Chapter Four
The general feeling of those gathered at the front of the ships was one of genuine relief as one crew was reunited with its' captain, and another captain found himself in the presence of an old friend.
"It is so good to see you again, Harlock. Fifteen years is too long to stay out of touch." Lady Emeraldas murmured, as she hugged the elder Harlock and gazed fondly (and a bit concernedly) at him.
"I know, and again I apologize. Grief tends to make people do strange things, sometimes." Harlock replied, noticing that the older Emeraldas was looking at his lean frame and knowing that she could see how much weight he'd lost.
"No need for that. I understand. We both miss Tochiro; and time doesn't really help to heal the wounds left by losing a friend like him..." Lady Emeraldas said, then added, "But that doesn't give you the excuse to starve yourself to skin and bones. I don't think your crew really wants a real skull and crossbones in their midst." Before Harlock could reply, Young Harlock blazed past; shouting an abrupt 'Scuse me!' as he did so. The reason for the bizarre action was explained when Tochiro Jr flashed by, his katana raised as he shouted obscenities in Japanese at the retreating young German.
"...And thus, history is repeated..." Harlock muttered, as amused chuckles and guffaws rose from the two space pirate crews and those of the Karyu and the SDF train.
"Phantom Harlock, captain of the Solar Federation vessel known as the Deathshadow. You're looking better than I thought you would, considering it's been over twenty years since I saw you last." a man said, as he approached the group, and casting a slight exasperated look at the still enraged Japanese man chasing his friend with the sword.
"Schwartzbald Bulge. Time has done little to change you, as well." Harlock said, nodding to the crewmen and women that were emerging from the space train to get a good look at the legendary base's interior.
"It's hard to believe that this place had never been found before now. It's massive!" one of the female members of the train's crew murmured, her bright blue eyes wide with amazement and wonder at the size of the place.
"An intelligent friend built this base to keep our presences hidden when the ships needed repairs. It is by chance that you have ended up here." Harlock stated, grimly.
"It was, indeed. If we didn't happen to stumble across your signal when you were entering this base, then we would never have found any of you." Bulge said, noticing when Young Harlock and Tochiro finally agreed to a truce (for the time being) and rejoined those standing in front of the Arcadia.
"While that may well be the case, why did you invite us here, sir? Aren't we a threat to the secrecy of this base?" one of Zero's crew asked.
"It depends. I think what he wants to discuss is the disappearance of earth, and what it means to the whole of space." Lady Emeraldas replied, speaking for the elder Harlock in that one instance.
"I believe I can trust you and yours' to keep this base's location a secret, Captain Zero, and you as well, Captain Bulge...Besides, I think this is the only place in space right now where we can hold any sort of meeting to decide what must be done." Harlock said, coolly.
"And by 'decision' you mean what we should do to get the earth back, right?" one of the women from the space train asked, out of turn.
"Yes." Harlock answered, looking aside when La Miime appeared and started handing out glasses to each of the people standing there.
"Uh...sir...if I may ask...why is she handing us these?" one young man questioned, confusion taking up residence on his youthful features as he said that.
"Yes, La Miime, what do you have in mind?" Harlock asked, as the alien woman handed him and Lady Emeraldas a glass apiece as well and gave them both a wistful look in response.
"It was twenty-five years ago today that you took that fateful trip to Tokarga to try and save Zoll's family...I thought you may have forgotten, Captain." La Miime said, as a sad expression appeared on the elder pirate captain's scarred face.
"I could never forget, La Miime. Fill the glasses." Harlock ordered. Somberly, the alien woman did as she was told and filled each person's glass with wine from the Arcadia's wine cabinet.
"Is this what you do every time you come here, Harlock?" Bulge asked, giving the other man a quizzical look as he watched La Miime fill his glass.
"No. This is to remember those who shouldn't have died...Men and women who were victims of destiny itself." Young Harlock said, bitterly, noticing when one of Bulge's crew gave him a look of shock.
"Phantom, it's good to see that you aren't dead!" the youngest member of Bulge's crew shouted, sounding relieved when he realized who was standing there. Young Harlock grinned.
"You should know that it isn't that easy to kill a Harlock, Manabu." Young Harlock replied, smirking at his father's surprised expression as they approached one another and shook hands.
