Space Battleship Yamato 5

Part 1: The Beginning of the 2nd Generation

A Star Blazers alternate universe


Episode 3: Argo takes off! The Vibrations Strengthen!

Part 1: Re-enter…Desslok?!

Somewhere in the Andromeda Galaxy

Tuesday, March 15th 2220

0700 Hours: Earth Time


It hung like a vile moon around a planet at the edge of the Andromeda Galaxy.

It was one of the many ships in the vast area. But what made this base ship so special were three things; her mission, he size and her leader.

In Earth measurement she was over fifty kilometers in circumference, 2 times the size of the original Gatlantis that had once traveled through the sky. It held a huge plasma shield, much bigger than the original, a shield that could destroy earth with one swipe if needed.

It was a second comet, given no real name yet, the comet had been built at the command of the newly appointed Royal ruler of the house as a weapon of vengeance with one purpose: The conquest or destruction of one defiant planet in the Milky Way galaxy: Earth.

“This ship is grand, no?” said a young woman as she strolled down the main hallway with one of the ship’s many generals. She was the appointed lieutenant commander of the new grand fleet, she was Victoria D’Avena, one of the few women in the Cometine race who wasn’t green, half of her family was Earth blood. You see, years ago her mother had been captured by the Cometines and was assigned to be the personal slave of one of the top ranking generals. Though her mother didn’t really like him she treated him with kindness and like a person rather than just another general and he eventually fell in love with her.

“Yes, but it doesn’t seem complete” replied the man next to her, he was a familiar face, an old Cometine general that had decided not to join in Trelania’s reform plan, General Gorse. He had been on the flag ship with Zordar and the others but didn’t go with Trelania; he transported himself into another space.

“Oh, but it is, or at least that’s what he says.” Victoria told him as she pushed a strand of her dark brown hair out of her face.

“Yes but he says a lot of things doesn’t he?” Gorse said as they entered the main throne room. “It almost makes you think…”

“He might be lying…about many things.”

“And WHY is that Miss. D’Avena?!” Said a familiar voice from behind.

“Huh?” Gorse and Victoria turned around to find their leader at the door, he was a man from a different world, which had come back after many years, he was Gamilon and now Comet ruler Desslok, from his position he headed downward and sat upon his new throne.

Victoria bowed to him “my apologies sire.”

“Accepted” Desslok told her “now how are the fleet preparations coming along.”

“Well sir” Victoria started “we should be ready to dispatch in about a week, we’d move faster but we just don’t have the efficiency.”

“And why is that?”

“Low on workers sir” Gorse explained “the rest will arrive tomorrow.”

“Good, once they do inform them that they must begin work immediately and step up the pace!”

“Dully noted sir” Victoria nodded at him.

“Right, Gorse you’re dismissed, Victoria come here.” Desslok stated.

Gorse left and Victoria approached Desslok, taking a seat one of the chair’s arms. “What is it?” Victoria purred as she looked at him, she figured that playing cute at times might help her here; she figured that if she could win Desslok’s favor it would help her move higher on the scale…even if she didn’t agree with him on a lot of point

“Dear Toria, I ask of you a favor.”

“Hm?”

“I ask that you come see me later, I need your help with the fleet.” Desslok said as he lifted her chin up with one of his fingers.

“And if I don’t oblige?” Victoria asked.

“Oh you will” he stated as he moved his finger down her neck, when he removed it she got down and walked off.

I’m still not sure what to make of that one’ Desslok thought as he watched her go off.

“That man is strangely mysterious” Victoria whispered under her breath. “But interesting…”


0809 Hours…


”Misako!”

“Huh..?” Misako’s eyes immediately became flooded with light, and an image came into her mind…”Mama?”

“Yes, Mama. Now get up!” Trelania said as she shook her daughter awake.

“What?!” Misako shot up “Why? What’s wrong? Is Dad on the ceiling again?”

“No, we have to help your father, the ship takes off tomorrow, I told him that’d we help with inspections.”

“Eh...No!” Misako stated as she lay back down.

“Okay then…” Trelania said as she walked out, she stood outside the door and held her hands out, using her powers to drag Misako out of bed.

“What the hell?!”

Once Misako was out of the room Trelania threw her on the floor in the hallway. “Hi” she said.

“Why?” Misako asked.


