Author's note- This is my first published fic, so any constructive criticism is welcome. The first chapter may be a little boring as it is basically an introductory chapter just to tell you a little about my character.
Disclaimer: I don't own Zoids, just my characters Tania and Colonel Tragar, but if I did then Colonel Shubaltz and Irvine would be mine and no one else's!
* -indicates a dream sequence
CHAPTER ONE
*She stood looking up at the seemingly endless expanse of the staircase, her small hand resting fearfully on the railing as she tried to summon the courage to take the first step into a different place. It was a step that she had been forbidden to take all her life as her mother often warned her that to ascend those stairs would surely put them both in danger, and she often wondered what it was that her mother feared so much. The few children that would talk to her told her of wondrous things that dazzled the eye, great tapestries that covered the giant hallways and the people that walked them dressed in fabrics far finer than the coarse clothing they were used to wearing. But if everything was so wondrous then why couldn't she at least take a peek just to see for herself the things she could only imagine in her dreams?
Her palms were slick with sweat from the tight grip she had on the smooth railing, and she finally found the strength within to set one foot on the bottom step, shutting her eyes tightly as she expected to hear her mother's voice at any moment. All she heard instead were the slight whispers of the light breeze that wafted down the staircase, and the scents that it brought to her nose gave her even more strength of will to take another step. This time she felt something grab her hand and she looked down at her hand, her eyes widening as she peered down a dark, bottomless chasm that threatened to swallow her if she slipped even one tiny bit.*
Tania awoke with a sudden jerk, her hair soaking wet from sweating and her heart pounding wildly within her chest. Throwing the covers aside, she ignored the feel of the cool night air on her skin and sat up on the side of her bed, her hands rubbing at her face in an attempt to shake off the grip of her nightmare. She rose to her feet and walked into the washroom to splash some cold water on her face then dry it with a towel.
She had been only ten years old when she had gone up that staircase, an action that had changed the rest of her life forever, and she couldn't help but wonder at what today would bring. The dream was fitting as today she planned to take another first step, a step that would surely mean that she would never be able to see her mother again and would have her hiding like a criminal for the rest of her life as a result of her actions. But she could always walk away, although it would mean throwing away the four years of preparation and hard work she had invested so far.
Then she looked into the mirror that hung above the water basin and saw the same thing she had seen every morning for the last twenty-three years, although for ten of them she had no idea that she had looked so much like her father. She shared his facial structure as he had been strikingly handsome himself, the only difference being he was akin to a snake as he was beautiful to look upon but beneath that beauty lie a lethal bite when provoked. Their hair color was even the same; some described it as the color of silvery starlight. But where her father's eyes burned a fierce scarlet and her mother's were as blue as the skies above, her eyes shone as sparkling amethysts.
Ever since his death four years ago, she had seen more of him within herself, leading her to join a faction of the Imperial Army that had been fiercely devoted to him, and because of that they stood behind her even though she knew nothing of how to organize a military assault. They looked to her as a reminder of the man they had served loyally and sought to grant the one wish she had held ever since that day: the destruction of the Blade Liger and the pilot that had destroyed the Deathsaur which in turn had killed her father.
Yes, Prozen was her father, and her mother a servant which he had used for one night. She had first seen her father the same night that she had disobeyed her mother and gone up into the upper levels of the Palace where she was forbidden. Prozen had been outraged that he had fathered a child and had not been told about it, not out of any fatherly instinct but because he had no desire to have a child of his running around. Add to the fact that she was a girl instead of a boy and it was like adding insult to injury, leading him to order his guards to kill her mother. But Tania had interfered and saved her life, leaving Prozen to reconsider his decision to kill her. Impressed with Tania's fighting skills, he told her that he would train her in combat so that she would serve him loyally for as long as he needed her, and if she decided to betray him or leave in anyway then he would kill her mother as a result of her actions.
