Eureka Seven: Blank Pages
Fan Fiction by Dan ()
All places, characters, references copyright 2005/2006 Bones Studios
Chapter Ten
"Hold on…We're coming"
The first few words of her speech drowned out by the crowd, the Sage began her speech. "…and it is with a humble heart that I extend my…" The camera zoomed in tight on her face as the Female Sage paused, her eyes searching the faces of the people. "…my heartfelt sorrow…" The camera cut to a shot of the assembled crowd as they cheered and clapped excitingly.
"Green lipstick, how appalling," His face screwed up in a frown the Diva commented as he sat on the floor next to the girl, who was intently watching the news coverage of the Sage's speech. "I mean, would you look at her hair. Yikes." Taylor looked over at Eureka. "Scary," He shuddered.
"Are you cold?" Eureka asked.
"No silly," Taylor shook his head as Talho, still sitting behind the two, stifled a laugh. Looking back at the screen, ignoring the female Information Officer, the Diva crossed his huge arms across his chest and began to explain. "It would seem to me that Koda," He pointed to the image of the female Sage. "She has been cooped up, locked away from the common people for so long," He sighed. "That I'm afraid she has lost all fashion sense."
"Poor thing," Talho said, feigning shock as the girl turned in her seat and cocked her head to the side.
"I don't understand." Eureka dryly remarked.
"It's ok sweetie," Taylor laid one of his hands on the shoulder of the girl. "Don't you worry, as long as I am around," The image on the tele-viewer shifted slightly, the picture abruptly cutting from the Sage to show an LFO silently standing security on the other side of the enormous blast crater. "You will always be in style…" He stopped mid-sentence, focusing on the black and silver trimmed Five-Zero-Five. "I've seen that LFO before," He began, his expert eyes focusing in on the pod mounted high on the left side of the LFO…That's odd…He thought…An ECM Pod?
The camera cut back to the Sage. "…And it is with a sorrowful heart that I accept your most…gracious welcome…"
A burst of static…
"Scott," Taylor slowly said as a sudden sense of impending doom washed over the big man. "It can't be."
…As suddenly the screen went black.
"Talho!" Taylor shouted out. "Someone's jamming the signal, you've got to tell Holland!" The Diva turned towards the girl…
…But the chair next to him was already empty.
*********************************************
Having continued to take pictures as the Female Sage spoke, Stoner noticed as something intruded into the lower left of his picture frame. Pulling the camera away he looked and saw as the young man, the photographer he had yelled out to earlier, holding his hand high above his head. "What the," He began, a puzzled look on his face. Looking closer as the young man started screaming out, Stoner saw what the man held in his hand as the people around him began to turn and run as the young man continued screaming.
"PRAISE VODARAC… PRAISE VODARAC… PRAISE VODARAC…!"
Thinking that this was the end, Stoner immediately brought his trusty camera up and kneeling down on one knee focused in on the man. Well, might as well be known as the man who took "the picture"…He ironically thought as the power-winder on the Nikon whirred…Who knows, if my camera survives I might finally make the cover of some major magazine. He laughed as he looked through the viewfinder, the Sage standing, paralyzed by the appearance of the bomber, her eyes wide as she looked down on the attacker as the rest of the people on stage stood still...that is, except for one.
Years of practiced experience guiding his actions, Marcus smoothly brought the Hk416 up level with his eyes and as the young man continued screaming…his hand holding the detonator high above his head…the Master Instructor 'tied the string'…an imaginary line between the eye of the shooter and the target…the red dot of his electronic sight centered on a spot right between the suicide bombers eyes, the world slowing down around him as he took up slack on the trigger as some people standing around the young man desperately tried to get away while others, stunned by the man's ear splitting shrieks as he called out to his 'god' stood frozen to the spot unable or unwilling to move. As he continued taking up slack in the trigger a part of his mind took note as the red beret wearing photographer bravely stood his ground continuing to take pictures behind the bomber, the civilian being directly behind his intended target giving him pause as his shot would most certainly pass through its intended target, hitting the press photographer as well. I don't have a clear shot. Please Lord forgive me…Marcus thought as the man pushed the button on the detonator.
…Click…
…Silence…
Finger relaxing on the trigger, lowering the barrel of his assault rifle, looking over the sights, Marcus and the suicide bomber locked eyes…and for a moment, the world seeming to stop around them, the two shared a single thought, albeit for different reasons.
The bomb…It didn't go off.
Silently thanking the man upstairs, Marcus took his finger off the trigger, and not wasting a moment, sprang into action. "Snakebite, Snakebite, Snakebite," He yelled, his voice resoundingly loud over the panicked crowd, the word part of a set of pre-planned responses that…hopefully…the members of the security forces providing protection for this event would have recognized as the duress word for just such an attempted attack as this. Lowering the rifle to the deck, left hand coming off the forward grip as he ran toward the Sage, who was still standing paralyzed behind the podium, and encircling her slim waist with his left arm, half picking the old woman up and ignoring the pain of his recently injured shoulder, Mr. Black made for the stairs as the security forces, led by MA2 Mashburn, quickly took up positions, their side arms drawn, pointing at the would be suicide bomber.
Crossing the stage, Marcus stole a quick glance to his right. "Let's go General," He yelled just as the blur as something moving low and fast shot directly in front of him and pausing briefly on the edge of the stage, leapt straight up, directly off the platform.
Still standing next to the metal railing, the young man brought his hand down; mouth agape, his mind reeling, finger repeatedly pressing on the button, unable to comprehend why the bomb vest didn't go off when suddenly a flash of white above him caught his attention. Glancing up he saw what his mind perceived to be an angel looking down upon him…I don't recall in the Book of Vodarac that an angel would lead me to the promised land…He thought as the angel spread her arms as if preparing to welcome him into the blessed embrace. "Praise Vodarac," He whispered in awe as the white form seemed to hover over him.
…Thunk…
…Thunk…
Taking a step back, his hand letting go of the detonator, the feeling as something hot and wet ran down his neck, the young man brought his hand up as a warm sensation began to course through his body, enveloping his senses and as the warm feeling began to become an all consuming fire, he found the source, his fingers touching something small and metallic embedded in the side of his neck just as his eyes rolled back into his head, dead before he hit the ground.
Lightly landing on the ground a few meters in front of the suicide bomber in a crouch, arms spread, muscles tense, ready to move again, Naomi watched as the man's body hit the ground with a dull thud, right at the feet of the red beret wearing photographer, the poisoned metal shafts of two straight "Bo-shuriken" protruding from the would be suicide bombers neck.
"Whoa," Stoner whispered in amazement, so much so that he didn't even notice as the roll of film ended, the final frame frozen on the Kunoichi, the image of her being exposed multiple times on the chemical emulsion of the acetate film strip as the shutter continued opening and closing at one/five-hundredth of a second, her emotionless green eyes staring at him through the lens of his camera.
