I Do NOT own Saber Rider or SeiJushi Bismarck. Don't sue me.

Chapter 8: Coincidental Meetings

"All right!" Fireball exclaims, while glancing in his rearview mirror. "I'm at least half a kilometer ahead. I've got this race in the bag." He continues on a little ways before a large shadow looms directly over him. "What the?" he mutters, trying to look to his radars and out his windows, just in time to see a ship flying on ahead of him taking the lead. "That's cheating!You have to stay on the track!" he yells, not caring whether or not if the ship's pilot can hear him. He hits his gear shift and his vehicle speed increasings, closing the gap between him and the offending vehicle. About that time, the other vehicle makes a loop and starts straight for him. "Aaaahhh!" he screams and pulls hard to the left to avoid a collision, making his car spin out repeatedly before coming to a stop. "Are you outta your mind?!" he yells to the other pilot, who takes off. He notices that his lead is greatly diminished. "Damn it!" He lunges forward quickly and is soon passing the others to retake the lead. "Eat this," he mumbles as he passes the finish line, and the crowd erupts into cheers.

"Congratulations, to Fireball Hikari, the youngest racer to ever win the Yuma Grand Prix!" An announcer says over a PA system. The crowd becomes even louder as Fireball enters the winner's arena and hoists the trophy above his his head, grinning.

A man with a bag looped over his shoulder, tries to snag a woman's purse as she is leaving ahead of the crowds from the race to the port.

"Give that back!" the woman yells as she tugs at her purse.

The man grabs the little girl from beside her and pulls out a gun, placing it to the frightened child's head. "Oh, I'm taking the purse, lady, and this little doll is a nice bonus," the man says with a malicious grin.

"No!" the woman screams and lunges for her child as she releases her grip on the purse.

The man easily shoves her to the ground, while still grabbing the child, who is struggling to get away. "Until I'm outta here, you better not move, any of you," he says to the crowd who has gathered and is watching the scene in silence. He turns pulling the girl towards the ship bay and he is suddenly struck by a blaster, causing him to release his gun and the child, who runs towards her mother. The man curses and then reaches towards his gun only to be met by a young blonde man in a black and white military uniform, his blaster aimed at his head.

"I suggest you not move, sir," the man says in a Scottish accent as he steps between the man and the woman and child.

"Who do you think you are?" the man says venomously.

"I am Captain Rider, of Cavalry Command, Sir," Saber replies and then nods to the security guards that are approaching. "See that he is prosecuted to the fullest extent."

"Yes, sir. One of the two guards reply as they place something similar to handcuffs on the man. "Let's go." They escort the man through the crowd.

"Thank you, sir," the relieved woman says to Saber as her child holds her tightly.

Saber goes down to one knee, to the child's level, "Are you all right?" he asks the child quietly. The girl nods and he stands up, and briefly looks for signs of injury to the woman or her daughter. "And are you all right, Miss?" he asks.

The woman nods. "Yes, I'll be fine. Thank you for saving my little girl," she replies near tears.

"I'm glad you are unharmed. Have a good day," Saber replies before heading off towards his hotel.

Upon entering, he hears murmurs of the happenings at the dock and his role being retold in various ways, not bothering to correct varying reports, he heads to the main lobby and steps up to the counter, where the purser is waiting.

"May I help you, sir?" the purser asks.

"Yes, reservation for Rider, please," Saber replies.

"Rider..." the man mumbles as he types into his terminal. "Ah. I'm afraid your reservation was cancelled, sir," the purser mumbles.

"Cancelled?" Saber repeats confused. "It was made by the government. How could someone cancel it without me knowing?" he asks.

"Well, you see, the champion has requested your room. Since he is the winner of the Grand Prix, he gets what he wants," the man explains as if it's obvious just as Fireball enters the hotel to various applause and many people offering congratulatory remarks. "Ah, there's the champion now."

"My room key, please?" Fireball asks the purser as he steps up to the counter.

"Here you are, sir," the purse replies, handing the key to Fireball.

"Not so fast," Saber says grabbing hold of the key. "I had a pre-paid reservation for the room you have just taken."

"Well, I just won the race, and I'm taking the room. Get a refund and go elsewhere," Fireball retorts, while trying to pull the key back towards him.

