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: Ranma ½, Tekkaman Blade and Vandread all belong to their respective creators, so get off my back!
italics: Thoughts
[ ]: Ancient Mandarin
Chapter 24 Part 2
Family Reunions
"The entire Mejele Outer and Inner Defense Fleets were almost completely annihilated, with more than four-fifths of the planet now under Radam control. Those were the latest reports." Slade's mother shook her head as she, BC, and Gascogne gathered in the Main Conference Room of the Nirvana. She was now discussing the events on Mejele that had been reported to her during the meeting between the pirate leaders. "To think that all of that firepower, hundreds of spacecraft, and hundreds of thousands of crew weren't enough to stop those monsters. There's barely enough of our home world's military left to put up any token resistance. And now the unthinkable has happened. I have just received word that Lady Grand Ma has ordered a planetary evacuation and migration... to Tarak."
"Tarak?" The Head Supplier exclaimed. "Things MUST be desperate if the people of Mejele are willing to just drop the 'Hate-All-Men' standard and live side by side with them."
BC nodded without emotion as she said, "When faced with something as dire as enslavement or total extinction, racism becomes less a priority compared to survival. Tarak is the only planet near enough to support human life, although just barely. Though I can just imagine how the men are going to react to these developments."
"Yes, I suppose you could." The hundred-plus woman remarked with a knowing smile as she decided to let her subordinate know about a few things. "After all, you did grow up there, now didn't you?"
This caught both Ms. Gasco and the First Mate by complete surprise.
"SAY WHAT?!" The Head Supplier exclaimed.
The silver-haired Commander was especially shocked by this revelation. "W-W-What?!"
Magno let off a small chuckle. "Oh come now. After all the time we've been together, you didn't think I wouldn't figure it out? Contrary to what Slade once accused me of being, I'm old, but I'm NOT senile. Actually, I knew almost from the start that you were really a spy from Tarak and that you're a HE, not a she. The signs were all there. You NEVER bathed with the other members of the crew, even though your body was surgically altered to appear female. You already knew how to read men's language. You showed knowledge of Tarak medical procedures when you aided Paiway in saving Barnette and Duero. You showed proficiency with projectile firearms, especially with weapons used by the Tarak military. And of course, I asked for Duero's report on your latest physical, which revealed that you possessed a Y-chromosome in your genetic makeup."
"A Y-chromosome? What's that?" Gascogne asked.
Magno nodded to the muscular woman. "I'm not surprised that you know nothing about it. You were raised on Mejele and were taught about how the women reproduced. I, of course, am from the First Generation and know about the old ways." Though actually, Ranma and I are even older than the founders of Mejele and Tarak. Magno thought to herself before continuing. "To put it simply, there are two very specific genetic traits that determine the gender of the baby before it is even born. They are called the X and Y-chromosome. If the person possesses two X-chromosomes, she is born as a female. However, if the baby has one X and a Y-chromosome, then he will be male."
"Really?"
"Yes, and since everyone on Mejele is female, when the genes of one parent is spliced with the egg of the other, then the child will ALWAYS be a girl, since each parent donates an X-chromosome. However, since everyone on Tarak is male, it is quite possible that either a male or female child can be created. A parent on that planet can donate either an X or Y-chromosome. Which is most likely the reason why the Tarak government closely scrutinize every fetus in their 'factories' to ensure that that only males are produced."
"So that's what Slade meant when he told Jura that she would only get a 50% chance of having a baby girl with his seed."
"That's right. And when I read Duero's report on BC's medical file, I learned that she, or rather he had been taking large amounts of female hormones on a regular basis. That of course, coincided with my suspicions about our First Mate."
She then pointed with an index finger to the gem-studded choker BC was wearing. "And you've never, EVER taken that off, even though it clearly showed at times that it was very uncomfortable. Now why would such a thing be uncomfortable, unless it happens to be pressing up against something... like an extended larynx? I believe that the doctor referred to it as an Adam's Apple. I'm willing to wager that the choker is actually some kind of voice-altering device, correct?" She then gave her second-in-command a nod. "Let's hear your real voice, shall we?"
The dark-skinned person let off a sigh as it was apparent that the jig was up. Seeing that there was no point in denying what the captain had already deduced, she, or rather he, reached up toward the neck ornament and pressed the large gem on the front. Then BC replied in a much deeper and more masculine tone, "I always suspected that you knew. Though I would like to know why you never revealed my secret to anyone."
Vivian took on an expression of mock surprise. "What? And lose the best First Mate I've ever had? I knew that you were here to spy on us, but in the years you've been with us, you've always served me with honor and a loyalty that has made me proud. There were many instances that you could have betrayed us to the Tarak military, but you never did."
Getting over her initial shock, but still in a state of disbelief, Gascogne cut in. "I'd like to know that, too! I still can't accept that you're really a man, but to find out that the captain knew, but never told anyone, that's just unbelievable! So why didn't you clue us in?"
"Would you have followed her orders if you knew that she was really a HE?" The captain pointed out. "Would any of the crew have followed BC if the truth was known? Would we have gotten as far as we did without her... excuse me, HIS help? I think not." She then addressed Buzom. "Now then, will you answer her question, BC? Why didn't you betray us to Tarak?" Just as he was about to answer, the aged woman held up her right hand, stopping him. "Oh, would you please use your normal voice? Your real one is nice, but I prefer to hear the truth from my trusted First Mate."
"You still trust me, even though you know the truth?" Buzom asked.
"Of course I do. You wouldn't be my Second-in-Command if I didn't."
BC smiled as he reached up and pressed the gem on his choker. In his or rather her voice, she explained. "Originally, I was assigned to spy on the pirates as a way to gain intelligence on Mejele. Since your crew was the most involved with the raids on both Tarak and Mejele convoys, it was logical to join you. At first, I was like any other man from Tarak, with my ingrained hatred of women. However, as time went by, I began to tolerate, even enjoy the company of women. You were not the monsters that our propaganda minister had always taught to us."
