Sequel time, part 4!
Disclaimer: I don't own Vandread.
#4: Black and White
"You never did answer my original question. Is it true, are you the evil one?" Barnette's word sliced into his mind, as he thought of what to say. She stared intently at him, as he formulated his plan. He hadn't lied to her, and he wasn't going to start now.
"Yes." Jack stated bluntly, looking at the top of the table they were seated at. Barnette had hoped with all of her might that he wouldn't answer that way, but it didn't seem to have helped. "As Cage said, I am the evil one."
"But how?" She was trying to find a chink in his defense.
"Because he got the good side, and I got the evil." He wasn't going to beat around the bush.
"No! I won't except it!" She said,
slamming her hand on the table.
"Well, I'm afraid it's true.
The Paexis energy responds to the user's nature. Anything bonded
with their energy responds in kind as it is used. That is why my
cloak and energy contain the dark touch of black." He sighed,
recalling the memories of the wars over planets he conquered. "After
you left, I was stricken with an immense grief, and used it to fuel
my powers as I conquered world. I shot, stabbed, sliced, and even
ripped my opponents to shreds with my gauntlets." He was depressed
now, sure that Barnette would be horrified and run off. Her voice
startled him.
"They were your enemies, and you simply removed them from your path."
"Yes, that was all. After awhile on the battle field and I had removed enough people from my path, I stopped killing wherever possible. I spared more than I killed, gave them choices. Most joined, and for those who decided to fight back, I just removed their ability to cause harm to my soldiers. I have never raised a hand in anger, or killed any soldiers under my command. I have acted how I felt best, and have never felt it was the wrong thing to do." He finished defetedly, as he placed his head on the cold metal table. He knew that it was only a matter of time before Barnette figured that he was horrible, and left him alone. What did happen, was the last thing he had expected. She placed her hand firmly on his shoulder.
"Well if that is how it is, then I'm evil to!" The resolution in her voice was surprising, due to what she was saying. "If acting with your heart, and doing what you know is right is evil, than I'm with you! Cage told me stories of the bloody remnants of battles you fought, and horrible tales of death and destruction where you were involved. I listened, but I am not the simple-minded girl he must have thought I was. He tried to turn me against you." She explained, and Jack nodded.
"Because he's smart. He knew if I lost you, I would be nothing." He had a grim sound to his voice, and Barnette wondered what he meant, but kept going, noting to ask him later.
"He thought by telling me things, that I would see him as the good guy, and hate and fear you. But I wanted to hear your side of the story before I made my decision." She stood. "I asked some of the people around hear, and there was no confirmed stories about you obliterating entire planets, or killing soldiers for fun. Wild rumor were all, and I know you better than that, so I'll be by your side through this." She sat next to him, and wrapped his arm around herself.
"Thanks." Jack said, wiping a tear away from his face with his free hand. To his delight, he didn't rip his face open. He was back in his grove, back where he belonged. Barnette pushed further up against him, feeling his warmth wrap around her as he also pulled her in.
"I say we go and show him just who he's messing with." She said, drearily.
"I concur. Tomorrow I will inform the troops, and we will go to his planet, and rip him a new one." He said, also dosing off, the great stress and feelings of dread leaving tiredness in their place. Barnette mad a small murmuring noise as she drifted off, and jack followed in short order, feeling better than he could ever remember. Ever since that fateful Christmas, he had put Barnette through more than anyone should ever face in a lifetime, much less a year and a half, and she still found a way to forgive him.
Jack sat at the wooden table with the Jack of his strange dreams here in the grassy field. The little girl was running around chasing a large butterfly. He kept his hood on, because he didn't want to confuse the little girl, even though it was just a dream. He was engage in a game of chess, conversing with the other, deciding to make the best of this dream. Even though his mind was back at ease, he was not the older Jack again, which he thought would happen.
"So why aren't I you again, now that I've settled everything with Barnette?" The cloaked Jack asked, knocking over a white knight with his black bishop.
"Because, there still something to be settled, and I can see it's going to be a while before we have to fight again." The other said, taking the bishop with a pawn.
"What does that mean?" The cloaked jack asked, taking the pawn with his own.
"Can't tell you." He moved a pawn onto one of the squares on the other side of the board. "I'll take that knight back." Jack placed the horse on the board.
"Why not?" He took the knight back with a rook stationed nearby.
"Because, I'm only aloud to give you hint's and glimpses, and if I tell you anything revolutionary, the take me away, and bring out another one to take my place, Check." He took one of the black knights with his queen.
"Ok, then at least tell me what the big metal cage means." Jack said, as he moved his remaining knight to defend the king.
"Sorry, all I can say is it's symbolic, and you'll find out soon enough, Check mate." Jack gaped as he had failed to see the rook that snuck up on him, and pinned his king. The older Jack stretched. "Well, time to go, see you tomorrow."