"But you sure had me worried, though. And my mom too, for that matter. When we heard of the death toll on the Vengeance, we automatically assumed that you'd died with the rest." Manabu said, as he gripped Young Harlock's hand tightly, as though to assure himself that his friend was truly there in front of him.
"I survived...barely. I was so torn up that the doctors thought my next stop would be the morgue, but I lived to fight another day." Young Harlock admitted, casting a glance at Bulge and the rest of the train's crew and his father as he said that.
"I'm glad of that." Manabu said, noticing that the elder Harlock was almost staring at him.
"I may be making a wild guess, but are you a member of the Yuuki family?" Harlock asked, breaking his momentary silence.
"Yeah. I'm the son of Captain Wataru Yuuki of the Sirius Platoon. My name is Manabu Yuuki, sir." Manabu replied, calmly and respectfully. Harlock nodded.
"Your father was a brave man, Manabu. The Sea of Stars could do with more like him." Harlock stated, sadly.
"You knew Manabu's father as well, Dad?" Young Harlock asked, in disbelief.
"Yes. If you would believe it, Wataru Yuuki actually saved my skin once." Harlock admitted.
"And with you actually telling us, this means you respected him to a very high degree. You held him in as high a regard as you did my husband and me." Lady Emeraldas stated, knowing that, in a normal circumstance, Harlock would never have told them anything of the sort; unless he truly respected the deceased's actions and character. Harlock nodded.
"And that is all the more reason to raise a glass to them for their brave actions. The proof that we need to honor their memory." Zero said, quietly. This got a unanimous agreement from all who stood there.
"In the Tokargan tongue, there is one word that connects all friends to one another in the bonds of friendship. Harlock and Lady Emeraldas already know this word, but it is time for a new generation to learn it, so the Tokargan race's memory can live on." La Miime stated, as she took 'center stage' and raised her own glass as she did so.
"And what word is that?" Manabu questioned, his voice wavering with some emotion.
"Gohram!" La Miime replied, and as those behind and around her repeated it.
"For Maya, Tochiro, and the whole of the Tokargan race!" Harlock thought, as he drank some wine from his glass.
"For my mother, Tochiro Sr., and the crew of the Vengeance" Young Harlock added, mentally.
"For my brother and father, who bravely went to their deaths in the line of duty." Manabu mused, adding to the thoughts of the two pirate captains.
"For my wife and daughter, and the families of my crew." Zero also thought.
"Gohram!"
vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)
Hours later, Harlock found himself, once again, in front of Young Harlock's ship.
"You look lost in thought, Uncle." Tochiro said, grinning as he walked over to the elder pirate captain.
"Yes. I'm trying to remember where I have seen this ship before. It seems familiar to me, for some reason." Harlock admitted, quietly.
"Why don't you come aboard, then? Maybe something in there will help you remember." Tochiro suggested.
"Maybe...Is this ship's captain on board already?" Harlock asked.
"He should be. I think he's getting ready to leave so he'll be ready when you give the signal." Tochiro said, as he led the way to the entrance hatch. Almost as soon as he entered, Harlock felt a wave of nostalgia wash over him. There was indeed something familiar about this ship!
"The interior looks almost like that of an overhauled Solar Federation vessel...Did you salvage this from a scrap yard, by any chance?" Harlock questioned, as he ran a gloved hand along the wall.
"Yep, sure did. Figured you'd be able to tell, just be looking at it, since you were once a captain in the Solar Federation." Tochiro said, then added, "The captain of this fine vessel is on deck, if you want to ask him for the name." With only a nod, Harlock walked off.
"I think things will soon come full circle. Don't you think so too, Dad?" Tochiro mused, as he watched the elder pirate captain disappear around a corner.
"Oh yeah...and high time, too." Tochiro Sr agreed, in the back of his own son's mind.
vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)
Young Harlock turned when he heard someone arrive on deck, and smiled when he saw that it was his father.
"Hey, Dad." Young Harlock greeted.
"Hey. This is quite an impressive vessel." Harlock said, admiring the workmanship on the restored control deck.
"Thanks. Tochiro pulled her from a junkheap and put her back together a short while before I left the Terrestrial Military." Young Harlock murmured, then added, "This was once a Solar Federation battleship."
"I know. Tochiro Jr had told me that much...but said that I should come to you for the name." Harlock stated, getting an unreadable smile from his son for a response.
