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 if you want me to disclaim, then I will. Ranma 1/2, Vandread and Tekkaman Blade are figments of some one else's imagination and this fic is a figment of mine.
italics: Thoughts
Chapter 18 Part 2
Survival of the Fittest
The Nirvana...
"Is there any way at all that we can get through that barrier?" Magno asked as the pirate vessel remained in its orbit above the planet that Slade and the others were trapped on.
"Not that I can see." Ezra replied as she read the latest readouts on the shield that encircled the world below. "There's just no way we can penetrate it from the outside. We can't scan beyond it due to the interference. I can't even begin to guess where the generator that is supplying the power is located. It could be virtually anywhere on the planet."
The aged captain sighed as she considered her options. For the last four hours, they had been trying to contact their comrades below, but with no luck. In addition to blocking any attempt to land on the surface, the barrier also deflected all forms of communication and scanning frequencies, rendering it impossible for the Nirvana's crew to locate their missing members. They couldn't even tell if they were alive nor dead, but they refused to abandon them. All they could do at the moment was wait... and pray.
The Engineering Section...
"There's just got to be a way to get through that shield." Parfet said as she continued to study the problem on her console. After learning about the situation, she had put all of her time and effort to finding a solution to the dilemma. The Nirvana could not afford to lose Slade or anyone else at this point in their journey. She was especially concerned over the safety of one man from Tarak.
"You should get some rest, Ma'am." One of the engineering staff said with concern as she handed her superior a cup of tea. "You'll run yourself into the ground at this rate."
"I can't stop now!" Parfet said as she waved off the tea, not taking her eyes off the console's display of the force-field. "Not while Duero's trapped down there!"
"Excuse me?"
Parfet's cheeks blushed a bit as she realized what she had just said. "Er, I mean, I can't stop while our friends are trapped on that planet! There's GOT to be a way through that shield! I just know there is!"
"I don't know, Ma'am. That barrier looks pretty impenetrable." The assistant said. "I mean, its readings are about equal to Tekkadread Jura's, and the only thing we know of that can break that kind of energy is an amplified Anti-Voltekker. We can't produce that kind of power, since we still don't fully understand the Tekkaman Power Process."
Parfet nodded as she remembered the last time the pirates had encountered Saber.
"And we can't continuously fire at it." The aide added. "That barrier will reflect our shots right back at us, at ten times their intensity."
It was then that Parfet noticed some discrepancies in the energy wavelength patterns in the barrier. As she began clicking in some new data into her console, her thoughts started drifting back to images of a certain someone who worked in the Sick Bay and wondered if he was doing all right.
He's still alive down there! I just know it! Duero isn't the kind of man who just gives up!
The planet's surface...
I give up!
Duero sighed as he realized that his efforts to make a crude compass had been doomed to failure. The principal was simple enough and he had the materials to make such a device. He had taken a steel sliver of metal and magnetized it, using a magnetic coupling from the wreckage of his Vanguard. He had also constructed a pivot point, using a glass beaker of water from his medical kit, and a cork from one of his test tubes to float the needle on. However, as soon as he tried it out, the needle pointed in several directions, indicating that the magnetic fields of the planet were erratic and unreliable to be used for determining direction. He dumped the contents of the beaker out and replaced the container and the cork back into his satchel.
I guess I'm going to have to rely more on my instincts. Technology can't help us much here. He remembered back to when he had checked his high-tech medical equipment and how off their calibrations were. The EM interference had made most electronic devices either reduced in function or useless. However, that didn't mean that the good doctor was helpless. Long before he was well acquainted with the wonders of science and technology, he had been taught the value of relying on one's own abilities.
He began remembering back to the words that his Prime had told him when he was six...
Flashback...
"Remember these words, my son. Though technology is a wondrous thing and has proven itself to very useful, it can NEVER replace the gifts that you were born with. Your hands and feet are your most reliable allies, while your brain is your greatest weapon. Technology is merely an extension of these things and can fail you. When all is said and done, technology is nothing without your gifts."
"What do you mean?" A young Duero asked.
"What good is a weapon without a hand to wield it? What is a computer without someone to operate it? How does a spaceship fly if there is no one in the pilot's chair?"
"But we've got automatic machines and things like that. They don't need people to work them."
"True, but who do you think BUILT those machines? How about programming their systems or repairs them when they break down? It all comes right back to the human factor. It was through our ideas and our hands, which these things came into being. And even when your own hands become withered and useless, your legs become too weak to for you to stand, and your mind begins to wander with old age, your very spirit can carry you through. If you have the will to survive, to keep going, when all else fails, then there is NOTHING you cannot accomplish."
End of Flashback...
Duero nodded as he began thinking about the present and the future. His first priority was to keep his patient warm throughout the cold desert night.
Barnette lay on the makeshift bed he had made after tending to her injuries. At present, she had come out of her unconscious state and had drifted off in a deep slumber. The healer had already checked for broken bones and any signs of internal injuries from the crash. Fortunately, other than her previously twisted ankle (which he had realigned), a large cut on her right arm, and some superficial bruises and abrasions, she was no worse for wear and her vital signs were good. The new flight suit had done its job, though Duero made a note to ask Parfet to construct helmets for Vanguard pilots when they returned to the Nirvana.
Seeing that the campfire wouldn't be enough to keep Barnette from freezing, especially since the temperature had begun to drop more rapidly during the setting of this world's three suns, Duero began rummaging about the salvaged supplies. He nodded as he found another large tarp and some metal support rods taken from the wreckage of his Vanguard. Grabbing some lengths of cable and disengaging the bayonet from his assault rifle, he began fashioning a shelter to protect himself and the girl from the elements.
Twenty minutes later...
It looks like I still remember the survival skills from my Spirit Trial.
The physician nodded as he assessed his handiwork. The tent was not pretty, but it was well-built and would provide the protection he and Barnette needed as they slept through the night. The makeshift shelter would be easy to assemble and disassemble, and was light enough to carry. Who knows how long they were going to be stranded here?
After completing the tent and placing his patient in it, Duero then wrapped the girl in as much materials he could find to keep her warm. He had purposely left her clothed in her flight suit as it would act as an extra layer of insulation. Before turning in for the night himself, he had stowed all the supplies and survival gear in two large backpacks, which he had fashioned from leftover canvas and cord. After making certain that the fire he had made would burn through the night, thereby providing warmth and keeping this planet's wildlife away, he went into the tent and prepared to settle down for the night. Laying the two backpacks off to one side and his rifle and medical satchel within easy reach, Duero lay down beside Barnette and tried to get some sleep. However, with a very attractive female no more than a foot away, the Tarak man found it quite difficult to fall into a slumber.
