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: Do I really have to do this? I would think by now my readers would KNOW that I don't own any of these characters.

italics: Thoughts

Chapter 21 Part 2

Friend or Foe?

The mood on the Nirvana had been downcast for the past few days after their latest battle with the forces of the Radam. The crew had endured everything the Harvesters could throw at them without losing any of their comrades. Now everything had changed. Two of their own were gone and their absence was felt throughout the ship. There was little hope that Barnette and Duero were still alive. The pirates and their male allies had to accept the fact that the two were most likely dead. Many had petitioned Magno to mount a rescue operation, but such an attempt was considered futile. They had no idea of where the Radam homeworld was (it was suspected that it was the former Earth, but they didn't know its coordinates either), and the Radam vastly outnumbered them. The Dread pilot and the doctor were considered missing and presumed dead.

The Dread pilots had held a wake for their comrade Barnette. Her battle skills and determination would be sorely missed. Jura was especially despondent at the loss of her closest friend. Meia and Dita were also saddened and hoped that Barnette was in a better place and at peace.

As for Duero, his expertise as a physician was most certainly missed, especially in the Sick Bay. Patients who had been under his care were now forced to rely on his apprentice, Paiway. Nearly all of them hoped they would recover soon, instead of having to be treated by the inexperienced nurse.

As for the young healer, she began to REALLY wish she had paid more attention to her lessons. Her patients were expecting the same level of expert care that Duero had given, but she felt that she was nowhere near ready to handle such responsibility. She had never been exposed to such suffering and injuries in all of her life and many times, she just wanted to shut herself in a closet and cry. However, she had developed a grudging respect for her Tarak mentor, and had steeled herself for the hard times that were certain to come in the near future.

In the engineering section, Parfet had also been in a funk ever since that last battle. In her mind, she saw Duero being taken from her, despite her greatest achievements, the Tekkasuits. She found it hard not to burst into tears every time she thought about it.

The Conference Room...

"I've tried to put this off as long as I can, but it seems that we must now make some decisions and plans." Magno announced as she, BC, Slade, and Meia sat around the table. "As much as I do not want to admit this, we must consider Duero and Barnette as lost to us."

"They could be still alive." Meia persisted, though she and the others were of the mind that their missing comrades were most likely gone forever.

Slade nodded in agreement. "There is a chance. After all, those Radam bastards went through an awful lot of trouble to take Duero and Barnette. It could be that they want to interrogate them or something."

"I have considered that possibility, but to be perfectly honest, I cannot believe that they would be allowed to live after the Radam have gotten whatever they wanted from them." The pirate captain let off a tired, saddened sigh. Sometimes being in charge was a heavy burden, especially when one was responsible for every life on board the ship. "We must presume... that the good doctor and Barnette are gone, and we must press on. So I have decided that we must make every effort to reach Tarak and Mejele, before our enemies do." She then turned to Slade. "And as for you D-Boy, there is still the question of your ability to continue fighting the enemy."

"What do you mean? I'm feeling fine."

"Are you certain? Lately, your battle performance has been less than effective. At times, you have been experiencing difficulties with your transformation to your evolved form."

"I'm just a little... tired, that's all."

"I'm not as confident as you are, D-Boy. We don't know very much about your evolved Tekkaman form. In fact, we still aren't very knowledgeable in the Tekkaman Power Process itself. With Duero gone and Parfet working overtime to keep our defenses up, we can't study the process and find out more about it. If your problems begin to increase..."

"They won't!" Slade insisted. "I can handle it!"

"Hmmm, for the time being... I hope you can. Who knows what our enemies are planning next?"

The Earth...

Darkon nodded as his newest weapons were presented to him. It had taken many resources, but the end result was more than worth the effort.

Two figures stood before him in his throne room. One was a tall slender man with long black hair. One side of his face was covered by a tress of hair. His body was well-sculpted like a well-trained gymnast's with a lean, but powerful musculature. His expression was cold and calculating as the one visible eye seemed emanate a kind of soulless void.

