So, I am up to chapter four. The first three chapters I made between the hours of 11:00 PM and 2 in the morning, in 3 consecutive days. This will probably be a 2 day one cause I'm starting at 12:40, cause I was hunting flood on halo 2. Enjoy.
Disclaimer: I do not own the Vandread, or halo 2(just a copy of that).
#4: Unyielding boredom
Saturday arrived about as slow as a snail frozen to the cement, Hibiki thought, having to sit through three days of unyielding boredom during the interviews. He had used all of his creativity in the stunt they had pulled during that first day of interview. He was also trying to distances himself from Dita, because of the uncomfortable he was having toward her lately, and she spent the days helping B.C. with the interviews. So no he alone ha to chase away all the men he interviewed and found not worthy (which just happened to be all of them). When Saturday finally gets here, I just gonna loaf around the pool all day. He thought as he chased another man out.
A loud, incessant buzzing brought Hibiki back to the real world. He lazily swatted at the clock until it stopped, then rolled over and tried to go back to sleep. But this wasn't to be, as Dita got up and started prodding him, and occasionally saying quietly "Mr. Alien, wake up." "Leave me alone." His muffled voice said as he buried his face deeper in the pillow. "But the commander said we have to be up early today." She replied softly. And as if to illustrate this, B.C. walked in the front door just as she finished the sentence. "Hurry up you two, we'll be leaving in about ten minutes." Hearing the tone in the officers voice Hibiki decided it would be best to rise, but he was going to get them for this.
They all pilled on to the shuttle a short while later, Hibiki mumbling under his breath. He grabbed the seat farthest in the back, and to no surprise to anyone, Dita followed, siting next to him and staring out the window at the buildings in amazement. The shuttle took of, but in the opposite direction of the building they used to interview in. A few minutes later, it slowed, and stopped in front of the spaceport they had originally landed in when the first arrived. "You four stay here, I'll be back in a couple of minutes." B.C. said as she exited the vehicle and the door closed behind her. Dita followed her with her eyes until she disappeared into the building, than began looking around at the people rushing around outside. Duero was having a conversation with Bart about Bart's navigating "skills" of the 'Nirvana', Bart greatly exaggerating the parts he told, trying, and failing, to make himself seem more important, as usual. Dita moved to the opposite side of the shuttle and kept watching the people going about their daily routines, making exited noises every now and then, and wishing she had a camera. Hibiki sat with his eye shut and his feet up, wishing he was back in bed. After quite awhile, the doors of the shuttle opened, and in strode the commander, the captain, and Miss Gasconge, wire at the side of her mouth as always, and smirking in a self satisfied way. The Captain, Speaking to B.C., Continuing a conversation they were having before they entered the shuttle said "I've never seen so many people rushing away from me at the same time, Makes an old gal feel unappreciated, you know?" Her disappointed tone changed as she surveyed the interior of the shuttle. "When are you all going to get finished and come back, it been boring without you stirring up trouble." She said, smiling at them all as the shuttle took of into the city.
Dita was busy digging through a bundle that Miss Gasconge had handed her as she took the seat across from her, and Duero and Bart came back as well, the commander and captain staying up front and chatting lightly. "That's a bunch of stuff some of the girls back home prepared for you." Gasconge explained. "Wow." Dita said happily, pulling the stuff out, and placing it on the bench. "There's a camera from Piaway, Some pictures of Caluha, from Ezra and Rebecca. "Pyoro snatched up the photos and shuffled off. "Some clothes for Dita, numerous threats from Jura if you forgot to let her in on the final selection, and Barrnett mad each of us a box lunch." Gasco finished as Hibiki sat up expectant, and expectedly at the last item. "She thought it might be nice if you all got some real food while you were here."
They all spent the afternoon at the building that functioned as their base of operations, showing Magno and Gasco around, and having lunch, chatting happily all the while, and even Hibiki joined in after he had shoveled his food down. After that they went back to the hotel rooms and did various things tell they left the captain and Gasco as the two of them boarded their ship and headed back to the asteroid base. Again the five of them went back to the hotel and bed, after the first truly enjoyable day since they had come to Tarrak behind them.
Sunday was an uneventful day to say the least, as Hibiki was down on the pool deck once he had finally gotten out of bed around noon. The deck was deserted except for himself, Duero, Bart and Dita. No doubt Dita was the cause for this lack of people, but not one of them seemed to mind very much. B.C. was doing something work related as usual, but made a brief appearance near the end of the day. The next week was as bad as the first, and by the last day, and the last applicant only 52 men made the cut. A boring weekend followed, with much loafing on Hibiki's part, and phase 2 of the operation began. The chosen men returned over the next two days, including and overly shocked Corporal Vinn, for the Medical Check. It moved slowly since Duero was the only one who could do the full check, but the others helped out in the parts not needing a trained medical professional to be present. As usual, Dita was the exemption to this, as the men were still afraid of her, and simply hovered around Hibiki as he performed the part he was assigned. This left 25 men out of the original 52, and were to report back the following Monday. The remainder of the week went to rest and setting up for the final text. 27 silver-gray pods had been brought into the building, and set up in to 5 rows of five, and a single row of 2. They were Vanguard training simulation pods and were to be used to test how they group could follow orders and how they reacted under the stress of combat. The Tarrak military was issuing each of the selected men a Vanguard to supplement the dread squadron deployed by the pirates.
