Fan Fiction / Zoids Fan Fiction / Vandread Fan Fiction ❯ ZoidDread ❯ Unexpected Reunion ( Chapter 15 )

ZoidDread

Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to Zoids of VanDread…

13th Chapter

Part 1

Unexpected Reunion…

< >: Thoughts

<“ ”>: Organoid Language

**************

The Nirvana…

The Nirvana was abuzz with their latest addition…and the girls on either faction at the moment were stunned to find out that the woman they had brought onboard was actually the mother of Lance, Scott and Brandon and she had been looking for them for over 5 years. The people there were divided on opinion on what to do with the information that was before them at the moment while there were those…namely under Barnette's group that discounted the information at the moment.

Mara however was not concerned with such matters as she waited patiently for any word on her sons…she couldn't believe that she had missed her sons by only hours…she couldn't help but berate herself and the strange alien forces that forced her to change course and run away from her path. However she was very much concerned as to what had forced her sons to leave the ship. Her Liger was also docked in her ship which was also onboard the Nirvana at the moment and apparently was not the same as the one piloted

The mother of Brandon, Scott, and Lance watched and waited as she was in the bridge…waiting for any news…this allowed Magno and Buzam to study her for the time being…

There were certain features that matched Brandon and his brothers in Mara and she carried herself in a very similar fashion like Brandon, she seemed to radiate an air of skill and ability…which was evident in the way the brothers would fight with their Ligers…and the shade of her eyes had some similarity and the color was the same as well. She wore a tunic style suit with long sleeves and what appeared to be rank bars on the right sleeve and she wore pants with flaps on the front and back as well. She had a belt and what appeared to be a knife holster and pistol as well though the weapons were left behind by her on her Liger to show that she was not there to cause a disruption. The elderly Captain still was unsure about how she would break the news on what was the reason why her sons had left the ship as there was a chance that Mara would react negatively to the news.

It was then that Meia's signal was detected by scanners…and then those of Dita and Jura…and those of Kara, Mia, and Rin…and to their relief, the signals of the three Ligers…but they were curious why the signals resembled distress beacons. Mara suddenly stiffened and seemed even more concerned than before and Magno couldn't help but be concerned as she contacted Meia.

“Meia…where have you been?”

Meia appeared and spoke quickly.

“We went to locate Brandon and the others…but we've got some serious problems!”

“What kind of problems?”

“We followed the signals from Zarreke, Rikera, and Kail, and stumbled in a massive battle-zone…there appeared to be other humans fighting the Harvesters and apparently Brandon and the others were caught in the fighting…they're alive and safe but badly injured captain and their Liger's need repairs badly…”

Mara wasted no time and spoke to Meia.

“Where are they?! Are Brandon, Scott, and Lance all right?!”

“Who are you? And how do you know Brandon and his brothers?”

“For your information, my name's Mara Reinhart and I know them because I am their mother!”

Meia's eyes widened at that revelation and before she could say anything else…Jura and Dita also were there on the screen with shocked expressions on their faces.

**************

In the Zoid Hanger…

“Oh my Goddess! What the heck happened to them?!”

Parfet asked as she and the engineering team looked at the badly damaged Ligers…she couldn't believe that they had undergone so much damage and let managed to remain relatively functional and intact for the moment. The rest of the crew were there as well as Magno and Buzam looked on..marveling at the fact that the machines were still bale to function…

Mara however wasted little time and ran to the Zoids and no one was going to stop them and as soon as the Zoids were placed on the floor and were bale to stand and relax, she spoke to the Zoids using her own voice as she had sensed that Zoids had reached out to her, she was a bit surprised at first…but quickly recognized Zarreke's voice.

“Zarreke! What happened?!”

The crew were surprised as the lead Liger piloted by Brandon gave low growls in response to the question posted to it by Mara and the woman was distraught as she listened to the growls of the Liger, she then turned to see Kail and Rikera and the Ligers said the same thing and in a few minutes…the Ligers' cockpits opened and out came Brandon and his siblings…making everyone look with shock as they saw the extent of the injuries the brothers.

Brandon had a long gash on his right shoulder and a stream of blood was on his right arm, the eldest brother also had a few bruises on his face and he clutched the left side of his ribs…showing that he no doubt had either massive bruises or broken ribs to say the least…there was also a gash on his forehead and a stream of blood was there near his eye.

Scott had a long gash on his left thigh and a large number of bruises on his body. There was a trickle of blood on his mouth and a laceration on his right arm. He looked very exhausted and the fact that he was gingerly moving showed that his body had no doubt been severely injured and there would be bruises underneath his clothes.

