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: What? Do I have to disclaim? Oh all right. Tekkaman Blade, Vandread and Ranma 1/2 don't belong to me, so get off my back!

italics: Thoughts

Chapter 22 Part 2

Second Evolution

The Radam Homeworld, formally the Earth...

Darkon nodded as Lance, Rapier, and Axe stood before him. After receiving word of the supposed demise of Tekkaman Slade, the Warlord had decided that now was the time to finish off the pirates and reclaim the Nirvana's Paksis Core. And what better way than to use the new weapons that they had just created?

The three Tekkamen saluted their master as they received their orders, which were simple and straight-forward. It was to be total annihilation without mercy.

A few hours later...

Aboard the pirate vessel Nirvana, the crew was in a state of depression that made even a long-forgotten Lost Boy seem cheerful. The battered spacecraft and its inhabitants had endured much during its long voyage back to Mejele and Tarak, and until the present, survived with all on board. However, this time it seemed that Death would not be cheated of finally claiming one of them.

In the Sick Bay, a lone figure lay on a bed as dozens of life-support machines buzzed and hummed around him. Various tubes and sensors were attached to his arms and chest, monitoring his life readings as they slowly and steadily declined. With each passing second, Slade's life ticked away.

The once mighty Tekkaman was now just barely hanging on by a thread. He was in a deep coma, with his breathing and heartbeat slightly detectable by technological means. He had to be continuously fed oxygen through a facemask and stimulated through chemical and bio-electrical pulses to keep his heart beating. However, it was a losing battle, despite all the advanced machinery and ultra-modern medicine. Every second, his life-signs would drop a fraction lower, and it would not be long before they ceased altogether. He did not even have the option to be cryogenically frozen as his cellular structure would be unable to endure the freezing process. He was literally dying, one cell at a time.

The Sick Bay was as quiet as a tomb, save for the regular sounds the monitors made. All other patients had been moved out to focus on keeping Slade alive until a solution could be found to save him. But time was running out and Duero was no closer to finding a cure. It was then that the doors to the Sick Bay opened and a lone figure entered.

Her face was red and it was obvious to anyone who saw her that she had spent much of her free time in tears. Dita had been waiting in her room ever since she had heard the news that Slade was dying, and had prayed to her Mejele goddesses for him. She couldn't believe that after all they had been through, she could not do anything but watch him slip away from her life. She was no longer the cheerful, happy-go-lucky girl, as much of the excess energy she used to possess seemed to have drained out of her.

She came to Slade's bedside and knelt down. She looked longingly at him and it looked as if she was trying to get him to wake up by the sheer force of her will. Of course, no matter how much she wanted him to open his eyes and smile at her, he remained silent and unmoving. She bowed her head down and grasped his right hand, squeezing it gently and hoping that he would squeeze back. After long hours of training, she had finally managed to gain control over her enhanced strength and did not crush the bones in his hand. Still, he would not move and the red-haired female began to fear that he was now lost to her. There would be no miraculous revival this time.

"Mr... Alien... please... don't die!" Dita sobbed as she could not keep the tears from flowing and soaking the blanket and sheets. "You still haven't come to my room... and... I can't stand to see you like this! Please... come back to us! Come back to me!"

She wept for a very long time and her body became exhausted from the effort. Finally, she surrendered to sorrowful slumber as she lay her head on his chest. Her sleep became wracked with sad dreams and in her sleep she started to mumble...

"I... love... you... Slade..."

At that moment, the pulse monitor began recording less than 20 beats per minute. Then the number dropped another two beats. The high-tech life-support systems could not maintain life at less than three and Slade's demise grew ever nearer.

Somewhere else on the Nirvana...

Magno was feeling the years of her long life weigh down upon her soul as she walked down the hallway. Like Dita, she was feeling restless and somewhat helpless as she could do nothing but wait for Slade's death. She smiled sadly as she remembered the first time they had met and he had called her an Old Ghoul. She did not take the insult personally and over time, he had sort of grown on her. He was like the son she had never had. At times, he was arrogant and somewhat cocky, but at the same time, she had admired his spirit and unending courage. He always put others before his own safety and there was time in which it seemed he would become a permanent part of the crew. And there was a certain measure of pride when he chose to name Ezra's child Nodoka.

As she continued to muse, she then noticed a certain figure ahead of her.

"Meia?"

Magno walked up to the former Dread Leader as Meia leaned against the railing facing a large observation window. The blue-haired girl didn't seem to notice her captain's presence, or perhaps she did not care at the moment. Not that she was being disrespectful, but she currently had a lot of things on her mind as she gazed at the unending background of stars.

