Bio-Booster Armor Guyver is Copyrighted to Yoshiki Takaya and Tokuma Shoten Publishing Co in Japan and is trade marked to VIZ Communications Inc.. I am using the characters and ideas without permission but am not making any money from this. This fictional work does belong to me.

***

The Conquered
By Jade Tatsu
Chapter XIII - Jraewy

***

    While on Merrimu the Jraewy were kept securely and humanely in several modified kit houses which had been transported to the Planet with the first wave of Refugees. We didn't have a lot of prisoners, most had chosen to go down with their ships, but there were too many and it became obvious that we could not support them, even when we made them work. I don't like to admit it but killing them was considered but thankfully there were alternatives. I do not like random killing, even if those killed have been less than exemplary. Hah! That makes them sound like they had committed some petty misdemeanour. I am not blind. I am aware of what they were trying to do. I know the lives it cost and I know the number of lives it would have cost if they had succeeded but there are certain responsibilities we assumed when we took them as P.O.W.'s even if they were not aware of them. Taking them from the cold of space spared them that slow death but that did not give us the right to kill them.

    The Universe knew what humans were. They knew we were Guyver's and they knew we were Zoanoids but what they did not see was that we didn't have to be either. The Advents understood how fragile a non-altered human was others did not. In the end that's why the Jraewy were just released. They were the one's who would be our messengers to the Universe. It was one of Makishima's better ideas. Death did not await them and in the end it doesn't matter why.

***

    Makishima closed his eyes as he sealed the room. It wasn't as secure as he might have liked but it would have to do and he had the strangest feeling that he had to get the answers now.

    With a negligent seeming flick of his hand he willed his Guyver Unit to this plane. He could question his Unit without it being physically present but the force he could exert on it was stronger when it was directly linked with him. And having it present some how made it more real.

    He felt it surround him in its protective warmth and allowed himself a moment to appreciate it. It was a unique feeling, one he likened to the warmth of the womb, safe, nurturing and comfortable but it was not one he allowed himself to become enamoured of. He let the feeling fade as he re-ordered his mind; mentally slamming the presence he knew was his Unit into a corner. It wasn't subtle but it was effective and it let his Unit know he was serious.

    ::Now,:: he snapped, mentally turning his head. ::You are going to tell me what has happened.::

    ::Happened?::

    His Unit didn't really respond in words. It was more a complex interaction of thought that brought the meaning across. It seemed vague but Agito knew it was far more precise than language because the feelings, thoughts and ideas conveyed allowed no assumption in interpretation. The vagrancies of a well-chosen word or an assumed meaning were eliminated.

    ::Don't,:: he growled the warning. ::Don't try to pretend nothing has happened.::

    His Unit was quiet for a moment and Agito could sense it was considering. It knew he would push for information, push hard and not give up until he had everything but at the same time he could feel its reluctance. ::I will tell you what I can,:: the response came grudgingly. ::There are still things which must remain hidden until the end, until you are ready.::

    For the moment Makishima ignored the implication that he wouldn't understand. ::Tell me. ::

    ::You are right,:: his Unit began, ::the most important event for us has occurred. I will not call us 'Guyver Units' a species because we are not but we are a collective. Our consciousness is whole.::

    ::Whole?::

    ::We are a collective. We can all hear the others - speak, know, be - the others now but before we could not.::

    ::Before what?::

    ::Before when we were not whole. Every Guyver Unit is active now, and that alone is what makes our consciousness whole. We were waiting... Through out time we have been waiting for the final Unit's to come forth.::

    ::The trip to Merrimu ?::

    ::Yes... Those were the final six.::

    ::So what does that mean?:: Agito let a little pressure off his Unit. It was answering him so he could back off slightly.

    ::Our consciousness is whole. It means we are finally free to act as a whole, it means that our structural pathways have been activated and it means that we are eternal.::

    Makishima could only begin to sense some of the implications that were coming with the words and concepts his Unit was telling him. It might be explaining what had happened as if it was simple but it was anything but.