Much later in the afternoon Misako strolled the halls with Setsuna, Astra, and Akira, they were supposed to be on inspection but they headed to the outside deck instead.

“Misako? What are we doing here?” Akira asked.

“Because…there’s something out there” Misako stated quietly.

“Huh?” Akira looked at Setsuna and Astra.

“Misako…can sense things.” Setsuna told Akira.

Misako…can sense things? What’s she talking about? I know Misako has powers, but now she’s psychic? I…I thought I knew her…and now…’ Akira thought as she watched Misako get up on the railing, as she sat there a breeze came by and blew her dress and hair slightly to the left. “Listen…” she stated.

“Why? We already know what you’re going to say” Astra told her.

Setsuna kicked her.

“Hey!”

“I know, but Akira doesn’t, you seem I’m sensing something out in space, maybe nothing, maybe a new enemy, I’m not sure.”

“Really? You know Invidia-mama did tell me you had some freaky feeling and that you were going nuts, she also said that your family was a whole bunch of freaks. She said that a lot in a whole bunch of wordings, then Dad told her to take a bath and she shut up…” Akira told them.

“That woman has a serious problem” Astra stated.

Akira glared at her.

“She does! Misako could be right!”

“Or she could be a freak who’s trying to trick us all!” A familiar accented voice said from behind.

“Invidia-Mama?”

“Invidia! This could be real!” Misako told her.

“Yeah, it’s real, as real as my empire ever coming back!” Invidia snapped, then she walked off.

“WHY is she here?” Misako asked as she slid off of the metal railing.

“My father told her to come and look at her room-they re-did it…” Akira told her.

“I don’t like her right now.”

“That makes two of us…” Astra told her friend; Akira glared at the both of them.


Part 2: Argo! Launch into Space!

Somewhere in the Andromeda Galaxy

2nd Comet Empire City, Desslok’s Palace

2300 Hours: Earth Time


That night Victoria stood outside on the balcony outside her quarters, she held her hands on the railing as she looked deeply into the space-streaked sky. ‘I don’t know why but I have this weird feeling. I mean, what if this empire falls through? What if…the Argo returns?!’

Victoria!”

“Huh?” she turned around and found Desslok looking at her.

“You know, it’s not natural for a woman to be out this late alone.” He stated as he joined her at the railing.

“Well you did have me with you for hours after dinner while you droned on and on about our preparations…you know that wasn’t what I thought you wanted when you said to meet you!”

“I did tell you what it was for did I not?” Desslok asked as he placed his hand over hers on the railing.

“Don’t touch me” Victoria pushed his hand off. “Now, I know you said that, but normally that’s not what people mean when they way it the way you did! I’m not saying that I wanted what I thought you were putting out, but next time specify BEFORE I make a move to slap you.”

Desslok looked at her “Now onto my original question-what are out doing out here?”

“What does it look like, I’m thinking, I mean what if the Argo comes back and the Empire falls-again?”

Miss. D’Avena! Are you questioning my way of running things?” Desslok snapped at her, and she knew he was mad; he only called her ‘Miss. D’Avena’ when he was mad at her or if they were surrounded by diplomats from another planet at a conference.

“Yes.” Victoria told him “The Argo did signal handedly take down the Gamilon and Comet Empire, then they helped you…and what do you do? You turn on them. Why? So you can once again rule your own empire and try to take them over, let’s face it no matter what you still have resentment for Earth.”

Miss. D’Avena.” Desslok stated sternly “I do not appreciate nor do I accept those kind of comments.”

“Can’t yell at me for telling the truth” Victoria told him as she walked back into her room.

She’s a mysterious one…I’m sure I’ll get to know her better later on…If she ever stops arguing with me…’


Ship Dockyards

Wednesday, March 16th 2220

0405 Hours: Earth Time


The sun wasn’t out yet, but the Star Force was, to check the ship one last time and take off.

Derek stood on the deck of the ship with the rest of the crew, the all looked up at him and Nova in the familiar stance-except for the select few (Cadets mostly) who just slumped tiredly. “All right we have 1 hour and 55 minutes until take off, I want all of you checking the ship one last time, once we take off the cadets will report to their assigned areas for orders, the rest of you know what to do, dismissed.”

As soon as he finished the groups went their separate ways, well some of them did.

