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: What now? Don't tell me you still want me to disclaim? All right. Tekkaman Blade, Ranma and Vandread all belong to their respective creators. There. You happy now?
italics: Thoughts.
Chapter 19 Part One
New Revelations
(Opening song 'JUSTICE')
Music starts as a shot of space is seen, then zooms out to show a line grid with random code, before finally zooming out from Slade with his eyes closed.
Fight for your justice yuuki o dashite (Fight for your justice show your courage)
Right! Kono te ni shinjitsu o tsukamou (Right! Grasp the truth in these hands)
Fight for your justice mune o hatte (Fight for your justice I want you as you fight through)
Tatakainuku kimi ga hoshii (With your head held up high)
An explosion occurs, then shots of Gascogne, Buzam, Meia, Jura, Paiway, Bart, Barnette, Duero, Parfet, Dita, and finally Slade pass by. A shot of his Tekkaman form alongside Pegas shoot through space. The "Tekkadread Remastered" title appears.
Shots of Slade and Dita appear.
DAIYAMONDO migaite iru yori kagayakeru mirai o choudai (Rather than polishing diamonds, give me a glistening future)
Bart takes a pose, then gets pushed aside by Duero. Shots of Jura and Meia appear
Nani wa naku to mo get up SUICCHI ON ga kanjin (Even if nothing's there, get up, it's important to turn on the switch)
Barnette is seen flying in her Dread. Buzam gives orders on the bridge, Ezra shows off some Christmas decorations, Gascogne challenges Slade in poker, Magno making her orders, Paiway, Paiway working in the Sick Bay, and Parfet gets an invention blown up in her face.
Yuzuritakunai something new motomeru sore ga seigi! (Something new that I don't want to yield, seeking it is justice!)
Scenes from the past begin to play. Dita making "first contact" with Slade. Duero working with Parfet in the engine room. Slade stopping Meia's punch before tossing her. Bart getting sucked into the navigational well. Jura suddenly getting picked up and kissed by Slade on Anpathos. Gascogne leading the Register with Ukyo XVII doing her duty. Slade training the Warrior Squadron with Xian Pu. Barnette shocked when faced by a newly revived Slade. Magno and Buzom on the bridge as they oversee their battle against a Harvester mothership. Tekkaman Slade's first encounter with Tekkaman Saber.
Fight for your justice honki ni natte (Fight for your justice, be serious about it)
Right! massugu genjitsu ni mukae yo (Right! Face reality head on)
Fight for your justice gyakuryuu demo (Fight for your justice, I love how you never give up)
Akiramenai kimi ga suki sa (Even if the current is against you)
Tekkaman Slade merges with Dita's Dread to become Tekkadread Dita as profiles of Slade and Dita displayed horizontally are briefly seen. Tekkaman Slade merges with Meia's Dread to become Tekkadread Meia as profiles of Slade and Meia displayed diagonally are briefly seen. Tekkaman Slade merges with Jura's Dread to become Tekkadread Jura as profiles of Slade and Jura displayed vertically are briefly seen.
Finally, Pegas comes to merge with them as shots of Tekkadread Meia X, Jura X, and Dita X are shown. It shows the Nirvana as it fires its laser barrage, causing an explosion. From the explosion comes Tekkaman Blastor. It ends with a group shot of the rest of the cast while in the back shows a shaded form of another group of people.
End opening
"Have you been noticing some strange things happening lately?" Xian Pu asked Ukyo as they both led the training exercises of the Warrior Squadron. Slade had some other business to attend to and he had let his second and third-in-commands take over for the last few days.
"What things?" The descendant of the original Ukyo Kuonji asked.
"Well... the Commander seems to be... avoiding us lately."
The brown-haired girl thought for a moment, then nodded. "Yeah. I've been seeing Slade kind of tense whenever he goes into the Register. He's been keeping to himself a lot. He seems a lot different ever since he and the doctor came back from that planet three weeks ago. He's still helping us out, but it seems like he's... I don't know, really nervous about getting close to anyone in the Register. And now he's not leading the training sessions like he used to."
"You think he might be sick?"
"I don't think so. He's just been avoiding contact with everyone. Even Dita can't get to him like she usually does. The only times I've ever seen him is when he's doing his job at the Register or training in the gym. We haven't been attacked for a while, so I haven't seen much of him. It's a bit odd."
"Speaking of things that are odd, have you noticed what's been going on in the Sickbay lately?"
Sickbay...
Duero pondered over the final results of the experiment that he had been working on for the past month. His fingers drummed absently over the console. He shook his head as the report was displayed on his monitor.
Not good. The physician had hoped that the findings would have invalidated his theory, but instead they had confirmed it.
At that point, the door hissed open. The good doctor turned about in his seat to see a certain Dread pilot enter the area.
"Uh... hi." Barnette said quietly while giving him a small wave.
"Hello." Duero greeted with a small smile as he sat up. "Is there a medical problem that I can help you with?"
The normally tough Dread pilot swallowed a bit with a slight blush on her cheek, before showing him a small burn on her right arm. "I burned myself while cooking and I..."
The physician nodded as he stood up and took hold of her arm to examine it. "Hmmm, it's not too serious. You've got a first-degree burn that I can treat easily. It won't even leave a mark once I'm done."
Barnette's heart fluttered a bit as his hands caressed her sensitive skin while examining her injury. Though they were callused and had rougher skin, she couldn't help but notice how gently he moved them. The fingers deftly moved across her arm with practiced ease and precision. And when she looked into his face and saw that one eye that wasn't covered with hair, she noticed something that she hadn't been aware of before.
"Hazel."
"Hmmm?"
She pointed with her left index finer. "Your eye color. It's hazel. I never noticed it before. It's... nice."
"Oh." The doctor nodded as he turned to get some soothing cream and gauze from a nearby medicine drawer. As he turned back to her, Barnette, acting on an impulse, reached up and flicked the bang of hair that covered the right side of his face, which gave her a momentary glimpse of what was hidden underneath.
As the hair fell back to its regular position, the doctor then said, "Is your curiosity satisfied?"
"You've... got two eyes... and they're both hazel." The Dread operator said slowly with a bit of surprise. Really nice-looking eyes. She mentally added.
"Of course I have two eyes." He shrugged as he took her arm to treat it. "You should be more careful in the future, Barnette. This is the sixth visit you've made in the past few days for minor medical attention. You've been getting paper cuts, small bruises, strained muscles, and so on. This has been happening a lot. If I didn't know better, then I would suspect that you injured yourself on purpose."
"Heh, heh. Imagine me doing something so silly." Barnette laughed with a bit of a nervous tone as she scratched the back of her head.
Duero chuckled a bit as he wrapped up the injury with a small, medicated bandage. "There. That should do it. Now you can..." He paused as something passed by his nostrils. "Hmmm."
"What is it, Doctor?" Barnette asked in a quiet voice.
"Do you smell that... odor?"
"Odor?"
"Well, it's not what one would call an offensive odor." Duero amended. "Actually, it's a very pleasant scent. It's like the floral fragrances in the Bio Park. I can't identify it, but it does stimulate my olfactory senses."
