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: Tekkaman Blade, Ranma 1/2 and Vandread all belong to someone else, so I think you can dope out the rest.

italics: Thoughts

Chapter 20 Part 2

Preparations and Plans

Ewwww! Gross!

Paiway grimaced as she was instructed by Duero to seal up a deep wound. Her hands trembled as she held the tissue-fusion applicator near the bloody, oozing...

Suddenly, the pulse monitor started emitting various warning sounds, causing the apprentice nurse to lose her concentration. The young girl started to panic as the pulse meter showed an erratic heart rate and the patient began to twitch and spasm on the operating table. Paiway's body locked up and her heart stopped for a moment as she found herself at a total loss of what to do. Then her confidence plummeted as the pulse meter showed a flatline. A few moments later, the instrument declared the patient as clinically deceased. Cause of death, a cerebral hemorrhage from a ruptured cranial vessel; an event that could have been prevented if Paiway had sealed the damaged artery in time.

The twelve-year-old bowed her head in shame and helplessness as the simulation ended. Behind her, Duero sighed and shook his head as he marked down Paiway's performance on a clipboard. The final grade was of course... a complete failure.

"That test wasn't fair!" Paiway complained as she and the good doctor reviewed her latest performance at surgical techniques. "I was just about to seal it up, but..."

Duero gave the girl a stern expression while pointing his index finger at her. "First rule of surgery, Paiway. You have to be ready, because ANYTHING can happen, which can make even the most routine procedures more complicated. You followed the correct steps in your attempt to seal up that artery, but you neglected to monitor the patient's vital signs and adjust for any discrepancies. Furthermore, in a process as vital as this, speed is of the essence. You hesitated too long and once the patient began going into anaphylactic shock, you did NOTHING to stabilize his condition."

"But it all happened so suddenly and..."

"And you must expect things like that to happen, especially in a combat situation! Remember Paiway, the patients are counting on YOU to pull them through! Sending them to the 'jacuzzi' is no longer an option!"

Paiway gave the Tarak man a pout as she looked back at the instruments and devices. "I don't even know why I'm doing this! We've got all this equipment and stuff and you have me cutting people open and-"

"And nothing!" Duero stated firmly. "You should consider yourself fortunate that you have all of this Mejele technology to aid you. However, all of this technology doesn't mean a thing if you do not know the principals of being a physician and know how those principals are applied. And you will find yourself in situations in which all you have is what's in here." He tapped her forehead with an index finger. "Back on Tarak, all medical trainees go through a final exam, in which they have to save a critically injured patient with minimal technology. I had to perform an emergency transfusion AND an appendectomy with some plastic tubing and a pocket knife!"

Paiway winced again as she imagined Duero performing such crude operations.

The head doctor of the Nirvana sighed again as he looked over the results for the last week. So far, Paiway's overall medical skills were more likely to kill the crew before this new enemy did.

Duero wondered just what kind of medical treatment women received on Mejele. Surely they must know all the basics of health care, right? Or did they rely completely on their technology to keep them in good health? If Paiway's medical knowledge was any indication, then heaven help them if their medical machines should fail them. He was beginning to understand why Magno and her crew had abandoned their way of life on their home planet and became pirates. And he could also understand why the pirates had accepted his expertise.

On Tarak, the men were expected to make do with what they had, and their world was totally unforgiving. They had to adapt and be more creative. If a device wasn't there, then they would improvise. Rudimentary skills and knowledge were maintained and remembering the basics was a must.

So why didn't a medical trainee like Paiway know the normal ranges of vital signs?

"So I trust the training is going well?" Magno asked as she and the good doctor were conversing in the Conference Chamber.

"Well, the emergency first aid sessions are showing some promising results." Duero said as he took a sip of coffee. "The Vanguard and Dread pilots are grasping the basics of CPR, setting broken limbs, and dressing wounds. However..."

"However... Paiway?" The elderly woman guessed.

The male doctor sighed as he nodded. "I'm afraid that Paiway's knowledge and skills are somewhat... lacking."

"Please, tell me the truth." Magno pressed.

"Are you certain you want to know?"

"We're talking about the well-being of my crew, Doctor."

"Very well then. I fear that Paiway's lack of confidence, knowledge, and experience will have detrimental effects on the crew in the near future, especially with this new enemy that we're now facing."

Duero shuddered at the thought of the near-constant attacks that the Nirvana had been receiving in the last week. Casualties had been increasing as of late, and Duero had been hard-pressed to keep up with the growing number of patients. As a result, he had been requesting that more medically-trained individuals be present to deal with the situation. To that end, he had been teaching the combat pilots in emergency first aid and especially Paiway. There had to be another surgeon and general physician on the ship, if something were to happen to him. He was not going to repeat the same mistake the pirates had done with Meia where they didn't train a back-up. Since Paiway was the only other crewmember with any considerable medical training, it would have to fall on her to treat the rest.

"You're asking an awful lot of her." Magno pointed out. "She is still a child."

