Gundam SEED Fan Fiction / Vandread Fan Fiction ❯ GunDread SEED (Redition) ❯ A trader...or a foe... ( Chapter 8 )

GunDread SEED

 

Disclaimer: Again? Fine, I don't have ownership of VanDread and Gundam SEED, I'm merely using them as framework for this story.

 

< >: Thoughts

 

Chapter 8

 

A trader…or a foe.

 

The pirate vessel floated near the perimeter of an ancient space station, which had been constructed during the Colonization Era of Earth. The old station shared the same name-tag with it's fellow stations and that name was Mission and they all served as temporary havens for weary travelers and merchant ships, acting as supply depots for many centuries. However, this particular Mission was abandoned and now was nothing more than a derelict hulk by the time the Nirvana came across it. However the captain had ordered an exploration and salvage unit into the station in hopes of getting any more data concerning their enemies, and also get some extra supplies and parts for the ship.

 

Currently, Meia, Jura, Barnette, Dita, Kyo, Freedom, Liberty and Pyoro were onboard the mission.

 

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

 

Inside the station, Meia was busy working as she removed components from a computer console in the station's main memory storage system. Floating nearby was Pyoro.

 

“What are you doing?" The robot asked innocently as it had no idea as to what Meia was doing.

 

“What does it look like to you?" The girl replied as she continued to work.

 

“It looks like you're looting this place to me."

 

“It's not looting!"

 

“It looks like looting to me."

 

“Well it's not!"

 

“Then what do you call it?"

 

“We're just salvaging raw material, that's all that we're doing here! It's not as if this stuff here belongs to anybody anymore, so we're going to make use of it, that's all."

 

“Oh. Well why didn't you say so before?"

 

“Pyoro! Quit bothering Meia and get over here!" Kyo said in a level tone as he had enough of the robot's prying questions.

 

“Coming!" The robot answered as it began to float away to follow the others in search of more materials. It soon joined up with Kyo as the two went to check out a nearby storage area.

 

“Pyoro, you know better than to ask too many questions." Kyo said as he looked at some of the boxes.

 

“Sorry, I was just curious." The robot replied as it moved around to scan the room.

 

“Yeah, but just so you know, being too curious can be…" Kyo then trailed off as his senses began to pick up something that was a bit out of range, faint yet present. The presence was non-threatening but he could feel that it was watching them; he reached for one of his trusty weapons which was a sword, that he made himself months before being part of the Nirvana crew, and his pistol. It was then that Pyoro floated in front of him.

 

“What's wrong?"

 

“Something's… not right here, There seems to be something or someone watching us." Kyo stated as he began to look closely to their surroundings. His eyes glanced upward and saw something move above the beams and rafters. He then spotted a shadow run across a beam and instantly reacted. “THERE!"

 

Raising his arms, Kyo threw a trio of small explosives that shot up and demolished the support beam. The shadow darted away, just barely avoiding the blast and landed down on the floor. The loud explosion caught the attention of the female pirates and they started running toward the source of the explosion.

 

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

 

“It's a… chimp?" Kyo asked as he studied the intruder.

 

In truth, the animal was an orangutan, and it was wearing something resembling a white dress along with cloth boots and gloves. Apparently the ape was a female. She then made some funny noises as she looked at Kyo, then let out a happy whoop when it spotted Pyoro. In a second, the animal rushed up to the robot, swept it up in its arms and began to lick Pyoro affectionately. Naturally, Pyoro was not pleased with this sudden act of slobbering adoration.

 

“ACK! HELP! KYO! HELP ME!"

 

Kyo was still in a state of confusion as to how the animal got here when his danger senses red-lighted as he picked up another signature. This time he felt a sensation of danger as he turned around in a ready stance with his gun pointing forward. That was when he saw… him.

 

The man was tall, far taller than Kyo was, and had more muscle mass. He had the build of a person more along the lines of a body builder, as compared to the Gundam pilot's more gymnastic form. He wore a kind of technological eye-patch over his right eye and there were two green stripes of face paint on his left cheek. He had dark brown hair slicked back with one long tress out in front, just above a green jewel on his forehead. He wore a set of clothes that were similar to the native-American people of Earth, and seemed to carry himself with the same confidence Kyo had, but it was combined with a kind of sneakiness that made the former Yamato suspect and distrust him.

 

The stranger didn't seem to register Kyo and the pilot's gun he directed his gaze at the simian that was having a field day pawing the Nirvana's mascot. In a deep voice, he called out to the ape. “Utan!"

 

The animal looked up and nodded to its apparent owner. She ran to his side, with Pyoro still in her arms.

 

“What's that you got there?" The man asked his ape companion.

 

Utan smiled as she lifted up the now drenched Pyoro.

 

The stranger gave a nasty smile as he assessed his new property. “Well now… I'd say this little machine can get us some fast cash… once we stripe it apart of course."

 

Utan shook its head at her owner and held Pyoro close to her.

 

Kyo didn't like the look that the new intruder was giving Pyoro. So it was at this point that he came to Pyoro's rescue. “Put him down!" He said with a solid tone.

 

The man gave a bored look to Kyo. “Excuse me?"

 

“What do you have? Defective hearing or what? I said put him down… now!"