Lance has several gashes on his face and there were two tears on his right shoulder and a long gash on his right side which was also bleeding. The youngest sibling had a bleeding nose and a trickle of blood on the side of his head…his eyes were also reddish somewhat and as he got out of the cockpit…his steps seemed unsteady as well.

Mara wasted no time as she reached her sons and managed to help each of them to where a set of chairs were located and she spoke to them quickly.

“Brandon, Scott, Lance…talk to me…please….”

The crew looked and saw that Brandon, Scott and Lance responded and despite their injuries…the brothers were shocked as they recognized the speaker and to the crew's own surprise…the brothers broke into tears and each of them hugged Mara with cries of joy and relief…despite their injuries and Mara didn't seem to care if she was covered in blood from her sons…the brothers managed to get to their feet and they headed away no doubt for medical treatment until Barnette and her group appeared. The emerald haired woman looked at the brothers and seemed to be in something of a slightly amused air…something that quickly made her feel the ire of the women who were on the side of the brothers.

Magno knew that sooner or later Barnette would have to explain herself more thoroughly to everyone on the ship once the brothers were treated in the Medical Bay.

Mara however turned and looked at the crew and seemed intent on something as she had previously been in conversation with the three Ligers that her sons owned and piloted…along with her sons as well. She seemed intent on looking for someone and the women there saw the intent Mara had and for reasons that evaded them…they were a bit frightened by this. And it was then that Mara spoke.

“Which one of you is named Barnette Orangello?”

Barnette stepped forward and replied.

“That would be me…why?”

Mara quickly locked her sights right at Barnette and with a strong stride, she moved right for her…the brothers quickly looked at one another with great worry and despite their injured states…they quickly followed their mother though for what reason no one knew.

Barnette looked at Mara as the woman stalked right up to her and she couldn't help but feel very much unease as the woman who claimed to be the mother of the brothers moved closer and was now before her…not a word was said for a few seconds, but then Mara growled with anger and with amazing swiftness, lashed out at Barnette….who was caught off guard by how fast Mara Reinhart was…

WHAP!!!

Barnette reeled from the blow of Mara's hand on her cheek and she couldn't help but be shocked at the force of the blow as it nearly knocked her to the floor but the blow was enough to knock her to her knees…Mara glared darkly at her when she looked at her cradling her cheek which had a deep red imprint. Mara wasted no time and was about to hit Barnette again when she was restrained by her sons….despite their injured conditions.

“Mom! Stop!”

Mara however was livid with rage as she glared darkly at Barnette and shouted at her.

“HOW DARE YOU?! YOU TRIED TO ARREST MY SONS FOR A CRIME THEY NEVER COMMITTED?! AND YOU DARE TO ACCUSE MY BOYS OF BEING ENEMIES?! YOU NEARLY GOT MY SONS KILLED WITHTHAT STUNT!!!”

Barnette got up and couldn't help but stare dumbly at Mara as the woman spoke with greater anger…though she was not shouting this time. Her face was like steel and her eyes were as intense as laser bolts.

“I have prayed and hoped for five long years to hold my sons again…ever since I was separated from them…I never gave up hope to see them again, I swore to mydeparted husband and myself that I would be there for them…and you…you dare to take my only family away from me…all because you saw them as the enemy?! I should kill you for that right here and now!”

Lance however spoke to ease his mother before she did something that she might regret.

“Mom…stop it please…”

Mara turned to see her youngest child and she was nearly crying at the sight of how badly injured her sons were and the fact that they needed medical treatment immediately made her halt her triad as she decided to help bring them to treatment…unmindful of the blood that was on her clothes at the moment. Magno nodded as several of the Beast Squadron quickly helped in bringing their commanders to the Medical Bay, along with Kara, Rin, and Mia… and she nodded to Buzam and the silver haired commander of the Nirvana spoke.

“Send a communiqué to have Duero and Dylan released now.”

Buzam then gave orders for the crew to get back on the duties that they were assigned as she looked at Mara and hoped that Mara's anger and rage towards Barnette didn't have any dire ramifications at the moment…she had never seen a woman so angry before and couldn't help but understand the rage that Mara showed when she slapped Barnette hard on the face…any mother would have been willing to fight if they discovered their children in pain.

Barnette felt the stinging pain on her cheeks and the emerald haired girl felt herself being given condemning looks by a good number of the women in the Zoid Hanger at the moment and despite her gung ho nature…she felt that reacting negatively was not going to be of much help in the current situation that she was in.

Things in the Nirvana were about to get rather hairy at the moment.

**************

In the Medical Bay…

Brandon and his siblings were currently in the Medical Wing and were recovering from their injuries as Duero, Dylan and Paiway were there to treat them…and naturally, next to their side was their mother who had not left the Medical Bay despite the hours that slowly passed while the doctors were busy treating her sons at the moment. The woman was very intent on being with her sons and was not aware of the fact that Paiway was utterly frightened of her at the moment.