When the elderly woman came up beside her, she noticed right away that Meia had been doing something that she had NEVER seen her do before. The red puffy eyes, the streaks of recent salty dampness, the infrequent sniffling, and the clenching of her hands on the rail (which was deforming the metal due to her enhanced strength), the signs were all there. Then, in a trembling, quiet voice, Meia spoke.

"It... hurts so much... to see him in such pain."

The hundred-plus-year-old woman nodded. She didn't have to ask whom Meia was talking about. The normally tough-minded girl wasn't even trying to hide her sadness. In a way, Magno was glad that the young girl was finally opening up with her emotions. She had always been so serious and distant ever since she became part of the crew. Thanks to a certain cosmic warrior, Meia was at last showing more of her human side. The ancient crone only wished that it wasn't under such gloomy circumstances. How could one man touch the hearts of so many?

Meia looked down at her right hand as she held it up. She stared at the palm for a minute, then clenched it into a fist. "I have all this power... more than I ever dreamed I could have. I can do things... amazing things... and despite it all... I... can't help him."

"Meia..."

Tears began to stream anew as she turned about to face Magno. She couldn't stop them. They kept on coming as she reached out and embraced the old woman. The captain's arms came around her as she gently embraced Meia like a mother hugging her daughter. In a way, every girl on the Nirvana was like a surrogate daughter to her. She said nothing as Meia continued to pour out her soul.

"I... can't help him! (sob) After all the times he helped us! He's dying and all this power I've got... CAN'T help him! It's not fair! Not fair! Not fair! Not fair!"

Magno felt her own eyes welling up with tears as she also felt a sense of helplessness for Slade. She kept her peace as the girl in her embrace continued to weep.

In her mind's eye, the former Dread Leader could still remember the last time she had seen him and that kiss he had given to her. It had just been a simple peck on the forehead, but it had affected her like nothing else. Over time, Meia's natural dislike towards males had lessened and she had become... attached to him. That fondness had increased considerably during the voyage and was becoming something more.

Though she would not admit it openly, Meia was discovering an ancient emotion that once existed between men and women.

Love.

In Jura's quarters, the blonde Tekkaman sat in silence on her bed. She too had nothing to do but wait for Slade's death and that in itself was torture.

It wasn't fair! Slade was supposed to be the Ohma to her child! She would not have cared if the baby was a boy or a girl. It would have been a part of her and him! She would have loved her son or daughter in any case, as long as it was Slade's! And the thought of having him by her side and raising that child had been a dream that she had come to look forward to. Now, it appeared that the dream would die with him.

It was at that moment that Jura remembered back to her conversation with Magno, just before she had become Tekkaman Ruby. She had asked the captain why she was feeling so possessive and adamant to have the White Tekkaman as the father of her children. Magno's response to her question had shocked her to her core and she had initially resented the notion. However, as time passed on, the thought of spending the rest of her life with him was eventually accepted and even relished.

As she and Barnette drifted apart, with her friend becoming closer to Duero, Jura had gradually latched onto Slade. His nervousness and anxiety whenever she displayed signs of affection were quite amusing and charming. At times, he was just downright adorable when he stuttered and tripped on his own two feet whenever she expressed her sexuality. And after seeing him naked, she had wondered on many occasions... just what he'd taste like.

There had been a burning need that had been growing, ever since Slade had first kissed her, and ignited an instinct that had long been dormant in Mejele females. Since that day, Jura had wanted to get closer to him, and when she decided to have a baby, the first and only candidate for Ohma was the White Tekkaman. She had been dreaming just what her children would look like. Would they have her blonde hair or his raven locks? Would they possess his gray-blue eyes or her emerald green? At times, she even imagined a boy with her features and Slade's. Instead of being repulsed by the image of a male child, as most Mejele women would, she actually became fascinated at the idea.

But the main drive to have Slade's child was not for fame as it initially was. It was because she had recently admitted to herself that which Magno had known all along. She had planned to tell Slade, but now it was too late.

Tears started to stream down her cheeks as Jura shook with despair. She had been so close to achieving her dream, only to have it dashed by a cruel twist of fate.

Was it so wrong for her to be in love with a man, that Destiny had decided to take him away from her?

It was then that she and Meia received a summons to the Sick Bay, where Dita was still at Slade's bedside.

Later...

"You say that you may have found a way to save Slade?" BC asked.

"There is a chance... but it's a very slim chance. Parfet and I had to do a lot of research." Duero said as he began outlining the procedure, which could save Slade's life. Damn it, I lost Slade once! I won't lose him again!