His comrade was a beautiful slender female with shoulder-length dark green hair. Her figure was athletic and well-curved in all the right places. However, she too, seemed to show no emotion whatsoever and followed only her master's bidding.

Both were dressed in simple utilitarian clothes and remained at perfect attention as Darkon began giving them their orders.

The Radam Warlord gestured toward a vid-screen and showed them the coordinates of their target.

"Razor... Gunner... destroy the Nirvana... at any cost!"

Darkon and Saber watched as the high-speed transport flew off into hyperspace.

"Do you think they will be able to destroy those females and Slade... Master?" Saber asked.

"Whether they succeed or not, matters little to me." The Radam Warlord answered simply.

"What?!" The Crimson Tekkaman became very confused at this point. "We went through a considerable amount of trouble to get these two, not to mention expend much energy and resources to create these agents. Why do you not care if they succeed in their mission to destroy our enemies?"

"Because, my dear Saber, my plans far outstrip your MINOR way of thinking. You are thinking far too small. Destroying the Nirvana and Slade IS an important goal, but ONLY one of many. Furthermore, obliterating them utterly is far too simple. I intend to SAVOR every moment of anguish and agony from Slade and his comrades. This little exercise is to test out his resolve and see just how FAR he will go to protect his allies... even if it means destroying those who were once his friends."

"Those pirates and that renegade Tekkaman may be able to defeat Gunnar and Razor, despite their new... talents."

"Perhaps, but think about it. If Razor and Gunner succeed, then we win. IF they fail and are destroyed, we STILL win a psychological victory and the morale of the Nirvana will be diminished. I would also like to gauge the effectiveness of our new weapon. One may not be enough, but it WILL hurt them, regardless. And we can ALWAYS make more..."

A few days later...

Slade and the three Nirvana Tekkamen were scouting ahead of the Nirvana, along with several Dreads and Vanguards. Though the pain of loss of their comrades was still fresh in everyone's hearts, they all pressed on. Duero and Barnette would have wanted them to carry on with their lives.

Jura sighed as she piloted her Mini-Dread alongside Dita's and Meia's. She thought back to the wake that the crew had thrown for the good doctor and her childhood friend. It had been a somber affair, though everyone tried to make light of the event, recalling all the good and humorous times they had with the gun-loving pilot and the Tarak doctor.

The blonde was close to shedding tears and ruining her mascara, when her Mini-Dread's sensor alarms went off.

The scouting group stopped as they began to pick up the telltale energy emissions of something that was emerging from hyperspace. Everyone was put on tactical alert as Meia contacted the Nirvana. As the pirate vessel came close to where Slade and the others were positioned, a small object emerged into reality. At that point, Gascogne decided to head out in her Supply Ship to lend a hand in case the others needed backup.

The guns of the Nirvana immediately trained on the vessel, as did the pirates and Slade. When they saw the modified Seed Ship, they were all set to blast into oblivion. It would be a minor victory, but it would be at least something to lessen the pain of losing their friends. This Radam drone was space dust!

It was then that the Seed Ship opened up and released... a Dread.

Jura immediately let off a whoop of joy as she recognized the markings on the fighter and received Barnette's recognition code on her communication systems. Her heart skipped a beat as she and everyone else heard two familiar voices.

"Barnette to Nirvana. Barnette to Nirvana. Request permission to come aboard."

"The doctor... is in."

At this point, the crew became extremely excited at the return of two people whom they had assumed were lost to them.

"BARNETTE'S BACK! SO'S THE DOC!"

"THEY'RE ALIVE!"

"WELCOME BACK!"

"HOORAY!"

Slade and the three female Tekkamen sped ahead of the rest of the scouting group and headed toward the Dread, eager to be the first to greet their comrades.

That was when all Hell broke loose.

Inside the cockpit, Duero McFile sat behind Barnette and held up a blue-black crystal that was shaped like a five-pointed star. His expression became colder as he uttered a single word.

"TEKSETTER!"

Then Barnette began firing on her friends.

"WHAT THE...?!"