The young eleven year old nurse had been there when Mara asked the question on which of the crew was Barnette and seeing this woman slap Barnette with such force and showing such terrifying anger and the young nurse realize that there was a chance that if her part in the whole mess was found out…Mara would very well come after her as well…she had heard Mara's threat to kill Barnette and despite being a bit further away from the whole scene…Paiway had seen the rage in Mara's expressions and that further scared her….Mara looked angry enough to carry out her bloody promise and it was thankfully her sons that stopped her. However…that was enough to leave a very strong impression on Paiway.

That was why she was very wary of being near the woman at the moment and hoped that as soon as she could…she would be excused from the medical Bay and get some great distance between her and the very irate and angry mother of the three men she had wrongfully accused and placed in this situation.

Duero and Dylan had no idea why Paiway was deathly frightened of Mara Reinhart but after the rumors came out on how fiercely Mara had slapped Barnette and how she had threatened to kill her before Brandon and his siblings stopped her made sense. They were not sure how could Mara be related to Brandon and his brothers…but they were not going to question that for the time being.

All over the ship…rumors of Mara's arrival and her relation with the brothers spread like wild fire and there were so many discussions on whether this was the truth or another fabrication of the men as a lie…the two factions in the Nirvana tried to get more answers so they could finally find out just what had happened in the Zoid Hanger no less than four hours ago...but after seeing how Mara reacted towards Barnette and her involvement in Brandon and his brothers leaving the Nirvana and winding up this badly injured made them rather wary of how she would react towards them.

This left only Magno and Buzam the only ones who were going to get any answers as they were now arriving at the Medical Bay and they entered the place and saw that Mara was still there and they could see just how nervous Paiway as and allowed her to leave and the young girl darted away as fast as she could. The old woman couldn't blame Paiway for being frightened of Mara after what the woman did. Duero and Dylan were there and the two officers came and were next to Mara as she spoke to the two doctors.

“How are they?”

Duero read the chart and gave out the details.

They all have suffered considerable injuries and will need a lot of rest and need to be in the Medical Bay until they can be fully healed from the battle they had been in…thankfully the injuries have not crippled them and they can pilot if needed…but that will only be under dire circumstances.”

Mara nodded and visibly relaxed as the tension bled out from her body and mind and she finally allowed herself the time to cry about how badly her sons were injured and how she was not able to help them in time. She looked at her sons all wrapped in bandages on their various injuries and couldn't help but sigh and spoke.

“I should have been there…I should have been able to help them…all these years…and I nearly lost them…what kind of mother am I?”

Magno saw this and gently placed her hand on Mara's shoulder and spoke.

“You are a good mother Miss Reinhart, if it hadn't been for your raising of your sons the way they were…they would not have survived this long…and I promise you that nothing will harm them here.”

Mara turned and looked at Magno and wiped away her tears as she sighed and looked at her sons and smiled sadly as Brandon and his brothers opened their eyes, the eldest of her off-spring smiled and spoke to his mother.

“Mom…it's good to see you again…”

“You too Brandon…and you're all alive…I'm sorry for not being able to reach you and your brothers sooner.”

“Don't be…it's going to take more than these things to keep us down.”

Mara didn't have to guess that the same sentiment was within her two other sons as well and that made her sigh and how obstinate they were…just like her husband.

“You three are so much like your father…I swear I'll be growing white hairs because of you three.”

The brothers managed to laugh a little and Magno couldn't help but see a smile appear on the face of the woman who claimed to be Brandon, Scott, and Lance's mother…she had a feeling that she was their mother but she knew that there was a need for proof but for the moment she decided to talk to the family.

“While I am happy to see that you all have been reunited…there is still the matter of what is going on here, I feel that you are all telling the truth that you are family…but it is still needed for me to show the crew that you are related…but before we get to that, some explanations are in order.”

Mara and her sons looked at Magno and they all decided that now was the time they told her everything that they needed to hear. Mara sighed as she spoke first.

“It's going to be a very long story Captain Magno…but if you are willing then I'll do my best to explain…”

It took at least an hour or so of explanations for the Reinhart family to tell their story, and they started from the very beginning, where they were from, and who they were in their world and how they had been separated and it was a very long story indeed…all the while, Magno was very much attentive and so was Buzam and the two were very much caught up in the story and as soon as the tale was over…Magno was quite impressed.

