And before we get back to the action, some more reviews to cover here...
jag389 - It sure looks that way, doesn't it? Thanks! Wasn't sure how that was going to play out when I started writing it, but she's always had that hope, when it wasn't buried under the pessimistic outlook when it comes to certain flyboys. As for Khyron, well, stay tuned...
theGhostflyer - Thanks for the kudos! I could definitely say the same for your effort as well! Looking back over the series, there's a few pivot points where things can go off on a different track, yet still get to the final result, and Khyron's Revenge/Operation Star Saver is one of these and gives a lot of opportunity to go in a bit of a different direction. Also, I've made sure to start rewatching the episodes again (finally got a good copy of the Macross Saga on DVD for Christmas), so it's helped in getting into the spirit. This story's been in the works for a while and I've been fleshing out some of those ideas in my head before committing them to a doc file. Countless rewrites have happened and will happen. Right now, I'm in the thick of writing some of the action chappies. It's proving a bit tougher than expected, but maybe that's just the perfectionist in me.
Lizzyrick - Glad you enjoyed it! It kind of how I wished things had gone in the original series.
Anyways, one last little PSA before we continue on. I know I alluded to it in the reviews, but if you have some spare time, check out theGhostflyer's Mars Alight. Really, really, really solid story there with an alternate take on events going back to Bye Bye Mars. You will not be disappointed!
And now, the latest installment...and yes, our antagonist makes his first appearance...
Chapter Seven – Welcome To The Nightmare
In the aftermath of Dolza's attack on the Earth, much of the landscape was changed due to the bombardment the planet received. However, there were some structures and landmarks that survived. One in particular was a warehouse located in a now wooded area in the vicinity of New Boise.
From appearances, the warehouse appeared to be vacant. However, a closer inspection would have told a much different story.
Inside one of the vast rooms of the old storage area, a man and a woman lay unconscious inside of a cage. Three other men sat near the cage, keeping an eye on the prone figures inside of the cage. Off towards a large service entrance, a white van sits facing out, as if it was ready to leave in a moment's notice.
The woman was the first of the two in the cage to stir. One of the guards sitting outside noticed this and nodded to the one of the others nearby.
The woman rubbed at her eyes and tried to take a quick stock of the situation.
Ugggh...my head. Where am I? It's colder than I remember it being. The last thing I remember was being chased by some jerks at that gas stat…
The ugly reality of the situation began to dawn on the woman.
Oh my God! We've been kidnapped!
She turned towards her companion in the cage. He looked to be still out of it and was snoring softly. The woman thought things over for a second and came to the realization she would need him if they wanted to have any shot of escape. She started to shake him, saying his name, softly at first, then louder, and each attempt sounding more and more like a plea than a request.
A voice from outside of the cage stopped the woman in her tracks.
"Ah, I see you're awake."
The woman finally found her voice. "What did you do to him?"
"The stun ray has a more powerful effect on intoxicated subjects, my dear. He'll wake up in due time."
"Why are you doing this to us? We did nothing to you."
"Did you now? Well, I think our special guests may have a much different opinion on that."
"Where are we anyways?"
"That, sadly, is none of your concern. I would suggest you wake your friend, Miss Minmei. Like I said, we have company coming and I don't think it'd be a great first impression on our guests if the great Lynn Kyle was still asleep. They might take that as being rude. And they don't tolerate rudeness."
The sinister grin the guard added made Minmei work that much harder to wake Kyle up.
In another part of the warehouse, a solitary man sat in one of the abandoned offices that overlooked the main floor of the building. From his vantage point, he could see the caged off area where the captives were being held. One of them is finally awake. Better let His Lordship know about this. He took out a communicator and punched in a well-remembered code. A sharp whistle followed and two faces popped up on the screen, those of a purple skinned man and a tan skinned woman.
"Lord Khyron, Lady Azonia."
The man spoke first. "Go ahead Xamdar."
"My Lord, one of the prisoners is awake. The other should be waking up any time now."
"Good. We shall head on over at once."
"As you command, my Lord."
The communicator cut off quickly. Xamdar reached for a standard cellphone and tapped in a number. "Drondo, let the guards know that Lord Khyron is on his way over to inspect our catch. And make sure that drunken sot Kyle is awake. No need to have a valuable prize get splattered over a point of courtesy."
With that bit of advice, he ended the call. Xamdar sat back in the chair, looking towards the sky with a satisfied smile on his face.
All according to plan, he thought. Now, hopefully the Micronians take the bait. Knowing the Sorceress's value, they'll spare no expense. Just as Lord Khyron foresaw.