Over the next ten years she did little else but eat, sleep, and train under close watch from her father, although the last few years his attitude changed towards her as she had proven her loyalty to him. But it had cost her a great deal emotionally to do so, and it had succeeded in touching something inside of him that allowed him to see her not as a child but as an adult that was capable of making her own decisions. After that he had involved her in his plans to crown himself Emperor so that he could better lead the Empire to victory over the Republic, and being that she had grown under his shadow she hated the Republic just as much as he did and vowed to help him in whatever way she could.
Now the war was over and the two opposing sides had made peace with one another, although there were still those that opposed the peace and sought to end it. Those that followed her believed that she meant to disrupt relations between them, but she had put herself above that. No longer did she concern herself with the affairs of nations, but there was only one thing she sought above all else and she would live to avenge her father's death or die trying.
Walking back into the bedroom, she pulled from her closet a black leather outfit that consisted of a vest that buttoned down just enough to cover her breasts before tapering down to the waistline of her matching leather pants. Some of the men had taken to calling her the Princess of the Night as she dressed in little else except black.
She buckled her belt around her hips, adjusting the dagger sheaths to fit comfortably and filling them with her two favorite daggers which had been gifts from Prozen for her birthday. Two more she slipped into the sheaths hidden within her boots which she carried around in case of emergency. Her silver hair she braided into one long rope resting down her back with a few strands hanging loose around her face to soften the usually severe style.
Feeling she was ready to face another monotonous day, she walked outside into the hallway and headed towards the hanger where their zoids were being kept, grabbing a bite to eat for breakfast as she went along. The hanger was nearly empty but after today she hoped that it would be on its way to building a substantial force that would ensure her victory over the pilot of the Blade Liger, and for that reason she always trained everyday with her zoid. Also a gift from her father, the Saber Tiger was equipped with various weapons: 20mm cannons, two 30mm cannons, and a triple impact cannon. Add to that hardened alloy strike claws, saber teeth, and a maximum speed of 240 kilometers per hour and she had one of the best zoids to have in a battle.
"Good morning, Tania."
She turned to see a middle-aged man approaching her, tall with dark hair and keen eyes. "Good morning to you also, Colonel Tragar," she replied.
He stopped and bowed slightly to her, an unnecessary gesture but he was always one to show his respect to the female gender. "I see you're off on your training exercise this morning."
Her face hinted at the beginnings of a smile. "Yes, Colonel, I am," she answered. "You seem to be in a good mood as early as it is."
"Yes, indeed," he smiled. "Today we launch the first of many attacks to come on the military bases we have chosen for the amount of weaponry they have at their disposal. Soon we shall have an army capable of putting an end to this ridiculous notion they call peace."
"I trust you will keep me informed of your progress then," she added.
"Of course," he said. "I hope your training goes well."
"Thank you," she replied, watching as he withdrew and hearing him hum to himself. Soon she was safely fastened within the cockpit and the Saber Tiger vaulted outside with a sudden burst of speed. She allowed the zoid free rein whenever they first began their training so it could warm up for the rigorous training she put it through, exhilarating in the view of the landscape passing by in a blur and the feel of the rhythmic rocking as it quickly put distance between them and the base.
When she deemed it far enough, she slowed the zoid down just in time to see various targets appear on the horizon which she shot down with fast accuracy. Others would pop up just as quickly and she destroyed them also; then came the missile targets which would test her maneuverability. She dodged each one easy enough and soon the exercise was over, leaving her pleased that they had done so well without suffering any damage. As long as they could keep it up then she knew she could face anything that came her way, although she would've liked to have had the time to increase the difficulty a bit so she could improve her skills as a zoid pilot.
By the time they reached the base, she could see the small force of zoids moving out to commence the first battle that signified the first step towards an uncertain future.
Not far away, dark eyes watched the scene unfold before him, causing a small smile to appear on his lips. "So, Colonel Tragar, you've decided to make your move after four years." Then he turned his gaze to the red Saber Tiger, the breeze ruffling his red hair. "And I wonder what it is that you have to offer me, daughter of Lord Prozen."