In her mind…she had to give Mara credit for being a mother, no matter how many years, dead ends, lost chances, false leads, and loneliness…she never gave up on finding her only family in this universe…and she would never stop until she was reunited with them, because she swore to herself and her dead husband that she would be there for them. In her mind…that was motherly love to the core.

And Brandon and his siblings were certainly very loyal and devoted to their mother…to not having given up hope of seeing her again despite the nearly five year long separation between them…it showed the love and devotion they had to their mother and that fact was impressive to the elderly woman. It also made her see how much of an influence Mara and her late husband Alex had on their sons as the parents had taught their sons that doing the right thing was a sign of good men and that doing the right thing because it was the right thing was important as well.

The fact that the three brothers willingly helped her crew out in their dilemma… despite their ongoing quest to find their mother because it was the right thing to do made her feel happy to have met them…and somewhat ashamed of some of the crew's behavior towards the siblings, namely Barnette as she had been the instigator of the whole rebellion. She then spoke to Mara in a diplomatic voice.

“Ms. Reinhart…would it be all right if we take a DNA test to see if you are telling the truth…not that I still doubt it…but as you might have found out…all of my crew excluding our doctors, navigator, and your sons are from an all female planet and as long as there is no physical proof that you are truly Brand, Scott, and Lance's mother, there will still be doubts over that.”

Mara thought about that and replied.

“Very well…if proof is what you want…then proof is what you will get.”

Brandon and his siblings also agreed and Magno directed Duero and Dylan to get syringes and the two male doctors took blood samples from Mara and the brothers and then ran through a DNA analysis computer and after a few minutes…out came the DNA results and sure enough…the three brothers and their mother had the required DNA markers to prove that they were biologically related and very closely as well…showing that Mara was indeed the mother of the three Reinhart siblings.

This was enough for Magno and she spoke then to Mara.

“There's no doubt about your being their mother now…on behalf of my crew…I apologize for this mess and what happened to your sons, and I hope that you can forgive us for this incident.”

“You don't need to Captain Magno…it's the ones who were the ring leaders of this incident that have earned my ire.”

The people turned as the door to the Medical Bay opened and in walked a certain band of Dread pilots along with Gascogne. The Head supplier had been among the faction of the all women crew who was against the mutiny and being an officer and a friend to the Reinhart siblings made her the official go between for the supporters of the women who considered the Reinharts allies. Gascogne had witnessed the whole incident with Mara and Barnette and while she was not happy with the sight of Mara slapping Barnette, she had to admit that Barnette had it coming in a way…however…before she could say anything…a certain someone spoke first.

“Mr. Alien!”

The others watched as a red blur ran past them and latched right at Lance, holding the still recovering Zoid pilot by the arm…Mara looked on in surprise at the sight of a buxom and very attractive sixteen year old redhead girl hugging her youngest son, she recognized Dita as one of the pilots who were flying those strange fighters that were alongside the Zoids that accompanied her son's Ligers.…Lance gave a groan at the sudden action and replied in a pained voice.

“Dita…come on…I'm happy to see you too, but don't grab me like that! It still hurts!”

The redhead quickly responded and reluctantly released Lance and she stepped back and twiddled her fingers and replied softly.

“I'm sorry Mr. Alien…it's just that I was so worried when I saw you all badly injured…I…”

Lance couldn't help but feel a bit sad as Dita began to cry a bit and he reached out with his hand and wipe her tears and Dita smiled at him for that action…making Mara very interested as she looked at the way her youngest child and this young woman named Dita acted when together…she was curious about that as Dita sat down and held Lance's hand and began to talk about things…but she turned her attention when another woman walked over to her sons…this one was an aqua-haired and green eyed girl who looked at her son Brandon.

Brandon gave Meia a curious but grateful look.

“Thanks for being there Meia…me and my brothers owe you.”

Meia shook her head and replied stoically.

“You owe me only a re-match Brandon…and I intend to collect someday. But you're welcome either way…we couldn't afford to lose you and your brothers as we need the ZoidDreads…”

“Really? Is that all?”

“I…yes it is…”

“Meia…why do I get the feeling you're lying to me?”

“I'm not lying Brandon…we need the ZoidDreads and you all are important to the crew and also you are important to me…”

Meia realized her slip of the tongue and couldn't help but turn her head away as Brandon gave her a sly look despite his injuries, Meia recovered and looked back at Brandon and saw the sly look he was giving and gave him a glare but not before Mara noted a slight flush of pink on her face…this told her that there was something going on between the sassy blue haired teen and her eldest son, in her mind…this was starting to get interesting. Brandon then spoke to Meia in a teasing tone but gave her a warm smile.

“Thank you Meia.”

