Editing Vandread Volume 1 Chapter 2 (section)

===Part 3===

Regarding the progress of the battle, it was obvious that the female pirates of Majere had the advantage. With the group of destroyers having completely withdrawn from the front the Ikazuchi was currently exposed. Although they had just managed to launch a number of Bangatas from the ejection hatches on the Old Warship Section, they were unable to seize the Mejerian Dreads, and were just barely able to cling to the dreads and fruitlessly pound on the solid armor. From the start, they were weapons that were developed for land based assaults so this was only natural.

The most nimble among the female pirates’ dreads was one with a white fuselage that was mowing down the Bangatas that popped up in front of it.

‘Ahn……mou! These guys are irritating!! Meia, what should we do!?’

Inside this abrupt complaint was broadcast over the communicator.

“Don’t mind the small fry! All fighters, lock on and target the mothership!!”

‘U……understood!!’

The one on board who was called Meia’s face was unclear since she was wearing a strange protective piece of clothing that was affixed to her face, but judging from the conversation it seemed she was the leader of the battle group. As the sparkly white airframe made a sharp inversion that stripped off the Bangatas and sent them flying into space debris, at that moment she suddenly started rushing towards the Ikazuchi’s rear catapult. She was one who possessed considerable ability. Other crafts followed behind her as though there were being pulled along.

Unaware that the female pirates were steadily beginning to board the ship, Hibiki Tokai was as yet still in his cell. However, having a strong competitive spirit for better or worse, Hibiki, who carried the special skills of a mechanic, and having managed to extract the Hi-Type Number Six’s code, had been attempting to remove the beam shield on his cell.

‘BI……BACHIBACHI!’

He had become skilled at rewiring circuits by hand. Thereupon, together with a small electronic sound, the magnificent shield was turned off.

Seeing that Hibiki showed a broad toothy grin of satisfaction as he said, “Hehe……roughly what I expected,” and as he regained his usual tone, he carefully leaned out of his cell and surveyed his surroundings.

‘PI……GAGA……VU~~N……’

At that sound Hibiki suddenly turned his head around, where the Hi-Type Number Six that ought to have ceased functioning was vibrating as though it was struggling. Seeing that Hibiki suddenly stopped moving, and seemingly having thought of something he grabbed the Hi-Type Number Six and carried under his arm as he broke into a run. Perhaps he did so because he felt some ‘familial connection’ towards the machine. Even though he liked to talk big, he seemed to have a warm disposition.

 

As she was charging towards the catapult a countless number of shells were fired at Meia’s Dread . As one would expect from attacking the main unit the Ikazuchi’s guns were firing away furiously. However, the Dread team of Majere didn’t flinch in the slightest and continued to charge straight at the catapult.

The trailing Dreads efficiently destroyed the airtight shield generators that were on either side of the catapult. The Dread team with Meia’s machine as vanguard stormed the interior without hesitation.

And then all of the Dreads simultaneously emitted white smoke. This did not mean they had been hit, for what they had purposefully emitted was an ‘antiseptic’. Just like how on the men’s planet of Taraak they had permeating propaganda stating that ‘Women eat innards’, this was the effect of a similar purposeful manipulation on Majere. What had been even further implanted in their heads was the  image that, ‘Men are a mass of germs. You will get sick if you touch them,’ and while some may say that’s simple, for them who were women this was sufficient to disgust them.

Starting with Meia who was the leader, all of the pirates were equipping uncouth protective gear that was covered with pipes.

 

Before their eyes was the ceremony hall that had been so lively until just recently that was now filled with white smoke. Of course, there wasn’t anyone moving in the room with the exception of the bust of Gran Pa.

“UHII~~! *geho, goho*……”<ref>Coughing sounds</ref>

The interior where Bart had hidden instantly became a place that was literally pure white.

 

As the alarm resounded fruitlessly in the passageways that had been completely emptied, the red light that emerged from within the smoke hinted at the warship’s future. As he was running through this place Hibiki involuntarily stopped walking in response to the ship’s internal broadcasting.

‘Enemy trespassers in the Old Warship Section! Assemble all hands and proceed to eliminate them!’

“Adversaries……is it!? Since s-something like that is happening, then what about this ship?”

It was at this moment that Hibiki first became aware that he was right in the midst of a ‘battle’.

 

Regarding the hanger of the Old Warship Section that the Dreads that had forcibly infiltrated, it had become hazy due to being shrouded in mist. Reaching the the interior of the warship the hull section covering the cockpit of the Dreads slid back with a grinding sound releasing the airtight seal, and gradually emerging from within part of the bulkheads the ‘women’ covered in airtight clothing made an appearance. They couldn’t be seen due to being obscured by the white smoke, but one could make out the silhouette of their uncouth protective gear which had bulbous protuberances extending from the tips of the shoulders. From their faces there was a mysterious light coming from the searchlights that served as camera-eyes. This was exactly like the image of the ‘demoness’ spoken of in legends.