"I should think so." Magno stated.
"And, some time along our travels together, I began to realize that the hatred between men and women made no sense. Why did the Tarak leaders say that men and women could never coexist together, when I had been doing just that with you and the pirates? And the longer I stayed, the more I became convinced that men and women can live together, so I had decided not to betray you to my superiors. So every time I had to make a secret report to headquarters, I would only give them just enough information to keep them happy, but not enough to seriously hurt the pirates and especially this ship's crew. And I think that with Slade and the other men on board this vessel, I believe that we can bridge the gap between the two genders. I believe that it is time that we ended this 'War Between the Sexes' because we need each other. Male or female, we're all HUMAN and we all have to work together against the Radam if anyone is to have any future."
"I believe that as well." The aged captain concurred. "And I believe that you, Slade, Duero, and Bart will be instrumental to the cause, and to mediating an alliance between our peoples... when we arrive on Tarak."
"So when are we heading out?" Gascogne asked.
"Though I would prefer to give the crew some more time to rest and recuperate after our long voyage, time is something that we can ill-afford." She sighed as she had also wanted extra time to attempt to reconcile with her first-born son. "In two days, we will head for Tarak."
"And when we get there?" BC inquired.
"I can only hope that they are all willing to unite in this common goal. As for what happens afterward..." Magno let off another sigh as an image of Ranma appeared in her mind. "... we'll cross that bridge when we come to it."
Meanwhile...
Deep in space, a small fleet of just over one hundred large vessels and their escorts sped through the star-studded void. In the most heavily-guarded cruiser, the leader of the people of Mejele sat in the main control bridge. As she watched the main view screen of the bridge, she continued to contemplate how things had come to this. The planet of Mejele had been lost. Those who had escaped the Radam onslaught had become refugees. Everything they had was gone. They were now wanderers and heading toward a world in which most had been taught to hate since birth.
In a way, it was a wake-up call to show just how complacent the women had been, especially with their dependence in technology. The alien invaders had made short work of their much-vaunted military by targeting their vital communications systems, taking out the main arsenals, and devastating their defense forces and bases. Medical and food centers were also hit, denying the females the supplies they required. And most of all, they disrupted their power and computer systems, using those horrid Tekkapods to siphon off vital energy resources that could have been used against them. As they were stripped of their technological advantages, the Mejele women found themselves at a loss of what to do.
When Grand Ma saw that there was no hope to save their home and gave the order to abandon the planet, the women had to learn quickly one of the standard lessons that the men of Tarak already knew, and that was practicality. They could only take what they needed to survive. Anything else was to be left behind. As a result, many of them lost nearly all of their worldly possessions. High-ranking individuals with wealth and power were reduced to the same level as the poor classes. Luxury items and trinkets were either abandoned or dismantled to be used as raw materials. If it did not serve any useful purpose, then it was to be considered as deadweight.
Many people tried to smuggle an assortment of frivolous items, but when those things were found, they were either broken apart or tossed out of the airlocks. The ships, though very large, could only hold so much and most of their spaces were packed with people. Just about every cargo hold was filled to capacity and there was scarcely enough room for anyone to move about with much freedom. A large number of those chambers were stacked with the cryogenically frozen forms of the original crews of the colony ships. If the people of Mejele and Tarak were to perish, then these individuals would be the hope for humanity's future.
Grand Ma sighed as she felt not only the weight of her people's troubles on her shoulders, but also began to consider what would happen once the fleet reached Tarak space. If her message had gotten to her former husband Grand Pa, and if he were to agree to let the women settle on his planet, then perhaps they could come to some kind of truce. Uniting the two genders against the Radam would be the most feasible path, if they could put aside a century's worth of animosity.
Then again, those were some very big IFs. However, there was no other choice. Mejele's military was in no shape to take on the aliens. They had no home planet, and the Radam were hot on their heels. Only a great sacrifice and last stand by the remaining fleet commanders of the Inner Defense Forces had allowed the surviving populace to escape. The elderly woman shuddered as she didn't even want to think about what would happen to those who were now captives of the merciless Radam.
The Radam Mothership...
Tekkaman Dagger snorted in disgust as he watched the female captive within the Tekkapod scream out in agony. Suspended within the fluids of the pod, the woman writhed and convulsed as the Tekkapod forced more and more energy into her, causing her body to implode from within. Finally, her body couldn't take any more as it stiffened and imploded. The pod then split open and released its contents onto the floor of the maturation chamber. The corpse then broke apart into gory pieces and disintegrated in a pool of blood and fluids. The armored figure growled as yet another attempt to make a Tekkaman had failed. Behind him, the Radam Warlord approached and stopped to stand behind him.
"How goes the process?" Darkon asked, though he already knew the answer.
"Bah!" Dagger gritted, then apologized. "I am sorry, Lord Darkon. I am simply disappointed in such low-grade material. These prisoners were not even worth the trouble to capture! They are so weak! So far, NONE of them could even survive the first phase of the Tekkaman Power Process! Their only use is being food for the Tekkapods!"
"I suppose we should not be so surprised." Darkon concurred. "These Mejele women were too dependent on their technology and were raised mostly in controlled environments, unlike the men of Tarak. I'm not at all surprised their forces fell so easily to our Spider-Crabs. They aren't as hardy as their male counterparts. However, I do hope that we will be able to convert at a few of them into Tekkamen. They would be very useful in our upcoming invasion of Tarak."
"Hmpf! Even if we do manage to transform some of them, they WON'T last long. I would estimate that they would burn themselves out within weeks, perhaps even days! The only females on record that have become fully-functional Tekkamen are Rapier and those three women on the Nirvana. Then again, those women were pirates and were exposed to many other factors in deep space. That would have toughened up their bodies to withstand the transformation. As for Rapier, she was once a Harvester with the best body parts taken from other human worlds. I'm very certain if we were to take some Tarak prisoners, they would make much better Tekkamen candidates."
"Do what you can with what you have. It shouldn't take much time to conquer Tarak, despite their considerable resistance. Besides, I have other contingencies in order to boost our forces."