Jura barely managed to swerve her Mini-Dread out of the way as Barnette's fighter began attacking the Dread and Vanguard Squadrons. To her horror, she saw her best friend pick off the others with methodical precision and absolute ruthlessness. What had gotten into her?

Then a flare of light blasted forth from the cockpit as a figure shot into space like a comet. She gasped as she recognized the person, as did the other members of the Nirvana crew.

Duero was immediately stripped of his clothes as the Tekkaman Power Process took effect. Lines of red appeared all over his body as he was infused with power. Sections of impenetrable armor appeared and merged with his flesh. His form became a living weapon as he was transformed. Then, with a final burst of light, the change was complete.

The blue-black armored figured looked like he was composed of hundreds of blades. Every part of him looked as if it could slice through virtually anything. He emitted a kind of lethality that sent shivers down everyone's spine, the kind in which one would feel when facing the executioner's axe or the guillotine. He had pointed epaulets with sharp-toed boots and clawed gauntlets. His helmet was angled and the visor displayed only one glowing eye.

Slade was the first to reach the transformed doctor and he came to a stop some fifty yards from him. He couldn't believe what had happened and knew that things were about to get ugly. Still, he had to try and reach Duero's humanity before it was too late.

"Doc?"

However, the new Tekkaman was not listening as he shook his head and replied.

"I am... RAZOR!"

He then burst forward in a nimbus of light. Though Slade was able to dodge the charge, the White Tekkaman still screamed out in pain as something white-hot cut into his abdominal armor. Looking down, he was shocked to see a huge gash appear.

No! He CUT me! He didn't even touch me, but he still sliced into my armor!

Then Razor turned about to attack again.

"Barnette! What are you doing?!"

"Stop it! We're your friends!"

"Don't you recognize us?!"

Jura, Dita, and Meia's pleas fell on deaf ears as Barnette shook her head and pressed a button on her mutated console.

"I recognize you... as my targets! Feel the power of Dread Gunner!"

Her fighter then underwent its own metamorphosis. Its smooth metal surfaces became rougher and more organic-looking. The front of her Dread became like the mandibles of a Spider-Crab and the wings took on a more insect-like appearance. Her craft became even more maneuverable and released a mind-boggling barrage of firepower, which made even the most-heavily armed Dread seem like nothing. Pirate fighters and Vanguards were taken out at an alarming rate and the three Dread Tekkamen knew that they would have to use force to take their former comrades down.

However, Barnette was already aware of all of their strengths and weaknesses, as well as the Dread and Vanguard tactics. Using this knowledge, she continued to decimate the squadrons, while at the same time evading the Mini-Dreads and the Nirvana's guns. Then, she turned her attention toward a key component to the defense forces, namely Gascogne's Supply Ship.

Destroy the supply line and you can cripple your opponent.

Gascogne worked frantically at the controls as she tried her best to defend herself from Barnette's assault. The Supply Craft was not suited for combat and had minimal weaponry available. She had the defensive barrier at full as she made a beeline back toward the Nirvana. However, Dread Gunner relentlessly attacked, causing the Supply Craft's shields to be pushed to their limits. Then, just as Gascogne was within range of the Nirvana's protective defensive screens, her own barrier gave out, leaving her totally exposed to the merciless Radam pilot.

Dread Gunner fired a barrage of plasma missiles that looked like organic blobs. When they impacted against the hull of Gasco's ship, they melted through the reinforced metal skin before exploding. The ship was rocked by the hits and was sent tumbling uncontrollably.

All those present could only watch in horror as Dread Gunner prepared to finish her off. With no hesitation, she let loose with one final lethal barrage.

On the bridge of the crippled vessel, a battered and bloodied Gascogne could only look on helplessly at her main viewscreen as the plasma missiles streaked toward her. Then she saw three bolts of colored light appear between her ship and her executioner's.

"TEKSETTER!"

