The Black Liger



With the collapse of the Zoid Commission, the world as it was known, ended. The backdraft group reformed, under a new name, but still, the same friendly serves. They called themselves, The New Order. The Zoid battles that once inspired talented Zoid warriors to fight for honor, liberty, and valor are no more. The New Order has established a new kind a battle, no longer a friendly competition, but a struggle for survival.

Most of the Zoid warriors were captured and force to battle in suicidal odds. Victory ment life, at least till the next battle. But if they lost, they died. They were gladiators in a new era. Each battling to amuse a mob and to stay alive another day. Each one hoping that for one thing, that things would change and a formation of a new Zoid Commission.

We call ourselves the Freedom fighters. We are a few that have managed to avoid capture by hiding in caves or abandoned buildings. Our mission, defeat the New Order and reform the Zoid Commission. But with only a handful of functioning Zoids our success seems hopeless. My name is Mike West. I am a Major in the Freedom Fighter's army and I have taken it upon myself to search out the legendary Ultimate X Zoid.

Chapter One

"Major!" Captain Jones shouted from the bottom of the large hole. Jones was a tall man, not that strong, but smart. He was also fast and could think his way through anything. He may not have looked like much, but he was the kind of guy you could count on when the situation looked grim.

"Yes, Captain, what is it?" The major shouted from the cockpit of his Shield Liger. The Liger was old and always had a malfunction or two. But Major West didn't care, it still moved and its weapon systems still functioned. It was armed heavily with twin 20 mm and 30mm cannons, twin 8- shot rocket boxes, a triple impact cannon, two heavy beam cannons, and a force shield. It was still one of the most powerful Zoids the Freedom Fighters had.

"Sir, we've been digging here for two hours straight and we haven't found anything yet." He shook his head and looked around. "The New Order will be on to us any minute. We need to take cover."

"That's a negative captain. That Ultimate X is buried here and we have to find it before The New Order does. If they get a hold of it before us, we won't stand a chance."

"Yes sir, I understand.." Jones wiped off his forehead then turned and looked at three young soldiers. "Get some more lights over here! We have to work faster!" The three soldier snapped to attention before they went running off for more lights.

"SIR!!" John, a young engineer shouted as his shovel clanged against something. "I've found something!"

Immediately everyone stopped digging and quickly made their way over to John trying to see what he found. John bent down on his knees and started to brush away the dirt and sand away from the dirty white armor of the buried Zoid.

Major West tapped a few buttons on his console then brought up an image on his Vid Screen showing John and the crowd but still unable to see what they have found. His stomach tightened, did they just find the legendary Liger Zero? He needed that organoid system, the Freedom Fighters needed that organoid system. It was their only hope. "Captain! Report!"

"One second Major." Jones replied as he bent down next to John and started clearing away some of the dirt around the Zoid. "Damnit! What are you all standing around for? Help!" The crowd that had gathered around immediately dropped to their knees and started to help clear away the dirt.

It didn't take them long to uncover the head of the White Liger. There, it was confirmed, the legendary Liger Zero. West couldn't believe it when he saw the head on his Vid Screen. This Zoid was going to help restore order to the world. The only thing left to do, was to get it out, and fast.

"Sir! Commander Blair's voice blared on the comm. "Scanners are picking up two New Order Zoids approaching our position and fast. A Great Saber and a Saber Tiger, shall I engage?"

"Damnit.. This soon?" Major West muttered to himself. "Blair, we need to buy sometime, we've found the Liger

Zero, we just need to get it out. Wait for me to arrive, we'll take them out. West out."

"Yes sir." Blair replied before switching off his comm and started to activate his weapon systems. Blair was in his favorite Zoid, one of the only perfectly operation Zoids the Freedom Fighters had. A Dibison. It was heavily armed with 17 150mm Mortar Cannons, Forward-facing Triple Impact Cannon, Two 8-shot Rocket Pods, 4-Barreled Grenade Launcher, Various 20mm and 30mm Cannons, and hardened alloy horns.

"Captain, listen up. I'm going to join Blair and hold off the New Order Zoids. There are only two of them so they shouldn't be much of a problem. I want you to get that Liger out and back to base. Don't wait for us, okay?"

"Yes sir."

"Good, West out." He pulled on his controls and turned the Shield Liger around, taking off at his full speed of 250 km/h. He had a ways to go before he reached Blair and he could only hope that he got their before the New Order Zoids. Blair would need his help, his Dibison may be powerful, but it was slow, the Sabers would have no trouble surrounding it and destroying it.

"Come on Liger, we need to get there and fast." He always talked to his Zoid, ever Zoid warrior did, and some Zoids even responded back. But his Zoid didn't. It was like talking to a brick wall, but West didn't care.

"Sir!" Blair's voice came over the comm again. "The Sabers will be at my position in three minutes! Do I have permission to engage?"

Damnit, West thought, I'm four minutes out. A lot can happen in that one minute. "Very well Blair, engage the enemy. I'm almost there."

"Yes sir!" Blair shut off his comm with a grin. "Okay boys, let's dance you and I." He pushed on his control handles, taking off towards the Sabers. Blair wasn't the smarted man alive, but he always seemed to know what he was doing.

He let loose a volley of 17 shots from his mortar cannons but the Sabers were able to dodge them easily. "Damnit! Come here!" He pulled on his control handles hard, bringing his Dibison to a stop while bringing his scoops to bare on the Great Saber. "You're mine."

"Think again!" A deep voice came over the comm, the voice of the Saber Tiger's pilot.