"I am aware of that." Duero affirmed. "However, we must keep in mind that I will NOT be on the Nirvana forever, and should I be unable to perform my duties, then at least the crew will have someone to fall back on. I am well aware of the... unpleasant aspects of my position, but if she is to treat the patients effectively, then she will have to endure them all. I may seem strict, harsh, or even cruel in my teachings, but it's only because I want her to realize that this isn't a game. So far, she hasn't even passed the basic surgeon tests. All new Tarak trainees must complete it before advancing to the general Medical Corps."

"You take your duties quite seriously, Doctor."

"As a doctor, my patients are ALWAYS first priority. The last thing a patient needs is a doctor who thinks that a soak in the Jacuzzi will cure all of her problems."

Paiway growled slightly as she stared at the monitor. She couldn't believe that she had to memorize all of these terms and facts in two days. What was the point, especially when she could use the medical computer to look them all up? The doctors on Mejele did it all the time. Why was that... that MAN, telling her to learn all of this stuff? What was technology good for if one doesn't use it?

When she was younger, she had dreamed of becoming a kind of super-genius doctor and of the glamour and prestige that went with such a position. When she had been elected the pirates' chief medical officer, she had been so happy of finally attaining her dream. The others rarely complained about her performance. Then again, it wasn't as if they had much of a choice.

Then he came along... Duero McFile.

In no time, he had taken over her position as the Nirvana's head physician and surgeon, and she had been regulated as his aide and nurse. The sudden demotion had made her a bit resentful, but there was no denying his skills. The crew all agreed that Duero's ability to treat their injuries and sicknesses was by far superior. Soon, they had begun to rely on him to keep them in good health.

As time went on, Paiway had decided that she could just leave the doctoring business to him. She was especially grateful of his presence, once she had been exposed to the less pleasant aspects of being a physician. However, that left her with no direction nor purpose in life. And now, Duero seemed bound and determined to make her into some kind of crude... witch-doctor. Taking vital signs with a stethoscope and thermometer? Counting heartbeats and breaths manually? Using two wooden slats and tape to set broken limbs? It was practically Stone Age compared to the technological wonders that Mejele medical science had produced in the last hundred years.

Paiway shook her head again as she went back to reading the list.

Earth...

"Do you understand the plan, Saber? You are NOT to destroy the Nirvana, nor continue your vendetta against Slade." Darkon said as he gave his Tekkaman his final instructions.

Saber nodded as he stood before his master in his human form. He was still somewhat... perturbed that Darkon had destroyed the Earth Council. He had wanted that pleasure of wiping out those pompous fools for all they had put him through.

"Saber..." Darkon said slowly as he sensed the irritation in his minion.

Darkon's servant nodded as he banished thoughts of anger against his lord. He knew that he couldn't stand up against a Radam Warlord, and he was bound to Darkon until death. Unknown to most, it was Darkon, not the Earth Council, who had orchestrated the creation of the four Tekkaman of Earth. From within the Paksis, he had secretly implanted certain 'control devices', which would have overridden the Control Chips of the Harvesters. Of course, that point was now moot.

"Remember, Saber. I need the crew of the Nirvana to be alive... for now." He extended a hand toward Saber and a tendril emerged from his open palm. It reached out toward the Tekkaman, and as Saber held out his hand, the slimy limb dropped a small object into his palm. The red Tekkaman looked down at it and nodded.

"Will that be all, Master?"

"For now. Take Lance, Axe, and Rapier with you, as well as a few Spider-Crabs. They should provide you with enough of a diversion. Once you have implanted this device into the Nirvana, return to base immediately."

Saber didn't like the idea of being a delivery boy, but he knew of the penalty of disobeying Darkon's orders. He had wanted to ask his master about Slade's evolution to Tekkaman Blastor, but Darkon would always change the subject and would not speak of it. For now, it would have to remain an unanswered question.

"So, Darkon had given us his orders?" Rapier asked as she and her other cohorts stood in their human forms.

Rapier was a slender woman with long dark hair and green eyes. Her face was oval-shaped and her figure was quite pleasing to the eyes. However, her eyes displayed a kind of cold cruelty that would make anyone shudder with fear. She wore a simplistic blouse and skirt ensemble with low-heeled pumps.

Axe was a shorter, but heavily muscled brute, and had short brown hair. His face was beefy and his face seemed to be wearing a permanent sneer. His clothes consisted of a green body suit with brown boots. He was just as cold as Rapier, but preferred to dispatch his foes with brute force rather than finesse.

Lance was slimmer than his cohort and had light lavender hair pulled back in a utilitarian ponytail. He would be considered handsome, but one could tell he had a very nasty streak in his personality. He was cocky and vain, though he now nursed a bit of uneasiness in his abilities after his defeat at the hands of Tekkaman Blastor. He was the classic bully. He wouldn't hesitate to gloat and pick on the weak, but he would turn tail and flee whenever his opponent gained the upper hand. If it weren't for his cruel streak and lethal style, Darkon would have considered him as useless.