In the Nirvana's Sick Bay, he had examined many females and had seen them without their clothes. However, he had always remained professional and had never had any reaction to their naked bodies as he treated injures and illnesses. Now, it was... different. He wasn't thinking about being a doctor and his gaze kept on drifting back to Barnette's motionless form. He couldn't help but... admire the softer and gentler lines of her face, unlike the hardened visages of his fellows on Tarak. She seemed to be so... peaceful as her chest rose and fell at a normal rate. His thoughts then strayed back to when he was treating her wounds and he had marveled at how soft her skin was and its milky-white complexion. For the men of his home world, most were tanned due to the harsh rays of the sun. His heart seemed to beat at a slightly erratic rate, whenever he thought about the curves on her body and...
Duero shook his head. Just why was he feeling this way about her? Barnette had been hostile to him since he had come aboard the Nirvana, but he couldn't help but notice the fire in her eyes and admire her strength of will. If not for her gender, her tough-as-nails attitude would have been welcomed on Tarak.
What is it about females that fascinates me so? And why Barnette? Is this what Slade meant about the ancient relationship between males and females? Is it even right for me to THINK of Barnette in this fashion? And why do I feel that I'm hurting Parfet whenever I think about Barnette like this?
Duero shook his head again and then heard his stomach rumbling. He realized that he had not eaten since the crash, and that it would be too much trouble to go rummaging about the packs for the Tarak rations. He decided that he could wait until morning to eat, and figure out a way to increase their food and water supplies.
I wonder how Slade and the others are doing?
Speaking of whom...
"You don't expect us to eat this, do you?" Jura asked as she looked down at her dinner and grimaced. She and her comrades were currently sitting around a campfire. Behind them was a large tent in which Slade had built with salvaged materials from the burned-out wreckages of the two Vanguards and the parachutes the girls had used when they had ejected. Standing nearby on watch was Pegas.
Both girls had been more than impressed with Slade's camping skills, in which he had constructed a shelter and built a campfire within twenty minutes, ensuring that they would have decent protection from the cold desert night. The Tekkaman had always wondered why he was so skilled at living off the land during his planet-hopping days. He couldn't remember where he had learned how to survive in the wild, but the techniques in building a tent and lighting a fire seemed to be ingrained into him.
"Ewww!" Dita winced as she remembered the last time she had tasted this kind of food.
Slade shrugged as he calmly munched down on his plate of Tarak food pills. The Mejelian rations that both girls had brought with them had burned up when their Vanguards were sent crashing into the desert. The only edible things (barely edible at that) were the Tarak rations that had been stored in reinforced compartments in the cockpits.
"Sorry girls, but we're going to have to make do with what we have, at least until morning. I should be able to get some decent food by then... unless something comes along tonight."
"What are you talking about?" Jura asked as she stared disgustedly at her plate.
At that moment, they all heard a snapping sound, followed by a rustle. Both girls reached for their sidearms as Slade tensed up and listened. He smiled as he realized what the sound was and motioned for the two females to relax. Then he stood up and walked off in the direction of the noise.
"What is it, Mr. Alien?" Dita asked.
Slade smirked as he replied without glancing back at her. "If I'm not mistaken, you girls can put those pills back into their container for later."
Both girls were in a state of puzzlement, but were glad to pour the contents of their plates back into the rations box. A minute later, Slade emerged from the darkness with something slung over his right shoulder and hanging behind his back.
"What's that?" Jura asked.
Slade smiled as he replied. "Dinner."
"Really?!" Both exclaimed as they leaned forward to see what he had. ANYTHING was better than those awful Tarak food pills!
That was when Slade showed them a huge, ugly lizard that had six legs with a long, slimy tongue dangling out of its mouth. Its head was crushed and its eyeballs were dripping fluid onto the ground. The eyeballs were dangling from their optic nerves.
The results were predictable.
"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK!"
"I am NOT eating that!" Jura said for the umpteenth time as Slade continued to roast the oversized alien iguana on a spit over the fire.
Dita was also a bit squeamish as she watched in morbid fascination. She had prepared raw meat before, but this...
"Suit yourself. You can go back to those pills if you like." Slade hummed to himself as he prepared the meat. After killing the beast with one blow and gutting it of its innards, including what he had correctly guessed as venom sacs, he had begun cooking the thing. "However, I've got to warn you that you really don't have the option to be choosy. Besides, it's not like I haven't done this before, and when you cook lizard just right... it tastes like chicken."
Ten minutes later...
"You sure you two don't want any?" Slade asked as he wolfed down a large portion of the lizard meat.
Dita couldn't bring herself to answer as she watched Slade eat. She couldn't believe that Mr. Alien was actually eating that... thing.
As for Jura, she had her back turned and had managed not to throw up at the sight. Although she had gotten very hungry at this point, her pride refused to let her give in to her natural urges to eat either the lizard or those pills.
"How... can you DO that?!"
Slade shrugged. "What? You mean eat? Oh it's very simple. You open your mouth, put the food in, chew, and then you swallow. Do it enough times and your stomach stops complaining for a while."
"That isn't what I meant!" Jura said with some irritation as she turned about and faced him. She was beginning to wonder why she even considered him for an ohma for her children.
Slade's expression softened a bit as he nodded. "Yeah, I know. I was just trying to make a joke and lighten the mood, but I guess I'm not much of a comedian. In answer to your question, I'm simply following the laws of nature, and let me tell you something; nature can be real cruel at times. Take it from someone who knows."
"What do you mean, Mr. Alien?" Dita asked.
"I mean that if you stay away from civilization and all of its trappings long enough, sooner or later nature will strip you down and expose you for who and what kind of a person you truly are. It's something that you can't resist, but you can work with it, if you are willing. I'm not going to lie. Let's face it, our situation right now isn't good. We can't escape this planet because the Vanguards are wrecked, and that damned barrier is keeping us in and the Nirvana out. I can't transform and we are missing two of our group. Just about all of our technology is useless from the EM interference, except for Pegas, and his systems aren't working at 100%. And I suspect that we haven't seen the last of Saber. He might just return to finish the job that he started."
"Then we're doomed! It's all over! We're all going to die here! Without any technology, we're as good as dead!" Jura said as her body shook with despair and fear. A moment later, she ran off into the darkness.
"JURA!" Slade cried out as he began running after her. He momentarily addressed Dita. "Stay here!" He then gave a quick command to Pegas to guard Dita and the campsite.
As he left, Dita looked back at the lizard that was still roasting on the spit. Her stomach growled as the scent of cooking meat continued to waft past her nose.
"GO AWAY! LEAVE ME ALONE!" Jura said half-sobbing as she continued to run.
However, the Tekkaman was faster as he caught up to her and grabbed her by the shoulders. "JURA! LISTEN TO ME!"
"NO! LET GO OF ME!"
The blonde pilot continued to struggle, trying to get free of his grip. However, since Slade was far stronger than any normal man, her attempts were futile. However, she still persisted.
"Jura, calm down and listen!"
"NO! THERE'S NOTHING MORE TO SAY! THERE'S NO HOPE! I'D RATHER DIE FAST THAN ROT SLOWLY IN THIS HELL!"
"We're not dead yet, Jura. Now will you please calm down and let me..."
