Trigun Fan Fiction ❯ Under the Five Moons ❯ The Son of a Preacher ( Chapter 22 )

The rain still fell outside of New Seattle. In the small clinic, eight people had gathered to hear Vash and Wolfwood speak.

"…And that's it I guess. The whole miserable tale." Vash said, slumping against the table. "I can't rest, I can't live a normal life until my brother is stopped."

"Any questions?" Wolfwood asked.

"The hair?" Meryl said. She was sitting on a couch next to Nikki, who was clutching a pillow to her chest.

Vash reached up and touched the black patch in his hair. "Oh, right. The hair. To be perfectly honest, I'm not entirely sure what it means, but here's what it is as far as the doc and I could figure it. Energy."

"Energy?" Lelia asked.

Vash nodded. "Energy. Plants, at least free-walkers, only have a limited amount of energy, represented by the hair color. When it's all used up, it's over for us."

"What uses up the energy?" Meryl said.

"That's the thing, I'm not entirely sure. It isn't just living, I mean I have to eat and sleep to live just like humans. I'm starting to think it's just for special things. Calling the Angel Arms, for instance, uses up energy, depending on how powerful you make it. I think my brother used up a great deal of energy regenerating his body. And I'm thinking maybe… I used some of it when I made Nikki."

"So what are you saying Vash?" Wolfwood asked. "That every time you and Meryl-"

"No no, it's not like that. I wanted to have a kid, I really did. And that's what used up the energy, when Nikki was made."

Roger rubbed his temples. "So she only got pregnant because… you wanted to have a kid?"

"I think so. Yeah, I realize that it doesn't make sense."

"It makes sense to me," Meryl whispered.

"Well than what about Nikki?" Jeremiah asked, "Her hair has been getting blonder and blonder after the Jenora thing."

Vash shrugged. "I just don't know. Maybe she's got less energy then me, but she can regenerate it. There's an awful lot I don't know about my own biology, hell I don't even know if I'm immortal if I'm going to die of old age one day. Nikki's biology is even more of a mystery."

Calamity was sitting on a chair in the corner, wrapped in a blanket. "Is that everything?" she asked softly.

"Not quite."

A man stepped from the shadows. A man dressed in a gray bodysuit, with a blindfold over his eyes. "There is still one thing you do not know."

Vash's hand started to stray near his gun. "And you would be?"

The man put his arms at his sides and bowed. "Raifen the Shadow, formerly of the Gung-Ho Guns."

"Where's Zarlina?" Evans asked. He was sitting in a chair next to the couch, staring at the ceiling.

"At the hotel. I thought it safer if we do not make our presence too well known. Both sides would gladly kill us on sight."

"Relax everyone," Evans said. His gaze was still locked on the ceiling. "He's trustworthy now."

"Can we trust your assessment of that, Evans? Of who's trustworthy or not?" Vash asked.

Evans shrugged. "I just said that he was trustworthy. I never said that I was. God knows I can't be trusted."

Raifen shook his head. "Enough of this, there is no time! Vash, do you wish to know what your brother is really up to? What he is truly planning?"

"Isn't he trying to make me see the world his way? Just like last time?"

"No. That is just a side plan. He feels that if recent events haven't convinced you, then nothing will. This plan is the culmination of his hatred, his rage. He will finish the job he started a century and a half ago. He will kill all of mankind. In one, single, swift stroke. He will destroy everything."

Wolfwood frowned. "How? He can't possibly have that power!"

"Himself? No. A single Plant lacks that much power. But combined together? Imagine what could be done with multiple Plants, working together!"

"You can't do that," Roger said. "It's physically impossible. The Plant Engineers have tried everything and failed."

Raifen shook his head. "Not so. There was a way. We were searching for a new world when we crashed on this sandy rock. And we brought the tools to change the world, in need be. Specifically, a tool simply called the 'Terraformer'. A machine that can combine the power of multiple Plants, allowing for amazing things."

"And what does Knives plan to do with this machine?" Vash asked.

