Disclaimer: You already know.

This one may be a little rushed, I believe. Sorry.

Chap. 23

Natasha was on her way to the Control Room. Chief Aki had called her in for an assignment after she had returned from Moscow. Why did I go in the first place? She knew why she was invited. But she didn't want to be around people who would only show there condolences just because they knew her father. They didn't know a thing about her. Why even bother with it at all? Convinced, Natasha enters the room only to find the Chief there.

"Where are the others?"

"I only summoned you." Aki began. Natasha was a little puzzled by this, but kept it to herself as Aki went on.

"Currently, we have developed a new system for the energy cannons aboard the Orbital Space Ring that would be better for fending of Radham attacks. However, given the current situation and the recent increase of attacks, we decided that it would be best for it to be brought there first-hand. Therefore, I'm sending you to the Space Ring to deliver the program." She paused. "Dead End will accompany you."

'What?' "Dead? But Chief, is that really necessary?"

The decision has already been made, Natasha.

'This has got to be a joke. A really cruel joke.' "But why Dead?"

"He has less experience in the field aside from his fights with the Radham. If he is to be a effective Space Knight, he need to learn other skills as well. If you have a problem, I can assign someone else."

Natasha stayed silent for awhile. She didn't like this. But she didn't want to seem incapable of dealing with this. This isn't going to stop me.

"No. No problem."

"Good. Then I expect you two to be ready and report to the docking bay in a few hours."

"Yes Chief." Natasha turned, but Aki spoke out again.

"I understand your feelings, but find a way to co-exist with him. That's an order."

'Damn.' "Yes, Chief."

-------------

'A lot of trouble for a simple delivery' Natasha thought to herself as the shuttle zoomed into space. She watched as the massive space ring loomed into view. Not that she couldn't see it from Earth. But it seemed a little...unnatural for something like this to be circling the Earth. Natasha gave a mental sigh. She wished she had someone to talk to right around now. Goliathe, Anita, David, hell, even Yumi. Anyone, but him. Another sigh. I might as well try. If David can be friends with him, then it can't be too bad. What's the worse that could happen?

Flashback...

My father destroyed your hometown. Do you still think I'm not worth it?

What?

My father was General Pablochiva. Chief of military staff. Recognize the name? You should. He was the one planned the destruction of Prague colony.

What?!

He was the one who gave the order. He was the one who turned your colony into space debris. Well, do you still think I'm not worth it?

DIE!!!!!!!!!

Flashback End

That was pretty bad. If not for David and D-Boy, Natasha would have been killed on the spot. But still, that didn't make anything better, even if he was a Space Knight. Natasha shook her head. No. If I'm to work with him, then at least I have to find a way to co-exist with him. She locked the ship on auto-pilot and went to the cargo hold. As she opened the door, she could clearly hear music within the dimly lit room. Sitting on the floor, Dead was playing a song on his harmonica. Natasha was still a little edgy, so she waited until he finished playing. Dead stopped, but didn't look up at her.

"We're almost there."

"Uh, huh."

'Well, it's a start.' "That's an interesting song."

Dead twirled with the harmonica a bit. "What's so interesting about it?"

Natasha was confused, "Huh?"

"What is so interesting about a song of death?"

"A song of...death?" This was definitely not the way Natasha wanted things to go.

Slowly, his eyes raised and pierced through his emerald hair, "You wouldn't understand. Ever."

Natasha now frowned. 'Here I am trying to be civil and he acts like that?' "Forget it." she scowled. "Just be ready in a couple of minutes."

Dead merely gazed back at his instrument, "Sure."

Natasha stormed out of the cargo bay, leaving Dead alone who was softly chuckling to himself.

The two knights had finally arrived at the ring. However, neither of them exchanged a single word as they went through the few crowds to reach their destination point. As they walked, a figure passed by them, wearing a black cap. The person brushed past Dead, but Dead was able to get a glimpse of the person.

'Duo?'

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Space Knight CC

"Hey, did Natasha get back yet?" Goliathe asked as he walked onto the repair deck.

"Yeah, but she's gone." Anita answered, "Chief sent her on a mission."

"So soon?"

"Dead is with her." Yumi added while working on Alpha.

"He is?" Goliathe didn't know whether to laugh or feel sorry for his comrade. 'Oh, boy. Sounds like she should have stayed in Moscow.'

-----------

Duo Maxwell was looking at the flight schedule to the L2 colony. After his and Quatre's escape, Quatre decided to return to his home colony. Duo decided the same, but told him that he would contact him once he was done. Hmm. It shouldn't take too long to get there. Duo frowned a bit. It would have been simpler for him to tek-set and fly to the colony on his own. But he didn't want to risk getting caught by OZ. Oh, well. It could be worse...

"Well, well, well. It's a small universe after all."

Duo didn't have to turn. He knew who it was for two reasons. One, he recognized the voice and two, his tekka-set glimmered. Duo turns around with a jovial face to find Dead standing there by himself.

"Dead End. It's been awhile. What brings you here?"

