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: Well, what do you expect from me? You already know that Ranma 1/2, Vandread and Tekkaman Blade belong to their own creators, so don't bother me with those details.
italics: Thoughts
Chapter 18 Part 1
Survival of the Fittest
"Will you hurry up?" Barnette griped as she sat on the examination table in her underwear. Beside her, Duero McFile, the head physician (and the only physician) on the Nirvana, was calmly giving the Dread pilot her regular checkup.
Jura's friend was in a somewhat more irritable mood than usual, especially when she was around men. Though she had more or less buried the hatchet with Slade and had grown to tolerate the presence of the opposite gender, she still held true to her beliefs that men were the enemy, and that the situation aboard the Nirvana was only a temporary but necessary measure. There was also the fact that Jura seemed to be spending more and more time with her attempts at having a baby with a man's seed, particularly using Slade's seed. As a result, Barnette had been feeling a bit neglected.
However, with the way things were on the Nirvana, the Dread pilot had no choice but to accept the presence of men. Bart was needed to guide the ship and fire the weaponry. Slade was an essential part of the ship's defense, both as commander of the Vanguard squadron and as part of the Tekkadreads. As for Duero, well... it was better than going back to Paiway's not-so-tender-loving care.
"I'm almost done." The good doctor said as he took out his stethoscope, put the listening pieces in his ears, and placed the front probe on Barnette's chest, just above her left breast. The cold metal made her shiver a bit, but what unnerved her even more was that his hand was close... very close to her breast. She swallowed slightly as he instructed her to take several deep breaths while he moved the probe about.
"W-What are you doing?"
Duero looked up with a slightly puzzled expression and replied, "I'm just examining your heart and breathing rates, that's all."
The Dread pilot gestured with her head at a machine that was nearby. "Why don't you use one of those things... what did you call it, the Pulse Meter? You used it the last time I was here."
Duero's mouth turned up in a slight smile as he said, "Well, yes I could have used it, but I saw no reason to waste power on some tests that I can perform by hand. Technology is a wonderful thing and it has greatly aided in the medical field, but I find that relying on it too much can sometimes hamper one's work. A good doctor must be able to perform his duties, regardless of what tools he has available or not. At times, I prefer a more hands-on approach."
"Ridiculous!" Barnette scoffed. "Why bother having technology if you don't use it?"
"I never said that I was adverse to technology." He corrected as he finished counting Barnette's pulse and breathing rate, then inputted the data on his console. "I will use it when I need it, but I would also like to keep my options open. I was taught to rely on my own personal skills, first and foremost. Technology can break down and become unreliable, so I always have something to fall back on. At times, those skills can mean the difference between life and death."
The Mejele woman snorted a bit at the doctor's naiveté. "Hmpf! No wonder Tarak is so far behind Mejele."
"Excuse me?"
The Dread pilot shrugged her shoulders. "No offense, but if that's the way things are done on Tarak, then it's a miracle that the men got out into space. Look at us. We women of Mejele have the best that technology has to offer, and we're always improving on it. We have the better hospitals, the better food centers, the better living arrangements, the better spacecraft, and let's face it, the better weapons. In just about all things, our way of life is much better than that dreary existence on Tarak. I don't know how you could have even LIVED eating those awful pills!"
"Well, I suppose that's your opinion." Duero said simply. As a doctor, he kept an unbiased attitude when dealing with patients. He wasn't much when it came to politics and experience had proven that keeping an open mind was the best way to handle things. He found it somewhat odd to hear Barnette praise the wonders of technology, considering her hobby in collecting antique firearms and her interest in close-quarters combat, much like the Tarak Military's way of thinking. However, he kept his peace.
"It's not just my opinion. It's just a fact. And that's why women are always going to be better!" Barnette said smugly as she began putting her clothes back on. "Are you done now?"
The physician nodded as he finished entering the final data on Barnette's examination. As the short-tempered girl left the Sick Bay, he couldn't help but admire the smooth, graceful lines of her figure and how they contrasted with her personality. Women were like bundles of extremes. At times they could be so gentle and kind, and yet at a moment's notice, they turned into fierce and uncontrollable beings, sometimes for reasons that didn't make any sense at all (like that mutiny over Dita shedding tears). They certainly weren't like the innards-sucking beasts that the Tarak government made them out to be in propaganda films, but women weren't easy to explain either. They were living mysteries and that was one of the reasons why Duero had become a doctor.
Unlike the crude, yet straightforward, all-male culture that McFile had grown up in, women had nuances and quirks in their society that endlessly fascinated the healer. When he had first encountered the so-called 'enemy,' he had immediately taken the opportunity for a close examination of females. Ironically, it was Barnette who had fascinated him the most at the time.
Flashback...
"There... that should do it." Duero said as he finished bandaging up Barnette's arm, then gazed at her form for a very long time.
"What? What is it? Do you find something interesting about me?" Barnette said in annoyance.
"Yes... I do find something interesting." Duero replied as he mentally catalogued all the structural similarities and differences of her appearance and that of the other four women he had treated. Fascinating. Except for some... variances in the chest and abdominal regions, they're generally human... like men.
"Well don't expect any thanks!" The Dread pilot snapped back.
"I don't... I suppose I'll leave now."
End of Flashback...
Since that time and the creation of the Nirvana, Duero found himself in a unique position. As the only skilled medical and surgical expert on board, he was given the opportunity of gaining valuable information about women and their society. At present, he had examined nearly all of Magno's crew and had seen more than his fair share of... (ahem), feminine attributes. The process in which they reproduced, the birth of Ezra's baby, and what he had learned from Slade and Misty about the ancient practices of reproduction between the genders, only fueled his desire to know more about the opposite sex.
Of course, there were some females on board the ship who are just as open-minded as he is. He had struck up a friendly relationship with the head engineer Parfet, whose way of considering machines as living persons always intrigued him. Magno, Gascogne, and Buzom were always willing to listen to his opinions and suggestions, but he suspected that the First Officer was hiding something. BC had always refused to be examined and she always seemed to be avoiding the other women when not on duty.
However, there were still those that resented his presence and that of the other men on board the pirate vessel, with Barnette at the head. Her latest remarks clearly stated her irritation over the entire affair of men and women working together. Duero sighed and decided that it was unproductive to dwell over such matters. He then glanced at his console's chronometer and noted that it was the end of his shift. Signaling for Paiway to take over the Sick Bay for the next three hours, he logged off on his console and went to see Slade.
"Hey Doc. Right on time." Slade nodded to the physician as he entered his quarters.
Duero nodded back to him. "I wouldn't miss these lessons for anything. So what are we going to study on this time?"
The Tekkaman nodded as he went to his backpack and took out several old manuals and scrolls, which he had picked up during his travels. The manuscripts depicted crude but accurate diagrams of the human body and indicated various areas of anatomy.
"Well, I was thinking along the lines of the extremities and some anesthetic and paralysis techniques. There will be times in which you won't have any sedatives and some of these points can also be used in terms of defense. First, let me see how far along are you with... you know?"
The good doctor nodded, as he sat down in a cross-legged position then held out his hands as if he were holding a bowl. Closing his eyes, he began focusing on his inner energies. A minute later, a tiny white dot of light that was the size of a pea began to appear in the space between his hands.
Slade nodded at McFile's accomplishment. It had only been two weeks since he had begun training, and Duero was already beginning to tap into his ki. A minute later, Duero let the sphere of energy fade away as he looked up at his sensei.
"Not bad Doc. Not bad at all. Okay, I'm going to show you how to use your ki to help you find these pressure points and afterwards... I'll show you the wonders of soufflés."
Duero chuckled a bit. In addition to shiatsu and ki manipulation, as well as a few sessions concerning hand-to-hand combat, Slade had decided to give the doctor a crash course in cooking.
The bridge of the Nirvana...
