lance.

However, Saber being experienced with Slade's usual tactics, parried with his own weapon, then sent a fist into Slade's abdomen, driving him back.

"Not THIS time, Slade! You think I haven't learned from all of our past encounters?" He emphasized his point by slashing his lance across Slade's chest armor, followed by a triple-punch and kick combination, making his opponent reel back even further. He let off another chuckle. "In a way, I can't help but feel that we're two of a kind, Slade, like brothers... opposite sides of the mirror. We both strive to be the best, but there's only room in this universe for ONE ultimate warrior. And the way I see it, my closest rival is about to relinquish his claim to the title. That is... unless you intend to cheat by evolving into your stronger form?"

"What?" Slade gritted as he gripped his lance even tighter.

Saber chuckled again. "You know, now that I think about it, you've never actually won against me in a one-on-one fight, have you? You've always had some sort of last-minute rescue or secret weapon to use against me. Now you've got this ALMIGHTY transformation. If you are truly deserving of the mantle of a Tekkaman, then you should be able to beat me... without resorting to it."

"Why... you..."

"I read your files, Slade. You are quite adamant as a martial artist, aren't you? And you've got considerable amounts of... what was it called? Oh yes... HONOR." Saber said that last part with complete contempt, making Slade's blood boil even more.

"So what are you saying?" Slade snarled.

"What I'm saying that I've already proven that I'm the better warrior. Unless you wish to prove that I'm wrong?"

"What?"

"How about it, Slade? We can settle this once and for all. No Tekkabot, no transformations, no Spider-Crabs, no one to help either of us. There is no Radam or Nirvana. It's just between you and me, Slade. Tekkaman against Tekkaman... a fight to the finish!"

"Is this another one of your master's plans?" Slade said suspiciously.

"Darkon has NOTHING to do with this! Now then... are you going to fight me... with HONOR? Or are you going be a coward and hide behind that evolved form of yours?"

Slade growled and prepared to go at it again. His adrenaline levels were reaching its peak, and Saber's taunts were pushing just the right buttons to make him become reckless.

It seemed that some parts of Ranma Saotome, his former self, were still buried deep within him. Now those traits were emerging as he charged.

"YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGHHHHHH!"


The Nirvana...

"Hmmm... what is Slade doing?" Magno asked as she watched the battle between the two rivals.

"I've never seen him like this before." BC remarked as she also watched the fight. "It's almost as if he's fighting as an entirely different person."

"Yes, that may be the case."

"What do you mean?"

"I've... been suspecting that Slade's lost past may be gradually returning. Remember that D-Boy has never been able to talk about his past, since he couldn't recall any details about it before becoming a Tekkaman. Now I've been noticing that his behavior has become more... shall we say, cruder? And that's starting to make him more reckless."

"Are you saying that this lack of control is because it was a part of his former self?"

"Possibly. Let's just hope that this won't affect his better judgment."


"Interesting toys." Lance commented as he observed the Mini-Dreads while taking on Dita.

The new fighters were capable of remote-controlled flight by their pilots and were giving covering fire for the other Dread Pilots. The three girls were currently engaging against Darkon's minions.

"Yes, but they are nothing more BUT toys." Rapier added as she caught Jura's sword in a bind with her own.

"And mere toys mean nothing against US!" Axe emphasized as he forced Meia backward with his weapon. "You were lucky the last couple of times, and now it's payback!"

Jura, Meia, and Dita found themselves in a tight spot as their opponents continued their ruthless assaults. Though they had gotten better under Slade's training, they also had a few handicaps. First of all, they had to watch themselves and make certain that none of their comrades were endangered by either their attacks or their foes'. Darkon's Tekkamen had no compunctions at firing at their own forces, and in several cases they destroyed some Spider-Crabs to get at their targets.

Secondly, though they did possess great powers, the girls' levels of endurance were far less than that of Axe, Rapier, and Lance. They were still considered novices, and Darkon's forces were battle-hardened and more seasoned. And thirdly, Darkon's Tekkamen had learned from their mistakes and weren't giving their challengers a moment to rest.