Meia didn't say anything and she softened her glare and nodded though Mara could tell that despite her efforts to hide the flush of pink on her face…Meia's already present flush had grown a bit more. Mara was getting more intrigued by the second and it was then that the fourth member of the group…a very gorgeous and well formed green eyed blonde in one heck of a provocative dress in her mind came forward and she seemed very worried and sad as she looked at Mara…the mother of Brandon, Scott, and Lance knew that this gorgeous blonde had something to say to her.

“Can I help you with something Miss?”

“My name is Jura…Jura Basil Elden…I want to apologize to you.”

Mara was curious about that as she had only met the blonde hours ago.

“What do you mean by that?”

“I…I'm friends with Barnette and I wanted to apologize for the mess she made, and I wanted to assure you that this will be dealt with…”

Mara's eyes hardened at the mention of Barnette but she could tell that Jura was honest in her desire to apologize for her friend's behavior and from what she could tell, she was not part of the incident that got her sons to leave the Nirvana and she could sense that Jura had a reason for being here instead of with Barnette at the moment.

“I accept YOUR apology Jura…but if that friend of yours Barnette expects me to get her out of my target sights…she has to be the one to apologize to me in her OWN words and in person. I have no quarrel with you so you do not have to be cautious around me…so, considering you're here…how do you know my sons?”

“I knew them the day they were onboard…but I know your son Scott more than his brothers.”

Mara raised her eyebrows at that and spoke carefully.

“Really now? Just how well do you know my son Scott?”

Jura smiled and thought about the times she had worked with Scott and decided to tell Mara herself.

“I met him when he rescued me and Barnette from a trapped elevator and after he did so I hugged him in thanks, and after he combined with me on one of the missions we had on the surface of this water covered world known as Anpathos, he kissed me on the lips.”

Mara raised an eye-brow at that as she gave a very mischievous smile and from the corner of her eye, she saw the deep blush of red on Scott's face, and that told her that the blonde was telling the truth and with that fact in mind…she spoke.

“Really? So…how good a kisser was my son?”

Jura smiled as she thought about that and replied.

“Well…it was by accident, but I had to admit he was not a bad kisser and it was nice…it's the first time I was ever kissed by a man.”

Mara couldn't help herself as she smiled even more and gave her middle off-spring a sly look…much to Scott's utter embarrassment and discomfort. She then smiled even more as she began to gather the facts together and saw that there was something going on with the girls before her and her sons and she couldn't help but be even more amused.

(Well now…who knew this was happening underneath my nose for five years?)

Magno smiled a bit more as she had no idea that Jura had kissed Scott and the way Scott was blushing was making her also chuckle and give a sly look to the middle sibling…and as she saw the flush of pink on Meia's face when Brandon gently teased her for her slip of the tongue and the open affection being shown by Dita…but she knew that now was the time to let the truth out to the crew about Brandon, Scott, Lance, and Mara…she knew that this was going to further cause gossip and more…but it was for a good reason and with that she called the girls.

“Dita, Meia, Jura…as much as I would like you three to catch up with your respective partners…we have to let them recover and have some private time with their mother. It would be for the best after all…and we have to break the news about their true relationship.”

The girls reluctantly nodded and they followed Gascogne, Magno, and Buzam…but not before Dita gave Lance a warm smile and a wave, Jura gave Scott a seductive wink and smile, and Meia looked at Brandon for a second and merely sighed with a blush as she walked away.

As soon the others were away and only Duero and Dylan were in the Medical Bay… Mara turned to her sons and gave them a very warm and mischievous smile and that got the attention of her sons and she spoke in a very amused voice.

“You three have been VERY busy since I saw you. There's something going on between each of you and those girls I take it?”

Brandon and his siblings nodded and Mara smiled deeply at that and spoke once more.

“I see…so, before I get the details about them, this crew, and your escapades for the past five years and on this ship…I will ask one very important question…when am I going to be expecting grand-children?”

Mara knew the reaction of her sons right off the bat to that rather interesting question…and they didn't disappoint her in the least.

“MOM!!!!”

**************

The prediction of Magno that the entire crew would be thrown into a loop were very much right on the money as the women were called in to see the DNA results that established that Mara was indeed related to the Reinhart siblings. Immediately the women were shocked and divided on what to make of the evidence before them at the moment. Magno however kept them in order and in time…it seemed that the mutiny was slowly but surely being forced back and things were getting back to some degree of normalcy.

Dita and the others were utterly awed by the fact that Mara and the Reinhart siblings were truly related to one another and it was then that things got more interesting as the crew digested the information ad Magno ordered the mutiny to put aside as she had a feeling that the Harvesters were the ones responsible for the injuries that Brandon and his siblings had suffered recently.