"Scent? Oh, you must mean the perfume I'm wearing."
"Perfume? You mean, you put some kind of... chemical on your skin?"
"Yes."
"What is its purpose?"
Barnette shrugged. "Well, because it makes me smell good."
"And what else?"
"I don't understand. What else is perfume used for?"
Duero thought for a while, then said, "I find the concept of putting a chemical on your skin to make one smell better to be confusing. I can understand using disinfectant to sterilize wounds. Does this perfume have the same purpose?"
"Well no. It just makes me smell better to... other people... especially to people that I... like." Barnette's cheeks became more tinged with red.
"Curious. I have seen women apply various dyes and lotions to their faces, fingernails, toenails, and various other parts of the body. I never did understand the reasoning behind all that until now. So you're saying that this process of... adorning oneself is a way to attract others? This is what's considered as beautiful to women?"
"Uhmm... I guess you could put it that way. It's... all a matter of personal opinion."
"Hmmm... fascinating. Though as a doctor, I feel that the human body in itself is a thing of beauty and needs no artificial enhancement."
"Really?"
"Yes, I think that a healthy, well-kept physique is very appealing. And after becoming the Nirvana's physician, I have also found the female form to be quite... interesting." Duero remarked.
Barnette's face turned even redder as she bowed her head in embarrassment.
The Engineering Section...
"Parfet? Why is your hair like that?" One of the girls of the head engineer's staff asked.
The brown haired girl shrugged as she played with a tress of her hair. "I just felt like wearing it down today, that's all. How do I look?"
"You look all right. Why aren't you wearing your glasses?"
"Well, I thought I wouldn't need them today. I can see fine enough. Oh look at the time. I'm due for my regular checkup in the Sickbay. Take care of things until I get back, okay?" She then turned about to head out to the Sickbay... and missed the door completely.
WHOMP!
"Ow." Parfet rubbed her sore nose, then let off a nervous chuckle before exiting.
Parfet's assistant sweatdropped.
Later...
After finalizing the results of his experiment, Duero gazed upon the empty specimen tube in his hands for a moment. He then tossed the receptacle into the disposal slot on his console. The last of Slade's seed specimen had been used up and the doctor was glad of it.
Over the past few days, several of the females and especially Jura, had been trying to sneak into the Sickbay to get their hands on it. Though they flatly denied it whenever Duero caught them in the act, the physician knew better. He didn't blame Parfet for the leak of information after finding that his console had been bugged.
As Duero thought about the head engineer, he began recalling back to when Parfet had come in for her regular checkup. He almost didn't recognize her without her glasses and her hair hanging loose, instead of in those twin braids. He had also noticed that she had a light application of facial dye on her cheeks, eyelashes, and lips. For as long as he could recall, Parfet had been one of the few females on the Nirvana who rarely wore cosmetics.
She had also been acting strangely and Duero wondered just what was going on. He was just a humble doctor after all. There was nothing extraordinary about him, right? So why did certain females suddenly want to be with plain old Duero McFile? He was considered average looking on Tarak. For the life of him, he couldn't fathom why a female would show any interest in being in his company.
After spending months on a ship inhabited almost primarily by women, the physician had thought he had figured out the nuances of female behavior. However, they kept on changing moods almost instantaneously and without warning. Parfet's attitude toward him had always been friendly and open-minded, but now she seemed more... forward. He had made a comment about how different she looked without her glasses and the interesting shade of her eyes, and she suddenly began giggling and blushing. Then when he had nonchalantly mentioned Barnette, she took on a brief but intense expression of irritation.
Then there was Barnette. The healer had her pegged as a bona fide man-hater. The mutiny she had started and her open dislike of anything male had been the proof. He had also known about the close relationship she had with Jura. After their ordeal on that desert world, Barnette had become more... amicable toward males, and especially toward himself. He had seen less and less of Jura and Barnette together. In fact, there were times in which Barnette went to certain lengths to be with him.
Flashback to three days ago...
BLAM! BLAM! BLAM!
Duero nodded as he shot three bulls-eyes in a row with his rifle. He stood on an anti-gravity disk, which hovered seven feet above the floor at the center of the room. As he was off-duty, he had decided to get in some practice at the holographic target range. One never knew when the need for combat would arise.
"Nice shooting."
The physician turned about and saw a familiar figure walk into the room. In one hand she held her beloved Calico pistol. On her face was a friendly smile. She walked onto another floating platform, which elevated her to a position beside Duero.
"Barnette? What are you doing here?" Duero asked in surprise. "I thought you were still on duty."
"I asked for one of the other pilots to cover for me. I wanted to work off some stress. I guess it's just coincidence that we're both here, right?"
"Yes... I suppose it is." Duero allowed with slight suspicion in his tone. He turned his gaze back to what he was doing as three more targets appeared from below like clay pigeons in a skeet shoot. He picked them off with three rapid shots. Three more targets appeared from the right side. He took them out in under a second. Finally, after shooting down eight more, the training program ended as a holographic display appeared with the final score.
Level 5
Hits: 50
Misses: 0
Accuracy: 100%
"Impressive." Barnette remarked as she watched Duero change magazines. "But then again, it's bit much to use a rifle at such close range."
Duero considered the weapon in his hands, then nodded and slung it over his shoulder. "You're right. I prefer using these."
He signaled for the computer to restart the training program, this time at Level 8. There were fewer targets, (only sixteen in all), but they were much smaller and faster moving. As soon as the first four targets appeared, his right arm threw itself forward and streaks of metallic flashes were briefly seen. The targets were each hit dead center and the sounds of metal embedding into something softer were heard.
Barnette's eyes widened as she saw four small, sharp implements sticking out of the impact surfaces on the far wall. The surfaces were used to catch bullets and absorb laser shots. Now they had two surgical scalpels and two syringes in them.
Duero wasted no time as the next four targets buzzed by. With a sweeping motion of his other arm, he plucked four more pointed instruments from his lab coat and hurled them with deadly precision. After hitting his targets, he then proceeded to throw at the remaining number of holographic circles, taking each of them out as they appeared. When the program ended and the score was displayed, Barnette was understandably in awe.
Level Eight
Hits: 18
Misses: 0
Accuracy: 112.5%
"Eighteen hits? I only counted sixteen targets."
Duero shrugged as he pointed to the far wall. "I threw two extra scalpels at two targets and hit them twice."
Barnette let off a low whistle of admiration and something more. "Remind me never to get on your bad side, Razor."
Duero smiled at Barnette's reference to his nickname.
End of flashback...
Duero shook his head bemusedly and shelved those thoughts for later. It was time to let the Captain and First Mate in on what he had discovered.
Meanwhile, on Earth...
"How goes the progress?" One of the Earth Leaders asked as he and the rest of the Council discussed the upcoming battle that was about to occur.
"Excellent." Another replied. "Our new Tekkamen are now fully acclimated to their powers and should be more than enough to destroy the Tekkaman Slade. The obedience chips in their cerebral cortexes will ensure their loyalty to us. With the addition of our new weapon, final victory over the Nirvana and its Paksis Pragma is assured."
"I am... uneasy with this arrangement." A third commented. "We have already invested quite a bit in developing Saber's replacements. To send them and our new weapon seems wasteful."
