Act XIII: Encountering Terror The ship leaves Phobos on it's way to Transmuted Mars. The crew is mostly quiet except for the sound of Yamaneko playfully batting at Chuuwa's tail as he wags it. Soon, they reach the red planet. "Attention incoming ship," an official voice sounds over the ship's speakers. "State name, registration number, and your business here." Keiji speaks, "Bikutori-Kyou. 356-4927-361. We are here on our own confidential business." "Please identify your business." "Confidential." "Security allows your ship only a first level clearance." "Thank you." "You may land on pad 4784." "Thank you again." The makes it's way to pad 4784 and lands. The crew exits the ship and they start out again searching for their friends. At the first two bars they stop at, they get the same response as the first one the boys went to on the Phobos. Then they enter the third bar and begin the same way as usual. Keiji speaks to the bartender, "Do you know where I may find Shougo Sakki?" The bartender looks up from cleaning a glass and motions with his head towards the other side of the bar while saying, "Yeah, he's over there." "Thank you, sir." The group walks through the usual tough-looking crowd until they reach that side of the bar. Suddenly Keiji exclaims, "Shougo! Souji!" A strong-looking man and woman stand up by a table looking tough. "What do you want?" the man says. "Shougo, it is me, Keiji?" The man's face turns a little less angry and he says, "Hi, anything you want?" "Well, I just want to talk." "We don't talk." "What's the matter?" "Lots have happened over the last six months, Keiji," the woman speaks. "Shougo and I found a ship. We are also married now." "Really? That's great!" Aritsune speaks up. "Hello, Aritsune. Anyway, we have grown...well...in name." Another man speaks up, "Are you kidding? They're the best pirates in the whole inner solar system." Shougo gives the man a harsh look and Souji just puts a hand on her head while shaking it. She then says, "Well, I guess that explains it." "You guys became space pirates?" Keiji asks. "Let's just say minor thievery was not enough excitement for us," Shougo says. "So, what is it you want?" "Well, we are," Keiji pauses and looks over the crowd and decides there is not an Imperial supporter amongst them. "We are looking to start a rebellion against the empire. We wondered if you might be able to help us get on our way towards doing so." Shougo sits and leans back in his chair, "Against the empire? Don't waste your time." "Shougo, come on. You were against the empire," Aritsune remarks. "Yeah, still am, but I am not foolish enough to go stand up against it." Keiji starts getting angry, "But you are foolish enough to run into big trouble as pirates?" Shougo stands back up, "Are you ridiculing my livelihood?" "It's not like it will hurt your image to go against the empire if you are a pirate." "Hey! Some of are smuggling clients, yes we still smuggle also, are big followers of the emperor. I do not wish to insult them." "Ah, you have become what we did not want to. A bigot, sucking up to those above you." Shougo throws the table over and stalks up to Keiji face to face. "What did you call me?" "The epitome of everything we hated," is Keiji's response. "Since when did you get so confident?" Souji asks. "Since we found real friends to back us," says Aritsune stepping up to Souji. "Don't act like you are so tough, you were nothing but a tag-along, Aritsune," Souji says while shoving her away. Aritsune stares angrily at her. "Don't you dare do anything to her!" Keiji exclaims at Souji. "You always were protecting her, why?" Souji asks. "Because, because," Keiji stares at Aritsune who looks back at him. "Because I love her." "Really? Ha! You, you would not know what such a thing is!" remarks Shougo. Keiji's anger reaches past his limit he nails a hard punch into the unsuspecting Shougo, knocking him down with a blood coming down from his nose. "Ah! You little bastard! I will kill you for that!" Shougo shouts as he stands up and charges Keiji. Just before Shougo tackles Keiji, he is knocked by a powerful bolt into the wall of the bar. "You little tramp!" screams Souji as she grabs Aritsune by the arm. The cousins, Akari and Munenori look at each other and decide it is their turn to step in. As Shougo gets back up and grabs Keiji, Munenori draws out his weapons and locks gaze with Shougo. Shougo speaks, "What do YOU want kid?" "To rip your heart out." Munenori swiftly moves. Shougo tries to dodge while holding on to Keiji, but Munenori lands one of his weapons into Shougo's arm. Shougo loses his grip on Keiji. Keiji lands an elbow into Shougo's side and then tosses him through another table. Akari steps up to Souji who holds Aritsune with her weapon held by her side. "Let Aritsune go," Akari commands. "You probably can not even lift that weapon any higher, much less wield it." Akari does not dignify her with an answer. She starts running towards Souji and raises her weapon over her head while turning into a spin. She barely misses Souji's head. Souji, in surprise, let's