"Yeah, I'll win then, and bring some coffee then too." The older jack chuckled as the cloaked jack faded, and awoke in the real world.
Barnette woke and stretched, at around the same time as Jack. They had only slept an hour or so, and it was only 11:30. Th decided to go to bed for the rest of the night, backs sore from sleeping sitting up.
"I'm even a loser in my sleep." Jack said, as the wandered down the halls. Barnette gave him a strange look. "I was playing chess, and I lost horribly."
"Well then, there's another item to add to the long list of things you suck at." Barnette said with a giggle, as they steeped through the door, and went to bed.
The next day, Jack gave the announcement that all troops and ships were to gear up, because they were heading out. The 'Nirvana' would be accompanying the fleet, as well as most squadron of dreads from the asteroid base, loaded into the carrier the 'Challenger.' They had five days to get ready. The preparations were going along smoothly. Jack was leaving Connie, and six ships behind. Connie was going to be in charge of the Earth while he was away. She would continue with the normal task's, and her ships would increase as more shipment's from other planets in the empire sent them. After the five days were up, the ships were all ready for departure. Jack stepped onto the bridge of the 'Nirvana, which had been fused into the hull of his flagship, The "Supernova." The 'Nirvana' could detached and leave at any time. Jack had insisted that captain Magno pilot his flagship, but she was unwilling to leave the 'Nirvana.' This was the simplest solution. Join the two ships, but with the ability to separate easily, so that the 'Nirvana was like the control center for the 'Supernova' as well. Bart jumped into the navigation sphere, and deep reverberations rumbled as the flagship engines came to life. It pulled away from the planet, and began the trip to foreign space.
The travel was completely uneventful for the first two weeks of the trip. Two days ago they had cleared familiar space, and venture into unexplored space.
"Long range sensor contact. Single ship, class 2, high energy levels detected." Misty called to the commander, and fed the silhouette and energy readings to the main view screen.
"Looks like cage had sent a friend to greet us." Jack said, and he picked up his radio, and ordered the fleet to hold potion. A woman's face appeared face appeared on the main screen.
"Leader! The green paexis is acting up, it flashing and making odd sound sir." The woman was one of the three assigned to pilot the ships with Paexis installed. The green, orange, and yellow had been put in the three other strongest ships in the fleet. He took the purple one into the chamber with the Blue and red on the 'Nirvana', needing the synergetic effects to provide the power necessary to unleash the full potential of the 'Supernova.'
"Well, that confirms that the green controller from here is here, ok, continue holding position' Lorain." As the 'Supernova/Nirvana' drifted further, a large ship was visible.
"Focus all scanners on the ship, I want to know as much about it as possible." The commander said, as they drifted between a planet and it's moon, and stopped.
"Captain, they're hailing us." Ezra said, as a white hooded head flashed on the main view screen.
"Well, this is a treat." A woman's voice said, as the White hooded person lowered her hood. Bright, spiky green hair adorned the head of this woman. Her face was pretty, but something was hiding behind the calm exterior. "Not only do I get to meet the Maters twin brother, but the famous Magno Vivan as well." Her voice held a hint of nervousness. She had heard of what the Pirates under Magno had done before, and she was worried. With all the camera's and detection gear aimed at the Enemy ship, no one noticed as several small objects impacted the 'Supernova' by one of the airlocks on the port side. No one noticed the airlock open, and then a few minutes later, close again.
"Who are you?" The commander asked kindly.
"Never you mind, you'll all be dead before long." She said, her voice more nervous than before.
"And who is going to do that? I don't see an fleet, or any weapon that can deliver a fatal blow before we smash you into bits." Jack said, and the girl grew more nervous. Jack began to chuckle, no one noticing Barnette, standing in the back, suddenly grab wildly at her mouth. "And I seriously doubt that you are going to do it, you're shaking so bad I could probably stand still, and you couldn't hit me at point blank range." The girl steadied, and confidence filled her voice.
"Well, you see, I have an ace up my sleeve. Turn around." Jack turned around and was looking down the barrel of an assault weapon held by a man in full body armor with a EVA capability. He could move in time to avoid the round at this range but other armored men appeared as they deactivated their personal stealth field generators. The man who held Barnette had a knife to her throat, and that kept Jack rooted to the spot.
"Yes, I know you could easily dodge the shot of the weapon, but if you resist, the girl dies." The girl said. The girl issued orders to secure the rest of the ship, and the captain told no one to resist, so that they wouldn't be harmed. Four men secured handcuffs on all of the people on the bridge, the Man holding Barnette keeping the knife on her throat, so that Jack wouldn't try anything, as they were lead of the ship.
Jack hit the wall, and landed in a heap on the floor, as the woman in white threw him there. She closed the door to the cell, and Jack just lay there, not sitting up.