"Are you certain that it's an old Colony frequency?" BC asked as Amarone reported that she had just picked up a distress signal.
The dark-skinned girl nodded. "I'm positive. It matches up with the one that we use. It's coming from a planet that's about half a parsec from our present course. I'm getting a lot of interference but it looks like they're under attack... by the Harvesters."
Magno considered her options. Although she and her crew were pirates, they couldn't just ignore a plea for help, especially when the enemy to all of humanity was involved. Even though they had taken on supplies and made a new ally with the people of Delta 6, it wouldn't hurt to make even more alliances with other human colonies, in preparation for the inevitable war with the Harvesters.
After thinking about it for a few minutes, Magno decided on the most HUMANE decision.
"Set a course for that planet."
On the surface of a very hostile world, Saber smiled as he stood beside an elaborate transmitter tower. His plan was working. After weeks of recovering from his last battle with Slade, he was all set to have his revenge. The bait had been taken and soon, he would discover the secret to Slade's transformation to Tekkaman Blastor. Once he had learned it, he would destroy the White Tekkaman and the Nirvana, and then return to Earth to annihilate the pompous leaders who had abused then abandoned him. There was only room in this universe for one supreme Tekkaman, and Saber was determined that it would be him.
Later...
Slade and Duero nodded to the captain as they entered the bridge. Magno had asked them to join them as the Nirvana had achieved orbit around a planet. The doctor became reminded of Tarak as he saw it on the viewscreen.
"Are you sure that this is the right planet?" Magno asked Amarone as she gazed at the desolate and very unfriendly-looking sphere on the main monitor. The world had a nitrogen/oxygen-based atmosphere that could support human and other Terran life forms, but most of its surface had been turned into desert as it made a circular orbit around three suns; a red giant, a white dwarf, and a modest yellow star. There were some oceans, but for the most part, life on that world would have to suffer through extremely hot days and extremely cold nights. There were various numbers of floating masses present in the sector, which had also made it difficult for the Nirvana to maneuver. Many of the meteoroids and chunks of space debris contained some radioactive metals and isotopes. Also, due to the three suns, there were high amounts of solar flare activity, which caused heavy electromagnetic interference. This condition made the ship's sensor and communication systems less than reliable.
"Yes, Captain." Amarone replied. "The EM interference is making it difficult to pinpoint the distress signal, but it's definitely coming from that planet."
Magno was more than a little suspicious, as was her First Officer. It wouldn't be the first time that the pirates had been lured into a trap.
"Is there any sign of the Harvesters?" BC asked.
Ezra shook her head. "Even though the interference has reduced the range of our sensors, I'm not picking up any signals from any nearby enemy ships. However, I am detecting faint ion trails that do match with Cube Fighters and Seed Ships. They're very recent."
"Maybe the Harvesters had already finished with their dirty work and left." Slade suggested.
"Or it could be that they're just waiting to DO their dirty work... with US." Magno countered as her suspicions rose. "I don't like this. Sensors and communications are hampered because of all this interference and we can't know for certain if there's anyone down on that planet."
At that moment, Amarone suddenly picked up a weak communiqué on her console. "Captain! We're being hailed! It's definitely coming from the northern hemisphere. I'll try to clear up the interference..."
All those present on the bridge listened in as a voice was heard.
"Help! Please! (crackle) Life-support sys... (pop)... failed. Can't... hold... on! (zzzzt)... Six survivors... (snap)... have escaped... harvest... (bzzzzt)... for the love of humanity!"
Amarone sadly shook her head as the transmission died. "I couldn't hold it, Captain. However, I've managed to detect some faint life signs. They're human."
"So, it looks like the Harvesters had been here already." Buzom stated as she turned to the Captain. "If that transmission was from survivors from a Harvester attack, then we can't just leave them there to die. Since they did managed to escape the Harvest, then perhaps they can provide us with some more information about our enemy."
The ancient crone nodded as she decided that the risk was worth taking. She turned to D-Boy. "Slade?"
The Tekkaman nodded as he turned to assemble the landing party. It seemed that the Vanguards would be needed again. Especially since the electromagnetic interference would mess up the sensor arrays of the Dreads. Furthermore, the fighters were still unable to make planetary landings from space.
"I'll be joining the landing party, Captain." Duero announced. This caught Slade's attention just as he was about to leave the bridge.
"Oh?" Magno responded in surprise. "And why would you want to take part in a potentially dangerous mission?"
"I am a doctor, Captain. If there are survivors on that planet, then they will need immediate medical attention. Being from Tarak, I am quite familiar with this kind of desert terrain and environment. Furthermore, I am proficient with piloting a Van-Type."
"You?" Both the Captain and the First Officer said in surprise.
Duero shrugged. "As a First-Class citizen of Tarak and a member of the military, I have been given training in mecha controls. I am familiar with the inner workings of the standard Van-Type combat frame and..." He briefly glanced to Slade. "I'm certain that Slade can vouch that I am qualified."
Both women turned to Slade with questioning gazes. The Tekkaman gave them a lopsided smile and nodded. During their off-hours, Slade and the physician had been spending time in the Vanguard simulators. He had been quite surprised when Duero came by one time and asked to take part in the training routines with the other candidates for the Warrior Squadron. Surprisingly, he did extemely well. The Tekkaman had been impressed with McFile's proficiency in handling the mecha. "Yes. Duero is certified and he's also proven himself capable in hand-to-hand combat. I was going to have him assigned as a reserve pilot for the Warrior Squadron." He walked back to the doctor and placed a hand on Duero's right shoulder. "Glad to have you on the team, Doc."
"I'm not so sure that would be a good idea." Buzom said with concern. "You do realize that Duero is our ONLY doctor. We can't afford to lose him and..."
Duero held up a hand, cutting off the silver-haired woman. "I assure you that I WILL return to the Nirvana to resume my medical duties. At the moment, those Harvest survivors need me and Paiway can handle the Sick Bay in my absence. She HAS gotten better."
"I will make certain that he returns to the ship unharmed." Slade said with assurance.
Magno considered the man from Tarak for a long time before finally giving her consent.
The Vanguard hanger...
"WHAT?! HE'S GOING TO BE PART OF THE LANDING PARTY?! HE CAN PILOT A VANGUARD?!"
Barnette was already hopping mad at being selected to be part of the excursion due to her previous experience in the first Vanguard mission. (1) Along with Jura and Dita, she was going to be joining the Tekkaman, Duero, and Pegas as they prepared to head to the surface. Barnette groaned as she realized that she was going to be stuck with not one, but TWO men! And not just any men. One had enough power to destroy a medium-grade battle cruiser on his own and the other came from the planet of Mejele's most hated enemy.
At first, Xian Pu, Ukyo, and the rest of the Warrior Squadron had protested when Slade told them that they would not be joining him. Since the Dreads had been rendered useless, due to the high electromagnetic interference and the fact that they could not maneuver well in the swarms of meteoroids and space debris, Slade had decided to have the remaining Vanguards set up defensive lines and patrol the area while he went to the surface with the others. There was also the fact that Dita, Jura, and Barnette were the only female Vanguard pilots with the experience to operate the mecha on land. Duero was also familiar with moving a Van-Type on land from his academy days.
Though the facts irritated the members of the Warrior Squadron, they still carried out their orders and prepared to guard the Nirvana until their leader returned. Recently, Parfet had equipped the humanoid machines with new power packs to increase their range. The mecha would be able to sustain extended periods of constant operation as they defend the pirate vessel from any surprise attacks from the Harvesters.
"Mr. Doctor is coming with us?" Dita asked as she began putting on the new bodysuit that the Register had created for all Vanguard pilots. The outfits were made of a special, impact-absorbent material which molded to their figures. They were colored gray and were extremely lightweight.
"That's what Slade said." Jura replied as she zipped up the front of her suit (which was made difficult due to her breasts), then admired herself in a nearby, full-length mirror. "Hmmm, gray isn't my color, but I LOVE the boots." The suit easily molded to her lush curves like a second skin.