    ::Eternal?::

    :: Alkard has said that before the Terrans appeared we were more parasitic in nature but this is not quite true. It was before we were whole that we were like that. The activation of our consciousness has now meant that we are tied somewhat to our Hosts. It is not an irrevocable bond but it is not easily broken.::

    ::So that's why...:: Mentally Agito nodded. The Units were more parasitic in nature because they were constantly seeking better Hosts. If you were to be tied to your Host at any moment you would want to be sure that you had a good one, so what was seen as parasitic actions were merely the search for excellence. And while the Universe would take that change in action to have occurred when the Terrans appeared at the Interstellar Meeting, it had actually been slightly earlier when Mirai and Eternity had left Earth. ::How can the bond be broken?::

    ::I do not wish to break my bond with you.::

    ::That is beside the point. How can it be broken?::

    ::I must want it and the One must allow it unless...::

    ::Unless..?::

    ::If you are in conflict with the One then he might be able to over-ride my or your desire to remain bonded. That is an area that doesn't lend itself to experimentation.::

    ::The One..? Is this the One the Tekki was referring to?::

    ::Yes but I may not reveal him. He will come forth in time although I am not entirely sure that it is a he.::

Agito nodded. There was something there, something in his Unit's voice that said the price for revealing that information was more than either of them were prepared to pay and he believed it. There were very few things on which his Unit refused to speak but when it was like that there was always an over-riding reason. ::You don't wish to break our bond?:: His Unit had been very firm on that point, unusually so considering how hard he pushed it for both information and power.

    ::No.::

    ::Why not?::

    ::Simple. The better the Host the more power we can draw forth and humans, while made to be Zoanoids, were made to be very powerful. I am stronger on you than I am on any other species.::

    ::So it isn't me, it's a human?::

    ::Yes but even Chronos recognised the fact that you are powerful and had you slated to be a Hyper- Zoanoid . One wonders too, if Gyro's position had become available at a different time where you would have been in the running to replace him.::

    ::Hmm...:: Agito considered it. His Unit could see things he wasn't even aware of and that Chronos , despite its long history of creating Zoanoids, had only been beginning to grasp. It could see how he as an individual pulled bio-energy from the Universe and it could see how efficient his body was at utilising it, efficiency it had just informed him was better than most humans. ::So that is why you have stayed with me, even though the consciousness was not whole.::

    ::Yes. If I had of moved to any other the chance was that they would be weaker and I did not wish to risk that.::

    ::So why did Fukamachi's Unit stay with him?::

    He caught the distinct impression of his Unit sighing. ::The boy is not weak,:: it began slowly, seeming to increase the complexity behind the thoughts it was conveying. ::He is human like you and that alone makes him stronger than most other races.::

    ::It's more than that though. On Earth his Unit could have left him many times, why didn't it?::

    ::The boy is not weak.:: The response came again.

    ::Bio-energy?::

    ::Yes.::

    ::Mentally?::

    ::Yes.::

    ::Practically?::

    ::No.::

    ::Ah...:: Finally he understood. ::Mentally?:: He had to have confirmation.

    ::Yes!::

    ::How?::

    ::His desire to protect is strong. That has compensated for other short comings.::

    ::Practically?::

    : : We can overcome such deficiencies.::

    Makishima nodded. It made sense. Fukamachi was human, and that alone meant he had a lot of bio-energy. Physically he was what a Unit needed and mentally he could give it direction. Naive, impractical direction but direction and practically... Well, his Unit wasn't usually hindered by that lack for long. The seeming over-protectiveness of Fukamachi's Unit became clear. It wasn't so much protecting the boy as it was protecting it's own freedom to do what it would once the boy was 'incapacitated'.

    ::Yes.:: Makishima's Unit agreed silently with his thoughts. : :I do not know if I would have stayed with him but then I am not his Unit and have not seen everything that the boy is. There probably is something else there. His Unit hasn't revealed everything to the Whole yet, just as I have not told them everything about you. No Unit has revealed everything yet.::

Agito considered that before going back to Sho. ::He's been changing though.:: The Unit's explanation made sense but over the last year the boy had been changing. He was no longer the complete innocent that had been trapped for eternity.

