Reconciliation by Ebonyswanne
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Ken looked at his shoulder again as he approached the base, the water had soaked through his shirt and down his back had been uncomfortable during the drive back to his base. The nurse at the ISO medical Clinic had apologised for spilling the water from the full vase of bright yellow flowers on him during his examination. What was she thinking having a vase of water standing over him? Usually he could handle a slight discomfort like water on his shirt it's just this had a slightly gritty feel to it, he only began to feel it as he entered the base.

Entering the base he made his way to the control centre to meet up with the rest of the team and Kamo who would be briefing them on the latest developments in the war against Galactor.

Joe was sitting quietly with his arms folded and Jinpei and Ryu jumped up as he entered. Jun reached him first, he noted the joy in her eyes and the sweet smile she across her just for him.

"What's that on your sleeve?" She asked frowning.

"The clumsy nurse at the clinic spilt water on me. She was fidgeting with a vase full of water close by while my examination was happening. It feels a bit gritty for some reason as it's begun to dry." Ken said trying to brush the sleeve off. Something sparkly fell onto the table near by. Curious about it he ran his fingers over the powdery substance.

"Odd, why would that be on me?" Ken mused. Kamo had come over in the meantime and he heard the last part of their conversation.

Frowning he picked up some of the shiny dust and examined it closely. "It looks suspicious Ken- she might not have been an ISO worker. I'll send it off to the lab and see what they can tell me about it...and give the ISO headquarters a call to keep an eye on that nurse."

"Good idea Kamo." Ken agreed.

It was about the same time as the emergency lights went on in the base. Kamo ran over to the communications terminal.

"Damn Galactor," Ken scolded. "Looks like they decided we've had to mush rest time."

"Typical, these days they attack on regular basis..." Joe said joining them at the terminal while Kamo brought up details of what exactly was happening.

"We won't let them get the best of us Kamo." Ken promised.

"It looks like its time for you to move out...Ken- I'll have the results for you by the time you get back." Kamo promised." Kamo stood up straight and a smile of approval crossed his lips. "I know you won't Ken."

"Well what are we waiting for?" Jun said urgently running towards the door. Ken couldn't agree more and the five of them changing into birdstyle while they bolted towards their transport elevators to meet the enemy head on.

* * * *

Dr Nambu slowly opened his eyes and gazed out at the striking Mountain View from his office window.

Starring out at the rugged slops of  varied shades dull brown rock face descending into what felt like an abyss, didn't relax his mind the same way their deep ocean bases with schools of passing fish and rarer species that never ceased to amaze him by their bright colours in the dark depths of the ocean. He missed the tranquilly it brought to him on days like today, today he held the recent discovery of what happened to Dyami. Alarmed by the report his hands began to shake again and it fell from his feather light grasped onto the desk. For all he knew the boy might be dead before they reached him. Knowing the location of the Galactor base for the first time the experiment was taking place at- with this new information he had begun entertaining the idea of going himself to rescue the boy rather than send in the team.

He knew he had to tell Ken and Jun yet he dreaded doing it at the same time. What they had done to him would shatter the both of them, and he couldn't afford to have that happen now, not when the war was at its peak and the need for Gatchaman to keep his head straight and focused so critical.

It had be over twenty years since he had run a solo mission, and he wasn't in shape like he had been in the days of his youth, yet this was something close to his heart. For Ken had become his only son over the years. It tore at his soul when Kentaro tried to lay claims on him not long before he died. After all, he'd raised him, not Kentaro Washio to be the man he is today. Dr. Nambu had once tried to adopt Ken not long after his mother died but Kentaro became wild when he found out. Claiming Ken could only ever have one father and Dr.Nambu had no right to try and fill those shoes he had entrusted him only to raise him not be a father to him. Yet he did for many years become a father to Ken...Ken asked if he could even call him dad when he was twelve years old on a day when he looked so lonely Dr Nambu almost backed out of using him for the Science Ninja Team fearing he was softer than he wanted him to be for team leader. Ken later proved he was up to the task. He was tempted to say yes, but Kentaro's anger held him back from allowing him to do so and his need to create a leader out of Ken. So many regrets, and he had little time to rectify any of them with the state of Ken's health deteriorating so fast... 

Kentaro's stubbornness about it had been a bone of contention between them causing him to keep his secret about Red Impulse until he was forced to tell Ken the truth. He knew it was wrong, yet he kept his promise to Kentaro, even though it broke Ken's heart in the end. He owed Ken so much for all the sacrifices he demanded of him over the years. He owed the Ken and Jun for the life he denied them by keeping the team active, if he could find Dyami alive and return him to his family he knew it Ken would have some peace in his life time of war knowing he was safe.

The sound of an explosion made him bolt out of his chair and pick up his phone to call Kamo.

"What's going on?" He asked quickly.

"We're under attack, it looks like Galactor have found us, Ken has some dust on his sleeve, and I only just discovered from the lab tests that it's tracking dust." Kamo replied.