 

The man gazed at the three other men and snorted a bit. Kyo looked a lot younger than they actually were. Though in the eyes of others, Kyo looked about nineteen or twenty, the time he had spent in suspended animation made him over three hundred and sixty years old. Furthermore the man noted his build and made the assumption that it didn't belong to fighters, despite the sword and pistol. So in short the man thought that the Gundam pilot was nothing but a cocky punk. He was way stronger than this small fry.

 

“Well?" Kyo asked once more as he cocked the gun ready just in case this idiot tried anything.

 

The man snorted once more and answered. “Hey, it's finders-keepers. Utan found him, so that makes him my property now. Why should I listen to a snot nosed punk?"

 

“What did you say?" Kyo said with a slightly ignited temper as he reached for his sword. This idiot didn't know just how close he was losing his head as Kyo hated being insulted by anybody. He however knew just what this tactic was for. Taunting was one way to make an opponent careless and too emotional. That was one of many tactics in martial arts and he wasn't going to fall for it.

 

“So you don't like what I called you?" The man taunted once more. “Well, then…" He got ready in a battle stance of his own. “Why don't you come over here and teach me some manners?" He then gave Kyo a smug grin. “If you can."

 

Kyo was ready to put this boasting numbskull through a real thrashing, but he knew better than to attack at random, he took the time to assess the man in front of them. < This guy's got some experience, no doubt as a street fighter. That mean's the fool won't hesitate to cheat at all. > He made note that the stranger had a hidden knife in his boot and also a hidden holster.

 

“Well come on." The stranger continued to taunt him." If you can beat me without those weapons, then I'll take back what I called you and I'll give the robot back too."

 

Kyo wanted to just beat this guy to a pulp, but he weighted the options available to him. There wasn't any reason for him not to beat this man; he's got literally centuries worth of battle experience thanks to his travels and his still present training and experience in his past life, his training as a counter-terrorist, Gundam pilot, soldier, his field experience, and his Coordinator genes gave him a deadly edge. He could thrash him easily. But there was Pyoro to consider, though the machine was annoying at times, it was still part of the crew and so he had to take account of its safety.

 

It was then that the others came on the scene.

 

“Mr. Alien!"

 

The young man turned and saw Dita and Meia running up to him. On the other side, Jura and Barnette were also on their way towards them. With that distraction, the man reacted and took advantage of the situation he was in. Quickly taking Pyoro, he threw it towards Kyo. The Mobile Suit pilot however sensed the incoming projectile and ducked instantly. Pyoro went sailing over his head and ended up hitting someone else, Meia landed on her back as the mechanical mascot struck her head dead center.

 

“Leader!" Dita cried as she checked on Meia.

 

The stranger then drew out his knife and lunged straight for Kyo. Taking a hostage would benefit him in this mess and since the young pilot was the closest…

 

However, the young Gundam pilot already sensed his approach and he had no plans on being anybody's hostage. Just as soon as the man came close enough, he dodged the arm and shot out a finger strike at a certain nerve cluster on the neck, near the throat. He didn't place too much force in his attack at that area, but he knew that the nerves would flare in pain no matter how light the attack was.

 

The stranger gasped in shock and pain as he suddenly felt his supply of air cut off. He wasn't aware that Kyo's attack made him choke reflexively, effectively cutting his supply of air for a short time. His gripe on his weapon was loosened and the knife was knocked off by a following kick by the young man. Grabbing the still extended hand, the young warrior easily threw him towards the floor, he hit the floor hard making a dull clanging sound.

 

The stranger tried to get up again to fight, but was persuaded to stay where he was when a laser bolt struck near the right side of his face burning a hole on the floor.

 

“DON"T MOVE!" Meia warned as she held her laser ring at the ready to shoot the fool.

 

The man saw that he was in a dire situation with no apparent exits for him to use. Meia was in the perfect position to end his life with one more shot. Jura and Barnette also arrived to back up their comrade with their own weapons. To add to that, the young punk aimed his gun at him and had taken out his sword. He glanced over to the former Yamato and glared. < That punk was just lucky. > He then gestured to Utan, signaling her not to attack.

 

“Who are you? What are you doing here?" Meia demanded quickly.

 

The man shrugged his shoulders as he replied. “The name's Rabat, and as to what I'm doing here, is for the same reasons you all are as well."

 

Kyo suddenly stiffened as he heard the man give his name. It sounded familiar somehow, as they knew that he had heard that name before. He then tried to recall just where in his journey he heard of this guy before he joined up with Magno's crew.

 

“What are you talking about?" Meia asked, still not lowering her ring.

 

“You're all here to loot the abandoned Mission, just like me, right?" Rabat answered.

 

Pyoro floated up to Meia, with a look of suspicion. “I thought you said that this was all salvage?"

 

Meia was ready to offer a suitable retort to the robot, when a massive explosion rocked the whole station. Meia got to her comm-link and learned from Buzam, that the aliens have just made their appearance and they were needed now to fend of the latest attack.

 

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

 

Outside of the Mission's perimeter, the Dreads and the Vanguards were now in full engagement with the swarms of Cube Fighters that had suddenly appeared from seemingly out of nowhere. As the battle increased in intensity, several dots of light emerged from the Mission, signifying the arrival of Meia and her comrades into the latest skirmish with their alien enemies, leaving their prisoner and simian companion to fend for themselves.

 

Back at the station, Rabat decided that now was the best time to make his exit. He motioned for Utan to follow him back their own ship, which was housed on another hanger on the other side of the station. As they made their way to their vessel, Rabat smiled as he saw what Utan was bringing with her. In their haste to join their comrades, they had forgotten something.