"Will someone tell me why we HAVE to wear these suits?" Barnette griped as she slipped into her own outfit.
"They're for your safety."
All three girls turned to see Duero and Slade walking toward them. Slade was in his usual attire, while Duero was also wearing a bodysuit, but had his medical trenchcoat over it. In one hand was a large black satchel in which he carried his medical and survival gear.
"What do you mean for our safety?" Barnette demanded.
Duero tapped the material on the chest of his own suit. "These new bodysuits are made of a special material which can lessen the force of impact on your bodies. I had asked Gascogne and Parfet to come up with these suits when several of the Warrior Squadron pilots were injured in battle, due to being jostled about in their mecha after being hit. Restraints in the Van-Types weren't enough. The suits are also good protection against extreme cold, punctures, and excessive moisture. Aside from those space suits that Dread Pilots wear, your regular wardrobes were... inappropriate for certain combat situations and did not provide much protection. Furthermore, those space suits were too clumsy to wear for Vanguard operation, which required fine manipulation control. I had spoken with Slade and he agreed with me and had these new suits made up."
"Hmpf!" Barnette snorted as she zipped up the front of her own outfit, then glared at Slade. "So how come you're not wearing a suit?"
"Pegas has a lot more padding than the standard Vanguard and besides, my clothes are actually made of the same material as your suits. It's a very wonderful material that I picked up on a planet that specialized in creating unique fabrics. They're durable, stain resistant, impact-absorbent, repels all dirt and odor-creating molecules, and won't wear out as fast as regular cloth. Parfet used my jacket as a template to create the bodysuits you're wearing now. In any case, I can always transform if we get into a tight situation. So let's get ready."
Dita eagerly nodded as ran toward her Vanguard, which she had painted blue with little green alien designs on it. Jura blew Slade a kiss before heading off to hers.
Barnette growled a bit as she turned to her own machine. Before going to it, she glared back at Duero. "It's bad enough that I have to take orders from a man again, so don't get in my way! I'm not going to be babysitting anyone, especially a man. If you get into trouble, then don't expect me to save your butt!" She then stomped off to get into her Vanguard.
Duero was about to reply to her remark when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned to see Slade giving him a reassuring smile while shaking his head.
"Don't let her words get to you, Doc. It's just her way of covering up her own insecurities. She may act tough and can be a bit of a pain in the ass, but deep down, she's really a good person. She... just has a really hard time showing it."
Duero chuckled a bit as he nodded. "I know. That's what I thought, too."
"You do?"
"Yes. I've often suspected that her abrasive exterior was actually hiding a more... well, now is not the time."
Slade nodded as they both went to their respective machines.
"I hope he'll be all right." Parfet said nervously as she continued to pace the floor of the engineering section.
"I'm sure that he'll be fine." One of her assistants said. "After all, they're going down to rescue some survivors, that's all."
However, the girl's words seemed to fall on deaf ears as Parfet continued to pace.
"Why can't I come along?" Misty pouted as she and Meia watched the Vanguard dropship and Pegas depart from the Nirvana. Both girls were standing on the observation deck.
"You're not qualified to pilot a Vanguard." Meia replied, though she was a bit miffed that she was not a part of the mission. Due to her claustrophobia, she could not pilot a Vanguard and because of the EM interference and space debris, the Dreads could not be used. For the first time since becoming part of Magno's crew, Meia had been reduced to being a spectator.
"That blonde bimbo or that red-headed ditz is going to steal my Prince Charming!" Misty complained.
Meia's eyes narrowed a bit as she thought about Jura and Dita getting to be with Slade more than she was.
As the Vanguards and Pegas broke through the atmosphere and began making their way toward the source of the distress signal, Saber watched his monitor in anticipation. It won't be long now...
Barnette gritted her teeth as she fought the high winds while controlling her fall toward the surface of the planet. With the same umbrella-like devices that they had used before, the mecha made their descent. Jura's friend looked over to the side and noted with irritation that Duero's machine was making a smooth drop with precision. Determined not to be outdone by Duero, Barnette attempted to make her landing a perfect one. However, in her haste and anger, she misjudged the distance between her Vanguard and the ground. One foot of her machine hit an outcropping of rock and this caused her mecha to go tumbling facefirst into the sand.
Barnette was bounced around a bit in her cockpit before her mecha came to a stop. As she righted her Van-Type to a standing position, she noticed that her body was not at all sore and realized with an irritated sigh that the new suit she was wearing had cushioned the impact. Damn! He just HAD to be right.
At that moment, Duero's white mecha landed easily beside hers. On the front was the red X emblem of the Tarak Medical Corps. It walked up to Barnette's machine as Duero made contact.
"Are you all right, Barnette? Do you need any medical assistance? You took a very bad fall there. Did the suit protect you from the impact?"
Annoyed that he had made a perfect landing, and even showing concern for her, Barnette simply made her machine turn its back to his and began stomping off as the other Vanguards and Pegas approached them.
Inside his own machine, Duero could only sigh. This was going to be a LONG mission.
On the Nirvana's bridge...
"Are we still in contact with the landing party?" BC asked. "How are communications?"
Amarone nodded as she worked her console. "Communications are still a little garbled, but thanks to the new homing beacons on each Vanguard and Pegas, we can still track them and pinpoint their locations at any time."
"Good." The First Officer then contacted the patrol groups. "Xian Pu, have you encountered any sign of the enemy?"
Out in space and flying in her own Van-Type, the Amazon pilot shook her head. "My group hasn't reported any visual sightings of the enemy and all this EM interference is making our own sensors unreliable. All this debris floating about is making it hard for us to maneuver. It's a good thing that the Van-Types are smaller than the Dreads. No way Meia and her squadrons could move through this. We'll notify you if we spot anything."
A while later, on the surface of the planet...
"Well, it looks like this is the place." Slade said as he and his group stood before a large, derelict, man-made structure, which was partially built into the side of a huge mesa. They had been able to track the source of the distress signal to this location. However, there was just one problem. The Vanguards and Pegas were too large to fit through the main entrance.
"It looks like were going to have to go in on foot." Slade said as he used Pegas' sensors to scan the environment around them. The readouts showed that the air was breathable and the temperature, though it was a scorching 110 degrees Fahrenheit, was tolerable enough for the team.
"Why can't we just smash our way in?" Barnette asked impatiently as she wanted to get this rescue mission over with.
Before Slade could answer, Duero replied for him. "Structural analysis of the interior indicates that such an action would cause it to collapse, killing the survivors. My sensors are picking up some faint human life signs. This is a RESCUE mission, after all. Slade is correct. We're going to have to disembark and go in by ourselves. I'm also picking up some echoing signatures, indicating that there are some large caverns as well. If there are any survivors, then that's probably where they were hiding to have escaped the Harvest."
Pegas turned to face Dita and Jura's machines. "You two will remain here and keep a lookout, while Duero, Barnette, and myself go in."
"HEY! SINCE WHEN DO WE HAVE TO TAKE ORDERS FROM YOU?" Barnette said in outrage.
"Since the Captain made me the leader of the Vanguards and all missions of this type, and I didn't even want the job! Now we can stand about and argue until our power cells give out, or we can go down and get those survivors out of here and back to the Nirvana as quickly as possible. Or do you want the deaths of those survivors on your conscience?"
Barnette barely managed to rein in her anger as she wordlessly opened the hatch of her machine and made her mecha kneel down so she could disembark. She took along an old-style submachine gun from her collection of antique firearms, plus several clips of ammunition. She carried a small survival pack with rations and various other pieces of equipment.