As the two discussed their plans, yet more Mejele prisoners were forced into the Tekkapods and their tortured screams echoed throughout the ship.
As more women died by the dozens every hour, in a distant section of the Radam Mothership, another figure floated within a Tekkapod. However, unlike the Mejele prisoners, this individual had already undergone the Tekkaman Power Process and was now attempting to boost his powers past their limits. And once he emerged from the confines of the pod, he would let no one stand in the way of his revenge against the one he hated most... Slade.
Saber had remained within the pod for more than a month now, as the energies within the suspension fluid were continually being fed into his body's cells. It was a long and extremely agonizing process that would have drove a normal man totally insane, if his body had not imploded first. Every second he was inside the Tekkapod was like an eternity of pain, but Slade's half-brother never uttered a sound. All he could think of was finally destroying his rival and prove once and for all, that the Universe had chosen him to be the strongest, not him!
As his body gradually began to evolve and change, his mind began to drift back to simpler times.
Flashback...
As the second son of Nodoka, he had been unaware of the fact that he had a half-brother. His mother had never told him of Ranma's existence, though it was most likely because she wanted to forget the pain of losing her first child.
Oh yes, she doted on Kenji during the years that he was growing up. But somehow, at times it felt to him that she was treating him as if he was someone else. Every now and then, she would call him Ran-something, then would quickly correct herself. At other times, she would feed him things that she claimed were his favorite foods, though he would remind her that they were not. And she would always seem to get agitated whenever he finger-painted as a boy. The sight of his hands dyed in paint or ink always made her shiver. Then, when he had been thirteen years old, he found out why.
He had just come home from school one day, and his parents had been away at the time. He had decided to make himself a snack in the kitchen, but had accidentally cut himself with a knife. His parents kept the first-aid kit in a storage closet. However, after he had tended to his cut and was about to put the kit away, he had noticed that the closet had a hidden compartment. What he pulled out of there had made his blood run cold.
He had found a box with an aging piece of parchment inside it. The document was yellowed and was not far off from crumbling. The ink that was written on it was faded and barely legible. And judging from the amount of dust that had collected on the box's surface, he guessed that it had not been touched in a very long time. Then he noticed the palm print and began to read the document...
That night, Kenji confronted his mother and was finally told the truth about his half-brother, and the events that led to his apparent demise. Things got very intense when he had learned about the Seppuku Pledge, and how Nodoka had just let her idiot first husband take her only child away. More harsh words were exchanged as Kenji began accusing her of treating him as some kind of replacement for Ranma. He even went so far of accusing her of planning to do a Seppuku Pledge with him as well. Nodoka emphatically denied the very notion of such a thing. However, the rift had already formed and would remain for centuries to come.
Since that time, Kenji remained distant from his mother, convinced that he was nothing more than a second-rate substitute for Ranma, though Nodoka kept trying to convince him that she loved him no less than she did with her first-born. Then on his sixteenth year, the terrorist attack occurred, killing his father and infecting both him and his mother with a deadly virus. The only thing that could be done was to place them into cryogenic stasis until a cure could be found. His mother tried one final time to reconcile with her offspring before he was frozen, but he would not even hear her out.
He would carry his resentment into the future, as mankind traveled to the stars.
More than half a millennium later...
As Kenji slumbered within the cryo-pod, the outside world became a much darker place. While his mother was awakened a century earlier to begin her journey to Mejele, her second son continued with his sub-zero hibernation. However, with a steadily degrading cryo-pod that was damaged over time, his body began to suffer cellular deterioration. Also, his mind became even more unstable as his resentment over his mother and his supposed long-dead half-brother began to grow. When the pod was finally opened by the inhabitants of Earth, his psyche, along with his body, were so badly damaged, that the Harvesters decided that he wasn't worth to be used for spare parts. And so, he lived among them, eventually becoming one of the many wretches who fought among each other for new organs.
Ironically, at the same time he was awakened, Slade had emerged from the Tekkapod at the remnants of Jusenkyo.
As time passed, Kenji was just barely holding on to the land of the living when he was chosen by the Harvesters to become their weapon against the Nirvana's Tekkaman. However, unbeknownst to the Earth Council, when he underwent the Tekkaman Power Process, he learned of the secret of the Earth's Paksis Crystal. The hatred that he had built up over the centuries had given him the willpower to survive the transformation when normally a Harvester would have perished. As he became Tekkaman Saber, his already unbalanced mind became even more erratic. Later on, he learned of the fact that both his mother and half-brother were still alive. This new information made his rage even more volatile, especially with every encounter and every loss. The contempt that he received from his former Harvester masters and later Darkon did nothing but increase his loathing over his lot in life, and he began to irrationally blame Slade for all of his troubles. It was his half-brother that his mother had loved. It was he who always defeated him. It was he that was considered the most powerful! Slade, Slade, always it was Slade!
Well, he wasn't going to be the best for much longer! Even if it killed Saber (and the evolution to penultimate form eventually would), he was going to defeat him and prove to all who was the best! And he would also finally have it out with his 'mother' as well...
End of flashback...
At that moment, the pod he was in began to split open as he felt the effects of the evolutionary process began to take hold...
Things were about to come to a head.
Meanwhile...
Two days later, the crew of the Nirvana began heading back toward their vessel in the main spaceport of Heaven's Haven. Though they had enjoyed their brief period of recreation time (many of which wanted it to be longer), they all understood that time was of the essence. Since their ship was the only one of the pirate crews that had men and women working together, it was logical to send out the Nirvana to the all-male planet to act as ambassador and mediate an alliance between the two genders.
It was then that they received an astounding message. Buzom, using her secret transmitter codes, picked up a broadcast from the Central High Command of Tarak. Lady Grand Ma's fleet of refugees had arrived in Tarak space, under a flag of truce. Amazingly, they had not been attacked as Grand Pa had personally ordered his military to stand down, though it would have been easy to destroy the group of lightly-armed vessels and end the Gender War. It seemed that one miracle after another occurred as the females were permitted to land on the planet, but under close guard, with strict orders not to leave their vessels until further notice. One could only imagine the uproar that had caused.