 

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

 

As Rabat guided his ship, which was a mix of a sailboat and transport ship out of the hanger, he found himself greeted by a raging storm of laser bolts and missile trails as the pirates and their enemies exchanged attacks. His ship's scanner systems then picked up new signatures on several new types of alien fighters that appeared from the Mission and headed straight for their target, the Nirvana. The trader shrugged his shoulders. It seemed that he wasn't all that surprised of the latest additions to the aliens' arsenal. But what he was going to witness next was going to take him totally off-guard.

 

A massive light bolt in blue color caught his attention, and his eyes widened as he spotted an unknown mecha appear out from the Mission. The mecha was unlike the Vanguards of Talark, according to the man's tactical computers. It resembled a winged gladiator as it darted in and out of Cube Fighter groups and unleashed a hail of armor piercing rounds that seemed never to run out. The machine then did several passes as it took out a pair of cylinders that fired out red energy blades. The mecha then tore through any Cube Fighter it came close to, and two more energy blades erupted from the end of the cylinders to turn into a pair of energy lances.

 

After dicing apart more Cube Fighters, the unknown machine unveiled several plasma and rail-gun cannons from it's wings and hips, the weapons devastated more Cube Fighters, along with what appeared a double laser rifle.

 

Just then, another bolt of light came out of the station, and there arrived a strange and powerful looking machine, flying beside the Gundam. The mecha didn't fit any profile on Rabat's data stores, but it vaguely looked like the Dreads belonging to Megele. It also began to transform as it neared it's apparent owner.

 

The two machines then united, and in a second unleashed a hail-storm of beam blasts, missiles and ballistic rounds, turning all in combined machines' path into scrap. The robot then disengaged and both machines flew in tandem, blasting whatever enemy units came into sight.

 

Rabat watched in awe, as his devious mind went into motion. This could become VERY profitable…

 

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

 

Kyo found himself in the midst of several more Cube Fighters and a pair of the new alien units, wasting no time he unleashed another devastating attack.

 

With a few accurate slashes with Freedom's beam sabers, he turned his attackers into sushi and he looked around for any more unwanted company, finding none he checked on the progress of his allies.

 

It was then that Jura's Dread came beside him and the young man winced as he saw the seductive blonde giving him another hungry look.

 

“Are you feeling tired Kyo? Why don't we combine?" Jura asked, still smiling as she jetted forward to him and Freedom.

 

“NO WAY!”

 

Just then, Dita's Dread came out of nowhere and both Freedom and Dita's Dread underwent the fusion to form GunDread Dita.

 

Jura wasn't the least bit happy.

 

“HEY!! HE WAS MINE!!”

 

Dita merely gave her the Japanese Red Eye as an answer. “You snooze, you lose!”

 

Jura was irate. “I'LL GET YOU FOR THIS!”

 

Kyo sighed, the competition between Dita and Jura became even more heated this past few weeks. Normal guys would have been green with envy at his position. Two gorgeous babes fighting over him. But Kyo was not in the mood for his hormones to get the better of him. He decided that while he was in this GunDread, he might as well take out the Mission as to make sure that it won't be used as a trap.

 

The cannons locked on and powered up and immediately let loose twin beams of immense destruction, that merged instantly and formed a single destructive wave that consumed and obliterated the entire station, including and debris and of course the alien fighters in the area of the beam's path. All that was left of the Mission was nothing but piles of floating junk.

 

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

 

Rabat's jaw dropped to the flat of his console after what he had seen. Then he grinned in a more evil and greedy fashion. < I think I just hit the mother lode big time. >

 

It was then that several explosions rocked his ship. Looking at his tactical scanner, he saw himself being surrounded by the remnants of the alien ambush force.

 

“Oop chee!" Utan whined as she gave a soulful and pleading look in her eyes to her master.

 

“Oh all right. Go ahead." Rabat answered with a sigh.

 

The orangutan happily bounded of to the back of the pilot's cabin. A minute and a half later, a hatch opened on top of Rabat's ship and a monstrous looking mecha system appeared. Inside the unit, Utan smiled as she pressed on the triggers on the two manipulators' and began to retaliate.

 

The mecha unleashed a murderous barrage of missiles, bullets, cannon, and laser shots at the remaining swarms of alien fighters. The enemy ships were blown to bits as the simian carelessly blasted away at their formations, shooting anything in sight and turning the enemy fighters to junk. Finally after a full two minutes, she gave a happy and content sigh as the mecha's arms lowered.

 

On the bridge, Rabat growled in irritation as the monitors showed him that Utan once again exhausted all the ordinance and ammunition of the ship.

 

< Damn! There goes all of last week's profits! >

 

He then decided to get into contact with the Nirvana, and do some trading.

 

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

 

A few minutes later, Magno watched as the bridge crew got into contact with the new ship as she came face to face with Rabat on the monitor. Beside her were BC, Dita, and Kyo.

 

“Thanks to you guys, my ship received some engine damage!" Rabat complained in a rather arrogant tone.

 

That tone didn't suit well to Magno. “And am I to understand that you want us to help you?" She asked.

 

“I should think so." Rabat answered in a-matter-of-fact tone.