"NO! LET ME GO! JUST LET ME DIE NOW AND-"
Damn! Well... it worked before.
Jura was immediately spun around and before she knew it...
"MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMPPPPPPPPHHHHHHHHHFFFFF!"
In an instant, her body temperature rose as her heart rate accelerated and her legs felt weak as her lips were once again pressing up against Slade's. Her struggles immediately ceased as the osculation deepened. Finally, the space warrior broke the kiss and gazed into Jura's emerald eyes while giving her a determined look, though he was a bit shaken himself.
"Now listen up Jura. Just because I said that things look bad, doesn't mean that you should give up, because I certainly haven't!"
"W-What?"
"That's right. I'm not going to give up, because I have faith."
"F-Faith?"
"Yeah. I have faith that we WILL find Barnette and Duero. I have faith that we WILL get off this planet and back to the ship. Most of all, I have faith in myself, Dita... and you."
"M-Me?"
"Yeah. When I first met you, I thought that you were a selfish, vain, egotistical, fame-hungry twit."
Jura felt a twinge of anger rise, but then Slade said...
"However, in time, I also found out that you are a courageous and beautiful person, both inside and out. You can be depended on when the chips are down, and I do know that sometimes you may act all high and mighty, but that's because you're insecure. And I know that you can get scared. That's only natural."
"It... is?"
The Tekkaman nodded as he began leading her back to camp. "Sure. This is probably your first time without the things that you've taken for granted, right? Well I do know what that's like. Before I hooked up with the Nirvana, I had to do without a lot of things during my travels. However, I didn't let that stop me from going on. I just thought of it as a kind of training."
"Training?"
"Yeah, and I'm pretty sure that you and Dita can get through this as well. I've managed to survive all this time, and I believe you can as well. If I didn't have faith, then I wouldn't have let you or Dita come along on this mission. You are strong, Jura. You can do this. I know you can. And I'll be right here to teach you what you need to know."
"You will?"
"Scout's honor."
"Huh?"
"It's just a saying that I picked up somewhere. However, I have to warn you, it's NOT going to be easy. I'm not going to lie to you. You will have to WORK to survive down here. There will be some things that you will have to accept and some things that you may have to give up in order to get through this. Do you understand?"
"You mean... like eating that... thing?" Jura shuddered a bit.
Slade nodded as they neared the camp. "First rule of nature. You either eat to live, or you die and be eaten. I won't force that meat or those pills down your throat, but keep in mind that food is a very precious commodity here, second only to water, and even the most distasteful of things can mean the difference between dying and seeing the next day."
When they came upon the campfire, the blonde was surprised to see Dita eating from a plate of lizard meat. Beside her was another plate of food.
The redhead smiled up from her seat. "Hey Mr. Alien! You were right! It DOES taste like chicken! Jura, you should have some!"
Barnette's friend blanched a bit as she was offered the plate, but remembering back to what Slade had told her, and given a reassuring smile from the Tekkaman, she decided that it wouldn't hurt to try it. Gingerly, she reached out, picked up a morsel, gazed upon it for a long moment, then after making a silent prayer, popped it into her mouth and began to chew.
She was very surprised when the flavor reached her taste buds. The meat DID seem like chicken, with a sharp, but delightful aftertaste. It was moist, but lacked the oily sensation that usually occurred when roasting fowl. After swallowing the first piece, she took the plate and began consuming another morsel, followed by another, then another. Before she realized it, Jura had eaten the entire plate within 5 minutes.
Slade smiled. These girls were going to be all right.
Later that night...
Slade winced and squirmed a bit as both Jura and Dita snuggled up to him, who moaned softly in their sleep. The Tekkaman was sandwiched between the two and right now, his control over his libido was strained to its absolute limit. To them, he was just a big, cuddly, teddy bear.
Despite the fact that there was a large fire burning outside and a salvaged heater unit inside the tent, the two females still moved toward the closest source of heat, namely his hard-muscled body. Jura giggled a bit as her left hand unconsciously traced his pectorals, and then she mumbled in her sleep.
"MMMMMMM... nice... hard..."
On his other side, Dita was also talking in her sleep as she gripped Slade's right arm with such pressure that it threatened to cut off his circulation.
"Oh... Mr. Alien!"
Then, almost at the same time, each girl began moving one hand down south and...
"AAAARRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGHHHHHH!"
It was going to be a VERY long night.
Duero was also in a state of agitation as his patient had suddenly rolled over, and her right leg and arm were draped over him. Then Barnette started to talk in her sleep. It became apparent that she was deeply involved in a dream.
"Mmmmm... have you been working out, Jura? You're so hard. It's okay, though. I think muscles are SEXY!"
What is she talking about? The cool and collected physician thought. He tried to gently pull away, but the girl simply tightened her grip and pulled him closer.
"Don't be such a tease, Jura! You KNOW what I want!"
Want what? What is she talking about? Duero began to feel a bit on edge.
"Come on, Jura! Don't tell me that you're not in the mood."
Mood? WHAT MOOD?!
"Don't say that you don't want this." Barnette reached over and grabbed one of Duero's hands, placing it on top of her left breast. She began moving it about, making Duero REALLY tense. What surprised him even more was that after a few seconds, his hand began squeezing and rubbing against it on its own. He found himself marveling at how firm, yet pliable her bosom was and how that hard nub seemed to be getting harder...
WHAT AM I DOING?!
"Mmmmm... that feels WONDERFUL!"
Come to think of it... it does feel... pleasant and... What the?!
It was then that Barnette's hand went downtown...
WHOA! Duero had just barely managed not to scream, as he scrambled away, waking Barnette up in the process.
The brunette moaned a bit in pain as she slowly rose to a sitting position. Naturally, she was disoriented from her injuries and couldn't see much in the dark. That is, until Duero used a small flashlight he pulled from one of his trenchcoat pockets. The Dread pilot noticed that the physician was a bit agitated and was in the process of calming down. She wondered why he was in such a state. And why was she feeling... cheap?
"Oh... where am I? What... happened?"
Duero took several calming breaths, using Slade's methods of regaining one's mental focus. When he came back to his old self, he paused for a long moment, and spoke.
"I'm glad you're finally awake."
A few minutes, and one abridged explanation later...
"We're stranded on this planet?" Barnette asked in disbelief.
"That's about the long and short of it." Duero replied. "Both of our Vanguards were damaged beyond repair during the crash, and we've lost all contact with the Nirvana, as well as the rest of the landing party. Nearly all of our electronic gear was destroyed or rendered useless, probably due to the EM interference, though I have a feeling that Saber may have done something as well."
Barnette's eyebrows furrowed as she tried to recall what had happened. However, a red light striking her Vanguard was the only thing that she could remember when she had charged Saber, and then... nothing.
Duero noted her agitation and confusion as he began filling in the gaps. "You almost died when you went up against Saber..."
Flashback to a few hours before...