Author's note- So, how was it? Please review and let me know! Thanks!
Disclaimer: I don't own Zoids, just my characters Tania and Colonel Tragar, but if I did then Colonel Shubaltz and Irvine would be mine and no one else's!
* -indicates a dream sequence
CHAPTER ONE
*She stood looking up at the seemingly endless expanse of the staircase, her small hand resting fearfully on the railing as she tried to summon the courage to take the first step into a different place. It was a step that she had been forbidden to take all her life as her mother often warned her that to ascend those stairs would surely put them both in danger, and she often wondered what it was that her mother feared so much. The few children that would talk to her told her of wondrous things that dazzled the eye, great tapestries that covered the giant hallways and the people that walked them dressed in fabrics far finer than the coarse clothing they were used to wearing. But if everything was so wondrous then why couldn't she at least take a peek just to see for herself the things she could only imagine in her dreams?
Her palms were slick with sweat from the tight grip she had on the smooth railing, and she finally found the strength within to set one foot on the bottom step, shutting her eyes tightly as she expected to hear her mother's voice at any moment. All she heard instead were the slight whispers of the light breeze that wafted down the staircase, and the scents that it brought to her nose gave her even more strength of will to take another step. This time she felt something grab her hand and she looked down at her hand, her eyes widening as she peered down a dark, bottomless chasm that threatened to swallow her if she slipped even one tiny bit.*
Tania awoke with a sudden jerk, her hair soaking wet from sweating and her heart pounding wildly within her chest. Throwing the covers aside, she ignored the feel of the cool night air on her skin and sat up on the side of her bed, her hands rubbing at her face in an attempt to shake off the grip of her nightmare. She rose to her feet and walked into the washroom to splash some cold water on her face then dry it with a towel.
She had been only ten years old when she had gone up that staircase, an action that had changed the rest of her life forever, and she couldn't help but wonder at what today would bring. The dream was fitting as today she planned to take another first step, a step that would surely mean that she would never be able to see her mother again and would have her hiding like a criminal for the rest of her life as a result of her actions. But she could always walk away, although it would mean throwing away the four years of preparation and hard work she had invested so far.
Then she looked into the mirror that hung above the water basin and saw the same thing she had seen every morning for the last twenty-three years, although for ten of them she had no idea that she had looked so much like her father. She shared his facial structure as he had been strikingly handsome himself, the only difference being he was akin to a snake as he was beautiful to look upon but beneath that beauty lie a lethal bite when provoked. Their hair color was even the same; some described it as the color of silvery starlight. But where her father's eyes burned a fierce scarlet and her mother's were as blue as the skies above, her eyes shone as sparkling amethysts.
Ever since his death four years ago, she had seen more of him within herself, leading her to join a faction of the Imperial Army that had been fiercely devoted to him, and because of that they stood behind her even though she knew nothing of how to organize a military assault. They looked to her as a reminder of the man they had served loyally and sought to grant the one wish she had held ever since that day: the destruction of the Blade Liger and the pilot that had destroyed the Deathsaur which in turn had killed her father.
Yes, Prozen was her father, and her mother a servant which he had used for one night. She had first seen her father the same night that she had disobeyed her mother and gone up into the upper levels of the Palace where she was forbidden. Prozen had been outraged that he had fathered a child and had not been told about it, not out of any fatherly instinct but because he had no desire to have a child of his running around. Add to the fact that she was a girl instead of a boy and it was like adding insult to injury, leading him to order his guards to kill her mother. But Tania had interfered and saved her life, leaving Prozen to reconsider his decision to kill her. Impressed with Tania's fighting skills, he told her that he would train her in combat so that she would serve him loyally for as long as he needed her, and if she decided to betray him or leave in anyway then he would kill her mother as a result of her actions.
