A/N: Yes, I'm still alive. Busier than ever but still working on this fic at least. Even the title of this chapter refers to how I often can't find my writing groove.

Like some of you, especially those who've stuck with this tale for years, I'm happy that it isn't dead yet. Hopefully (and I know I say this a lot, but I sorta mean it this time) I'm able to continue more frequently and eventually finish this story soon.

Uh, and happy 2020, I guess.

Anyway, without further ado, please enjoy the continuation.

CHAPTER 25

Struggle

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Jai was back in the Dita-Base, visibly frustrated. "We got two, but what the hell was that barrier they put up?" He murmured while looking over new data on their display map. It was back to support and reconnaissance while waiting for Vandread Raptor and the advance team to slowly fall back to a rendezvous point near the middle of the battlefield for Phase Two.

"You downed two motherships, Jai," Magno uttered from a nearby communication link, "that's good enough. It's done. Quit fretting about it and move on to the next strategy."

Earlier, even Jura was calmer than he was about the missed opportunity when they were still in Vandread Swan. She had said then, "We did our part, and I dare to say we did well to demolish those two huge ships. I for one am proud of our Vandread Swan's performance."

Jai sighed. "Yes, Boss." He knew Magno and Jura were right; there was no use fussing over what had just occurred, what went wrong, or what could have been. But still...

Dita stopped hammering on the virtual images of their enemies for a while. "That just means Mr. Alien and I have to destroy two of the big ones, and then you and the leader also destroy two of them." She had apparently been paying attention to the conversation, and noticed Jai's restlessness as well.

He smiled back, weakly yet genuinely. "Again, you make things sound so simple. But that's a good thing. I really appreciate it, Dita."

The enemies continued towards Parthus, and Jai continued to monitor the myriad of data constantly streaming from their Dita-Base display. His co-pilot now knew enough to ignore all the complicated details, as she chased down enemies with her EMP mallet.

Every now and then, Jai moved over to one of several com-links he had on standby around the ship, keeping an eye on and coordinating events on the planet surface, on the battlefield ahead, and in the Nirvana. He was most frequently speaking with the hospital group, Ezra and Parfet in particular. Nadya's delivery was apparently underway.

After a while, he announced, "It's almost about time to move to Phase Two, in about five minutes. All involved craft, standby." After a brief pause, he turned to one com-link and continued speaking, "Dita-Base to Nirvana engine room; Pyoro, you there?"

The Droid hovered into view. Parfet was currently on Parthus, so her chief assistant – and Pyoro – were in charge at the engine room for now. "Here, here. I'm continuing to monitor their communication and transmissions like you said, and I've just found something interesting!"

"You noticed too, huh?" Jai replied, moving a couple other communication screens closer so the three were side by side. "Vandread Raptor and Nirvana bridge, I want you to hear this too. Might be a way to keep Parthus safe from the Harvesters for good in case we do win this fight."

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Nadya let out a shrill cry of pain after the 'safe ionizing zone' had enveloped her and Ezra on the hospital bed.

Everyone was stunned for a moment. On the communication link beside Parfet, Jai turned to see what the matter was. "What," he frowned, but stated after a short while, "hmm...bag of waters is now ruptured; we just got there in time. Now, the baby is exposed to the external environment. Thankfully my sensors here show no traces of the infection on her. Good job, Parfet and everyone. Ezra, you'll do just fine to help get it out safely, okay? Keep talking to me, all right? Tell me what you see or feel in case I miss something."

"Yes," Ezra answered. Though she had never actually helped in a birth before, she had seen one being done once on Mejale a few years ago. Jai also gave her a few lessons on how to deliver the infant in the past few days. Any apprehension she might have had about handling the situation now was driven away by her resolve to help her friend and the baby.

The waiting seemed like hours were going by. At the back of her mind, Ezra worried about the fighting with the Harvesters and how their comrades were doing. She was sure Parfet and the other Mejale pirates who were on the planet were thinking the same thing.

Enough time had passed for Jai to temporarily leave the Dita-Base so that Vandread Mecha could have its shot at the Harvesters. He checked in on their com-link occasionally while in his own Vanguard, while also seeing to other events in the battle. Soon afterwards, he announced he was back monitoring the field with Dita. He was looking much the worse for wear, though he continued to soldier on.

Meanwhile, Nadya yelled every time a powerful contraction occurred. Ezra was keeping track of the timing and duration of each, as instructed by Jai. "Very good, keep your hand there and feel for the uterus."

Not long after, Ezra called out, "I can see the baby's head!" hardly able to hide the excitement in her voice. The other staff and scientists watched in rapt anticipation. While powerless to help directly, they had made sure everything that might be needed for the delivery was in the safe zone.

