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Vandread: The Unknown Soldier (Revised)
Chapter Twenty-Three: Planning, Part One
Location: Mejalian Pirate Shuttle, Currently on Approach Vector to S.D.S. Dauntless.
Hibiki sat on the fold-out bunk in the shuttle, thinking over the events of the past few days. Things had turned from bad to worse, all because of that damned device that allowed the enemy fleet to overpower them so easily. As a result, they were forced to retreat to this godforsaken nebula. Then, when things couldn't have been any worse, a group of soldiers boarded the Nirvana under the guise of a damaged shuttlecraft. They had managed to take over the bridge, but through an unlikely turn of events, they turned out to be supposed allies.
What had really pissed him off was the fact that when he tried to jump one of the soldiers, he was thrown roughly to the ground, and shot no less than three times. Of course, he figured out the shots weren't lethal, but they still hurt like hell. He couldn't even take on a single soldier and beat him, but was beaten himself. He was knocked out of his thoughts by a sudden outburst by none other than Dita. As a result, he nearly fell off of the bunk.
"Wow, would you take a look at that!" Dita said in amazement over the commlink. She was currently one of the two Dread pilots escorting the shuttle towards the SDF Flagship.
He looked out of the front view screen of the shuttle, several hundred meters away, was the command ship of the entire Solaris Fleet. What he saw was a massive warship, at least twice as big as the Nirvana, and far more bulky. From where they were, he could still see several gun and other weapon ports adorning the slab sides of the hull of the large warship. He was awed and somewhat intimidated by its threatening appearance. Some of the weapon turrets moved and locked onto the shuttle. He knew that if they wanted to, they could reduce this small shuttlecraft to atomized particles in a second.
"That is the Invincible Class Battle Cruiser, Dauntless," Maria said, noticing that Hibiki had his sight on the warship.
"Looks impressive," he admitted.
"I have incoming!" Barnette, the other escort pilot, announced. "Two fighters."
"This is Falcon Flight One," came a male voice, followed a second later by the image of a helmeted pilot on the shuttle's comm view screen. "We are here to escort you to the Dauntless, please acknowledge."
"We acknowledge, lead the way," BC said to the pilot of the forward-swept winged fighter.
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Aidan was yet again in his commander's office, going over what they had managed to capture from the E.D.A. destroyer, Avenger.
"So, what of the captured ship, the Avenger I think it was called, sir?" Aidan asked his commander.
"The Captain of this ship has already sent over repair teams and a prize crew," Colonel Albrecht replied. "We will stay in orbit until she is ready to go."
"Good," he said, one less ship for the E.D.A. "Prisoners?"
"We captured most of the crew alive, but there is too many to be held in the brig. So, we're keeping all the officers and marooning the rest on that jungle planet," Albrecht responded. "But you're a little off subject, Captain. You left the late PM's daughter on board a pirate ship?"
"I assure you she's fine, sir," he replied. "Those pirates are, different."
"How so?" Albrecht asked.
"They have a strong sense of loyalty, something usually lacking in most pirates," he replied. "And besides, the E.D.A. attacked them as well, and killed a few of them, they are taking it kind of personally."
"Well, here's the list of what we acquired, in prisoners, supplies, vehicles, and weapons," Albrecht said, handing Aidan an electronic data pad.
Aidan glanced over the list, first at the prisoners. Much to his dissatisfaction, the name of his former commander was not among the list of prisoners. He really wanted to watch that traitor die, but he didn't bother to bring it up with his current commander. That was something he didn't want many people to know about. He had only told Meia, because she had overheard that one conversation.
He then scanned over the list of the captured vehicles and equipment. Several fighters, some dropships and shuttles, several stockpiles of firearms and ammunition. The usual stuff, although one thing that didn't show up bothered him. Where was Meia's fighter, he had known for a fact that it was brought on board that ship. Why wasn't it listed?
"One question, sir," he said as he handed the data pad back to his commander. "Where's the Dread? It should have been listed."
"Dread? What is that?" Albrecht asked.
"The Mejalian fighter craft," he replied. "When the E.D.A. captured us, they took it as well."
"Well, I'm sure it would have been listed if it was there," Albrecht said. "Something as big as a fighter is hard to miss, unless…"
"Unless they had it moved off ship before you attacked," Aidan finished. That would explain why that bastard is missing as well. A coward to the end, always running away if things get too dicey for him. Typical. If I ever find him…
"Captain?" Albrecht said, knocking him back to reality. "Anything wrong?"
"No, sir," he replied, quickly regaining his senses. "Just thinking."
"That'll be all for now, Captain," Albrecht said. "Dismissed."
Aidan got up out of his seat, saluted his commander, and turned to leave.