"We have developed a system that cancels out your dark energy, so that you cannot use any of your Paexis powers. Watch, thy and break the cuffs." Jack pulled his arms apart, but the cuffs held firm. He took a quick glance around, seeing all the other Controllers sitting around. "Ha, keeping all of controllers in one place just made it easier to capture you." She walked out laughing. Closing a door, the light inside the brig fading. Most of the occupants were huddled together with their partner, with the exception of Barnette, who was slumped in a corner, head in her hands.
"You ok?" He said, looking up at her as he rolled onto his back. The crew of this ship had spent the last couple of hours beating the crap out of the powerless Jack, but his pain vanished as Barnette lifted her head. Her face was tear-stained, but that wasn't what made Jack jump to his feet. A thin, bleeding red line was etched across the left side of her neck, where the man had cut into her while holding the knife. Jack was mad, but he needed to keep his head if they were going to get out of here.
"Some good guys." Barnette coughed, clutching the cut. What the girl in white said stuck in his mind. A system that cancels out dark Paexis energy, had the girl really made it that easy to escape? Jack walked up to Dita, who was holding a battered Hibiki, who looked like he had received a thorough beating, as did Vinn and John.
"Here, destroy these." He said, holding out his cuffs to Dita. She gave him a puzzled look.
"But…"
"Just focus and do it." He said impatiently. Dita Sighed, concentrated, and poked the cuffs with her index finger. A small bang and the cuffs popped off. "It only cancels dark energy, and I'd have been worried if you'd ever done anything that could be considered dark." He grabbed her cuffs, and sliced them off. He couldn't use his powers to enhance strength, but his gauntlets were sharp enough to break a pair of cuffs. He walked over and did the same to Barnette, as Dita busted the rest of the cuffs. After everyone was de-cuffed, Dita blew the lock on the door. Jack was going after the girl in white, and the rest went to free the rest of the crew, and get back to the 'Supernova'. When jack reached the bridge of this ship, he saw the door was open. He peered in, and the girl didn't notice when the people manning the ops' stations slumped forward, a dozen needles buried in the backs of each of their heads, severing their brain stems and killing them instantly. The girl was staring at the enormous flagship. He walked up, silently drawing on of his swords, the scythe like tip glinting in the light. He grabbed her shoulder, spun her around, and pinned her to the wall with one hand, other holding the sword at her throat.
"How you doing?" He said, seeing the fear in her eyes as she stared into his hoods dark opening. An explosion of green energy sent Jack sliding on his back, but with a small flip was back on his feet. He lunged, grabbing the white robbed girl around the waist, and tackling her to the floor. "Not this time, sweetheart." He said, the casual way he was talking made the girl more afraid, and she panicked. Jack pulled a length of rope out of his cloak, and hog tied the girl, slung her over his shoulders, and walked toward the nearest way back to the 'Supernova.' He reached the ship, and the link was severed, all the 'Nirvana/Supernova' crew having been extracted. He reached the bridge just in time to see the energy lances rip into the other ship, and it detonated into a ball off fire. He dropped the girl onto the deck, and fished around in her cloak. Barnette was in the medical deck, getting her neck bandaged, so she never knew Jack was doing that, because she would have read him the riot act. He pulled out a small green glowing orb, and scrutinized it. It was the green Paexis from this galaxy. He shoved it in his own pocket.
"I found this on their bridge, Captain." He said, gesturing to the girl struggling on the floor. "I Though it would make a nice souvenir, so I grabbed the last one in stock."
"Yes, it would seem so, how about giving us that name now?" The commander said. It was apparent that this was one of the things she least expected.
"Aren't you going to kill me? You're the evil one's!" She yelled, and jack sighed.
"I think you've been miss-informed. But if you want, I could kill you, but you know, I am a little tired, and could use a snack first." Jack said. The girl decided that she would at least give them that much, because she wasn't dead already, and she had heard that no on was left alive after either Magno, or Jack were done, yet she was still alive.
"Missy, Missy Thomson." She said.
"Well, Missy, welcome to the 'Nirvana.'" The captain said.
"Wait, I was told no one is ever left alive after being beaten by you, why am I special?"
"Your not, thouse tales are all alive. Half the people in my fleet are people that were fighting me when I took their planets. I only kill when necessary, or if someone where to make me angry." Jack said, examining his gaunlets.
"And we don't kill more than necessary either. You are now a prisoner, so you will remain in a for the time being." The captain said, and Missy was still shocked that she wasn't dead, even after launching a sneak attack and trying to kill all of them. Jack untied her after slipping on a pair of metal cuffs, and led her to the brig. He typed in the code, and the energy barrier flicked to life, sealing her in.
"After a few days, we might decide to let you join us, and then you'll be let out of here. But you have to really join, because I can tell if you're lying." Jack said and walked off, leaving the baffled girl alone in the brig.
THE END OF CHAPTHE 4!
I was debating how to start this one, but I think I made the right choice. Please review any of my stories you read. And also, EMAIL ME! at please. Anything! I'd love to answer any questions you have, and give me advice and stuff too!