Blair's eyes lit up, he lost view of the Tiger. "Oh shit! It's behind me!" He tried to move his Dibison, but it was just two slow and he could feel the shells of the Tiger's 30mm cannon ripping right into the side of his Dibison, sending it crashing down to it's side.

Blair fell against the side of his cockpit, his right arm shattering with the force. "Arg." He muttered as he drifted in and out of consciousness.

"Get away from him!" West shouted over the comm as he let loose a volley of rockets directly at the Saber Tiger. Each rocket connected with its target, sending the Saber Tiger flying to its side in a pile of flaming junk.

"Why you!" The pilot of the Great Saber said over the comm system. "I'll make you pay!"

"Bring it on, boy." West was ready, his Liger was more than a match for the Great Saber. He brought his scoops to bare on the enemy Zoid and quickly fired off several rounds from both his 20mm cannon and his 30mm cannon.

Red lights started to flash within the Major's cockpit, targeting system failure. "Damnit, Liger don't do this to me now." He punched the console hoping the system would come back on it, but it didn't. His weapons were offline. His breath got quick, his only hope was close range combat.

The Saber had other plans, its weapons were still fully functional, and that was made known. The 30mm cannon was brought up and aimed directly at West's Shield Liger and fired. Several hundred rounds were launched out.

"Damnit! Liger move!" He quickly punched the control sticks forward, taking off at an amazing speeds and barely able to dodge the on coming slaughter.

"You're fast! But not fast enough!" The enemy Zoid pilot laughed over the comm and continued to let loose with his 30mm cannon, firing at the Liger with each shot coming closer and closer to a direct hit.

I can't take much more of this, West thought, I've got to do something. "My shield! I hope it still works. Come on baby!" He quickly hit a few buttons and within a few seconds, the shield was up and online. "Yes!"

"A shield!" The pilot of the Saber gasped softly in surprise. He glanced down at his controls then formed an evil grin. "That won't save you!" He taped on his control panel and charged at the Liger, bringing the full force of his weapons to bare, firing off his 20mm and 30mm cannons and his triple impact cannon, "Ahhhhh!"

West turned his Liger directly at the on coming Saber, taking most of the hits to his shield. "Come on Liger, just a little longer, hold together!"

"Foolish move! I've got you now! Ahhhhh!" The Saber leaped up into the air and brought it right paw back, its claws starting to glow a bright gold.

"Strike Laser Claws" West shouted as his Liger leaped up into the air towards the Saber with it's right paw back and it's claws glowing a bright gold as well.

Both Zoids landed a direct hit to the other by colliding together in midair. They came crashing to the ground, the Liger landing on its left side with a good portion of its left armor torn off. Another hit to that side and the Zoid would be history. The Saber landed hard on its back, its right front leg took some heavy damage thanks to the Liger.

West shook his head slowly and opened his eyes, he hit his head against his Vid Screen when his Liger crashed down. He was dizzy and he was seeing double. "Ouch.." He muttered softly as he glanced around his controls. His Liger didn't freeze up, so it was still operable. That was a plus. He brought his hand up and gently placed it against his head, feeling one big bump. "Double ouch." He took one deep breath before taking the control sticks into his hands against and brought his Liger back up to it's feet.

The Saber was already to its feet when the Liger got up. It was unsteady and wasn't giving up. New order pilots never gave up, something West hated about them. They always fought to the death, or at least till their Zoids were totaled.

The Saber leaped at the Liger again and landed directly on it's back, it's fangs sinking right into the back of the Liger. "Ha! I've got you now!"

"Liger!" West pushed on his control sticks with all his might, but it was no hope, the Saber's fangs were already lodged into the back of his Liger and there was no removing them. "Damnit." West shouted as his Liger started to lose power and fell back down to the ground. "Don't do this to me."

"Ahhhh!" Blair's voice came back over the comm as several rounds were fired which sent the Saber flying off the back of the Liger and to the ground, several yard away in a flaming mess.

"Sir," Blair said weakly as his Dibison slowly over to the Shield Liger, "Are you alright?"

West glanced around at his control and shook his head, the Liger was history, there was nothing that could have been done for it now. "Yeah, I'm fine. But my Liger is history."

"Sorry to hear that sir. But we can't stay here. The New Order will be sending more Zoids out here soon. We have to get out of here."

"Yeah." He pushes one more button which blew the cockpit opened and he slowly climbed out of it. He made his way over to the Dibison and slowly climbed up into it and sat down in the second pilot's seat. "Finish off the Liger. Let's leave nothing behind for The New Order."

"Yes sir." Blair brought his scoops down to bare on the disabled Liger and let loose a volley which completely blew the Liger up.

"Good.." He nodded his head to Blair and tapped on the comm button. "Captain Jones, do you copy?"

"Major! We were beginning to worry about you two."

"Don't worry about us.. We're fine, but I want to know, did you get the Liger Zero out?"

"Yes sir, we did. But.. It's in bad shape, I don't think we can fix it."

"Thats okay, we just need the organoid system for the Black Liger."

"I see.." Jones smiled slightly and nodded his head. "Well, we have scanned it and we did pick up a black box based in it's neck. I do believe we can remove it and install it into the Black Liger."

"Great, I'll meet you back at HQ, West out." He shut off the comm and nodded his head to Blair. "Get us out of here."

Blair nodded his head and pushed on his control sticks, making the Dibison take off towards HQ.

West sighed softly and glanced back towards his fallen Shield Liger, shaking his head slowly before leaning back in his chair and closing his eyes.