In the shuttle, Khyron and Azonia were in discussion over the finer points of the trap they were about to spring on their unsuspecting foes.
"So, Khyron. How does the matrix you captured in New Detroit play into this?"
"It will allow many of the micronized warriors come back to us at their proper size and also get our ships powered back up. These silly Micronians have no idea what is about to be unleashed on them." A sinister smile crossed the face of the being that was dubbed The Backstabber. "Besides, before leaving this primitive little mudball, I want to teach these Micronians what their proper place is in the order of things."
"And that would be?"
"They are bugs that are to be squashed."
Azonia nodded. "Well, there is one that I wish to squash personally." The thought of Miriya fighting alongside of the Micronians still disgusted her. I plan to make that traitor pay when the time is right.
"You may get your chance if the Micronians react as I think they will. They'll be apt to send the best they have."
"And if things go correctly, we should be able to deal them a crippling blow. Maybe enough to just go and grab Zor's flagship without much resistance."
"Exactly, Azonia. They'll do whatever it takes to get their precious little sorceress back."
"The tactics, though. It seems a bit...unseemly for a warrior."
Khyron shot his cohort a look. "Do you even think I enjoy this? Sulking around like some common criminal or, even worse, using these tactics? No, Azonia, its something I most certainly do not enjoy. We are warriors. We should be able to take on anything and anyone. It's only due to our circumstances we have to rely on things like this."
It was something Khyron did not like admitting. After Dolza's attack on the Earth two years prior, the Zentraedi were far from the imposing force they were. A combination of losses on that day and the constant exposure to the Micronian culture had worn away at the once proud force. Sure, Khyron and Azonia commanded the largest contingent of Malcontents, but it was too small to make a true impact in the traditional sense. However, with the losses the Micronians had taken, Khyron did like his chances.
However, it was something Xamdar had sent over after the Micronized loyalist had become a part of Minmei's inner circle. He had managed to grab some older Micronian video archives, showing some tactics used by smaller forces against the United Earth Government in the wars that took place before the Zentraedi had even heard of the planet.
The idea of using an air transport against a building is definitely suicide, Khyron mused while thinking back about the archives. Effective, but suicide. Some of the other tactics, though, they had a slight bit of merit. Not very much, but it could be useful.
It was one particular incident that got Khyron's attention. A kidnapping and hostage situation at a diplomatic building in some place called Geneva. He had thought the reasoning as to even why the Micronians that went ahead with this was their own particular brand of madness. It was who was involved in the rescue efforts that piqued his curiosity. It turned out that the UEG had sent a rescue force led by a then Lieutenant Henry Gloval. The mission had turned out to be a complete failure as the terrorists had killed their hostages before the rescue force got into the building. The resulting firefight was nothing short of a bloodbath and from what the archives reported, Gloval took a lot of the blame.
Well, Admiral. I guess what is about to come is what you Micronians would call deja vu.
A smile crossed Khyron's face as he thought of making one of his most determined and most annoying of enemies look foolish.
The thought stuck with Khyron as the shuttle approached the warehouse area and began its descent. The shuttle disappeared from view as it descended into a small clearing. Once settled, a gangway opened and the two Zentraedi leaders emerged from the body of the craft and made their way into the warehouse.
"It's a bit cramped, but it will do," Azonia deadpanned.
Khyron paid no mind to the attempted jest and made his way across the main floor, heading towards a suspended office area well above the floor. He peered inside and saw Xamdar sitting behind the desk. A not so silent clearing of his throat by Khyron alerted Xamdar to his presence.
"My Lord, it's an honor."
"Enough with the small talk, Xamdar. Where are our prisoners?"
Xamdar gestured towards the back. "They are over there."
Khyron smiled. "Good, I wish to meet them." He started towards the caged area with Azonia in tow behind him.
In the cage, Kyle started to finally shake off the effects of the stun ray. Uggggh...where the hell am I? Last thing I remember is some guy putting something against my back. If I ever find him, he'll wish he never crossed my path...
He looked up and saw a very relieved Minmei staring over him.
"Kyle! You're OK!"
"Ugh, not so loud." Kyle found himself still feeling like he had been hit with something that had the force of a bus. "Where are we anyways?"
"I don't know, but it doesn't look..."
Minmei's explanation was cut off as she took in another new sight. This was the sight of a very large purple skinned man with bluish-white hair staring into the cage. Minmei reacted in a very predictable manner to this kind of surprise; she screamed at the top of her lungs and cowered in the corner of the cage.