The Tekkaman's latest transformation to Blastor Mode had put him near Death's Door, and it took all of the Tarak healer's skills to keep him from crossing over into the Great Beyond. He was already slipping close to the point of no return in his coma, and this time, he may not wake up at all.

"Explain." BC asked as she and the captain stood by Slade's bedside. At the foot of his bed were Meia, Dita, and Jura, who were also listening intensely.

"After a long study of Slade and the other Tekkamen on board, including myself, Parfet and I have determined that Slade's deterioration is due to an imbalance of his bio-energy levels. As a normal Tekkaman, he's able to replenish whatever stores he uses up in combat. But his evolution requires more energy than he's able to consume and that transformation is causing his already enhanced metabolism to accelerate to near-fatal levels. His cells just can't keep up and are now in the process of final degeneration. Within three hours... he'll be dead."

"NO!" All three girls gasped as they leaned forward with great concern.

"So what can we do?" Magno asked with great expectation.

Duero activated a small monitor and began explaining the images being displayed. "What Slade needs now is an infusion of Paksis bio-energy that can bring his deficiencies back up to normal levels and rebuild his damaged cell structure. Since we've learned that the Paksis was originally a Radam power source, we can attempt to use it as a kind of energy booster."

"Then do it!" Meia insisted as she and her fellow Tekkamen gazed longingly at the wounded warrior.

"Hold on, Meia. It's not that simple." Duero said with a firm expression. "Our studies on the Tekkaman Power Process has also shown that there is a complication."

"What do you mean?" Jura inquired. "If all Slade needs is a recharge, then why don't you just do it?"

"That's an interesting way to put it." Duero remarked, then said in a very serious tone. "However, we can't just hook Slade directly to the Paksis like we would with Pegas to a recharge station."

"Well, why not?" Jura demanded. "If the Paksis is the source of our powers, then it should be able to fix him up!"

"The reason why I haven't done so yet is because the process would kill Slade instantly!" The doctor replied in a more stern tone, which immediately silenced the blonde Tekkaman. He took a calming breath and explained. "Slade's cell structure is extremely fragile at this point, and infusing pure Paksis energy into his body would most likely cause it to implode! We'd be sending him to certain death if we were to attempt a direct energy transfusion."

"But Mr. Alien is going to die if we do nothing!" Dita cried out.

The Tarak man sighed as he nodded. "Yes, but unless we have a way for Slade to absorb the Paksis energy in a form he can accept, he will most certainly die!" His voice trailed off as he gazed upon Jura, Meia, and Dita. "And that's where you three come in."

"Us?" Jura inquired.

"Yes, only the three of you can make this plan work, but the procedure is extremely dangerous and there is no time for testing. This will be an all-or-nothing attempt. However, the chance of success is less than fifty percent and there is a very high probability of death... for the three of you. You may just die along with Slade. Are you willing to take that risk?"

"If it means that we can save Mr. Alien..." Dita started.

"... then the risk is worth it!" Meia finished.

"Life wouldn't be worth living if he isn't in it!" Jura said. "Tell us what to do!"

The Tarak man was a bit uneasy at how quickly they responded and without hesitation. However, there was little time left and since they had given their consent, he had no choice but to initiate his proposal.

Later, in the Engineering Section, near the Paksis Core...

"Are you certain this will work?" BC asked as she watched the three former Dread pilots laid down on the separate gurneys beside Slade's sedated body. Paiway was busy preparing sedatives for each of them as well as connecting them via cybernetic linkages to the ailing Tekkaman.

"To be truthful... no." Duero admitted as he directed Parfet to set up the apparatus. Since he was a Tekkaman with enhanced strength, he couldn't risk touching the controls until he learned to control himself. A single touch to a button might cave in the control panel.

"No?" BC stressed with much concern. Magno was also on edge at the doctor's uncertainty.

"Theoretically... it SHOULD work, but the best odds that I can give are fifty-fifty, and that's only a conservative estimate. I've had a theory as to how Jura, Meia, and Dita became Tekkamen. After all that we've learned about the Tekkaman Power Process, and experiencing the process myself, I can say with almost 100% certainty that it was because of Slade and the Nirvana's Paksis which gave them their abilities."

"Explain." Magno asked.

"The basic Tekkaman Power Process begins when a suitable candidate is encased within a structure called a Tekkapod, which is created by a Paksis Core. The subject is then bombarded with a continuous stream of quantum energy, in which his/her cellular structure is altered. The being's body becomes extremely energy efficient, which explains the enhanced strength, speed, reflexes, and other physical abilities. The person also gains the power to created solid energy objects into crystalline forms, such as the armor and weapons."