"BARNETTE! BARNETTE! CAN YOU HEAR ME? YOU'VE GOT TO EJECT!"
Duero watched in horror as her Vanguard tumbled end over end as it continued to fall toward the ground. The glancing blast they had received from Saber's Anti-Voltekker had sent them hurtling hundreds of miles away, but Duero managed to gain control of his machine's descent and was using his thrusters to keep the mecha upright as it plummeted. However, Barnette's spun chaotically like a flailing skydiver who had lost his parachute, and the doctor realized that she was either unable to control her fighter, was unconscious or... dead.
Quickly using his sensors to scan her mecha, he was relieved to detect life signs, but at lower rates. This indicated that Barnette was injured but alive. However, with the ground fast approaching, Duero knew that he had to act fast to save her.
Ejecting from his failing machine and leaving her to crash was not an option. Since it was obvious that Barnette couldn't eject to safety, he would have to make certain that she landed with the least amount of impact as possible. Though various warning lights were blinking all over his console, he fired off his back thrusters at full throttle, in an attempt to catch up with Barnette's Van-Type. With less than one hundred meters to the desert sands, Duero's fighter grabbed onto Barnette's and held it close. Twisting around so that his machine was between her and the ground, he fired off his back thrusters at maximum and braced for impact.
Duero's machine landed hard on its back and startled skidding across the desert. Barnette's machine slammed down onto Duero's Vanguard, and the doctor felt as if he was the filling of a steel sandwich. However, his efforts to save her were not in vain, as he had slowed her down enough for her mecha to land intact. Barnette's Van-Type made a horrid screeching noise as it slid off the chest of Duero's and continued to travel an additional seventy feet across the desert before finally coming to a halt, rolling onto its back and propped up against a sand dune. Duero's machine came to a stop some fifty feet beside hers.
The physician let off a sigh of relief, but knew that he still had to get Barnette out of her fighter immediately. Reaching upwards, he grabbed hold of the emergency escape lever and pulled, causing the top portion of the cockpit to be blown off, without activating the ejection seat. Scrambling out of his Vanguard, he looked about and saw that Barnette's downed fighter was beginning to emit smoke and sparks. He started smelling fuel and realized that she was just moments away from being incinerated.
Damn! I've got to get her out of there before it blows! Looking down at his cockpit, he immediately kicked out one of the emergency panels, exposing a small fire-extinguisher. Reaching down, he pulled the device out, jumped down to the ground, and sprinted towards Barnette's Bangatta. Climbing up on the body of the humanoid fighter, he made his way to the chest area. The metal was heating up and the physician used the extinguisher's fire retardant foam to cool it down. When he found the emergency hatch release, he gave it a sharp pull. Gears groaned in protest as the chest split open to reveal an unconscious Dread pilot. There were various metal frame support rods that had been bent around her body, possibly during the crash, which formed a kind of cage, trapping her inside the cockpit.
Duero knew that he had perhaps fifteen to twenty seconds before the Vanguard exploded, and he couldn't bend or break those rods to free her in time. Then he looked at the top of the cockpit and remembered that there was a certain something inside a hidden panel that could help. Throwing away the extinguisher, he reached up and undid the latch. The panel swung down, revealing a Tarak assault rifle. Quickly grabbing it, he saw that it was fully loaded and ready to fire. Moving the selector switch to AP (armor-piercing), he then aimed carefully and fired.
BLAM! BLAM! BLAM! BLAM!
Four shots later and the moorings of the support rods fell away, letting Barnette's limp body slump forward. Throwing the rifle far off to his right, he leaned into the cockpit and pulled the girl out of her seat. Slinging her over his shoulder, Duero prepared to make a break for it. That was when he heard a warning sound from the cockpit, which he instantly recognized as the internal fire alarm. Explosion was imminent. Duero jumped down to the ground and ran as fast as he could with Barnette slung over his shoulder like a gunny sack. With adrenaline pumping, he managed to get about twenty-one yards from the craft before it went up in a ball of flame. Tarak engineers had designed the Van-Types to self-destruct within a contained explosion of forty yards in diameter. Duero and Barnette had just made it.
The doctor collapsed face-first on the desert sands, letting Barnette roll onto her back beside him. He then looked back to where he and Barnette had narrowly escaped death. The Bangatta burned like a Tarak funeral pyre, and the healer was glad that it wasn't theirs.
End of flashback...
Barnette was in a state of total shock as Duero finished with his tale.
"After the Van-Type had burned itself out, I started gathering as much materials and supplies as I could. Luckily, the storage units of your Vanguard were intact, so I got a hold of some rations and survival gear. Along with the things I got from my fighter, I set up camp and... well, here we are." Duero had purposely left out what had happened before his patient had awakened.
"I... don't know what to say." Barnette began as she realized that Duero had again risked his own life to save hers. "I... wouldn't be here now if it weren't for you."
Duero gave her a lopsided smile, then shrugged. "It's all right. As a doctor, it's my duty to ensure the safety of my patient above my own. Furthermore, you're a very capable Dread and Vanguard pilot. The Nirvana cannot afford to lose you. We're comrades on this journey and it's been my policy never to abandon a friend. Besides, you would have done the same for me. Now we better get some rest. We've got a long day ahead of us."
Barnette became shaken at Duero's words as he lay himself down to sleep, with his back turned to her (of course). Long after the healer had drifted off to sleep, the girl was still wide-awake as she kept on hearing Duero's words in her head.
You would have done the same for me... Would I have really have done what he did? Barnette remembered back to what he had done, which included dropping a stalactite on Saber's head, carrying her out of a collapsing mesa, pushing her out of the way of Saber's Anti-Voltekker, and if his story was true, cushioning her mecha during the crash, and pulling her out of her exploding Vanguard. To think that she now owed a man her life FIVE times! And what did she do to repay him? The girl winced as she remembered hitting him with the butt of her pistol. She started to feel a little guilty, and made a note to apologize in the morning.
Early morning...
Duero awoke just before the rising of the first sun, and walked out of the tent. The skies were clear and the air was still cool, but the Tarak man knew that it was going to get very hot, and soon. He had to be mentally and physically prepared, especially since he had someone who was going to depend heavily upon him.
Barnette was a strong individual and was in good physical condition, but she was without the technology that she spoke highly of during her last examination. She had absolutely no experience in dealing with harsh climates such as this desert world, and it was even harder to face with no technological edge. She was going to need all the help that he could provide.
Living all his life on Tarak, Duero was well aware of the dangers that they would face, and without any scientific aid, he would have to use the survival skills and knowledge he had learned in his youth. Food, protection from the heat, and especially water, were top priority and considering how little they had for provisions, he was going to have to be... creative.
Taking a deep breath, he began focusing his mind and body for the trials that lay ahead of them. He took a ready stance, then began a series of practice katas to work out the stiffness in his body and prime himself. He had been training in the martial arts with Slade for two months, and had begun ki manipulation a mere fortnight ago. The Tekkaman had been impressed with Duero's progress and it was apparent that the doctor had some considerable hidden talent.