"Speaking of Saber, has there been any contact with him, since that disaster with the Anti-Voltekker Amplifier?" The second asked.
"None whatsoever." The third answered. "It does not matter since we now have Axe, Lance, and Rapier. Saber is no longer of any use to us. However, I would like to emphasize my objection to using all three Tekkamen and our new weapon against Slade and the Nirvana."
"It cannot be helped." The first maintained. "So far, the Nirvana had adapted and triumphed over all that we have sent before. This time, we cannot take any chances. We have been underestimating their abilities and that has cost us dearly. This shall be their FINAL confrontation and we must CRUSH them utterly. The Harvest can no longer be hampered by these nuisances."
"Has there been any new information from Rabat?" A fourth asked.
The second shook his head. "Very little data has been transmitted to us, since that encounter with the Mission Delta 6, aside from the appearance of the Tekkaman Phantom. However, once we have eliminated Slade and the pirates, we shouldn't have any problems dealing with Phantom. From the battle footage that we had obtained from that time, we have ascertained that he is an incomplete Tekkaman and his powers are limited."
"Very well then." The first leader nodded. "We shall attack the Nirvana at coordinates A-7694-E of the Epsilon Quadrant. Our projections show that it will be arriving at that sector in two days."
"And what of Rabat?" The third inquired.
"He has outlived his usefulness to us and his recent acts indicate that he has turned against us. If our forces encounter him, then they have permission to harvest him. If not, then they are allowed to destroy him with EXTREME prejudice."
Somewhere out in space...
Rabat had seen better days.
After leaving Mission Delta 6, the trader had decided to head toward some systems that were nearer to Mejele and Tarak, which he reasoned haven't been informed of the Harvest yet. He had hoped he could buy and/or steal some supplies, fuel, and ammunition and perhaps sell more information to the Harvesters. The fact that he had been permanently banished from Delta 6 was regrettable, but it was a loss that he could handle.
Or so he thought.
The first planet he had come across went by the name of Eterdia. It was an industrial world, which specialized in valuable ores and metal alloys. It had a trading station in orbit and was considered the jump-off point to various other colonies. Rabat had decided to try to obtain some much-needed alloys to repair some parts of his ship's hull. However, as soon as he came within hailing range and identified himself, the station opened fire on him. He had barely managed to get his craft out of the system before Eterdia's space patrol ships could catch up to him.
Another planet that he tried to land on was Sindero, which was home to various arms dealers and manufacturing facilities. It would have been a good place to replenish his ship's weapon systems. However, they wouldn't deal with him as they too had received the transmissions from Delta 6. As soon as he landed his ship on the surface, Rabat found himself facing off against several armored divisions. He was forced back into orbit at gunpoint and had left empty-handed. This had made his simian partner Utan very frustrated.
When he tried to approach the planet Orteda, which was well reputed to have excellent medical technology, he wasn't met with force. He just wasn't met at all. As soon as the inhabitants recognized his ship's profile with their long-range sensors, they simply raised their planetary defense shield and refused to let him land. Rabat was once again denied access and was forced to leave.
This pattern of rejection soon got to Rabat, and he had tried to sneak onto a planet's surface. Emphasis on the term 'tried.' Delta Six had transmitted highly detailed images and descriptions of the Harvester agent and his operations, and he soon found out that using an alias wouldn't work. He had nearly gotten executed when he landed on an extremely xenophobic human world.
Now Rabat found himself in a dire situation as he cruised through the sea of stars. His ship was running low on food, fuel, spare parts, and ammunition. It was barely able to maintain life-support and there weren't any space colonies or planets that he could dock with.
At that moment, his long-range scanners began picking up a familiar signal that was heading toward him. He smiled as he recognized it. It was the signature of a Harvester repair and supply drone. They were shaped like Space Urchins, but were about three-quarters their size, colored gray, and had less spines surrounding their inner hulls. There were hundreds of them circulating among the automated fleet, and he had used them on occasion to restock spare parts and armaments. He considered himself lucky as he began sending the recognition code to the craft and waited for it to respond.
The drone picked up the signal and ran it through its database. However, when it made a match with Rabat's file, it began executing the new orders it had just received from Earth. Extending its spines to their fullest, the drone began speeding toward its target.
Rabat wondered why the drone was suddenly speeding toward him on what appeared to be an attack angle, when the thing launched its spines at him. Taking evasive action, he swerved his vessel to the right to avoid being hit. The drone whizzed by and swung about for another attack run. New spines emerged from its spherical body as it prepared to charge again. At the same time, it began sending out signals to other Harvester ships that were in the sector.
As the space trader continued to dodge the drone's attempt to skewer him, his sensors then picked up several more signals heading his way. His eyes widened as he saw several swarms of Cube Fighters appear in the distance, and they were all aiming their weapons at him!
"UTAN!" He cried out as he began charging the weapons systems. The orangutan ran toward the firing controls to defend the ship, though Rabat knew that their chances of escape were not good. He hadn't been able to replenish the ammunition belts since Delta 6.
Why are they attacking me?! What's going on?! Then he remembered Slade's words to him.
Flashback...
Slade: I promise you. The next time we meet, I WILL send you to Hell.
End of Flashback...
Rabat was shaken back to reality as several direct hits caused his ship to shudder. Damage reports began flashing all over his console as he and Utan began fighting for their lives.
Later...
"Would you mind telling us why you called us here?" BC asked, as she and the captain sat in the Conference Room with Duero.
The doctor nodded as he gestured to a holographic display. "I wanted to show you something." He inserted a data disk, and using a laser pointer, indicated at certain images as they appeared before them. The first series of pictures were about how women reproduced on the all-female planet. "As you know, I have been fascinated on how women on Mejele reproduce. The idea is to splice the genetic information of one parent, (the ohma as you call it), to the egg of the other parent (or fahma). Then the fertilized egg gestates in the fahma for nine months, to be later born as a baby, correct?"
"Yes, we know all that." Magno said. "So why are you telling us this?"
Duero then began indicating to a new set of images, which displayed Tarak's procedures on procreation. "On Tarak, our reproductive methods are actually quite similar. Genetic material from two consenting fathers, (they would be called ohmas to you), is donated and is then combined in a gestation matrix in one of the youth centers. We call them factories."
The older woman shuddered a bit at the thought of being assembled like some machine, without the warmth of a mother. BC however, showed no indication at being disturbed.
Duero continued with his lecture. "In a way, the birthing is done artificially on Tarak, while the people of Mejele use their own bodies as the 'gestation matrices.' However, the basic principals of genetic splicing and manipulation remain fundamentally the same. Overall, both Mejele and Tarak use modified cloning techniques in order to create the next generation."
"This is very interesting, Doctor, but is there a point to all of this?" Buzom asked with a bit of irritation in her voice.
Duero nodded as his expression took on the most serious look. "My point is... according to my research, if both planets continue on procreating this way, then the people will eventually be doomed to extinction."
Now that caught both women's attention as they leaned forward and focused their gazes on the healer.
"What do you mean by that?" Buzom demanded.