"Interesting, but that doesn't explain Slade's lack of memory of his past." BC pointed out.

"I would say that it was due to some Radam tampering during the process." Duero said. "Remember that the Radam implanted parasitic organisms within Barnette and myself, in order to wipe out our memories and keep us under their control. Ghaleon had also claimed that the Tekkapod he was in tried to wipe out his past as well."

"All right. We're following you so far." BC nodded. "So what does this have to do with Dita, Meia, and Jura being the instruments to heal Slade?"

"I believe that their powers were derived directly from Slade. He once told me about the time he was in the process of transforming during the Paksis Core implosion, which hurled us to the other side of the galaxy and created the Nirvana. My guess is that the Paksis, being a Radam device originally, must have reacted in the presence of a Tekkaman. When Slade transformed, the Paksis must have begun carrying out its original programming, which was to create Tekkamen."

"And the only suitable subjects at the time, were Dita, Meia, and Jura, correct?" Magno guessed.

"Indeed. However, the Paksis did not have time to create Tekkapods to encase them when those missiles struck, so I'm speculating that it improvised. It must have shunted some of Slade's energy toward the girls, and at the same time, used whatever materials at hand to create..."

"The Dreads!" BC snapped her fingers in comprehension.

"A very good assumption." Duero agreed. "What other reason could it have to alter their structure and make them compatible with Slade to form the Tekkadreads? You might say that those Dreads had become makeshift Tekkapods."

"So what you're saying..." Magno continued on Duero's line of thought. "... is that every time Slade merged with their Dreads, then the girls were gradually put through the transformation process, until..."

"Until a final catalyst, namely that first battle with those other Tekkamen and Slade's evolution, pushed them over the edge and completed the process. Now, if my theory is correct, they may share the same quantum energy wavelengths as his and they can be used to absorb the Paksis energy and convert it into a form that Slade can accept. However, we need all three of them to collect enough power to restore him, and I cannot even begin to speculate at just what the power infusion of the Paksis energy will do to them. And there just may be other X-factors that I have yet to consider, both to them and Slade."

"So, what you are telling us is that instead of losing one Tekkaman, we might lose four?" Magno asked with concern.

"Yes... that just about covers it. However, time is limited and they had agreed to this procedure. And now, we are reaching the point of no return. Either we begin the process, or abort and..."

"... let Slade die? You know that is an outcome that we cannot accept. We shall save him! Understood?"

Duero took a long tired sigh, then nodded. He then turned to Parfet and nodded for her to begin the process. She also took a deep breath and threw the activation lever.

The three girls were automatically rolled into the depths of the Paksis Core via their gurneys and were then followed by the nearly dead Slade. Everyone present had their fingers crossed and held their breath. The four became obscured from sight as the light from the former Radam power source became brighter.

On the sidelines, Duero turned to Paiway and Parfet, who were manning the consoles. "Status report."

"Energy flow is stable, and I am registering three definite collection points." Parfet announced. "Jura, Meia, and Dita are absorbing the Paksis energy and are converting it at a rate of 12%."

"Life signs are elevated, but are still within acceptable tolerances." Paiway said. "Slade is also starting to show slight improvement in his bio-rhythms."

"Increase energy output to twenty percent." Duero commanded. The two girls nodded their acknowledgement.

For thirty minutes, the process continued without incident and there were a few who became optimistic at the outcome. When an hour had passed, Paiway had announced that Slade was now approaching a near-conscious level of cerebral activity.

However, that was when the battle alert sounded.

"NO! NOT NOW!" Magno exclaimed.

Duero shook his head in disgust. The enemy WOULD have to attack at this time! The process to save Slade was too far along to halt now and until it was complete, he would have to buy them the time they needed.

"Parfet! Paiway! Continue the procedure and do not stop for anything!"

He then ran out of the Engineering Section and headed for the nearest airlock. In his right hand he made his Tekkacrystal appear.

"TEKSETTER!"

Everyone on board rushed to their battle stations as pilots manned their Dreads and Vanguards. Barnette steeled herself as she strapped into her cockpit and signaled the flight crew that she was ready to launch. Her enhanced Dread was catapulted into space along with several other teams plus the Warrior Squadron. She soon saw Tekkaman Razor and Pegas flying alongside her craft as they raced to meet the enemy.