Arching her brown eyebrows and grinning ever so slightly at him, Naomi smoothly stood and in the blink of an eye, leapt back over to where Marcus was quickly descending the stairs, landing beside an obviously amazed MA2 Mashburn.
"What the…how did you…" Mashburn stammered.
"You can ask her out later," The Master Instructor bellowed out as he ran by the MA. "We're being jammed, send a runner to find a land-line and contact the base!" He told Mashburn as he half carried, half dragged Koda along towards the armored limo.
His sidearm still out covering the area in front of them as they made a mad dash towards the vehicle as the crowd, the people on the verge of causing a stampede, ran haphazardly away from the metal barricade, Mashburn quickly yelled back. "Roger that!"
Suddenly, another man violently pushed his way through the already panicked crowd and swinging his leg over the barricade, his move startling and surprising the young security force members maintaining the perimeter, jumped right into the middle of the path leading to the limousine, a hunting knife in one hand, detonator in the other as he began to yell out at the top of his lungs.
"PRAISE VODARAC… PRAISE VODARAC… PRAISE VODARAC…!"
"You've got to be kidding me!" Marcus cursed as the man began to run towards them.
*********************************************
"Scott," Edward glanced down at his hands on the steering wheel, an uncharacteristic feeling of dread starting to creep up his spine. "Are you sure, are you positive?" He asked the young Master-at-Arms just as the sudden hiss of white noise came across the small transmitter/receiver in Edward's ear as the Electronic Countermeasures Suite mounted on the silver and black trimmed LFO kicked in.
"Yes sir," The young MA began. "I am positive."
Bringing his hand up cupping it over his ear trying to shut out the sound as the crowd continued to cheer; Edward attempted to contact Mr. Black. "Black…White…Do you copy?" …We're being jammed, this is not good...His transmission lost in the quiet static of the electronic countermeasures carrier wave.
"Sir! There's something going on…" The MA pointing towards the stage excitedly said.
"What now?" Edward craned his neck out the window trying to look towards the stage as the enthusiastic noise of the crowd was replaced by the fanatical screaming of one calling out to his god. "Here we go," The Assistant Instructor said as the people began to panic, the emotion descending over across the assembled crowd like a wave. "Get ready," He shouted out as he placed the heavily armored limousine into drive. "They'll be coming,"
"Sir!" The painfully young Security Force member, his eyes wide looked down at Mr. White.
He's going in the black zone…"Get over here by the door, NOW!" Mr. White forcefully told him, gesturing with his head towards the rear of the limo, the tone in his voice snapping the young MA into action…Man, are they pulling these kids out of junior high or what…he sarcastically thought as the MA ran over to the rear, driver's side door.
"Standing by, sir!" He shouted as another voice, booming over the sound of the panicked throng echoed in the morning air. "It's the duress word, sir!"
Good, he paid attention during the brief… "I heard it. Now get ready to open that door, but not until I tell you to, understand?" Edward tightened his grip on the steering wheel, the feeling as excitement began to course through his veins strangely comforting.
"YESSIR!" The young Master-at-Arms replied as Mr. Black, half carrying, half dragging the female Sage, General Emerson and the First Attendant not a half-step behind, quickly began making their way down the security corridor. "Here they come."
Just then, not ten feet from the limousine, a man hopped over the metal barricade, the shiny glint of a knife reflecting the light of the morning sun in one hand, as the man…
"PRAISE VODARAC… PRAISE VODARAC… PRAISE VODARAC…!"
…his voice at a fever pitch began to run towards Marcus.
"Here we go." Edward slowly repeated as he put the heavily armored limousine into drive.
*********************************************
"Everyone, get down!" Marcus screamed out a warning as he practically threw the Sage over to General Emerson…the old woman's arms flailing as she stumbled into Emerson's waiting grasp, the two of them falling flat to the ground, the General throwing himself over the Sage protectively…his own hands reaching for his rifle as the man quickly closed the distance, the detonator up, his finger poised over the button.
"Vodarac be prais…" The Man skidded to a stop, his thumb pressed firmly on the button. "NOOOO!" He screamed in anguish, face twisted in an evil caricature of exasperation and disappointment. Glancing up he looked as the black-shirted man protecting the Sage cocked his head curiously to the side, no doubt just as surprised that the bomb didn't go off as well. Turning towards where the black and silver trimmed LFO silently watched from across the blast crater, the man gritted his teeth as he raised the detonator high. "Curse you!" He yelled.
What is going on here…Marcus looked up at the detonator, the man repeatedly releasing and pushing the button as he shouted obscenities towards the LFO…Twice in one day, what are the odds... "Everyone get going," The Master Instructor slowly inhaled as the man stopped yelling and turned, knife in hand, abject disappointment blatantly written all over his face in not being able to complete his assigned task.
Sensing as someone came up beside him Marcus smoothly slung the rifle across his back. "No, Naomi, this one is mine."
"Very well," She replied. "Don't be too long." Helping Koda and Emerson up off the ground, the three of them quickly made their way towards the armored limo.
"Well now," the Master Instructor calmly began. "I would have to say that someone sold you out, so why don't you put down the…"
Shrieking incoherently, knife held tightly out in front, the man lunged.
Stepping off the line slightly, Marcus crossed his arms…right on top, left on bottom, fingers splayed open, left elbow towards the sky, right towards the ground, his right foot forward…blocking the thrust, the shock as he intercepted the blow taking the man completely off guard, unbalancing him. Not stopping the man's forward momentum Marcus swept the attackers arm down with his right hand and bringing the arm up and around, quickly brought the knife hand into his own left hand, capturing the hand holding the weapon between his two hands. Making 'that' noise, firmly holding the weapon hand in his left, the Master Instructor pulled the man close as he made a fist with his right and following the man's arm up, smashed the suicidal bomber right in the face, snapping his head back. Re-gripping the captured hand, a part of his mind recording his reflection in the highly polished blade, Marcus pivoted on his right foot and twisting the captured hand to his left and down, flipped the man onto his back; the throw so sudden and quick that one of the bombers shoes literally flew off his feet.
Sorry for your bad luck.
The Master Instructor…
…Smiled.
"Ok, open the door!" Edward yelled out.
"Right!" The MA replied as he opened the door, the First Attendant practically shoving the female Sage onto the floor of the limousine as they piled into the back.
"Mr. Black," Edward shouted out as Emerson's highly polished boots disappeared into the rear of the limo, the General throwing himself onto the leather seats. "Package secured, time to go!"
Bracing the captured arm across his left shin, Marcus brought the man's hand, knife and all, down levering the arm across his leg, turning the unconscious form over and disarming the failed suicide bomber. "Secure this," He turned towards Mashburn and handing him the knife sprinted towards the still open door of the limo. "I'm in!" He yelled as he threw himself onto the seat opposite the General.