Saber growled a bit as he nodded to Rapier's question. He hated the others and held only contempt for them. Personally, he would much rather spend his time in defeating Slade, but he had no choice in the matter. He promised to himself that he would eventually find out Slade's secret to evolving. If Darkon refused to tell him, then he would just have to discover it for himself. For now, he would just have to go along with this plan.

At the very least, he could cause his greatest foe some considerable pain.

The Nirvana...

"I'm waiting, Paiway." Duero said as he gestured to the monitor, which depicted a close-up image of damaged tissue.

"Okay... I know this one!" The young girl assured as she gazed upon the image. She snapped her fingers as she replied. "I got it! That's a second degree burn of cardiac muscle!"

"Incorrect."

"What?! What do you mean?!"

"First of all, this is most DEFINITELY not part of the heart." Duero zoomed out the image, which depicted...

The young girl blushed furiously as she saw what it was. "Ewww! That's a man's..."

"Yes." Duero said simply, then gave her a stern expression. "What? Did you think that you were going to treat just women aboard this ship? What are you going to do if Slade, myself, or Bart get injured? Do you think you won't encounter other male patients in the future? A doctor must know BOTH sides of the gender line. I had to learn from scratch about female anatomy when I signed on as this ship's physician. Male or female, it doesn't matter! They're all patients to a doctor."

Paiway was still a bit unnerved at the sight of a man's (censored) that she just barely managed not to lose her lunch. She became relieved when Duero changed the image.

Just then, the battle alert went off.

"TEKSETTER!"

In less than a heartbeat, four human comets streaked out from the Nirvana, followed closely by the Dread and Vanguard squadrons. Everyone braced for the latest Radam assault as dozens of Spider-Crabs advanced toward the pirate vessel and its defenders.

As the beasts began engaging, a certain quartet watched the battle closely from within a mutated Seed Ship.

"Hmmm, so far they're following their usual attack patterns." Rapier observed as she gestured to the ship's main monitor.

"Yes, it shouldn't be too much of a problem to place the device." Axe agreed.

Saber merely growled as he still did not like the idea of being reduced to that of a delivery drone. If it were that simple, then he could have just let those mindless Spider-Crabs do the job.

At that moment, Lance pointed out something new on the monitor. "Hello, what do we have here?"

The Spider-Crabs were given quite a surprise when some of the Vanguards suddenly opened up and released smaller versions of themselves. The few Tekkasuits that Parfet had managed to get operational now showed their worth as they began working in concert with their larger counterparts.

Xian Pu put her new Tekkasuit through a few evasion maneuvers, easily slipping through the ranks of the Spider-Crabs. She began blasting away with her shoulder-cannon, while her remote-controlled Vanguard laid down covering fire. She felt a kind of exhilaration as she moved about like Slade and the other Tekkamen. Her new armor had enough firepower to bring down a small cruiser and with this added mobility, she felt as if she could take on the universe!

Fighting nearby, her cohort, Ukyo the XVII, was also finding her new Tekkasuit to be quite a wonderous weapon. She had been envious of Dita, Jura, and Meia's ability to become Tekkamen, but now this was something which allowed her to experience what it was like to fly freely through space and possess considerable power. As she streaked down toward another group of Spider-Crabs, she disengaged her cannon and reached behind for the special melee weapon she had Parfet devise for her. She whipped out a technological version of her family's Battle Spatula and activated it. The flat edge of the weapon glowed with zeetron energy as she slashed through the armored shells of her opponents.

"Hmmm, it seems they've come up with some would-be Tekkamen." Saber remarked as he watched their forces being decimated by Slade and his allies.

"Hmpf! As if those tin cans could even COMPARE to true Tekkamen." Rapier scoffed as she held out her Tekkacrystal. "Why don't we show them just what actual Tekkamen can REALLY do?"

"INCOMING!" Slade shouted out as four new players came onto the scene. Currently, he was without Pegas as the Tekkabot was undergoing a few modifications.

Ruby, Diamond, and Sapphire were caught off-guard as Axe, Lance, and Rapier came upon them for a long-awaited rematch. As Slade started toward them to assist, he was suddenly blindsided by an old enemy's lance, which struck him hard in the back. When he turned about, his eyes widened, then narrowed.

"SABER!" He growled. "I had a feeling that you were still alive!"

"Oh yes." Saber replied with a sneer as he also readied for the imminent conflict, despite his orders not to engage his arch-enemy. "Alive... and killing!"

With those words, the two charged at each other. Their lances clashed together as they continued to stare each other down.

"You didn't think something as trivial as planetary Armageddon would be enough to destroy me, did you?" Saber taunted.

Slade growled as he pushed back and then jetted backward to get in a better position before going at it again. As he engaged his opponent, he started to get a strange feeling that something was... different about Saber this time around.