“Astra, Astra, Astra!” Setsuna said to her, in an attempt to get her tired cousin off her arm. Halfway through Derek’s sentence Astra had sort off dozed off and was now leaning on Setsuna.

“Leave her” Ryou said as he approached her in a blue and white Star Force uniform.

“I would but I can’t move this way.”

“All right then” stated a quiet voice from behind.

“Huh?” Setsuna turned her head to see Misako of in the corner.

“Hi” she stated.

“Hey” Setsuna and Ryou told her.

“Now what’s your idea?” Ryou asked.

“This…” Misako held her hands out and gently moved Astra off of Setsuna and placed her on the ship’s deck. “Now we wait for Nova to get her, or for her to get up whichever happens first, I really don’t care, let’s go.”

Setsuna and Ryou shrugged and followed Misako into the ship.

A couple minutes later Astra got up-but why was she on the deck?

“Damn you Setsuna!” she said then went to go find her cousin; it wasn’t her fault she had gone to sleep! Nova did wake her up at 3 AM.


Damn you all! Damn you all to hell!’ Invidia thought as she walked down the ship’s hall with Arty, she was tired, annoyed, and definitely NOT happy. ‘You people bug the crap outta me! You make me get up at 3AM, then drag me on this ship and now what?!’

“You look pissed.” Arty stated.

“Of course I am!” Invidia snapped “You did get me out of bed at 3 in the morning! What the hell were you thinking?!”

“I was thinking that we had to go through a lot to get you on this ship and that you should appreciate it.”

“I’m thinking that you should shut your mouth and tell me what the hell I’m supposed to be doing!”

She just needs a nap…’ Arty thought while Invidia glared at him.

“Look, help us now and do what you want later” he said.

“No!” Invidia stated firmly “I’m not going to help, it’s not my job and never was. Maybe if you could order people around better you get the cadets off their lazy asses and make them help you!”

“Aw, you’re just tired” Arty said as he lifted her up.

“No! Put me down!”

“Nope.”

“Don’t you say no to me!” Invidia snapped as she struggled to get out of his arms “I am a Princess and your superior! You can’t do this!”

“Actually you’re my wife-and I can…”

“Put me down!”

“I don’t think so…” he whispered. As he did a small breeze from his breath grazed Invidia’s neck.

His breath is so cold...colder than usual’ she thought, then looked up at him with a tired but loving look in her eyes, he smiled at her. ‘Wait…No! Snap out of it Princess!’ Invidia thought before she gave him a hard kick.

“Ow! What the hell?!” Arty said as he finally dropped Invidia-hard.

“Okay-that hurt, and I’m mad at you now.” Invidia told him as she stood up, the she pointed down the hallway “Get the hell out of my sight! Now!”

“Gladly!” Arty said, as he left, he never understood how Invidia went from loveable to evil within 2 seconds. ‘I have preparations to overlook…’ he thought as he headed into the Black Tiger’s hanger. But what he saw was NOT what he wanted, instead of helping most of the cadets were just sitting around. ‘This is not good…’ if he ever wanted to teach them something they had to be willing…this was not willing…


1 Hour, 55 minutes later

0600 Hours: Earth Time


”All right, everyone prepare for take off!” Derek stated as he entered the bridge via his descending chair. “Has everything been checked?”

“3 times over” Mark informed him from his station.

“Cadets present and at their places?”

“Most of them are in position, all are accounted for, right” Nova stated, as she looked over at her daughter. Setsuna had been assigned to work with her mother at the radar, and later with her father on flying the fighters and operating the Wave Motion Gun.

“Yes mother” Setsuna told her, it had been her job to do a last minute count on all the cadets present.

“All right then, I checked over the rest and we’re set. Flood the underwater docks” Derek ordered.

“Flooding the launching dock” Sandor stated as he pressed a button on his control panel. He watched for awhile as the dock’s data came in. “Water level at 20 feet.”

At his post Orion Jr. watched the level’s rising form his post. “The ship’s starting to float. Now at 20 percent buoyancy” he stated.

After a couple more minutes Sandor reported again “Water level is above the navigation bridge.”

“All hands prepare for take off!” Derek stated.

“Flooding operation completed” reported Sandor once again.

“Okay, let’s go” said Mark “release the gantry lock.”

“Locks released, now activate gyro stabilizer and accelerate slowly to 2.8.”