"Get someone in a fighter jet and tell them they have a passenger...me...Get the rest of the pilots in the air we haven't a moment to waste...and notify the Science Ninja Team and get them back here...it was a set up! " Dr Nambu's tone left no room for debate over it.

"Got it..." Kamo said hanging up.

Without a second to lose Dr. Nambu ran up towards the launch bay before any more missiles hit the base.

* * * *

"What's going on here it's like they're just letting us walk all over them..." Joe crossed his arms and slowly shook his head in pure disgust like he wanted the fleeing goons to try harder.

"It has to be a decoy of some kind- those bastards are up to something...They're stupid, but not that stupid..." Ken partly agreed with him. "We'll continue to follow them for all you know it might lead back to a base."

"...Or to that Mecha waiting for us on the crest of that hill." Jinpei jumped in pointing a blotch on the screen much to the surprise of the rest of the team.

"The mighty Swallow does it again," Jinpei proudly puffed out his chest and smugly strutted forward towards the front of the Gatchasparten.

"Does what short fry? We saw it just before you did." Joe's tone turned the Swallows moment of triumph sour.

"Why do you always have to undermine me and take the wind outta my sails Joe?" He huffed, his thin shoulders slumped and in a dejected manner, he strutted back to his seat.

"Oh Jinpei, Joes just teasing..." Jun said smiling at her little brother as Ken told them all to stop fooling around and get to battle stations.

"What's that?" Jun mused..." It's a signal from base." She said looking over at Ken. The light flashed twice and then it was gone.

"Ryu notify them that we're taking on a Mecha..." Ken ordered.

"Sure Ken...that's strange all I'm getting is static..."Ryu frowned deeply while he tried again.

Ken drew in a deep breath. "We have to finish the mission...we'll deal with the communications problem once the mission is over."

"Roger..." Ryu acknowledged and they turned the Gatchasparten to face the mecha head on.

* * * *

"Bring the jet lower." Dr. Nambu ordered the pilot as the fighting had taken on a whole new level. Nothing could stop the flow of missiles hitting the base head on. From his vantage point he could see a lone fighter still miraculously sitting a runway it looked to be his one chance of taking full control of his flight instead of the pilot keeping on the fringes of the attacking mecha and out of direct fire.

"Take me down," He ordered the pilot.

"Dr Nambu my orders are to keep you safe sir. " The young pilot protested.

"I'm you're boss lad, and my orders are for you to land closer to that jet. Now land!" Dr Nambu's tone held a forceful edge to it. The pilot without further argument landed his fighter jet.

Jumping out the jet a few minutes later he could feel the heat of the dirty orange black flames leaping out of Gatchaman base brushing his taught skin as he jumped into the pilot's seat and fired up the engines of the fighter jet. He watched the pilot take off the rejoin the fight only to be shot down as he left the tarmac to become a fireball in an already smoke filled sky. Clenching his teeth released the jets breaks to enable it to roll forward to being his risky take off to join the battle to save the dying base. He didn't have time to dwell on the odds of them winning- his need to fight and win no matter the cost to himself was far greater.

Easing off the runway before another volley of missiles he began to engage the mecha directing pilots as he surveyed the massive metal structure before him. He felt like a bee attacking a mammoth a he released a missile into its armoured hide and only stinging the surface.

The world around him had begun to fall apart. In the midst of battle Dr Nambu for the first time his life felt frozen by the devastation taking place before his eyes and a sense of hopelessness began to emerge from deep inside of him. After all he trained a team to stop a war, yet even they couldn't hold back the tide of Galactor flowing across the Earth.

Looking back at the base he watched his old friend wounded and dying pulling himself from the wreckage. Kamo's usual jolly expression replaced with one of determination. Dr Nambu drew strength from his old friends spirit and he knew in his heart he had the power to end this.

Steeling his emotions he changed his course and headed directly for the mecha in what would appear to other pilots as a Kamikaze suicide run. Ignoring the pleas through his intercom he directed the small fighter jet towards his target- The landing bay of the Galactor mecha.

"Stop your attack and I'll surrender." He said through the communications line he'd opened up with the attacking mecha.

"Well, well, well...if it isn't Dr.Nambu himself." Count Egobossler's shrewd voice came through the intercom.

"Who else would it be, you heard my offer Egobossler..." Dr Nambu's authoritative tone only made Egobossler mock him more.

"Used to running the showing aren't you Dr Nambu...mmm....how can I take a trick like this seriously, you'll need to be a more up front than that."

Dr Nambu didn't have time for this banter, directing his plane he boldly flew straight into the base. "Is that serious enough for you?" He yelled.

"I believe it is...Call of the attack, we have what we came for." Count Egobossler smirked through the intercom.

His initial motivation had been to save what was left of the base and the lives of the people in it. He underlying motive was the information burned to a cinder on his desk. The location of the base, if he managed to escape then he would disguise himself as a goon and go and save Dyami.

Slowly he released the canopy and allowed the rough hands of the goons to drag him out of the cockpit to the fate awaiting him now that he had fallen into the hands of his mortal enemy-Galactor.

 

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