"He needed a way to selectively kill the humans while harming as little else as possible. In his mind, only the humans had sinned, and only they should be punished. So he made a virus. A nano-machine virus. Tests indicate that it could kill a human within a minute. This is where the Teraformer comes in, because with the power of enough Plants, he could scatter the virus around the world within a matter of… I believe he said twenty minutes. It doesn't matter if a vaccine could be created for the virus or not, because there won't be time for it to be found. Every human being in the world would be dead."

Silence. Vash leaned against a table for support. Wolfwood sat on the table, reflexively reaching for a cigarette before Millie slapped his hand.

"I ask for purely academic purposes, but how many of those 'Teraformers' where there? Just one?" Wolfwood asked.

Raifen grimaced. "No. There was a back up. I stole the first from a ship infested by vampires. They're all dead now. The back-up is stored in what was Sky City."

"Sky City, oh my God. That's why they were there. That's what Danil was after." Wolfwood reached for a cigarette. "Rules be damned. I need a smoke after hearing this."

When he saw that no one was about to stop him, he pulled out the cigarette. Evans pulled out a cigar, cut off the tip with a cutter on the table, and produced his lighter. Flicking it on, he and Wolfwood lit their cigar and cigarette in the flame.

"Where does the virus come from?" Jeremiah asked.

"From the nano-machines in the bodies of Johnny the Bladestorm and Calamity Shriver. Of the families Martinez injected the machines into, only the Shriver family's have matured enough to make a virus from."

Calamity shrugged off the blanket and pushed up the sleeve of her shirt. A small needle mark was in her upper arm. "They… they took my blood."

"This… this is it. This is the end of the world type stuff. This is Armageddon, this is Ragnarock, the End of Days, whatever," Nikki said. She clutched the pillow tighter, as if trying to gain some support from it.

Jeremiah looked up, "Hey, how do you know all this? Raifen? Raifen? Where did he go?"

The ninja had melted into the shadows, his dishonor in some small way atoned for.

"Now what?" Meryl asked.

"Sleep," Lelia said. "Sleep, sleep, sleep. It's three in the morning, we've all had a very tiring day, and we need sleep. We'll talk about it tomorrow."

Everyone stood up and started to leave the room, save Evans and Nikki.

"I'll go up later," Nikki said.

Lelia nodded. "Alright, you can take the room at the end of the hall. Evans?"

Evans shrugged and continued to stare at the ceiling. "I'm not tired, I may just stay up all night."

"Alright, good night both of you."

"Are you sure it's such a good idea, leaving her with Evans?" Vash asked as he unbuttoned his coat.

Meryl pulled on a borrowed nightshirt. "You don't actually think he's going to try to kill her again, do you?"

Vash removed his shirt, revealing to Meryl that had gained more scars in his time away. "I don't know. I just don't think it's a good idea."

Meryl crept up behind Vash and hugged him. "Was it a good a idea that I fall in love with an immortal? That I have a child with the most wanted outlaw on the planet?"

"But that was different."

"Was it?"

Wolfwood sat on a chair and continued to chain-smoke.

"What's bothering you Nicholas?" Mille put leaned over the back of Wolfwood's chair.

"Nothing honey. Go to sleep."

"Is it about Danil?"

Wolfwood shook his head. "More of a personal problem. I know I should be worried about Danil, but it's all I can think about."

Millie frowned. "You're… you're not worrying about whether I still love you, are you? Because I do."

Wolfwood stabbed his cigarette out in an ashtray Roger had found for him. "No no, it's not that. I know you still love me. Believe me, the feeling's mutual."

"It's Jeremiah, isn't it?"

Wolfwood nodded.

"I don't think I can help you on that one. I mean, that's something you two have to work out for yourselves, isn't it?"

"I dunno. I've been told quite a few things about that kid from different sources. I guess I didn't know what to expect. I certainly didn't expect to see me with brown hair, that's for certain."

"I could tell you the truth!" Millie said brightly.

Wolfwood smiled. "What's the truth, big girl?"