“Okay, engine power to point six” Mark ordered.

“Engine power up to point six” Orion Junior reported.

With that, the ship started to slowly move away from its post, out the water gate and into the vast ocean.

After a couple second the engine report came in “Wave Motion engine energy charge one hundred Percent, star the fly wheel” Orion Junior ordered.

“Ten seconds, countdown starting” Mark said. “Te…” he stopped for a second and noticed a hand on his own, he looked up and found Setsuna looking at him.

“May I?” she asked.

Mark smiled at her and nodded.

Setsuna made her way back to her own station and started “Ten, nine, eight seven, six, five, four, three, two, one, wave motion engine contact…”

“Now” Mark finished, as the engine started as the ship drifted out of the water and into the sky. After they were out of the water he gave a second report “All clear, trim for cruising speed, main wings open.”


Meanwhile…

Somewhere in the Andromeda Galaxy


”You see these readings don’t you!” Victoria snapped as she threw a whole bunch of papers at Desslok.

“Yes I do.” He stated.

“This isn’t good! According to General Razela’s report the Star Force is taking off! What are you gonna do if they interfere with us?!”

“Calm down Victoria” Desslok ordered.

“No! You know very well that if we run into them we’re as good as dead! They have successfully brought down two of your empires! Or did you forget that?!”

“That’s ENOUGH Miss. D’Avena! I understand the situation!”

Victoria glared at him, she wasn’t gonna take this, even if Desslok was her leader. “No you don’t! I’ve heard of what they did! Even if they are supposedly allies they’re going to attack if they find us!” she snapped.

“I know that, and if they interfere we’ll have to attack, I have a plan. And it’s not really your concern Miss. D’Avena.” Desslok told her.

“Yes it is! I am your lieutenant commander, I command the fleet! I tell them where to go! I feed them information about the enemy I…”

Victoria! Enough! You know your place!”

Victoria growled under her breath and turned her head the other way. ‘Okay I’m done playing cute! I’m not gonna let him do this, he’s too demanding! I don’t care if I’m under his orders! I’m not gonna agree with him!’


Space Battleship Argo

0800 Hours: Earth Time


Later, Misako was having her own doubts, she stood in her room staring out the porthole, well technically it wasn’t her room, she had to share the room with Setsuna, Astra and Akira. ‘This feeling…it’s getting stronger. I know there’s something out there, there’s just gotta be…’

“Misako…Akira to Misako…what’s up?”

“Where’d you come from?” Misako asked, she hadn’t seen Akira earlier and still had no idea why she came.

“Uh…my mother’s room” Akira told her “why?”

“Oh, sorry, I just didn’t expect you to come.”

“My father made me this time, so I’m here.” Akira informed her.

“What’s your job anyway?” Misako asked.

“I don’t have one, but Nova said I could help out with the kitchen if I had the time. I’m not gonna have the time…” Akira muttered the last part to herself as she looked at Misako.

Misako smiled at her, she heard her. “Anyway, have you noticed anything weird going on around here?” she asked.

“What?”

“My feeling is getting stronger, I know there’s something out there, I just know it…”

“Try telling that to Invidia-Mama, she doesn’t believe you, and she thinks you’re a freak.”

“Pleasant Woman…” Misako stated with a sarcastic tone.

“Hey! She’s not always evil!” Akira informed her friend.

“Yeah…When she’s asleep!”

“Hey! I think she looks cute when she’s asleep!”

“Yes, because she’s not talking! Or being insulting! Or any of the other things that make her evil!”

“You know what, I’m out” Akira said as she walked out the door, she didn’t want to turn it into a fight, and besides she didn’t like it when people insulted her family. ‘Oh, Invidia-Mama…that reminds me…the rest of my stuff is in her room! I have to go!’ she thought as she ran off down the hall, ignoring the fact that the floor was moving.

After a couple minutes she came to the end of the hall and silently slipped into her mother’s room. Invidia’s room was added so that she’d have a place to be on the ship, it was as big as the room back at the apartment, it was designed in almost the same way too. Curtains and bed covers done in an elegant dark red color most of the time, at rare times they were navy blue, depending on when Invidia changed the room around.

“Okay…” Akira muttered to herself as she entered the room, the first thing she noticed was that Invidia had thrown her dress on the floor when she had changed earlier.