"Close the door," Mr. White shouted out to the MA as he floored the accelerator.
*********************************************
"This is just too much," Scott laughed out-loud, his face out-lined in red, the cockpit of his Five-Zero-Five bathed in the harsh shades of crimson as the Compac Drive glowed, the left side of the cockpit display showing as Marcus expertly executed an outward-wrist twist technique, throwing the unfortunate bomber harshly to the ground, the man's shoe flying through the air over the heads of the security force members and out into the panicked crowd. "Did I get that," Scott excitingly asked himself. "Please tell me I got that," He spoke to the display, the yellow letters flashing "Recording" in the upper left hand corner of the HUD. Clutching one of his massive fists, he pumped it up and down. "Yes! Marcus, you certainly haven't lost any of your skills,"
Reaching down he touched a series of buttons, the image on the display zooming in on the limo, tires smoking as Edward gunned the engine the vehicle leaving a black scar on the pavement as it tore down the road. "Just as expected," Bringing up another screen on his right, Scott watched as the limousine, represented as a blue dot, followed a red line on the electronic scanned map of the escape route given to him by Dewey's aide. Glancing down at the flight control panel he checked the trappar density readout, the circular gauge on the LCD screen slowly beginning to rise. "Now that…"Scott paused and brought the LFO around, tilting the torso slightly. Zooming in on a small patch of color in the bottom of the blast crater the former Executive Protection agent drew his mouth back in an evil grin. "…is what Marcus would say as being…Interesting."
Smoke bellowing out from behind, the red visor flashing red, the black and silver Five-Zero-Five rose up into the clear blue morning sky. Metal hands reaching back and grabbing the two half's of the ref board attached to the legs, the Five-Zero-Five momentarily hanging in mid air as the separate half's detached from their mounts, and quickly bringing the pieces together throwing it under foot, magnetic locks slamming into place, green tendrils of trappar splaying our around the LFO, Scott triggered his boosters and quickly shot out after the limousine.
Falling in line above and beside the limousine, his huge hands deftly manipulating the controls, Scott brought the right hand up, gripping the double-barreled beam cannon mounted high on the right side of the Five-Zero-Five. Momentarily aiming at the fleeing vehicle, the limousine swerving to the right, the sudden movement as the driver moved to throw off his aim, elicited a chuckle from the former EP agent. Laughing out loud Scott shifted his aim, pointing the weapon at an already damaged building several hundred yards in front of the limousine, the cannon's crosshairs lining up on the hastily spray-painted bulls-eye on the side of the building.
"Revenge…" He whispered as he pressed the firing button, the beam of coherent light crossing the path between the LFO and target in an instant, the shot a signal to those watching and waiting that it was time to move.
"Revenge…"
*********************************************
"We're being jammed," Turning the brim of his black cap around, the Master Instructor stuck his head into the driver's compartment. "Did you hear me?"
Eyes focused on the road ahead, Edward calmly replied as he darted down the street. "It's Scott."
"Scott," Marcus slowly repeated the name, the memory of his fiancé viscously slamming her knee into the big man's groin flashing before his eyes. "Are you sure?"
"Pretty sure," He quickly glanced to his right. "Hold on," Lightly tapping the break, briefly slowing the heavily armored limo, then turning the steering wheel smoothly to the right, he swung the rear-end of the vehicle around, and at just the right moment, just when it seemed that the car would spin out of control, the Assistant Instructor tromped on the accelerator, straightening out as he made the turn.
"Great," Marcus turned and bringing his rifle around slumped down into the seat. "Any new holes unaccounted for, anywhere on you sir?" He lightheartedly asked General Emerson, the older man pulling himself up off the limousine seat as the two women began picking themselves up.
"Madam, are you injured?" Naomi asked as she helped Koda off the floor and next to Emerson, the First Attendant's hands searching over the old woman's body for possible wounds.
"Nothing new," Emerson smiled as he sat back.
Slapping Naomi's hands off her, the female Sage harshly replied. "I am quite alright." As Naomi slightly inclined her head and seated herself next to Mr. Black, Koda reached down and adjusted the hem of her long skirt. "Your skills, they were very…impressive."
Lowering his head, looking over the top of his sunglasses, the Master Instructor shrugged. "I try,"
"I see," Narrowing her eyes, Koda remarked, her voice dripping of sarcasm. "Well, Mr. Black, what now?"
Leaning back into the plush leather seat, cradling the Hk416, Marcus looked over her shoulder out the rear window. "Back to the Izumo, then back to your palace in the sky, Madam."
Bringing her hand up to her chin, scrutinizing the executive protection agent, the Sage asked. "So, who were those…" she paused. "…People?"
"Vodarac insurgents most likely," Emerson quickly answered.
Smiling, thin lips tugging at the corner of her mouth, Koda smartly remarked. "I was not asking you General." Her gaze lingered on the Master Instructor, her eyes trying to bore a hole through his dark glasses. "Well..."
Reaching up, Marcus took off his shades and placed them on top of his black ball cap. Looking Koda directly in the eye he said. "Like the general said…Vodarac."
"I am not ignorant…Jonathan." Koda remarked, the Master Instructors first name seductively rolling off her tongue. "Those men were suicide bombers, weren't they?"
"I would say that either we were…extremely lucky," The Master Instructor turned, looking out one of the windows, a shadow falling across one of the buildings that was quickly rushing by catching his eye. "Or," He started to continue as Naomi; also taking note of the form knelt down on the floor looking out the window. Looking up he saw the same black and silver LFO that he had noticed earlier aiming its beam cannon at the vehicle. "EDWARD…EVASIVE STARBOARD!" Marcus shouted.
"Hold on!" Mr. White yelled back as he skewed the limousine to the right, the sudden move throwing the First Attendant into Mr. Black, when, for some unexplained reason the pilot readjusted his aim firing at an unseen target further up the street.
Landing in his lap, her body warm as it pressed up against him, Marcus commented gesturing with his head up towards the LFO following them. "Well now. That was…interesting?"
Reaching up as she slid off his lap next to him, unwrapping the veil around her head; brown hair cascading down her shoulders, Naomi smoothly gathered up her long locks, tying her hair back. "That shot. A signal of some kind, perhaps" She thoughtfully said.
Deeply inhaling, the scent of her hair filling his lungs the Master Instructor replied. "That's what I'm thinking. We're being jammed, so it stands to reason that whoever else is out there is being jammed as well," He gestured towards the LFO. "My old friend up there is running an Electronic Counter-Measures package. Left shoulder."
"Ah," The First Attendant, her eyes bright, winked at him. "Sharp eyes,"
Crossing his arms across his chest, the tone in his voice serious Emerson asked. "Did you let the Security Detail know?"