Meia gritted her teeth as she barely blocked Axe's slash toward her head with her spear. She knew she couldn't compete against his brute power and the confines of the asteroid field gave her limited space to maneuver. Her battle tactics needed plenty of room to utilize her superior speed and mobility, but Axe wasn't going to give her a chance. He wasn't even giving her an opportunity to aim her energy darts or Voltekker as he kept moving and never stayed in place long enough for her to take aim.

Rapier enjoyed matching each of Jura's moves and forcing her back. Her damaged face served to fuel her rage against her enemy. She would make certain that Jura paid for her disfigurement. Ruby managed to land a few hits, but the maddened Rapier ignored the cuts and returned them with hefty interest. Jura knew that she was in trouble if her foe wasn't going to stop for anything.

The battle between Dita and Lance was different from before as the red-haired Tekkaman stood up against him rather than fleeing. However, this only served to amuse Lance as he easily blocked her attacks and countered with a ferocity that made Sapphire feel a chill down her spine.

As the girls started to lose more ground, they realized that they needed a breather, so each called for their Mini-Dread to assist them. The fighters received the cybernetic signals and dove down toward Darkon's agents.

However, Axe simply turned about and launched a sizzling crescent blast from his weapon, causing the fighter to veer off. He then turned back to the Nirvana's Tekkamen with a bit of a scornful laugh.

"Do you really BELIEVE those toys could do anything to us? How pathetic... ERK!"

Before he could finish his taunt, a sudden energy bolt caught him in the back, driving him down. A moment later, several more energy bolts came raining down on his comrades as the three Mini-Dreads had circled about and attacked from a higher angle.

Meia and her friends took this opportunity to get some distance and rest a bit before going at it again.


Flashes of light streaked across space as Slade and Saber continued their lethal dance together.

"Very good, Slade." Saber said teasingly as his right shoulder was nicked by Slade's lance. "Maybe you haven't been slipping. It seems that you might JUST be a challenge after all."

"SHUT UP!" Slade snarled as he followed through with a slash, then another thrust.

The two had already exchanged hundreds of punches, kicks, and weapon attacks in the last few minutes as both were reaching their utmost limits. Slade had so far taken more damage than Saber as he had not yet changed into his evolved form. Saber's earlier words had struck a chord deep within the former Saotome and he wanted to prove to that bastard that he could beat him, even without transforming into his penultimate stage.

However, as pride was clouding his judgment, Slade was unaware that Darkon's plan was about to complete its second stage.


"Duero! Can you hear me!? Are you all right!? What's you're status!?" Barnette cried out as she tried to raise the physician on the tactical net. However, with all the interference, she couldn't contact him. As she blasted her way toward Rabat's ship, she put her Dread's sensors on full for any life signs aboard the derelict hulk. She became immensely relieved when she picked up Duero's bio-signature, but at a reduced level.

Then her threat alarms went off as her proximity sensors picked up something large and was about to collide with her fighter.

Huh? Imminent collision? I don't see any... WHOA!

From out of nowhere, several Spider-Crabs appeared in front of her Dread and latched themselves on the nose. A few more emerged from what appeared to be a cloaking field and attached themselves to her aft sections. Their claws and fangs sunk deep into her hull and began siphoning off her energy cells. Her console lights flickered wildly as power levels dropped at a rapid rate.

Where the HELL did these things come from?! Barnette wondered as she fought to free her Dread from their clutches. However, she realized that it was a losing battle and she would have to eject. Damn! Lost my second Dread in a week!

Fortunately for her, she would not be defenseless once she abandoned her Dread.

After the creation of the Tekkasuit Prototype, Barnette had requested Parfet for one. It was stored within a compartment just below and behind her ejection pod. Pulling the lever, she was immediately catapulted out of her fighter. This time, when her space suit enveloped her, she disembarked from the pod as it jettisoned its cargo. The module below it expanded and opened up, revealing the Tekkasuit. The mecha opened up its outer frame, allowing her to enter it and activate its weapons system. Unlike the original Tekkasuit, this model was armed with two shoulder-mounted quantum cannons, plus twin blasters on each forearm. On each hip was a triple mini-missile launcher. Her helmet possessed a pair of mini-guns for defense. In essence, her Tekkasuit was a walking artillery unit.