She’s either lazy or just too tired to bother with anything…’Akira thought as she looked at her sleeping mother, she was so cute! Akira smiled then glanced around the room, it reminded her so much of her home…‘Wait! Stop dreaming!’ she thought as she shook her head. Then she sighed as she got on all fours and crawled over to the closet that held her bags.

“Why are you crawling?”

“Huh?” Akira looked up and found Astra behind her.

“Never mind that! Just help me!”

“Fine” Astra sighed and picked up two of Akira’s bags. “But seriously…why are we crawling? I mean she sleeps like she’s dead….”

“Not all the time…” Akira told her as they silently left the room.


When Akira came back to her room, Misako had regained her original positioned at the window and was staring out of it with a blank look on her face.

“What’s with the blank look?” Akira asked.

“I don’t know she looks like Astra in the middle of a study session” Setsuna stated as she entered the room.

“Hey!” Astra glared at her, she hated it when Setsuna said things like that-even if half of them were true.

“You can’t get mad at me for telling the truth…”

“True…”

Akira looked at the both of them “Can we get back to Misako now?”

“Misako does what now?” Misako asked as she finally noticed the other girls in the room.

“Misako explains why she’s been so distant!” Astra told her.

“It’s nothing…really” Misako lied.

“You sure?” Akira asked, then she switched her voice to a more serious tone “I mean, after what you told us the other night I’ve been wondering if you truly know something…I think you do.”

“I...I…” Misako didn’t know what to say, she knew Akira could be quiet and serious but not that serious or observant.

“When did you get so intelligent?” Astra asked.

Setsuna kicked her.

“Stop doing that!” Astra snapped at her as she held her ankle.

“You know, she’d stop doing it if you would stop making stupid comments” Akira informed her.

“She’s right you know…” Setsuna nodded.

Astra muttered something to herself and turned the other way; she was tired of having everyone against her!

“Anyway…” Akira looked at Misako “do you sense anything getting closer? Or anything coming…?”

“Well I…” Misako stopped and immediately looked out the window with a distant expression. “It’s strong…really strong. Something’s coming…and fast…”

“Huh?!” the others looked at her in shock; Misako was being a little scary…


Part 3: The Enemy Arrives! Target: Argo

Middle of the Milky Way galaxy

General Razela’s Flagship

1000 Hours: Earth Time


“You understand the measures…right?” Victoria asked Razela.

“Yes” he said as he looked back at the image on the video screen.

“Good! Now don’t stop until they are destroyed!”

“Yes Ma’am” Razela said as saluted to her.

Victoria nodded at him and cut off the transmission.

I really don’t understand her…But she is the commander…and no one said I have to understand her orders…just follow them.’ “All right! Head out!” He ordered.


Meanwhile, on the Argo Setsuna sat with Nova, while they watched the radar, and Nova explained how things worked.

“Uh…Mom? Do you seriously think we could be attacked? I mean it’s been months-no, YEARS since the last attack.” Setsuna asked.

“Setsuna, you never know what could happen in space, that’s why you always have be on the look out, so that you can….” Nova’s voice trailed off in Setsuna’s mind, she tuned her mom out and continued to look at the radar, after a minute she thought she saw something blinking on it.

“Hm?” she leaned over and looked at it more closely-something was there! She took her mother’s arm and brought her down to face the radar “Mother! Look!”

Nova blinked and looked at it-she saw nothing. “Setsuna, there’s nothing there…”

“Yes there is!” Setsuna snapped “right there!”

“Huh?” Nova blinked, she was surprised with her daughter’s tone, but more so with what was on the radar… “You’re right…Derek! Unidentified vessel ahead!”

“What?” Derek was slightly confused, he was pretty sure that there was nothing in this area…

“Yeah look!” Eager said as the image came up on the video screen.

It looks so familiar…’ Arty thought as he looked at it. (He had come on the bridge to inform Derek of the Black Tiger’s training.) ‘Wait a minute…I know I’ve seen that before..’ Arty began to ponder…then he realized where he’d seen it before! He bolted from the bridge and into the kitchen, where Invidia was sitting with Akira.

She looked at him “Oh, Hi Arty” she stated.

“You-Come with me!” He said as he grabbed her arm and ran her into the bridge, just as the first shot was fired. “Now what the hell is that?” He pointed at the video screen.