Coming at the defenders of the Nirvana was a huge armada of Spider-Crabs, with the three Radam Tekkamen leading. Each were standing on what looked like grotesque manta rays as they mimicked Slade riding on Pegas. Behind them were three very strange-looking Spider-Crabs, which were sleeker and much more streamlined than their cousins. In fact, they almost looked like living Dreads. The two forces stopped to face off against each other.

"Well, well, well." Lance sneered as he addressed Duero and Barnette. "If it isn't Razor and Gunner. So you've decided to side with these pathetic weaklings, eh?"

"We were never on your side to begin with!" Barnette shouted back.

"Oh, I'm certain that you will both come around." Rapier said with confidence. "Once we've destroyed the Nirvana's crew and bring back Slade's corpse as our trophy. Knowing you sentimental fools, you've probably kept his body for a funeral."

"NEVER!" Razor shot back as he tensed up for an attack. "We would rather die than work for you and Darkon!"

"That can be arranged." Axe said simply as he swung his weapon in a wide arc and shot an arc of destructive energy.

Razor dodged the attack and the battle began.

As Spider-Crabs began swarming toward the Nirvana, Bart began firing at them with the ship's defensive lasers. However, it soon became apparent that the odds were stacked against them. For every one that he destroyed, three more would take its place. The Dreads and Vanguards found themselves hard-pressed to keep up with the onslaught and the ship's defensive screens were less than adequate to protect the vessel for long.

In the Engineering Section, Paiway announced frantically that the life-signs of the three female Tekkamen were beginning to rise beyond the safety zones. At the same time, Parfet became alarmed when the energy transfer was becoming erratic. With some of the power being diverted toward the defense of the ship, she could not maintain a steady power flow. Warning lights on her console lit up and both girls knew that the process was starting to speed out of control.

However, they continued to press on in order to save Slade and the others. Deciding that there was no other option, they went for broke and increased the energy output to maximum.

The Paksis Core seemed to scream out in protest as the light became brighter.

Duero narrowly avoided a chop from Axe, then a stab from Rapier, before being slammed from behind by Lance. Without Slade and the other Tekkamen, Razor found himself being overwhelmed by his adversaries. He had neither the experience nor power to hold out for long against three seasoned opponents. Luckily for him, he had Dread Gunner watching out for him.

Barnette saw him in trouble and swooped in to give him support. A volley of plasma bolts caused the enemy Tekkamen to scatter and Duero used the opportunity to get some distance from them. It was then that he signaled to her that it was time to bring out the big guns. The Dread pilot nodded as she flew toward him and activated certain systems.

In an instant, Tekkaman Razor and Dread Gunner fused together. The Dread swallowed up the cosmic warrior and shifted its form to become a Tekkadread. Ever since rejoining the Nirvana, the two had watched battle logs of Slade's combat and had eventually learned the tactics of fusion. They had later renamed their joined form as Tekkadread Blade (1) instead of Carnage. Parfet had tinkered with Barnette's Dread and had altered its appearance. Tekkadread Blade now sported retractable arm blades, plus new thrusters and energy-based projectile launchers.

However, even as Tekkadread Blade began cutting through the hordes of Spider-Crabs, the three Radam fighters went through their own transformations which shocked all those present. One by one, each Tekkaman joined up with the trio of mutated Spider-Crabs, causing them to transform into hideous versions of Tekkadread Meia, Dita, and Jura X.

Rapier was now Tekkadread Slash with deadly claws and energy talons. Her fusion was scarlet-colored and sported a very sleek exterior. She also had several circular disks orbiting about her form.

Axe was in command of Tekkadread Crush with hammerlike fists and a heavily armored body. His new form was dark blue-green and looked as if he was capable of ripping a planet in half.

As for Lance, he became Tekkadread Slice as his new craft was slender and quick. He sported a kind of beam knife in one hand and had feathery wings mounted on the back.

Things had gotten from bad, to worse, to near-hopeless as the three monstrosities prepared for the kill.

In the Engineering Section of the Nirvana, chaos reigned as circuit panels exploded and cables snapped under pressure. Monitors cracked and blew out as the experiment reached its peak. Parfet and Paiway were desperately trying to keep things under control but there was just no stopping it. The entire area trembled and quaked as the Paksis Core gave all of the power it can.

Finally, there was a pitiful whine and the Paksis dimmed back to its regular state. Four figures were expelled from its depths and landed on the floor in front of it. Three of those figures stirred and awakened, while the fourth remained dormant. The next moment, there was an anguished cry.

"Mr. Alien! Mr. Alien! Wake up!"