Tekkaman Diamond, Ruby, and Sapphire managed to transform and get in front of the missiles just as they detonated. Their armor shuddered as they took the brunt of the massive blasts, but some of that destructive energy got through and struck the Supply Ship. Gascogne screamed out as the control panel exploded in front of her. Fragments of glass, metal, and other debris went flying about in the bridge like shrapnel. Her broken body was thrown backward and hit the floor with a sickening thud. Then her form became limp as her consciousness plunged into darkness and blood began to pool on the floor.

"MS. GASCO!" Dita cried out as she and the others watched the Supply Craft become a lifeless mass of space debris. She tried desperately to raise her on the tactical net, but there was no response. She began to fear for the worst.

With her enemies in a state of shock, Barnette took this opportunity to flee the scene and rendezvous with her partner, who was currently slicing up his opponent. It was time to fulfill their main objective.

"DOC! COME ON! SNAP OUT OF IT!" Slade cried out as he grappled with Razor. It had not been easy as any physical contact with the new Tekkaman would cut into him. It was like trying to grasp a knife collection by the blades! He had already received several cuts and gashes as he and his foe continued to battle it out.

Duero's transformation to cosmic warrior had enhanced his strongest qualities, namely his surgical techniques and knowledge of the human form, making him a more effective killing machine. Every slash, every chop, every attack was aimed to be lethal and precise, delivering the greatest amount of damage with the least amount of effort. And the fact that he had trained previously with Slade in hand-to-hand combat didn't help matters!

Slade knew that he couldn't hold back and had to fight with full strength against his former friend. He had never killed before, but now, there may not be any other option. If Duero was truly lost and could not be reasoned with, then... he would have to be destroyed.

The White Tekkaman was about to counterattack, but was taken by surprise as a trio of energy beams struck him in the back. Razor took advantage of this and kicked hard at Slade's chest, making another gash to appear. Then he... flew away?

"What are they doing?" BC asked as she and the rest of the bridge crew watched the main viewer on the Nirvana. It seemed that the two Radam fighters were flying in a synchronized formation.

Magno felt a cold shiver run down her ancient spine as she began to suspect that things were about to be at their worst.

No! This looks... familiar. They couldn't be...?

But they were.

A compartment behind Barnette's cockpit opened up, allowing Razor to enter the mutated Dread. Its overall form began to shift and contort as it assumed a new configuration. The fighter took on a more humanoid appearance as arms and legs appeared. Weapons and new armor formed over the body, making it look even more menacing. Finally, when the transformation was completed, the pirates could only stare in disbelief as they now were facing off against a ten-story monstrosity.

Tekkadread Carnage was born!

The Radam horror paused only for the briefest of moments, before heading straight for its prey, the Nirvana.

"Shields at maximum! Brace for impact!" Magno barked as Tekkadread Carnage came right at them.

The vessel shuddered as the Radam's newest weapon hit the shields head on and began pushing the energy barrier to its limits. Using its massive claws and blade implements, Tekkadread Carnage started slashing away. Within seconds, the multi-layered shields gave out one by one. The entire ship shuddered as the Tekkadread continued to mercilessly assault the pirates.

"AAAAAARRRRRGGGGHHH!" Bart screamed as the cybernetic linkup caused him to feel the impacts and damage the Nirvana suffered as Tekkadread Carnage relentlessly tore into its defenses. He desperately tried to fight back, but the interface caused him so much pain that he couldn't bring the ship's guns to bear.

Then the Nirvana's final barriers collapsed, leaving the ship completely vulnerable. Tekkadread Carnage started to rip into the hull, near the engineering sections. It intended to tear out the heart of the vessel, the Paksis. At this point, Bart was in such pain that he could no longer maintain the link and was rendered unconscious, leaving the Nirvana completely helpless.

"Hull breached near the engineering levels! Bulkheads will collapse in minutes!"

"Casualty reports coming in! Massive decompression in several sections! They're being closed off, but structural integrity down by twenty percent!"

Magno was in a state of shock as the ship was being picked apart. She knew that if the Paksis was destroyed, all would be lost. The remaining Dread and Vangaurds tried to force the Tekkadread away, but the Radam monster continued to rip into the Nirvana. Even Slade and the other Tekkamen were unable to stop its merciless assault and she began to consider giving the command to abandon ship.