 

Magno snorted in anger at the audacity of the man in front of her, as his manners towards elders was totally non-existent. Not like Duero, or Kyo. “We're pirates and we only look out for ourselves."

 

Rabat smirked while shrugging, then held up something. “Okay, then does that mean I get to keep this?"

 

Dita gave a gasp as she saw that in their haste to fight the enemy, they all had forgotten about Pyoro.

 

Magno sighed a bit as she nodded. “He is part of this crew." She then addressed Rabat. “Very well then, you may come onboard."

 

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

 

< Rabat… That name seems to be very familiar. Just where did I hear of it? > Kyo thought as he watched the so-called trader peddle his stores of merchandise to the other members of the female crew. His apparent charm and the glittering jewels he had with him took in many of the female crewmembers. He also hinted that he knew about the relationships between men and women, and that helped make him even more intriguing to the female pirates. Even the normally level-headed and practical Parfet was taken in by Rabat, when he offered her a power coupling that could help boost the Paeksis's power output. Paiway also got into the act as she tried to impress the trader by using several free samples of make-up. Rabat replied that she try again after five years.

 

It was then that Meia arrived and walked to the place where Jin was leaning and was now beside him. She had the same suspicions on her face as she looked at Rabat. She felt a bit disgusted at the way her fellow pirates were fawning over the man.

 

“I don't trust him." Meia said simply.

 

Kyo snorted. “I agree, something about that idiot disgusts me, and the way he's acting makes me VERY curious. During that battle, he didn't seem to show any surprise at all, I have the feeling that he knows more about the aliens than he's showing now. I'd trust him as far as I can toss him."

 

Meia allowed a slight smile to show. “That would be quite a distance."

 

“Yeah, it would be." Kyo chuckled. “More to the point though, I've heard of this guy somewhere before."

 

“You have?"

 

“Yeah." Kyo answered. “Like I told Dita before, I've done a great deal of planet hopping long before I ended on the Ikazuchi. I know that…" It was then that a dark and foreboding look appeared on Kyo's face.

 

“Now I remember where I've heard of him." Kyo said as he moved from the wall as he went to look for the man as he now had left the area.

 

“Wait, where did you hear of him?" Meia called out.

 

“On Veruis." Kyo answered with a deathly tone in his voice.

 

“Veruis?"

 

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

 

Rabat shook himself a bit as he arrived into the hanger where the three transformed Dreads and Vanguards were housed. He had just encountered BC as he went to check the place where his ship was. Though the first officer was very attractive, there seemed to be something about her that was…off.

 

As he entered the area, he smiled a bit as his gazed drifted to the Gundam and the ATCISS, which were now in dormancy mood, and recharging their main power cores. The trader made the wrong hunch that the mechas were related to the power he had witnessed before. However, as he approached them, someone was present to block his path.

 

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

 

Kyo had just arrived on the scene when he spotted Dita barring Rabat's way towards Freedom and Liberty. Kyo's eyes narrowed as he came closer.

 

“No! This is Mr. Alien's partners!" Dita said while shaking her head and spreading her arms out wide. She had spotted the trader as he approached Freedom and the ATCISS; she didn't like the look he was giving her Mr. Alien's partner at all, so she rushed up to block him.

 

“Aw, c'mon! I just want to take a look at them." Rabat said in his smoothest tone.

 

Dita however wasn't fooled. < More like you want to steal them! > “No!"

 

“Not even for one little peek?" Rabat smiled as he leaned forward and brought his face close to hers.

 

Kyo's temper flared up like an out of control bonfire as he looked at the trader. He didn't like the sneaky type of people like Rabat, and Dita was too kind, pure and innocent to be near these kinds of living scum. He decided to get involved, so to make sure that rat wouldn't try anything.

 

Just as Rabat was about to kiss Dita, Kyo called out to her. “HEY!"

 

Dita snapped back to reality as she heard Kyo's voice and glanced over to the hanger's entrance and saw him.

 

“Mr. Alien!"

 

Kyo nodded, he had already decided to wait until Dita found it in herself to call him by his name, so he decided to bear it when she called him by that name." You're better off staying away from him. You'll never know just what kind of sicknesses you'll get from space rodents."

 

Rabat turned and faced his rival as he watched Dita move towards Kyo who then told her to move away, the redhead complied as she moved a good distance away. He then arrogantly smirked at the young man on the 'rodent' reference. “Oh? And who are you to tell her who to associate with, you snot nosed punk."

 

Kyo wasn't riled by the fool's latest attempt to anger him, but he resisted the urge to give the con artist a sound thrashing with his abilities, it would be too messy, plus he needed to know whether the information about this man involved in what happened on Veruis was true. “Let's just say that I think that she could do a lot better than a walking compost pile like you."

 

“Ooh… is that a threat or a challenge?"

 

“Take it any way you want, I could care less." Kyo said in a level tone. “But just so you know, if you ever harm her in any way, I'll break your neck." He said motioning to Dita.

 

“Ooh, sure you will." Rabat said with smugness < That punk's just blowing hot air. >

 

“That's beside the point right now. Tell me something… have you heard of the planet named Veruis?" Kyo asked as he moved closer to the man.

 

Rabat cocked his head in mock thought to one side, and then shrugged nonchalantly. “That name sounds… familiar. I might have done business there."

 

“Bullshit!" Kyo shouted as his eyes flared up in renewed yet controlled fury, so the bastard WAS the one. “You were the one who sold an experimental nutrient supplement synthesizer to one of their colonies and nearly a million and a half of them died of poisoning!"