"The truth is that he's a good kid. He's brave, he's good. He's loyal. He's got faith, he looks after us. He's your son. Every inch, your son." She hugged him around the neck.

"You should go to bed," Evans said. "You might have had the most shocks and revelations over these past couple of days than any of us. What with your… biology?"

Nikki nodded. "I always knew I was different. That I wasn't entirely human. I never imagined I was half Plant. Could I be put into a bulb?"

Evans shrugged and stubbed out his cigar. "Why would anyone want to? Go to bed, banish those thoughts from your pretty little head."

Nikki shook her head. "No. I don't think I can sleep. I'm like Calamity, I guess. I don't really want to be alone right now."

Evans lit another cigar. "Well, I'm not sleeping tonight. I don't think it's safe for me to sleep tonight."

"I'll watch you, if you stay up with me," Nikki said as she curled up on the couch.

"Can you stand me smoking cigars all night?"

"I think I can live with it."

"Time to go, Zarlina."

"What now, Raifen?"

"I don't know, I just don't know."

"We should help them."

"Why?"

"Because we're human, just like they are. We may be different, but we're still human. This concerns us as well."

The new day began pleasantly enough. The twin suns peaked over the horizon, their rays flowing over New Seattle, its reservoirs swelled by the rain of the night before. It was a good morning, by all accounts.

Private Johansen turned to Corporal Winston. "Corp, how do we do this? How does one act in front of the daughter of a legend?"

Corporal Winston strode up to the door of the clinic. "With respect Johansen. With respect." He knocked on the door. "Dr. Harker? It's the Cavalry ma'am! We need to talk to you about something?"

The sound of feet coming down the stairs, then the door opened to reveal a tired looking Lelia in a bathrobe. "What is it?" she asked, "is there something wrong with my father?"

Corporal Winston chuckled. "No no, nothing like that. We were just wondering if you had seen your brother lately?"

"Over here boys," Evans called from inside the house.

Lelia stepped aside to let the soldiers in. They found Evans lounging in the waiting room of the clinic. "Well well, Johansen and Winston. What's new back at the fort?"

Johansen and Winston saluted. Evans returned the salute.

"Where's Nikki?" Lelia asked.

Evans nodded up. "She fell asleep about an hour ago, So I took her up to her room."

"We have your new orders, sir. They were given to me with the precise instructions that they were not to be read until I found you," Winston said. He tore open an envelope, removed the paper from within, and began to read.

"Lieutenant Evans Braxler. You are hereby under arrest for the crimes of murder and treason. You have the right to rema… what the hell?"

Privet Johansen looked over his shoulder. "What in God's green heaven is this? This is ludicrous Corp! You can't do this!"

Winston shook his head. "I refuse to! These charges are obviously false! No one, not even Major Allenby could doubt your dedication!"

Evans stood up and dusted himself off. He shrugged. "Such is life boys. Go on and take me. I'm sure it'll be sorted out back at the fort."

"Sir, I cannot do this! I can't bring in a superior officer in on bogus charges!"

"Oh come on, your loyalty is inspiring, but it's not worth risking your positions over," Evans said as he reached for his hat."

"But sir-"

"Don't 'but sir' me right now Winston, I am not in the mood. Whether the charges are real or not does not particularly matter to me right now. All I know is that it's safer for everyone if I am in your custody. You are no longer being told to do this by the piece of paper you have in your hands, you are being ordered to do it by a superior officer. Is that clear?"

Winston folded up the paper. "If… if you say so sir. Do you want to get anything before we leave? Your sunglasses maybe?"

Evans shook his head. "I think I'm done wearing the sunglasses for now boys." He turned to Lelia and removed his dog tag. "Hey, give these to Nikki when she wakes up," he said, handing them to her.

Lelia closed her fist around the tags. "I'll call Dad. He'll get this all straightened out. These are ludicrous charges."

Evans shrugged. "Eh, whatever. The world's ending, right? It doesn't matter if I get out or not. Maybe we're better of if I don't." So saying, he strode out of the clinic, his jailers jogging to catch up with him.