"What I mean is this." He then showed a new set of images, which depicted the three-dimensional structure of DNA, the building blocks of all life. "Like all genetic cloning methods, the human genome is manipulated for duplication and splicing. Amino acids, enzymes, and proteins are exchanged and relocated. However, therein lies the problem. Even within one generation, a condition known as genetic drift begins to occur. Genes begin to move away from their assigned positions, due to instabilities within the DNA itself. Within the first few generations, the changes are small, almost indistinct and easily dismissed." The image showed a few of the amino acids begin to shift, slightly altering the shape of the DNA structure.
Duero then pointed to a very drastic change in the DNA model. "However, with successive generations, the changes become more extreme as each new offspring gains the hidden flaws of the parents, until finally, the genome is rendered incapable of further genetic alteration and duplication. As a result..." He let his voice trail off as the DNA model flew apart on the display.
Both women were rendered speechless as the doctor's information began to sink in. Then Magno spoke in a slightly quivering voice. "Doctor, do you have any proof that such a thing is happening now?"
Duero nodded as he showed two different DNA sequences. "These are samples that I took from Ezra and her baby. On the left is Ezra's DNA sequencing, on the right is her child's."
Certain areas of both strands lit up in a bright red. "Now the highlighted areas indicate the portions of Ezra's DNA, which were inherited by her baby. Now, see how they appear once I magnify them." The images of the highlighted area were brought up and the two women immediately saw the differences.
"Ezra's baby has a different sequencing than her mother's." Buzom observed.
Duero shook his head. "Actually, the baby's sequencing is supposed to be the same, since she inherited it from Ezra, but many of the marker amino acids have moved, due to successive genetic drift. I accessed Ezra's medical records and compared it with the genetic files of the last two generations of her family. Take a look."
The display then switched to a comparison screen, showing three DNA sequences of the same highlighted areas. The evidence was clear. The first generation was used as a reference, as the second showed slight shifting. Ezra's showed some more drifting, while her baby's marker amino acids were noticeably further than the original generation.
Duero continued speaking. "As you can plainly see, the damage to Ezra's family line is well underway. Now I'm not saying that her baby won't be able to grow up normally and have her own children, because she will. The damage to her DNA hasn't reached that point yet, but I estimate that in another four or five generations, her descendants will have around a 50% chance of conceiving. Four or five generations after that and those odds will be reduced to 25%. After that, genetic deformities and complications are sure to take place and I wouldn't be certain if the planet's population would be viable enough to produce more offspring."
"But this is only Ezra's family line." Buzom insisted. "Surely the others..."
Duero shook his head again. "No. I've made comparisons and background checks on nearly all of the crewmembers, and they all show signs of progressive genetic damage. And it's not just limited to the women. I've also tested on my own DNA and Bart's. The men of Tarak are also suffering from genetic drift."
"Why wasn't this problem addressed to during the First Generation?" Buzom asked. "Surely something as important as this would not have been overlooked when they developed the cloning techniques."
Magno sighed as she answered for the doctor. "I suppose it was due to pride and stubbornness. When the men and women separated, each side thought that they could live without the other. However, it seemed that when the second generation began with initial success, they ignored the problems, which would eventually come to affect their descendants. Ah yes, this reminds me of a very old proverb. In the words of Mejele, the sins of the mother were revisited upon her daughters unto the fourth generation. How true it has become."
"I know that old saying." Duero remarked. "Of course, on Tarak, we say that the sins of the father were revisited unto his sons, but that's beside the point. If this situation remains unchanged, then I would estimate that both Tarak and Mejele would not last long beyond the twelfth generation... and that is only a conservative estimate. We would more or less suffer the same problem of genetic saturation that is preventing the people of Earth from having no future generations." He pressed a button on the display console, which started flashing examples of DNA profiles of some of the Nirvana's crew, including Barnette's, Jura's, Dita's, Meia's, Bart's, and himself. "I think I've made my point." Duero concluded as he switched off the display.
"So what can be done about this problem?" Buzom asked.
Magno then smiled as she replied in a matter-of-factly tone. "Well, that's quite obvious." She then addressed the good doctor. "Since you've been researching this problem and the history of our two planets, then I assume that you KNOW what I'm talking about."
Duero said nothing for a long moment, then smiled a bit. "Ah yes. I should have realized that YOU would know about it, since you are one of the First Generation. It was so obvious."
"Know about what?" Buzom asked, though she had a feeling that the answer would shock her.
"Why, about the ancient practices of making a baby between a man and a woman, of course." Magno replied.
"WHAT?!" Buzom gasped.
"That was Bart's exact reaction when Slade told us about it." Duero remarked.
"Ah, so you learned it from D-Boy, eh?" Magno's grinned.
Duero's cheeks turned slightly pink as he responded. "His lecture on the... (ahem) 'birds and the bees,' as he called it... was most informative."
"Heh. I just knew that he would know."
"CAPTAIN!"
Both looked at the First Officer, who had become a bit more anxious than they had ever seen her.
"Captain, you and the doctor are not suggesting that..." Buzom found that she couldn't bring herself to say it.
"It is the only LOGICAL and most viable solution." Duero said simply. "The human race had been reproducing itself from its beginnings, without the use of cloning techniques or advanced technology. In the natural way, genetic variation was assured. There was no danger of genetic drift, since genes were directly passed on to the next generation, without being disrupted by the artificial means that we use today. By my calculations and the projections provided from the ship's medical computer, within two to three generations, the genetic drift damage of the populace of both words would stabilize."
"You mean... women and men would have to..." Buzom began.
Magno nodded. "Hmmm, it seems that we are all coming full circle."
"Captain, you don't really think that..."
Magno cut her off by holding up a hand. "Buzom, for a long time, I had been thinking about the future of our two planets. Just recently, I had come to the conclusion that we could not continue to exist in this fashion. All of us, both males and females, were meant to live the way humans were supposed to, together! That was how it was before the First Generation, and I think it is high time that we lived that way again."
"But Captain, the leaders of Mejele and Tarak won't agree to something like this! I don't think any of the people on both planets would agree either!"
"Do you deny the evidence that the doctor has shown us?"
"Well... I will admit that the proof Duero has shown is... very compelling, but still..."
"I know, BC. I didn't say that we were going to force anyone into this. However, I do know that there are many people on Mejele who do not agree with Lady Grand Ma. Lots of those individuals are idealistic and are willing to try new ideas. Look at Dita. She's probably the most open-minded person that I had ever met. I'm willing to wager that there are some men on Tarak who think the same way. In any case, at the very least, we must show the leaders and those who will listen that our future as it stands now, is destroying itself. Furthermore, children between our two worlds will help guide us to a better tomorrow. I'll admit that the progress would be slow, but if we could get even one pair to agree to this, then it will all be worth it."
Duero nodded, then added, "Oh yes, Captain. There's one more thing that I should add. In addition to... ah, couplings between Tarak and Mejele, I would also highly recommend that an infusion of undamaged DNA be introduced into the... gene pool. This would not only ensure genetic variation, but it would also speed up the process of genetic stabilization."
"Undamaged DNA?" Buzom wondered.
Magno chuckled a bit. "What the good doctor means, is that we would need someone to be the father or mother, who had NOT been born by Mejele or Tarak methods."