Meia gritted her teeth from behind her helmet as she found herself up against Axe again. Though her battle skills as a Tekkaman had improved since the last encounter, she was still at a disadvantage in overall brute power against the Radam berserker. She tried a zigzag flight pattern while firing off a barrage of her energy darts. However, Axe easily defended by spinning his weapon about like a baton, deflecting the projectiles with the flat of his blade.

"Not this time!" Axe sneered as he countered with a savage slash, which let loose with a sizzling arc of energy.

Meia winced as she barely managed to avoid the blast, which nicked her left flank. Then, before she could retaliate, Axe was suddenly in front of her and delivered a fist directly into her gut. Her armor wasn't enough to protect her fully from the impact and she felt as if her stomach was being pounded into her spine.

Axe smiled as he swung his weapon about, smacking Diamond around with the blunt end. He wasn't going to kill her outright. That would be too quick. He wanted to soften her up a bit, before separating her head from her shoulders. It would make a nice trophy to present to Lord Darkon.

"Not you again!" Jura snarled as she faced off against Rapier with blade drawn.

Rapier was especially eager to mix it up with this blonde would-be Tekkaman floozy! She had been shamed by this novice and wanted to pay her back for all the humiliation a hundred fold!

"It's time we separated the Tekkamen from the wannabes!"

"WHOA!" Dita cried out as she jetted across space with Lance hot on her tail. She had tried to use her energy bow against him, but he simply deflected her arrows with his own weapon. He also fired back at her with his shoulder cannons, giving her even more to worry about. She had to lead him away from her comrades as he was firing without any regard of whom or what was nearby. He had already obliterated several Spider-Crabs that had gotten in his way and Sapphire was certain that he would destroy any Dreads or Vanguards without any remorse to get at her.

For Lance, he was enjoying the chase immensely. He could tell that Dita was the least experienced of the new Tekkamen. He could almost SMELL her fear. It was only a matter of time before he caught up with his prey. Then the fun would begin!

Slade was thrown back hard and crashed against a group of Spider-Crabs. The monsters were pulverized in the impact, but they did serve to stop his momentum. The White Tekkaman shook his head and looked down at his chest, which now sported a wicked gash in the armor. He looked back up and just managed to avoid being skewered as Saber dove down with his weapon extended.

He brought up his own lance and managed to turn away Saber's, but the Crimson Tekkaman turned around and sent a hard kick to Slade's left temple. Slade was unable to block in time and was sent sprawling.

The Nirvana...

"What does it take to destroy Saber?" BC said in disbelief. Like many of the crew she had believed that he had perished on that desert world. To see him again unnerved even the normally cool first mate.

"Commander! Something's wrong!" Amarone said as she looked at her console's readout.

"What is it?" BC asked as she walked over to her position.

"I've been monitoring the battle between Slade and Saber, and it looks like Saber is emitting more bio-energy than previously recorded."

"What do you mean?"

"Saber's overall output has increased by more than thirty-seven percent. Slade is getting pounded!"

Magno nodded as her expression became more serious. "It seems that Saber has been spending some time in the gym since we last encountered him, and it's now paying off." She turned toward the Navigation Well. "Bart, can you give our forces some support?"

"Negative, Captain." The bald navigator replied sadly. "The enemy is too close to our own forces. I can't get any clear shots. Besides, it's taking all I've got to keep the shields up and stop those monsters from ripping up the hull again!"

"Why doesn't Slade transform?" Celtic asked.

Magno shook her head. "I'm afraid that he's too occupied with Saber and he can't risk using that Mega-Voltekker with our Dreads and Vanguards engaging those things."

Slade groaned as he picked himself up after crashing into another group of Spider-Crabs. He once again faced off against Saber, and though he couldn't see his expression, the former Saotome could tell that his foe was enjoying every minute of this fight.

Since when could Saber hit THAT hard?

"That last haymaker had a lot more kick than I remembered. Let me guess, Saber. You've been working out, haven't you?"

Saber chuckled evilly as he twirled his lance. "Not quite. I was in terrible shape when we last saw each other, but a stint in the Regeneration Pods can do wonders for a Tekkaman."

"Regeneration Pods?"

Saber chuckled even louder. "Oh yes, that's right. You don't know about my new boss."

"Boss? You mean, the Harvesters...?"

"Oh I DON'T mean those organ-hungry weaklings! They are no longer your concern or anyone else's. Did you really think THEY could create the Spider-Crab hordes of the Radam?"

"Spider-Crabs? Radam?" Slade felt a chill going down his spine as he remembered back to when he had spoken to Ghaleon Viperson. Tekkaman Phantom had told him of the ancient race of war-mongering aliens that had created the Tekkaman Power Process. "You mean...?"

"Oh yes! The Radam shall rise again! And Lord Darkon shall destroy all who stand in his way!"

"Darkon?"

"Yes, and I hope you will remember that name... and mine, once I send you to oblivion!"