"I let MA2 Mashburn know, but I don't know how long it might take to find a working land-line." Marcus replied still watching the Five-Zero-Five as it road on the green swells of trappar, parallel to the armored limousine, the tone in his voice mirroring the General. "At least from the looks of things," Marcus smiled. "They don't have coms either."
Turning back he looked hard at the Sage as the limousine bounced hard on the uneven pavement as Edward drove down the shattered roads adjacent to the blast site. "Like I said, Madam Sage," Placing his shades back down over his eyes, the Master Instructor continued answering the female Sage's question. "Either we were extremely lucky or…this is some kind of set-up."
"Boss," Edward spoke over his shoulder, his eyes focused on something further up the road. "Boss…we've got company."
*********************************************
The instant the black and silver trimmed Five-Zero-Five flashed up on the tele-viewer, Eureka noticed something, something that although she couldn't put a name to it, began to cause a familiar feeling to begin to stir with-in her small body, the image of the LFO stirring up a feeling that she knew she had felt once before.
Cocking her head to the side, flipping back several pages she momentarily returned to the exact moment when she had first experienced this emotion…
…Hearing the sound of the Heavy Lifter as it bore down on the range; her eyes wide, heart beating frantically in her chest as a new feeling started coming over her as she saw the look in Marcus's face…a quiet serine look…the girl seeing something in the Master Instructor's eyes she had never seen before as this new emotion began to well up inside her…
….sharply inhaling the girl quickly glanced around the room…
Taylor quietly staring at the screen…
…this feeling called "Fear" slowly enveloping her…
Talho quietly sitting on the couch stuffing popcorn in her mouth…
…eyes widening slightly the girl began to realize that the emotion she suddenly felt wasn't for her…
…the fear she felt at this moment in time was for someone else…
…It was fear for the one she so wanted desperately to have 'smile' at her.
Hardening her gaze, lavender eyes focusing intently, turning to one of the many blank pages in her head, invisible hands flying across the pages of her mind, the girl desperately trying to record, to copy down every last detail of the LFO on the screen in front of her…
…The dual beam cannon mounted high up on the right shoulder…
…The way the silver trim was artfully applied…
…The helmeted shape of the head…
…The visor as it flashed…
…Blood Red.
The screen flickered…
The camera cut back to the Sage. "…And it is with a sorrowful heart that I accept your most…gracious welcome…"
A burst of static…
"Marcus…" Eureka whispered.
…As suddenly the screen went black.
"Hey!" Talho yelled out of the lounge, her voice echoing down the passageway leading to the hanger. "Eureka, wait! Where are you going?"
Ignoring the Information Officer, heart beating furiously in her small chest, the girl continued running....
The voice's in her head loud…
"Marcus,"
Calling out to her as she ran…
"Hold on,
Towards the hanger bay…
"We're coming,"
…towards the Nirvash.
*********************************************
"Talho," Taylor frantically began saying as the blank screen was quickly replaced by the CCNN logo as a man's voice came over the viewer's speakers…
"It seems that we have encountered some sort of technical difficulty…"
… "Talho, the signal is being jammed at the source." The Diva finished saying as he ran out of the lounge chasing after the girl. "Tell Holland…HURRY!"
"Roger that Chief!" Talho yelled back down the hallway. Turing she ran the opposite way down the hallway. Stopping in front of the conference room door she flung it open just as the young grey haired Commander was about to dismiss everyone for the morning.
"Talho you're just in time…" Holland began. "What's wrong Lieutenant?"
"The Sage's speech, there's something wrong, Chief Taylor says that it's being jammed at the source," Talho's quickly shot out.
"What are you talking about?" Holland asked a stupefied expression on his face.
"Jammed. At the source?" Major Lennon stood up as the conference room was filled with the sound of tires squealing, resounding loud in the cavernous confines of the hanger bay turned everyone's attention away from the female Information Officer and out the window overlooking the floor of the hanger.
"Eureka!" Holland shouted. Turning and jumping up on the large wooden conference table, scattering papers and knocking over several glasses, he quickly ran across it and leaping towards the doorway, Talho quickly sidestepping out of the way, his hand reaching out to stop him from hitting the wall, Holland turned and shot down the hallway.
"Here we go," Chief Roberts excitingly said as he stood up, running for the door.
"Meeting…Adjourned!" Lennon yelled. Looking over at Charles he began snapping out orders. "Chief, find Lieutenant Hollings, everyone else..." He paused, his grey eyes shining. "Let's move with a purpose people!"
"Hoo-rah!" A chorus of voices rang out in unison.
"Major Lennon!" Talho yelled stopping Lennon midstride. "Lieutenant Hollings. She's outside off-loading her Terminus!"
*********************************************
Entering the hanger bay, Eureka turned and sprinted toward where the TypeZERO sat on its turnstile next to the TypeALPHA, the tires securely chocked, the front two exhaust nozzles hooked up to hoses designed to vent noxious fumes out of the bay, a monstrous power cable plugged into the LFO recharging its battery pack and providing what was in ancient old Earth naval terminology termed "Shore Power".
"Good morning Ma'am, how are you doing today?" One of Chief Taylors techs, the same fresh-faced young man from the night before, asked as he was sitting cross-legged next to the Master Instructors LFO, an access panel open on one of the TypeALPHA's 'feet', a technical manual open just off to his side.
Ignoring him the girl ran right past towards the rear of the LFO berthed next to the one he was currently making adjustments to the magnetic locks on. Noticing the serious look on the face of the girl, the Tech yelled out to her. "Uh…Ma'am is there something wrong?" Leaning as far back as he could, supporting himself on his elbows and craning his head around he saw as the girl disappeared into the cockpit of TypeZERO, quickly followed by the sound as she powered up the LFO. As the girl gunned the engine the TypeZERO shuddered, the LFO straining against the wheel-chocks that kept the tires from accidently rolling on the massive turnstiles used to turn the big machines around, as it was generally easier than having the pilots do it themselves, the procedure a nightmare of three, four or even six point or more turns, the LFO's in 'land-mode' balky and not well suited to tight maneuvering.
Fingers wrapped around both HOTAS, Eureka looked down at the front cockpit display, the amber light from the panel illuminating her pale face. "Come…on…" She said speaking to the archetype. Furrowing her teal eyebrows together, her mouth a straight line, she took a breath. "Please…Move…" Her small body shaking as the TypeZERO strained against its metal restraints, its huge rear tires held immobile, Eureka looked down at her feet and closed her eyes, the face of the one she wanted to smile staring up at her from the Pages of her mind.
Looking up out of the cockpit she said, silently. "Nirvash…" Taking another deep breath, the image of the Master Instructor as he looked up into her eyes…
Smiling up at her…
…the idea of something happening to him…
Marcus smiled at me…
…to never have him smile at her again burning inside her…
"I" made him smile…
…this feeling called fear…
"Nirvash…" She softly repeated.