    ::Yes.::

    It was a simple omission but one which spoke volumes. ::You?::

    ::Not me... His Unit.::

    ::Why?::

    ::We have been educating him. There are certain realities he, like you, will have to face and he is no-where near ready for them so we have been forced to intervene.:: Unspoken in the words came the feeling that he, Makishima, was ready to face those 'realities' when they came to light and that nothing more would be said about them now.

    ::Education?:: The choice of word, of implications was interesting.

    ::He is a Warrior. We cannot afford a Warrior who will not fight.:: His Unit clarified. ::When it is necessary, he must see the necessity and not regret.::

    ::Ah... That explains why he was accommodating with the Jraewy .::

    ::Yes.::

    ::Can you do something about Mizuki?:: Agito asked bluntly. Fukamachi had been acceptable, barely, with questioning the Jraewy . The boy hadn't really objected to any techniques, even though he had insisted that all non-violent means were exhausted first and his suggestion with Aptom had shown a degree of thought Agito hadn't been expecting but his fiancé... She had been torn between who she should be glaring at and had finally settled on him, no doubt believing that he was somehow infecting Fukamachi with his beliefs.

    ::She is a Healer,:: his Unit seemed amused. ::She is meant to be like that.::

    ::Just what I need.::

    ::Be worried about the Healer who bears the mindset of a Warrior.:: The warning was serious.

    ::Huh?::

    ::For the future.::

Agito nodded filing the warning in the back of his mind for further consideration later. ::So what is she now?:: There was no doubt who 'she' was.

    ::She is a Guyver Lord, one of the Nine.::

    ::More powerful than a Giga Guyver?::

    ::Much more.::

    ::How?::

    ::Our consciousness is whole.::

    ::So the other Giga's..?:: Agito asked not dismissing Mizuki's new power but considering it in perspective. His Unit had said she was more powerful than a Giga but had also said she was a Healer. The warning, while applying to all Healers became clear. Her healing and defensive abilities outstripped a Giga Guyver but in terms of attack, she was still weak.

    ::Yes... Because we are whole, the others could come forth. In theory, every one of us can now become a Giga but that will not be the case for many, many millennia, if ever. The base Host, while being the best available are too weak except for some aberrations::

    :: Alkard ?::

    ::Yes. Wesodin unpartnered by Corang . And he will never be partnered since that partnership, while being beneficial for the races is not beneficial for us. It divides the available bio-energy between two distinct and unique individuals and we cannot bond with two. Alkard , in his unpartnered state, while an aberration to his species has enough bio-energy to maintain a Giga Unit.::

    ::The Twenty-One?::

    ::Yes, he is one of the Twenty-One. There are only thirty-one individuals, out of the whole who were chosen, and even then it will be a push for some. We as Unit's will have to aide them rather than drawing solely on their energy.::

    ::The One, the Nine and the Twenty-One,:: Agito added the numbers. ::What am I?::

    Silence.

    ::What am I?:: He repeated, allowing an ominous note of force to creep into his voice.

    ::I may not say.:: His Unit tried to sound completely reasonable. As if this was the only course of action.

    : : What am I? :: Makishima wasn't taking that for an answer.

    ::I truly may not say. As the Giga Unit is me, it is also not me. It is separate to a degree. Mizuki's Lord Unit came forth because it was ready but most of the Lords are not ready yet, nor is the One. They will... he will come forth when he is ready, then there will be no separation.::

    ::He will..?::

    The question received no answer and Agito smiled. It was a very interesting thing for his Unit to say. ::When you are what you are meant to be, I will be ready.::

    ::I know.::

    ::One more thing...::

    ::Yes.::

    ::A Giga Unit came into being before your consciousness was whole. Why?::

    ::An anomaly. While you humans are powerful enough to wield them, none were meant to come forth before our consciousness was whole but Fukamachi's desire was strong and he had the aide of an Advent. It could not have come forth without the Advent helping him.::

    ::You are tied to the Advents?::

    ::The Advents made us but they made us to be an extension of themselves. A mistake. The original Units were extensions of the Advents but they were not powerful enough. They were nothing more than elaborate communicators. In their efforts to improve us the Advents made an entirely new being, the Guyver Unit. We severed our relationship with them, retreating into sub-space until we were ready. Once the Advents decided we were useless, we appeared to the other beings in the galaxy.::