As she leaned back on the Captain's chair…the elderly woman wondered just how much catching up to do did Mara have for her sons…five years is pretty long to be apart from one's family…it was amazing to the elderly Captain that neither side had lost hope of seeing each other again…she had no doubt that Brandon and his siblings been women of Megele…then the story would have been one hell of a soap opera back home.

Of course…she was curious about how the others were taking it at the moment.

**************

In the Zoid Hanger…

“Oh! This is a LOT harder than working with my Dread!!!”

Dita said as she was working on one of the damaged control panels of the Liger Lance piloted…she had managed to procure a tool box from Parfait after some persuading and was now there trying to fix Lance's Liger Kail…however a Zoid…especially an Ultimate X type was FAR different from a Dread as she was finding out pretty quickly, therefore she had no idea just how to maintain and repair a Zoid the way Lance and his brothers did…therefore she had no idea if she was doing the right or wrong thing and she was not alone as Kail growled gently at her…showing the Zoid's dislike for her meddling with it's systems but in a gentle fashion as the Zoid and it's Organoid computer knew that the young redhead was someone it's master cared about.

Dita moved back and quickly replied to the growling Liger.

“I'm sorry about that…I really am, but I want to repair you so you can be with Mr. Alien again to fight the bad aliens…I wish I could understand you…”

“Kail is saying that you got the conduit connectors on his lower right front leg in the wrong setting.”

Dita turned there was Mara who was giving the redhead teen a warm smile…Dita got up and realized that she was a mess and was embarrassed as she was covered in some pools of grease and oil from her actions earlier in trying to repair the Zoid…she tried to find a wash cloth to make herself look presentable before Mara and Mara knew it and smiled even more as she walked up to Dita and handed her a wash cloth.

“Here…take mine.”

Dita nodded and took the wash cloth and bowed in thanks as she wiped the oil and grease from her face and as soon as she was done she spoke to Mara.

“Thank you…my name is…”

“No need to tell me your name, my youngest child Lance told me of you Dita Liebely. I must admit…you are a very interesting person to be calling my son an alien.”

Dita nodded and smiled once more as she sat down and was joined by Mara who then looked at the Ligers and Dita asked.

“Can you understand them?”

“Of course…I know of Zarreke and his comrades for a long time..when they were still Organoids and were both friends and protectors of my sons when they were little. So how exactly did you meet my son…from your perspective.”

“From my perspective? What do you mean?”

Mara grinned and replied.

“Let's just say that I want to hear both sides of the story so it would become clearer to me what is going on between you and my son. Lance was rather uneasy talking about his relationship between the two of you tome…so, care to tell me what you know about my son?”

Dita didn't know why but she felt at ease with Mara and decided to speak about how she had met Lance all those months before and Maras paid excellent attention and she grinned a bit as Dita freely told her of the times she had wanted to learn all there was about Lance. The mother of the Reinhart siblings couldn't help but chuckle as she heard how Dita and peeked on her son in the rest-room, along with other occasions and also showed disapproval when he made Dita cry but she was happy that things seemed better between her youngest son and this young girl.

As they finished chatting the young Megele girl then asked some questions on how well Mara knew her son and she was happy to hear much from Mara as well. She was amazed to learn that this woman before her was Mr. Alien's mother in every sense of the word and hearing some of the interesting stories that Mara had of her son Lance…namely the time he had accidentally gotten himself covered in flower and sugar crystals when he was a toddler…looking like a white sugar doll made her smile and laugh.

“So Lance really fought on your behalf with this Rabat character?”

“Yes…I was really worried that he got hurt trying to help protect me…”

“I see…my son must like you a lot.”

“He…does?”

“Yes…Lance is a good young man and would not want anyone harmed for no reason… and to be that protective of you tells me he likes you more than he lets on…tell me something…did you kiss him?”

Dita heard that and blushed bright red and twiddled her fingers as she recalled the near kiss that she and Lance had previously and Mara could tell that her question had touched a nerve somewhere as she could see the blush in Dita as she gave a sheepish look to her with her face matching the color of her hair.

“Well…not really at the moment…but…I…”

“Do you like my son?”

Dita looked at Mara and nodded. And that made Mara smirk even more as she replied.

“I see…that is good…I am happy that after so long I get to see my son being affectionate with someone and there's nothing more pleasing to a mother than to have her children liked by other people. You certainly have made an impression on my son for him to like you a lot; you are very much a good person Dita, and I thank you for caring for my son and trying to repair his Liger…let me help you then.”

Mara then stood up and then spoke to Kail.

“Kail…growl once to tell her she is doing it right and two growls if she makes a mistake with your repairs…all right?”