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Admiral Alexander Graff sat the desk in his office, listening to the old woman that was seated across from him. With her, there was a tan silver-haired woman, some short kid, and Maria Shakov. He was relieved that she was safe, but was also remorseful about the loss of the Artemis and her entire crew. Captain Hector Cranston was one of the best Captains he had under his command, and now he was dead. Well, at least he went down with his ship, what any good captain would do.
As it stood, only two survivors made it off the Artemis alive. Miss Shakov, and a Special Forces soldier that was acting as her bodyguard. He'd also just learned that the same soldier foiled an assassination attempt on Miss Shakov's life, and participated in a battle with the E.D.A. He also went missing, along with their own squadron leader just before they were forced to take shelter in the nebula. What caught his interest was the fact that these were the very people who defeated the Harvesters, and sent them packing.
"We were forced into this nebula after taking heavy losses in an earlier engagement with the E.D.A. forces," he said after a long pause. "They haven't located us yet, but that could change, as I assume they are nearby?"
"Yes," the old woman replied. "We were forced to take shelter here for similar reasons."
"They used a strange weapon on us, I believe it was called the Paksis Nullification Device," the silver-haired woman said after a few seconds.
"The P.N. Device?" he asked incredulously. "You know about it?"
"Yes," the old woman said. "Captain Aidan Mercer told us."
"Mercer?" he queried. "Was he the Special Forces soldier?"
"Yes, he was," the silver-haired woman said.
"Well, I'll have to remember that," he said. "Did he say what particular detachment he was with?"
"No, I don't remember him stating it," the old woman said.
"Hmm…" was his only reply.
"Let it be known that he also helped us on more than one occasion, and was wounded in assisting us in the battle with the E.D.A.," the old woman said.
"Is that so," he replied. "And where is he now?"
"He last was seen going out on an unauthorized recon mission along with our squadron leader," the silver-haired woman said. "Neither of them have reported back since."
He sat there for several long seconds, thinking all of the recent events and information in his mind. After that, he came to a decision. "Given the circumstances, we will assist you in any way we can. I will also need all data concerning you combat capabilities and force composition. If we are to formulate a plan of action."
"Seeing as how our original plan was to find a way to link up with you and assist in dealing with your enemy," the old woman. "That sounds acceptable."
"Well, you know how that old saying goes," he said with a slight grin. "The enemy of my enemy is my friend."
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Meia still felt uncomfortable, being on this ship. First of all, she only knew one person, and even then this place made her feel like an outsider. An outsider she was, but the other reason was that the majority of this ship's crew were men. She calmed herself down, knowing that being nervous or uncomfortable would not help her.
Another thing that was on her mind was the recent conversation with Aidan. Killing an innocent mother and child was almost inconceivable to her. And he ended up killing them for the wrong reasons? All because of a lie, why was this universe so messed up? It was because of people like that traitor that tricked Aidan. He told that he didn't want to kill them, and she believed him. She would rather have died than kill them, if she would've been in his place.
After he had told her, she felt several emotions, each one seeming to be at conflict within her. She felt an intense anger, mostly directed at the person who'd ordered Aidan to commit such an act. Next there was shock, mostly at the fact that the very person was talking to her had taken innocent life, even though he didn't want to. Last, there was sympathy, for both the mother and child and for the person that killed them. She had felt emotions that she'd hardly ever felt before.
What was that feeling that overcame me? she silently asked herself, referring to when she tried to comfort Aidan, an act that she apparently did purely on impulse, without even thinking on it. Do I actually feel something for him, that man? Do I actually…
That particular thought never completed itself as she saw the very she was thinking about walk towards her. His face showed almost no emotion, which he meant he had something serious on his mind. He stopped right in front of her. She mentally composed herself.
"Something wrong?" she asked. "Is it about the other day?"
"No," he replied. "It's something else."
"What is it?" she asked again.
"After speaking with the Colonel, and reviewing the equipment acquired from the captured ship," he said. "There was no sign of your Dread on board."
"What?" she said in disbelief. "Where is it?"
"That's just it," he replied. "We don't know where it is. Evidence proves that one shuttlecraft was missing and a number of personnel were transferred off the ship two days before it was captured."
"Damn," she muttered. It briefly amused her that she was beginning to sound a little more like Hibiki, like the Captain had said. As quickly as that thought came into her mind, it went, then came back seriousness. "We have to get it back."
Just then, a lone crewman came jogging up to where they were standing. He panted for a few seconds, to catch his breath, then saluted Aidan. "Capta- err, Major," the crewman said, correcting himself.
"Yes," Aidan replied as he returned the salute. "What is it?"
"The Colonel wants you both to report to the briefing room as soon as possible," the man said. "He said it was urgent."
"I understand," Aidan replied. "Thank you for letting me know."
Meia picked up the pace as soon as Aidan started moving. He had said the both of them. What was this Colonel planning?
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Chapter 23 finished. Expect the further updates of both Vandread fanfics so