…gradually transforming into something else…
"…Please…Nirvash…" Louder this time.
…a "new" feeling burning inside her….
"…Let's go…" The girl shaking in the confines of the cockpit.
…amplified through the one "born" from the earth…
"…Nirvash…" Eureka tightened her grip on the HOTAS.
…directly transferred into the archetype.
"…LET'S GO!"
"Look out!" Taylor yelled as the huge rear tires began smoking, the sound of them squealing reverberating through the cavernous hanger, the TypeZERO shifting on the metal wheel-chocks as it responded to the will of the one sitting at its controls.
"Whoa!" The Tech shouted as one of the exhaust hoses broke free from its overhanging mount, the metal bracket landing just beside the young man, the smell of burnt rubber permeating the area around the LFO as it started skidding to its right, the TypeZERO held fast by the large chocks.
"Justin, get down!" Leaping over one of the TypeALPHA's front legs, the Diva reached over, his big hands grabbing the young Tech by the coveralls just as the Nirvash suddenly shifted into reverse, the momentary change of momentum causing the LFO to hop on the chocks and as the TypeALPHA's Chief tech pulled the young man back behind the leg of the Master Instructors LFO, the Nirvash broke free, one of the large metal wheel-chocks spinning violently out from under the tire, flying directly over the head of the obviously shaken Tech and an equally astounded Taylor.
Lying on his back, watching the chock spinning end-over-end as it tumbled in the air in above him, the sound as the other exhaust hose snapped free and the sharp snap-crack as the external power cable was ripped from the wall outlet as the TypeZERO, fishtailing slightly lining up on the yellow taxi line on the floor, dragging along a tangled mess of wires, gantry braces and parts of the overhead support as it made its way towards the entrance of the hanger bay, the Diva in awe of the raw display of power said, almost reverently, one word. "Fierce,"
"EUREKA, WAIT!" Holland yelled out entering the hanger bay, the TypeZERO zipping past him, it's torn power cable bouncing along catching on a corner of one of the S.O.F. LFO's, dragging the Terminus off its turnstile mount, the techs and pilot jumping off as the machine started lurching sideways, the power coupling breaking free of the TypeZERO as it continued out the bay and into the late morning light. "Dammit!". Turning towards his own Terminus, the Nine-Zero-Nine, he started to run, but froze in his tracks. "Eureka, where are you going?" Holland half whispered looking up at the Nine-Zero-Nine's cockpit, the wheel-chock from the TypeZERO firmly imbedded in the left side of the shattered canopy.
Clenching his hands into fist he slowly turned looking out the hanger, the TypeZERO quickly heading off towards the runway. "Somebody contact the Officer of the Deck!" The grey-haired Commander angrily shouted. "Tell him to get in touch with ATOC and let him know that there's about to be a flight-line incursion." Running his hand through his unruly mane and shaking his head, Holland looked over as Chief Roberts came running up next to him.
"What the hell…?" Roberts remarked looking at the damaged cockpit. "What happened?"
Shrugging his shoulders and shaking his head, Holland looked back out the hanger bay. "I dunno, you tell me, Chief."
"Holland!" Charles came running into the hanger bay, the burly man stopping, momentarily glancing around at the broken gantries, the huge power cable lying haphazardly on the hanger floor, one end wedged up under the front leg of a Terminus, the LFO dragged halfway out into the middle of the bay, his blue eyes finally coming to rest on the Nine-Zero-Nine's busted canopy.
"What is it Charles?" Holland quickly asked.
"We just got in contact with Lieutenant Hollings."
"Oh," Roberts remarked as Holland nodded his head.
"And?"
Smiling back at his friend, Chief Beams replied. "She's just completed off-loading, and is currently in pursuit,"
"The Eight-Zero-Eight." Holland said.
"That's correct," Charles turned as the three of them looked out towards the runway. "She shouldn't be too far behind."
"Good," Holland said. "Chief Taylor!"
"Yes Commander!" The Diva quickly responded.
"Power up the TypeALPHA," Holland began.
"She doesn't have a ref-board." Taylor shouted back as he threw himself up onto the front cowling.
"That doesn't matter." He replied as he ran towards the TypeZERO's sister-ship as off in the distance, the low wail of an alarm sounded across the airfield. "We'll use it to relay coms."
"Major Lennon is in contact with Hollings," Charles said. Turning he began running back towards the conference room. "I'll have him patch through to you."
"Right!" Holland replied.
"We're on Bravo, Tac-Two." Chief Roberts yelled out as Charles disappeared down the hallway.
"Bravo, Tac-Two," Charles voice echoed back.
Eureka, what are you thinking…Holland thought as he climbed up the side of the TypeALPHA.
*********************************************
"Ok Lieutenant, looking good, steady as she goes." His hands on his hips, earphones on top of his head, a long black cable running from the headphones into a jack on the side of the Eight-Zero-Eight, Lieutenant Hollings crew chief, via the external communications link, gave the go ahead to off load the LFO down from the huge sixteen wheeled military transport.
Painted in various shades of olive drab, designed for armed reconnaissance and infiltration, its head a bulbous array of communications and laser range finding gear, the LFO the most heavily armored and armed currently in production began to slowly back down off the transport.
"Roger that, Rick." Hilda replied. Looking up into the rear-view mirror mounted high up on the right side of the Eight-Zero-Eight's cockpit Hilda immediately noticed as something, something moving very fast as it shot out of the S.O.F. Squadron hanger bay, caught her eye. "Chief?"
"Lieutenant."
"Hey, uh, do you see that. Starboard at about five o'clock."
"Wait one." He replied. Gathering up the long black cable Rick quickly walked around to the right side of the Eight-Zero-Eight. "What in the world," He began. "Isn't that the…"
Trailing cables, parts of what appeared to be a repair gantry, various bits and pieces of metal bouncing along the tarmac as they broke free, painted in U.F. Air Forces low-visibility grey, speeding along and turning sharply, tires screeching in protest, haphazardly flinging the metal remains dragging along behind it, strewing the debris along the entrance to the secondary runway on-ramp, the pilot perfectly positioning the front two legs right down the middle of the taxi line, the Nirvash shot down the secondary runway.
"It's the TypeZERO." Hilda said, her eyes focused on the right side of the Eight-Zero-Eights heads up display, the TypeZERO's cockpit filling an inset box, yellow letters in the lower right hand corner reading 30X ZOOM. "Its Eureka, something's wrong."
"Who?" Rick asked.
"Never mind," Hilda took a final glance in the mirror. "Look out. I'm gunning it."
