Disclaimer: I don't own Vandread.

A/N

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Chapter 11

"Newton's Law states that what goes up must come down. Captain's Law states that what goes up must come down, and sure as fuck better go back up again." - Shamrock to Meia, spoken after rendezvous.

Barnette looked at herself in the mirror. The woman that looked back was almost as alien as the man behind her.

After their meeting with Pool, it was decided that her first meeting would take place in two days. To make sure that this would be well understood, Avalanche and his team would accompany her to all meetings, both serving as her private security force and to clear up any misgivings that anyone might have towards her.

To ensure that everything was done according to a delicate schedule created by Mori, Barnette had a constant eyesore following her in the form of Shamrock.

Much to his credit, he had been very proper, despite Sky Kid instantly warning her to watch out for his silver tongue and charm. Maybe he was just putting on a show for her, or, and as weird as it was to think, maybe he was just trying to sneak a peek at her naked.

"Can I please get dressed without someone around?" Barnette finally asked, green hair now a shade darker as it clung to her face from her morning shower.

"You don't have anything I haven't seen before, trust me. But," he turned around, his back to her now and facing the door, "I'll focus on the door. Orders are orders. And you have a mirror in front of you. I'm not stupid enough to try and look at you. Trig would know."

Barnette was willing to bet Trig wouldn't have anything to say about him sneaking a peek. Even if he was good for it, she still didn't trust him with her naked form. He was a man, after all.

"I'd be more inclined to believe that if you didn't stare at me though."

She received only silence. He hadn't moved an inch when he turned around, his hands in his pockets and resting in a lazy slouch. There was a quiet voice in her mind that gave him a modest complement as she recognized his stance of false attentiveness. She was still pressed into remembering that despite his laid back attitude, he was never what he seemed.

She finished dressing quickly and studied herself in the mirror. They had given her a standard suit to wear for the event. Female, of course, and one she despised. Again, angry only at the lack of skin to be shown.

"Five minutes fourty-two seconds." Shamrock's voice drew her out of her annoyance. Her eyes landed on the back of his head. He was looking at his wrist, a watch that was just barely out of sight for her. "Faster than Trig, I'll give you that. And any other woman I ever dated. Come on. We're on a tight schedule."

"My hair isn't done." She crossed her arms after running a hand through the wet mess. He turned just enough to flash a sly smile that made her uneasy. "I'm not wearing a hat."

"Didn't say you were." He gestured to the bathroom and she marched in. He followed. "Orders," he reminded her as she turned to berate him. Her mouth snapped shut and he looked ahead towards something unseen before he snapped back to her as she set to fixing her hair. "You'll be speaking with several Captains, Squadron Leaders, and two Politicians. Names aren't important. What is important is that you answer only questions concerning these Aliens. Nothing else."

"Prior engagements?"

"Allowed, but limited. Don't mention that you're a former Pirate. That'll botch this entire plan. Government isn't too happy with the idea of Aliens knocking on our doors for body parts, or a plan to save the world by helping another world first. Honestly, this is the kind of shit you see in movies."

"Old action movies, maybe."

"If this works, you can make the book or screenplay. It'll sell like hotcakes."

She finished and checked herself in the mirror. "Never understood that saying."

"No one does. Meaning is lost. Or so some might argue. Me, it's a meaningless phrase inciting one into the belief that what they created will sell faster than what they can make it."

Barnette turned just enough to eye the man beside her. He was serious about the meaning, that much she saw. "Didn't take you for a sentimental type."

"I'm not what you think. I'm like an onion. Multiple layers. Might make you cry when you peel a few back." Barnette doubted that. She'd never cry for a man. Not even while tortured. "Let's go. The others are waiting." He brought the same wrist to his lips. "We're coming out."

They exited the room, made a quick jaunt to the elevator and were whisked into a car heading for only God knew where. Trig drove. Avalanche rode shotgun. Sky Kid and Shamrock rode with them, both wearing full military gear. Hound and Riptide were behind them in another vehicle.

Information like this wouldn't stay hidden for long. It was theorized that it was already leaked thanks only to hackers and paranoia, both of which Shamrock admitted to believing in. The last thing they needed was their VIP getting killed, abducted, or questioned before the event took place. Secret as this was, nothing would stay hidden for long. No doubt the moment this meeting was over, half the world would know.

"Where's my gun?" Barnette finally asked, eyeing the glock at their sides.

"If we knew you were good for it, we'd give you one." Sky Kid flashed a disarming smile when she scowled at him. "Don't fret too much. We got your back. If stuff goes sideways…" he let it hang there.

Shamrock rolled his eyes. "We also can't give you a gun for the simple reason of you being a speaker here. An unarmed speaker with guards will be listened to a bit better than one with a gun."

"I beg to differ."

"Command says it does."

"And they're always right?"

Sky Kid chuckled. Shamrock wore a poker face. "Right and wrong are so easily misunderstood. One mans' justice is another mans' injustice. Don't knock them in the meeting."

Barnette gave him a sly smile. Banter aside, she understood him a little better than yesterday or any day before.

"Don't worry too much about anything going sideways." Avalanche turned just enough so that one eye was visible. Barnette felt a chill run through her when she looked at him. "Shamrock and Kid are taking point. Riptide and Hound will cover exits. Trig and I are spotters."

"Shouldn't you already be there then?"

"We're getting there early. No one knows where this is happening but us." Barnette doubted that, but remained silent. "As soon as we get there, we'll split off and cover the perimeter while you give your speech. Once that's done, you'll come back to us, we load up, and then leave back for the safe house."