Using the advanced multiple targeting system, she let loose with a barrage of quantum blasts, lasers, and projectiles at her enemies. She made a beeline toward Rabat's ship, hoping to get to Duero. As she sped toward it, she saw her fighter being... dragged away?

What the...? They're not destroying it? What would want with it?

She didn't have any time to contemplate further as more Spider-Crabs began attacking her en masse. She continued to blast away at the seemingly endless numbers of monsters, filling that area of space with the innards of the beasts, but they kept on coming. It seemed like two would appear for each one that she destroyed. She lost track of time as found herself being swamped by the creatures. Then some warning lights of her Tekkasuit came on.

Oh no! I'm running low on ammo!

It was at that point when she cursed herself for refusing Parfet's offer to arm her suit with a close-quarters weapon. The Dread pilot had opted for more firepower in exchange for a lack of a sword or even a knife. She began wishing for a Tarak Assault rifle and its bayonet. Once she was out of ammunition, she would be completely defenseless!

She kept on fighting, hoping to reach the physician before her guns ran dry. Unfortunately, a minute later, her weapons did just that. And once the Spider-Crabs realized that fact, they moved in for the coup de grace. Spitting out gelatinous ooze from their mouths, they started to coat the Tekkasuit from head to toe.

Barnette felt as if she was trying to swim though gelatin as her suit's servos strained to break her free. Her power levels began to fluctuate and soon, she was immobilized. One Spider-Crab took up her suit in its mandibles and began to carry her away.

Another Spider-Crab broke into Rabat's vessel and extracted the doctor from it. It followed its brethren as they began to retreat.


"Barnette!" Jura cried out as witnessed her friend and the doctor being taken away.

Suddenly, Lance, Axe, and Rapier broke their attack and started to retreat.

"What the...?!" Meia gasped as she and her comrades watch the enemy in full retreat.


Saber growled as he received the mental command from Darkon to withdraw. He was not going to be cheated out of his victory against Slade, not now!

Saber! You WILL return to base... NOW! Darkon commanded.

Saber growled again. Currently, he had Slade pinned against the carcass of a Spider-Crab and was in perfect position to destroy him. However, just as he was about to fire his Anti-Voltekker at point-blank range, he felt a stabbing pain in his skull, forcing him to break off and join the other Radam forces.

Slade was wondering why his foe was throwing away his chance to kill him and prepared to go after him. Unfortunately, Darkon had other ideas as he let loose with the weapon to insure Saber and the others' escape. The object that had been hidden from sight revealed itself.


The Nirvana...

"I don't believe it! How could they have cloaked THAT from our sensors?!" BC gasped. The rest of the bridge crew were also shocked.

The thing had once been a Harvester flagship, but with Radam's takeover, it had been grotesquely mutated into an abomination. It looked more menacing than anything anyone had ever seen. The hull was more organic in appearance and it resembled some monstrous whale that was about to swallow everything in its path. Its front had a gaping maw that looked as if it could engulf a small moon. And now, it was ready to devour the crew of the Nirvana. (1)

"It must have been hiding at the edge of the asteroid field, where the electromagnetic pulses and solar flare interference are the most concentrated." Amarone announced then found out some more bad news. "Captain! Energy readings are climbing! That thing is about to open fire on us!"

"EVASIVE ACTION BART! NOW!" Magno barked.

The Tarak navigator was already doing just that as he frantically worked the controls to get the Nirvana out of the way.

Just then, the monstrous vessel let loose with a torrent of energy. Anything that was in its path was instantly obliterated. Hordes of Spider-Crabs were reduced to subatomic particles in an instant, along with numerous asteroids and space debris. The Dreads and Tekkasuits barely managed to evade the wave of annihilation. And as for the Nirvana, it also avoided destruction, though it was violently rocked when the beam grazed its defensive shields, reducing their power by fifty-percent. The impact had also knocked out the ship's navigational systems, leaving it a sitting duck.


"Slade! We've got to stop that thing!" Jura cried out as she and the other Tekkamen regrouped.