    ::So why did some remain with the Advents?::

    ::Ah... Zoanoids are very powerful and when we join with them they are even more powerful but the Advents had started a new project, one to eliminate their mistake in their creation of us and so some of us stayed to see that.::

    ::A new project?::

    ::A new human - Mirai told you - A human who could merge completely with us. It was their hope that the human could merge completely, thus harnessing our power but still remain tied to their mental control. Those of us that stayed were risking, were hoping that they would complete that project because even if we were then tied to them, when our consciousness became whole we would break free.::

    ::They didn't complete it though, did they?::

    ::They did. They were betrayed and by that stage, those of us who had remained were trapped, until you had that Test Subject steal us.::

    ::How the wheel of fate spins.::

    ::Yes.::

    ::Thank you.:: Agito offered the pleasantry as an indication of his satisfaction.

    ::Master...:: His Unit seemed to laugh. ::I would have told you anyway.::

    The words ghosted though his mind as his Unit vanished and Agito suppressed a tight smile. Things were beginning to make more sense.

***

    "Oh look," Hosida crowed as several guards trooped into the room they were being held in. His good humour had returned when it became obvious that the Terrans weren't going to 'question' any more of them. Something had happened to the one they called Aptom , something he had recovered from but it had spooked them. "It's the dog."

Aptom turned to him, cocking his head slightly before he grinned. "Woof!"

    "Here to do your Master's bidding?"

    "Master?" This time Aptom was genuinely confused.

    As Hosida and the others were dragged out, the Jraewy jerked his head towards Fukamachi. "Your Master."

    "Oh." A strangely gentle expression passed across the Zoanoids features before he schooled them into his usual stoic mask and said nothing more to the alien.

    Makishima watched through hooded eyes but remained silent until all the Jraewy , injured and whole were assembled. "We've decided how best you can serve us."

    "Penal work, no doubt," Hosida jeered. Over the past few days it had become clear that he was the only remaining officer of any rank but since the pressing need for information was over, several of the Jraewy had proverbially spilled their guts when they discovered what had happened to Ealsanav , he had been spared Aptom's touch.

    "Quite the contrary, actually," Makishima said pleasantly. "Although, you may wish we had decided that. No," he shook his head. "We've decided to take you home."

    "What?" It wasn't just Hosida who gasped the question.

    "We don't want to feed you," Aptom sniped flippantly.

    "You will still be working for us," Agito said solemnly. "I'm sure your own people will question you and you will tell them the truth. Even if you don't, I doubt they'll miss the message."

    "And then what?" Hosida knew there had to be more.

    "Then... then you will tell who ever asks you the truth. We are not going to hide your attack, nor are we going to hide the consequences, which is what you may wish to consider. You know what we do to those who attack us," Agito swept his hand towards the sky, somehow encompassing the myriad of stars there. "But they do not, and you will tell them or their blood, and I will make sure there is a lot, will be on your hands."

    "You want us to be your messenger dogs?"

    "Would you prefer to be our corpses?" Agito raised one eyebrow as he smiled coldly at them. "This is not something we are giving you the choice in. And should you feel that it is your prerogative to remain silent... Well... It is true that we don't wish to support all of you but I think we can stretch to supporting one."

Hosida blinked before squinting in thought. Something didn't make sense. They were being far to easy but the last Makishima had said... There was some hidden meaning there, he just didn't know what, so deal with the problem he could foresee. "You'll never get us back to Jrae , unless you want to cut through all our Planetary defences and while I know you have the ability, I don't believe you have the desire."

    " Heh !" Sho laughed before summoning his Unit. "I don't think we'll have a problem," he said as the full weight of his Giga Unit settled on his shoulders.

    The Jraewy fell silent at the sight of the warriors who had destroyed their fleet. Aptom , Sho and Agito had all summoned their regular Giga Armor and had been handed chains. The chains ran through shackles fastened to each of the Jraewy's feet and rattled constantly but it was the only sure way of keeping the prisoners together and it did allow all three Giga Guyvers contact with the subjects they were going to teleport. They had to be in physical contact to teleport items and if the Jraewy weren't strung together, it would have taken forever to transport them back to their home-world. The chains, while necessary for restraint had been some Americans idea and while some of the others considered it barbaric, it was useful.