Dita cradled Slade's lifeless form in her arms as she shook him, trying to get a reaction, anything at all. However, Slade remained unresponsive.

Jura and Meia crawled toward them and also reached out to Slade. Meia checked for a pulse while Jura layed her head against his chest and listened for signs of breathing or a heartbeat. But there was not even the slightest beat nor intake of breath. As his body became colder, the three girls could only come to one conclusion.

They had failed.

"No! No! No! Mr. Alien!" Dita shook him even harder, but it was no use.

"Slade, please! Come back to us!" Jura cried out hysterically.

"We can't have failed! We've come so far!" Meia shook her head in denial. "It should have worked! It should have worked!"

The trio became wracked with grief as the reality sank in. Despite their best efforts, Slade had become lost to them... forever. Their sorrow slowly turned into denial, then to frustration, and finally to rage as they felt an overwhelming need to take it out on something.

"He's... gone! He's gone and he's never coming back!" Dita sobbed.

"Those... bastards!" Jura said in anguish. "If it weren't for the Radam always attacking, then Slade would still be with us!"

"It's... it's... all their fault!" Meia said as she showed a more emotional side of her personality. "They'll pay for this! They'll pay!"

The three of them reverently laid Slade's body down on the floor and stood up, making their Tekkacrystals appear. Though they were in exhausted states after the failed process, they all cried out together...

"TEKSETTER!"

Tekkaman Ruby, Sapphire, and Diamond sped out into space to join their comrades in defeating the enemy, and were shocked to see three versions of their old Tekkadreads beating down on Barnette and Duero. However, with their rage and sorrow over the loss of the man they loved spurring them on, the three threw themselves into the fray with reckless abandon. No physical damage could ever match the grief in their hearts. They had done all that they could, and they still couldn't save Slade!

Lance, Axe, and Rapier were a bit surprised at the ferocity of the three enemy Tekkamen, but they still had the advantage of their mutated Tekkadread forms. With more of the Spider-Crabs coming at the Nirvana on all sides and the Radam Tekkadreads bearing down on the three girls and Tekkadread Blade, the outcome was appearing more dire by the moment.

On the bridge of the Nirvana, Magno shook her head sadly after being informed of the experiment's failure. Then, as she watched the enemy forces close in on the ship, she let off a resigned sigh.

So this is how it all ends. We've beaten the odds and have come so far, and now our luck has finally run out. Well, at least we'll all perish together. We'll be seeing you on the other side, Slade...

The Engineering Section...

Paiway let a tear roll down her cheek as she began to draw the sheet over Slade's face. The end was near and she could only hope that it would be quick and painless. She had done her best, but it seemed that all of her efforts had been in vain. There was nothing left to do but wait for oblivion. Once the Spider-Crabs breeched the hull, then it would be all over.

They were out of miracles... or so they thought.

Slade's body suddenly glowed with an eerie aura, getting the attention of all those present. Parfet looked down at her scanner and was surprised to be detecting large amounts of energy emanating from what was supposed to be a corpse. Then, the supposedly dead Tekkaman sat up.

Slade came to his feet and looked around with a puzzled expression on his face. Then he gazed upon the Paksis Core, then to the shocked expressions of the crewmembers. He then looked down at his right hand, in which his Tekkacrystal appeared in his palm. Holding it aloft, he cried out...

"TEKSETTER!"

His body was surrounded by a blinding flash of emerald green light as he became a living comet of power and streaked out of the Nirvana.

Dita, Jura, and Meia, along with Razor and Gunner, found themselves surrounded on all sides and were about to meet their maker. Pegas floated nearby, a near-useless wreck after Tekkadread Slice and Slash had torn it apart. The Dread teams and Warrior Squadron had been too occupied by the Spider-Crab hordes to aid their comrades. The Nirvana's defenses were on the verge of collapse. Now, the three agents of Darkon were about to deliver the final blows.

Then Slade appeared on the scene.

"SLADE!"

"MR. ALIEN!"

"YOU'RE ALIVE!"

Axe, Rapier, and Lance had not been expecting a foe that was supposed to be dead to appear, but as soon as they saw him, they decided to use their superior forms to destroy him once and for all.

However, Slade did not say a word as he triggered his transformation to Blastor Mode. There were no seizures or bouts of intense pain as he assumed his penultimate form. This caused the Radam fighters to pause in their attack as they weren't certain if their Tekkadread forms were sufficient enough to destroy the evolved form of the Tekkaman warrior. Then Slade revealed a new surprise. Looking over to where his comrades were, he zeroed in on the nearest Tekkaman, namely Tekkaman Ruby.