Wolfwood stepped out of the door to his room and looked around. He heard a door close and turned to see Vash leaving his room. He grabbed him by the shoulders. "Vash! I need to talk to you."

"If it's about the doomsday devices, I haven't come up with any bright ideas."

Wolfwood shook his head. "No, not that. It's about Jeremiah."

Vash gently pushed Wolfwood away. "Sorry, I can't help you there. I'm not going to play group therapist for you two."

Wolfwood nodded. "I know that, I just want to know where he is!"

Vash stared at the ceiling. "Er… after he found out that Evans had been taken away, he decided to go out for a walk. I think he was heading northish."

"Evans was taken away?"

Vash nodded. "By the Cavalry. On the charge of treason I believe."

Wolfwood shook his head. "Honestly, things never could've been worse."

"That's exactly what Jeremiah said."

By some strange happenstance, one of the churches in New Seattle was built across the street from a car dealership. The church had raised no end of fuss over the car dealership being there, but the mayor of New Seattle had suddenly found a fruit basket with a large bag of money in it in his bedroom one day and suddenly figured out which side of the debate he came down on.

To make up for it, the mayor had funded many improvements for the church. A new pulpit, new paint on the roof, and benches in front of the church were among the many things the mayor's "generosity" had made.

It was on one of the benches that Jeremiah T. Wolfwood sat, his Cross Punisher leaning against the wall next to him, staring at the car lot.

"Mind if I sit here?"

Jeremiah looked up. A man in a gray coat stood before him. He wore his hat low, so that all that you could see of his face was his nose, mouth, and beard.

Jeremiah grunted in affirmation, and the stranger sat down beside him, dropping his bag to the side. "Thanks amigo. A body needs to rest for a while after all that travelin'."

Jeremiah glanced sideways at the stranger. "You a traveler? Why? On the run maybe?"

The man laughed. "Oh no. I've had a little trouble with the law before, but I'm a free man now. I'm just wandering the planet, taking in some of God's wondrous creations."

" 'God's wondrous creations'? Have you actually looked around this planet lately?"

The stranger laughed again. "Oh, I don't know. I find that everything God creates is wonderful. Even the darker things. I mean, you gotta use some real dark colors to make a beautiful picture. What we're going through right now on this dusty planet? That's just a swash of dark blue on the Lord's canvas. But hey, even in the darkness, you kind find a few light hues. Just look over there," he pointed off to the right.

Jeremiah continued to stare at the car dealership, until the stranger smacked him in the back of the head. "Boy, will you quit staring at that motorcycle? It's a fine bike, but I'm trying to show you something!"

Jeremiah rubbed the back of his head and looked to where the stranger was pointing. A father, with one child on his shoulders and another the mother's side walked down the streets to the ice cream parlor.

"See? Ain't that a nice sight? A happy family?"

Jeremiah shrugged. "I wouldn't know, I was missing part of the happy family bit."

"Well that's too bad. What didn't you have? No mother, no father? Just an unhappy family?"

Jeremiah laced his fingers behind his head and leaned back, staring at the sky. "No father. All my life I have no father, just a continuing succession of father figures. Then suddenly he comes back into my life… and he's not at all what I expected."

The stranger's lips curled upwards. "Well of course he ain't. We can never expect what a person's gonna be like."

"Yeah, it's just that, well, I've heard so many different accounts of who is. Some of them conflicting. Some say he's a saint, some of 'em say he's a murderer. And I just don't know which to believe."

The stranger's grin grew larger. "Well it's a lucky thing for you that I chose to sit here, amigo, 'cause I can tell you exactly which story to believe." He leaned forward and turned his head to Jeremiah. "Believe none of them. Those stories are just that, stories. They aren't all true. So don't believe any of them at all. Meet the man yourself, and make your own decision, free of the bigotry of others."

Jeremiah frowned at the sky, then looked at the stranger. "I guess… that's one way of looking at it."