As the first sun peeked out over the horizon, Duero noted its position, and remembered back to the data he had scanned about the planet, before he had embarked on the rescue mission, which had become a test for survival.
At that moment, Barnette awoke and emerged slowly from the tent. She was glad to be feeling no pain, and had to admit that the doctor had done an excellent job in tending to her injuries. At that moment, she noticed a soft blue light flickering just outside the makeshift shelter. As she peeked out from behind the entrance, her eyes widened as she beheld Duero.
Throughout most of her life, she had steadfastly believed that men were uncouth, clumsy, and crude creatures that didn't understand the concepts of subtlety and grace as women did. Of course, she had been proven wrong time and time again, when Slade started demonstrating skills such as singing, playing music, and even COOKING! Now she was further astonished to see a man from Tarak move with... elegance.
Barnette became mesmerized, as she followed each of Duero's movements as he continued to go through his morning exercises. His lean and well-toned body was like a predatory cat's, swift and fluid, yet hinting at raw power that was just waiting to be unleashed. His punches and kicks were similar to what she had seen with Slade during his training sessions, and correctly guessed that the physician had been taking lessons from him. Apparently, he was a quick study, as he mimicked many of the complex maneuvers with little to no difficulty. She also noted that he was doing it all while keeping his eyes closed. What caught her attention the most was that every now and then, a thin shimmer of pale blue light would surround him, highlighting his form against the light of the first sun, which was the red giant.
The Dread pilot's heartbeat began to increase in rhythm and she wondered why she... liked seeing him in motion. She angrily fought down those feelings. This was not how a woman from Mejele should act! The very concept of a male being even remotely attractive to a female was ridiculous! On her home planet, she would have been considered insane for even thinking of such a thing.
However, she kept on watching him, not saying a word for fear that it might interrupt the raw elegance of the scene.
Duero already knew that he had an audience. His sessions with Slade had heightened his sense of awareness of his surroundings, but he kept his eyes closed as he neared the end of his katas. The physician had found that the practice motions were excellent ways to gain mental and spiritual focus, as well as limber up one's body for the day. Finally, as the red giant was just clearing the horizon and the temperature slowly started to rise, he ended his exercises in a wide-legged stance with his hands held out in front of him as if praying. His aura gave off a final flash of light before he opened his eyes and looked back at Barnette.
The test of survival had begun.
Meanwhile...
"Aw, c'mon Mr. Alien! We SAID we were sorry!" Dita pleaded as Slade continued to work in silence on Pegas. His back was turned to both girls, who were now dressed in their regular clothes.
The Tekkaman took a deep breath, then sighed as he turned to face them. "I told you before to forget about last night. I'm not angry with either of you, but I DON'T want to talk about it! Now did you take stock of what we have to work with?"
Jura nodded. "We managed to pull the homing beacon out of Dita's Vanguard. It's still working, but it's not being received by the Nirvana. It's probably because of that barrier Saber put up."
Dita nodded. "We've gotten all the survival gear from my Vanguard and Jura's, though there wasn't much of it left that we could salvage. Saber really did a number on it when he crashed into it."
"How about food and water?"
"Well... if you count those pills as food, we've got maybe seven to ten days worth. As for water, we've only got enough for three days at best."
"You will be able to cook another lizard for us tonight, right?" Jura asked hopefully. "You'll be able to get us some more water too, won't you?"
Slade was a bit surprised that Jura was now willing to consume alien iguanas, since the night before she was unwilling to go near one. He nodded as he replied, "I'm pretty sure I could scrounge up one or two, but you better be prepared to eat those pills. I know those things taste like crap, but believe me, eating them is LOT better than slowly starving to death. The men of Tarak have been eating them all their lives and they're fine."
"What about water?" Dita inquired.
"Well... I've seen a few green plants so there's got to be some sources of water around here. Before we left the Nirvana, the doc and I looked at the preliminary scans of this planet, and found that there were a few hidden springs and oasis scattered about the area we're in. However, they're pretty far off and would probably take about a day or two to reach them on foot."
"We don't have to!" Jura insisted. "We've got Pegas and he could fly us to them! In fact, we can use Pegas to go look for Duero and Barnette!"
"Whoa! Slow down there. I've got some bad news for you about Pegas." Slade interjected. "I did a full-systems check on him and Pegas is nowhere near working at 100%. The EM interference is messing up his navigational systems as well as his energy sensors. We'd be flying blindly all over the desert looking for Duero and Barnette. And then there's that barrier and dampening field of Saber's. Not only is the field stopping me from transforming, but it also seems to be having some kind of effect on the Tekkabot's power systems. He can go about fifty to sixty kilometers tops before having to shut down and recharge his power cells. Using his weaponry will drain him even faster."
"We're not going to abandon Mr. Doctor and Barnette, are we?" Dita asked with concern.
"No we are not!" The Tekkaman said with determination. "We may not be able to get to them right away, but we are definitely NOT giving up on them. First thing we have to do is increase our water and food supplies, then we try to solve Pegas' power problems so we can go search for them. From what I saw, they were sent off by Saber's Anti-Voltekker that way." He pointed in a northern direction. "I don't know how far, but I'm willing to guess that it was at least a couple hundred miles."
"Do you think they're all right?" The redhead inquired.
"Of course they're all right!" Jura said with confidence. "If I know Barnette, then she's probably looking for us right now. She's tough and it will take more than a little desert to stop her."
"Well... actually, I would say that Duero has a better chance of surviving out there than Barnette. I'm not being insulting to your friend's skills or anything, but..."
"What do you mean, Mr. Alien?"
Slade paused before answering Dita. "Well, it's not because Duero's a man that I believe he'll survive. It's because of what he has endured all his life. Just think about it. We're talking about someone who comes from a world that's just as hostile, if not more so than this one. Duero's ancestors didn't have much technology when they founded Tarak. They didn't have the comforts and advantages that the women of Mejele enjoyed. They had to rely on what they brought with them, and their own instincts. Judging from what I saw when I was on Tarak, they did a pretty good job. Their technology may not be as advanced or the food as tasty as what you have, but they withstood EVERYTHING that their planet could throw at them. Trust me, Duero's a survivor, and I'm pretty certain that he's looking out for Barnette."
Though I have a feeling that Barnette is not going to like it.
Three hundred miles north...
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN I CAN'T WASH UP?!"
Barnette had been all set to apologize for hitting him when her traveling companion dropped that bombshell. Both were now clothed normally and were getting ready to set out across the desert.
Duero shook his head as he stowed away the precious canteens of water into his pack. "I'm sorry, Barnette. We've got to conserve as much water as we can, at least until we can find some more." It was nearing mid-morning and the temperature was already hitting the upper eighties. The tent had been quickly and efficiently taken down and was now compressed into a small bundle in Duero's pack. Slung over his shoulder was his rifle and medical satchel.