"That's good. There should be enough room there, but be sure to gently pull and catch like we practiced before, okay?" came Jai's reassuring tone.

Ezra nodded, keeping her hands steady and continuing to talk to Nadya with words of guidance and comfort.

At one point during a lull in her contractions, Nadya seemed to come back to her senses. "Ezra," she weakly whispered.

"I'm here, just right here, Nadya."

The mother smiled, "That is good. Please, Ezra, I am asking you again, take care of my child. Come," she beckoned for the Mejale to draw close.

Ezra leaned over and Nadya whispered into her ear. Afterwards, Ezra resumed her original position. She looked like she was about to speak again with the patient, but stopped, looking somewhat worried about something.

And then the labor resumed, more constantly now than before.

Again the moments seemed to stretch on forever until, at last, with a final deafening scream of effort from Nadya...

"The baby is out!" Ezra declared. Then the room erupted in cheers and applause. The child was female.

Jai had to yell in order to be heard. "Shut up, you clowns! It's not over yet!" The jubilation died down at once.

He continued directing Ezra on how to wipe the baby dry, cut the umbilical cord, and also deliver the placenta. She also wrapped the infant girl in thick cloths to keep her warm.

During her preparation of the baby, out of the corner of her eye, Ezra thought she could see Nadya smile down at her, mouth the words 'thank you', and breathe a sigh of relief.

It was only afterwards, as she was preparing to present the baby to the mother, that anyone noticed Nadya wasn't moving at all, not even breathing.

The only sound that remained in the room was that of the child softly crying, taking its first breaths.

It was the first birth on Parthus that so far has avoided contamination. Nadya's face showed she was perfectly at peace.

A sense of grief filled the room. Parfet and a few others looked around and wondered why nobody was doing anything to help, not even Ezra who looked like she was about to burst into tears.

The mechanic turned to the com-link. "Jai! What...?"

He was downcast, but it looked like he expected the outcome. "Nadya insisted on a 'Do Not Resuscitate' order on herself. If at any point she didn't make it, she decided that it was her time. We just had to make sure her daughter lived. I have to respect her wishes. Ezra and Duero know this as well."

Parfet was aghast, even though she understood the situation. "And you all agreed to it?"

"Trust me, it was a situation I wanted to avoid if at all possible. But after...it was...I mean, I'll explain to you and Ezra when all this is over."

Parfet once again looked towards where Ezra was now openly weeping while still cradling the crying newborn in her arms. "You had better."

The next steps were to simply wait until the Nirvana could return to the planet, load the safe-zone setup into the decontaminated environment of the ship, and only then deactivate the ionizing machine.

"Aye," Jai solemnly replied, momentarily taking off his glasses and rubbing the bridge of his nose. "There are some things that just have to run their course. I am also learning that just now. Phase Three is about to begin; I'll have to leave the Dita-Base again for a bit, though I suppose you're mostly okay now there. The battle's not going exactly as planned, so kindly wish us luck. We'll need it."

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"Here we go!" Hibiki exclaimed as his Vanguard was enveloped in a flash of light and Vandread Mecha emerged.

He didn't even let the sudden presence of Dita dampen his mood as the red-haired Mejale landed on his lap with a soft bounce.

They immediately reported in to the Nirvana. "This is Vandread Mecha ready for Phase Two," Hibiki announced, eager to charge full speed ahead.

Magno responded, "We hear you, Mecha. Proceed."

Jai was at another communication link. "Aye. Godspeed, Hibiki and Dita." Meia likewise gave a few words of encouragement from yet another screen.

As their Vandread raced onward, Dita whispered, "Let's do our best, Mr. Alien."

Hibiki needed no more encouragement and let loose a yell of exhilaration as they carved their way through the smaller enemies. Left and right, swarms of drones were felled by each swing of the Mecha's twin blades. And yet still more were converging.

"Ready? Let's do it just like we planned," Hibiki said excitedly.

Dita replied just as zealously, "Line the big ones up and shoot them down!"

The blue Vandread maneuvered deftly among the swarms of smaller drones, trying to find an angle that could give them the best chance at firing at as many of the remaining four motherships as possible.

It seemed that the enemy had gotten wise to their plans, as everywhere the Vandread turned, it was met with a blockade of drones. Even the hulking crafts were veering away more erratically than before.

"It seems like they are reacting to events on the battlefield much faster now," Magno surmised over the com-link. Hibiki knew that nobody wanted to put undue pressure on them, but time was of the essence; the enemies were steadily advancing towards Parthus and any excessive delay would be catastrophic for everyone.