Then another surprise occurred. Buzom received a top-priority message from Grand Pa himself, on all open channels!
Flashback...
Before the astonished eyes of all those watching, especially those on the bridge of the Nirvana, the elderly leader of Tarak appeared before them on every view screen on the ship. Silence blanketed every deck as no one spoke a word. Many were wondering just how the supreme leader of the planet of men had gotten their coded frequencies to transmit on all channels.
Then everyone focused on the bridge as Grand Pa spoke.
"It's been a while, Special Agent Buzom Callista. You are looking well, even as a woman."
There was a collective series of gasps throughout the Nirvana as they heard these words. There was no way of denying her or rather his identity as a man and this sent shockwaves throughout Magno's crew. However, the pirate captain nodded as she understood the meaning of Grand Pa blowing his operative's cover. Apparently, the old man of Tarak had seen the light and was now laying all his cards on the table. He had just read the full report that BC had transmitted to him and decided that the men needed the women, just as much as they needed the men.
End of Flashback...
After the crew had settled down and explanations were made, Buzom had fully expected the female pirates to turn on him. However, to his surprise, everyone unanimously agreed to let him stay on as First Mate. Apparently, after all the years they spent together, along with working with Slade and the other men, had opened their minds. For certain people like Bart, he was a bit conflicted. He had been raised to like men, though he had grown fond of women, especially with BC. Now finding out that he was both was going to take some time to get used to, but... oh well.
At that time, BC was elected to represent the Nirvana, along with Slade, Bart, and Duero when they would arrive on Tarak.
Slade sighed as he leaned against a rail and looked out of one of the portholes in the Bio-Park. His thoughts wandered as he considered what was going to happen in the next day or so.
With the Radam's main fleet fast approaching the system, all of humanity needed to work together to survive. Messages were sent out via tachyon beams to all the worlds Magno's crew had encountered in the hope that they would join in the fight. If the Radam were to conquer the Tarak system, then they would have a springboard toward the rest of the galaxy, since Bart, Duero, and Buzom's home planet was located near a cosmic nexus. Ironically, it was that same jump-off point that the Nirvana was inadvertently thrown into deep, uncharted space over a year ago. Should Darkon's forces capture that sector in space, then no world that had been colonized by Earth's descendants would be safe.
The plan was to have the Nirvana go on ahead, with Heaven's Haven following some distance behind. Once Magno's ship arrived at the designated coordinates some distance outside Tarak's planetary orbit, the remaining pirate ships would congregate near Heaven's Haven, alongside any other ships that answered the call to arms. Slade was pretty certain that the people of Melanos would come, as well as the planet of telepaths since he just got a response from Tekkaman Phantom. Even Anpathos responded, which was somewhat of a shock, considering how spineless they were under the yoke of the Harvesters. It seemed that living without 'the Munya' and keeping their backbones had given the people something they never had... freedom to choose.
Slade and the others could only hope that it would be enough.
It was then that a certain former Dread Leader approached him.
"Slade?"
The Tekkaman in question looked over his shoulder and saw Meia approaching him. He nodded to her and looked back out the porthole. The aqua-haired girl stood beside him and joined him in gazing out into space.
"We'll be arriving at Tarak space by early tomorrow." Meia said quietly. "I never thought I'd see the day that we would be able to enter that sector without being fired on, much less being invited by Grand Pa himself."
"A lot has happened in the past year." Slade pointed out.
"Yes, a lot has happened." Meia agreed, then a thought came to her. "So once this is all over, what will you do?"
The simple question caught the Tekkaman off guard. It was so unlike Meia to ask such a personal question. Then again, in the year that he had fought with the Nirvana crew, the formally serious and aloof girl had begun to open herself up and shown a more human side. He considered her question for a long while, then replied with a shrug. "I'm not really sure. The only thing I've been focusing on is beating the Radam. I never gave much thought of what to do after that. Before I met you and the Nirvana, I had just been drifting from one planet to the next. I didn't have any place to call home or any family." He then saw Magno's image in his mind, then banished those thoughts. He then changed the subject. "What about you?"
Meia nodded as she answered. "I received a message from the Mejele refugees that are now on Tarak. My ohma is among the ones that managed to escape the Radam invasion. I thought I'd see her afterwards and maybe patch things up between us. The last time I saw her was a few years ago, just after I became a pirate. We kind of parted on some... really bad terms and I was hoping that we could... you know? She's the only family I have left, since my fahma... I mean, my mother died."
Slade felt a bit of regret with his own situation. "I'm sorry. I wouldn't have asked if it was so painful for you."
"It's all right. Say, would you... I mean, would you like to come with me when I do see my ohma? I'm pretty sure that she'd like to meet you."
"Well... sure, if you think she wouldn't mind. She wouldn't be offended since I'm a man?"
"Don't worry about that. My ohma was never one who believed all that Mejele propaganda, and I think that you and her would get along fine."
"Alright then."
The next day...
The Nirvana slowly made its way through the complex and highly dangerous Defense Grid of the Tarak System. Each obstacle had to be carefully navigated as the pirate vessel was guided toward the place where the leaders of the all-male planet, the refugees of Mejele, and the representatives of the other human colonies would congregate. Magno's crew got a look first-hand of how hazardous things would have been had they attacked Tarak directly, rather than raiding their distant supply lines. The first barrier was a huge asteroid belt, which was littered with millions of anti-ship mines and remote guns which would fire on any vessel that did not have the proper access codes.
It was a fortunate thing that Buzom was able to provide those codes. When Slade was asked how he got through to Tarak, he replied that the mines and guns only responded to objects that were the size of spacecraft. They ignored things that were human-sized or smaller, since they weren't considered a threat. So naturally, a Tekkaman by himself wouldn't have any trouble bypassing the first barrier. Not that the mines and guns would have penetrated his armor in any case.