"But I always take a shower in the morning!" The brunette complained. "In this heat, I'm going to sweat and... smell!" She said that last part in a hushed, angry whisper.
The doctor shrugged as he said, "And your point is?"
"My point? I'm not supposed to smell! I won't stand for having body odor!"
"Why?"
"Why? Because... it's not... right! On Mejele, you can't go around smelly and sweaty! Don't you men take baths on Tarak?!"
"Of course we do, but since water is a precious resource, we only take short showers to clean ourselves. We don't have luxuries like your... what were they called again? Ah yes, we don't have things like Jacuzzis. To us, getting clean is simply getting the dirt off. When there's a water shortage, then we ration our supplies for drinking and medicinal purposes. In any case, may I remind you that we're not on Mejele, and in this kind of climate, sweating and body odor are unavoidable?"
"I know that, but..."
"But what? Are you afraid of offending other people with your smell?"
"Well, yes..."
"Then you don't have to worry about that. There isn't anyone else here to offend besides me, and I'm a doctor. I'll tell you right now, in my profession, I've smelled things a LOT worse than just sweaty bodies." Duero was silent for few moments, and then added. "We have an old saying on Tarak. In the desert, you can save your water and live as a smelly LIVE man... I mean person, or waste your water and become a clean CORPSE for the scavengers to pick. I'm certain that going without a bath for a few days won't kill you." He then reached behind into his pack, pulled out a large, square piece of cloth and handed it to her.
"What's this for?"
Duero demonstrated by taking out another bandanna and wrapping it about his head, covering the top completely. "In this kind of heat, it is best to keep your head covered at all times. Sunstroke is not something to joke about."
After tying down his head protection, he then pointed in a direction. "We better get going. It's not good to be out in the open like this. The sooner we find more water, and our friends, the safer we'll be."
Barnette growled a bit, and then reluctantly wrapped the cloth about her own head. She hefted her pack onto her back and slung her rifle over her right shoulder before following the doctor's lead.
"Why can't we just stay in one place and wait until they find us?"
"Two reasons." The physician replied without looking back.
"Which are?" The Mejele female pressed.
"Number one, we have only enough water to last us for a few days, a week if we can stretch it. We have to go look for more. As I recall from the data concerning this planet, there were some springs located in areas north of the mesa where we encountered Saber. I also remember from the geographic data that there was a river that was some two hundred miles north of that same mesa. Number two, the closer we are from where we were blown away, the easier it will be for Slade and the others to find us."
Barnette hated to admit it, but Duero's reasoning made sense. "So how do you know which way is the mesa? It all looks the same to me in any direction and you don't have any navigational computers or even a compass!"
"A compass won't work on this planet since the magnetic fields are too unstable. I've already tried. Besides, the EM interference has made any other navigational devices useless. Fortunately, I took a bearing reading before we crashed, and I know that we were blown north from the mesa, so all we have to do is head south."
"How do you even know that you're going south?!"
The healer simply tapped the left side of his head. "The suns rose in the east on this side of my face. We are facing south, aren't we?"
Barnette was stuck dumb with his simple and straightforward answer.
A few hours later...
Barnette was NOT happy.
It was hot, but she couldn't do anything about that. She was sweating and smelling bad, but she couldn't do anything about that either. Her deodorant and anti-perspirant had been in her Vanguard when it blew up. She was starting to develop sunburn and the doctor had warned her that her regular clothes left too much open skin to the blistering rays of the three suns. He had offered her some Tarak sunblock lotion, but the prideful girl from Mejele refused to take it. She stated that it smelled bad and looked like sludge, never mind the fact that she didn't smell like roses at the moment. Her feet were aching, as her boots were not suited for long-distance hiking. The soles and sides were thin, which allowed the heat of the sand to be partially transmitted through. This also meant that any sharp foreign objects, and more importantly fangs, claws and stingers could pierce those boots. Many men on Tarak had died due to being stung or bitten by poisonous desert creatures that had been able to penetrate their footwear. As a rule, good strong boots with thick sides and soles were a must when venturing out into the wilderness.
Duero had a spare pair of combat boots with thick soles that Barnette could have used. They were oversized for her slender feet, but stuffing the extra space with cotton and gauze would have fixed the problem. However the girl refused them. She said that she rather burn her feet than wear that unfashionable, ungainly, and heavy footgear. At the rate she was going, Barnette wasn't going to HAVE any feet to stand on by the end of the day. The doctor was prepared to treat the inevitable blisters and swelling that she was going to receive.
The physician was often mystified at the obsession that females seem to have about enhancing their own appearances and prestige, often at the cost of common sense. Granted that certain applications of make-up did make them more pleasant to look at, but one could only take vanity so far before it became more troublesome than it was worth. He had talked to Gascogne, and the head supplier had related to him the same story that she had told to Slade as to why the Mejele Pirates had been formed. Like Slade, Duero couldn't understand why anyone would waste so much energy for a garden of flowers that an entire residential section had to be shut down. Now he was getting a close look at Mejele mentality in which Barnette was refusing the sunblock and boots, simply because they looked ugly to her. He also suspected that it was out of pride that she was refusing help from a man. Apparently, she wanted to show him that she was just as tough as he was.
Her spirit was admirable, but the doctor knew that she needed help. Already, her pace was slowing down and he could tell that her feet were getting sore. She was just not used to this kind of climate or terrain.
As the two made their way past several dunes and the ground began to level off, Duero began to see something suspicious ahead of them. He stopped walking and surveyed the ground some ten meters in front of him. There were some slight, but odd-shaped mounds scattered about and a few depressions that seemed out of place.
"What now?" Barnette asked irritably. Things couldn't possibly get any worse.
"Hmmm..." The physician contemplated for a long while, then motioned for her to follow him as he turned to his right.
"Where are we going? I thought we needed to head south?"
"We do, but I don't like this area. I'll tell you why after we've circled around and..."
"Oh, we don't have time for this!" The impatient girl snapped as she moved on ahead. "You said that the faster we find the others, the better! Well I'm not going to take the long way around!"
As she stomped forward, Duero immediately noticed that a few of the mounds had begun shifting, as if in response to Barnette's movements. When he saw something poke out from beneath the sands, he immediately dropped his pack and medical bag, unslung his rifle and shouted out.
"BARNETTE!"
CLICK!
"WHAT DO YOU- AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
A high-pitched roar was heard as a huge worm-like beast suddenly exploded forth from the sands and lunged at the Mejele girl. Barnette backed off, but with the weight of her pack and gear making her top-heavy, she stumbled backward and fell on her bottom. In that instant, she was momentarily paralyzed with fear and didn't even think about the rifle she had with her.
The thing was about ten meters long, two meters in diameter, and resembled a grotesque Horn of Plenty, but with razor-sharp teeth that ringed its circular mouth (1). Just as it was about to make a meal out of Barnette, a shot rang out, followed by several more. The monster was struck in its head, causing it to screech in pain. A moment later, its head burst into flame as Duero's incendiary rounds ignited its flesh and primitive brain. The decapitated body fell heavily onto the sands as the putrid odor of burning alien sandworm was emitted. However, the danger was not yet over.