"But, the only people who fit that requirement are the First Generation! Begging your pardon Captain, but they're all too old to be considered for parenthood."
The elderly woman chuckled again as she wagged her winger at her First Mate. "You forget, BC. We do have a source of undamaged DNA on the Nirvana."
"Indeed." The doctor agreed. "He's already admitted that he's not from Tarak or Mejele, and his clinical samples show no sign of genetic drift whatsoever." Duero then flashed an image of another strand of DNA sequencing, this time of a certain Tekkaman's. "He's in top physical condition and he's knowledgeable in the process of inter-gender procreation. Though I suspect he has his own reservations about... participating in this kind of venture."
"I'll speak to Slade about it." Magno assured, then her expression took on a mischievous gleam. "I must say that since you men came on board, things certainly have gotten livelier and I expect things to get even MORE interesting! Oh, by the way, Doctor?"
"Yes?"
"Since you've put so much effort into this research, I trust that you too shall be taking part in this venture as well? Do you have anyone in particular in mind for a partner?"
Duero became a bit flustered, as he understood Magno's not-so-subtle inquiry. "Ahhhh, well I haven't actually... thought that far."
The elderly woman chuckled, as she already knew about the physician's newfound relationship with Barnette and his previous association with Parfet.
Later...
Slade sighed. The Tekkaman wanted to talk to someone who understood how he was feeling, and the kind of stress he was undergoing. Before he had joined up with the Nirvana, he had been traveling from planet to planet. He never stayed long in one place and rarely made any long-term relationships. However, that all changed when he became part of Vivian Magno's crew. Now he was constantly in the company of many attractive females, and since he had not been raised on a single-gender world, he often found himself at odds with his body's hormonal reactions to them. Things such as working out with the Warrior Squadron in the presence of their slender, athletic figures made him want to cry sometimes. It didn't help matters that Xian Pu usually... bounced with every move. Then there was the Register and all of those young girls in their short skirts, and shapely legs. Ukyo had a great set herself and the rest of her was well... stacked. Of course, there were also the three Dread pilots. Whenever he thought about Dita sitting in his lap, Meia leaning behind him, or Jura's chest being thrust up against him, he...
DAMN! DAMN! DAMN!
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
"What are you doing, D-Boy?"
Slade looked up and chuckled nervously as he saw the aged captain standing beside him on his left. He had been so wrapped up in his thoughts, that he had not detected her presence. Then he looked to his other side and saw that his right hand was clenched into a fist and was in the center of a deep dent in the wall. It seemed that he had unintentionally taken his depression out on the Nirvana.
He gulped a bit, as he withdrew his hand from the dent he had made in the metal. "Ah... sorry about that, Grandma. These days, I don't even know my own strength."
"That's all right, young one. I'll have Parfet send over someone to fix that, though I would prefer if you refrain from causing any more damage, unless it's to the enemy."
"Right." Slade nodded, then turned to head back to his room.
"Hold on a moment, D-Boy." Magno called out to him.
Slade stopped and looked over his right shoulder. "Yeah?"
"I would like to speak with you for a few minutes, in private. Do you think you could spare the time?"
"I guess." He shrugged, then started following the old woman to the Conference Room.
The Conference Room...
As the two sat down opposite to each other at the table, the hundred-and-eight-year-old woman gave the Tekkaman a small smile. "So Slade, have you enjoyed being on this ship with us?"
"Uhhh, it's been fine... I guess. I've got no complaints, except for that time Barnette started that mutiny, but that's past us now."
"Good." The elderly woman nodded. "The well-being of the crew is always a concern of mine. Now I suppose I should tell you why I wanted to speak with you privately."
"Okay, what is it?"
Magno paused for a long while, then took a deep breath. "D-Boy... Slade, I've noticed over the past week or so, that you been feeling... oh, I don't know... restless and a bit... tense."
"Well, saying that I'm tense would be an understatement." The Tekkaman admitted.
The old woman nodded again. "Ah, I thought so." Then she asked out of the blue in a quick voice, "So how would you feel about having sex with Dita?"
"WAAAAAAAUUUUUUGGGGHHHHH!"
The question floored Slade, literally. He fell backward and landed on the floor with a resounding crash. Magno was glad that the Conference Room was soundproof, and became a bit amused at how flustered her question had made the normally disciplined martial artist and space warrior. He immediately got to his feet and slammed his hands on the table, nearly causing it to shatter.
"SAY WHAT?!"
Magno shrugged while smiling. "What? You think I don't KNOW about the truth between men and women? I am one of the FIRST generation, after all. By the way, you still haven't answered my question."
The former Saotome became more flustered as his cheeks reddened and he began stuttering. "W-W-W-What are you saying? Y-Y-You mean... me a-a-a-and Dita..."
Magno chuckled a bit, then began teasing him. "If you don't want Dita, then perhaps Meia or Jura? Xian Pu and Ukyo would also be fine choices for bedmates."
"WHOA! WHOA! WHOA! Slow down! What the HELL are you talking about?!" Slade started frantically waving his hands.
The pirate captain gave the young man a look that could be defined as... motherly. "Calm down Slade. I didn't mean to get you so worked up. I just couldn't resist teasing you. Now please, sit down and let me explain."
Slade took several deep breaths to calm his nerves, then picked up the fallen chair and sat back down.
Magno gave Slade's right shoulder a reassuring pat, then began speaking. "Slade, I've noticed that you've been getting very agitated, especially when you get in close proximity with various girls. Gascogne has told me that you've been trying to avoid touching some of the girls in the Register, especially with Ukyo. I've also noted that you've been letting Xian Pu lead the training sessions more often with the Warrior Squadron. In the beginning, you've had no problems with physical contact. I suppose it was because of the constant attacks of the Harvesters. Now with this lull in battle, you had more time to, shall we say... NOTICE the fairer sex?"
Slade winced at the word S-E-X, which caused Magno's smile to become more pronounced.
"Ah, I thought so." The captain remarked then added. "Now I may be an old woman, but I DO know about these things. After all, I grew up with those urges myself. In actuality, it was even harder for me when Mejele was founded and there were no men about to satisfy those feelings of mine."
"You mean... you...?"
Magno nodded. "Of course. However, the subject of this discussion is you, D-Boy. Judging from your reaction to my question, it's safe to assume that you don't have much experience in these matters, and that you've been denying these emotions for some time now. However, if you were to pursue a relationship with any of the girls aboard this ship (actually, it might even be better if you have several), then I would fully approve of it."
"You... would?"
"One hundred percent! So which girl will it be?"
Slade was struck dumb. The captain actually WANTED something to happen between him and one of the girls? She was more enthusiastic with multiple couplings? Just WHAT was going on?
"I said it before, and I'll say it again. No offense intended, but have you finally gone senile?!"
Magno gave him another knowing smirk. "Now that wasn't a nice thing to say. Here I am, offering a sure-fire way for you to relieve your tension and you throw it back into my face. From what I remember, this was the best way for full-blooded males like you to relax! Nothing eases the tension like a little, old-fashioned..."
"Don't get started! I CAN'T DO THAT!"