"You're all clear." Throwing the remaining cable out on the ground, Rick gave the dark skinned pilot a thumb up as the engine roared, the Eight-Zero-Eight tires briefly spinning on the transports metal ramp as the LFO quickly backed down off the trailer. "Rear-end down…" He paused. "Front end down." Running over he reached up and grabbed the external communications cable. "Free to maneuver Ma'am." He said as he yanked the cable free.
Keeping it in reverse, waiting until the Crew Chief had cleared, Hilda turned both HOTAS to the right, planted her left foot down hard on the brake pedal and mashed the accelerator, the rear tires expanding as smoke rolled out from behind the Eight-Zero-Eight, the direction of the torque from its drive train skidding the huge LFO to the left. Left foot coming off the brake and onto the clutch, right foot letting up on the accelerator, right hand reaching down she quickly dropped the Eight-Zero-Eight into low gear.
A communications box suddenly appeared in the middle of the console, the words 'Radio Only' in big yellow letters centered in the middle, Major Lennon's voice, calm and clear in her head phones as he transmitted. "Hollings,"
Foot lightly on the accelerator Hilda smartly replied. "Go ahead Major."
"Status?"
"Off load complete,"
"Excellent," Lennon said. "Go ahead Lieutenant Yuki; tell her what you told me,"
Lennon's voice was quickly replaced. "Hilda, its Talho,"
"What's going on, I saw Eureka…" Hilda began.
"It's the speech," Talho said cutting her off. "Chief Taylor says that the transmission being jammed,"
"Jammed?" Looking to both sides of her Eight-Zero-Eight then back up in the direction of where the TypeZERO had gone, her right foot pushing the accelerator to the floor, left coming up off the clutch, the feeling as the LFO pushed her back into the pilots seat, Hilda took off after the girl. "Where…at the source?"
"That's correct," Talho continued saying. "And another thing," She paused. "I don't know if this means anything,"
Seeing off in the distance as the TypeZERO turned onto the main runway on-ramp just as two older Terminus Type Five-Zero-Five's from the Federation Base Air-wing, white smoke billowing out from their rear tires, started their take-off run down the primary runway. Hearing a certain tone in her voice, Hilda brought her left hand up covering one side of her headset. "What is it Talho?"
"Well," The Female Information Officer began. "Right before the signal cut out, the camera showed a black and silver trimmed LFO. Five-Zero-Five type…there's something about that one…I've got a bad feeling."
"Ok. Wait a sec…whoa, look out!" Hilda shouted out.
"What happened?" Talho asked excitement in her voice.
"Eureka…she just blew two local fly-boys right off the runway just as they were taking off!" Hilda said her own voice charged with excitement as the Terminus units, the pilots caught totally off guard, desperately tried to avoid colliding with the TypeZERO as it shot up their 'Six', one of them switching into 'Wave Rider' mode, sparks flying, arms and legs flailing its ref-board shattering into several large chunks of metal and reflection film scattering across the runway, the dark shape of a 60MM Rifle spinning around in circles on its ammo drum in the middle of the tarmac, while the one closest to her slammed on its brakes spinning out into the grassy area between runways throwing up a wall of dirt and sod.
As the unfortunate Terminus came to a halt a few meters short of the secondary runway and what would have been an almost certain collision with her Eight-Zero-Eight, Hilda involuntarily flinched. Seeing the pilot removing his headset, angrily throwing it against his console she commented as she drove by. "Yeah, that's going to leave a mark."
"Hilda," Lennon said his voice coming across the com. "Switch TAC. Bravo-Two, you'll be relaying through Commander Holland in the TypeALPHA."
"I copy. Bravo, Tac Two." Reaching down, Hilda touched a button on the LCD console. Almost immediately her ears were assaulted by the sound of Air Traffic Operations Control or ATOC as it was commonly referred to in Military Lingo, a male's voice frantically shouting out commands across all active flight operations channels.
"…I repeat, we have a flight line incursion, all units on final approach assume holding pattern Alpha-one; all other units on Foxtrot Lima-Two hold position and stand by! Repeat we have a…"
Glancing to her right, Hilda scanned the side of the runway quickly finding the runway marker, a yellow sign with black letters as the 'Radio Only' inset box was replaced as another screen flashed over the top, a young grey haired S.O.F. Commander staring up at the bronze-skinned pilot.
"Lieutenant Hollings," Holland began, his sky-blue eyes flashing.
"Go ahead Commander," Hilda replied. Slowing down she came to a halt behind two other Five-Zero-Fives as a trio of emergency response and fire-fighting vehicles cut behind her.
"Status,"
"Foxtrot Lima-Two…Currently stuck behind traffic…" She sighed.
"Listen to me Lieutenant," Holland looked off to his right. "ATOC can wait!" Looking back he continued, his tone sharp, to the point. "Go after Eureka, I'll deal with the brass here."
Firmly grasping the controls, Hilda smiled. "Roger that sir, I'll bring her back in one piece." Cutting around the two Terminuses, she quickly turned facing down the runway.
"Unidentified unit…This is Control…Hold your position!" A male's voice came over the net.
"Don't worry about him!" Holland shouted cutting the Air Traffic Controller off. "Just GO!"
"Like I was going to stop," Hilda muttered under her breath. "Ok baby," She said talking to the Eight-Zero-Eight. "Let's haul ass!" Adding her own set of burnt rubber to the tarmac, she shot down the runway.
Checking the trappar reading, the gauge barely in the upper-end of the amount needed for what she was about to do, she gritted her teeth and gripping the HOTAS, the Compac Drive brightly glowing as it responded to her input, Hilda started manipulating the controls, switching from 'Land Mode' and into 'Wave Rider' the Eight-Zero-Eight now transformed into a ten-meter tall speed-skater, arms positioned behind its heavily armored legs as it zoomed down the runway.
"Hilda," Talho's voice cut across the net cutting off Holland and the male ATC. "Watch out for that black Five-Zero-Five, ok."
"Roger that," She replied. Looking down the runway she spotted something lying on the tarmac. Nodding her head she turned the left HOTAS slightly, her fingers light on the control, the LFO reacting, its left arm reaching down, metal fingers spread. "I'll be borrowing this if you don't mind," Hilda said scooping up the 60MM Rifle. Glancing to her right and up she saw the white contrail and green wake left behind by the TypeZERO as it sped off in the direction of the Tower City. "Shoot, I'd better get hauling."
Continuing down the long runway, Hilda confidently manipulating the controls, land speed increasing as she shifted through the gears, reaching back grabbing the Eight-Zero-Eights massive 'Long Board', simultaneously triggering her boosters, vaulting high into the air and throwing the board under foot, the knees flexing as the Terminus caught the lip of a trappar swell, the bronze-skinned pilot yelling in excitement as the cockpit was bathed in an ethereal green light, the friction from the refboard digging into the 'invisible' energy wave splashing up around the LFO as it leaned back into the board then executing a switch-back and re-firing her back boosters, quickly gaining altitude, catching the same trappar line as the TypeZERO, the Eight-Zero-Eight went off in pursuit of the girl.
