Rabat

Biography
Rabat (a contraction of “rat bastard”) is an intergalactic trader. Although he is a swindler and con-artist, he has some vital information as to what exactly the enemies are that the Nirvana are up against. He is accompanied by a female orangutan called “Butan”.

From his first introduction in the series, the crew meets Rabat and his ape sidekick on a deserted space station. He cajoles his way aboard the Nirvana, as well as secretly tries to swindle the crew and steal Hibiki’s Vanguard. Afterwards, when confronted by Hibiki, he scolds Hikibi on the ethics of manhood by beating him to a pulp, though this did play part in Hibiki’s development. After being found out, he departs from the ship but later has another run in with the Nirvana after saving Hibiki. Afterwards, he resurfaces when the Nirvana docks in a facility of Harvester refugees whose leader has a long infatuation for him. Later in the series, it is revealed that he earned money for his own survival as an informant for the Harvest fleet.

However, there was another dimension to his character as well. Rabat was originally a space explorer from Earth, as well as that his real name is “Samuel Adams”. He crashed on a planet that had inhabitants that could only speak through telepathy and not words. Rabat was taken in by their culture and eventually learned their ways, that the “spirits” would choose someone to lead the victory over the Harvest fleet. That person was Hibiki, and not Rabat - and so Rabat set out in search of the one chosen by the spirits. His profession as a merchant and his association with the Harvest fleet is perhaps only a cover for this. His bad treatment of Hibiki was only a way of teaching him to overcome himself, as well as prove that he existed by using words that were his own, and not others. Towards the ending of the series, he later helps the Nirvana in the final battle against the Harvesters.

Rabat does not appear in the manga.

Butan
Butan is an orangutan who is with Rabat all the time. She likes Pyoro a lot but doesn’t like Rabat being close to any women he likes. Butan does not appear in the manga.