"It's worked for me thus far. Well, I'd better get moving, my bus is leaving soon." The stranger stood up and shouldered his bag. "I'll see ya around, Jeremiah." He started to walk away.

"Hey, wait a minute!" Jeremiah called after him. "How do you know my name?"

The stranger looked behind him. "I knew you before you were born, and I'll know you after you die. I'm the greatest friend you'll have in this world, but for now, I must simply remain a stranger." He then vanished into the crowd.

Jeremiah stared at where the stranger had stood. "Who the hell was that?" he muttered to himself. He turned back to the car lot and continued to stare at the bike.

Nikki turned over, mumbling slightly. Everyone had left the house on some errand or another. Even Lelia had stepped out for a few minutes to head down to the pharmacy.

Nikki, still tired from trying to stay up all night, was content to try and sleep. She clutched the dog tags Evans had left tightly and turned again, trying to find a comfortable position on the couch. A sudden noise in the front room woke her. Her eyes flew open and her hand flashed down for her gun. Before she could reach it, however, a wet rag covered her mouth. She tried to fight, but her assailant was too strong. The last thing Nikki saw before she fell unconscious was dark gray fur and a mouth full of teeth.

Jeremiah heard a thud by him as something heavy hit the ground beside the bench. Wolfwood slid into the bench next to him. "Do you always carry that everywhere?" he asked.

"You do," Jeremiah responded.

"Touché."

Jeremiah shrugged and continued to stare at the car dealership.

"That's a nice bike," Wolfwood said.

"Yeah, it is," Jeremiah responded.

"I kind of like that one next to it," Wolfwood said, pointing to a plainer motorcycle.

"Why? It's not as nice."

"Well, you've got more freedom with that one. You can customize it as you see fit. The other one has everything already built in, so you can't really make it yours."

"Yeah, I heard that you liked to fix up old bikes."

Wolfwood shrugged. "It's a hobby."

"I've heard a lot of things about you," Jeremiah added. His eyes still locked on the motorcycles.

"So have I," Wolfwood said. "Last night, after talking to your mother, I decided to find out for myself."

"Yeah, I reached that decision myself a little while ago."

"I guess… I'll start by apologizing for my behavior back on the bus."

Jeremiah leaned back and turned to Wolfwood. "Well, I guess we must be related, because I acted like a jackass as well."

Wolfwood put out a hand, and Jeremiah took it. As they shook hands, Wolfwood asked, "Yeah, how did that work out between you and that girl? Calamity was her name?"

"I think she's forgiven me. I hope to God she's forgiven me." He dropped Wolfwood's hand. "So what have you heard about me?"

"Conflicting things. Mostly that you're just like me. Which honestly scares the hell out of me, because I'm not that great a person."

Jeremiah shrugged as he leaned back into the bench. "I dunno, mom seemed to think you were a really great person."

"Yeah, well you're mother's the sweetest human being on the planet. I guess it was an attraction of opposites. The sweet girl to the bitter priest, the big kid to the man who never really had a childhood."

"Heh. Well, I seem to have gotten your disposition in a way. I dunno, maybe it's because everyone always told me I was just like you, I sort of felt that I had to be you, ya know?"

Wolfwood shook his head. "That's ridiculous. You shouldn't want to be anyone you aren't, least of all me."

Jeremiah shrugged. "That's how I saw it at the time, at least I see that now. Of course, the problem was I didn't really know who you were. Mom had her view, but like you said, she saw you through rose-colored glasses. So I pieced together what I could from her description along with what Vash and Meryl said. I tried to follow that for a while, until I found Danil."

"Oh God, what did he tell you?"

"He told about your days with the Flock. About your training under Chapel the Evergreen. About you being a traitor, and doubly so. I guess I tried to follow that path for a while, but I don't think that was your path; it was Father Danil's. And I couldn't walk that bloody path for the rest of my life. And now…" he stared up at the sky. "Now I don't know what path I'm walking. I'm still searching for a path."

Wolfwood buried his head in his hands. "It's all my fault," he said softly.