*********************************************
Identification…Friend,
After setting up a perimeter around the unconscious suicide bomber, careful to keep the pushbutton detonator out of reach MA2 Mashburn stood up from having handcuffed the man. Reaching up wiping the beads of sweat that had accumulated underneath his cover he looked around quickly finding the hastily set-up command post and entry control point adjacent to the stage. "Any word on that line-line yet?"
"MA2!" The same young Master-at-Arms that had held the door open for Mr. White yelled out. "Nothing yet, it seems that all hard lines were cut by the bomb blast."
"Great," Turning back facing over to where the large, grey metal container that was air-lifted there earlier, the container housing the LFO supposedly assigned as on over-watch for the speech, the black and silver Five-Zero-Five having taken off in pursuit of the limousine containing the Sage and General Emerson, Mashburn noticed a blue GOV parked next to the large box.
"Has anybody seen Benoit?" He asked.
*********************************************
Fumbling as he pulled out a cigarette, his hands still shaking from all the excitement, Stoner leaned back against the CCNN mobile news van. "Whoa man, that was…intense." He said out loud. Placing the cigarette in his mouth he reached down into the front pocket of his green hooded anorak. Pulling out the roll of film he had just taken out of his camera, he held it up in front of his face. "The things one has to go through for great art." Placing the film canister back in his pocket he found his lighter. Lighting the cigarette and taking a long drag he leaned his head back against the van, slowly exhaling.
"We're still being jammed?" A muffled voice coming from inside the van caught the investigative reporters attention.
Looking around making certain no one was paying him any mind, Stoner placed his ear up against the van.
"That's correct; I haven't even been able to contact the main news room." Another voice, a female's replied.
"What about the local coverage?" A male asked.
"Oh, we have it all on tape," The female quickly said. "It seems that the black-out didn't affect our coverage here."
"That's because all of our cameras were hard wired to the trailer." Another male voice Stoner recognized as the cameraman that he had talked to earlier remarked.
"Strange," The female said. "I wonder what caused it."
"I'm not sure," The cameraman began. "But I think it might have to do with that LFO, you know the one I was shooting just before we lost our feed with the main office."
Cutting his eyes to the left, looking out over the crater, past the multi-colored mass of live scab, up towards the lip of the far side, quickly finding the metal container he had noticed earlier Stoner brought his camera up, zooming in on the grey box.
"Well well, what do we have here?" He said snapping a couple of pictures of a man wearing the grey coveralls of a tech as he nervously paced back-and-forth in front of what appeared to be a blue government sedan.
*********************************************
The first thing Benoit noticed as she came to was the darkness. Blinking her eyes a few times the Female Master-at-Arms slowly realized exactly where she was at. "Man…" She whispered. "I can't believe I let that guy get the drop on me."
Reaching up Benoit lightly touched the area just below her right ear. "OUCH!" She exclaimed, the sudden pain causing her to bolt upright hitting her head on the roof of the trunk. "Son-of-a…" She cursed. "Freak,"
"Excuse me…" A voice shouted out. "Hello, is anyone here?"
I recognize that voice…She thought as she reached down to her duty belt. "Figures," Benoit sighed. "Took my radio…" Fumbling around in the darkness of the trunk she found the pouch containing her flashlight. Holding the small light in her left hand, her thumb finding the off/on button she turned it on illuminating the small space around her. "Ah, but they left my weapon," She smugly said as she un-holstered her service pistol.
"What can I do for you sir?" Another man, a voice she didn't recognize replied.
"I was wondering if I might be able to take a few shots, for my magazine." The man asked.
It's that reporter…Benoit suddenly remembered the beret wearing journalist. "Hey!" She yelled out as she started banging on the inside of the trunk. "I'm in here!"
*********************************************
Trusty camera in hand Stoner thought that if the rest of his day was going to be like this…
"Did I say something wrong," Stoner asked as he stood there, the sound of someone banging away from inside the trunk punctuating the stillness in the late morning air, the young LFO tech standing between him and the blue GOV nervously aiming a small, automatic pistol at his midsection.
…That he might want to rethink his career choice.
"Don't move!" The Tech repeated his voice trembling.
"What's with the gun, all I wanted was a few shots for my magazine." Stoner calmly replied. Slowly he brought his camera up, the thumb of his right hand finding the power switch to the flash, the high pitched sound as the cell charged up loud in his ears drowning out his own heart as it pounded furiously in his chest.
"Hey! Put that down!" The tech demanded the pistol shaking in his grasp as he walked over towards the photographer.
"It's only a camera," Stoner focused in on the man. "Why don't you…" He snapped a picture, the powerful flash aimed right at the face of the tech, the white strobe momentarily blinding the young man.
"Stop…Halt!" the tech shouted out. Pointing the pistol in the general direction of where Stoner was high-tailing it away from him, the tech started to squeeze the trigger when two shots rang out.
His shoulder muscles tightening at the sound of the reports, Stoner froze. Slowly exhaling he cautiously turned around. "Huh…?"
A bewildered look on his face, a face that was slowly turning pale; the tech looked at the pistol in his hand. Looking down he noticed two red pools on either side of his chest. "What…the…" He began as he looked up at Stoner.
"Put down the gun." A stern male voice demanded.
Coughing, red bubbles forming on the sides of his mouth, the tech reached up touching the corner of his lips. His breath suddenly coming in short rasps, the blood bright red in the palm of his hand, he turned towards the sound of the voice.
"I said, put down the gun." The barrel of his pistol still smoking MA2 Mashburn stepped out from behind the shattered remains of what used to be a structural support pillar "Just put the gun down and we'll find you a medic."
"Vodarac be praised!" The man spat out as he brought the pistol up towards the beret wearing photographer.
"DON'T DO IT!" Stoner shouted out to no avail.
His front site still centered on the tech's chest as he continued raising the pistol, Mashburn squeezed the trigger.
**********************************************
"Everyone, hang on!" Marcus shouted out as several men dressed in different colored robes and wearing white baggy pants struggled to push two large flatbed farm trailers out into the middle of the road while a few men already on top of the trailers readied what appeared to be various weapons, hunting rifles mostly, their arms flailing about as they hurriedly chambered rounds clumsily bringing them up to bear on the heavily armored limousine as it bore down on them.
"Floor it Edward!" The Master Instructor yelled out as Emerson and Koda quickly found their seatbelts.
Bullets from the insurgent's rifles harmlessly splashing off the front windshield as they quickly closed in on the make-shift road block, both hands on the steering wheel, his foot mashed to the floor, mouth a straight line Edward shouted back. "Hold on!"
"Aim for the middle," Marcus pointed out. "Between the two trailers."