This information alarmed Buzom somewhat. She made a note to request to Grand Pa to have the first line of defense upgraded to detect smaller objects and have greater firepower installed. Since the enemy also had Tekkamen, this would be a serious flaw that they could exploit. The improvements might not be able to stop those space warriors, but they would be able to delay them so that the defenders would have more time to prepare.
The second barrier, which was just as daunting if not more so, was a system of armed space stations called Sentinels. Each outpost possessed enough firepower to obliterate capital ships and were supplemented by several dozen squadrons of Vanguards. Unlike the prototypes and cadets that Magno's crew faced a year ago, these units were better trained. They piloted faster upgraded versions of the mecha, which in a fantastic coincidence, had similar technology that Parfet had developed for the Warrior Squadron (with the exception of the Tekkasuits). Meia looked at several passing Vanguards and noted how skillfully they were piloted as well as the extra armaments. She nodded and realized that if she had led her Dreads against these opponents, her side would have suffered very heavy casualties.
After that disastrous raid on the Ikazuchi, the Tarak Military had gone back to the drawing board and corrected many of the flaws in the original models, as well as train new recruits. Each machine was better armored, possessed far more firepower, and had greater range and maneuverability. It was with little doubt that this was the reason why they had been able to hold out against the Radam Spider-Crabs thus far.
The third barrier was of course, the Tarak Fleet itself, which consisted of several thousand capital ships and hundreds of thousands of Vanguard fighters and support ships. These vessels were on constant patrol and so far had been able to stop any Spider-Crabs from reaching Tarak, if any managed to get through the first two barriers. Unlike the streamlined, smooth craft of Mejele, these vessels were bulky and rough-looking. However, what they lacked in aesthetics, they made up for in brute force. They were slower than their female counterparts and did not have the same level of advanced technology the women enjoyed, but they were better armored, were actually more energy-efficient, and each vessel carried enough firepower to reduce a small country to ashes. They were manned by far more experienced crews than the Ikazuchi had when Magno led her raid against it.
At present, the Radam forces had been testing Tarak's defenses with minor to moderate skirmishes. The men had been able to beat back the invaders, but even Grand Pa knew that it was only a matter of time before an all-out assault would occur. With that in mind, and the fact that the surviving population of Mejele were now refugees, the supreme leader was hoping that the upcoming meeting between the leaders of all the human worlds, plus the information provided by the Nirvana, would be enough to save their races from enslavement or extinction.
The Nirvana slowly docked with the huge Command Satellite that was in distant orbit around Tarak. The base was the size of Heaven's Haven and circled the planet like an artificial moon. As for the mobile pirate base, it set itself up in a synchronous orbital path with the satellite and dropped its cloaking field. As the representatives of the female pirates were led to where the delegation would take place, more and more vessels converged toward that sector of space. Ships from Melanos, Anpathos, the Telepath World, and others, each responding to the call that had been sent out of the warning of the imminent Radam Invasion. Soon, hundreds of ambassadors from other worlds were coming aboard the Tarak Station.
As they were being led down a corridor, the group from the Nirvana were in awe at the sheer size of the base. The women especially, since they had never been inside this place, nor had Mejele Intelligence. This was not the bright and cheerful environment of Heaven's Haven. The atmosphere was darker and harsher, as everything on the station had a kind of straight-forwardness to it. Like the vessels of the Tarak Fleet, the technology on the Command Satellite was focused on pure function, with no frills. Everything either had a purpose, or was simply raw material to be used. There was no squandering of resources, and outward appearances meant very little as long as the devices worked. Living quarters were simple utilitarian chambers with only the essentials provided, and each person working on the station went about his duties like clockwork. Even Gascogne had to admire the men for their efficiency.
It was then that the group entered a large room, where dozens of computer consoles were manned by crews. At the head of the operations, a wizened old man sat in a large, simply decorated chair. He looked up with hundred-year-old-plus eyes and nodded to Buzom, who was at the head of the group.
Magno, Slade, and all the others, were now in the presence of Grand Pa.
Meanwhile, in another part of the station, a lone figure smiled as he skulked about the shadows of the lesser used areas. It had been child's play for him to sneak past the Tarak Defense Grid in his Tekkaman form, and once he came aboard the Command Satellite in his human form, he infiltrated the crews. Though he was on a covert mission for Darkon to get information on the world of Tarak and its defenses, Saber had an alternate agenda in mind. He had learned that his half-brother was aboard... along with his mother. Now, it was time for Kenji to have his long-overdue revenge...
Some time later...
In the Conference Hall of the Command Satellite, Magno shook her head as she and her group had come up against a stubborn audience, primarily the Tarak military leaders. Though they had been commanded by Grand Pa to pay heed to their words, the upper brass was hard to convince, especially since the information was being related by women!
The huge circular chamber was structured like a football stadium, with representatives from every colonized world in the quadrant. The leaders of each group could communicate with each other via holographic projectors. In the center, the Nirvana crew were displaying countless images which depicted the horrors and cruelty of the Radam. However, many officers in the upper levels of Tarak society remained unconvinced and maintained that they could defeat the menace without the help of the females. After all, they weren't the ones who abandoned their own planet.
"I tell you that we cannot defeat the Radam on our own!" Magno maintained. "What you have seen so far is nothing! The Spider-Crabs are merely testing your defenses! You have no idea just how VAST the Radam forces are!"
"So you say!" The Prime Minister snorted in disdain. "But so far, we have been able to keep those Spider-Crabs at bay! Unlike you women, we men do not cower in fear and abandon our own home world just because of a few mindless monsters!"
"You would not be so high and mighty!" A high-ranking Mejele commander said in retaliation. "Just like a man to talk so boldly, when he's not up against a foe that knows no mercy!"
"Commander!" Grand Ma addressed her in a very stern tone.
However, the female would not be silent. "I apologize, Lady Grand Ma, but I cannot stand idly by while someone besmirches the memory of my fallen comrades! I lost many good crews when we fought the Radam! We all have lost so much! And now we must humiliate ourselves by allying ourselves with these... MEN?!"