With those words, Saber started slashing away at his target with a ferocity and speed that Slade found hard to counter. His foe had definitely gotten much faster and stronger than before. He wanted to transform into his evolved form, but Saber wasn't giving him any time to attempt it. There was also his allies to consider as well. With so many Dreads, Vanguards, and Tekkasuits fighting nearby, he couldn't consider using his enhanced powers. At the moment, he would have to hold out as he was.

For Saber, he was enjoying himself. Right now, he had the edge since he didn't have to worry about hitting any 'friendly forces'. The Spider-Crabs were nothing more than cannon fodder and were considered expendable. As for his fellow Tekkamen, well they were just associates and would be disregarded once their usefulness was over with. Slade was feeling the pain that he suffered ever since they met and Saber was going to savor every moment. His enemy was taking hits and feeling agony with every impact.

However, when he received a mental signal in the back of his head, he knew that he would have to cut his 'playtime' short. He growled slightly as he heard Darkon's voice in his head.

Saber! WHAT are you doing? Have you forgotten your mission?

No Master! I have not! However, I am close to defeating Slade once and for all!

Currently, he had Slade in a chokehold with his lance pressing up against Slade's neck. With Saber applying pressure from behind, things began to look bleak.

You WILL complete the mission I have given to you! Slade shall be destroyed, but ONLY at MY discretion! Or shall I remind you just WHO is your MASTER?

With those words, Saber began feeling a sharp pain emanating from the base of his neck and into his brain. This caused him to loosen his grip on his lance.

At the instant he felt the pressure ease on his throat, Slade slammed his elbows into Saber's abdomen, knocking him back. Swinging about with his lance, Slade smacked Saber away like a baseball batter.

The Red Tekkaman went flying and slammed hard against the hull of a Dread Fighter as it streaked by. Saber picked himself up and looked on the surface of where he had landed and smiled as he saw who was in the cockpit.

Barnette fought the urge to scream as Saber loomed above her, his eyes glowing red. She began having flashbacks of that time when she had last seen the armored warrior and how close she had come to being killed. She saw images of firing her weapons at him with no effect, and how he had sent her crashing down in her Vanguard. Since then, she would occasionally have nightmares about those events. And now, it seemed that Saber was going to finish the job he had started as he prepared to drive his lance into his victim.

Barnette's survival instincts took over as she made her Dread do a sudden rollover. This caused Saber to be knocked off-balance as his lance came down. The point smashed through the canopy, but missed its intended target, Barnette's heart. The tip ripped into her console's systems. The pilot winced as the blade grazed her right arm, but she had no time to consider the injury as her ship's emergency systems kicked in. With the sudden decompression, the Dread's computer activated protective shielding panels to stabilize the cockpit atmosphere and cushion the pilot. However, as Saber's lance had also damaged the fighter's navigational systems, the Dread began flying erratically.

Saber blasted away from his perch on Barnette's Dread, ripping up the hull with a parting slash. He smiled as he watched the Dread careen toward the Nirvana.

Inside her fighter, Barnette desperately tried to regain control of her ship, but knew that it was a losing battle. With the Nirvana filling up her main monitor, she had only one choice. Reaching out with her left hand, she grabbed hold of the ejection lever and pulled. Parts of the hull around the cockpit disengaged and flew off. The ejection module, containing the cockpit and several small maneuvering thrusters, blasted free and away from the doomed ship. It immediately fired its thrusters to further distance itself from the rest of the hull.

Barnette could only watch as her Dread impacted hard against the Nirvana's shields and disappear in an expanding cloud of gases and debris. She then looked down at her injured right arm and shuddered at the thought of how close she come to dying. She then smiled a bit as she knew that this was a valid excuse to see Duero.

In a minute, her ejection module was picked up by one of the Warrior Squadron pilots and was transported back to the Nirvana. However, no one knew that in addition to the injured pirate, there was an extra passenger. Saber's lance had not only caused the destruction of Barnette's Dread, but had also deposited a certain device in its systems.

Meia was feeling pain on a very intense level, but managed to hold her own against the murderous Axe. She had taken quite a beating, but was starting to give back as good as she got. She hadn't endured Slade's training to be beaten by this brute!

She managed to get Axe's weapon in a bind with her spear, then kicked out with her right leg, catching him in the solar plexus. She then thrust forward with her spear to skewer Axe's left shoulder. The larger space warrior howled in pain as he grabbed hold of Meia's weapon and attempted to pull it out. At the same time, he reached out with his other hand and grabbed hold of Meia's throat. She started to feel her neck being constricted, even through her protective armor.

"ACK!"

She desperately tried to free herself from her foe's grip and had to let go of her own weapon. However, even her enhanced strength was no match for the raw power of her opponent. She started to lose consciousness and had to do something quickly. As everything started to go black, she decided on a last-ditch tactic.

"You... little..." Axe snarled as he increased pressure. In another minute, Meia's head would pop off like a cork from a champagne bottle. Nothing can help her...

"VOLTEKKER... CUTTER!"

