Chapter 12 It's over right?

Every crew member was now trapped within dark thoughts after their retreat. They're only choices were to turn around and fight. Or stay within the planet and die under the pressure. The peksis however wasn't making their choice any easier.

The peksis deteriorated at an increasing rate. The peksis would be able to preserve itself, but the Nirvana would be destroyed under the planet's gravity once its shields gave out. Even while this was going on Nix was still out fighting the harvesters.

He had not retreated, he had formed a shield around the planet. Determined to help his crew. "If want my crew, then get through me first" he growled as the enemy attacks began again.

In the infirmary Duelo was monitoring Nix heart rate from his monitor. "He's fading fast" he thought. It was then that Dita rushed in begging for any kind of medicine to make everyone cheerful again.

"I understand your concern Dita, but there isn't a medicine that can do that" Duelo explained calmly.

"Then what are we going to do?" Dita cried "Everyone is saying that it's hopeless and we have no chance of winning"."That's right" Paiway said cutting in "Its over we're all going to die".

It became a dark time on the ship, even the once brave leader Meia was puzzled about what to do. As she sat in the training room. But perhaps there was something else on her mind.

"I won't call it escaping with a hole in my arm". "Seems soldier got his little problem sorted". "It's fine consider it my thanks for being a good leader"."You got some spare time for an wounded commander". She opened her eyes. "What ever you doing, just come back safe" she thought holding onto her gift.

The facts seemed to get to Dita as she ran full speed off to her room,crying over the future that seemed so certain. In the modified hangar Hibiki was using Pyoro to plan an escape route, but Pyoro continued to shoot down each idea Hibiki came up with.

"Impossible" said Pyoro. "Oh come on, every idea can't be" hibiki said hitting another plan into proyo. "No impossible" Pyoro said again. BC walked over to him and tried giving him some advice to use boosters to help them escape the gas planet once its ignited, but that plan to would fall short.

Seeing the fierce determination in Hibiki's eyes BC gained an entire new view of the young pilot, he had truly changed greatly since they first came across him.

Just before BC walked away the speakers across the ship came to life and Dita could be heard crying from the other side. But as she spoke, she sounded like a leader rallying her troops. "I know things seem hard right now." she cried.

"It may even seem impossible, but we can't give up we just can't. I don't like seeing everyone so down, we have to believe in ourselves, Mr dark heart is still out there fighting, he's fighting because he believes we can win,we can't give up we can't!" she said before she began to cry again.

The speakers turned off and the ships mood began to change. Dita words seem to hit every heart on the ship. Was she right was Nix fighting for them? And if he was, why were they still standing here feeling beaten?

In the registry section Barnette was trying to put in a restricted order becoming more and more frustrated that the order was locked and unable to be put through."You might as well give it up" Gascongne said as she leaned against the doorway of the darkened registry .

"According to the rules you need permission from the manager to put that kind of order through me. That way hasty people like yourself, don't do something stupid" she finished ."Then hurry up and put it through" Barnette demanded.

"Why are you in such a rush?" Gascongne asked. "No one on this ship is blaming you for what happened. The only one blaming you is yourself"said Gascongne.

Barnette lowered her head, Gascongne was was blaming herself for everything their loss and their current situation. "There's no point in acting so tough" Gascongne told her.

"Everyone here pretty much knows all the good things about you as well as all the bad. And in spite of all that ,they still consider you a friend. Right girls!"Once Gasco finished speaking the lights in Reg central came to life and all of the order maids cheered in unison "Smile, smile".

Barnette was surprised to see everyone in Reg central so happy. "Come on, we got a member out there waiting for us so let's go" said Gascongne. Barnette smiled with a nodded.

Meanwhile Bc was telling the captain new formed Hibiki's plan. "I see send Parfet to coordinate with him, if were going, we're leaving as a whole" she said. BC nodded and asked the bridge to contact Parfet at once.

Back in the Vanguard's hangar Hibiki was becoming angry with Pyoro who shot down another idea until Meia interjected "How about using my dread? "That should solve your little speed problem. I take it you've given some thought to the next step as well?" Hibiki grinned arrogantly "Of course I have".

Just then hangar door slid open revealing Jura standing in front of the bright hall lights.

"So this is where you've been hiding" the blonde pilot said. "You're gravely mistaken if you think you've thought of leaving me out of this. You should know by now I have a nose for things that are interesting".

She smirked and soon Barnette soon arrived too and the four started to plan. But just as they began going over the plan, Dita rushed into the hangar and was shocked to see them all standing together.

"Well just don't stand there" Hibiki said without turning around to face her. "You're part of the master plan too ,so get ready". Smiling Dita said "You got it".

Then Hibiki looked at her again "One more thing" he said, Dita looked at him. "No slacking off" he said. With that Dita nodded and the master plan began. Out in space Nix's was taking a hammering from the copies of the vanguards and the copy of the van_defender.

"Arr you lot just don't give up" he growled holding his controls tight as the copy van-defender rammed into the shield.

However help was on its way. "Dark heart open your shield now" ordered a voice. Nix nodded and stopped his shield. As he did Barnette,Meia's and Dita dread flew out and started to engage the harvesters in combat.