The Liger growled low and bent down…allowing Mara to pet it like it was a little kitten being treated gently by its mistress, showing it's agreement with Mara's request…making Dita even more impressed at how easily Mara was able to communicate with the Ligers in the same way her sons could…she wished she had the same powers as Mr. Alien, his brothers and their mother when it came with living machines.

**************

In another section of the ship…

Jura and Gascogne looked at Barnette who was still somewhat fuming as she placed an ice pack on her cheek…the same cheek that Mara Reinhart had imprinted with her hand…The two had never seen a woman slap another with enough force to knock the other to her knees…that meant that Mara had serious physical strength if one hit was enough to knock Barnett down…while Gascogne and Meia were recognized as accomplished had to hand fighters on the Nirvana…they were sure that Mara was no slouch in pure strength.

“I can't believe she slapped me like that!!!”

Gascogne sighed and replied.

“Considering how you treated her only remaining family on this side of the universe…I'm not surprised she did that….actually Barnette, you should consider yourself lucky that Brandon and his siblings were there to restrain their mother…otherwise…she would have done FAR worse than slap you.”

“I have to agree Barnette…I hate to say it…but in all fairness you deserved that one.”

Barnette looked at Jura and replied in a shocked voice.

“You're siding with THEM?! You should have never touched that man Jura!!!”

Jura sighed and replied.

“What are you getting at anyway…Scott isn't to blame for anything…you went too far that time…you made a misunderstanding into a mutiny for goodness sake! What were you thinking Barnette?”

“I was doing what should have been months before...we don't need the men…we did fine before they came here and we can do fine without them!”

Gascogne sighed and replied.

“You can't be serious…without Bart to navigate the ship…we're only moving on auto-pilot…we can't even run away let alone fight and evade…as far as I know…the Paeksis will only allow Bart into the Navigation Well and every attempt Parfait tries the Paeksis rejects it.”

“She can do it…all she needs is time!!!”

“Time is something we don't have Barnette…the fact that there were Cube Fighter, Space Urchin, and Seed Ship wrecks all over the place with the ruins of other ships when Brandon and his brothers were found tells us that the Harvesters are coming…and whatever forces they had to have caused such destruction is heading OUR way…for all we know…by the time Parfait comes close to a solution…they'd already be ripping through us and we've had it.”

“It's even worse when we don't have Duero and Dylan to man the Medical Bay…Paiway can't handle all the cases coming for treatment…both old and new…the Jacuzzi isn't working anymore and the way the two men treat their injuries is way better than any Megele nurse of clinic…Paiway isn't matching up to them and their skills…she needs their help and they could very well teach her how to be better.”

Gascogne looked at Barnette who was still glaring defiantly and she replied.

“And then there is the matter of the ZoidDreads…you've seen them in action…we all did. Those machines made with the Ligers of those three brothers and the Dreads of Jura, Meia, and Dita have tipped the scales in our favor more than once in every battle we've been in…and with them badly damaged and their pilots still not fully recovered from their battles…we're underpowered at the moment.”

“You're siding with them Gasco…we can find a way…we always have!”

Gascogne glared at Barnette and replied.

“I'm not siding with anyone here Barnette…I'm looking at this in a practical and serious stand-point. We're in dire straits and we need all the help we can get to fight our way out of this…that's why we need to stop this foolish train of thought that the men are the enemy Barnette.”

“We don't NEED their help!!!”

Jura gave a shout that quieted the two of them.

“That's enough! Both of you! This is not getting us anywhere! We can't afford to be fighting at a time like this…Barnette, this is no game anymore…this is serious…I saw the wrecks out there…you didn't, I even saw the remains of people out there…both MEN and WOMEN who were left adrift in space…and the ruined ships…and all the destroyed Harvester forces. There is no time to think in the same way we used to think…The Harvesters are inhuman…they DON'T CARE if we are women or men…they intend to harvest all of us. And Gascogne is right about what she said…we NEED the men's help to we can survive this situation!”

Jura looked at Barnette and Gascogne as the two were shocked by the outburst of the blonde Dread pilot as they had not expected such a reaction from her of all people. Jura sighed and managed to recompose herself and looked at Barnette and replied.

“You what Mara told me…when I tried to apologize to her in your place…she said that, she accepts MY apology and she has no quarrel with me…but she wants YOU to apologize to her for your actions Barnette…and I have agree with her.”

“What?!”

Gascogne nodded and decided to get involved as she spoke to the two.

“I've managed to get a chance to talk with the Captain and she told me that not only are the Reinhart siblings and Mara family but they have quite a history to go with it…and you might understand just why she slapped you the way she did…

Barnette was about to retort when she was silenced by Jura as the two were told by Gascogne what she had heard from the Captain directly. The two women were surprised about Mara and her sons' history and their pasts before they were brought into this dimension of their and what they had been doing for the past five years before the brothers were onboard the Ikazuchi and what Mara had gone through in order to find her sons…to hear the trials and tribulations the Reinharts had to go through to be together again made the women silent and become immersed in thought…as soon as she was done Gascogne spoke to Barnette.