"Hah! Just like a woman to-"
"BE SILENT!"
The argument was instantly silenced by the aged, yet booming voice of Grand Pa. All eyes turned toward the supreme leader of Tarak. The hundred-plus man let off a tired sigh then spoke. "We are not here to continue old hatreds! I allowed the people of Mejele to land on our world not out of contempt, but because they are HUMAN. No one deserves what had happened to them. And... after weighing all the evidence, I have come to the conclusion that despite our own formidable forces, we alone cannot defeat this enemy that threatens the very existence of the human race." He let off another sigh. "Make no mistake, Prime Minister. I am proud of what we men of Tarak have accomplished in the past 100 years, but if we are to continue, then we must look at the bigger picture. I have read the reports given to me by our operative BC, as well as the information from Captain Vivian Magno. I deem them to be genuine. Furthermore, the Nirvana's crew have dealt with the Radam and their predecessors, the Harvesters, on numerous occasions and triumphed. It was only possible through the cooperation between men and women. Therefore, it is only logical that Tarak join forces with Mejele, if any of us are to have a future." He sighed yet again. "Ever since that time of the Great Separation, I always knew in my heart that this day would come, in which men and women must reunite. It seems... we have come full circle."
There was a thunderous round of applause from the other representatives, while the Tarak officials were in a state of stunned silence after hearing what Grand Pa had said. Then, after a full minute of cheering, the old man raised a hand for attention and the room went silent again. He once again addressed the pirate captain.
"You mentioned that the Radam possess even greater weapons than the Spider-Crabs. You called them... Tekkamen?"
Magno nodded as she gestured for Jura, Meia, Dita, Duero, and Slade to step forward. They were also joined by Ghaleon Viperson. The six made their crystals appear and held them aloft. Then they all cried out simultaneously...
"TEKSETTER!"
Much later...
Slade grimaced as he sat in the station's cafeteria. He looked down at his plate of nutrition pills, then pushed it away. He had forgotten just how bad those pills tasted and wondered why he even ordered them. The label had read cherry flavor, but it was more like they used cherry pits. As he thought about it, cherry pits would taste better than the pills. It was then that he was approached by two officers of the Tarak military. Judging by the medals and decorations, he guessed that they were high-rank. And from the way they were looking at him, he could tell that they wanted something from him.
The first one was a tall, thin individual with sandy brown hair and a kind of foppish look about him. His compatriot was shorter and chunky, with a greasy expression and short black hair. Slade could tell that they weren't real fighters and probably achieved their status through connections rather than earning it. They probably never seen real combat and made their subordinates do all the work, rather than get their own hands dirty.
"You are... Tekkaman Slade?" The tall man asked.
"Who wants to know?" Slade replied with suspicion.
"I am Commander Sahan Badir of the Cruiser Warrior's Pride." He gestured to his companion. "This is my First Mate, Lowcor Vonn. May we sit with you?"
Lowcor nodded and greeted him. "Hello."
"Why?" The Tekkaman indicated with a hand at the other tables. "There are plenty of other places you can sit down."
"We wish to speak with you." The starship captain insisted as he and his subordinate immediately sat themselves down on chairs opposite to where Slade sat.
This lack of manners immediately got Slade's temper bubbling. They simply assumed that it was all right to just do as they please without his consent. "And exactly what do you want to talk to me about?"
Sahan smiled. "Ah, you're direct. I like that. Let's get straight to the point. My superiors were quite impressed at the display that you and those... women put on during the conference. And they were thinking, as I am, that such power would be a waste if it were used just for defeating the Radam."
Slade growled slightly. He knew that something like this might happen. After transforming into his Tekkaman form, he and the others had gone out into space and gave everyone a demonstration of their powers. As expected, he had attracted the attention of those who would use his abilities for their own selfish ends. These two were the latest in a long line of officers who had tried to proposition him.
"No."
"I... beg your pardon?" The commander asked.
The space warrior growled slightly. "Whatever you're selling, I'm not buying. You were sent to 'DRAFT' me into the service of the Tarak Armed Forces, right? After seeing what I can do, your superiors probably thought I'd be the perfect weapon against the women, am I right? I've already been approached by at least a DOZEN of you guys, and they all said the SAME thing! What did they promise you? A promotion? An upgrade to first class!? More pill rations!? Here! You can have mine!" He roughly pushed his plate toward the two officers.
"Well, why not join the mighty Tarak forces?" Sahan insisted. "You are a man, aren't you? Surely you hate the women as-"
Slade slammed a fist on the table, taking care not to use his full strength or he'd pound it through the floor and down to the next three or four levels. "Yes, I am a man, but no, I don't hate the women 'cause I'm NOT from Tarak! When are you military MORONS going to realize that?! Now get lost!"
"Perhaps if we were to come back later...?"
BOOM!
This time, Slade put more force into his fist and caused the table to collapse. The two officers took the hint and quickly left the cafeteria. The former Saotome sighed as he moved his chair to another table and sat down. A minute later, another person approached him. He was about to give the newcomer a piece of his mind, when he looked up and saw that it was the Nirvana's doctor. His mood lightened as he gestured for the healer to join him.
Duero nodded as he sat down, taking note of the ruins of the table Slade had sat previously. "Hello Slade. I see that you too have been visited by some of the Tarak military."
"Huh?" Slade responded in surprise.
"I saw that little display when I came in." The good doctor explained. "I too have been approached by several high-ranking individuals in both the military and the political factions. However, I don't have the option of openly refusing them as you have, since I am part of the Tarak Army and a citizen of the planet."
"Don't tell me that you said yes."
"I have not. I simply informed those people that I am a doctor first and foremost, and that my medical duties to my patients take priority over my combat potential. I was able to ask Buzom to put in a word for me to Grand Pa. He has issued orders for those people to keep their distance, at least until the Radam threat has been dealt with."