Regardless of whether the antiseptic they had spread would paralyze one’s sense of balance, the women were dancing through the air as they advanced. Suddenly they stopped as though one among them had signaled something, and they turned and gazed at what was behind them.

“……!?”

The bust of Gran Pa was before their eyes, and Bart who was concealed inside of it involuntarily gulped.

However, the women, having fortunately not yet noticed Bart’s presence, turned around once again and vanished into the smoke.

“Awawawawa……”

No longer able to remain standing due to excessive fear Bart tumbled out of the bust of Gran Pa. This wasn’t unnatural considering this was his first time seeing women. Literally, the his guts instantly relaxing, Bart had just let out a relieved sigh, and then the next moment,

'GAN! GON!! GIRIGIRI, GOOOOO!'

“Eh!?”

As Bart reflexively turned his head around at the strange sounds, a blue Dread equipped with a huge cannon was plunging forward in a manner reminiscent of drunk driving.

“WAH~~! Idiot! Don’t coomme~~!!”

As Bart turned ghastly pale in his panic, the blue Dread plunger into the battlefield that had developed into one of close quarters combat.

“KYAAH~~! SOMEBODY STOP THIS~~!”

Inside the cockpit the one piloting it started panicking herself. Judging from the impression of her voice, she was still a young girl.

‘Dita! What are you doing!? Halt!!’

The transmission that came in was from Meia the leader. The girl called Dita, for some reason, had a mask resembling an old imaginary space alien, the little green man, attached to the face of her protective gear. Also, the entire interior section of the cockpit had space alien and flying saucer mascots swinging around.

“I am trying to stop but it is not stoppiinng~!”

By the time Dita’s voice became a cry, the craft had already long since passed all the way to the forward area of the close combat zone, where both friend and foe leapt back, as it plunged straight towards the barrier wall near the back of the hanger.

“KYAAH~~! I’M GOING TO CRAASH~~!!”

Tensing her body together with a shriek, due to the recoil Dita pulled the trigger in her hand.

‘DOWAA——!’

A flash that was nothing but dazzling was released from the cannon loaded on Dita’s Dread, and the vicinity was enveloped within that light.

 

At  that time, Hibiki had gotten lost in the engine block of the Old Warship Section. In addition to the shocks of battle from all around there was steam spurting out, and with all that being released from the battlefield he had the annoying feeling that his sense of balance was being paralyzed.

“Haa, haa……. Where’s the exit……?”

Carrying the Hi-Type Number Six under his armpit, his expression was quickly becoming cramped. The place where Hibiki was was a large room like a limestone cavern. Although it was not currently in use, at the heart of that place was a large sphere covered with radiators, the ‘Pexis Pragma’, that was filled with a suspicious orange colored light.

If one were the describe the Pexis Pragma in a few words, it was a crystalline mineral utilized for energy systems.

The crystalline body known as Pexis emitted a unique energy when it grew which was utilized to power the system, and since it was a technology used by both Taraak and Majere, Hibiki was not presently astonished by it. However, it was uncanny how the Pexis Pragma had been left here unattended with no one around save for himself.

A low vibration was being released by the Pexis as though it were sleeping as the crystal had grown radially, it having spread to the point that it had pierced all four walls. Thus, each of the branches of the crystal respectively had ducts and cables creeping upon them, which had collected the energy that was generated, and was the system made to control it.

Hibiki was running along the maintenence catwalks that were in this engine block.

“I don’t plan to die in a place like this!!”

Contrary to instinctive behavior, Hibiki had climbed higher and higher and just as he was reaching his hand for the door, it happened. Together with an abnormal sound that came from behind Hibiki, the barrier wall suddenly was melting rapidly and a flash ripped through the engine room. This was the beam that Dita had fired a short while ago.

“W-what’s thiiis~~!?”

Shortly after Hibiki’s scream resounded, the flash enveloped both Hibiki and the engine room.

 

From the captain’s seat in the New Warship Section the Prime Minister’s face was deep in thought as he operated something on the console he was facing. All of a sudden a panel to the Prime Minister’s right marked ‘Emergency Use, Handle with Caution’ opened as a colorful lever rose up from inside.

The captain who had thrown to the floor by the shock of an impact rose to his feet unsteadily. However when he caught sight of the lever, his expression immediately darkened.

“P-Prime Minister! T-that is!?”

What the Prime Minister was tightly grasping was an emergency evacuation use lever used for separating the Old and New Warship Sections. In other words, it seemed the Prime Minister had decided to cut the Old Warship Section that had been invaded by women loose and escape from the battlefield. However, in such a case, the Ikazuchi that was the symbolic warship of Taraak would become something that was no longer the Ikazuchi. It was understandable that the captain would be flustered. Nevertheless, as the corner of the Prime Minister’s grim eyes slightly filled with tears, he muttered a soliloquy.