 

Rabat shrugged again. “Hey. I sold that to them cheap, they got what they paid for."

 

“What they got was a DEFECTIVE item!" Kyo said as he glared at the man. “That nutrient synthesizer had come from a research plant on Cordal 6, and the scientists had deemed the synthesizer to be totally filled with defects, making it capable of ruining and contaminating an entire nutrient supply instead of improving it AND causing severe damage to healthy body cells, before you took it and sold it to Veruis. I guess that your conscience, if you had one was on permanent vacation leave when you offered it to that colony, knowing fully well, that particular colony was heavily hit by nutrient deficiency due to an accident in pollution control, and knowing quite well that people…including children would have died. It was good that I came, bringing just enough food and medicine supplies to keep them all alive and get them back on their feet, plus helped them deal with the pollution problem. But I could already tell that those details don't matter to you, since all you seem to care about is lining your pockets with all the hard earned money of a poor planet!"

 

By this time several crewmembers of the Nirvana arrived on the scene, including Meia, Jura, Barnette, Duero, Bart and several members of the Crusader Squadron.

 

“Hmpf! Do go telling me how to run my own way of business." Rabat didn't like the attitude from Kyo, and then he saw this as a good chance to make more profit. “I just make the best deals that I can to make a living. And it seems that right now, I see a very good chance of doubling my profit margins."

 

“What are you trying to say this time?" Kyo asked though he could already tell what the scumbag had in mind.

 

Rabat gestured to Freedom and Liberty. “I like these machines. I think that they all would make me a very tidy sum, once I have all the systems analyzed. However, I know that you would never hand them over for anything, so how about I suggest a little challenge?"

 

“Challenge?" Kyo asked.

 

“Yes, we never did finish that fight we all had back at the Mission, and I've been wondering just how much I can pound on a punk like you. If I beat you, then I take your machines. So how about?"

 

“And if I win the challenge?"

 

< There's no way you can beat me. >" If by some miracle you beat me, then I'll give some information that you'll find interesting."

 

“Information on what?"

 

“Oh, like some data on those aliens you've been fighting, plus other tidbits. Interested?"

 

Kyo considered his choices for a moment as he studied the scumbag in front of him. It was now obvious that this guy knew more about the aliens than he was letting on and new data concerning the alien forces could be really useful. However, Rabat wasn't someone to dismiss quickly and he should keep his guards up since he knew that he would cheat.

 

“Fine, you're on.”

 

Rabat smiled < Sucker > as he looked at Kyo. He looked forward to selling Freedom and Liberty to the highest bidder. However, he was going to learn the proverbial lesson of never counting his chickens before they hatched.

 

A complete silence fell on the hanger as Kyo moved forward.

 

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

 

“Shouldn't we put a stop to this Captain?" Buzam asked as the two of them along with the bridge crew watched on the main monitor the scene, unfolding in the hanger.

 

Magno paused for a moment and then shook her head. “No. I think that is a good chance for us to learn a few more things. Not just on our enemies but on Kyo as well."

 

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

 

Back at the hanger…

 

(Lump time for Rabat… First Round…Ready? GO!)

 

The two faced each other, neither of them willing to move an inch since the challenge was accepted. Their eyes locked on with each other as both combatants waited for the other to make the first move. Deciding to end this boring charade, Kyo moved forward with a fist on the ready.

 

Rabat smirked. His first opponent talked like a big man, but he was nothing more than a reckless amateur. He immediately countered by shifting his weight to the left and launched out with a right knee strike, fully expecting it to collide into Kyo's chest. However, he hit… nothing?

 

Before he was even aware of it, Kyo had flipped into the air with such speed that he blurred out of sight and ended up right behind Rabat. Kyo tapped Rabat's shoulder, and like clockwork Rabat turned and swung his fist, but was countered by Kyo's arm and he was introduced to a five-knuckle sandwich… right between the eyes.

 

SMACK!

 

Rabat felt like a steel bar was slammed in full force on his face, as he was sent flying back off his feet a full fourteen from where he was standing before. He hit the hanger deck real hard on his back and skidded another six feet before coming to rest on the floor. His face was throbbing with pain, and when he reached up to touch it, a lightning bolt of agony rushed up to his eyes. A purple bruise the size of a small ball formed up as a thick trickle of blood ran down to his chin, and when he spat out something, that something was one of his molars. That one punch alone was more than enough to break his nose and pull out one of his teeth. His eyes narrowed in pained anger as he looked up at Kyo. The martial artist just gave a non-concerned expression, as he felt no sting on his fist.

 

< Damn! Since could a snot-nosed punk like him hit that hard?! >

 

The crowd of females gasped in amazement as Kyo floored a man who was taller and weighed more than he did. The members of Angel Squadron including Sara looked on with interest, they always suspected that Kyo went easy on them during training sessions, and they were eager to see just what their leader were capable of doing to an enemy.

 

Kyo remained standing with his arm extended and his fist held at the ready. Then slowly he resumed a nonchalant and neutral stance with his hands behind his back. He simply waited for Rabat to stagger to his feet.

 

“Why you little shit!" Rabat cursed loudly as he tensed up to attack again.

 

Kyo shrugged his shoulders as he made a beckoning gesture with his right arm, daring Rabat to attack him. “Quit talking and start fighting, or is that all you can do?”