Just as Barnette had snapped back to reality, something else came out from the desert surface. Two long slimy appendages, with several spines attached to their ends, snaked out and wrapped themselves around her right leg. She screamed out as the spines easily pierced through her boot. Then she felt a numbing sensation travel up her leg. She became more alarmed as her body became limp and unresponsive. She was unable to grab hold of her rifle. It was at that moment that another giant sandworm emerged and she saw to her horror that the appendages were actually coming from its mouth! Several shorter versions of the disgusting tentacles emerged from its maw and writhed about. The monster began rearing back and pulled in its first two appendages... with Barnette along with them! The girl began to feel like a helpless fish that was caught on a line and was being reeled in! The problem was that she didn't care for the fisherman! Fortunately for her, Duero didn't care for the fisherman either.
Seeing that she was unable to move, Duero took careful aim, and let off two shots, severing the tentacles and freeing Barnette. The creature let off a roar of pain as its two primary limbs were reduced to bloody stumps. A moment later, it was pierced through its brain by more of Duero's incendiary rounds. It too fell to the ground in a smoking heap.
Knowing that there were probably more of those giant worms underneath, he set his rifle to full automatic and sprayed the areas around his companion. He used all the types of ammunition that was available, especially the AP/HE mix. The ground became littered with spent cartridge cases and bloody worm parts as Duero fired continuously, pausing only to change clips.
Barnette was more than impressed as she watched Duero systematically eliminate the horrors. Every shot found its mark. She had no idea that the normally quiet doctor was so proficient with firearms. What held her attention the most was the hardened expression on his face. He looked so rugged and seemed to emit a kind of feral magnetism that made her...
WHAT AM I THINKING?!
With one final shot, the last of the vile creatures was blown to gory pieces. The doctor stood in silence with his gun held out in readiness. For several moments, he waited for a sign of any danger. When he was certain that there were none, he quickly ran over to where Barnette still lay immobilized.
Much later...
Duero nodded as he assessed Barnette's condition. It had taken several hours, but she was finally able to move her limbs on her own, albeit slowly and with very little strength. He estimated that she would fully recover by the next morning. Fortunately for her, the giant sandworm's venom had only caused paralysis to her voluntary skeletal muscles and not to any of her vital autonomic systems such as breathing and heart beat. With some Tarak anti-toxins that the good doctor had in his bag, the Dread pilot was able to fight off the effects of the worm's paralyzing tentacles. He had also treated the blisters on her feet and stopped all infections. Her skin was red and sensitive, due to the effects of sunburn, but Duero had also brought along some soothing lotion to ease her discomfort and speed up her recovery.
Unfortunately, in order to treat her condition and clean her wounds, Duero had been forced to use up a considerable amount of their water supplies. Unless they could find some more water and soon, they would run out within two days. Furthermore, until Barnette was totally recovered, they would have to stay in one place and that meant that they would lose half a day's worth of traveling time.
Currently, the two were in their tent, under the shade of a large rock formation that had been weathered by the elements, making it appear as a giant arch. The desert winds were blowing at gentle speeds, but the Tarak man knew from experience that it could be a prelude to a raging sandstorm. That was one of the reasons why he had decided to set up the tent near the arch. It was also because there was a solid foundation of granite beneath the sand around the formation, which ensured that none of the sandworms could come up from below.
His patient was sitting in one corner of their shelter with her knees brought up to her chest and her arms wrapped around them. She was trembling slightly and her head was bowed down. Ever since her encounter with the creatures, Barnette had been silent and feeling... humbled for the first time in her life. It was if the attack was a wake-up call of sorts. The reality of her situation had finally been driven into her and she was totally unprepared for it. Her tough girl appearance had been stripped away and revealed the frightened and unsure side of her personality. She had never felt as helpless as she was a few hours ago. In her mind, she could still see that hideous monster pulling her toward its gaping maw, and she had been unable to do anything about it. If it weren't for Duero, she would have been devoured.
"Barnette?"
The girl was snapped out of her reverie as she looked at the man who was sitting nearby and gazing at her with a concerned expression. The Mejele girl just couldn't figure out this man. He was a living enigma, like Slade. From the moment they had met, she had treated him shabbily, and yet he still cared for her safety and well being. Not once did he ever say a harsh word to her. He had treated her with the same respect that he gave to all the members of the Nirvana. And now, he had saved her life not once, but many times. Yet he asked for nothing in return, and had not even mentioned the incidents.
Why? Why didn't he act the way a man from Tarak was supposed to act? They were supposed to be crude, stupid, ignorant savages, inferior to women in all ways. That's what she had always believed. She had eventually discounted Slade from that stereotype since he was not from Tarak. However, Duero had been born and raised on that planet of men, so why didn't he fit into that category? Until recently, Bart Garsus had fit perfectly into that description.
Duero was intelligent and his knowledge about medicine would have been considered top notch on Mejele. His personality reflected that of refinement and discipline. His mind was logical, yet at the same time, creative. There was no doubt about his courage, which was a far cry from the belief that all men were cowardly. Finally, his words from the night before came back to her.
... it's been my policy never to abandon a friend.
"Barnette?" The physician said again, trying to get her attention. It seemed as if her mind was a billion light years away.
Finally, she responded to him in the quietest of whispers. "Why?"
"Excuse me?"
"Tell me why." She said in a stronger voice.
"Why what?" Duero became puzzled at her cryptic question.
Barnette lifted her head and her eyes shimmered with moisture. The healer was quite shocked to see the tough Dread pilot actually on the verge of... tears?
"After all that I've done to you... after everything that I've ever said about men and you..." At that point, she was unable to hold back as a lone tear trickled down her right cheek. "... why do you consider me... as someone that you'd risk your life to save? Why do you consider me as... your friend?" At this point, her voice started cracking.
Duero caught onto the meaning of her words and did not answer for a long while. After several minutes of silence, aside from the sound of the wind currents howling outside of the tent as they picked up speed, he finally said, "I think of you as my friend... because I don't consider you... as my enemy."
The simplicity of his answer struck a chord deep within her as her soul was shaken to its core. Then she reacted...
"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
Before Duero knew it, Barnette was leaning against him and embracing him with as much strength as she could muster in her weakened condition. She buried her face into his hard-muscled chest and cried harder than she had ever done in her life. The physician found himself at a loss of what to do with a weeping female. As she continued to cry her heart out, the healer decided that she needed to let it all out to deal with the traumatic experience she had with the worms. He let his own arms encircle her and give her the comfort that she needed. Instead of pulling away as he had expected, she instead brought herself closer to him and continued to cry.
Back at the other camp...
"I hope Barnette and Mr. Doctor are okay." Dita said as she listened to the sandstorm that was raging outside of the tent.