Nix sighed happily as another voice came over his radio " Hey are you all right?" it said. Nix smiled. "So soldier, what's the plan" Nix smirked . Hibiki smiled and told Nix he needed cover fire to allow the plan to go on. "You got it soldier" said Nix grabbing his controls.

"Computer shift to attack mode" Nix ordered as the van defender arms opened reviling it's cannons again. "Lock on and fire" order Nix firing. While the dreads continued with the plan to ignite the core of the gas planet. Vandread Jura continued to take damage but Nix had a plan to deal with the copy of his ship.

"How about this ,attack mode 2!" order Nix. Suddenly from the van defenders legs more cannons appeared."Target locked and fire"order Nix has a barrage of shots flew from the cannons destroying some more harvesters but the copy survived thanks to its shield. "Hmph not worth it" he smiled as he began firing again.

But then a single missile flew through a small hole in the copies shield hitting the back of the van defender copy destroying it. "Learned it" said a voice over the radio to Nix. He smiled, he knew it was Barnette.

On the Nirvana the bridge crew watched on in tense anticipation as the dreads continued their work."We're almost there" Meia said monitoring their progress. "Parfet you're up" magno shouted down the radio.

In the engineering section of the Nirvana Parfet counted down from three before her and the rest of the engineers reversed the energy flow from the peksis dispersing the Nirvana's shield in the process.

"The peksis program has returned to normal values!" Belvedere announced. But outside the other vanguards copy were heading straight for the Vandread Jura, when Nix barred there way.

"Don't think you have me figured out yet harvesters" said Nix pushing down on his controls,as he pushed the copies back with his shield .

Finally the plan was ready. "Now let's get out of here" shouted the captain. She leaned on the front of her desk. "Bart turn the ship around now!" Captain Magno yelled .

"Yes mam" he said powering the ship up. The gas planet began imploding just as the dreads and the Nirvana cleared it, Vandread Jura separated being replaced by Vandread Meia and grabbing a hold of Dita's dread they sped through the enemy formation.

Meanwhile. "Hey dark-heart need a lift" said Jura seeing nix ship flicker with electric. "It would be appreciated" said Nix as the van defender held onto her dread. "You might need two dreads to lift this man's ego" said Barnette pulling her dread closer.

Nix smiled as the van defender held onto Barnette's dread and they zoomed off catching up to the nirvana. "Nix you need to come in" said Duelo calmly over the radio "Is that an order?" asked Nix smirking "Yes doctors orders" said Duelo cutting communications.

So Nix radio in to Burt. "Navigator I need to board, is the hanger open?" Nix asked. "Yes sir just come in hurry!" He screamed frantically as the Nirvana entered an asteroid field. With that the Van-defender and the two dread landed in the moving hanger.

Nix climbed out his van_defender and looked at Barnette and Jura who waited for him. "Nice work ladies I appreciate the help" he said before hobbling on. Before Barnette and Jura helped him to the infirmary.

As they walked monitors all over the ship showed the action. Vandread Dita was formed, then it transformed its shoulder canons into a harpoon which conducted the energy of the exploding gas planet. Just as the harvest mother ship fired its own beam.

Vandread Dita hurled its harpoon straight at the on coming beam dragging the conducted energy of the gas planet along with it.

When the harpoon met the harvest ship's cannon blast, it pierced through with the force of a super nova, continuing to fly through the massive laser before ripping through the harvest ship.

Resulting in an explosion, which consumed the remainder of the enemy fleet. Leaving the crew of the Nirvana victorious.

The captain smiled ."It the first time I've seen a star born" she smiled. BC smiled back there long battle had come to an end or had it.

Later that day Pyoro discovered a change in the harvest fleet's data and frantically brought it to the crew's attention. "The enemy has already discovered the destruction of one of their mother ships and have diverted the rest of their fleets from other solar systems to Mejere and Tarak" he said showing them on the bridge monitor.

"There's five of them!" Jura cried seeing the screen "We were barely able to get rid of one how are we going to defeat five of them?"

As the crew began worrying Hibiki got to his feet and spoke. "What's wrong with all of you? Are you just going to shrivel up in fear? We already know what we have to do. No matter how big the obstacle or how tall the wall, we have to climb over it to show proof of our existence. And to do that we have to take the path we have to take".

Looking over his shoulder to Dita he continued. "Isn't that right?"he said .she nodded,then Hibiki looked over to Nix who was standing by the bridges door. He smiled as Nix put his thumb up to him.

The battle had taken it toll on everyone and with a new threat ahead the crew decided to turn in. However one crew member was still up and working.

"You don't ever stop do you?" said a voice to the member working. "It's my duty" the member said. "Then something to keep you thinking" the voice said . Suddenly there was silence until flash! "Paiway!"

Thank you for reading Vandread Another Leader. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did writing it.

Please review as I would love to . Here are some question for you reviewers, I would love to have answers too.

Did you like the new character? What could be improved?,Do you think the romance is right between the characters? And of course, did having the new character work and make the story interesting?

I would also like to know what you enjoyed. "What was your favourite part? What did you think of Nix? Do you think he has a chance at love? And any other idea's you would like to share, I would love to hear.

Again thanks for reading and I look forward to your reviews.

The pokemon traveller