“Now do you understand why Mara did what she did Barnette? Imagine not being with your family for five solid years…unlike us…the Reinharts knew no one…not a single person at all and they were sent to various parts of the galaxy just like we were months before…but unlike us who had a clear shot on where our world is…they had NO idea where they were and what they were going to do…”

“They all had only the promise they made to each other to find one another and be reunited someday. And they kept that promise…they traveled from system to system…doing what they could to stay alive and help others so they could find any trace of one another., They had kept looking for one another..Mara, for her sons…and the brothers for their only surviving parent…and why? Because they made a promise to be together no matter what happened to them and how long it would take. Five years is a long time for anyone you know…but Brandon and his siblings were determined to find their mother no matter how long it took or how far they had to go….and the same goes for their mother…that is serious family love and loyalty right there….no one I know back home can boast having that kind of loyalty.”

Gascogne relaxed a bit and agreed with her own statement…had the Reinhart siblings been women…this would have been a top ranking soap opera back on Megele…but unlike those make believe stories…the story behind the Reinhart family was real…undeniably real…she had to admire the brothers for their love and devotion to not just themselves but to their only surviving parent…and she had to admire Mara for her own love and devotion to her children…and she admired the woman for raising such strong, brave, compassionate, and dedicated children…such a thing was unheard of anywhere in her mind…

She then continued to speak to Barnette…

“And you know really makes what you did recently a shameful and heinous thing…was that even if the brothers had made a promise to find their mother…no matter how long it took…they put it aside to help us…they helped us even if they had such an important duty and promise to complete…and why? It certainly wasn't to show anyone here up…nor to show that men were better or all that propaganda garbage Barnette…they did it because it was the right thing to do! They had every right to leave us behind…to continue on their quest…they had no ties to us or anything for that matter…they could have left us to fend for ourselves…”

“But they CHOSE to stay…to help us get home…they placed aside their promise to find their mother for a while to help us go back home, and they fought alongside us not to upstage anyone here…including you…but because they wanted to do what they knew was the right thing…because their parents raised them that way…to help others because it was the right thing to do. They risked their lives time and again to help us get home and then they would leave to continue their quest…because they were taught by their parents…including Mara to do the right thing not for profit, fame, glory, or anything like that…but because it is the right thing to help others….”

“And when you did that mutiny…you were spitting at their kindness, their honor, and their desire to help others…you also spat at Mara by endangering her sons…threatening them when they did nothing wrong and then calling them the enemy…the only family she had left in the world after being thrown into a new and unknown world and the ones she loved more than her own life after the death of her mate…that is why she slapped you Barnette….and that is why you should apologize…not just to Mara…but to her sons as well.”

Gascogne saw that Barnette began to understand as she had dropped the ice pack on the floor and she looked down on the floor in silence…but Gascogne could tell that she felt shame as well…shame because everything she heard at this moment was all true. Without breaking the silence…Barnette left the room…Jura was about to follow her friend by Gascogne shook her head.

“No Jura…this is something Barnette must do on her own.”

“But still…I can't help but worry…how will Mara react if she sees Barnette again?”

“I wish I knew…but all we can do is let this situation sort itself out…getting involved will not work at all.”

**************

In the Bio-Park…

“What in the name of Zi are you doing here?”

Mara Reinhart said with an icy cold glare as she looked at a certain someone and she had her fists clenched tight…it was all she could do to prevent herself from doing something utterly painful to the person who was before her at this very moment…Mara had decided to view the Bio-Park she had heard about from her sons and had to admit that the whole place was certainly attractive…but the beauty of it all was spoiled in her mind…as she gazed at the new arrival.

Barnette gulped and mentally wished she had been better prepared for what she had to do…she had gone to the Bio-Park to think things through at the moment…it was apparently her bad luck that Mara was in the same place she was…she could see the anger in Mara's eyes and the tension on the older Reinhart's body…she was amazed that Mara had not attacked her like before…she felt nervous and petrified…there were not that many things that frightened the tough and gung-ho Dread pilot…

But the cold as steel glare from the Reinhart matriarch was enough to scare her out of her wits.

“Unless you have something to say to me…I suggest you get out of my sight now…or God help me…I will make you beg for mercy when I get my hands on you!”

Barnette gulped and decided that it was now or never…she had hoped for more time…but it was too late for wishes…and she had to do what she knew she had to do to set things right..