 

“NEVER!” Rabat shouted in deep fury at this punk's attitude and lack of being intimidated, as he charged to attack Kyo. He threw a punch at Kyo's face, However, Kyo's head moved to the right by only a few millimeters, causing Rabat's attack to miss completely.

 

“Are you trying to hit me or the air? You're slow."

 

Rabat became angrier as he fired several quick jabs and uppercuts, the Gundam pilot moved with such precision and speed, that each attack was dodged with only inches to spare. Kyo never moved from his own position, as he just swerved, twisted, turned and leaned out from each attack attempt. < My turn. > Kyo thought as he attacked.

 

WHOMP!

 

Rabat was so focused in his attempts to hit Kyo, that he completely forgot to defend himself as Kyo retaliated with his own strike to the solar plexus, driving the breath out of him. He doubled over, but didn't stay there long as he was knocked back up by a knee strike from the young man connecting to Rabat's chin. Just as soon as Rabat came up, Kyo responded with a rising crescent kick that knocked Rabat into the air, and then he was knocked another twelve feet as Kyo lashed with a reverse sidekick in mid-air into the chest. Kyo landed on his feet and smiled was he watched Rabat smash into the ground.

 

Meia was more than impressed. It was no wonder to her on how Kyo had thrown her with no difficulty and defeated Sara. Apparently, he wasn't reliant on his Gundam or his personal weapons when fighting one-on-one. She also sensed that Kyo was only using a small fraction of his skills and strength. Dita was also in awe at Mr. Alien and wondered whether he could teach her those moves.

 

Rabat managed to gain more strength to get back on his feet. But now he was totally enraged, as he thought that he had this fight in the bag, but Kyo had already broken his nose, broke one of his teeth and nearly fractured his jaw along with sending burning pain to his ribs. He then decided to switch tactics.

 

Kyo gave a neutral look as he approached the fallen trader. “If that's all you're capable of doing Rabat. Then I personally suggest that you give up now. There's only so much I can do to you at this point now."

 

Rabat's fury was in full afterburner but he managed to recall a special surprise he had with him. < That's it, keep talking and coming here, you smart ass punk. Just a little more…> Rabat got up and tensed as Kyo closed the distance. Once Rabat saw that the young warrior was in striking distance, the eye under the patch twitched a bit, activating a hidden trigger.

 

The eye patch instantly flashed a powerful blast of light that caught Kyo off guard for a moment. As he turned away to shield his eyes, Rabat charged with a cocked back fist aimed at Kyo's face and then fired it at his target. When the fist made solid contact, Rabat felt a moment of satisfaction.

 

He looked and was shocked to see Kyo's hand catching his fist in a tight grip, but it was then that he heard a cracking sound.

 

CRRRRAAACCCCKKK!

 

“AAAAUUUUUGGGGGGHHHHH!"

 

Kyo simply turned his face away and then lashed out with his left hand and caught Rabat's fist, then faced his opponent with a smirk on his own face. Rabat was now on the floor, clutching his hand, which appeared to be nearly broken. Rabat wasn't aware of the fact, that the Paeksis energy had enhanced every aspect of Kyo's physical capabilities, which included strength, reflexes, learning curve, reaction time, senses, and his genes had been altered to suit and improve his past life as a soldier and Coordinator. In this case, Kyo was the perfect warrior.

 

“About time you fought back seriously. Crying over that broken hand of yours eh Rabat? Don't worry about that for now; what you should be worried about is what I'm going to do to you." Kyo continued walking to the trader. With one hand he grabbed the trader's tunic and lifted Rabat of his feet as if the man had been nothing more than a doll. His eyes took on a deeper glint as he looked at his enemy. “By the way, that little slap was your only free hit."

 

He released Rabat and assaulted the man with a dual attack consisting of an uppercut and a sidekick, knocking Rabat backwards. And in seemingly defying the laws of gravity, Kyo leaped forward and lashed out with a straight kick, flying like a missile and smashing into Rabat, sending the man slamming into the wall, causing a slight depression in the alloys. He let the man slide to the floor and stepped back a bit once he landed. “A lot of innocent children nearly died of malnutrition and poisoning due to that piece of crap you sold on Veruis. Now the only fair thing those people would have done is demand a refund for the shit you put them all through. But I can tell that you've already spent that money you cheated from those people, so I guess that the only thing I can do is to take it out from your pathetic hide."

 

“Wow!"

 

“Did you see that move?!"

 

“Mr. Alien is so COOL! I want him to teach me how to do that too!"

 

Rabat gritted his teeth as he once more managed to stand up on his feet. His body was in agony, agony he never felt before in his whole life. That bastard was going to pay for this! At that moment, his unbroken right hand reached into a pocket and then pulled out something.

 

“MR. ALIEN! WATCH OUT!"

 

Time seemed to have changed to a snail's pace as Dita ran to get between Kyo and Rabat. Kyo saw the glint of a muzzle and instantly reacted; moving forward to push the young girl out of the way before Rabat fired the small blaster he had in his hand. A thin beam the size and shape of a pencil shot forward, aimed directly at Kyo's body, he however twisted out of the way and the beam only grazed him through the right shoulder, missing the bone and any vital areas, and he discovered that it was a stun-style pistol. However Dita screamed in pain as the beam hit her own shoulder as well.