"I'm here on a mission for the government. I'm afraid that I must have the room," Saber states, not letting go of the key.

"Yeah, well, I don't think highly of our current government, so sorry. It's my room," Fireball says as he yanks the key from Saber's grasp. A shot is fired, barely missing his hand and he let's go of the key and it falls into the hands of another man in a cowboy hat.

"Sorry gentlemen, but I've gotta have that room," the cowboy says as he turns to leave with the key. Fireball and Saber both move to follow him, intent on getting the key back.

"Bill?" a young woman calls urgently as she makes her way through the crowd. "Bill?" she calls again as she looks around before spotting him. "Oh, Bill, there you are!" the woman says as she comes up to him and grabs his hand. "We need to get outta here before my brother finds us. He's a bit mad about last night."

"What? Brother? I thought you were of age!" he says in a near panic as they start for a rear exit.

"There you are, you son of a bitch!" a large man says as he approaches the couple, the woman makes an attempt to hide behind the cowboy. "My sister isn't going off planet with some no-good, skirt chasing bounty hunter!"

"Sister?!" Colt stammers. "She told me she was eighteen. I don't plan on taking her off planet. We were just having some fun," he replies as innocently as he can muster, holding up his hands.

Fireball sees his chance and grabs the key and starts for the elevator, hoping to sneak off unnoticed.

"She's barely sixteen, and I'd better not see you even look at her again!" the man yells as he takes his blaster and fires a few shots at the cowboy's feet.

"Sorry, sweetie. I'm not going to jail for a girl," Colt says to the woman as he hops around trying to avoid the blasts aimed at him. He takes off towards the nearest exit, just as Fireball gets around to the far side of the main desk in the lobby.

"And just where do you think you're going?" Saber asks as he steps in front of Fireball, hand on his blaster.

Fireball swears under his breath. "I was um..."

"I propose we share the room, after all, I had it prepaid before you took it," Saber states, his hand still on his blaster.

"Is everybody trigger happy on this planet?!" he asks exasperated.

"I am just trying to find a workable compromise. It's been a long day for both of us. The longer we argue, the less chance for rest. What do you say?" Saber asks, trying to make it sound like the only solution.

"Fine," Fireball says with a sigh. "But I get the bed," he adds.

"Fair enough. It's the Presidential Suite, so it should have a fold out. I'll be fine." Saber replies and they go and get a second key before both heading up the elevator towards the room.

"Man, I have got to stop flirting with girls. They get too serious too quickly," Colt thinks to himself as he uses a jet pack to cruise the outside of the hotel. "Now, to find my mark. I'm pretty sure that was him in the lobby arguing with that soldier," he mumbles as he spots a room with one of the Outriders in it. The Outrider is on the vid-com and Colt catches a glance of someone familiar, just as the screen is flicked off. "Jesse," he hisses as he fires his blaster at the window, shattering the glass and he enters the room, his blaster pointed at the Outrider. "I'm takin' you in. I'll get a nice amount for you," Colt says just as the Outrider recovers from his start and heads for the door and rushes into the hall.

The elevator dings and Saber and Fireball step out into the hallway and with the help of the signs, turn towards their room. About that time, a patron comes rushing out of his room, followed by the cowboy from earlier.

"Get back here, Outrider!" Colt says rushing out after the fleeing suspect.

Saber instinctively pulls out his blaster, causing the Outrider to stop in shock, giving Colt time to fire his blaster. The blast hits the Outrider, and he disintegrates from the blast. "Well, it looks like that's another one down," Saber says as he kneels down to inspect the leftover debris.

"I didn't take you for a soldier," Saber states.

"I've actually been lookin' for him," Colt replies with a nod in Fireball's direction. "But I think I need to go and let the cops know that the Outriders are about to attack the base near here."

"What?!" Both Saber and Fireball reply.

"Where did you hear that?" Saber says.

"From that Outrider I just shot. He was talkin' to his leader on the vid-com. I saw him when I was lookin' for you," Colt says nodding towards Fireball.

"We can sort this out later. I'm going to try and contact the base," Saber says as he turns back to the room.

"I'm gonna go and have a drink in the bar," Fireball retorts and heads for the elevator. "I'll catch up to you later."

Colt shrugs and heads to the elevator with Fireball. "If you split your winnings with me, I might not take you in," he says as the doors close.