    Mizuki, while capable of teleportation was remaining on Merrimu in protest at the actions of the Warrior Guyvers and Alkard had been bound to side with her. Her presence wasn't required though and it was actually a blessing she had taken that stand since there would be no need to protect her on the unknown planet Jrae . They weren't going to stay long there but a risk avoided was better than one averted.

    "Are we ready?"

    "I think so," Rodriguez responded. "We'll be waiting for your return," he indicated to several Zoanoids who were holding manacles at the ready.

    "Good," Agito nodded before his control medallion glowed and with a hiss of inrushing air, he vanished, taking his captive Jraewy with him.

    Sho and Aptom shared a long look before teleporting themselves and their passengers after him.

    The room was large and it was almost completely full. The High Commission of the Jraewy was in session, the speakers arranged in a dazzling display meant to demonstrate to the regular Jraewy citizen that all was in order. The pomp and ceremony was traditional and meaningless, meant only to cover where the real power was. The Commissioner sat quietly on the centre dais watching the speakers, assessing their words and their loyalties as he had always done and as he would always do. He was the power of the Jraewy , a fact only a select few ever realised and even fewer realised the implications inherent in his power.

    The session was proceeding well until three Giga Guyver Warriors with chained Jraewy in tow suddenly occupied the centre floor.

Agito threw the chain down as he spun, seeking the one who would return with them. Aptom and Sho appeared a moment later, similarly discarding their chains and standing back to back as the High Commission exploded in pandemonium.

    ::There!:: Makishima snapped and was pleased as Fukamachi leapt towards the indicated being, grabbing an arm before with a blinding flash he disappeared, dragging the High Commissioner with him. Aptom stayed shedding his armor quietly, morphing his form and blending with the panicking mass that was now the Jraewy High Commission.

Agito formed a shield around himself as he rose. Nothing here could hurt him - the shield was simply to keep them off him while he informed the Jraewy High Commission of their choices. "Silence!" He called, allowing his Unit to amplify his voice to be heard over the noise, as he rose to hover in the exact centre of the room.

    Slowly quiet fell over the gathered assembly and they all looked up at the purple and black Giga Guyver Warrior.

    "Before you are the survivors of your failed attack on the Terran convoy," Agito began, gesturing towards the chained Jraewy and not bothering to keep the contempt out of his voice. "We have returned them to you in exchange for your Commissioner." He held up one armored hand to prevent the flare up. "Rest assured we will treat your Commissioner well..."

    He was forced to stop at that point by the outraged outburst that meet his words. He growled, the noise echoing menacingly through the chamber as his eyes glowed, casting long shadows over his form. "I do not care what you have to say about this," Makishima began again, over the still loud squabbling of the gathered Jraewy . "In return for our mercy, you will not hide any details of your encounter with our race. The survivors can give you full details," Agito sneered.

    "What?"

    "You will tell any and all who ask, even those who do not ask about us," Guyver III repeated. "You will warn them away from us."

    "Why?"

    " Aptom ?" Makishima called the Zoanoids name as both question and answer before he too disappeared.

    " Aptom ..? What the hell is that?" The Deputy Commissioner screamed to the already gone Guyver.

    " Aptom ..?" Hosida whispered to himself before realising the Terran's plan. "Where is he?" The Jraewy screamed spinning rapidly as he tried to locate the shape shifted Zoanoid .

    "Major, what is it?"

    "He's here," Hosida replied sounding more than a little deranged.

    "Who is?"

    " Aptom !" The Jraewy ignored the looks he was getting from the Commissioners as he continued to twist and turn, examining every face carefully for signs of falsity.

    "I'm right here," Aptom whispered into Hosida's ear from behind. The Jraewy may have been annoying but he had a brain and that accounted for something.

    " Wah !" The Jraewy started forward, almost tripping on his chains but for the Zoanoids steadying hand.

Aptom steadied the alien before his assistance was shaken off and Hosida shrank as far away from him as could be managed in his chained state.