After discovering a hidden spring of fresh water near the collapsed mesa and stripping the two wrecked Vanguards for spare parts for Pegas, Jura, Slade, and Dita had settled down for the night. Pegas was currently shut down and regenerating its main power core. The three were using the Tekkabot's supplementary stores of energy to power the heater and to cook dinner. They couldn't begin to search for their missing comrades in the storm at night, so they were forced to wait until morning.
"I sure that they're fine." Slade said as he continued to warm their evening meal. "So how do you like your lizard? Medium or well-done?"
On the other side of the wastelands...
After crying her heart out and feeling a little better afterwards, Barnette and Duero faced each other and began to have a long-overdue talk.
"I'm... sorry."
"For what?" Duero asked in surprise.
"For hitting you... for insulting you... for ignoring your advice... Hell, for just about everything I ever did to you, especially after all the times you saved my life. I really messed up, didn't I?"
"No, I wouldn't say that."
Barnette shook her head. "I would. It was because of me that you had to use up three magazines of ammunition and more than half of our water."
"Well, that was unavoidable..."
"No, it could have been avoided if I hadn't been so stubborn and stupid!"
"Well, I'll admit that you were stubborn and you could use some lessons in patience, but I wouldn't call you stupid. We're all capable of learning, if we are willing. You just made a few errors in judgement and... had to learn the hard way. However, you did learn from your mistakes, so it wasn't a total loss."
"It was a big enough loss." Barnette maintained as she felt like crying again. "We don't have enough water for the both of us. You should just leave me here and get back to the others. I'd only be slowing you down and causing you more trouble. I don't even know why you've put up with me for so long."
"Now stop right there." Duero said with a firm tone. "I told you before that abandoning a friend is NOT an option. We WILL get through this situation, Barnette."
"I don't see how we can. I don't know squat about surviving in the desert and without technology..."
"McFile Survival Rule Number One." Duero interrupted.
"What?"
The doctor nodded. "Don't dwell over what you DON'T have, and work with what you DO have. We still have water, so we're not dead yet. We still have ammunition, so don't worry about that either. You may not know much about survival in the desert, but you DO have someone who can teach you."
"You'll... teach me?"
Duero nodded again. "Provided of course, that you can keep your temper and your pride in check, and learn from a man."
The Dread pilot was about to respond to that jab, but realized that he was testing her. Keeping in mind, her near-fatal lesson in humility, she nodded.
"McFile Survival Rule Number Two. Nature is rarely, if EVER kind. It's something that you do not have any control over. You will die if you fight it, but you can work with it. Your encounter with those giant worms was nature's way of telling you to respect and follow its laws. It doesn't care what you look like, or where you came from. When you're in its backyard, then you are no better than the other animals and plants. Every living thing is given the chance to live, but at the same time, everything is given an equal opportunity to die."
Barnette shuddered as she recalled how close she had been to becoming worm food.
"McFile Survival Rule Number Three. NEVER judge solely on appearances. I learned early in my youth that what I looked like didn't matter as long as I was alive, for I could always wash up later. It would be best for you to drop these notions of vanity, because they're not going to help you. The predators and scavengers out there don't care if you're the most beautiful or ugliest prey on the planet. To them, food is food. Furthermore, just because something looks, tastes, or smells bad, doesn't mean that it's useless." He then reached into his pack and pulled out the spare boots and a tube of Tarak sunblock. He placed the items in front of Barnette.
The Mejele female silently took the offerings and nodded. If she had been wearing the boots in the first place, then the sandworm's spines wouldn't have penetrated and paralyzed her. Furthermore, she wouldn't be nursing a bad case of sunburn if she had put on the sunblock. She placed the boots and sunscreen off to one side and gazed back at the doctor, expecting to be chided again, which she deserved for her blunders.
However, the physician gave her small smile. "Don't think I'm being cruel by pointing out your mistakes. I'm only telling you what you need to know for what lies ahead. I'm going to be truthful. We've got a long, hard journey ahead of us and at times, you will be tempted to just give up and die. This is going to be worse than anything you've ever faced before, and if you lose, you lose for good. Do you understand?"
Jura's friend nodded without hesitation. "As long as you're there to teach me, then I can do this... even without technology."
Duero smiled again as he began rummaging about in his pack. He took out a box of Tarak rations and offered some to her. Barnette shook her head, saying that she wasn't hungry and that they could save them for later. After taking a few pills and putting the rest back into his pack, Duero was surprised when Barnette suddenly said out of the blue...
"Tell me about yourself, Duero."
"Hmmm?"
"I want to know more about you."
"You've... never asked me about my life before."
"Well, I'm asking now. Do you realize that we've served together on the Nirvana for more than eight months now?"
"Eight months, two weeks, and three days, not counting the last two days, since we're technically not on the Nirvana." Duero corrected with a smirk.
Barnette giggled lightly at the quip, then continued. "And throughout all that time, I don't know anything at all about you, except for the fact that you're one HELL of a doctor and that you're a..." Her voice trailed off as she felt a bit ashamed.
"A man?" He guessed.
She nodded. "Where did you learn to shoot like that? How did you learn to survive in the desert? Why did you even bother to help the enemy of your planet when we first met? Just... who are you, Duero McFile?"
The physician said nothing for a very long time, then finally smiled while nodding as began to tell his tale...
Meanwhile, hidden in one of the meteoroids that was orbiting the planet...
Saber grumbled as he continued to float in the suspension tank. It would take several days before the internal damage to his body was fully repaired. However, with Slade trapped on the world below and the Nirvana unable to reach him, the red Tekkaman could afford to wait. Soon he would regain his full strength and once he got the secret of evolving into the penultimate form of the Tekkaman Power System, then there would be no one in the cosmos that could stand against him! And should be unsuccessful in his goal, then no one else will have the power. He had a contingency plan to ensure that Slade would perish and take the secret with him.
To be continued...
Preview...
Jura: "It feels like forever since we've all been stranded on this planet by Saber. Fortunately, we've reunited with Barnette and Duero ."
Dita: "Finally! We're all back together again!"
Slade: "We're not out of the woods yet! That damn barrier is still up and I still can't transform."
Jura: "What is this? Barnette seems a bit different somehow. Did something happen while we were away?"
Barnette: "Ah hahahah… well…"
Slade: "We all see a glimmer of hope; a launching station that's still in working order. This is our only ticket off this God-forsaken planet. I just hope I can hold off Saber long enough for the others to get away safely. WHAT!? THE PLANET'S GONNA EXPLODE!? SABER YOU PSYCHOTIC BASTARD! Next time, on TekkaDread Remastered: 'Survival of the Fittest part 3'. Hurry guys, get off the planet!"
Author's Notes
Wow! Another long episode done. In part 3, we will have the conclusion of the Survival of the Fittest story arc as Duero's past is told, as well as a dramatic change in Barnette. These two will have to work very closely together if they intend to escape Saber's trap, along with Slade and the others. See you then!
(1) Think of the Dungeon Worm from Yugi-Oh.
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