"See you later," Saber says and quickly heads back towards where the room is and goes inside. No sooner than the door is closed he is heading out the back and jumping from the edge of the balcony, his full suit including his helmet on. "Donatello!" he calls and the horse appears a moment later, catching his rider. "To the base, it's under attack." he says as he glances towards where smoke can be seen along the horizon. "This is Captain Rider calling the Yuma Outpost, can anyone read me?"

"Go back to where you came from," Fireball says as he shoots a few Outriders, their numbers growing the closer he gets to the base. He destroys a few more before he is surrounded and he starts firing as quickly as he can, trying to fight his way out of the trouble he's gotten himself into. "Damn it! I should have not come out here alone." Suddenly, two of the fighters blow up. "What the?" Then another one.

"Looked like you could use some assistance," Saber says as he destroys two more Outrider fighters.

"Thanks. I figured you were still at the hotel."

"And I figured you were having a drink, like you said. While trying to talk that bounty hunter out of taking you in," Saber retorts as they fight off a couple more Outriders.

"Saber, can you hear me? Come in," A female voice says over the channel.

"April?" Fireball says in shock.

"Shinji?" April replies.

"Ah, so you two know each other?" Saber asks them.

"He's my best friend, Saber. The one I've been so mad at," April replies. "But we can talk later, I'm under attack. Can you get here? I've got to the Bismarck off the ground, it's the only shot we've got. It's going to be destroyed if I stay here."

"On my way, April. I've got a fix on your location," Saber replies as he's surrounded by several more fighters. "This may take another minute or two," he adds ruefully as he starts trying to fight his way past the Outriders, Fireball having as little luck as he is.

"I can't let ya'll outta my sight for a minute or ya'll start having all the fun," Colt says as he appears and starts destroying Outriders.

"Both of you, come with me," Saber says as they finally get ahead and starts for the Bismarck.

"Over here!" April calls waving the trio over a minute later before running back up the ramp of the ship.

Saber leads the other two into the ship and April closes the ramp behind them and they get out, meeting her on the floor of the ship.

"Well, you brought a few people with you. Come on," April states, as the three men follow her.

"Shinji, you sit there," April states. "You're the pilot." She looks to Saber who nods.

"I'll handle the nav and communications," he replies, heading to the unit to the left of Fireball. "Cowboy, you seem good with a gun, care to try to run the weapons system?" Saber asks Colt, who is looking around in awe at the ship.

"Wha? Oh, sure. Where do I go? I can use just about anything that shoots," Colt replies snapping back to their situation.

"Over there," April says, pointing the side opposite Fireball. "That's the weapons control unit."

"All right!" Colt exclaims as he hops in and glances over the controls."Let's see what this baby can do!"

"Fireball, you've got piloting control. Get us off the ground," April replies.

"Right," Fireball says with a nod, as he pulls the steering lever back and hits the thrusters, causing the ship to jolt forward. "Here we go. Try and get rid of a few of these Outriders, Cowboy."

"With pleasure," Colt retorts and starts firing at the enemy attackers as they take off for better vantage point.

Several minutes go by, with neither side making much, if any headway when the ship is suddenly rocked from a hit. " It looks like they're calling in their reinforcements," Saber says wryly. "I'm picking up what appears to be one of their Renegade units. It's closing in fast."

April sighs. "Well, I guess it's time to show you what this thing can do. Shinji, hit the red button to the left of your console," April commands.

Fireball nods and hits the button and a computerized voice is heard. "Now entering Challenge Phase." The saddle units shift as the ship undergoes a transformation that makes it closer to a renegade unit. "Challenge Phase complete," the automated voice states.

"All right, Cowboy, you've got a few new blasters to play with," April says with a hint of amusement.

"Let's get us a renegade," Colt says just as they are hit with another blast from the enemy unit.

"Get it before it gets us, man!" Fireball yells towards Colt.

"It's coming in at your two o'clock," Saber calls.

Colt nods and focuses the weapons to find his target and fires. The unit is engulfed in an array of laser firepower and disintegrates, taking several of the other fighters with it."

"Whooohoo!" Colt whoops. "I have got to get a blaster like this!"

April laughs. "How about you just hang with us on this for awhile?" she asks as they set a course towards Cavalry Command Headquarters.