 

“DITA!" Meia and Jura cried out as they rushed towards their injured comrade. The others watching went immediately into a state of shock.

 

As soon as Kyo saw Dita go down, something deep within his mind snapped. Dita had been a pain and an annoyance, but the time he spent with her made him get used to her nature, her warm smile, and constant presence. And now, without any second thoughts for her own life and safety, she tried to save him and was now injured because of it, and because of that…scumbag in front of him.

 

For the first time in his life, the normally calm and controlled Kyo lost his composure.

 

(Bad move Rabat…Oh well… Second Round…Ready? GO!)

 

“YOU…RAT BASTARD!"

 

Before Rabat could react or even blink, Kyo, who had unconsciously activated his SEED ability appeared right in front of him. He tried to fire off another shot from his weapon, but Kyo caught his hand with his right hand and immediately applied pressure. Both the weapon and Rabat's hand were crushed with the sounds of popping metal, snapping plastic, breaking circuits, and the sickening sound of mangling bone and crushed tendons. Rabat screamed in renewed agony, but his cry of pain was cut short as his opponent slammed a fist into his gut.

 

WHAMM!

 

“YOU HURT HER!"

 

He then smashed a fist right on the back of Rabat's shoulder, right at the joint causing a loud pop to be heard as Kazuki had dislocated the scumbag's shoulder. But Rabat had no time to even register the pain as his forearm was treated through a strong chop that fractured both bones. Rabat screamed even louder now.

 

“YOU PIECE OF SCUM!

 

Kyo delivered a barrage of fists, kicks and elbow strikes to the chest and abdomen, making the trader cough out a gout of blood, but Kyo was fighting now like he was possessed by a demon. He then unleashed a storm of punches causing even more bones to buckle and break as Rabat was taken to a whole new threshold of pain and beyond. He finished with a fierce open palm strike and sent the man sailing back into the wall, making an even bigger and deeper impression as a pair of loud cracks was heard along with the slamming sound. Rabat slid down to the floor and found himself at Kyo's mercy.

 

Kyo felt no need for pity to this no good scumbag. He WANTED to end this man's life, and he could never feel any remorse in doing so. “Like I said, if you EVER hurt her in any way, I'll break your neck. And now I WILL BREAK YOUR NECK!" he screamed as he took Rabat's injured arm and placed his foot right on the man's throat, a perfect position to snap the neck straight in the middle, but before he could apply the pressure, he heard a voice reach out to him.

 

“KYO! THAT'S ENOUGH!"

 

The Gundam pilot stopped and looked over his shoulder, and saw Magno and BC standing at the hanger entrance.

 

“It's over Kyo. You've won this battle, and Dita will be all right. She's already at the medical bay getting treated, there's no reason to continue this." The aged woman stated.

 

Kyo nodded, but gave an audible snarl as he released the man from his grip, as he felt some of his anger drain away for now and his self-control reasserted itself in him. He left off another snarl and moved away from the inert man. Seeing the man was still conscious. He decided to talk. “I've won this round, so my machine stays with me. Now about that information you promised us? Or should I just strip it out from your corpse?"

 

Rabat snarled in reply, but reached into another hidden pocket, fumbled around, then took out an information cube. But he had difficulty due to the state his hands were in; He weakly tossed on the floor near Kyo's feet.

 

“Damn you! Here…take it!" Rabat spat out with some blood coming out from his mouth. Droplets of the same crimson liquid dripped down and made small pools on the floor of the hanger.

 

Kyo picked up the cube, as he and his comrades glared at the fallen man they each had beaten up. “You have two minutes."

 

“What?" Rabat asked weakly.

 

“You have exactly two minutes to get yourself and that ship of yours off this ship. If you're not out of here by the end of that time frame, then I'll stuff you in the nearest airlock and dump you out into space." Kyo answered as he glared at the trader.

 

The con man tried in desperation to get up on his feet, but the symphony of pain running through his body due to his multiple injuries kept him from going anywhere and made it nearly impossible to move. It was lucky that Utan arrived while still chasing after Pyoro. When she saw her master in the state he was in, she immediately stopped chasing the robot and rushed to his side. Using her to brace himself, Rabat managed to get up on his feet and started limping towards the exit. Before he departed he scowled back at Kyo.

 

“I won't forget any of this!"

 

“Spare me the lecture and get your carcass out here." Kyo replied with a good deal of restraint.

 

“Ha! You talk real tough, but you're just using other people's words!"

 

That last retort got Kyo's attention as he looked at the con artist making his way out of the Nirvana.

 

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

 

A few minutes later…

 

“Captain, chasing after him isn't going to help at all." Kyo warned via comm-link. “He isn't worth the time and trouble."

 

However, it seemed that his advice fell on deaf ears as Magno had ordered the Nirvana to pursue Rabat's ship, with the full intention of robbing him of everything he had. After all, they were pirates. However, just as soon as they closed the gap, the ship's engine core suddenly let out an explosion, causing the Nirvana to drop out from hyperspace.

 

Inside the engineering section Parfet started cursing as she assessed the damage, as the power coupling she had gotten from Rabat was nothing more than junk. The ship needed major repairs and by the time her crew could get the ship back in full operational condition, Rabat would be long gone.

 

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

 

Later…

 

Kyo sighed as he sat alone at the Bio-Park, watching the reflection of the stars on the pool of water. He had just returned to this spot after receiving some medical treatment from Duero. Kyo knew that the cube was in Parfet's hands since the device was heavily encoded and that meant that it would take time for the data to be retrieved.