Invidia studied the ship for a minute. ‘It looks like…No it can’t be!’ “That ship’s Cometine!”

“Huh?!” They all looked at her.

“C...C…Cometine?! You gotta be kidding!” Setsuna told her.

“No! I recognize the design! It’s Cometine! I know it!”

“But…How?” Homer turned to face her.

“I don’t know…either some other race stole our ship designs, or there’s been collaboration for another Comet…”

“A…A New comet?!” Derek asked as he studied the image.


Meanwhile on Razela’s ship, he sat and watched as one of his fleet’s ships approached the Argo. ‘It’s not doing anything now…’

“It doesn’t seem to be attacking…” Victoria said as her image came over the video screen. “You ordered an Attack right?!”

“Uh yes…but…”

“No excuses! Attack!”

“All right…all right.” ‘God! She’s a pain! I don’t know why Desslok bothers with her!’


“Do you seriously think there could be a second Comet?” Setsuna asked as a series of shots was fired from the enemy carrier.

“We can worry about that later! Nova! Do we have a bead yet?”

“About 24 megameters from us, more are coming too, there’s 3 of them.”

“What?” Derek looked at her and Setsuna.

“They’re bearing 30 degrees to starboard, and speed, 15 space knots and accelerating!” Setsuna finished.

“But why would there be Cometine ships? I thought we destroyed the comet years ago…” Mark asked.

“Hey! Shut up!” Invidia snapped “As long as I’m still around the Comet’s still around...in spirit…”

“Invidia enough!” Arty said “Go back to your room we have issues….” He stopped as the ship was racked by another set of shots from the left.

“I’ve got a bearing on the fleet!” Eager reported “All guns, track to 30 starboard, elevation angle, maximum.”

“Fire!” Derek ordered.


“What the hell is going on?!” Razela asked as his ship shook from the Argo’s blast.

“They’re fighting back!” One of the men told him.

“That’s was not part of the plan!”

“Yeah well Victoria says a lot of things! She knows very well that it’s possible for them to fight back!”

“Just forget it! Fire the missiles! And send out more planes!”


“There’s a wave of missiles approachin’ from the right! A big wave of missiles!” Eager reported.

“And 6 planes on radar!” Setsuna reported.

Derek turned to Arty “Arty! Tell Conroy to launch the Black tigers!” Arty nodded and ran off; he grabbed Invidia as he ran.

“No! She stays! She could help us defeat these ships!”

“Fine…” Arty muttered as he ran out.

After he left Derek turned to Invidia “What’s the easiest solution to this?”

“Just keep firing! If we try to weaken them individually first we’ll have a better chance for bigger fire later!”

“So there’s no kind of imitate weakness?” Setsuna asked.

“Not that I can remember…”

“All right then! Main guns! Open fire!” Derek ordered.

Meanwhile, in the black tiger’s hanger, the tension was rising among the flyer-half of them cadets. “All right!” Conroy started “I know this is sudden, but no one said that training was going to be easy! But I know that the academy has taught you well if you’re here! So…Hardy, Jefferson, Weston, Banks and Rivers! Head out!”

Arty, Hardy and the three cadets nodded, then headed out on their planes.

“Remember the procedures you learned and stick with them!” Arty ordered the cadets.

“Right!” One of them replied back, his name was Samuel Weston, he was known as a goof off when not in training, but he was actually very serious when he had to work.

“Each of you take a different ship!” hardy told them.

All 3 nodded and headed their separate ways.


“Two of our carriers have been shot down!” One of the officers reported to Razela.

“What?!”

“They’ve launched the Black tigers! I guess they figure going after the carriers individually helps!”

“Where would the get such and idea?!”


“Strike on both sides!” Invidia ordered.

“Right…” Conroy nodded and gave the orders, he was on the bridge to get the orders for the black tigers; Derek had told him that Invidia was giving orders on how to destroy the ships.

After an hour and a half of fighting they had taken down 3 carriers, and 2 planes, leaving 4 planes, one more carrier and Razela’s flag ship to handle.

“That thing is huge” Setsuna said as she watched the video screen.

“It looks huge, but it’s really not, there’s got to be a weak spot somewhere…”


“Try taking out the main guns!” Samuel ordered the other two cadets.

“Right!” both responded at the same time as they split up to hit and confuse the ship.