"Count on Tochiro..." Young Harlock muttered, grumbling something in German under his breath before continuing, "Dad, this is the DeathShadow." For a few moments, Harlock almost felt as though time, and his heart, had momentarily stopped.
"Run that by me again?" Harlock murmured, his mind not fully comprehending what he'd just heard.
"This is your DeathShadow, Dad." Young Harlock said, noticing when his father, who was normally very reserved and stoic, actually started moving around the deck, stopping when he reached a certain point and gazing out with an almost tear-filled look in his eye.
"I can hardly believe it...And yet, I have the proof before me. This is the very spot where I stood and heard your mother's broadcast for the first time...and it was the last time I was in command of this vessel...Things have indeed come full circle." Harlock almost whispered, then collected himself enough to give his son a proud look.
"I may not be a member of your crew, Dad, but we are fighting under the same flag." Young Harlock stated, bringing up the promise that had been made all that time ago.
"True...and that is how it should be." Harlock said, then added, "We'll be leaving in about two hours time. Be ready."
"Will do." Young Harlock agreed, as he watched his father walk from the deck and back down the hall towards the hatch.
"Captain, should I issue the order for all hands to get to their stations?" one of the crewmen asked, as he turned to Young Harlock for an answer.
"Go ahead. And be sure that the Karyu, Queen Emeraldas, and Big One know about this as well." Young Harlock ordered, slipping back into his role of captain easier than even he had expected.
"Yes sir!" the crewman responded, as he started calling all hands to attention. Within the hour, the three battleships and the train were ready to go.
"I want you all to stick as close to the Arcadia as you can. Under no circumstances are any of you to wander off on your own until this business is done. Am I clear on this?" Harlock asked, from his position on the bridge of the Arcadia.
"Crystal clear." Zero murmured, in response; knowing that it was wiser in this circumstance to follow the older captain's battlefield experience and instincts in this situation.
"No objections here." Bulge stated, speaking for his own crew when he said that.
"We're with you one hundred percent, Dad...Let's just hope that you won't need a crowbar to get our ships apart afterwards." Young Harlock jokingly added, earning him a slight smirk from his parent for that.
"I certainly hope not." Harlock muttered, then turned his head to look at Lady Emeraldas.
"Before you ask, Harlock; yes, I am certain about my decision to remain on board this ship...Since the Queen Emeraldas is now under new command, and Kei's ship can't make the journey, it is wiser to stay here. You don't object, do you?" Lady Emeraldas asked.
"No, I don't." Harlock quietly replied, then silently added, "It is good to fight alongside an old friend again."
"You know it." Tochiro Sr's voice stated, matter-of-factly, knowing that Lady Emeraldas could 'hear' him as well.
"Then let's go. The fight isn't going to come to us." Young Harlock said, as he gave the order to stand by to exit the base.
"Got that right." Tochiro agreed, from his position on the DeathShadow's bridge. The younger Emeraldas, and Captain Bulge also quietly agreed. It was now or never.
"Arcadia...Hasshin." Harlock murmured, as his ship responded to the verbal command, and the mighty engines roared to life once again. The endless odyssey was about to begin...and it would carry all of them into an uncertain future...
vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)
Chief Illita could only shake his head in utter amazement as he looked upon the reports that had just been handed to him. Just when he'd thought he'd understood the situation, something else had come along to throw everything into confusion again. And that 'something else' had just proven to be the only living relative of his nemesis.
"Why hadn't there been any recent reports on the actions and whereabouts of Harlock's son? We had his military records and even his birth certificate, and yet we still were caught unawares when he suddenly appeared in this case!" Illita thought, in frustration, as he glared at the glossy photograph of a young man in his early twenties; his wild untamable spirit seeming to spill from it and into the room around it. Of course, Illita remembered the rumors about Harlock's late lover, the Voice of Radio Free Arcadia, Maya, having the pirate's son during the war with the Illumidas. He could even remember when he'd been called upon to look into the disappearance of a badly wounded soldier going by the Harlock name, after the overrunning of the Vengeance by the Machine Men. And yet, it had not occurred to him, even then, that the young man had been directly related to the notorious space pirate.
"And now he's on the loose as well...This situation could not get any worse." Illita thought, growling slightly at the idea of the two Space Pirates roaming the vast regions of unmanned space side by side.
Author's Note!
Yeah, I realize that some things may be corny about this chapter, but it has been a liong while since I last updated this story. I can only hope it wasn't too bad.
Gemini14