"Why not? You don't know how?"
"OF COURSE I KNOW... ER, I MEAN... ARGH, THAT'S NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS!"
"Well if you know the mechanics, then I don't see the problem." The old woman shrugged her shoulders.
"I MAY KNOW, BUT THERE'S A HUNDRED AND FIFTY WOMEN ABOARD WHO DON'T KNOW! I CAN'T JUST... JUST..."
"Calm down Slade. There's no need to shout. So they'll have to learn from you, that's all."
"Say what?!"
Magno nodded. "It's as simple as that. I'm sure that you'll be able to teach them as easily as you did with the Warrior Squadron."
"That's different!" Slade was getting even more agitated.
"Oh, and I'm sure that Misty will be able to assist you as well, since she's also from before the First Generation." The captain added nonchalantly. "Maybe you two can demonstrate?"
"Now you're going too far!" It was bad enough that Slade had to worry about the tension building up between Misty and Dita. "Why all the sudden this change, Grandma? A few months ago, you wouldn't have even suggested this thing, but now you're all for it?!"
"Yes."
"Why?"
Magno took a deep breath before answering. "For two very important reasons. First of all, it is for the good of the crew. I've seen how much stress this is causing for you, so it would be best for all concerned, if you were to expel it before it began hampering your ability to defend the Nirvana."
"Okay... I could understand that... I guess. So what's the second reason?"
"The second reason... is more along a personal motive. You see... I've never had any children."
"What?"
"Yes. Since the day Mejele had been founded, I never once donated my DNA as an ohma, nor gave birth to a baby as a fahma. For the last century, I had never experienced the joys of parenthood."
"But... why?"
"It was because I considered the new methods of making a baby to be... unnatural. To me, making a new life should be more than just a laboratory process. It should be born of love and trust between MAN and WOMAN. It was the way I had been raised and unfortunately, I was forever denied the opportunity when Mejele began. However, though I have never started my own family, I consider each and every girl on this ship like my own daughter. And the most I want is to see at least some of them to be happy. You Slade, can make that happen."
"Huh?"
"Oh come on now Slade. You can be a bit thick sometimes, but even you aren't that dense! I have seen the look in many of the girls. They don't know what they're feeling towards you and they have no idea on how to act on those emotions. However, it's very clear that you have snagged their heartstrings, whether you had intended to or not."
"But..."
"No buts, Slade. You can only ignore nature's laws for so long. I'm not saying that you should just go wild and take every girl you see (though that could be very interesting). What I'm saying is that you should not keep those feelings bottled up. It's unhealthy! And any number of those girls would be proud to have you as their child's ohma... or in the old days, father of their children. I like the notion of children aboard and it would be nice if Ezra's daughter had a few playmates."
"But..."
"Oh... you don't have to decide right away, Slade. There are over a hundred and fifty lovely ladies to choose from. Take your time to get to know them! You might find one or more girls to your liking. I never said that you had to choose one and only one."
"What are you, my Mother?!"
Vivian let off an amused cackle. "I would be the luckiest woman in the Universe if I had a son like you! You've won the hearts of so many! How manly you are!" She let off another cackle, making him reach his panic threshold. Slade found himself totally speechless and was only saved when the combat alarm went off.
The Tekkaman let off a sigh of relief as he got up and made his Tekkacrystal appeared. The way he was feeling at the moment, he could tear open a Harvester flagship with his bare hands. He needed to work off his stress.
As he was leaving the Conference Room, Magno called out to him.
"D-Boy. We'll finish this talk some other time."
A chill went down his spine as he left the room. Note to self. Avoid the Captain for a while and take a REALLY cold shower when I get back.
Two days later, in the Register...
"Three of a kind."
"Full house."
"Ah crud." Slade sighed as he chalked up another loss to the best card player on the Nirvana.
"What's the matter, D-Boy? You're losing faster than usual." Gascogne remarked as she reshuffled the cards.
"I guess my mind's been too occupied lately." Slade replied with a sigh as he was dealt a new hand. "There's been a lot of things happening to me."
"Like what?"
"MR. ALIEN!"
"MY PRINCE CHARMING!"
"Case in point." Slade groaned as two enthusiastic girls came running toward him. Misty was carrying a tray of sandwiches, while Dita was carrying a heaping pile of rice balls. Both girls arrived at the table where he was sitting at the same time.
As soon as the girls saw one another, each glared daggers at the other which set off a very heated argument.
"Mr. Alien doesn't want to eat your moldy old bread! He prefers rice!"
"Says you! He'll eat rat poison before he tries your cooking!"
"What?! I'll have you know that Mr. Alien has enjoyed my cooking ever since he came aboard!"
"Well maybe he'd like something different for a change! At least I know how to say his real name!"
"You leave Mr. Alien alone!"
"Make me!"
"I will!"
Slade sighed as he began inching away from the immediate danger zone. In a quiet whisper, he said to Gascogne, "We'll finish some other time."
The two girls were too busy arguing with each other to notice that the object of their affection had left. At that point, they had started a massive food fight as sandwiches and rice balls began sailing through the air.
The gym...
Slade sighed as he lay down and breathed out, while bench-pressing 2000 lbs. The machine was at its maximum weight setting, but that was considered a light warm-up to the Tekkaman's superhuman strength. As he began a series of fast reps, his mind wondered just what he was going to do. Ever since his talk with the captain, he had begun to become even more frustrated with his growing libido. Now he couldn't get the image of Dita and Misty's slender forms bouncing around when they ran to him.
Speaking of bouncing, guess who just came into the gym wearing a very skimpy leotard with a plunging neckline and rode up a bit in the rear?
"Helloooo there."
Jura stood at the head of the machine and bent over to gaze down at him. At this point, with the view he was getting, all the ice in an asteroid belt wouldn't have been enough to cool Slade off. His hands gripped the handlebars so tightly that his fingers began crushing the metal.
Crud. Did I do something bad in a previous life to be punished like this?!
Out in space...
Rabat's ship drifted like a piece of flotsam. Various hydraulic fluids and gases periodically leaked from the numerous breaches in the hull. Both of the main drives were barely functional after taking several hard hits. Maneuvering thrusters were inoperative. The only thing that the interplanetary mercenary could hope for is to get his solar sail working so he could get some of his backup batteries recharged. Without propulsion, he and his associate would be doomed to aimlessly drift through the cosmos.
Floating nearby were the remnants of the Harvester units that had tried to collect both the trader and his simian companion. The two had just barely managed to beat off the attack, but at a very high cost. The mecha frame, which had comprised the main weapons systems of their vessel, was only good for recyclable parts after Utan had exhausted the last of the ammo. They were now completely defenseless, and should new Harvester units appear...
Rabat gritted his teeth and worked hard at trying to activate his solar sail from an access panel outside of his ship. It was the utmost priority that he obtained some power, before his life-support gave out. Currently, he was wearing a space suit to save energy, as did his orangutan compatriot. The rest of the craft, save for the emergency systems, was totally shut down.