Jeremiah shrugged. "It wasn't entirely your fault. I imposed it on myself to an extent. Now… I just need to find the right path, I guess."

Wolfwood leaned back and stared at the sky as well. "You know, I had a tough time finding the right path as well. A spiky-haired idiot had to show me the right path. Hell, even that spiky-haired idiot had help. He only found his path with the help of a short-haired, pushy insurance girl."

"Your point?"

Wolfwood leaned forward and put his hand on his knees. "My point is that it's very difficult to find your own true path by yourself. We all need a little outside help. If you'll just give me a chance… maybe I can help you to find your path. To make up for not being there, for not being strong enough to survive."

Jeremiah closed his eyes and smiled. "I told you, that wasn't your fault. I don't blame you for that."

Wolfwood's mouth turned up into a grin. "Humor your old father, eh? He's just trying to look out for his son after all."

A scream echoed through the town. Both men leapt to their feet, instinctively reaching for their Cross Punishers.

A crowd of people rushed down the street, streaming past the two tall men.

"Did I hear them screaming about giant metal spiders?" Jeremiah asked.

"I'm afraid so," Wolfwood said and his flipped the clasp on his Cross Punisher. Jeremiah followed suit.

Jeremiah's eyes started glowing. "I see 'em. Holy shit, what are those?"

"If they are what I think they are, they're hunks of lost technology guarding crashed ships. No idea what they're doing out here though."

"Open fire?"

"Open fire."

Jeremiah hit a few switches on the side arm of his Cross Punisher. Wolfwood reached into his breast pocket and pulled out his sunglasses.

"Showtime," they said.

And both their Cross Punishers spat fire at the oncoming robots.

Lorand the Gearhead, one of the few remaining Gung-Ho Guns, stood on a cliff overlooking the hill and smiled. The Guardians were performing excellently. His flipped open a panel on his right arm and checked the signs of all the Guardian robots. The ones on the east side of town were encountering some trouble. He'd have to see if someone was putting up an adequate defense

"How's it going?" Johnny's voice said behind him.

Lorand turned around, then leapt back in surprise. "Whoa! What happened to you?"

Johnny scratched the new scar on the other side of his head, the twin to the one he had received at the hands of the soldiers so long ago. "What, the scars? Punishment for failure, I thought Legato would've told you."

"Ummm… no. I was talking about your arms."

"Oh this! Yeah, this is part of the punishment too. No big deal." Johnny held up his arms. All over the forearm and bicep, metal studs poked through the skin.

"But… how?"

Johnny tapped Lorand in the forehead. "The nano-machines, Lorand. Don't ask me how, but they've integrated the metal into my skin. Doesn't 'cause a problem at all. Hurt like sonofabitch though. Anyway, how are the Guardians holding up?"

Lorand blinked a few times, then warmed up to his favorite subject. "Beautifully, they're rolling over most of the resistance the town is putting up. There is some trouble on the East side, not sure what that is."

"I believe that that's where Jeremiah and Wolfwood are. But no matter. Is that the control for the Guardians?"

Lorand nodded and showed the large box like controller to Johnny. He was about to explain to Johnny about the controls when a low growl interrupted him.

"Ahh, that'll be Blayne," Johnny said.

"Blayne?"

A tall, sleek figure appeared climbing the hill. At least eight feet, four inches high, it was a creature of muscles and fur, despite its slim build. A long protruding muzzle and pointy ears completed the figure of a wolf that walked like a man. She, for it was definitely female, if nothing else could be told about the figure, had a girl slung over one shoulder. A wolf trailed at her heels.

"That's Blayne? That mindless creature is Blayne?"

Blayne stopped and gently placed Nikki on the ground. Her golden eyes regarded the man with disdain. Creature Lorand? Maybe. Mindless? Certainly not. I'm almost insulted in fact.

Lorand took a step backwards. "What the hell?"

Johnny shrugged. "She is related to Legato. Is her telepathy that surprising?"

"But… how… with the fur… and the fangs?"

Johnny grinned. "Should you tell him, or do you want me to do it?"