"Aye, it seems you're suited for this, bounty hunter," Saber states, casting him an amused glance.

"Name's Bill. Bill Wilcox. A few people call me Colt," he states, looking around to the other three occupants.

"Why? Cause you're stubborn like one?" Fireball asks, eliciting a laugh from April and a glare from Colt.

"I'm April Eagle of Cavalry Command," she says with a smile.

"Captain Richard Rider," Saber replies.

"I suppose you already know who I am," Fireball states before turning his attention to April. "How much trouble am I in, or do you know?"

"Actually, daddy has gotten the council to hold off on penalizing you."

"Commander Eagle told me that he has convinced them to not charge you, so long as you help us by piloting this ship," Saber replies matter-of-factly.

Fireball looks between the two of them curiously. "You two talk as if you know each other."

"Remember when I came to talk to you and I told you that I had to wait for a new guy before I could continue?" April asks and Fireball nods slightly. "Saber is the new guy."

"Saber?" both Fireball and Colt ask at once.

Saber chuckles. "Aye, a nickname given to me by my father when I was a child. I like it better than my birth name, so in most cases, I go by it."

"And what's up with your name, Fireball?" Colt asks looking at the young pilot.

"It's a racing nickname, Cowboy," Fireball retorts.

"Well, seeing as we have a little bit of time before we arrive at Cavalry Command, I should ask you if you are willing to join us, Mr. Wilcox as our weapons specialist?" Saber states, watching to see Colt's reaction. "Of course that means putting your bounty hunting on hold for a while," he adds.

Colt studies the young man, as if trying to gage him for several minutes before answering. "So I'd be one of you? A soldier?' he asks hesitantly.

Saber nods slightly. "Aye. You'd be considered one of us. You'd have to uphold the laws of the New Frontier, as you would be deemed a representative."

Colt is silent for a while, debating his options. "But I'd get to have access to all of these toys?" he asks, while trying not to smile.

Saber chuckles. "And anything else Ms. Eagle can come up with, I'm sure," he replies.

Colt looks to April in surprise. "You came up with this?" he asks in awe.

April blushes and nods slightly. "I've had a lot of help. It's not just me. It's a lot of reverse engineering from what we've manage to recover from the Outriders, so it's not totally original."

Colt lets out a long, low whistle. "Still, this is..."

"Overwhelming?" Fireball offers.

Colt laughs. "Yeah, that bout sums it up."

They all laugh as they continue onto Cavalry Command. About an hour later, they arrive and are greeted by Commander Eagle upon landing. He escorts them into his office where they all sit down and Saber recounts the various events to him of how they all ended up on the ship.

After listening attentively, the commander thinks for a while before speaking. "Mr. Wilcox, are you willing to become a member of this team?" he asks the cowboy, who nods slightly. "You realize that means that you cannot take on side jobs while under our employment, don't you?"

Colt nods, allowing a smirk. "Yep. But I've been wantin' to get back at the Outriders for killin' my parents, and it seems this might be the best way to do it. Besides, I like to travel, so free room and board ain't all that bad."

Commander Eagle nods. "Very well then. I shall see about getting the appropriate paperwork completed. Judging from the email that Captain Rider sent prior to your arrival, and the statements of the others of how you handled the ship's weaponry, I'd say you are a good fit for this project. I'll look into getting you some quarters assigned for when you are here as well."

"Thank you, sir," Colt says with a nod.

"Now, Mr. Hikari, I have really put my reputation on the line for you," the commander says, eyeing Fireball sternly. "April has assured me that you are the best person for the job of piloting the ship. I have told the council that your test results also lean towards such a conclusion, so in the interest of ending this war, they have agreed not to prosecute you, so long as you prove that we have made the right choice."

"I'll do my best, sir," Fireball replies quietly. "I do not wish to disappoint you or April again."

"See that you do."

"I say let's all go out to eat to get to know one another better," April suggest with a grin.

"Fine with me," Colt and Saber reply.

"I vote that Raceboy buys. He did win the race, so he should have plenty of money to pay," Colt retorts as they start out of the office.

"I second it," April says laughing, the door closing behind them.

A/N: Well, I know this isn't entirely true to the original Japanese or American story line, but it's my first attempt of a rewrite of an episode. Let me know what you think!