"But what about Mr. Doctor and Barnette?" Dita said as she gestured to the retreating Radam forces. The physician and Dread pilot were taken aboard a Seed Ship, along with Darkon's minions. A moment later, the ship warped into hyperspace and disappeared.

"We can't go after them now!" Meia said in frustration. "Slade! You have to transform!"

"I'll... try!" The white Tekkaman gasped as he was still somewhat exhausted from his bout with Saber. However, as he began focusing his inner energy, his body trembled with unexplained pain and convulsions.

"Slade! What's wrong?" Jura said as the Radam weapon was readying to fire again.

"I... can't... ARGH! It... hurts!"


Parfet, though very upset over the loss of Duero and Barnette, kept her wits about her as she noted the situation from her own station and contacted Meia.

"Meia! What's going on? Why hasn't Slade transformed?"

"I don't know!" Meia replied. "He's in great pain and..."

"Never mind that now! If he can't use his Mega-Voltekker, then you three are going to have to stop that thing!"

"Huh? But we don't have the kind of firepower to stop that thing!"

"Yes, you do!" Parfet began entering certain codes into her console, sending out a special signal to the Mini-Dreads and the Tekkabot. "Mini-Dreads! Pegas! Dual Battle Modes!"


"Affirmative." Pegas declared as it began to transform into its alternate state. At the same time, the Mini-Dreads also underwent a change in configuration. Dita's hooked up in front, while Jura's and Meia's linked into Pegas' sides, forming a triangular platform. The energy amplifiers of the Tekkabot appeared as the Mini-Dreads also began emitting power fields.

The three Tekkamen understood the transformation and flew down toward the new machine. Dita took the forward position, while Meia and Jura took the two sides. Energy waves started to convalesce about them as they prepared to fire off their Voltekkers.


Slade gritted his teeth and bit down on the pain. He had to transform... now!

"AAAARRRRGGGGHHH!"

With supreme effort, Slade triggered the change to his penultimate form, Tekkaman Blastor. Immediately, he opened up his Voltekker Units and prepared to fire.


At that instant, the monstrous Radam warship let loose with another destructive blast, aimed directly at the Nirvana. The only thing between the pirate ship and total obliteration were Slade and his Tekkaman team.

Dita, Jura, and Meia couldn't hold back any longer as their collective energies were primed. They let loose with their combined attack as they cried out in unison...

"TRIAD... SUPER-VOLTEKKER!"

A brilliant beam of red, blue and white hues was released and struck dead-on with the warship's attack. The two beams pushed at each other, trying to overpower each other in a contest of domination. The three girls found themselves being pushed to their limits as they struggled to hold back the Radam vessel's beam. If they were to let up for an instant, they would be completely overwhelmed and doomed to oblivion. However, as great as their new attack was, they were still human and the Radam flagship was a machine that would keep attacking until its or its target was destroyed. They needed more power...

"MEGA-VOLTEKKER!"

They got it.

Slade let loose with his holocaust blast, which added to the girls' beam and pushed back the warship's. The resulting math was simple. Slade's Mega-Voltekker, plus the Triad Super-Voltekker, plus the backlash of energy from its own attack, equaled one massive feedback explosion with the warship's insides. The craft went up like gigantic roman candle, causing the entire sector to be engulfed in massive energy shockwaves.

Slade and the girls were hurled backward from the death of their opponent, but were quickly rescued by Gascogne's delivery ship as the pirates withdrew from the scene.

However, not all of them would be returning to the Nirvana...


One week later...

Slade groaned as he awoke from his bed within the Sick Bay. Standing around him were Jura, Meia, Dita, BC, and Magno. At his side and taking his blood pressure with the pulse meter was Paiway.

"Ah, D-Boy. It's good to have you back. We were beginning to worry that you'd never come around." Magno said solemnly.

"Mr. Alien! Are you all right?" The red-haired girl asked with much concern in her voice.

"I... felt better... but I think I'll live. How... long I was out this time?"

BC took a deep breath before answering. "You were unconscious for almost seven days."

"Seven days?" He was taken by surprise by that fact. "But... I usually recover within a day or two after transforming to my evolved state. I... must have been more hurt from fighting Saber than I thought."