In the engineering section, Parfet ordered her staff to remain at their stations as she worked desperately to maintain the structural fields to protect the power source of the Nirvana. She noted that the Paksis was flashing wildly in response to the attack and energy levels were fluctuating wildly. She be began to wonder if the crystal was more than just an energy generator, and remembered back to when she had told Duero that the Paksis was acting like a living thing.

Then, as the Tekkadread was about to rend its way into the inner, more vital sections of the ship, the Paksis let loose with a massive energy field and to the engineer, it sounded as if it were crying out in anguish and pain.

I'm sorry Doc... you too, Barnette... but I've got to stop you!

Slade saw that he had no choice as he rode Pegas' back toward the Nirvana. The Tekkabot began shifting into its Dual Battle Mode. As the shoulder plates opened up and he began focusing his energy, the Mini-Dreads came alongside Pegas and attached themselves. Dita, Meia, and Jura took their positions and also began charging their Voltekkers. Slade didn't want to risk using his Mega-Voltekker and destroying the Nirvana. He hoped that their combined blasts would be enough to stop Tekkadread Carnage. Quantum energies were primed and ready to fire as the quartet prepared to execute two of their closest friends.

However, as their Voltekkers energy levels peaked, another player in this drama decided to take action. The Paksis within the Nirvana could stand no more of the attack and flared like never before. In an instant, Tekkadread Carnage stopped in its assault on the Nirvana and became motionless. A moment later, a blast of energy shot forth from the heart of the pirate vessel and caused the monstrous machine to shudder. To the amazement of everyone present, in a flash of light, the Radam weapon separated into its two components. Both Dread and Tekkaman went tumbling away into space.

Slade and the other Tekkamen took this opportunity to take down Barnette and Duero. Fortunately for them, the two agents of Darkon had been rendered unconscious and did not offer any resistance as they approached their immobile forms.

It was finally over... or so it seemed.

Later...

"Careful." Parfet warned as her engineering crew began opening up the hatch to Barnette's transformed Dread. Though her instruments were not picking up any conscious activity from the pilot, she wasn't taking any chances. A couple of guards had their blasters aimed at the cockpit.

When the hatch was opened, everyone held their breath and waited. One of Parfet's staff members looked inside and saw... Barnette.

The brunette looked the same as she did when she had been captured by the Radam. The only difference was that she was wearing a plain black bodysuit instead of her usual garb. She was sitting in the pilot's seat and did not seem threatening. The engineer thought it was safe and reached for the safety harness to free the pilot of the fighter.

Then suddenly, Barnette's eyes snapped open and she shot out a hand to clamp down on the girl's throat. Inhuman strength began to flow into her arm, threatening to crush her victim's throat as if she was crumpling a wad of paper.

WHAM!

Slade was sent flying as Duero knocked him across the length of the hallway.

The White Tekkaman and his comrades had just brought in the unconscious Razor into a separate airlock. The transformed doctor had automatically transformed back into his human form and it seemed that it would be no problem to bring him to the Sick Bay. Then they found out that McFile had been playing possum and was now wreaking havoc inside the already damaged vessel.

Slade gritted his teeth as he got back to his feet and ran toward the doctor. Currently, it was taking the combined efforts of Jura, Meia, and Dita to hold him down. Duero thrashed wildly and was about to break free, when Slade charged in and powered up his right fist. Cocking it back, he paused slightly and said...

"Sorry about this, Doc."

He then saw a flash of light near the physician's hand, and in that instant, let his fist fly.

"TEKSETT-"

WHA-BOOOM!

Duero was knocked out cold as his Tekkacrystal fell out of his hand and clattered to the floor.

At the same time, Barnette's head jerked back at the force of the impact and she toppled to the floor. Her grip on the engineer's neck loosened and the girl gasped as she fell free and scrambled away.

The guards directed their weapons at the inert body of their former comrade. They were about to open fire, when Parfet called out to them.

