I don't own Zoids, character Clare O'Connel belongs to DgrayLiger, used with full permission.
The Tiger's Revenge
Ch. 1
Captain Mike "Wolf" Novis stood once again in the desert awaiting orders from Captain Van Flyheight, His brother Lieutenant Daniel Novis was near by keeping an eye on their surroundings while Blaze, Wolf's Organoid, slept on top of the Konig Wolf behind him.
"Wolf, come in, are you there old buddy," Van's voice rang out over the com link.
Wolf jumped into the cockpit of the Konig and flipped the view screen on to respond.
"Hey Van how's it going?" the black haired blue eyed man said while waving his blonde haired brother over to the Zoid.
"I'm only asking this time fellas so there isn't any real hurry, why don't you two come back to the base, there's someone I'd like you two to meet," Van said as he leaned back in the chair he was sitting in.
"When is this mystery person leaving?" Daniel asked before his brother could.
"She was just stationed here at Red River so I don't think she's going anywhere for a while," the spiky black haired man replied with a slight chuckle.
After about twenty minutes of trying and failing to pry who this person was out of Van, Wolf and Daniel both decided to head towards the base where Van was posted as guard for his wife Fiona and long time friend Moonbay.
"Wolf you gonna take it easy on that Konig of yours or are you gonna make me chase you in my new Zaber?" Daniel asked as he strapped in to his seat.
"Catch me if you can little brother," the black haired man called as he pushed the Konig Wolf into a dead run, Daniel taking off after him not even two seconds later.
While they headed for the base Wolf recalled just how much things had changed in the past two years, and some of the minor events since the Death Tiger's rise and fall in a matter of weeks. Van and Fiona had a son literally nine months after the Death Tiger and were living rather happily on base with little Daniel, a blonde haired, red eyed version of his father, Van still was charged to act as guard for Moonbay and Fiona and their team of researchers and scientists.
Irvine and Moonbay had finally realized what they meant to each other after Irvine was declared dead for two weeks after disappearing on mission and the Lightning Siax was found in the desert without him. This happened two months after the Death Tiger, but when he came back Moonbay nearly killed him for making her worry, and then kissed him for coming back alive. They got married about a week after the time he spent recovering from Moonbay's beating. Karl Schubaltz and Rob Herman still pretty much ran the Guardian Force, giving orders and taking them when Wolf or Van asked them to be a part of a team.
Daniel Novis, now 21 years old, and his long time girlfriend Samantha had moved in together on base and were planning their wedding, his Gordos had finally been pushed too far and gave up on him during a testing run after swapping out the joints, so he swapped out for a new Great Zaber with some tech upgrades that Thomas Schubaltz helped with, he had also learned to drop most of the military formality with his brother when they were off duty though the habit still holds while on duty to Wolf's dismay.
Wolf, now 23 still holds his rank of captain with the Guardian Force and was decorated for valor and bravery several times for toppling a few bandit groups and a couple of crime rings after the Death Tiger; he heads his own team Daniel is serving as his right hand man. He was even less formal now with Van and Irvine, and currently holds a when ever they're all in the same place card game with the two Captains as well as Thomas Schubaltz. He holds his formality towards his superior officers' though only while on duty, not that Schubaltz or Herman mind this at all seeing as Rob Herman had taken orders from the young man during the Death Tiger incident and Karl a few missions after. Wolf still finds himself thinking about his lack of negative emotions. His thoughts were still as clear to him as if someone spoke to him while his eyes were red and the ones he clings to are his thoughts of his past life. He still has his suspicions that Fiona knows he can't feel anything negative towards any soul or himself even though the blonde haired Zoidian has yet to say anything.
Thomas was finally promoted to captain in the Imperial army and now helps in the research and development section of the Guardian Force with Dr. D, putting to use his knowledge of computers; he is quite often on the testing grounds testing new weapons or computer systems and was heavily involved in the redesign of the testing grounds. Even combined with Dr. D's brilliant mind, they still can not figure out how Blaze can fuse to a Zoid's Core and draw out its full potential for an unlimited amount of time.
Emperor Rudolf still frequented the bases on the both sides of the border quiet often finding out which one Van and Fiona or Wolf and Daniel will be at so he can have a little fun while he's there, his wife Marian still travels with him picking apart every one of the informalities that Van and Wolf throw out. Rudolph has had several discussions with Marian on this subject but they have yet to do any good. Rosso and Viola still act as his guards both on the ground and in the air and are now married, though no one knows exactly when or where.
Taking three days to arrive at the base Daniel and Wolf both had some laughs about the past two years; they walked into the control room to report they were on base to Colonel Herman. Twenty minutes after they had arrived at base the two brothers were walking towards their rooms, Wolf a small apartment he built and Daniel standard quarters, when they literally ran into a rather rushed Thomas.
"Hey guys Van's with the person he wanted to introduce you to, I think they're still in Van and Fiona's quarters," Thomas said as he turned to run off.
"Hey, do you know who it is?" Daniel asked before the man could get away.
"I do but Fiona asked me not to say anything if I ran into you," Thomas said while running away.
"We'll drop our gear off then head that way, mine are over there," Wolf said turning to walk away from Daniel.
Ten minutes later they walked towards their friend's quarters to find out who this mystery person was supposed to be. When they arrived at Van and Fiona's quarters, they found Van standing outside the door leaned against the wall.
"Hey Van, how is everything?" Wolf asked shaking the spiky black haired man's hand.