"Perhaps." Magno said slowly. "However, there's still the question of why you had such difficulty in transforming. The girls told me that you had experienced extreme pain, and they saw you convulsing a bit."

"I was just tired, that's all!" Slade said quickly. "I mean, ask the Doc... he can tell you that it's just fatigue. That's it."

"Well, there's a bit of a problem with that because... we can't ask Duero." The elderly woman bowed her head sadly.

It was then that the last battle came back in Slade's mind. He grew more apprehensive as he looked around the Sick Bay, and noted that a certain someone was missing. He then turned to Paiway with a questioning gaze.

The nurse-in-training shook her head and gave him a helpless expression.


Within the engineering section of the ship, a certain bespectacled engineering genius was sobbing uncontrollably in her office.

She had failed.

Her greatest achievement, the Tekkasuit, had failed to protect the one who meant so much to her. Duero was gone, along with Barnette. It was most likely that she would never see either of them again. Her greatest rival for the physician's affections would at least perish with him, while she would live on with the knowledge that she had not done her best to keep him safe.

Parfet continued to cry... and cry... and cry some more...


Earth...

Saber smiled as the Seed Ship approached the former homeworld of the human race. Currently, he was in his human form. As the vessel docked with the outer edge of the mutated Space Ring, he decided to check up on his 'cargo.'

Entering one section of the storage areas, he walked over to where a Tarak doctor was being restrained. He had been kept alive via suspension field, and was still in his deactivated Tekkasuit. The armor was held back by several tendrils, which was connected to a Tekkapod Matrix. Slade's opponent smirked as he touched a switch on a console and turned off the suspension field.

Duero slowly began coming around as a pair of tendrils removed his suit's helmet. When his vision cleared, he looked about, then saw a familiar face. "What... where...? You!"

Saber chuckled a bit. "Well now. I wasn't expecting for you to remember me, Duero McFile. It was quite some time since we last met face to face."

"As a doctor... I have a talent for remembering people." Duero admitted, then became a bit confused. "Wait a minute. I don't recall introducing myself to you. How did you know my name?"

Saber chuckled again as he accessed the console again and brought up Duero's file on a holographic display.

The Tarak doctor was quick to realize the situation. "That's my personal file from the Nirvana's Sick Bay records." Then he put two and two together. "So... you planted some kind of spy aboard the Nirvana during one of your attacks. And Rabat's call for help was all a setup?"

"Correct. I slipped a little mole aboard Barnette's Dread, in which we used to download all of the personnel files and some certain secrets of the Nirvana."

"Then... why didn't you use that information to destroy us? Why did you...?"

"... go through all the trouble of capturing you and that Dread pilot?" Saber finished. When Duero nodded, the crimson Tekkaman smirked. "Believe me, it wasn't my idea. However, you will understand, once you meet with Lord Darkon."

"Darkon?"

"Oh yes. Our Lord and Master... however..."

"However?"

"However, you will not face him in imitation Tekkaman armor. Therefore, we shall provide you with the proper wardrobe."

With those words, he gave a silent nod to the Tekkapod Matrix. The living machine threw forth a large Tekkapod, which opened up like a Venus Flytrap. Duero was engulfed in an instant, giving him no time to even scream. In moments, the armor started to dissolve as the Tarak man struggled to free himself.

Saber shrugged his shoulders as he began to walk away toward the exit. He wasn't too concerned with the doctor's futile attempts to escape. Sooner or later, he'd come around.

Just as the door started to close behind him, he called back to the still-struggling Nirvana healer.

"I'll see you later... RAZOR!"


Sometime later, somewhere deep within the Earth, a certain Dread pilot started to come around. However, when she saw her surroundings, she began to wish she had remained unconscious.

The Dread pilot found herself stripped of her gloves, boots, and shoulder harness, leaving her clad in only her strapless leotard. She was also strapped down to what looked like the doctor's surgical table on the Nirvana, but instead of a restraining field, her body was held by numerous, slimy tentacles. They seemed to come out from the table's foundation. The room she was in was dark and had seemed to have an evil aura emanating all over the place. The place was dimly lit by a few illumination lights, but she couldn't discern much from where she lay. There was just something so... malevolent about this room that made a continuous chill run down her spine.