Duero followed suit and emerged from his Vanguard with his medical kit in hand, filled with all the best technology Mejele had to offer. As he prepared to join the others, he made a quick routine check of all his vital equipment, and became a bit concerned when he saw that their calibrations were slightly off. Hmmm... they were all working fine on the Nirvana. It could be due to the interference from the frequent solar flare activity. This may be a problem. When he heard his name being called, he mentally put his concerns on the back burner for the moment and walked over to Slade and Barnette. In addition to the medical kit, he also had a Tarak assault rifle with retractable bayonet slung over one shoulder. The same weapon was issued to all Tarak soldiers and was standard equipment in the Bangattas.
Barnette eyed the weapon with slight interest, as she knew that all Tarak firearms were still based on the principal of projectile weaponry. After all, the wound that Duero had bandaged up during that attack on the Ikazuchi had been from a rifle shot penetrating her space suit. She then spoke to the doctor with a slightly sarcastic tone. "Do you know how to use that?"
Duero shrugged as he replied. "I was considered a fair shot at the academy, though I haven't used one since I came aboard the Nirvana. I may be a bit rusty, but I'll manage."
Barnette snorted with disdain as she and Duero went to Slade, who was giving some orders to Pegas to remain with Jura and Dita.
"But why can't we come with you, Mr. Alien?" Dita pouted.
"Yes, why do we have to stay on boring guard duty?" Jura asked with disappointment.
"I can't risk all of us getting into trouble if this IS a trap." The former Saotome replied. "You'll be our backup if things go wrong. If you don't hear from us in thirty minutes, then come get us. If things get too extreme then return to the Nirvana, and no arguments."
With those words, he and the others entered through the small opening and began exploring.
Fifteen minutes later...
"These caverns go on forever!" Barnette complained as she and the two men continued deeper into the interior of the mesa. "Are you sure you know where you are going?"
Duero and Slade were also annoyed as they found themselves wandering about a maze of stalagmites, stalactites, and various other rock formations. The further they went into the caverns, the more uneasy they became. The doctor was currently in the lead as he held out a portable scanner to track the life signs of the survivors. However, the further they were from the other members of the Away Team, the weaker their homing beacons became. The caves were full of various ores and crystal formations, which gave off intermittent pulses of electromagnetic waves, thereby further interfering with their equipment.
I don't like this. We've been searching for a while now, and we STILL haven't found any sign of the survivors. Slade thought as he followed behind Duero. It's almost as if we were being led into...
"There!" The doctor cried out as he pointed to an adjoining cavern. "The life sign readings are strongest in there! I'm definitely picking up human vital signals."
"How many?" Slade asked.
"Just one."
"One? But the message we received said that there were six survivors." Barnette interjected.
"Well, it could be that the other five may be dead now." Duero said slowly, then added, "Then again, it could be that the others may be somewhere else. This is a big place, you know."
"Well, at least we'll be able to help one of them now. Come on!" Slade waved for the two of them to follow as he headed off toward the cavern.
The three ran toward the source of the signal and soon found themselves in a huge space where they were facing a vertical wall. Looking up, they saw that someone was standing on a ledge and was gazing down upon them.
The figure was about as tall as Slade and was wearing a brown jacket, white shirt, dark blue pants, and black boots. He had long, dark-green hair and his pale face was angular. However, the most striking of his features was that his eyes had scarlet irises, which burned like hot coals. His very being seemed to emanate a feeling of... evil.
"Hello down there." The figure spoke as he grinned at the Nirvana's Tekkaman. "It's been a while since we last met, Slade."
"Huh? You know who I am?" Slade said in confusion.
"Indeed. And I should think that you should know me as well." The stranger said as he took out something from his left jacket pocket and hid it behind his back.
"I don't think we've ever met, though your voice sounds... familiar." Slade then shook his head to clear it. "Listen, we're on a rescue mission here and we're looking for survivors from a Harvester attack. Are you one of them?"
The stranger snorted in disdain while shaking his head. "Oh, you won't find any survivors here, because there never were any."
"What?" Barnette exclaimed as she held out her weapon at the ready.
Duero also unslung his rifle. "What do you mean?"
The stranger shrugged as he answered with a sneer. "The Harvesters had long since picked this planet clean of its inhabitants. There hasn't been a single human being on this world for months... until today."
"But we received a transmission from..." Barnette began.
The stranger interrupted her. "What you received was merely a recording. The last words of a group of people, just before they were killed and their bodies torn apart by the Harvester machines. Quite pathetic, but it served its purpose in luring you here to this world."
"So this was a trap after all." Duero said with a firm tone as he readied his weapon.
"Indeed." The man agreed as he continued to gaze solely upon D-Boy. "And now that the one whom I seek is here, I shall be doing a little 'harvesting' of my own, specifically harvesting the secrets of Tekkaman Slade! Of course, after I'm done with you, there won't enough of you or your comrades to sweep under the carpet."
Slade snorted as he took a defensive stance. "Yeah, you and what army? Just who do you think you are?"
"Why Slade, I'm surprised that you still don't recognize me. Perhaps, this will jog your memory."
Barnette, Slade and Duero gasped as they saw a bright red light appear on the stranger's forehead... in the shape of a Tekkacrystal. Then their blood ran cold as he brought out what he had been hiding behind his back and held it aloft.
"TEKSETTER!"
Saber's Tekkacrystal was different from Slade's as it was colored crimson and had its two side arms folded down when not in use. The arms swung up as the human form of Saber was bathed in scarlet brilliance. Segments of armor appeared and fused to his body, making him appear more menacing. When the transformation completed itself, the evil Tekkaman leapt down while bringing out his lance.
"MOVE!" Slade cried out as he pushed Duero and Barnette off to one side, then swerved to the other. Making a perfectly executed tuck and roll, he avoided Saber's first attack and came to his feet while bringing out his own crystal.
Saber however, chuckled evilly as he mentally activated a device that was hidden in the cavern walls, which sent out a signal to close the trap.
The Nirvana...
"Captain! Commander! I'm reading a high-frequency energy pulse being emitted from the planet." Amarone announced.
"Can you pinpoint its source and where it is being directed?" Buzom asked.
Before the dark-skinned girl could reply, several dozen meteoroids and other masses of space debris suddenly began moving by themselves. The pirates were totally baffled when the chunks of rock and metals made a kind of netlike pattern, surrounding the planet like a swarm of ants. When they reached certain points in orbit, each mass began emitting lines of light to each other, forming a gigantic energy web, which surrounded the planet.
"What is that?" Magno demanded.
Ezra quickly began running scans and had the answer ten seconds later. "It seems to be some kind of elaborate barrier system. Those meteoroids and other chunks of space debris had some kind of energy emitters and thruster units hidden inside of them."
"Why didn't we detect them?" BC inquired.
"Because of all the interference from the solar flares and the high background radiation emissions, our sensors couldn't pick them up until after they had activated."
"Captain! I've lost contact with the Away Team!" Amarone cried out.
"What?!" BC and Magno gasped simultaneously.
"Those units are sending some kind of energy dampening field to the surface of the planet. All communications and homing beacons to the Vanguards have been completely cut off!"
"Can we break through the barrier?" Buzom asked.
Ezra gasped as she read the energy output of Saber's trap. "Oh my! Those energy emitters are putting out enough power to deflect all the firepower of the Mejele Space Force. It's the equal to Tekkadread Jura! And it seems that those emitters are using a kind of regenerating power source. I don't think our guns at full force could break through."
Magno decided to give it a try as she raised Bart in his Navigation Well. "Bart, see if you can punch a hole in that barrier. Try focusing on one of those meteoroids! Maybe if we take out one, then the rest might collapse."
"Roger." Bart replied as he engaged the targeting systems and aimed for a chunk of space rock near the northern hemisphere of the planet. The Nirvana let loose with a barrage of particle beams, which looped and arced toward their target.
However, just before they hit, the meteoroid glowed briefly. The beams were instantly absorbed with no loss in the shield's integrity. Then, to everyone's horror, the emitters on the huge mass suddenly cut loose with a huge beam of energy at ten times the strength of the ones it had absorbed... right back at the Nirvana!
"YAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHH!" Bart screamed as he just barely managed to move the Nirvana out of the way of the reflected beam. He was breathing heavily for several minutes before he finally calmed down and said. "No good Captain. I can't shoot them down, and they'll throw everything I shoot right back at us... with interest!"
Magno frowned as she realized that a direct assault was not an option. She could only hope that the landing party was still safe while she and the others attempt to get through.
At the moment, the landing party was anything but safe...
"Let's get it on!" Slade shouted as he raised his crystal aloft. "TEKSETT- ARRRRRRRRRGGGGGHHHHHH!"
Both Duero and Barnette were shocked to see Slade fall to his knees in agony as energy surges suddenly ripped into his body. It was like seeing a man continuously getting struck by bolts of lightning. Finally, the pain stopped as the energy dissipated. The Tekkaman trembled as he looked up at his adversary.
"W-What's going on?"
Saber chuckled as he replied, "Oh? What's the matter, Slade? Don't like the dampening field which is preventing you from transforming?"
"What?!"
"Oh? You didn't know that the Tekkaman Power System had certain weaknesses? Aw, too bad." Seeing his greatest adversary in such pain pleased Saber immensely. "Well, for your information, energy pulses that are emitted from a very rare crystal substance can disrupt the power flows during transformation, causing extreme pain to the user, namely you. If you were to persist in trying to transform, then it would eventually lead to death. However, they have no effect on those who are already transformed, such as myself."
"So... this was all a setup? The distress signal, and those life sign readings..."
"Yes, and you took the bait, as I knew you would."
"Why? Is this another scheme of the Earth's?"
Saber snorted. "Earth? This has nothing to do with them. This... is between you and I."
"What?"
"Did you know that it took me SIX WEEKS to recover from our last battle? During that time, I thought of nothing but revenge for the pain and humiliation that you put me through! I was the greatest warrior in the cosmos, until you defeated me. As punishment for my failures, the Council of Earth had cast me aside like garbage, but I do not care. For I shall soon have my revenge upon those pompous leaders of Earth once I have defeated you and taken your power!"
"What are you talking about?"
Saber gestured with his lance. "What I want from you Slade, is the secret to evolving into the penultimate form of the Tekkaman Power System. And you WILL give me that secret or..."
"Or what?"
"Or I shall simply tear you apart and look for the secret in your bloody remains. Now I'm a reasonable man. If you give me that secret, then I shall turn off the dampening field and allow you and your pathetic friends to leave."
Slade growled as he knew that he could trust Saber about as far as he could throw a planet. He could tell that the crimson space warrior would kill them all in an instant after he got what he wanted. He could also tell that Saber was a few cards short of a deck. He was a power-mad Tekkaman and that was a very BAD combination. If he had the power of the penultimate state then... brrrr! He didn't even want to think about it! However, there was one problem. Slade didn't know for certain how he had become Tekkaman Blastor in the first place. His memory was still fuzzy over that time and he had been unable to duplicate the transformation since then.
"Well Slade? Are you going to be reasonable and give me what I want or..." The scarlet fighter let his words trail off, letting his opponent fill in the blanks.
"Well, I hate to disappoint you, Saber..." Slade winced as he got back to his feet. His body was feeling aches and pains in places he never knew he had. "... but I can't give you what you want, since I don't know how I did it either."
"YOU LIE!"
"Whether you believe me or not, it's the truth."
"Fine then. Be that way." He then glanced over to where Duero and Barnette were standing, making them uneasy. "Perhaps if I slaughter your comrades, then you might become more willing to share."
In an instant, Saber turned and charged at the two with his lance thrust forward. He moved with such speed that Duero and Barnette had absolutely no time to defend themselves. They would have been skewered on the Tekkaman's weapon if Slade hadn't intervened.
"NO!"
Just was the point of the lance came close to puncturing Barnette, Slade let loose with a ki bolt, which knocked Saber off balance as it slammed into his side. However, the red warrior was only slightly stunned as he came to a stop and turned to face D-Boy. At that moment, the former Saotome leapt toward his foe and managed to grab hold of the shaft of Saber's weapon. Calling forth all the super-strength that he could muster, he tried to push his enemy back while calling out to his friends.
"GET OUT OF HERE NOW! HURRY!"
However, Saber had other ideas as he began pushing Slade back.
"Well now, Slade. It seems that you're not quite as helpless without your Tekkaman powers as I thought. That was quite a trick. You actually made me blink. Still, as you currently are, you are no match for me!"
Saber emphasized his point as he drove a knee into Slade's abdomen, then used his lance to knock him away. The Nirvana's Tekkaman went flying back and impacted heavily against a wall, causing a deep depression to form as the sides crumbled around him.
Saber then turned and causally began walking toward Barnette and Duero. "Now then, where were we? Oh yes, I was about to turn the two of you into bloody smears on the walls."
Barnette growled as she held up her weapon. "GO TO HELL!" The cavern was instantly flooded with the sounds of gunfire as the Dread pilot opened fire. Beside her, Duero also began shooting with his rifle.
However, the bullets were about as effective as throwing jelly beans as they flattened and bounced off the armor of their foe. Saber laughed as he continued to advance toward them. "Oh please! You've got to be kidding!" When he came within ten feet of them, he casually swung his lance at Duero, expecting his head to be sliced clean off his shoulders.
The doctor managed to think fast enough and held up his rifle while leaning backward. The edge of Saber's lance cut into the side of the physician's weapon, but the rifle just barely managed to stay in one piece. However, the impact caused the Tarak man to be sent sprawling backward more than fifteen feet. Duero landed hard on his back as he skidded back another ten feet.
Barnette began backing away while still firing at the cruel space warrior. However, she soon found herself backed against the wall and a moment later, her submachine gun was silent as she used up the ammunition in the clip. Before she could switch it for another magazine, Saber simply reached out and grasped the barrel of the gun, crushing the metal and plastic, rendering it useless.
Barnette immediately dropped the ruined weapon and reached for her most trusted sidearm, which was an ancient Calico pistol. However, Saber simply stood there and dared her to fire, which she did. She started shooting and kept on shooting. However, when the gun's slide came forward, indicating that it was empty, Jura's friend knew that she was in trouble. It was at that time that she truly knew what fear was. She took another few steps back, but stumbled when her left foot stepped into a small crevice. The girl went down and landed hard on her rear. She winced as she felt a sharp pain shooting up her leg from her ankle. Still, she desperately tried to keep her distance from him.
"Are you finished now?" Saber taunted as he continued to play with his prey.
Duero shook his head to clear it and saw that Barnette was in danger. He had suffered a small gash to his right temple, but now was no time to worry about it. He looked down at his rifle and noted that the outer protective casing had been cut through by Saber's lance, but the inner mechanisms and barrel had survived, meaning that the weapon was still functional. He picked up the weapon and staggered to his feet.
The Tarak standard assault rifle, the Gladiator Mark II, was based on a combination of designs from older models, some of which dated back to Earth's 20th and 21st centuries. It was built to be rugged and reliable, and could function in nearly all types of environments, even in space by using a special propellant that required no oxygen to ignite. It was relatively easy to maintain and could be mass-produced at low costs. At the front was a retractable, tempered titanium alloy bayonet, which was used for close-quarters combat. The gun fired a variable-type of ammunition. With a flick of a switch, it could convert the bullets into any kind of projectile the wielder desired. Some of the choices were tracers (TR), incendiary (IN), high explosive (HE), armor-piercing (AP) and an AP/HE combination.
Duero knew that none of those settings would be able to penetrate Saber's armor, but he had to act quickly, if he were to save Barnette. Looking up, he spotted a huge stalactite, which hung directly over Saber. Taking some quick calculations, and decided that the risk of a cave-in was acceptable, he flicked the selector switch to AP/HE and began firing. At the same time, he shouted out to get Saber's attention.