“All right! You three weaken the ship! We’ll take on the planes!” Hardy ordered through the helmet’s communicator. As he and Arty sped toward the 4 Cometine planes.

“This is for daring to show your faces to me again!” Arty stated as he shot 2 missiles at one of the planes, sending it plummeting into space and into another plane.

“Wow…” Nate Rivers said as he watched both ships explode into a pile of rubble.

“Yeah! Go to hell bastards! You’re race is supposed to be dead anyway!” his friend, Nicholas Banks shouted.

“Hey!”

Banks cringed as Arty’s angry yell came in his ears.

“First of all, my wife’s Cometine! Watch what you say! Second of All this is NO time for celebration! Do your job!”

“All right, All right” Banks muttered under his breath, he had heard that Arty could be strict, but not this strict…

“Stop mutterin’ and Start flyin’ before you get killed!” Hardy ordered.

“Right!” Banks replied as he shot 2 more missiles into Razela’s ship with Rivers following.

“If we’re lucky we can take them down all at once!” Said Samuel as he hit the ship with a series of short range shots, damaging the ship and startling the men inside…


“We have to retreat!” One of them shouted.

“That would probably be the best option…” Razela said.

“But what about Desslok and Victoria?”

“Who cares?! We’re at a loss now! Warp out!” Razela ordered, and in a minute the ship disappeared.


“They warped out…Cowards!” Invidia snapped. “It I was giving the orders I make them fight to the death!”

“Be quiet would you!” Derek said “We won! That’s the end of it! Sandor how bad is the damage?”

“Not that bad. Only minor repairs are needed, we’ll get to it right away.”

Derek nodded. “Good…”

“Hey dad?”

“Yes Setsuna?”

“What does this mean?”

“I don’t know…”


Part 4: The Mystery of the Cometine Attack

Space Battleship Argo

Invidia’s Room

1745 Hours: Earth Time


“Invidia-Mama come eat would ya?” Akira said as she entered the room.

“Later!” Invidia told her.

Akira sighed and looked at her mother; she was sitting on the bed with a bunch of Cometine diagrams around her. “What are you doing?” she asked.

“What does it look like?” Invidia snapped.

“It looks like you’re studying Cometine ships again…”

“Right! I just can’t figure it out! They only remaining diagrams are here with me!” Invidia stated as she picked up a blue folder full of various sketches that she had.

“Doesn’t Uncle Zordar have some?” Akira asked. (Akira and Ryou call Zordar this because calling him ‘Grandpa’ makes him feel old)

“You think he’s conspiring against me?” Invidia asked “Once I did hear him talk about having a son for an heir! Do you think he…he’s trying to kill me?”

“Boy you’re fast to conclusions” Akira said as she sat on the bed. “But I don’t think he wants to kill you, he loves you…”

“Yeah right…” Invidia muttered.

“If he really wanted a son for an heir do you think he would’ve cared for you all these years after your mother died?”

“No” Invidia told her. “Unless…he was just using me to replace Mama! No wonder he never dated again!”

“You’re nuts…”

“Shut up Akira, just go! I’ll figure this out…”

“Fine, but when you decide that you don’t wanna starve, everyone’s eating dinner.”

“Yeah, yeah” Invidia said as Akira left, she wasn’t paying attention. ‘There’s something wrong, I just can’t figure out what!’


You did what?!” Victoria barked at Razela when he returned to the Comet.

“We had to warp out! They were gonna destroy us!”

“You are a COWARD!” Victoria raised her voice as she gave him a hard slap across the face. “What did I tell you before? You have to stay and fight until you’re bloody, beaten and dead! You’re lucky I don’t shoot you!”

“Miss. D’Avena you don’t understand! They were going to kill us!”

“Maybe they should’ve! You’re a bunch of useless cowards!! You can go to hell!”

“Vic…”

“Don’t call me by my first name! You have no right!” Victoria hissed as she left the room.

“She is a pain” one of the officers told him.

Razela glared at him “you think?!”

“No need to be hurtful.”

“Shut up…I don’t know why we talk to her anyway! All she wants to do is bark at us and tell us what we did wrong.” Razela muttered under his breath.

“Isn’t that her job?” The man asked him.

Razela glared at him again “If you know what’s good for you you’ll shut up! We shouldn’t have approached them yet anyway…It’s just not tactical, now they know we exist.”