With a grunt, he pulled out a damaged cable relay and replaced it with one that Utan had salvaged off a destroyed Cube Fighter. Once in place, he punched in a specific code sequence into the manual activation mechanism. Slowly, but surely, a large transparent sheet of metal opened above the bridge. He noted from the readings that the sail's power absorption rates were slow, most likely due to battle damage, but there was no help for it. He would have to wait until the ship had enough power to move and maintain life-support. He could only hope that the Harvesters would not find him until then.
In her room, Meia stared down at some articles of clothing that were laid out on her bed. As she gazed upon them, her thoughts went back to that time when she had been completely and utterly... useless.
When Slade and the others had been trapped on that planet, she had worried herself sick over the fact that she could do nothing to help them. When she had heard of their ordeal and especially of how Slade had been prevented from transforming, she had worried that she could have lost him and never gotten to know him as well as Dita and Jura did.
The Dread leader shook her head. Why was she getting all worked up over a man and especially when he was with other women? However, she couldn't help feeling so... angry whenever he paid attention to other females and not to her. Wasn't she just as attractive as they were? Didn't she merit as much time with him as Dita, Jura, or anyone else? Wasn't she important to him?
What am I thinking?! Why am I getting these thoughts?! I'm starting sound like I'm jealous of Dita and Jura. No! I can't be jealous! Not over a man! It's not right! It's... it's... it's... argh!
Meia stood up and began to pace her room while taking a few calming breaths. Inevitably, her thoughts went back to thinking about Slade and how little he seemed to notice her of late, especially since he returned from that planet and started avoiding all female contact. She also realized just how little she knew about him in comparison to Dita and Jura, the only other pilots who could form Tekkadreads with him. She felt a kind of connection with him since that day the Paksis Pragma had imploded. Whenever they combined, she had felt a kind of oneness with him. It was so difficult to describe, but it felt... right.
She pondered over the situation for a long time, then decided to take the first step in getting to know him better. Purely to boost crew morale and cooperation, she convinced herself. However, in the back of her psyche, a little voice was calling her a liar.
Maybe... if I didn't look so... hard, he might talk to me more... She gazed at her image in a mirror and noted how her usual pilot's outfit looked so military. She then began undressing as she gazed back to the outfit on her bed. As she took off her jumpsuit, she didn't notice a brief flicker of light on her forehead, in the shape of a certain Tekkaman's crystal.
"Jura, wait a minute!" Slade gulped as he found himself being backed toward a wall.
Jura smiled seductively as she began to corner her prey. The way she swayed her hips made him even more agitated. "What's the matter, Slade? You can't be afraid of little me, are you?"
THUMP!
Slade found himself pressed up against the wall with no escape route available. Geez, since when did Jura learn how to... arrgh! This has got to stop! "Please, Jura... we can't just do this... I'm begging you! Don't do..."
"You know, for a man, you are just so darned CUTE when you're like this."
"Really? I mean... whoa! Hold on a minute!"
The blonde seductively traced a well-manicured finger across his chest, which was currently clad in just a white muscle shirt. She giggled a bit as his pectorals quivered from her feathery touch, then she pressed her ample bosom against him.
"W-W-W-What about Barnette?" Slade stuttered out as he tried to make his limbs work again. However, they currently had the consistency of wet noodles with Jura's... assets in full view and in contact with his own chest.
Jura let off a little sigh, then gave him a rueful smile. "Barnette seems to be interested in the doctor, and we haven't been seeing each other much since that last mission on that desert world. We've talked it over and decided that we needed to... explore our new feelings."
"Feelings?"
"Yes. We... have never felt this way before, especially with a man. And yet, it feels... so right. I can't explain it, but I feel so warm and natural being with you. Those... sensations became stronger when we were stranded on that world. I haven't forgotten about those kisses."
Slade swallowed hard. He hadn't forgotten about those kisses either.
Jura continued on as her arms began to snake around his neck and pulled him closer. "And when we got back, I began digging into the old sections of the ship. And guess what I found?" She said the last part in a singsong voice.
Slade was REALLY nervous at that point. I wonder what she found... oh no! She didn't...
"I came across some old video records like the ones you found last Christmas. But they were about how men and women produced children naturally."
Uh oh.
Flashback...
"Hmmm, what is this?" Jura wondered as she poked around the old sections of the former Ikazuchi. The areas had been untouched since that time at Christmas, but with Jura's determination to have Slade's child, the rooms had been reopened.
She was now standing beside a large box with several videocassettes in it. Using the same player that Slade had used before, but this time making certain that the images wouldn't be transmitted all over the ship, she began watching the first of the tapes.
Her eyes instantly became the size of saucers as she beheld a man and a woman, both nude and were engaged in the act of...
Woman: "I like the way you do that."
Man: "Would you like some more?"
Woman: "Oh yes!"
Jura gasped as certain noises were heard, followed by certain intimate acts...
Woman: "Mmmmmmm."
Man: "I can't wait much longer!"
Woman: "Yes! Oh please! Take me now!"
Man: "Now?"
Woman: "Yes now! Ravage me!"
Jura gulped as she saw a particular movement by the man, which made the woman...
Woman: "Mmmm, don't stop baby!"
Man: "Why would I want to stop?"
Woman: "Yes, yes, yes!"
Man: "God, you're SO..."
Woman: "YES! LIKE THAT! I LOVE IT! OOOOOOH! MORE! MORE!"
Man: "I CAN'T HOLD..."
Woman: "MORE! MORE! DON'T EVER STOP!"
Man: "I CAN'T STOP IT. I'M GOING TO..."
Woman: "ME TOO!"
Both participants suddenly screamed at the top of their lungs. Jura felt like screaming herself, but not in horror as certain parts of her body became REALLY warm... and wet. Then the couple sighed in bliss in the aftermath.
So... that's how it was done! Mmmmm... very interesting. Ooh, now what are they doing?
Jura remained glued to the screen as she played through the entire video. She then got an image of herself with Slade in the same positions.
End of Flashback...
Oh no! She found THOSE kinds of videos!
"They certainly looked VERY happy." She purred as she leaned closer.
"So... you know about that... er... stuff?"
"Mmm-hmm! And now that I DO know..." She leaned forward until her lips were mere centimeters from his.
"Jura! Please! You can't just..."
The blonde shook her head. This was what she truly wanted. She wanted a baby, Slade's baby... and Slade. And now...
"Don't...Mmmmmpf!"
Too late.
As their lips pressed up against each other, the Tekkaman felt his own resolve begin to crumble. He had been denying his natural instincts for too long and now his body decided to ignore the protests of his mind and responded to the heart. His hands came down to Jura's waist and encircled it, pulling her closer to him. His harder, muscled form reveled in the contact of her softer, suppler one. The warmth she was radiating began merging with his own. Unknown to the both of them, their foreheads began to glow simultaneously with light... in the shape of Slade's Tekkacrystal.
However, images of Meia and Dita began to enter into his mind. He had started to get close to those two as well, ever since the journey had begun. It seemed as if he was connected to all three of them. That was the reason why he was able to form the Tekkadreads. However, he had been feeling much more lately, which had contributed to his inability to become more... intimate with any of them. He felt deep in his heart that he was hurting Dita and Meia by doing this, yet he didn't want to hurt Jura by refusing. When Jura began using her tongue to probe his mouth, that was when he was shocked back to reality.