go of Aritsune. Akari and Souji stare at each other. Shougo slowly pulls himself up from the ground while holding onto his arm and says, "Come on, Souji. We challenge you to a battle." Akari, Munenori, Aritsune, Keiji and the haburi kedemonos do not know how to respond to the challenge. "Come on, aren't any of you strong enough to step up to us in space?" Souji asks mockingly. Naitsuu, who has until this point stood in the shadows, steps out letting the bar's low lights illuminate him. He speaks, "Consider your challenge accepted. Come on, let's get out of here." "Hey Keiji," Shougo hollers. "Who's this?" "This," Keiji says motioning towards Naitsuu. "This is our whole reason of being out here." The group leaves the bar with all the others standing around staring at them as they leave. After they depart, Souji and Shougo exit also. Back in the ship, the people are in their usual places. "Thanks for finally doing something, Naitsuu," Keiji comments displeasingly. "Don't get smart with me," Naitsuu speaks. "You were taking care of yourselves well enough." "We are out here because of you, Naitsuu," Aritsune reminds him. "Just help us out a little more." "Fine, now let's get going." The ships lifts off. They head find the Sakki's ship waiting for them within the security border. The ship hails them. "We will send the coordinates of the battle grounds to your computer. See you there!" The computer speaks, "Coordinates entered." "Should we trust them?" Munenori asks. Keiji answers, "They may have changed, but I do not think they have changed so much as to not keep it fair. Especially when they think we know nothing." "But, don't we know nothing?" asks Munenori. "Quiet. Computer, head to the coordinates." The computer speaks, "Course set. Area outside of secure parameters." The ship starts towards the area and they soon arrive. The Sakki's ship hails them again, "Ready?" Keiji answers, "Whenever you are." Akari and Naitsuu are tense and ready by their guns. Akari tries to talk to Naitsuu, "Good luck." Naitsuu just waves his hand at her without turning around to acknowledge it. Akari turns back to face her targeting screen disappointed. "Okay, guys," Keiji announces. "Let's get this show on the road." First, both ships launch a mortar missile. The Sakki's ship is enabled to launch two missiles at once and do so. Both come at the same speed towards their ship. Keiji swerves to dodge one, but the other strikes them right on the top. Their missile is easily dodged by the Sakki‘s ship. Inside their ship, the lights flicker on and off shortly, but they regroup. Keiji directs the ship so it's side faces the Sakki's ship, Naitsuu starts shooting his Aether chemical gun. The Sakki's ship does the same at them except with several. Keiji enables the Vitriolic ray to begin collecting. He also shifts the ship to Akari's side so that the ship can repair it's shield on Naitsuu's side. Akari starts her attack, but the Sakki's ship has done the same and engage her the same way they did Naitsuu. Soon, Keiji changes the ship so that it's nose is pointed at the Sakki's ship. The Sakki's ship is still facing the ship with their side, but they stopped firing their guns. Keiji unleashes the Vitriolic ray. Just before impact, the Sakki's ship shoots it's guns again, except they are all aimed at the Vitriolic ray. The guns' chemical balls collect in one big one that explodes as the Vitriolic ray collides with it harmlessly. "How did they know it was coming!" Keiji remarks with astonishment. Suddenly their ship is jolted by one of these collective chemical balls. "Keiji!" Aritsune shouts. "You did not redirect the ship so that Naitsuu or Akari good attempt to stop that one!" "Sorry!" The ship lays momentarily inactive as the energy cells start to recollect so that they may be active. Two large spear-like arms come out from beneath the Sakki's ship. With the two spears and the pointed nose of their ship, the Sakki's ship looks like a devilish trident. The Sakki's ship positions itself so that it's front is aimed at the other ship's side ready to ram into it. "Ah, captain?" Munenori speaks. "What do we do now?" "Brace yourself." The Sakki ship starts to move forward while increasing it's speed. The whole crew can see through the windows on the side that the spears are coming from. It is about to make impact when suddenly their view is filled momentarily with bright orange flames before being sucked away by the space vacuum. The Sakki ship is seen stalled no more than a couple of feet away from their ship. A voice comes out over the speakers, "Peace must be attained anyway possible. Attention aggressing ship, you must be penalized for your actions. Shougo's voice comes on over the open com link, "What? What are you talking about?" "Regulations must be followed," comes the answer by the other ship. The ship slowly makes itself visible. It is a black ship, of a pretty good size. They watch as the new ship launches five mortar missiles as dark green energy collects at it's tip. All of the mortar missiles strike the momentarily paralyzed