Her adversary took the full force of Meia's strongest weapon as she let loose with twin blasts of energy at point-blank range. Axe was taken completely by surprise as he was driven back and his armor was shredded. He let off another howl of agony as he fell away from her and was lost in the confusion of the ongoing battle.

Meia gasped as she drifted in space. Her body had been battered, bruised, and her armor was badly damaged. However, she was still alive and that was all that mattered. The problem at the moment was that her fight with Axe had depleted all of her energy stores and she could feel the effects of total exhaustion. She needed to transform back and quickly.

Luckily for her, Gascogne was flying nearby in her delivery ship and sighted her after rearming some of the Dreads. The head supplier picked up the former Dread Leader and headed back to the Nirvana.

Tekkaman Ruby was reaching her limit as her duel with Rapier intensified. The two had been matching their sword skills and neither one was willing to yield. Jura began to realize that her first victory against the enemy female Tekkaman had been mostly due to luck. Rapier was definitely no novice when it came to sword combat and overall ferocity, and had already scored several hits on her opponent. Jura's armor had a few deep cuts and gashes in it and she was losing her strength rapidly. She knew that she had to finish this fight and soon. So, she decided to gamble as Rapier dived in for a lethal strike.

Jura fired off her arm shield at her, but Rapier let off a laugh of scorn as she easily dodged it, then drove her sword into Jura's unguarded left flank. The blonde let off a scream of utter pain as Rapier started to twist her blade.

"You didn't think I would fall for the same trick twice, did you?" Rapier sneered as she enjoyed watching Jura writhe in agony.

However, Jura let off a small chuckle as she grabbed onto Rapier's sword with one hand and gasped. "No... but I knew... that... you'd fall... for THIS trick!"

Rapier was about to wonder what she meant, when something struck the back of her head. The sudden impact caused her to lose her grip on her sword, and that's when Jura reacted. Her shield had come back like a boomerang and caught her enemy off guard. The pirate slashed with her sword across the face of her foe, cutting into the helmet and...

"AAAAAARRRRRRRRGGGGGHHHHH!"

Jura bit down and pulled out Rapier's weapon. With adrenaline pumping, she drove her adversary's own blade into the damaged side of Rapier's helmet, causing her to scream even more. Like Axe, she fell away from Jura, giving her opponent the chance to finish her off.

Jura fought back the feeling of shock as she focused her last remaining stores of energy and...

"VOLTEKKER... SCATTER!"

The blisters on her armor glowed as she thrust out her arms and let loose with a barrage of energy bolts that spread out, then came together on their target. Rapier was engulfed in a massive blast of energy, obscuring her from sight.

Jura fought down the urge to throw up as she weakly jetted back to the Nirvana.

Dita knew that she was in trouble as she was knocked down by Lance. She had tried to fight back with her bow, but she was no match against her savage opponent in close-quarters combat. As the Tekkaman prepared to finish her off, Sapphire prayed that it would be quick.

Mr. Alien! I'm so sorry!

Just then, she caught sight of two figures coming up from behind her tormentor. Twin blasts of quantum energy were launched, causing Lance to pause in his execution. This gave Dita a chance to get away as Ukyo and Xian Pu let loose with all the firepower their Tekkasuits possessed.

Lance however smirked behind his helmet as he was bombarded by a massive barrage of shots from their quantum-energy cannons. The two Vanguard pilots continued to fire, and fire, and fire. For one full minute, Lance could not be seen with the naked eye.

However, when Ukyo and Xian Pu's weapons ran dry, they beheld a sight which made their blood run cold. When the energy blasts died down and dissipated... Lance was still there, undamaged.

The Tekkaman let loose with a cruel laugh, which made the two girls even more fearful.

"HA HA HA HA HA! Well, that was fun! Now... it's MY TURN!"

Before they could even blink, Lance rocketed toward them. With one swipe of his weapon, he cut into their armor as if it was made of tinfoil, causing massive damage and malfunctions. The two had no choice but to disengage from their Tekkasuits before they were destroyed. Activating their ejection devices, the girls were enveloped in their space suits as their armor units were jettisoned. Their environmental suits automatically began signaling to their Vanguards to pick them up, but as Lance came toward them, the two pirates knew that their machines would not make it in time. They were about to die...

Lance chuckled as he came up to his helpless prey and prepared to turn them into bloody hunks of sushi. Then he heard a voice behind him...

"NO! LEAVE THEM ALONE, YOU BIG BULLY!"

Lance was caught off guard as Dita launched her energy arrows at him. This time, her aim was true as the projectiles nailed the Tekkaman in the back, knocking him away from Xian Pu and Ukyo. As their Vanguards came to pick them up, Sapphire pressed the attack and used her weapon to keep Lance busy as her comrades escaped.

Lance laughed at his foe's pathetic attempts to fight him and swatted away each attack.

"Hah! As if YOU could ever defeat me with such weak... ARGH!"

His taunting was suddenly cut off as Dita fired off an energy arrow at point-blank range, blinding Lance for a few precious seconds. She then got some distance and...