"Yeah, well we should have expected that something like this might happen and..." Slade's voice trailed off as he suddenly sensed the presence of someone familiar. A slight flicker of light appeared on his forehead, causing him to look about. He caught a fleeting glimpse of a familiar face as the person passed by the entrance of the cafeteria, then disappeared into the crowds.
"Slade? Is something wrong?" Duero inquired.
Slade shook his head to clear it, then replied. "No... nothing. I just thought I saw someone familiar. But it couldn't be him..."
Saber shook his head after passing by the station's large cafeteria. He had felt a bit of a familiar twinge and wondered if his half-brother was nearby. Then he decided on the object of his mission. He had found out where Vivian Magno was going to be and his long-overdue revenge was going to be fulfilled. And should he meet up with Slade, then it would be a bonus to kill him as well.
Slade sighed as he decided to take a stroll down toward one of the observation decks. As he approached a large view-port window, he was spotted by a certain blonde Tekkaman.
"Yoo-hoo! Slade!"
He acknowledged Jura with a simple nod as she pranced toward him. Before he could object, she looped her arms around his neck and kissed him fully on the mouth. This caused several Tarak observers to gasp and moan as they saw the impossible... a man being KISSED by a woman! It was hard enough to tolerate the presence of women aboard their station, even though they didn't look like the monsters that appeared on the propaganda films. They were expecting Slade to be reduced to a withered husk, since females were known to suck out a man's innards, right? That provocatively-dressed yellow-haired one was probably inhaling Slade's vital organs right now and this was how she did it; through the mouth! Oh, the horror!
When Slade did not expire when he gently pushed her away, there was a stunned silence. Just what was going on?!
The cosmic warrior's cheeks reddened a bit when he noticed the looks everyone was giving them. Slade gave a nervous chuckle, then quickly pulled Jura off to a more secluded area of the observation decks. When he was certain that they were both out of earshot, he turned to face her.
"Jura, I think you'd better not do stuff like that, especially in front of the Tarak men."
"Why?" She asked playfully as she began casually drawing circles on his chest with her right index finger. "If men and women are going to have to live with each other, then we should show them just HOW WELL they can be together!"
Slade sighed. "Look, it's hard enough for them right now to get used to the idea that they'll be sharing their planet with women. I don't want to aggravate the situation any more than it already is. It's too soon for them to try and settle their differences. For now, not having them fight is good enough. I have my own headaches to deal with, especially with those Tarak military idiots who are trying to recruit me."
Jura gave him a disappointed pout, then nodded in understanding. "Join the club."
"Hmm?"
"I've had some visits from some of the Mejele commanders. They've offered me a full pardon for my years as a pirate and reinstatement as a citizen of Mejele." She gave her shoulders a shrug. "But that's a moot point, since Mejele is now a breeding ground for the Radam. I wouldn't be surprised if Meia and Dita were given similar offers."
Slade nodded in agreement. "Say, why don't you use this chance to visit with the refugees? I remember you telling me one time that you hadn't returned to Mejele since you joined up with the pirates. Isn't there anyone from your homeworld that you want to see? Meia said that she was going to visit with her ohma."
Jura took on an introspective expression as she thought about it, then nodded. "That might be a good idea. I just received a message from my fahma. She was part of the first wave of evacuees. I was planning to visit her later on."
"Why don't you visit her now? We've got some time."
"I will." She quickly gave Slade a peck on the cheek, then hurried away. Just before she was out of sight, she called back to him. "When this is all over, you have GOT to meet my mother, all right?"
Slade could only wave back while smiling. When she was gone, he let off a sigh of relief and turned about to go for another stroll. However, he had only gone a few steps when he suddenly came face to face with a bubbly Dita.
"Mr. Alien... er, I mean, Slade. Sorry, old habit."
"Uh... hi, Dita. So what are you so excited about?"
Dita showed off something that she was carrying in her arms. It looked to be a hand-sewn dress that was simple, yet very well-made. It was made from very soft, blue-colored silk and seemed to have been created by an expert seamstress.
"Isn't it pretty?" Dita asked. "My ohma and my fahma gave it to me! I just saw them an hour ago and they were really happy to see me again! I told them all about our adventures and especially you, Slade!"
"Oh. That's great."
"And I promised that when we beat those bad aliens, that I'll introduce you to them!"
"Uh... yeah, I'm looking forward to meeting them." Slade gave a half-hearted laugh as he thought, Does every girl that I know want me to meet their parents?
In another part of the station, two Amazons were having a quiet discussion. Xian Pu had come across her only living relative, her grandmother Khu Lon. She was a wizened old lady of eighty-nine and wore the traditional robes of a Matriarch of the Joketsuzoku. She was approximately five-foot-two and walked about with a gnarled wooden cane. She had long, grey hair that was done up in a simple ponytail. She was the current leader of the Mejele Amazons that were the direct descendants of the original tribe of Earth.
["So, young warrior. Tell me more about this... Tekkaman Slade."]
Xian nodded. ["He is a great warrior. He has proven himself time and time again in battle, not only as a fighter, but as a valued... friend."]
The aged female gazed upon her with interest. ["It seems that this Slade is someone that you greatly respect."]
["He is the one man who deserves my utmost respect and admiration. He is also commander of the Nirvana's Vanguard group, the Warrior Squadron. I am his second-in-command."]
["You take orders from a man?"]
["I follow them because he is our leader."] The red-haired girl blushed as she remembered something else. ["And... because I challenged him... and lost."]
This admission got Khu Lon's attention. ["You lost?"] She stressed.
Xian Pu nodded. ["In the beginning, I was very against taking orders from a man. So I challenged him to combat. The winner would lead the Vanguards, and I am embarrassed to say that I was utterly defeated by him. And so, I was honor-bound to follow him into battle. As time passed... I came to respect his battle prowess and..."] She blushed even redder as she recalled that time in the Nirvana's bath area.
Khu Lon nodded as she thought of something. ["I see. If that is the case, and if you were fairly defeated in battle by this man... then you must follow our Amazon Laws as it is written in the ancient texts."]