A beam of power burst from Slade and connected with Jura, causing the two of them to be drawn toward each other. The blonde fighter was taken completely by surprise as she found herself being pulled closer to him. Then to her shock, Slade's form was enveloped in a nimbus of blinding light and became transparent. His ghostly form overlapped her own body and she felt a surge of power coursing through her very being. Sections of Slade's white armor began to fuse with her own, making her appear more robust, yet still keeping with her feminine lines. In her mind, she could feel another presence in her consciousness, and knew just who it was as he urged her to accept the union. In one final burst of light, the transformation was complete and a new cosmic warrior was born.

The new Tekkaman was about a foot taller than Tekkaman Blastor and was colored scarlet and white. Jura's blonde hair was no longer visible and the helmet was now framed by winged appendages. The shoulder epaulets were smoother and less angular. The blisters of Jura's armor had been relocated to the sides and legs, while the gauntlets each had a triangular shield on it. In each hand was a Tekkalance.

In a combined voice, he/she spoke...

"WE... ARE TEKKAMAN BLAZE!"

On the Nirvana's bridge...

"They've... merged! Impossible!" BC exclaimed.

"Tekkaman Blaze, eh?" Magno remarked as she gazed upon the union of Jura and the newly reborn Slade. "Hmmm, I wonder if this is one of those side-effects that Duero had been talking about?"

The Radam fighters couldn't believe it. Every time they had thought they had the upper hand, that blasted Slade would upset their rightful victory. Well, this was going to stop! With that in mind, they aimed all of their weapons on the new warrior and fired.

However, Tekkaman Blaze suddenly put up a barrier that deflected all of the beams and projectiles thrown at him/her. Then he/she let loose with a burst of energy that caused a shockwave that forced them back toward the Spider-Crab hordes. It also caused the Spider-Crabs to cease in their assault on the Nirvana and retreat with the others. Tekkaman Blaze then prepared to let loose with his/her ultimate weapon.

Tekkaman Axe, Lance, and Rapier were just recovering from the sudden power surge when they saw the new Tekkaman about to attack. His/Her shoulder plates slid open to reveal Slade's Mega-Voltekker Units, while at the same time the gauntlets opened up and the blisters glowed intensely. They could feel the fear in their very beings swell as they saw their ends at hand.

"No... wait!" Lance said in cowardice as he remembered the last time he had faced off against Slade. He was frozen with panic as he saw that his Tekkadread's thrusters had been damaged in the shockwave.

Axe and Rapier however, were smart enough to know when to retreat and used their Tekkadread forms to escape, leaving their comrade and the Spider-Crabs to perish.

"No! Don't leave me!" Lance pleaded as he tried to get away. However, that was when Tekkaman Blaze attacked.

"REACTOR... VOLTEKKER!" (2)

Blaze let off a huge blast of energy, which scattered out in different directions once the first targets were hit. This caused widespread destruction over a large section of space as the enemy was annihilated in a series of blasts, each one equal to the Mega-Voltekker. Space was rocked by shockwaves in all directions and not a single Radam fighter was spared, including Lance.

"No... please... NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Tekkadread Slice was vaporized, along with Lance. In an instant, there was nothing left of the arrogant Tekkaman.

It was over.

After the battle...

The crew watched in awe as Tekkaman Blaze landed in the hangar, followed by Diamond, Sapphire, Razor, and Barnette. The others immediately transformed back into their human forms, though Duero had to request for something to cover himself up (since he still hadn't gotten the hang of reverting with his clothes on). Barnette blushed a bit as she offered him a set of coveralls.

Wow... so that's what a man really looks like and... She glanced down briefly, then really turned crimson as she turned away her gaze. I mean... wow!

As for Blaze, he/she let off several flashes of energy, then suddenly split into Tekkaman Blastor and Ruby. Almost simultaneously, the two assumed their human forms of Slade and Jura. Slade fell to his knees in exhaustion.

Jura, though she too was tired, was overjoyed to see the future ohma to her children alive and well and immediately hugged him. Not wanting to be outdone, Meia and Dita also ran to his side and joined in the group embrace.

"Slade! You're alive!"

"Mr. Alien! I'm so happy!"

"Welcome back!"

The three carried on in their joy for a long while. During that time, Magno and BC entered the hangar and smiled at the sight of him. It seemed that things had worked out.

Then, when the three females paused in their jubilation, Slade finally spoke and said...

"Who... are you?"

This simple question stopped the trio dead in their celebrations as they gave Slade confused looks.