"VOLTEKKER... BLASTER!"

Lance found himself on the receiving end of Dita's final attack and was sent off like a flaming comet.

Dita paused to catch her breath, then signaled for Gascogne to pick her up. She was done.

Nearby, the battle between Slade and Saber was reaching its climax. Both Tekkamen had lost their weapons and were now exchanging blows at a maddening pace. Neither one even bothered to block each other's attacks as it boiled down to a question of who wanted to win the most. In the background, the Radam and Nirvana forces fell away to the sides as the end of the conflict was about to be decided.

Slade was a millisecond too slow in countering another series of punches from Saber, causing him to be momentarily dazed. That was all the time Saber needed as he jetted backward to get some distance and shouted out in triumph.

"It's time I put you out of my misery! Goodbye Slade! ANTI-VOLTEKKER!"

The Nirvana's Tekkaman had no chance to defend himself as Saber let loose with crimson bolts of energy, which engulfed his target in a blinding sphere of destruction. He could feel his damaged armor break away and his body being bathed in agony. However, as he felt himself being torn apart, a strange sensation washed over him and a thin blue aura surrounded his form.

Saber felt a feeling of foreboding as he saw the outline of Slade within the field of energy. He had thought that he had finally defeated his adversary, but...

No! I GOT him! He should be blasted into dust! What's happening... OH NO!

Oh yes!

The remnants of Slade's armor regenerated themselves and became more robust. His body surged with new power as the transformation to Tekkaman Blastor took place. The energy around him dispersed as Slade's evolved form emerged.

No! I was so CLOSE! Damn him!

"It's over, Saber!" Blastor growled as he held out his arms and opened up his Voltekker Units. He began powering up as he aimed for his rival and the Spider-Crabs behind him. Since the Nirvana fighters had withdrawn, they were in no danger of being caught in the blast.

Saber snarled as he began rocketing away. He knew that this battle was lost, but with his objective achieved, there was no point in remaining.

"Another time, Slade!" Saber promised as he made his escape toward a waiting Seed Ship. The Radam forces desperately began their withdrawal before Blastor attacked, but only the Tekkamen and a few of their Spider-Crabs would make it. The rest was going to be destroyed.

Saber and his injured cohorts barely managed to get into the Seed Ship and escape into hyperspace, when Blastor let loose with his strongest weapon.

"MEGA-VOLTEKKER!"

The hordes of Spider-Crabs were annihilated as the blast caught them all like a raging tsunami. The entire sector of space was engulfed with the resulting energy shockwaves, and even with its shields on full, the Nirvana was almost shaken to pieces. Then, as the force of the blast died out, Tekkaman Blastor limped back to the ship. It was over for now.

Later...

"How does that feel, Barnette?" Duero asked as he finished bandaging up the Dread pilot's arm.

"It feels good." Barnette replied with a small smile. "How are Dita, Jura, and Meia?"

"It was... a bit touch-and-go for a while, but they all managed to pull through. It was partly due to their status of Tekkamen. Their bodies were more resilient that I had thought and they should be fully recovered in a week or so."

"That's good to hear. What would we do without you?" Barnette gave him a more pronounced smile.

"Sometimes, I wonder." Duero replied quietly. His thoughts went back to when Jura and the other Tekkamen were brought in.

The blonde Tekkaman had suffered a ruptured spleen and a damaged liver during her fight with Rapier. The others weren't quite as injured, but also needed serious medical attention. The sight of their wounds and all that blood had made Paiway almost totally petrified with fear and disgust. All of her training was forgotten and she had been nearly useless to Duero as he worked to stabilize their conditions. The good doctor had to work overtime to see to their needs.

Once he was certain that they would survive, he had given the apprentice nurse a stern talking to. It was very hard for him not to lose his temper over Paiway's inability to deal with such matters of importance. The little girl protested, saying that he was being unfair in his judgment over her recent performance. The physician however knew that he would have to be harsh and make Paiway understand that this was no game. He didn't like to cause anyone pain, either physically or mentally, but he had to get her medical skills up to satisfactory levels, or else the entire crew would suffer in the near future.

"Duero?"

The doctor was brought back to reality when he heard Barnette's voice. He turned toward her, checked the dressing, and nodded. "Your arm should be all right in two days or so. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have three Tekkamen to see to. I imagine that they're going to be very hungry once those sedatives wear off." As he got up to leave for the intensive care ward, Barnette reached out and took hold of his right wrist, stopping him. He glanced over his shoulder with a questioning gaze. "Is... there anything else?"

Barnette did not answer immediately as she looked into the eye that wasn't covered by hair. She had grown fond of the color hazel and to her, looking into that eye was like seeing into his soul. She could see that something was bothering the good doctor, and she guess why. Paiway had often complained in the cafeteria after her training sessions.

Finally, she spoke in a gentle tone. "Duero, don't be so hard on Paiway. She really is trying."