Sakki's ship making it permanently disabled. The other ship fully positions itself. It lets it's laser rip out and through the Sakki's ship. The crew of the Bikutori-Kyou hear the cries of Shougo, Souji, and their crew as their ship is blown apart. There is momentary silence over the com link. Keiji decides to speak up, "The crew of the Bikutori-Kyou thanks you." "The crew of the Suta-Kasuta accepts your appreciation, but it appears that you were also engaged in fighting the other ship before we arrived." "They were the aggressor though," is Keiji's response. "Nonetheless." They see the other ship launch mortar missiles at them. Keiji shouts, "Everyone down!" Munenori and Aritsune duck to the floor. Keiji falls behind his chair and pulls Akari and Naitsuu down with him as three mortar missiles rock their ship. Keiji crawls over to where Aritsune is and comforts her while speaking to Munenori. "Munenori, can you bypass this ship's automatic safety precautions to enable it to react. This inactivity will kill us." "The precautions are in place to keep the ship from damage," Munenori responds. Keiji talks back angrily, "I do not care what happens to the ship. We are more important." "Yes, sir." While trying not to be knocked down by the second round of mortar missiles, Munenori gets on his computer and runs through the ship's safety system. Meanwhile, Naitsuu and Akari are lying down next to each other in the back of the cockpit. Akari talks to him, "Why are they bombarding us with missiles? Why don't they just zap us like they did to Shougo and Souji?" Naitsuu answers, "It takes awhile for the ship to recollect energy for the laser." A third round of missiles strike the ship. Akari gets scared and grabs Naitsuu. "I'm scared." Naitsuu responds only half warmly towards her. He says, "I understand you are afraid, but..." "But what?" Akari asks looking up at Naitsuu. "But you do realize I do not think we can be together," he says with little response from Akari. "I know this is not the best place for it, but people have a tendency to stretch things in extreme situations." Akari nods and says, "I understand." "Sorry." Akari lets go of him and braces herself under her chair as a fourth round comes down on the ship. The captain from Suta-Kasuta speaks, "Prepare to be eliminated. Our laser will be active briefly." Naitsuu takes a glance around the cockpit. He sees young Munenori furiously trying to hack through their own computer to enable activity. He knows Munenori has a long future ahead of him, that should not be ended here. He sees Keiji and Aritsune in each other's embrace wishing this will not be their last moment together. He silently wishes them the best. He also sees Yamaneko and Chuuwa crouching under the captain's chair. He thinks about how much fun he has had with Yamaneko over the past couple of years. Then he turns and sees Akari, lightly crying alone. He thinks to himself again, I may not be for you, Akari. But this should not be your fate. Naitsuu stands. A fifth round of missiles strike the ship, but Naitsuu does not fall. Keiji, Aritsune and Akari notice him. "What are you doing Naitsuu!?" Keiji shouts above the clamor of the missiles. "Saving those who know it is not their time." Standing determined Naitsuu watches as a sixth and most likely final round of missiles are launched from the other ship. Munenori announces, "Judging by the ship's damage meters, we may not survive one more missile." Naitsuu watches the missiles go up and then turn down from their arc towards their ship once again. Naitsuu shouts, "Stop!" as he thrusts his right arm out. The crew stare out the window as the missiles explode in the air. Aritsune glances at her screen and shouts, "An asteroid cloud has just entered the area." The group looks back at Naitsuu, who still seems determined. He announces into the captain's microphone, "Attention Suta-Kasuta. Leave or be destroyed." "You will not harm us. Peace must be attained." Naitsuu walks within a couple feet of the window and sees the laser slowly increasing in visibility on the other ship, just about to strike. Something goes off in Naitsuu's head, the other captain's voice. He whispers, but loud enough for the others to hear, "Rakushoda." Naitsuu slowly raises his arm in the direction of the ship. The crew watches as Suta- Kasuta gets bombarded with asteroids at that moment. The asteroids obstruct Suta-Kasuta's energy levels and the collecting laser dissipates. The lights in their ship go back on as Munenori exclaims, "Did it!" Suta-Kasuta appears to be regrouping and about to launch it's missiles. The voice comes back over the speakers, "You may have stopped our laser, but you are in no condition to escape our missiles." Naitsuu commands, "Rakushoda, you will cease your attack." "Who are you?" "I command you through the power of the Hachimonguu shrine to cease your attack." "Hachimonguu?" Munenori speaks to Keiji, "Sir, the engines are enabled." "Hit it!" Keiji shouts. Munenori slams hard on a key and the ships blasts away, causing Naitsuu to fall to the ground next to Akari.