Over the next ten years she did little else but eat, sleep, and train under close watch from her father, although the last few years his attitude changed towards her as she had proven her loyalty to him. But it had cost her a great deal emotionally to do so, and it had succeeded in touching something inside of him that allowed him to see her not as a child but as an adult that was capable of making her own decisions. After that he had involved her in his plans to crown himself Emperor so that he could better lead the Empire to victory over the Republic, and being that she had grown under his shadow she hated the Republic just as much as he did and vowed to help him in whatever way she could.
Now the war was over and the two opposing sides had made peace with one another, although there were still those that opposed the peace and sought to end it. Those that followed her believed that she meant to disrupt relations between them, but she had put herself above that. No longer did she concern herself with the affairs of nations, but there was only one thing she sought above all else and she would live to avenge her father's death or die trying.
Walking back into the bedroom, she pulled from her closet a black leather outfit that consisted of a vest that buttoned down just enough to cover her breasts before tapering down to the waistline of her matching leather pants. Some of the men had taken to calling her the Princess of the Night as she dressed in little else except black.
She buckled her belt around her hips, adjusting the dagger sheaths to fit comfortably and filling them with her two favorite daggers which had been gifts from Prozen for her birthday. Two more she slipped into the sheaths hidden within her boots which she carried around in case of emergency. Her silver hair she braided into one long rope resting down her back with a few strands hanging loose around her face to soften the usually severe style.
Feeling she was ready to face another monotonous day, she walked outside into the hallway and headed towards the hanger where their zoids were being kept, grabbing a bite to eat for breakfast as she went along. The hanger was nearly empty but after today she hoped that it would be on its way to building a substantial force that would ensure her victory over the pilot of the Blade Liger, and for that reason she always trained everyday with her zoid. Also a gift from her father, the Saber Tiger was equipped with various weapons: 20mm cannons, two 30mm cannons, and a triple impact cannon. Add to that hardened alloy strike claws, saber teeth, and a maximum speed of 240 kilometers per hour and she had one of the best zoids to have in a battle.
"Good morning, Tania."
She turned to see a middle-aged man approaching her, tall with dark hair and keen eyes. "Good morning to you also, Colonel Tragar," she replied.
He stopped and bowed slightly to her, an unnecessary gesture but he was always one to show his respect to the female gender. "I see you're off on your training exercise this morning."
Her face hinted at the beginnings of a smile. "Yes, Colonel, I am," she answered. "You seem to be in a good mood as early as it is."
"Yes, indeed," he smiled. "Today we launch the first of many attacks to come on the military bases we have chosen for the amount of weaponry they have at their disposal. Soon we shall have an army capable of putting an end to this ridiculous notion they call peace."
"I trust you will keep me informed of your progress then," she added.
"Of course," he said. "I hope your training goes well."
"Thank you," she replied, watching as he withdrew and hearing him hum to himself. Soon she was safely fastened within the cockpit and the Saber Tiger vaulted outside with a sudden burst of speed. She allowed the zoid free rein whenever they first began their training so it could warm up for the rigorous training she put it through, exhilarating in the view of the landscape passing by in a blur and the feel of the rhythmic rocking as it quickly put distance between them and the base.
When she deemed it far enough, she slowed the zoid down just in time to see various targets appear on the horizon which she shot down with fast accuracy. Others would pop up just as quickly and she destroyed them also; then came the missile targets which would test her maneuverability. She dodged each one easy enough and soon the exercise was over, leaving her pleased that they had done so well without suffering any damage. As long as they could keep it up then she knew she could face anything that came her way, although she would've liked to have had the time to increase the difficulty a bit so she could improve her skills as a zoid pilot.
By the time they reached the base, she could see the small force of zoids moving out to commence the first battle that signified the first step towards an uncertain future.
Not far away, dark eyes watched the scene unfold before him, causing a small smile to appear on his lips. "So, Colonel Tragar, you've decided to make your move after four years." Then he turned his gaze to the red Saber Tiger, the breeze ruffling his red hair. "And I wonder what it is that you have to offer me, daughter of Lord Prozen."
Author's note- So, how was it? Please review and let me know! Thanks!