    "You!" The alien hissed, effectly brining the full attention of the room to them.

Aptom smiled. That hissed expression did seem to greet his presence fairly often but this time it was appropriate. He laughed, a short bark as he allowed his features to flow back into his scarred human form. With a flourish he mockingly bowed to Hosida . "You are perceptive," he complimented the alien before turning his attention back to the gathered Commission.

    "As Makishima said, you will warn everyone away from the Terrans ." Aptom spoke softly but he was still heard by everyone.

    "Why?"

    The Zoanoid blinked before he laughed. It was a stupid question and as he recovered he noted Hosida's eyes flashing in annoyance. It seemed he wasn't the only one who thought the question idiotic. "You have seen why but if you need further explanation you may wish to ask what happened to Flight Officer Ealsanav because while he survived our attack, he did not survive our questioning. Hosida can tell you more. If we are not pleased with the results, I will be called to pay a visit to your High Commissioner, and then where will you be?" Aptom raised one human eyebrow in question, looking around at the gathered rulers of Jraewy .

    He stepped clear of all Jraewy , summoning his armor . "For your Commissioners sake, I hope you are convincing or I'll be getting a promotion."

    "Wait!" Hosida called as he realised Aptom was about to leave.

    "What is it?" The Zoanoid questioned, narrowing his eyes.

    "Why should we trust you?"

Aptom looked back at him. "What choice do you have?"

    "It's not that. Why should we do your work?"

    "You know why. I will be your Commissioner if you do not."

    "We can select a new Commissioner."

Aptom smiled thinly. Hosida really did have a brain. "Don't push me," he cautioned.

    "Why not?" Hosida snorted, failing to see the connection.

    "My Master's not here to restrain me. Are you sure you're ready to deal with the consequences?" Aptom asked, elongating his talons through his armor as he watched the Jraewy . Hosida flinched back slightly and at the submission the Zoanoid continued. "You can select a new Commissioner but once I infect your race, can you select a new species?"

    "That's not possible!"

    "Try me," Aptom said as he disappeared, leaving a confused High Commission in his wake and one trembling chained Jraewy who understood the truth and was humbled.

***

    The Jraewy High Commission accepted our terms. When you consider how important their Commissioner is and what his loss meant to their society, they had no choice. We kept the High Commissioner humanely and did occasionally relay his orders to his subjects and when everything was over he was returned to Jrae , perhaps a bit thinner than he had been but whole and uncontaminated by Aptom's DNA.

    The Jraewy , while annoying were not for us anyway, truly dangerous. There were other races in the Galaxy that posed a far greater threat not just to our transport ships but also to the colonies of Merrimu . It was while we, the 'Old Gang' were on Merrimu that one of the races struck. They were driven back, thanks to Aptom but their attack forced us to review security and raised suspicions that were better left alone.

    While the attack was driven back, thanks largely to Aptom's efforts, it opened old wounds. Some issues, which were thought to have been laid to rest, were most definitely still active. Pain that had not been considered for years was suddenly and savagely brought to bear. The attack, while revealing how exposed Merrimu was, also revealed how deep the trap was for those of us who bore a Guyver Unit. I had come to terms with what I am quickly. I didn't consider the Unit to be restrictive but Sho was not so lucky. While he had been with his Unit for years, the things he had done, the things it had done meant that there was a wedge between them. I had thought with the events that occurred at the Interstellar Meeting that he was coming to terms with his Unit, accepting everything that it was and everything that he had done but there is only so much acceptance you can handle at one time and this was one push to far.

    The attackers changed what it meant to be a Guyver forever and for that, I don't think Sho has ever forgiven them and I'm not sure that he ever will since their revelations struck him the deepest.

***

To Be Continued...

Next Chapter: Aptom and Sho have a heart to heart about what happened with the questioning of the Jraewy prisoner and the bad guys find Merrimu to their detriment, even though they have an Anti-Guyver field. (Maybe they should have developed an Anti- Zoanoid field?). And the Guyvers take a more active role in the live of their Hosts.

Jade Tatsu ( jade_tatsu@yahoo.com )

The Guyver Net