"Not bad, I've been booted till you two got here, Fiona and I had a slight disagreement about where to put the new furniture," the spiky black haired man said as he turned and knocked on the door before opening it and walking in.
"Mike, Daniel it's nice to see you two again," Fiona said as she sprang up and hugged both men. Wolf gave a slight growl showing his discomfort with her using his real name and being hugged.
"Now, now, you know I hug everyone, there is no reason to complain," the blonde woman said faking an angry tone knowing he really didn't mind it.
In the background a medium height girl with blue hair held up in a high pony tail, stood leaning against the wall with her eyes closed and a very serious expression on her face.
"Van, who is she?" Wolf said pointing at the younger girl in the room, bringing Daniel's attention to the girl.
"This is the young lady I wanted to introduce you to," Van said while the blue haired girl pulled herself off the wall.
Wolf now noticed two blue marks under each eye and that she was wearing a Lieutenants version of the uniform he had on, he also noticed a rather well concealed blade on her hip.
"My name is Clare O'Connell, Major O'Connell was my dad," She said with a cheerful tone, her grey eyes sparkling like gems in the sun light.
Wolf and Daniel both took a couple steps back. Wolf collapsed into the closest chair while letting out a heavy sigh.
"Wolf, you okay?" Van asked as he crouched down next to the chair.
'What's going on here, I didn't know he had kids, I thought the women at his funeral was his wife,' Wolf thought as he sat there recalling what happened to Major O'Connell.
Flashback
Major O'Connell had heard enough talk. He made a last second decision to attack Razor's Zaber Fang while it was unexpected. He dove into the battlefield, guns blazing.
Razor easily dodged his fire and jumped up to the now low flying Zoid landing on top of it, all four paws of the Zaber Fang hit the cockpit area, and tore one of the guns out from under the wing with it's teeth before jumping back to the ground.
The Pteras hit the ground hard and slid for nearly a hundred yards. The impact of the paws had broken the glass, and the impact with the ground had done more damage than any of the group thought possible. The wings were ripped off like paper, the body badly damaged and heavily dented.
"O'CONNELL!" Herman screamed as he ran his Shield Liger towards the downed Pteras.
Time seemed to stop for all of them; Wolf held his enraged red eyed glare on Razor so he wouldn't get away without a fight. Van and Irvine were now itching to get this fight over with and throw Razor under the dirt. Moonbay and Fiona rushed to O'Connell in the Gustav.
"Well, I guess that was a dumb idea," O'Connell choked out after Herman pulled him from what was left of the cockpit.
He was in bad shape, he had a broken arm and a huge gash on his head, and one in his stomach as well, and that was just what could be seen, he was coughing blood which indicated quiet a few internal injuries.
"I guess I won't be in this fight anymore, huh," the blue haired man struggled to get his words out; the pain he was in was obvious.
"What were you thinking, O'Connell, Lieutenant Wolf told us all to stay out of this fight," Herman said concern plastered on his face and deep in his voice.
'Why would he do that, I told them to stay out of it, what was he thinking,' Wolf thought as his glare intensified at Razor.
"Let's get this over with!" the black haired man finally screamed as he launched his Zoid towards Razor the Konig growling loudly as they charged across the sand.
"Your funeral, old friend," Razor said calmly as he too lunged his Zaber towards the Konig Wolf.
The two Zoids collided with each other, causing them both to fall back slightly. When they charged again, Wolf fired his back mounted rifles and then clamped the jaws of the Konig onto the Zaber Fangs neck, which caused it to let out a pained roar. The two Zoid pilots fought hard for twenty minutes, neither seemed to gain any ground over the other, then the two Zoids went into a stand off.
"Blaze, leave now, I'll finish this fight on my own, I don't want you to get hurt," Wolf said his eyes still bright red, Blaze growled in disagreement, "Now Blaze!" Wolf screamed.
Blaze defused from the Konig Wolf and ran over to help O'Connell, who was barely hanging on, and the others who were trying to help him.
"Wolf, you know better than to fight me without Blaze, you never could win without him," the green eyed man said turning his Zaber Fang's back towards his enemy.
Both Zoids went into a dead run the Konig Wolf, being the faster due to Wolf's upgrades, easily caught up to the Zaber and leaped onto its back and started to rip it apart. The Zaber Fang fell to the ground, and Razor saw 'Command System Freeze' across his screen.
"Okay, you've learned to take advantage of the moment, even though I gave you that one," the blonde haired green eyed man said with his head hung low and a smirk on his lips.
Both pilots opened their cockpits Razor jumped out and started to run away from his potential captures, Wolf giving chase in the Konig.
"Wolf get over here now, O'Connell is getting worse," Van's voice called through a radio link.
Wolf ran to Major O'Connell and the others, not caring he'd just let a criminal go. By the time he made it to the group all their faces were somber and heads held low, Fiona was clinging to Van and seemed to be crying. Herman slammed his fist to the ground, Moonbay was on the verge of crying, Irvine just stood there. Blaze and Zeke were in a similar stance, standing tall but heads held low. Wolf immediately knew what had happened and let out a howl that could scare a lion away and fell to his knees with tears in his bright red eyes, while the others remained quiet.
End Flashback.
Wolf knew for sure he felt something towards this girl that was now looking at him with concern. He felt a general comfort around her so much so that he almost believed he'd actually felt sorry for her for a short moment.