"SABER!"
Barnette saw that her end was imminent and she braced herself for the final, lethal blow.
The Tekkaman had his lance raised high in preparation to end Barnette's life, when he heard his name. Pausing in the Dread pilot's execution, he glanced over his shoulder and saw the doctor foolishly firing over his head. Then he heard the explosions and looked up.
"What?"
Barnette took this opportunity to scramble out of the way as a huge chunk of rock came crashing down on top of Saber, followed by several more tons of smaller rocks. In less than ten seconds, the red space warrior was buried under a mound that would have crushed a man to pulp. As Duero had calculated, he had brought down only enough of the cavern ceiling to temporarily stop Saber, without causing the rest to collapse on top of everyone else.
However, the doctor was not foolish enough to believe that something as trivial as being buried under crushing tons of limestone and granite would stop someone that could go one-on-one with Slade. The act had bought a momentary reprieve at best. Wasting no time, he rushed over to where Barnette had fallen and quickly examined her leg. Seeing that she had twisted her ankle, he immediately used the shiatsu techniques he had learned to deaden the pain, then slung her left arm over his right shoulder and let her lean against him, he helped her to stand.
Barnette was in state of shock over Duero's selfless actions. "You... saved me, Duero. I... mean..."
"We can talk about it later." The physician said as he hefted his medical kit and slung his rifle over his other shoulder. He then began hurriedly leading his patient to the entranceway. He paused to look back to where Slade was who was just now staggering to his feet.
At that moment, the pile of rubble began to shift.
"GET OUT OF HERE NOW! SAVE YOURSELVES!" Slade shouted as he prepared to release another ki bolt.
"WHAT ABOUT YOU?" Duero shouted back.
"I SAID GET GOING!" The warrior let loose with a blast at the ceiling, causing more rubble to fall, cutting himself off from his comrades and forcing them to abandon him.
Just as the two began making their way out of the mesa, Saber exploded forth from his prison of stone and faced off against Slade.
"So we're just going to leave him there?" Barnette asked as she hobbled along.
"Slade didn't give us a choice." Duero stated. "I didn't want to leave him either, but we wouldn't have stood a chance against Saber. You're injured and my patient's safety is my top priority as a doctor. The best we can do is to get out of here and get to our Vanguards. With Dita, Jura, and Pegas, we might be able to help Slade fight off that monster and..."
At that moment, the entire mesa shook as something deep within it exploded. The tunnel behind them began collapsing in on itself, and Duero found that he was too weighted down to run any faster. He had to make a decision and decided that his medical kit with its technological equipment was the most useless thing, and therefore was deadweight. Dropping the kit to the floor of the cavern, he moved his rifle over so that it would hang from his back, then swept a surprised Barnette off her feet.
"What the...?! What are you doing?! Put me down!"
Duero ignored her protests as he began sprinting as fast as he could, holding the girl close to his chest, so that if he fell, she would at least be shielded from falling debris with his own body. The girl in his arms began feeling a kind of strange warmth in her body and her cheeks reddened as her softer body was pressed up against the doctor's hardened, muscled chest.
Without the heavy medical kit from Mejele loading him down, the doctor was able to pull ahead of the chaos and it seemed that he and Barnette were home free. That is... until the path in front of them disappeared.
"WHOA!" Duero managed to stop himself and his patient from falling to their doom.
During their way into the maze of caverns, the group had to traverse a deep gorge and the only way across was by way of a narrow stone bridge. However, as the mesa began caving in on itself, the already crumbling natural structure broke apart and fell to the bottom some sixty feet down. Duero found himself cut off from the exit as there was now a twenty-five-foot gap that separated him and Barnette from freedom. Looking behind him, he saw that the cavern was fast breaking up behind him. Finding himself with another life-or-death situation, he made the only decision that was available. He backed as far as he could and tensed up.
Barnette became alarmed as she realized what Duero was intending to do. "Oh no! No! You are not going to... wait a minute!"
The doctor didn't even let her finish as he suddenly sprang forward and ran for the edge. As the falling debris came crashing down just inches behind them, Duero threw himself forward... and jumped.
Barnette screamed and instinctively looped her arms around Duero's neck. Her eyes were tightly shut as she knew that this was the end. However, an instant later, she felt a slight bump, then opened her eyes. She looked down and saw that Duero was still running... on solid ground! Looking over his shoulder, she saw the gorge rapidly getting smaller in the distance.
"We... made it?" Barnette looked back at Duero, who was giving her a small smile.
The physician mentally thanked his physical training at the academy, plus the sparring sessions with Slade, which had allowed him to make the jump, despite having Barnette in his arms. He just hoped that the Tekkaman would still be alive to receive his appreciation.
Outside of the mesa...
"What's going on?" Jura asked as she and Dita saw the entire mesa tremble and quake.
"Over there!" Dita cried out as she gestured with her Vanguard's hand toward the entrance. They were quite shocked to see Barnette being carried in Duero's arms. However, their attention turned back to the mesa as something exploded out from it like an ancient ICBM launching from its silo.
High above in the sky, Saber and his untransformed adversary grappled. Slade was battered, bruised, and cut in several places, as he had just barely been able to hold his own against his darker counterpart. Slade had superhuman strength, formidable hand-to-hand combat skills, and impressive ki abilities, but that still wasn't enough against the awesome power of a Tekkaman. Saber had the advantage in sheer raw power and the protection of his near impenetrable armor. Slade had bruised his knuckles on the metal and he was fading fast. Only by projecting his ki was he able to put up a decent fight, but he couldn't keep it up indefinitely.
At the moment, he had both hands gripped on Saber's right arm, in which his enemy was using to strangle Slade's throat. He began to feel consciousness slip away as the pressure increased.
"I must say that I'm impressed Slade. Even without transforming, you are quite the fighter. However, I'm growing bored of this, so why don't we end this? Just give me the secret of your evolution ability and I'll let you go."
Slade let off a gargled sound as he felt himself on the verge of blacking out. "I told you... I don't know! And even if... I did, I wouldn't tell a maniac like you!"
"Well then, I suppose I'll just have to find out the secret by RIPPING it out of you!"
On the ground...
"DITA! WAIT!" Jura cried out as Dita's Vanguard fired up its thrusters and took off. In addition to new power packs, Parfet's engineering team had outfitted the humanoid mecha with jet pods so that they could fly in atmosphere and maneuver better in space. They didn't have enough thrust to achieve escape velocity, so they still relied on their booster units to get into orbit. Only Pegas could get out into space on its own, due to its Paksis-enhanced systems.
"I'm going to help Mr. Alien!" Dita replied as she jetted toward the battle.
Pegas nodded as it too fired up its engines and took off. Jura followed suit.
Barnette started struggling in Duero's arms as she tried to get him to release her. "Will you put me down?! I have to get to my Vanguard and help them!"
Duero complied by setting her down, but shook his head. "With that injured ankle, you're in no condition to pilot a Vanguard into combat."
"What do you know?! You're just a man!" Barnette snapped as she started for her machine.
"I may be a man, but I am also your doctor!" Duero shot back in a firm tone. "And as your doctor, I am hereby grounding you!" He then reached out to grab her right arm and hold her back.
However, Barnette whirled about with her right hand which held her empty Calico pistol.
THWACK!
This took the Duero by surprise as he was still tired from carrying her. The butt end of the gun hit his right temple, near the wound he had received from Saber. This sent him reeling backward and caused more blood to be spilled. Barnette took the opportunity to go for her mecha.
"You can't stop me!" Barnette shouted back as she headed toward her machine. She winced as new pain shot up her leg, but she ignored the discomfort as she got into the cockpit and started up her Van-Type. In a few moments, she was airborne and heading straight for the enemy.