"Please! Don't shoot! Don't shoot!"

The guards held their fire, but kept the muzzles of their rifles leveled at the body of Barnette and waited.

However, at this point in time, it was no longer necessary. With her Radam partner out of action, the empathic bond caused her body to also become insensate.

Now, it was over.

Much later...

"What did those bastards do to them?" Magno said as she looked at the bio-scanner readouts of both Duero and Barnette as they lay on the examination tables in the Sick Bay. Both were heavily strapped down to prevent them from getting up, should they regain consciousness. They were also pumped with strong sedatives to keep them harmless.

Nearby in a full-stasis pod was the injured Gascogne. The retrieval crews had gotten to her in the nick of time. The wounds she had suffered during the attack had been near-fatal, and Paiway had barely managed to get the head supplier into the life-support capsule. Her injuries were far too grave to attempt any kind of surgery. Paiway hoped that the hibernation would keep her friend in stable condition for her body to heal enough so that she could be treated later on. At this point, she really began to wish she had listened to Duero's lessons more attentively as she was now being presented with a new problem.

"It looks like Duero's been put through the Tekkaman Power Process." Slade commented as he looked over the readouts, which were similar to what his own would be. He then glanced at Barnette's readings. "I wonder why the Radam didn't do the same to Barnette? I can see that she got some enhancements, but she can't transform like the Doc."

"Her Dread was altered, though." BC pointed out. "It could be that the Radam were experimenting on making their own Tekkadreads. Considering what just happened, I'd say that they succeeded."

"Hey, what's that?" Jura asked as she pointed to the bio-scanner monitor. It was an area near the base of the neck of her former friend. Everyone gathered closely to look at the strange organism that seemed to have its body clamped onto her spine. The scanners also displayed a similar creature in Duero's body.

Paiway gasped as she looked at the readouts. "It's some kind of... parasite. Ewww, that's so gross!"

"Parasite?" Magno wondered then inquired, "Could those things be responsible? Is that what made the doctor and Barnette attack the Nirvana?"

"I... think so." The young nurse-in-training said tentatively as she read the scanner results. "It looks like they're transmitting some kind of electrochemical stimulants into their brains, specifically their higher-thinking processes. Those... things are pretty secured in their medulla oblongata, which makes it really hard to get rid of."

Magno nodded, though she did not understand the subtle complexities, but comprehended the overall situation. Then, she made a hard decision.

"Paiway... can you remove those things?"

"WHAT?!"

The Conference Room...

"Captain... you can't expect me to do this, do you?" Paiway sobbed as she had been told that unless the parasitic implants were removed from both Duero and Barnette, the two would definitely attack the Nirvana's crew again once they regained consciousness. Barnette had already put several of her former comrades into intensive care after she had been forced out of her transformed Dread. Despite her lack of Tekkaman armor, she had been granted enhanced strength, reflexes, and endurance from Darkon's tampering with her body's cells. As for Duero, he had given Slade, Dita, Meia, and Jura a run for their money, and nearly decimated two Dread squadrons. The Warrior Squadron had taken the brunt of his attacks and was currently out of action. Nobody on the Nirvana wanted to even consider what would happen if the two were allowed to combine into Tekkadread Carnage again. With friends like these, who NEEDED enemies?

However, the only method to solve their problems had been compounded with several obstacles. The first being that Paiway was not at all eager to perform such advanced surgery. She had been given the knowledge from Duero, but she had no experience prior to his capture and brainwashing. She was uncomfortable enough with minor incisions and setting broken bones. The Radam parasites that kept Duero and Barnette loyal to Darkon were firmly latched onto their brain stems, near the medulla oblongata, and the young girl definitely did not want to mess with their vital autonomic systems. Furthermore, if what the Cerebral Wave Scanner was telling her was correct, the two were sharing a kind of empathic bond. This allowed them to function as one and react to each other's synaptic responses. In other words, whatever pains one would feel, the other would share. If she were to operate on one and make a mistake, the other would most likely perish as well.