“So? How are they gonna find out what’s going on?”


0105 Hours…


”Invidia! Stop with the research and come to bed!” Arty told her as he got up for the 3rd time that night.

“No! I’ll figure this out!” Invidia snapped as she worked with the computer.

Arty sighed, she was so stubborn…”Jut give up! You’re not gonna figure it out!”

Invidia glared at him “Yes I will!”

Okay she’s had one to many cups of tea…’ Arty thought as he watched her, Invidia didn’t drink coffee because the generals used to give it to her when she was younger and it made her crazy…But she was just as bad with tea… “Look, give up for now, this isn’t healthy you know.”

“Who cares?! I will figure this out! You just wait!”

“You will figure it out tomorrow!” Arty stated as he picked her up.

“Hey! We’ve had this conversation before! Put me down!”

“No! Because if I do you won’t go to sleep!”

“Put me down!” Invidia snapped as she grabbed one of his hands and bit it.

“Ow!” Arty hissed as he dropped her.

“Thank you!”

Okay I guess we’re gonna do this the hard way…’ He thought as he snuck back over.

“Don’t even think about ….”

Invidia didn’t finished he grabbed her wrist and hit her pressure point-hard.

“Ow! Losing feeling! Losing Feeling!”

“Now are you coming with me?”

“No!”

Hmm…’ he dropped her arm “Never mind then…” Arty gave up, he was tired and he didn’t wanna bother fighting with her, if she wanted to stay up all night she could, he didn’t care.

After he went back to sleep Invidia studied the computer some more ‘I’ve scanned this whole area…there’s nothing within range…this is just weird, really weird. There’s got to be something somewhere! A new race, a new empire, a new planet! Anything! If only we could extend the scanner’s range!’


Early the next morning Misako had her own searching to do. She knew she had been right, but she didn’t know who or what was out to get them.

“Morning!”

“Huh?” Misako turned around.

“Sorry did I scare you?” Setsuna asked.

“No, just startled…”

“What are you doing up so early anyway?”

“I couldn’t sleep, you?”

“Orders, All of us cadets have to be up and ready to go by 0600.” Setsuna explained “my father wants to teach us responsibility.”

“You don’t need to learn it…” Misako told her.

“Huh?”

“Astra does!”

Setsuna covered her mouth and laughed silently “I know…”

“You want me to come with you? I don’t have anything to do…”

“Fine” Setsuna said as she left the room.

As they walked down the hall Misako noticed something in Invidia’s room, she ignored it at first, but halfway down the hall backed up and went in.

“What are you doing?” Setsuna asked.

“Just go! I’ll be there soon” Misako ordered.

“Okay” Setsuna left and Misako went over to the desk. Invidia had fallen asleep while working last night and had her head on her arms, which covered a bunch of Cometine ship diagrams, there were about 20 more scattered about.

How long did she stay here?’ Misako asked her self as she rifled through the diagrams ‘and why does she have these?’ She picked up a couple and looked through them; they were well detailed and scaled. She put them down and studied the information on the computer; the screen had several more diagrams and scans of the current area. ‘I don’t get it, why does she need these? Is she…I mean are we looking for the same thing?!’

“Misako?”

“Huh?” This time Arty was behind her. “Oh, sorry I was just curious, I mean…”

“It’s all right, I know you’re as baffled as we are. And you’re trying to figure out why there’s Cometines in this area”

“Right, but how did you…?”

“I took a guess.”

“And…?” she pointed to Invidia.

“She’s looking for the same answers. She doesn’t understand it either, she spent the whole night studying old diagrams and scans, I’m assuming she crashed somewhere between two-thirty and four AM.”

“Did she find anything?”

“I don’t know, ask her later.” Arty told her as she picked Invidia up, being careful not to move her around too much and wake her.

“Okay.” Misako told him as she left, after a couple minutes he followed and she went back in. ‘Okay let’s see what she’s got here…’ Misako thought as she began to type. ‘Diagram, diagram, scanning, theories…I don’t see much…my powers are a better source than this! But it helps…’ She continued to study it. ‘I wonder…is there a way to extend the scan? I mean if we could see outside of this galaxy it might help us to see what’s coming… whatever it is…I wonder if Mama might know something…’

To be continued with Episode 4…