He scratched his head in frustration. "Well, if it's come to this, then we just have to push ahead!"

Using the blades as a makeshift battering ram, Vandread Mecha smashed a hole through one of the drone formations and rushed ahead, speeding towards the side portion of the nearest mothership.

"There's another one not too far, but it's getting away!" Dita exclaimed. The vessel she referred to was further forward from their location, and lined up with the mothership right next to them – for now, as it was hastily changing direction.

Hibiki retorted, "Let's do this, Dita!"

"Yes!"

Immediately, the Mecha began powering up its massive beam attack, while several Dreads were providing cover fire from the smaller enemies; however, a group of foes were amassing on the mothership's other side as before.

Meia saw this from her Dread and reported, "Hibiki, Dita! Looks like they're setting up another barrier like they did with Swan Shot! I can't get there in time!"

An idea popped into the Tarak pilot's head, "I think I know how to deal with it. Just get clear to the side when I give the signal!"

"Copy that!"

The laser beam blasted forth, tearing through the nearer mothership with ease before striking the enemy barrier. This time, the shield was surprisingly more effective at halting the beam.

"As if I'll let you do that! Everyone get clear!" Hibiki yelled, firing up the rear thrusters.

Dita caught on to his plan, and also adjusted their movement accordingly. "Unlike the Swan Vandread, we can move while firing our weapon, is that right, Mr. Alien?" She smiled up at him.

Hibiki smiled back and gave a thumbs-up sign. "It's not easy, but yeah." Their Vandread struggled to turn despite the force of the beam, but they managed to change the trajectory of their attack. It looked somewhat like they were swinging a huge beam saber, right towards the second mothership.

But the attack had now lost more than half its power, and even though they scored a direct hit and left a gaping hole on the front half of the ship, it still managed to continue forward.

"Still not down?" Dita said in disbelief.

Hibiki cursed and banged his fists on the armrests of the seat. "Gotta be kidding me! And there's too little juice to power up another one. Crap!"

Surprisingly, it was Gascogne who next came up from the hangar com-link. "I see what you did, Hibiki and Dita, good job. Barnette's repairs are about done, and I outfitted her Dread with some proximity bombs I just cooked up that pack a lot more punch. These should be enough to blow that eyesore away from the inside, provided you can make sure she gets there." As she spoke, the Dread she mentioned was already being given the all-clear to launch.

Magno replied, "Sounds like a plan. Get to it at once; we don't want to see if they regenerate any damage that doesn't finish them off. Vandread Mecha, are you able to assist?"

"Heck yeah, we still got enough in the tank for that at least," Hibiki answered.

Meia started giving orders. "Very well. Dread Squad B, keep Barnette guarded from all sides and behind while Vandread Mecha takes care of everything in front. Everybody else continue your assignments but provide assistance when possible. Move out!"

"Roger!" came a chorus as Barnette's Dread emerged from the Nirvana and joined Squad B in formation, charging ahead at full speed. Vandread Mecha was already clearing their path ahead.

It took no more than a few minutes to close the distance to the damaged Harvester mothership. Several repair vessels were already working to patch the massive hole, which, though not exactly as Magno had cautioned, only heightened the urgency of their mission.

"Let's see that extra 'oomph' Gascogne is so confident about, huh Barnette?" Hibiki remarked, finishing off the last few nearby fighters. It was, more than anything, to fire up the feisty Dread pilot they were escorting.

Barnette glowered at him. "You dare question our might, Tarak? You'll be eating your words after this!" As the Dread formation broke off and she came within close range of the Harvester, she then exclaimed, "Now feel our wrath, villains!" launching the payload and likewise abruptly veering away.

The proximity bombs sailed through the hole and into the mothership.

A second went by, two, three, without any visible effect.

"Hah!" Hibiki snorted, "who's eating their wo-"

He didn't get to finish as a deafening blast drowned him out. The mothership had been cleanly bisected in two before a series of smaller explosions quickly traveled through both halves until there was nothing left.

Barnette grinned amidst cheering from the Nirvana hangar link. "You!" she crooned triumphantly at Hibiki.

The Tarak pilot frowned, but he was nonetheless impressed. "Well, look at that," he murmured.

"And that's two down!" Dita shouted in elation, hugging Hibiki's neck behind her.

'Our part's done at least,' he mused, quickly scanning the battlefield, and his thoughts turned sour. 'But I imagine it'll be even harder for Jai and Meia at this point from the looks of things.'

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A/N: This chapter was supposed to cover the whole battle until conclusion, but I decided to break it up at this point. Hopefully the next one comes out soon!