The first two days were spent learning the vanguard's controls, followed by a day of team maneuvers, and finally 2 days of combat simulation. The combat portion went over defensive and offensive maneuvers. Drills were conducted as single and team tactics, whether taking out a single cube type alone, of tackling one of the large "drop ships" as a group assisting the dreads. A few drills were even dedicated to providing cover fire to Vandread Dita as it took down one of the huge organic ships the often encountered. Another was massing coordinated fire on one of the harvest flagships. Dita had played an important part in this endeavor, because there was a real dread pilot on the field, and it helped the men to get used to flying with a woman.
At the end of the last maneuver of the day on Friday, the group was whittled down to 9 men, Corporal Vinn at the top of the list, due to his exceptional performance during the final portion of the process. Hibiki complained about it for one reason or another, but they all knew it was because he had been shown up by the Corporal several times. They 9 men were to be ready and waiting to leave at this facility by 8:00 Monday morning, as they were to be leaving the spaceport at 9:00, heading from there, directly to their new home, the pirates asteroid base, and their ship, the 'Nirvana'. The men where ordered to finish anything that needed finishing, and pack, among other things, a pillow, several spare clothing articles, and any personal mementos the might want as they were flying around space.
Hibiki and the others spent that Saturday just screwing around and having fun. Quite a few calls were mad from Hibiki's room for liver, but none arrived from room service. By Sunday night the had packed everything but what they would need for the next day, which included the little data pads, which they all decided they would be keeping, despite what the government officials said about it. They figured they had earned that much. Hibiki decided that he wasn't going to get anywhere by treating Dita like crap, so he decided to make amends by spending the night just sitting and having a nice, little talk with her before bed.
Monday
came, cloudy and moody, sprinkling lightly on the world as they took
the shuttle to the building for the last time. They got there early
to see if they had left anything worth taking with them back to the
'Nirvana', which there wasn't. The others showed up gradually
early, carrying a variety of different shaped duffel bags and
suitcases with them, some having very few and others with many.
Corporal Vinn was among the first to arrive, and was a bit surprising
to see without his uniform on, Short brown hair, an ordinary looking
green cloth sweatshirt on, and loose fitting blue jeans. Shortly
after a large a group of five, and after that, one in a black cloak,
hood over his head, and hefting a large scratched and dented metal
box marked with 'explosive contents' sketched on the side, locked
with a heavy-duty padlock and a biohazard sign stuck on each end. He
set it down with heavy thud on the carpeted floor, then pulled his
hood down with one hand that was encased in a jointed gauntlet that
seemed to be form fitting and snug. "Had to bring a few things for
fun." He explained once he saw everyone's startled looks at he
condition and markings of the box. "What kind of fun where you
intending to have?" Came a voice from behind him as the final man
stepped through the door. "Oh, you know, just the usual, John."
He replied happily, "How did you manage the pass that last test?
You flew like a brick." "Yeah, but I guess I just didn't land
on my ass like some of the rest of those seemed to." John, A large
man with a short pointed black beard adorning his chin, and short
black hair, though not as short as Vinn's. He had three large
duffel bags looped around one arm, shook the black cloaked mans hand
with his free one, saying "didn't think you'd make it, with
that attitude of yours." "Well I brought my medication." He
replied, holding up a white capped orange container containing a
single large brown egg shaped container for him to see. "But these
suppositories are a real pain in the ass, if you get my drift." He
said chuckling, as a few of the other men started laughing as well.
"If you don't mind me asking," B.C. interjected, though with in
a voice that showed it wasn't really a question "what exactly do
you have in there? She finished gesturing to the box. "Just a
couple of party favors." The cloaked man said, still chuckling but
deciding to elaborate as he caught the look she was giving him.
"Here, I'll show you." He said, and to this john called over
"This is going to take for ever, he's extremely proud of his
trinkets." The cloaked man, pretending not to notice, popped the
lock open with a key on a small silver chain that seemed to come from
inside his sleeve. He opened the large box, with the lid on small
hydraulics with springs to keep it open, and revealed an odd
assortment of meal and plastic boxes stacked neatly, some clothes and
2 pillows. "First we have this," He held up a box about 3 inches
tall, 1 foot wide, and 2 feet across, and completely wrapped in shiny
green tape, "my special tool kit." He held up a few other boxes,
then placed hem back neatly, and closed the lid, replacing the
padlock. "That is all the interesting stuff." "Ok." B.C.
said, seeming satisfied, lets head out.
The shuttle pulled to a stop in front of the spaceport and the crew departed. The made through the port until they reached the ship. Climbing up the ramp and into the ship and placed their luggage in the back, where a couple of the new men strapped it down to the deck with restraining ties, then took any empty seats that were left, and strapped themselves in. John and the clocked man were in one, and corporal Vinn had managed to grab a seat to himself, and Dita and Hibiki were sharing a bench, Hibiki's mouth watering as Dita told him all the great things she was going to cook him when the got back. The ship lifted of the bay floor for the first time in a month, and as B.C. sent the code to open the doors to let them out. After a short pause the code was accepted and the doors slowly parted, and they accelerated out of the bay. After clearing the doors, the ship climbed at a steep angle until they broke through Tarrak's atmosphere and were enveloped in blackness, stars twinkling in the distance. The ship dove into the asteroid surrounding Tarrak, as they started the journey back to the pirate base, and the unexpected reception that awaited them.