Dead gave a grin of his own, "Business. I've heard you guys have been pretty busy."

"You can say that. So now what?"

"Hmmm. I don't know. You're not exactly my enemy, but you owe me."

Duo gave a small laugh, "As much as I would love to, I'm afraid we'll have to put that on hold.

"And what if I say, you don't have a choice?" Dead replied before taking out his tekka-set knife. Duo blinked, but his expression didn't change and his own tekka-set materialized in his hand.

"That may be a different story, now then?"

However, before any of them could make a move, the Space Ring suddenly shook. Residents began panicking and running away. Looking up, both Dead and Duo saw a Radham mothership in the distance. Beams were shooting out of it at the Space Ring as the aliens began to flood out.

"I guess you get away again, Maxwell. Tek-setta!"

Dead raised his knife/crystal and shot through the Ring, transforming into the powerful Tekkaman Dead. With a loud cry, he shot through the first wave of Radham, obliterating them within a few passes. Stopping briefly, he took out his lancer and began hacking away.

Inside, Natasha had just run out after delivering the program. She had long noticed that Dead was gone, but didn't care. It seemed better that way. Now looking out and seeing him in battle, she thought otherwise. 'Damn, can't one good thing happen today?'

"Tek-setta!"

Natasha swooped out though the Space Ring as well, transforming into her alternate form.

"Tekkaman Vesna!"

Vesna flew near the Space Ring and fought any of the Radham that came close. Meanwhile, Dead was still doing his job of slicing them away a distance away. As the two tekkamen fought, Duo watched from his spot.

'This looks bad. Without Gamma, Vensa is going to run out of energy soon. And Dead is in no position to support her.'

As he thought this, it began to come true. Vesna found herself forced into fighting on the Space Ring itself, battling away from the civilian sectors, but still getting hammered. And Dead was too preoccupied in his own fight to notice.

'One of these days, I'm not going to be a nice guy. I mean it.'

Sighing to himself, Duo resigned his fate and raised his crystal.

"Tek-setta!"

------

Vesna stood bent on the Space Ring column, partially damaged and very much fatigued, but fighting nevertheless. She saw Dead fight in the distance and scowled to herself. I don't need his help. I'll fight on my own if that is the case. Several Radham landed on the Ring around her and came charging. Vesna ducked low and went they were close enough, she leapt upward away from the Ring as the creature crashed into each other.

"Voltekka!" she cried, sending a massive beam of energy at the bunched aliens and blowing them all away. However, one of them had slammed her from the back and she crashed back into the Space Ring. She got up again, but slowly and the alien came barreling at her. 'They just don't seem to quit.'

Shhhrrrrkkkkkkkk!!!!!

Vesna gasped as the Radham were suddenly torn to pieces right in front of her eyes. However looking around, she saw no one at all. And Dead was still fighting elsewhere so it couldn't be him.

"Nice to see you again, good-looking."

'That voice.'

The space before her materialized into the dark form of Tekkaman Deathscythe.

"What are you doing here?"

"Just happened to be in the neighborhood." Deathscythe responded while bringing his lancer scythe down on another Radham. He then shot of into the sky and continued hacking away. Meanwhile, Dead had finished off his group and noticed Deathscythe fighting. He then looked upward at the Radham warship and swooped toward it in a flash of purple light. He didn't stop as he approached and he shot right through it like a bullet, causing it to explode from the inside-out. He then returned his attention to the remaining Radham, who were currently getting slaughtered by Deathscythe and Vesna. It wasn't until later that other beams of energy shot out and hit the Radham. Looking to the side, Dead saw a large force of OZ Leo Sol-Tekkas entering the battle and pretty much finishing off what was left of the Radham. The Sol-Tekkas then turned their attention to Deathscythe.

"Gundam Tekkaman. Surrender at once."

His reply was a dark laugh followed by a slicing through two of the Sol-Tekkas. The remaining unit fired and Deathscythe saw that he didn't have to energy to fight them all now. 'I really hate myself.' Deathscythe then swooped up into the star and he shimmered and disappeared while the OZ soldiers gave chase. Dead shook his head and then rejoined Vesna, who was still bent on the Ring. Slowly, Dead gave his hand, but Vesna slapped it away.

"Back off. I can get up on my own."

Dead gruffed a "Suit yourself" and then flew inside the Ring. Vesna did manage to stand, but she knew she wouldn't be able to fight for awhile. Not until she got the proper rest. She muttered a few curses to herself as she flew into the Space Ring. But as the two tekkamen left, a silent figure was watching them a distance away.

'Getting them to work together may be more difficult than I thought.'

_______________________

OZ has entered into the field of space with their advanced Taurus Sol-Tekkas, capable of weakening tekkamen and gundam. Meanwhile, Quatre has returned to his home colony only to find that OZ is now in control and that the colonists have rejected the gundams that fought for them. In a tragic end, Quatre is driven to the brink and reveals a new factor. Next on Gundam Tekkaman: Betrayed by home far away