["What do you mean?"]
The elderly individual produced a data module from the sleeves of her robes, which she activated. The top of the technological cube produced a holographic image of a book. Xian Pu immediately recognized it. She had a hard copy of it in her quarters on the Nirvana.
["The Book of Amazon Tribal Law?"]
["Yes. Unlike your version, which is incomplete, revised, and faded, this one is finished and unedited. It is an encoded copy of one of the original manuscripts, just before the time of the Great Migration from Earth. Now then, please read this section."] She used the controls of the module to display a certain passage in the book.
Her granddaughter's eyes widened as she read the passage. When she finished, she looked upon her relative in a state of disbelief. There was a long pause, before she finally spoke. ["Grandmother... are you serious?"]
["When it comes to our ancient laws, I am always serious. And now that Mejele and Tarak must reunite, then this law is also valid."]
Xian Pu stood in stunned silence as the words of the law she had read sunk in.
In the event that an Amazon is defeated by an outsider, and if that outsider is a man, then she must...
Meanwhile...
Ukyo the Seventeenth nodded as she got off the vid-communicator. She had just finished a long discussion with her ohma, Ukyo the Sixteenth, and explained to her that the vendetta against Ranma Saotome, or rather Slade, was misdirected and irrational. She had thought that it was the least she could do, after what had happened on the Nirvana when she learned that Slade was actually the same Ranma from half a millennium ago. After giving the details of what had happened five-and-a-half centuries earlier, Ukyo's ohma finally agreed that the blood feud against Ranma was pointless, since he was just as much a victim as the original Kuonji was. However, there was still the matter of the stolen dowry.
The Nirvana okonomiyaki chef couldn't believe that her ohma thought that a missing cart was so important. It was nothing more than a wooden box on wheels. However, the older Ukyo still insisted that honor must be satisfied, and there was only one way. When she suggested it, her daughter became absolutely dumfounded.
Now how was she going to explain this to Slade?
Later...
Slade let off yet another sigh as he strolled about the station. It was going to be several hours before all the representatives would finish in their deliberations, and he really didn't have anything else to do until then. Most of the Nirvana crew members were visiting their relatives and friends among the Mejele refugees, and this got him thinking.
In the entire universe, only Magno could be considered as his family, but the years of being separated from her had made him bitter. She was his mother, biologically speaking, but emotionally she was a stranger to him. Why would he even try to bridge the gap that spanned so much time and billions of light-years?
Then again, just about everyone in Magno's crew had barely seen their loved ones until now, and each girl was trying to make up for lost time. The same went for Bart and Duero. This may be their only chance, for once the Radam got serious and attacked, many of them would not return. And once Slade left the Nirvana, he would be all alone again. Is that what he really wanted? Would it be so bad to get to know her? Perhaps, in time they could actually come to some common ground. They both agreed that Genma had been a total moron. They were both strong-willed and didn't care for any kind of nonsense.
Maybe... just... maybe...
KA-BOOM!
The explosion rocked the entire station as Slade felt a familiar presence nearby. A large bulkhead was blown to pieces, causing crew members to scatter and safety shutters to close to prevent any potential decompression. The former Saotome immediately ran toward the source of the disturbance, which happened to be where the guest quarters were. As he rounded a corner, he came across a ruined chamber that was smoking from being blown from the inside. Furniture and masses of twisted metal were strewn about, as well as pieces of unidentified debris. Then he saw a scene that made his blood run cold.
The tall figure he recognized in an instant. It had been some time since he last saw him, but there was no mistaking that cruel expression and the bloodlust in his eyes. Though Saber was in his human form, in his hands was a huge Tekkalance. He towered over an injured Magno, who was kneeling on the floor and clutching at her left arm, which was bleeding profusely from a large gash near her shoulder. Her eyes were streaming tears as she looked up at her would-be executioner.
As he slowly raised his weapon to deliver the final blow, Slade sprang toward them. Seeing his mother in mortal danger caused something within him to snap. It had been an emotional barrier that he had put up when he had learned that his mother was still alive. Though he had repeatedly denied it, deep down, he knew that he still had feelings toward her, and after a lot of soul-searching, he had finally decided that he needed to set things right with her. Now, this maniac was going to take it all away before he had a chance!
"NO!"
A bright flash of light appeared in both of Slade's hands as he suddenly called upon a power that he never knew he had. The flashes lengthened and became solid as Saber's weapon came down.
CLANG!
To the surprise of all those present, both halves of Slade's Tekkalance appeared, and locked with Saber's, stopping the weapon's descent. Slade was now between him and Magno. As both Tekkamen began to exert more force on each other, their eyes locked together with intense glares. Behind Slade, Magno gasped as she watched the two about to engage in a battle in which only one would walk away.
Slade gritted his teeth as he continued to press against his foe. Then, he said in a hard voice. "Don't... you... DARE... hurt... my... MOTHER!"
These words enraged Saber as he retorted with venom in his voice. "Don't you mean... OUR MOTHER?"
To be continued...
Preview...
Slade: "The hell did he just say!? 'OUR' mother!? There's no way in Hell that psycho is a brother of mine!"
Saber: "I'm hurt, Slade. Like it or not, we're two sides of the same coin, you and I!"
Dita, Jura, and Meia: "Slade!"
Slade: "Stay out of this, girls! This is between me and him! No... what is he doing!? You insane bastard! STOP!"
Magno: "My sons... my sons! Next time on Tekkadread Remastered: 'Sibling Rivalry, Slade and Saber!' Ranma... Kenji... I..."
Author's Notes
Well, here's yet another cliff-hanger, but with this story nearing its end, I had to end this part somewhere. In the next part of chapter 11, we're going to have Slade Vs Saber again, but this time, it's REALLY personal. More revelations will be made as Tarak and Mejele must overcome the century of hatred and learn that they are not so different after all. All this and more in Chapter 11 part 3, entitled "Slade and Saber, Sibling Rivals."
Please read and review!