 

Kyo however went to the Conference Room and had a chat with the Captain and the First Mate about his behavior earlier. The aged woman however forgave him for what he did, and also agreed that she would have considered doing the same thing had the roles been reversed. This helped ease his mind as he left the bridge.

 

“Mr. Alien?"

 

Kyo sighed as he heard the name and looked over his shoulder and saw Dita with a bandage on her right shoulder. He turned away and gazed back at the water.

 

The young Dread pilot walked up to him and stopped just behind him. Kyo took another relaxing breath as he turned his head to gaze at Dita once more and looked at her injured shoulder.

 

“Are you feeling all right? How's your shoulder?"

 

The redhead nodded as she replied. “Mr. Doctor, and Pai both said that my shoulder will be okay, but it'll be stiff for a few days, and… I'm not able to pilot my Dread for a while."

 

Kyo shook his head, letting some loose strands of his brown hair cloud his blue-violet eyes for a moment as he stood up and faced her. He reached out with his right and left hands and began probing gently on the bandaged area. “No, you don't have to go through that. This should fix that."

 

Dita's eyes widened as Kyo pressed gently into certain areas of her arm and noticed that the throbbing pain she normally felt faded away. A minute later, Kazuki gave a warm smile as he stopped his probing and with deft movements removed the wrappings on Dita's shoulder. The girl looked down and gasped as she moved her arm, and it moved as if it had never been injured before.

 

“WOW! That was SO amazing! You're really cool, Mr. Alien! Thank you!"

Kyo shrugged his shoulders as he carefully folded the bandages away. “It's something I've been taught on how to do. I can use certain pressure and energy points in a person's body to simulate the healing properties in a person. It takes some practice and patience but it helped me a lot when I was on my own."

 

“Who taught you?”

 

“I helped a kind old man and his grand-kids, he then taught me pressure points and how to use them."

 

“Wow!" Dita smiled, but then gazed at Kyo's own shoulder, and noticed that there were bandages. “What about your own shoulder?"

 

“Don't worry about that. My body's healing rates' are a lot higher than most. And the injury makes no difference to me, but it's there as a reminder."

 

“What do you mean?”

 

Kyo sighed and faced the lake. “Rabat was scum all right, but he was right about one thing.”

 

“Mr. Alien?"

 

Kyo wished that he could be alone, but he knew that it would be a lot better for him, if there was someone he could talk to.

 

“He said that I was using other people's words, meaning that I don't have any words of my own to say. He's right because, I don't know who I am. I can't remember anything about myself. I don't know my full name, who were my parents, do I have any siblings, do I have any relatives, when is my birthday, how old am I or anything most people take for granted. Where did I learn to fight, why do I know how to control Freedom so well? Who trained me on how to pilot Freedom? Is my name Kyo or something else…Part of me says that it is my name, while another says that it may not be my name. I feel like I'm living in another person's world… but I know that it's also my world… I don't know…”

 

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

 

Out in space…

 

Rabat gritted his teeth in anger and frustration as he checked the scanner's readouts on his condition. The credits he had earned in trade with the pirates would never be enough to cover even half the costs of healing his injuries. He had been set back… a LOT.

 

His injuries were extensive. They included a broken nose in three areas, a nearly fractured jaw, dislocated right shoulder, all five metacarpals broken on his right hand, and four on his left, seven broken ribs in four places each on his left side and eight on his right side, his right arm suffered a hairline fracture on the ulna bone and the two bones in his forearm were in compound fractures. He had suffered internal damages to his spleen and liver and stomach. He suffered fractures in both his left and right femurs from being slammed on the wall of the Nirvana's hanger, he also had both collarbones dislocated, and his spine had suffered cracks from top to bottom. Along with that were considerable damages to his muscles. It would take him at least three months or more at best to heal his injuries, despite all the advanced medical equipment he had bought, stolen, cheated and blackmailed from others.

 

“That little…PUNK is going to pay for this!" Rabat swore in anger as he reached out for some painkillers.

 

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

 

When Parfet finally finished decoding Rabat's data cube, what she read made her feel shivers of dread run up and down her spine. The aliens were indeed after them and were totally committed on harvesting their vital organs. What they found on that desert world was only the icing on a cake. Several other human worlds were on the aliens' hit list, included Megele and Talark. For the male and female planets, the enemy forces were after their reproductive organs. The enemy seemed to completely consider the whole human race in general to be nothing more than a crop to be harvested.

 

The engineer swallowed the lump in her throat hard as she prepared to give her report to the captain.

 

To be continued…

 

Author's notes:

 

The beating received by Rabat was far more painful than he had ever been through, completely against what happened to him on Vandread. I hate this guy like a locust and I feel that he got off too easily in the original series. Kyo is the son of Kira who is the Ultimate Coordinator and of Lacus, as his genes are not affected by the defects that other Coordinators previously have, plus the fact that he's been in a cocoon of Paeksis crystals previously for the past two hundred and fifty years, allowed the Paeksis to flood his body with enhancing bio-energy, already augmenting his powerful abilities to unbelievable levels. As I stated, there WILL be some very big changes from the story and the series where this is based on. Next, we'll be delving into another relationship, that being between Kyo and Jura…

 

See you there!