Kyle looked over, blinked, and blinked again to be sure he had registered the sight in front of him correctly. What in the name of all that is holy is this? That is the last time I ever mix bourbon with absinthe. This has to be a hallucination, but instead of pink elephants, I'm seeing purple Zentraedi.
A third blink confirmed it for him. It wasn't a hallucination.
"GAAAAH!"
The large purple man turned to his companion. "Curious reaction, eh Azonia?"
The woman standing slightly to the side nodded. "You would think our guests weren't too happy to see us, Khyron."
Azonia's attention turned to Minmei, who was whimpering in the corner.
"Not as powerful now as before, are we, sorceress?" She turned to Khyron. "I think our little songbird has lost her voice." She followed this comment with a laugh.
Kyle, on the other hand, had found his voice. "Let us go, you overgrown eggplant!"
"Oh, look, the mighty warrior speaks. I can answer that question for you, you speck. Not a chance. I hope you like your new home."
The two giant warriors walked away from the cage, speaking in a language that Kyle equated to a combination of belching and clearing one's throat.
"Kyle?" Minmei had come out of the corner and clutched on to him. "I'm scared and I want to go home!" Tears started to fall rapidly.
That makes two of us, Minmei. Time to be a bit brave.
Kyle stroked Minmei's hair. "Don't worry. I won't let them hurt you."
Further away from the cage, the discussion between Azonia and Khyron had become a bit more animated.
"It's a foolproof plan, Azonia. We have the sorceress that helped the Micronians decimate the Grand Fleet. She beat Dolza in a straight fight."
"Still, with the fleet gone, what purpose does she serve now?"
"They'll risk everything or do anything to get her back. We can leverage her and the warrior for Zor's flagship."
"I still think there's something amiss here. For all we know, that Micronian you claim is the sorceress could be...be..," She turned towards the office. "Xamdar, what do the Micronians call those kinds?"
"Impersonators, my lady."
"Yes, that's it! She's an impostor! There is no way the mighty sorceress of the Micronians would be sitting there in the corner of a cage, simpering like some weakling."
Khyron let out a sigh. "OK, my skeptical friend. We shall conduct a test. If the sorceress can sing like she did when they defeated the Fleet, we proceed. If she doesn't, they both die," Khyron gave Xamdar a cold look. "And the forces I promised you will be ordered to turn this hovel into a crater. And you know they can make very short work of this primitive structure."
An annoyed Khyron turned towards the cage. "Sorceress! Sing now or die!"
In the cage, Minmei gulped. She knew if she didn't sing well at all, it would be one bad review they couldn't bounce back from. Thinking quickly, she thought of a particularly annoying song she had done for a notable animated film shortly after the battle with Dolza's fleet.
She started off slowly, but managed to catch her stride as the song went on, belting out the main refrain from the song perfectly. The song had been known to cause Micronians to want to tear their ears off of their bodies, but it had a doubly powerful effect on the two Zentraedi.
Azonia covered her ears, wincing in pain. "OK, I take back what I said!"
Khyron looked as if he was about to throw up. "Are you satisfied now, Azonia? This is the worst torture imaginable!"
"Just make it stop!"
Khyron turned back to the cage. "OK, sorceress. You proved your point. STOP!"
Minmei stopped singing and returned to Kyle's side. Khyron looked into the cage and had a humorless smile.
"I have to admit, it was a nice strategic move there, sorceress. However, in spite of the effect the song had, we will most certainly not be 'letting you go' anytime soon."
As they started to walk back towards Xamdar's location, Khyron smiled. It's all falling into place. Time to set the trap.
Khyron eyed Xamdar in the office. "I think I know how to get the Micronians attention."
"How so, my Lord?"
"Simple, we let them know what we have." Khyron pulled out a communicator. "Gerao! Get ready to transmit a broadcast over to the Micronians!"
A tinny voice came back over the speaker on the communicator. "As you command, Lord Khyron. Any specific instructions?"
"I'm transmitting them now." Khyron pressed a button. A soft tone indicated the instructions had been transmitted over to Gerao's console.
"Got them, my Lord. I will send out the first message shortly. Do you have the vidcorder equipment or do you need for us to send another shuttle?"
"We have it here with us. I will contact you when it is time to proceed."
"As you command." The transmission went dead.
Azonia found herself wondering what her ally and companion had in mind. "What exactly are you planning, Khyron?"
Khyron turned towards Azonia and gave a wry smile.
"It's not very polite to have visitors stop by without an invitation."
Azonia understood where he was going with this and started to laugh. Khyron was laughing as well.
In the cage, Minmei and Kyle observed this and started to have a feeling of dread overwhelm them.
"Kyle," Minmei whispered. "I have a very bad feeling about this."