On twin operating tables and under heavy sedation, the Tarak physician and the Dread pilot lay in deep comatose states. They were of no danger to the Nirvana at the moment, but everyone in the Sick Bay knew that they couldn't keep them under forever. Already, Duero's enhanced metabolism was working to neutralize the chemicals, which kept him from regaining consciousness. Luckily, thanks to his bond with Barnette, they only had to keep him from coming around. As long as he was out, Barnette would also remain under control. However, time was limited and Paiway had to take action, as she was the only one with the knowledge and skills to perform the delicate removal of the implants.

I don't want to do this! I don't want to do this!

At that point, Magno put a concerned hand on Paiway's shoulder and patted it. She then took the sobbing girl into her arms and gave her a reassuring hug. As Paiway continued to weep, she spoke to her quietly.

"Paiway, I know you're scared. We all are. But you're the only one who can save Barnette and Duero."

"I... (sob)... can't! I just..."

"Yes, you can." Magno said firmly. "I believe in you, and so did Duero."

This statement caused the little girl's head to perk up. "H-H-He did?" She then began remembering back to all the times that Duero had chastised her for inappropriate behavior, and how harsh he became whenever he drilled her in medical protocol and techniques. Very rarely did he ever praise her whenever she did something correctly, but he was always ready to point out her mistakes. It was hard for the twelve-year-old to believe that Duero ever considered her as medic material.

Magno gave her a knowing smile. "Yes, I know that Duero can be harsh and cold at times. However, he has a good heart and he wouldn't have spent so much time training you if he didn't believe that you had the potential."

Paiway sniffled a bit. "He never showed it and he didn't say much whenever I did things right."

"Yes, well showing emotions is difficult for him, and at times, he can be quite blunt with his opinions. He can be a cruel taskmaster and an annoying perfectionist as well. I've heard of how ruthlessly he drilled the Dread and Vanguard teams in Emergency First Aid. But always keep in mind that he only wants things to be done correctly so that others will not suffer. If there's one thing that Duero can be counted on, is that he is dedicated to his position as our doctor, and he wants everyone, especially you, to achieve her full potential."

"Me?"

"Of course. Why else had he been the hardest on you? You may have not realized it at the time, but Duero made certain that you got all the help that he could give to you. He wanted you to succeed and if that meant he had to constantly run you through the gauntlet, then so be it. He knew about the unpleasant parts of his station and he wanted you to understand them as well. You can't ignore them or try to hide from them. You have to face up to them, because they are part of Duero's and your duty. If you don't face up to them, then who will save our friends and loved ones?"

"But..."

"I know that you are scared and it's natural. However, let me tell you this. There's another reason why Duero had been training you so harshly. He told me about it before he had been captured. It's because he knew in his heart, that he might not be with us forever. When we finally reach Mejele, there is a chance that he will be forced to leave the Nirvana. He wanted to make certain that his successor would be able to take over his station, once he is gone. He had chosen you, as you had the most promise."

"He did?"

"Yes. He's helped us all, especially you during this voyage. Now, will you help him?"

Paiway could only stand in silence as a grave decision remained in front of her.

To be continued...

Preview...

Paiway: "My name is Paiway Underberg, an apprentice nurse on the Nirvana. I was once the head medical officer until Duero came and took it from me. That man made me look like a novice in comparison, but I couldn't deny his skill. Now I've been given the task of doing a very delicate surgical operation on both Duero and Barnette! There's no way I can do this! Now I'm starting to wish I took Duero 's lessons seriously! I'm the only one with a medical background, so I'll have to do it whether I like it or not! Their very lives are in my hands… I can't take the pressure! What do I do!? Next time, on TekkaDread Remastered: 'Final Exam'."

Magno: "What…? Could Slade really be…?"

Author's Notes

Wow. It's been a while, but I finally got a move on to finish this story and my other fics as well. In the next chapter, Slade and the others must wait and wonder as Paiway must operate in order to save Barnette and Duero. More deeper conflicts and emotions will run as the Nirvana nears its ultimate destination. See you there.

Please read and review!