"What are you talking about, Mr. Alien?" Dita asked. "You know us."

Slade paused for a long while, then shook his head. "No... I don't know you. I... don't know anyone here."

Suddenly, there was a period of total silence as everyone tried to make sense of Slade's confusion and their own.

Apparently, something had gone wrong.

The Sick Bay...

"What? He has total memory loss?" BC said after Duero had given his report.

The Tarak man nodded as he continued. "Slade remembers absolutely nothing of his experiences on board this ship or anything else prior to that time. He knows of no one on the Nirvana, or anyone else he has met. He doesn't recognize any part of the ship. I've given him every kind of memory test known and it seems that his mind has been wiped clean. It's as if he's a total stranger to us. I knew that the process to stabilize his cellular condition would have side-effects, but I never dreamed that it would result in a complete loss of his identity. It was quite a shock to find out that he could merge with another Tekkaman, but it seems that something had to be sacrificed in the process."

"Is there no way to have him regain his lost memories?" Magno asked in concern.

"None that I can think of. How ironic. We managed to save Slade, yet in doing so, we lost him. The person we once knew as Slade may be gone... forever."

The Radam Homeworld...

After reading the report given to him by Rapier and Axe, the Radam Warlord came to a decision.

Hmmm, perhaps I have toyed with the Nirvana and Slade for too long. Lance is gone and this new merged Tekkaman may prove to be a problem. I may have to speed things up and move ahead with my conquest of Mejele and Tarak. As for Slade...

He then sent a telepathic message to a certain Tekkaman who had been languishing away in a Tekkapod.

Saber! Awaken!

The crimson Tekkaman aroused from his forced slumber and responded.

Master?

I have decided to grant your request to receive the power to defeat Slade. However, it will be a long and painful process to achieve the penultimate state of the Tekkaman. It will ultimately mean your death.

Saber immediately agreed without hesitation. I don't care about that! I will defeat Slade and if that means that I will die, then so be it!

Very well, Saber. Oh, and one more thing you should know about Slade...

Saber snorted in disdain as he replied. Hmpf! If you are talking about my former past, then I already know about that! I learned about it before you locked me in here! That is one of the main reasons why I want to prove to all that I am BETTER than Slade and not some second-rate copy!

I... see. So you know already. So that is the reason behind your desire for revenge and what drives you to this path of self-destruction.

I told you before, Darkon, I don't care! My connection with Slade is none of your affair! You want me to destroy Slade? Then give me the power to do so and I shall serve you to the end of my existence! Even if it means the end of MY life! After I defeat Slade, then I don't care about anything after that!

So the decision is made. Prepare yourself, Saber!

At that point, screams were heard within the depths of the Radam homeworld as a new threat was being created...

To be continued...

Preview...

Slade: "Huh? Who are you people? Who am I for that matter?"

Dita: "I feel so sad…. Mr. Alien's alive, but he doesn't even remember any of us! How could this have happened?"

Jura: "He doesn't even remember himself! It's like Slade's a whole different person… all attempts made to help him regain his memory just hit a dead end."

Meia: "Surely there must be some way to bring his memory back… Hmmm? A planet of psychics? Can they help?"

Dita: "Oh I hope I hope!"

Meia: "Dita, Jura, and I go on a mission within Slade's mind to help bring out his memories. We must hurry or we'll be trapped in here and possibly destroy his mind even further."

Jura: "This won't be easy. Is this what it's like in someone's mind? Wait… is that Slade? Hold on! There's another one? No, there's a bunch of Slades! What's going on?"

Dita: "Wow! I've never seen so many Mr. Aliens! So which is the real one? Next time, on TekkaDread Remastered: 'Mindscape'."

Jura: "That dark area over there… what is it?"

Meia: "Could it be, Slade's suppressed memories?"

Magno: "What…? Slade? Are you….?"

Slade: "I… I remember everything now… my real name is…"

Author's Notes

Well, just because Slade didn't die now, doesn't mean that things are going any easier. He's lost his memory and now his arch-rival is about to gain even more power.

In the next chapter, the crew of the Nirvana must cope with someone that has become very dear to them, and yet is now a total stranger. Perhaps a planet of telepaths can help Slade finally regain his lost past, and reveal new secrets that will shock everyone to the core. As for Darkon, he will begin his final assault and that means big trouble for everyone. See you then.

(1) Heh, what else would you call it?

(2) Yep, this is the same weapon that Tekkaman Hiver uses in Tekkaman Blade II, but think of it pumped up to the Mega-Voltekker's levels of destruction.

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