Duero shook his head and cursed a bit at himself for not stopping her. He then headed for his own Vanguard.
Up in the air...
"Last chance, Slade. Are you going to give me the secret or...?"
"LEAVE MR. ALIEN ALONE!"
Dita's Vanguard came roaring toward the two with pulse rifle aimed directly at Slade's tormentor.
However, Saber simply released his captive and let him plummet toward the ground as he dealt with his new opponent. He figured that he had more than enough time to destroy the Dread pilot and retrieve his prisoner before he came to the end of his one thousand meter fall.
Dita screamed as Saber easily dodged her rifle shots, then flashed by her machine. With one quick slash of his lance, the right arm and rifle were cut to pieces. Warning lights began to flash in her cockpit as her systems started rerouting power to deal with the damage. However, that was when Saber drove the point of his weapon through the chest area and into the cockpit, barely missing Dita's head by millimeters. The red-head screamed as she saw how close she had been to being skewered. As Saber withdrew his weapon, sparks began flashing and smoke appeared in her cockpit. As she saw the damage reports on her main screen, she knew that she had no hope of keeping her Vanguard aloft. Grabbing hold of the ejector lever, she pulled hard as her fighter began falling with a thick plume of smoke trailing from it. The top of the Vanguard blew open as emergency thrusters righted the machine long enough to eject its pilot.
Dita felt her spine being compressed a bit as the charges beneath her chair went off, propelling her out of her stricken fighter and into the sky. Automatic devices within the chair set forth straps which wrapped about her torso like a harness. Dita realized that she was now floating down toward the ground as a huge parachute emerged from the back of the seat and opened up above her. Her chair fell away and the pilot was safely on her way down. Below her, the damaged Vanguard kept on falling until it slammed into the desert sands with a tremendous explosion. Soon the wrecked mecha was nothing more than a burning mass of twisted metal and circuits.
While Saber was dealing with Dita, Slade had fallen about a third of the way down and seemed to be unconscious. Jura's Vanguard rocketed toward him to intercept. However, she had to match his rate of fall in order to catch him safely, or he would hit her Vanguard's outstretched hands at a velocity that would splatter him like a jar of strawberry jam. Unfortunately, as she neared her target, guess who would show up at that moment?
"Stay away! He's mine!"
Saber could have easily killed Dita as she floated helplessly toward the ground, but when he sighted Jura trying to take his prize, he immediately disregarded her and went to deal with the blonde Dread pilot.
Before Jura's mecha could catch the falling Slade, the crimson warrior passed by and severed both of her Vanguards limbs at the forearms. Slade's body passed her by and continued to plummet. Saber made a tight U-Turn and then went into a kamikaze dive toward the handless battle frame. Barnette's friend knew that she wouldn't survive the collision, so she reached down an pulled the ejection lever. She managed to eject in time before the red Tekkaman plowed through her Vanguard, turning it into a ball of flame and sending mangled parts flying everywhere.
Luckily for Slade, Pegas was still looking out for him. As Saber destroyed Jura's Vanguard, the Tekkabot managed to calculate an intercept course and matched its master's rate of fall. When Slade was about fifty feet from the ground, the loyal robot managed to make a catch and avoided hitting the ground by inches. Cradling the Nirvana's Tekkaman carefully in its arms, the Tekkabot made a safe landing and looked down at him, just as he was coming around.
"Ow... what... happened?"
"Pegas saved Slade." The automaton replied.
Slade shook his head to clear it, then looked up. To his horror, he saw two parachutes, indicating that a couple of the pilots had been shot down and were now easy targets. He also saw two more Vanguards engaging Tekkaman Saber. One of the machine was flying recklessly and he had a hunch as to who it was.
"YOU'LL PAY FOR WHAT YOU DID TO JURA!" Barnette screamed after she had seen her friend's machine go down. Though she knew that Jura was all right, she was still determined to make this bastard pay for what he had done to herself and her friend.
However, Saber was anything but frightened of his opponents. The Vanguards were nothing more than toys to him and after seeing that Slade had survived the fall, he decided that the faster he dispatched with these last two, then the sooner he could finish his business with him.
As he dodged Barnette's shots with ease, he decided to give her a taste of his true power. Jetting back to get some distance, he powered up the blisters on his torso armor and...
"NO!" Slade screamed as he saw what was about to happen.
"BARNETTE! LOOK OUT!" Duero shouted as he flew his mecha into Barnette's and tried to push her out of the way.
"ANTI-VOLTEKKER!"
Scarlet beams of energy lanced toward Barnette's Vanguard and would have vaporized her instantly, if Duero's machine hadn't managed to push her out of the way. However, it was not enough, as both Vanguards received a glancing shot of Saber's blasts and were sent hurtling toward the ground, hundreds of miles away.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Slade shouted as the last of his comrades were shot down. He didn't know if Duero or Barnette were alive or not, but swore that he was going to make Saber pay. He then realized that he was no longer within the caverns and near of those crystals, so that meant...
"IT'S PAYBACK TIME!" Slade leapt down out of Pegas' arms and held his crystal aloft. "TEKSETT- ARRGH!"
Once again, his body was racked by pain as energy surges tore though his very being. He fell to his knees and trembled as Saber landed some fifty feet from where he and Pegas were.
Saber chuckled as he noted that Slade had once again attempted to transform. "What's the matter, Slade? Still can't Tekset? Don't you think I would have prepared for all situations? There's no place on this world, in which you can become a Tekkaman!"
"W-What do you mean?"
Saber smiled behind his helmet as he began taking slow, measured steps toward him. "I mean that the crystals in those caverns weren't the only ones I had. After I had recovered from our last battle, I had come across a sizable deposit of those crystals in that mesa. By using some equipment from the wreckage of the Harvester mothership you had defeated, I secretly implanted special emitters, powered by those crystals, into several dozen meteoroids and other chunks of space debris. Those emitters have been activated and are now orbiting about the planet. This entire dust ball is now being continuously blanketed with a dampening field. The same disruptive energies you had felt in that mesa is being transmitted to every inch of this globe. And don't even think about trying to escape this world or getting help from your friends on the Nirvana. The emitters are also producing a force field which is keeping them out and us in. They are being continuously fed power by a secret generator and will be able to function for decades! Face it, Slade. You will be trapped here forever, unless you give me what I want!"
Slade gritted his teeth as Saber neared him. There seemed to be no way out and without his armor and Tekkaman powers, he was no match for his adversary. All seemed lost.
Damn it! If that bastard didn't have HIS Armor, then I would kick his sorry... wait a second! That's it! It's his armor which is protecting him from those crystals! He was able to transform because he hadn't turned on those emitters yet! He said that those energies didn't affect a transformed Tekkaman, so... that must mean that the armor must shield him from feeling those energies. Hmmm... if I can somehow get him out of his armor... or maybe, all I have to do is get one piece off him! Slade began eyeing the lance in Saber's hands as he continued to advance. Okay... I know from experience that my lance and his can pierce our armor, so... I'm going to have to gamble!
When Saber got within twenty feet of Slade, Pegas immediately came between them, ready to defend its master to the end.
Slade snorted as he held out his weapon. "Do you really think that piece of junk can stop me, Slade?"
As Saber prepared to attack, Slade made a hand gesture to his robotic partner. Over time, he had developed a series of secret signals for just such an occasion. Pegas caught the movement and signaled its acknowledgement, which was blinking its photoreceptors.
At that moment, Saber charged forward with his lance held out, ready to skewer the Tekkabot. At the last moment, Pegas hit its thrusters and created a huge amount of sand to be blown up as it rocketed upwards. Saber's lance narrowly missed the Tekkabot and while he was still charging, Slade made his move. Lunging forward, he ducked beneath the point of Saber's weapon and went right up to him while reaching out with his right arm, palm spread out. He released a full power ki bolt at point-blank range in Saber's face. At the same time, Pegas let loose with a concentrated laser bolt, striking precisely on Saber's helmet, catching him off guard and driving him back. This made him release his hold on his weapon for a moment and that's when Slade reacted.
