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!

Believe it or Not

A Tekkadread Songfic

Disclaimer: The original song came from the theme of the Greatest American Hero. I'm not sure who sung it, but I heard it on the radio and I couldn't keep it out of my head.

italics: Thoughts

[" "]: Lyrics

*This songfic takes place a few days after ch.9 of Tekkadread.*

We see the Nirvana speeding along in space on its way back to Mejele and Tarak space. The crew is busy with their duties as life aboard the transformed ship takes on a steady routine. Inside, Slade is causally walking down a corridor on his way to the recreation room. As he nears the area, he begins to hear piano music. He becomes moderately surprised to see Dita playing in front of a large antique grand piano that was situated near a far corner. Standing beside the piano and obviously enjoying the music were Magno, Jura, Barnette, and Meia.

The Tekkaman smiled as he walked over, just as Dita was finishing up her impromptu concert. The girls looked over to where Slade was when he started lightly applauding.

"D-Boy, what brings you here?" The captain asked.

"Oh, I was just walking along when I started hearing some wonderful music." He gave a gentle smile to the red-haired pilot. "You play very well."

Dita smiled at the compliment. "Thanks, Mr. Alien! It's something that my ohma taught me. Do you play?"

Slade became a bit flustered after being asked. "Who me? Well..."

Dita giggled. "Yes, I mean you, silly!"

Barnette snorted. "Hah! That's a laugh!"

"What are you talking about?" Dita asked, genuinely puzzled.

"A man that's able to play music? Hah!" Barnette replied sarcastically. "Obviously, you don't know much about men, Dita. They're too clumsy and crude to know how to play music or sing."

Slade gave the Dread pilot a whimsical look. "Oh really? And what's so hard to believe that men can play instruments and sing?"

"All anyone has to do is look at the men on board the Nirvana. The doctor and navigator didn't even know what a piano was when they first saw it." She pointed at the instrument.

Jura smiled as she nodded. "No offense to you Slade, but I have to agree with Barnette. Men can't possibly understand the subtle beauty and joy of music like we females do."

"Oh really?" Slade crossed his arms over his chest. "Well, I think that men could play and sing just as well as females can."

"Oh yeah? Well why don't YOU prove it!" Barnette pointed a finger at him.

"Me?"

Barnette nodded with a smug look on her face. "Yes. Why don't you play us something?" She gestured at the piano. "That is, unless you don't know how."

Slade glanced down at the instrument for a while. "Well... it's been a long time since I played one of these things..."

"You can play?" Dita asked.

"Well, yeah a bit. I picked up a few things besides fighting techniques during my travels."

Dita smiled as she got up from the bench and offered it to him. "I want to hear you play!"

"As do I." The captain agreed.

Barnette's smile became wider, and she made no effort to hide it. There was no way that Slade could back down from this challenge. She then got a more wicked idea as she inched toward an intercom and tapped the speaker control. Whatever horrible music Slade produced would be broadcast all over the ship.

With all eyes directed at him, Slade sighed and nodded. He really shouldn't have opened his big mouth, but now he either had to put up or shut up. He slowly sat down on the bench and held out his hands. He started thinking back to when he learned to play a device that was similar to the ancient instrument. He began testing out some of the keys, trying to get a feel for them.

"What's the matter, Slade? You said that you could play as well as a woman?" Barnette taunted.

"Hold on. Just let me get warmed up. It's been a while since I did something like this." After playing a few more off-key notes, he nodded as he got a feel for the various tones. He then looked up to his audience. "Here's something I learned a while back. The people who taught me this song said that it was an old Earth lyric. It reminded me of how I felt when I first became a Tekkaman."

The women listened closely and many were astounded when the piano began emitting a very dramatic melody. Then, to everyone's astonishment, in a very soft, yet pleasant tone, Slade began to sing.

Slade: ["Look at what's happened to me. I can't believe it myself."]

["Suddenly I'm up on top of the world. It should have been somebody else."]

The Register...

"Who's that singing on the speaker?" Ukyo asked.

Gascogne cocked her head to one side as her face took on a surprised look. "D-Boy?"

Slade: ["Believe it or not, I'm walking on air. I never thought I could feel so free!"]

["Flying away, on a wing and a prayer. Who could it be? Believe or not, it's just me!"]

"That's our commander?" One of the Vanguard pilots asked.

Xian Pu could only shake her head in disbelief.

Dita smiled as she clasped her hands together and listen eagerly.

Slade: ["Just like the light of a new day. It hit me from out of the blue."]

The medical station...

"What is that?" Bart asked.

Duero cocked an ear and listened. "I believe that is what the females refer to as music."

Paiway was also shocked to hear that a man was actually making those wonderful sounds.

Slade: ["Breaking me out of the spell I was in. Making all of my wishes come true!"]

He began playing more intensely as he played the next chorus.

Slade: ["Believe it or not, I'm walking on air. I never thought I could feel so free!"]

["Flying away on a wing and a prayer. Who could it be? Believe it or not, it's just me!"]

The music began hitting a crescendo as Slade began reprising the last chorus.

Engineering section...

Slade: ["Believe it or not!"]

"He's pretty good for a man." Parfet remarked.

The bridge...

Slade: ["Believe it or not!"]

Ezra nodded as she rubbed her pregnant belly.

The Dread Platform...

The maintenance crew took a short break as they stopped to listen to Slade's voice.

Slade: ["Believe it or not!"]

Though she was standing right there, Meia wondered how a man could actually play and sing so well.

Slade: ["Believe it or not!"]

At this point, Slade began playing his all.

Slade: ["Believe it or not, I'm walking on air. I never though I could feel so free."]

["Flying away, on a wing and a prayer. Who could it be? Believe it or not, it's just me!"]

The music then slowly faded away as the Tekkaman quietly ended the song. When the final note was played and all became silent, he got up from the bench and walked out of the recreation hall, leaving an entire ship in total shock and awe. Then, one by one, the crew began to applaud. For Barnette, she was totally stunned at being showed up.

Magno smiled as she watched Slade leave. It seems that there is far more to you, Slade, than just fighting.

THE END

Author's Notes

Okay, so it sounded corny, but hey it works in Slade's case, and I wanted to depict something other than just action and comedy.

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