Then she started to recall the battle and wondered if Duero was still alive. Her heart began to beat faster as concern for the physician grew. What had happened to him? Was he somewhere nearby? Is he all right? Just what was going on and where was she?

It was then that she heard an ominous chuckling and looked to her left. She saw a dark figure emerge from the shadows and approach her. Her eyes widened as the figure came to the side of the table and looked down at her.

Barnette Orangello... meet Darkon, the Supreme Warlord of the Radam.

"Who... are you?" Barnette gasped as she tried not to look away in fear at the murderous destroyer of the Harvesters. His presence seemed to give off a kind of darkness that spoke of nothing but death and destruction. His eyes glowed beneath his armored helm and seemed to burn into her soul. There was no compassion or mercy to be found in him. That much Barnette knew for certain.

"Hmmmm... you'll do." Darkon said simply.

"What?"

"Yes, you'll do just perfectly... like your friend."

With those words, he waved his right hand and made a holographic display appear. The brunette's eyes widened as she beheld an image of Duero.

The physician was naked and was curled up in a fetal position. He was inside what appeared to be an organic globe and suspended in some kind of fluid. His eyes were closed and he seemed to be asleep. However, his face was in a fixed anguished expression, as if he was in constant pain. Lines of red light ran across his flesh, and she saw a dark blue-black light emanating from his forehead.

"You... monster! What are you doing to him?! LET HIM GO!"

Darkon chuckled again as he shut down the image and gazed down at her. "I must admit, he put up quite a bit of resistance, but eventually he succumbed to the process."

"Process? What process?" She demanded as she continued to struggle against her bonds. The tentacles responded by tightening their grip.

The Warlord ignored her frustration and futile attempts to free herself. "The process will be completed within a few days. He'll make an excellent Tekkaman."

"What?! Tekkaman?!" The female pirate stopped thrashing about when she heard his words.

"Oh yes. He'll be powerful... and totally subservient to me... as YOU will be!"

"LIKE HELL!" Barnette screamed as she started thrashing anew.

Darkon began laughing at her defiance. "Oh you will, Barnette Orangello. You most certainly will!"

He pointed to her right side. A small spherical growth emerged from the table's surface and burst open, sending icky pus flying. From within the tiny pod, a certain organism appeared and began making its way toward the top of the table... and Barnette's neck.

The girl began to have flashbacks to when that desert spider tried to bite her jugular. That time, Duero had saved her with his knife-throwing abilities, but she had no one to help her now.

The screams of the Dread Pilot echoed throughout the halls of the Radam headquarters as she began her journey through darkness with no hope.


Somewhere in space, a small object was tumbling through the black void. Within it, a certain former mercenary and traitor could only watch helplessly as he drifted aimlessly.

After the Radam had sprung their trap and achieved their goal, they had decided that Rabat had outlived his usefulness. As a result, he had been left to die.

But, by a strange twist of fate, his suspension capsule had somehow survived the destruction of his craft and was now wandering about the cosmos. Where he would finally end up was all up to fate as the universe was not through with Rabat... just yet.

To be continued...


Preview...

Dita: "Days have passed since Barnette and Mr. Doctor have been kidnapped, but then, they came back!"

Slade: "Dita! Wait! Something's not right!"

Jura: "Barnette? Doctor? What're you doing!? Why are you attacking us!?"

Slade: "This is real bad, the Radam have brainwashed them."

Dita: "We can't fight them! They're our friends!"

Slade: "Unfortunately, they don't have that problem with us. We've got to at least knock them out! We will save them… Next time, on TekkaDread Remastered: 'Friend or Foe?'."

Magno: "Paiway, it is time…"


Author's Notes

Well, this story is certainly taking a turn for the worse for our heroes as two of their group is now in the clutches of the Radam and Salde is feeling not himself. As for Darkon's latest scheme, well you'll just have to wait until part 2 to see what will happen.

(1) Remember the Doomsday Weapon from Star Trek?

Please read and review!