"Safe house doesn't seem safe enough."

"You knocking it?" Trig asked quietly.

"I guess."

"Sky, you're thoughts?"

Barnette eyed the Attacker Pilot. He was embarrassed. "No comment."

The other two males chuckled. Barnette felt out of place and let the remaining minutes of the trip go by in silence. She shut her eyes and felt a sense of peace swell within her. If this was to be her end, would the others know? Part of her doubted they would. She was dead to them already. Gone and forgotten. Like so many others before her and after her.

Doubt held her back from believing such an idea. She could be remembered. Maybe not as something great, but something. She wasn't special. Not to them. In her mind she was the ships' entire world. It revolved around her. They needed her like a fish needs water.

Selfish. She knew that. How dare she think in such a way. She was no different then Hibiki. He believed himself superior to all other beings. Arrogant. Yet, she felt that she was just the same.

They arrived at a small theater and were quick to start getting ready. Setup was quick. Mori arrived with a second team to back them up. They were informed first of the situation and then given instructions on what to do and where to go. After another hour the remaining guests arrived.

Barnette waited for cue off to the side, standing next to Sky Kid and Shamrock as the two scanned the crowd. Occasionally one of them would speak up with a name and point in a general direction. The other would smile and shake their head.

"You're on in five." A man in full combat suit said. He stepped up to them, his hands resting in front of them. Barnette read the name tag and smiled. It was Thursday. The man said something quietly into his Comm System before turning his focus back to the three. "Scratch that. Two minutes."

"Bad time management?" Sky Kid asked.

"Good seeing you again, Thursday." Barnette ignored the odd time hiccup and offered her hand to the man that had given helpful advice in a time of need.

The man tilted his head a little then glanced in the direction of Shamrock. The man mouthed something and the pilot nodded quietly. "Well, it was good seeing you again as well. Take care of yourself."

Missing the exchange, Barnette gave a small wave as Shamrock looked out from behind a curtain and towards the rafters. People had stopped arriving. The show was about to begin. He gestured towards her with a single nod.

"Now, to begin the briefing on our new threat, I have called upon a survivor from a ruined craft to speak about our new enemy." Mori stepped aside, introducing her to the crowd before backing away from the stand.

"Hello." Barnette felt her voice hitch in her throat. Her palms were sweaty, her size diminished before the crowd of onlookers. "My name is Barnette Orangelo. A few months ago, my ship was attacked and I was shot down." A hologram of a single cube-type floated beside her. It spun slowly and was large enough for everyone to see. "By these machines. These machines are A.I driven, quick, durable, and smart."

The hologram shifted and showed a battle that had been taken from her black box, capturing the moment of the enemy craft doing a one-hundred eighty degree turn in an instant to fly right at her, it's pincer-like claws aiming to tear her canopy apart, made worse by the menacing red eye that reflect her hardened face.

"I think we all understand the luxury of no human pilot for warfare, so I'll skip that lesson. These things will not die unless you destroy their power source. Currently, these or the only sources my ship ever encountered."

The hologram shifted to that of a dumpling-looking craft, it's "mouth" opened, releasing a black of the tiny cubes already breaking off.

"This craft serves as their main source of power and transportation. They hide within the machine, are quickly deployed, and immediately break away from it to swarm their targets. My Dread was fast enough to barely out pace them, but given that the last encounter I had with them, they don't need speed to gun you down. They'll use their environment to their advantage when possible."

The projection disappeared and Barnette felt a great sense of fear as she looked the pilots over. This was her briefing, but it felt like a court session for how bad she was as a pilot. She was shot down and they were supposed to listen to her? She wouldn't listen to a gun downed pilot, even if they were the most renown pilot in the system. They were shot down. Why listen to them?

"Once the carrier is destroyed, the other machines power down. Shame as it is, if two arrive, you have to knock them both down. As long as one remains, they will empower all other craft to keep them active. Operational time-limit is unknown. Assume longer than you or anything you can think of."

Mori stepped up to the podium, smiling as she spoke. "We'll now open up the floor for a few questions. Barnette only has time for a few, so we'll keep them brief." A hand rose and Mori stepped back, allowing Barnette the floor again.

"What kind of weapons do they use? Missiles? Chain-guns?"

"The only weapons we've seen as repeater blasters on the cubes, a heavy artillery cannon for the carrier, along with a liquid metal grappling system they shot from their "mouth" area." Barnette answered carefully.

Another pilot spoke up, standing just enough so that Barnette could make out brown hair. "How fast are the carriers?"

"We've never clocked their speed, but most ships can outrun them. The fighters are harder to deal with. Running really isn't an option."

"Any words of advice on how to deal with them?"

Barnette took a calming breath as she thought of an answer to that question. Mori stepped up, but she put her down and grabbed hold of the mic. "They're after our body parts. Give them nothing if you feel you're going to die. Whatever they want with our bodies, don't give it to them. Denying them one thing may turn the tide in this war. This isn't about just us anymore. I've seen two worlds decimated by these things. One had their blood completely taken from them, and another had removed bone marrow from their bodies. Don't let them take what they want from you."

The pirate stepped away from the mic and walked calmly to the team. Mori took over, but Barnette ignored her, focusing more on the team as they were rushed to a vehicle and sent into space to board their ship.

Her last thoughts as she walked onto the bridge of the ship, staring out in the deep void of space, were fearful, regretful, and worst of all, based solely on the thought of a lie that they had waited for her.

I'm coming back!