Grabbing hold of the shaft, Slade pulled back far enough for the other end of the lance to come past Saber's midsection, shifted to one side, then thrust forward. The point punched through the armor, in the upper-left quadrant of the red Tekkaman's abdominal region, and into the softer tissue beneath.
Saber howled in rage and pain as his opponent had used his own weapon against him. The he began to feel a new kind of pain as he staggered back and pulled out his lance. Looking down at the wound that Slade had inflicted, he saw sparks of energy gushing forth, which began to spread out through his body. Saber began trembling and twitching in pain as he realized what Slade had done.
"How's it feel, Saber?" Slade taunted. "Those crystals sure do hurt with their disruption fields, don't they? As long as I don't try to transform, I won't feel them, but since you've now got a hole in your armor, then that means the fields are going to disrupt your energies, won't they?"
Saber started screaming in absolute agony as the energies continued to flow into him. Soon, it felt as if he was about to implode within his armor.
Slade smiled smugly. "How does it feel to have a taste of your own medicine? Now the way I see it, you have two choices. You can either transform back to your human form and be in the same situation as I am now, or you can turn off those emitters before your body is destroyed by the dampening fields that you set up!"
"C-Curse you, Slade! I WILL have my- ARRRRGGGGHHHH!"
"You better decide quick, Saber. The longer you stay as a Tekkaman with that damaged armor, the more painful it'll be!"
"WE... WILL... MEET... AGAIN... SLADE!" Saber gritted as he fired his thrusters and rocketed up toward the heavens.
Slade could only watch as the red Tekkaman became a distant dot in the sky and disappeared.
At that moment, Jura and Dita came running up to him after landing safely.
Saber was near imploding when he finally reached the barrier which surrounded the planet. The dampening field was tearing up his insides and he needed to get some distance before they caused irreparable damage to his body. However, he was not going to let Slade get away so easily. Instead of dropping the barrier and emitters as Slade had hoped, he only deactivated a small portion of the fields to allow him to pass, then reactivated them, trapping Slade and the others on that world until he recovered. He emerged from the barrier on the other side of the planet, so the Nirvana would not detect him. As such, the pirates were still cut off from their comrades and were unable to help.
As the setting of the world's three suns had begun, Slade looked toward the horizon in the direction of where he had last seen Duero and Barnette's Vanguards, as they were sent crashing to the ground. He hoped that they had indeed survived and were somewhere out there in that desolate wilderness. However, now was not the time. He had already told Jura and Dita to start salvaging whatever equipment, supplies, and materials they could from their downed Vanguards. They would have to build a shelter and soon, before the temperatures began to drop and the cold desert night began.
Some three hundred miles from where Slade and the others were...
Duero bit back the pain in his head, which was bandaged up, as he finished gathering whatever gear he could from his wrecked Vanguard. His medical satchel, which he had brought from Tarak, had survived the crash and was also filled with various survival supplies as well as medicinal. Unlike the Mejele kit, it was not loaded down with complex diagnostic and surgical devices. The instruments were simpler and perhaps considered crude, but Duero knew that he could trust them. They were not affected by the electromagnetic interference and were lightweight, which made for easier traveling.
He had also managed to get a hold of the spare Tarak assault rifle in Barnette's Vanguard, which had crashed some fifty meters away from his own. Barnette had been unaware that her Vanguard also contained the Tarak weapon, which was hidden within a compartment above the pilot's seat. Added to the rifle he had, plus several extra magazines and a gun maintenance kit, he was confident enough that they would be able to defend themselves from any of the dangers this world had to offer. And if they were anything like the fierce predators of Duero's homeworld, then they were going to need every last round.
Though he had grown used to eating solid foods, he was quite prepared to go back to pills again as he gathered about three days worth of Tarak rations. When these ran out, then he would have to... cross that bridge when he came to it.
Among the other things that he was able to salvage were several signal flares, some utensils for cooking and eating, flashlights, a large tarp, and so on. Whatever items he was missing to ensure survival, he would get creative. Seeing that there was no instruments on the Vanguards or in Barnette's so-called survival kit to light a simple fire, he began collecting some pieces of flint from the surrounding area and materials for kindling. When he scavenged Barnette's belongings, he found some flimsy material, which would burn well and get the fire started after he had collected enough wood from some of the brush that was nearby. Starting a campfire was crucial as night was fast approaching.
I certainly hope that she doesn't mind if I use these.
When he had gathered enough supplies and whatnot, he returned back to his Vanguard. There, Barnette lay unconscious on a blanket beneath a temporary lean-to, which Duero had quickly fashioned from support struts, cables, and a tarp. He would later build a tent after he had gotten a fire going.
After pulling Barnette from her downed fighter, Duero had quickly treated her wounds and applied some salves to prevent scarring on her skin, which he knew she detested. As of now, Barnette's injured ankle had been set and bandaged, and her right forearm was wrapped after she had received a large cut during the crash. She had also received numerous bumps and bruises, but her bodysuit had taken the brunt of the impacts and allowed her to survive. She was going to be sore for a few days, but she would live... for now.
The real question was, would they be able to live long enough to be rescued. Duero knew that it was a very dangerous world he was on. He had done some research on it before volunteering for the Away Mission. It was a harsh, unforgiving environment and only the strong survived. It was going to be... survival of the fittest. Duero was determined to prove that he was up to the challenge.
To be continued...
Preview...
Barnette: "My name is Barnette Orangello of Mejele. Men are inferior to us women in every way possible. Though Slade proved me wrong I still hold true to my beliefs about those of Tarak. Now my party's scattered about on this desert planet, and I'm stuck with the Doctor of all people! This is the worst moment of my life!"
Duero : "Come on, Barnette, we've got to find Slade and the others as quickly as possible!"
Barnette: "Think I don't know that!? And who made you boss!? How do you even know where to start looking!?"
Slade: "I hope the others are all right. I'm lucky Dita and Jura didn't get separated."
Jura: "We'd better turn in for the night."
Dita: "Yeah! Let's get some sleep!"
Slade: "I REALLY wish I had enough material to make a bigger tent…"
Barnette: "Next time, on TekkaDread Remastered: 'Survival of the Fittest part 2'."
Duero: "Barnette! Look out!"
Barnette: "What!? KKKYYAAAAAAA!"
Author's Notes
Whoa! Was that a LONG one! In any case, part one draws to a close, and if you readers haven't already figured it out, this will be a mainly a Duero/Barnette storyline. Duero has always been my favorite Vandread character as he reminds me of Dr. McCoy and Spock from Star Trek. He's got the medical savvy of Bones, and the calm, cool attitude of the Vulcan First Officer.
There's going to be a lot of interactions between the characters, but especially between the doctor and our man-hating Dread pilot. Barnette may come from a world in which the people enjoy the benefits of advanced technology, but she's soon going to learn that Tarak isn't something to scoff at. Those men had to learn how to survive, without the advantages of technology, and Duero is going to give her some lessons in the basics. She'll find herself like a fish out of water and she may even come to appreciate the lessons that Duero will impart to her. She might even come... to appreciate the man himself. (Nudge, nudge, wink, wink)
I'm also going to explore the childhoods of both Duero and Barnette as they begin to open up to each other. I will also talk about the differences between life on Tarak and Mejele as these two will find that they actually have some things in common. Who knows? Parfet might just find herself with some competition. I just love multiple triangles, don't you?
Don't worry though. I haven't forgotten the star of this fanfic and we will also be seeing interactions between Slade, Dita and Jura and learn that there's more beneath the surface than meets the eyes. Saber will return to make our hero's life more miserable and there will be plenty of action as well. See you in part 2.
(1) Way back in Tekkadread the First Stage Ch.5
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