Blayne stepped forward. I'll tell him. Haven't you ever wondered, Lorand, how I was able to talk to the wolves? What exactly it was that Martinez did to my ancestor's genes that gave me these powers?

"I dunno, I never really thought about it!" Lorand said. He took another step backwards.

"Maybe you should have, Lorand. It's quite simple. Martinez is interested in shaking up the natural order of life. He feels it's become too complacent, which is dangerous for everything. Take the werewolves for example. Too easily destroyed but silver, dangerous, mindless beasts."

So what did Martinez do to solve this? Simple. He made a better werewolf. Me. He had some geneticists fool around with the werewolf DNA, injected it into me Legato's ancestor along with the psychic genome code, and the result stand before you. I had to have the Master's arm grafted onto me before my full potential could be reached, but now I have reached the pinnacle of my power. Isn't it beautiful?

Lorand chuckled nervously.

Oh, one more thing I must tell you. It's from the Master. "Thank you for all your hard work, Lorand. But I'm afraid we no longer have any need of your services."

"What? But… but I can control the Guardians!"

"Master Knives showed me how to do that before we left," Johnny said. "We really don't need you any more."

Lorand stepped fearfully away from Blayne and bumped into Johnny.

"I don't know why you're so afraid of Blayne," Johnny said as he raised his hands. "After all, how much cybernetic metal have you put in your body?"

Lorand raised his head slightly, his eyes blazing fire. "Don't touch… my work!"

Johnny chuckled. "I wouldn't dream of it Lorand. I'm just going to kill you." He flipped out a knife and threw it at Lorand's neck. Lorand gurgled, then fell limp. Johnny let him fall and picked up the dropped controller.

"Why did you bring her guitar along?" he asked.

A whim, Blayne replied.

"Oh. Whatever."

Jeremiah and Wolfwood found themselves surrounded by robots. "Don't you have any special ammo in that thing for this?" Wolfwood asked.

"Er… not really. I wasn't expecting to have to fight robots. Ever. Can't you use your RPG launcher?"

"There might still be people in those buildings. I'm not a bout to risk a stray blast demolishing one of 'em."

"Well… now what?"

Electricity crackled along the five of the robots and they fell to the ground. Calamity appeared behind them, electricity arcing between her fingers. "I just can't leave you alone for a second, can I Jeremiah?"

Jeremiah laughed as he shot another robot. "I take it you've forgiven me?"

"For what?"

"For, ough!" Wolfwood had elbowed him in the ribs.

"Shut it, kid!"

Another robot went down from a stun gun bolt, while seven others flew down from gunfire. Vash, Meryl, Millie, and Roger appeared on the horizon. It didn't seem to matter, though. For as soon as the robots started falling from their barrage, they started to retreat, sliding out of the city.

Piercing laughter came from the rooftop of the church. Everyone looked up to see Johnny standing next to a large wolf-like figure that had Nikki slung over its shoulder.

Jeremiah, Wolfwood, Millie, and Roger sprang to Vash and Meryl, straining to hold them back.

The Master sends his regards, Vash the Stampede, and assures you that he will take excellent care of his little niece.

Johnny waved to Calamity. "Hiya again Clarissa."

Clarissa glared. "Don't call me that. My name's Calamity now."

"Aww, you don't want to be my little sister Clarissa any more?"

"I stopped being your little sister a long time ago, Johnny. Just like you stopped being my older brother."

Johnny laughed. "So much for our little family then."

Let's go.

Johnny nodded, and the two disappeared behind a steeple.

Jeremiah: I heard a story once. About the first Cavalryman, James Braxler. Three years after we crashed on this rock, he took up a gun and banded together like-minded people to protect those who could not protect themselves from the bandits and the wild sandworms. The Cavalry tradition started long before the Federal Government came into being, and its fine tradition has survived down to this day, in the form of General Phillip Braxler, commander of all the Cavalry Special Forces, and his son, the rising officer Lieutenant Evans Braxler. At least, I hope it has. God I hope it has. Next Chapter: The Soldier.