Jura was suddenly but firmly pushed away as Slade bowed his head in what appeared to be shame. The light on both his forehead and hers faded.
"W-W-What is it? Did I do... something wrong?"
The cosmic warrior sighed as he shook his head. "No. You did nothing wrong... It's me. I can't just... I'm sorry. I'm just not ready for this yet."
"But..."
"Don't tell anyone of this... okay?"
Slade picked up his jacket and walked away from a confused Dread Pilot.
The space warrior stood in the observation lounge, which was currently deserted. He leaned against the railing and stared at the background of stars as they whizzed by like tiny streaking comets. His mind was a jumbled mess of conflicting emotions as he tried to make sense of what was happening and just what the future lay in store for him. It was then that he sensed the presence of someone coming toward him from behind. He tensed up as he heard light footsteps approach to where he was and stopped a few feet behind him.
"Hello Slade."
The martial artist and Tekkaman took a deep breath to calm himself, then turned around to address the familiar voice. "Hello... Meia?" His eyes bugged out and his jaw dropped as he beheld Meia... in a dress?
The Dread pilot smiled shyly as she stood before him in a modest, yet appealing white sundress with thin straps that displayed her smooth white shoulders. The top molded well to her bosom and made Slade nervous. The hem of her dress came down to about below her knees, but he could still see that she had very slender calves. She wore a pair of low-heeled shoes that fit well on her feet. The most striking thing about her was that she was not wearing the metal circlet on her head and face. This allowed the Tekkaman to see and appreciate her face, which was oval-shaped and possessed a striking pair of light aqua-colored eyes.
"Uh..."
"You like it?" The girl asked.
Since his vocal cords were still unresponsive, Slade nodded.
Meia turned slowly from one side, then to the other, giving him a full view of the ensemble. She blushed slightly as she said, "It's something that I've had for a while, but I didn't have much of a reason to put it on... until now."
Oh boy.
Later...
Slade sighed as he plodded back to his quarters. His encounter with Meia had been very trying and now the Tekkaman was at the end of his rope. Seeing the usually serious Dread pilot in a dress had almost made him lose control, but he had toughed it out and just barely held onto his sanity.
Meia had been very inquisitive and had asked him questions of a personal nature, such as his hobbies, his likes and dislikes, and what he really thought about her. Since when was she so nosy? And when he had responded that he thought of her as a very good friend, the blue-haired girl showed some signs of... disappointment? That was a first.
Slade sighed again as he neared his quarters. If he were to see another girl at this moment...
"Mr. Alien?"
Slade slumped down a bit as he sighed for the umpteenth time and turned around.
"Is something wrong, Mr. Alien?" Dita asked with a smile as she held out a tray of homemade brownies. "Maybe this will cheer you up!"
"Well..."
The captain's quarters...
"Jura? What brings you here?" Magno asked as the tall blonde entered the room with a forlorn look about her. The elderly woman had been reading one of her favorite books, which dated back to the Colony Era. It's title was Little Women.
"Captain... I need to ask you something. It's kind of personal." Jura began.
The aged female put down her book and turned to face her. "Oh? As captain of this ship, the well-being of my crew is always one of my top priorities. Sit down and tell me all about it."
After Jura had seated herself in another chair, she became even more nervous as she tried to think of the best way to put her thoughts into words. Finally, after a minute of silence and some gentle prodding from Magno, she spoke. "Captain... you're one of the First Generation, right?"
"Yes I am. Do you have a question concerning that time?"
"Something like that. You know how it was between men and women, before Mejele and Tarak, right?"
"Well, it's been a long time, but I still remember (ahem) certain things about men. Does your problem have anything to do with a man?" Like a certain Tekkaman I know of? Magno mentally added.
Jura's cheeks took on an intense pink. "Yeah... you could say that. The thing is... I want to know... how to make a man... want to do... something with me."
"Do WHAT with you?" Magno prodded with a knowing grin.
"Well... I found this visual record in the old parts of the ship..."
"Mmmm, these are good." Slade commented as he finished off the entire tray of brownies. Then he gazed down at the crumbs and sighed. "Aw sorry. I should've offered you some."
The red-haired girl remained cheerful as she shook her head. "Oh no, Mr. Alien! They were all for you! I know how hungry you can get, especially after a battle. I just wanted to make sure you had enough energy. Besides it makes me happy to see you eat."
"Uh, yeah thanks. Though I kind of wish my Tekkaman powers didn't require so much energy. I must be putting a real strain on the ship's food supplies."
"That's okay, Mr. Alien!" Dita said. "The way you smash, crash, and blam those bad aliens makes it worth it. I wish I had your powers!"
"Huh? Why would you want to be like me?"
"Are you kidding? The way you fight the enemy is SO awesome! I'd love to able to fly like you and go WHOOSH and CRASH and KAPOWIE! Parfet says that she might be able to discover the source of your powers."
"Yeah, so what?"
"So, if you knew the source of your powers, maybe you can give me some!"
Slade took on a hardened look, which made Dita stop daydreaming. After a long moment of silence, he said, "Trust me. You wouldn't want them."
"Huh? Why not?"
"Being a Tekkaman isn't all it's cracked up to be. Having these powers means having a huge burden and..."
"And what, Mr. Alien?"
"And... I don't know why, but I have this feeling that my Tekkaman powers have cost me dearly. I think they may have something to do with the fact that I can't remember my past. I feel that I had lost something important, but I can't remember what. The more I know about the Tekkaman Power System, the more uneasy I get. After what I learned from Misty's data capsule and on Delta Six, I can't help but think that something dark and evil is coming..."
Earth...
"Our operatives and our new weapon will be entering the sector within a few hours, Leader. All is going according to plan."
"Excellent. Soon our Nirvana nuisance shall be no more, and it's all thanks to our Paksis."
Deep within the bowels of the main Mega-Battleship, the other Paksis prototype hummed in silence. On the outside, it seemed to be dormant. In its core however, certain energies began to build as an ancient essence began to convalesce. Unknown to even the Earth Leaders, the Paksis was not entirely under their control as it began to follow an agenda that had been set long ago. Its long wait would soon be over.
To be continued...
Preview...
Slade: "I knew I'd have girl problems, but I'd have never expected Duero , a man from Tarak, to have girl problems, too. I know one is Parfet, and the other is Barnette of all people! Did something happen, Doc?"
Duero : "Er… well…."
Slade: "We didn't have time to worry about that now, as the Harvesters launched a deadly new weapon: a dark copy of the Nirvana! Wasn't copying our TekkaDreads enough for those bastards!? None of our TekkaDread forms are effective against that thing! How're we supposed to beat it!? Hate to say it, but we can't do anything right now… we gotta split! Oh no! JURA! JURA! ANSWER ME! Next time, on TekkaDread Remastered: 'Out with the Old…'."
Jura: "Slade… I want you to know that I… I…."
Author's Notes
Well that was a long one! I hope you enjoyed this part of chapter 6. In part 2, Slade and the Nirvana will be encountering new adversaries and some new surprises as they encounter the Earth's newest Tekkamen. See you there!
Please read and review!