"How could you know about...?"

Barnette smiled knowingly. "Well, with all the time you've been spending with her and how she's been..." Her voice trailed off as she recalled exactly what the apprentice nurse had called him behind his back, she phrased her next words carefully. "... taking the training, it wasn't hard to figure out."

"It's... very obvious, isn't it?" Duero sighed as he sat back down.

"Yes, and even though Paiway doesn't show it, she really does appreciate all that you're doing for her. I'll admit that she wasn't exactly doctor material when she started taking up medical duties, but at least we all knew that she cared about us."

Duero nodded and held up a hand. "Oh, I'm not questioning her sincerity to her duties. That was the main reason why I'm training her. She has the potential to be a good nurse, or even a physician. The only thing is, I have to smooth out all the rough edges, and she has a LOT of them. However, I think that she will be able to handle things once I'm gone."

Barnette felt a bit of regret in her heart as she realized the truth in Duero's statement. The Tarak physician would most likely return to his homeworld once this crisis was over. She became a bit rueful that she had such little time to get to know him better. All those months wasted in hating Duero as a man, instead of seeing him as Duero the person.

She quickly banished such sad thoughts as she leaned forward and gave him a peck on his cheek. She then quickly got up and said, "Well, give Paiway some more time. I'm sure she'll come around, Razor."

As she left the Sick Bay, Duero continued to sit and wonder. His right hand came up to stroke the place where Barnette's lips had touched. In his mind, he could hear her voice saying his nickname. With a slight smile, he got to his feet and headed toward the Intensive Care Ward.

Earth...

Saber and the rest of the Tekkamen were being regenerated in the Tekkapods as Darkon contemplated the next step. The operation had cost him quite dearly, but the goal had been achieved. Unknown to the Nirvana and its crew, the battle had been merely a diversion. A much more insidious plan was in the works.

When Saber had returned, he had been severely reprimanded for his disobedience. The red Tekkaman had protested and even demanded the secret to Slade's evolution. However, the Radam Warlord had once again refused to divulge the process and had Saber placed in indefinite stasis, until he saw fit to release him.

Oh yes, Darkon knew of the penultimate form of the Tekkaman. He knew of its strengths and of its weaknesses. In fact, he was certain that Slade would soon realize the price to be paid for having such power.

Days later on the Nirvana...

Slade was feeling quite... nauseous as he left the cafeteria. He wasn't hungry as usual, and those in cafeteria were quite surprised to see him leave without eating all of his food. Usually, in one sitting, he would eat enough to feed ten people. However, he had barely consumed a tenth of his meal before calling it quits.

As he plodded down the hallway, he passed by Duero and gave him a small wave. As he continued onward, Duero looked over his shoulder and became a bit concerned at the state Slade was in. Of course, he had been expecting that the Tekkaman would be a little drained after transforming to his evolved form. However this time, Slade's usual coordination was lacking and he was walking as if he was being weighed down.

Duero began to suspect that something was wrong, very wrong.

Slade staggered into his quarters and plopped facedown on his bed. As he lay on his stomach, he absently began staring at the wall. Suddenly, his eyesight momentarily blurred as everything became bathed in a red haze. A sharp pain briefly flared in his head before subsiding. The Tekkaman wondered just what was happening, then dismissed it as merely fatigue. He reasoned that all he needed was some rest and let himself drift off to sleep.

Little did he know, that his condition was more serious than anyone would think.

In the hanger, the remains of Barnette's fighter were recycled as a new Dread was being built for Jura's friend. As the engineers worked taking apart the cockpit and installing new systems, nobody noticed a tiny, alien device that was attached to a subsystem. As one of Parfet's engineers hooked up the onboard navigational computer to a terminal, the Radam device began to carry out its programming. It immediately detached itself from its hiding place and began riding the relays towards its first destination... the Nirvana's Paksis.

To be continued...

Preview...

Slade: "Things have gotten from bad to worse! We thought the Harvesters were bad, but we were deathly mistaken. After centuries of hiding, the Radam Lord Darkon makes his presence known. With Axe, Lance, Rapier, and a recovered Saber under his command, he's a lot more dangerous than the Harvesters could ever hope to be. It doesn't help matters that I'm starting to feel a bit odd…"

Dita: "Look! Someone's sending a distress signal!"

Meia: "I don't believe this… Rabat ? Why should we help him?"

Slade: "That scumbag's lucky we're even considering helping him out since he might have some info on the Radam as the Harvesters are gone now."

Dita: "Oh no! It's a trap! Mr. Alien! Barnette and Mr. Doctor have been kidnapped!"

Slade: "NO! How could this have happened!? Next time, on TekkaDread Remastered: 'Darkon's Plan'. Hold on, guys, we'll save you! I swear it!"

Author's Notes

Well, that was a long one and now we're heading into chapter 8, a three-part storyline which will entail some MAJOR changes in the storyline. As the battle against the Radam heats up, these events will have some serious results. See you there!

Please read and review!