“We cannot permit the shame of being taken as captives……. We must at least save the New Warship Section……”

At these words an atmosphere of despair began to strikingly drift throughout the entirety of the bridge. They were all thinking of the men who as of then still remained in the Old Warship Section. However, from these men who had been trained to offer their lives for the sake of their country as though it was normal there was no one who opposed the Prime Minister’s decision.

“For the glory of the Taraak Empire!”

As he shouted this the Prime Minister threw the lever that he had been tightly grasping all this time.

 

With a thunderous roar fireballs spread through the connecting sections fastening the New Warship Section to the Old Warship Section. The separation mechanism was functioning, and the joint sections were being blasted apart. As this was ongoing the New Warship Section started to withdraw from the Old Warship Section with cool precision.

From the start the Ikazuchi was created by forcibly linking two ships together. The arm sections of the Old Warship Section were being torn from the entirety of the upper structure to which they had been coercively welded in order for them to separate.

As it gradually separated from the New Warship Section the shape of the portion called the ‘Old Warship Section’ was laid bare. The bridge section gave the impression of a large spade from which an arch shaped gate extended to the spherical section that was the engine block, while from the rear three catapults extended in a fan shape like wings.

Having peeked through the window beside these catapults one of the soldiers cried out in a hysterical voice.

“What!? The warship is separating!”

Hearing that the Bangata Crew of the Old Warship Section began to raise a commotion. This group had sought shelter from the hangar which had turned into a battleground. Among them was also the figure of Duelo wrapped in a pilot suit.

“How could this be! What do expect will happen to us!?”

However, cold heartedly leaving them behind, the New Warship Section separated from the Old Warship Section as it glided away.

 

‘GISHI……GISHIGISHI……’

Dita’s Dread was still experiencing vibrations all over from the beam that had opened up the hole in the bulkhead. Directly below the Dread was a catwalk that was barely held in place by a supply valve, and further down was the figure of Hibiki who had been blown away by the shock. At this point Dita was thrown from her cockpit and thus ended up lying on top of Hibiki who was below.

As though sensing Dita’s weight, Hibiki extended his hand despite being unconscious and pushed up on Dita’s breast.

“……Uguh……Heavy……!?”

Even though his consciousness was as yet still waking up, perhaps holding doubts regarding the strange sensation from his unconscious fingers, Hibiki’s hand was rubbing Dita’s soft breast.

As for Dita whose breast was being lifted, she also began to regain consciousness in response to the strange back and forth sensation.

“U-u~~n……”

“!?”

Hearing for the first that sweet voice that was released, Hibiki suddenly came to his senses. As for what had forced itself before his eyes, that would be Dita’s little green man mask.

“GA~~H! MONSTEEER——!!”

Hibiki screamed. Pushing Dita aside with all his might, he quickly jumped up as though powered by the Pexis.

“W-wait!”

“!?”

Emitting a language he himself could understand, Hibiki involuntarily stopped moving. As he reflexively turning around, having  torn off her protective gear, he caught sight of Dita’s face that was inclined forward, her large pupils sparkling with curiosity and vigor.

“WO~~H! It’s a real alien~~!!”

In response to Dita’s unexpected statement, Hibiki’s movements once again stiffened.

[[File:Vandread vol 1 p73.jpg|thumbnail]]
“A……al, i, en?”

Hibiki was flabbergasted at how unmindfully Dita’s excitement continued to steadily increase.

“Whoopee!! First contact just like in my dreams! I’m Dita Liebely! I have always had an interest in things like aliens and UFOs. Now that it’s come to this, let’s talk about ourselves. Ah, that is……can you understand Dita’s language?”

The entranced Hibiki who had been staring at Dita in a daze finally regained his senses, his stiff face managing to form a smile.

“He, hehe……see you!!”

Quickly saying that, carrying the Hi-Type Number Six rolled up at his side, he twisted around so as to run away from that place. Speaking in regards to Hibiki, in his understanding women made use of black magic to paralyze the body, after which they consume your innards.

“Ah, w-wait just a minuuute——!!”

Having seen this even Dita became flustered and pursued.

“You must be joking! Like I could bear for my innards to be eaten——!!”

“What are you going on about? I didn’t even get to take a picture yet!”

Thus began the strange chase scene involving a ‘man’ and a ‘woman’.

As these two left the apparent jungle gym that was the grove of the Pexis Pragma, strange vibrations began to manifest within the Pexis that should have been dormant up until now. The radiators were trembling slightly, and the light that was visible fluctuated in strength. It was as though it had started in accordance with Hibiki and Dita’s encounter, and that which had been frozen in time seemed to come alive once again.

However, this phenomenon is surely only the beginning of the opening act in this tale.