Staring straight ahead, the Assistant Instructor positioned the hood-ornament at the narrowing gap between the two flatbed farm trailers. "I've done this a few times you know," He sarcastically yelled over his shoulder. "This is going to leave a mark…get ready!"
Marcus spun around settling down into the plush leather and bracing his legs against the seat opposite braced for impact, his face suddenly calm, eyes void of emotion as he mentally prepared himself…
…The Master Instructor…
…Switching Gears…
…and flipping the fire selector lever two clicks, inhaled…
In through the nose, out through the mouth, deep and complete…
"Get ready," He said to the First Attendant, the Kunoichi preparing herself in similar fashion…
…just as the armored vehicle slammed into the trailers.
Moving fast and weighing several tons more than both trailers combined, the armored limousine smashed through the hastily constructed barricade as if it never existed, the wooden trailers coming apart in hail of splinters and shattered hardwood planks.
A few insurgents unfortunate enough to be on the side of one of the trailers helping to push it out into the street when the vehicle hit were instantly killed, the sound of their bones being crushed under the weight of the armored vehicle loud enough to be heard inside the passenger compartment.
As the car continued cutting through the barricade, the front of the limousine sheared the rear axle off the trailer on the right, the end of the trailer catching the armored vehicles reinforced front ceiling brace catapulting it straight up, the force of the impact cracking the bulletproof windshield and sending several men flying through the air while the other trailer violently spun around slamming into the rear end of the limo, the impact throwing one of the Vodarac insurgents across the rear of the limousine, the man's short-lived flight terminated by a brick wall, his body slowly sliding down into a shattered heap, blood flowing off the sidewalk and out onto the road.
Flying along watching as Edward quickly brought the big vehicle back under control, the Assistant Instructor compensating for the kinetic energy absorbed from the impact of the trailer slamming into the rear of the limousine, Scott smugly grinned. "I see that you haven't lost any of your skills as well,"
Thumbing one of the buttons on the Five-Zero-Five's HOTAS, he zoomed in on the aftermath, the yellow frame inset on the right side of the canopy, a gruesome panoramic picture of men lying still on the shattered pavement, blood creeping out from broken bodies filling in the cracks on the road while others rolled around in agony, faces distorted as they cried out in pain.
Manipulating the small dial Scott rotated the camera looking farther up the street focusing in on an alleyway, the roof of the limousine barely discernable in the bottom of the frame as it sped by the narrow side-street.
Almost as soon as the limousine passed by two compact pick-up trucks, one painted light blue the other dark brown, zoomed out of the alleyway and turning sharply shot out in hot pursuit of the armored vehicle.
"Company," The Master Instructor slightly inclined his head looking over the shoulder of the female Sage. "Looks like a couple of Technical's."
"I see them," Edward commented, his dark brown eyes flashing up in the rear-view mirror.
"Technical's?" Koda curiously asked as she turned around to look out the rear of the limousine.
Glancing over his shoulder General Emerson answered her. "Civilian vehicles armed with crudely mounted weapons of some sort." He glanced back over at Marcus. "Well…Now what?"
Looking the General straight in the eye, Marcus said as the two trucks started to close in on them. "Not a problem sir." He paused turning his head towards the First Attendant. "I hope that your skills with a rifle haven't deteriorated such that you…" He paused, grinning. "You of all people would have to resort to only using sharp, pointy objects to defend yourself."
As Emerson smiled Naomi let out a sigh. Arching one of her finely shaped eyebrows and inclining her head toward the Master Instructor she remarked. "Touché," Turning around in her seat the First Attendant leaned forward. "Edward your rifle, please."
"Give me a sec," Edward looked up ahead then leaned over grabbing a black weapons case. Handing it to Naomi he told her. "Here you go; it's already in condition three and the extra mags are in the side pocket."
Taking the padded case, Naomi slid back down into the seat. Quickly finding the zipper she opened the case pulling out a Hk-416 similar to the one Marcus held in his hands.
"You do remember how to use it right?" He humorously asked the Kunoichi.
"Aren't you cute," Naomi deadpanned as Emerson stifled a laugh while Koda looked at her, her eyes seemingly to cut through her First.
"You do know how to use it?" The Female Sage asked.
Her eyes flashing Naomi looked Koda right in the eye. "I am quite capable, Madam." Giving the weapon a once over, making sure that the thirty-round magazine was fully seated and flipping on the electronic sight, the First Attendant pulled back the charging handle making it condition one. "Shall we, Jonathan?"
"I really wish you'd stop calling me that…" Mr. Black said under his breath as he reached up pulling a panel back exposing the sunroof as Naomi pushed a button, the thick bullet-proof glass retracting. "Edward, take the next right."
"Got it!"
"Get ready," The Master Instructor said his eyes flashing, invisible behind the dark lenses, emerald green eyes of the First Attendant reflected in the impact resistant plastic as the Assistant Instructor lightly tapped on the break preparing to make the sharp turn. "As soon as he completes the turn, we stand up, give our friends a quick once-over. See what they have and…"
Naomi smiled. "Give them some love, isn't that what you would say?"
Bearing his teeth, Marcus nodded. "Ryoukai Naomi…" He quietly made 'that noise'. "Ryoukai."
"I see some things never change," Naomi commented as she leaned into the Master Instructor as Edward smoothly started turning the heavily armored vehicle.
"You might want to cover your ears Madam Councilwoman." Emerson said.
"I believe that would be a prudent course of action," Koda remarked as the Assistant Instructor straightened out the limousine.
"GO!" Marcus shouted.
The interior bathed in the late morning light, air swirling around inside the limousine, the business end of his Hk-416 going first, the Master Instructor and the First Attendant stood up just as the two trucks shot around the corner, the blue one almost losing control as the driver overcompensated, the long black barrel of a crew-served weapon swinging up into the sky as the insurgent manning it was almost tossed out the back as the truck fishtailed violently.
"Heavy-Machine gun, blue truck," Naomi yelled out.
"I see it!" Marcus yelled back as he looked through the electronic sight, the red dot centered center mass on the most available part of the blue truck as the driver struggled to get the vehicle back under control, the truck straightening out as the brown one cut straight through the curve smashing through an abandoned newspaper stand sending papers and magazines flying through the air as the men in the back held on for dear life, one man letting go of his weapon, choosing instead to hold onto one of the rails mounted on the bed rather than risk being tossed out of the back, the weapon he was holding hitting the pavement and bouncing over into the path of the blue truck.
"Wow, this is unbelievable," The former Protective Service Agent commented out loud as the driver of the blue truck wildly dodged the weapon as it narrowly missed the front left tire.
Looking over the top of his electronic sight as the truck cut out of his immediate line of fire, Marcus noticed what it was that the driver of the blue truck had tried so desperately to avoid, the object continuing bouncing down the street…
…approximately two-meters in length, tube shaped with a yellow tipped cone protruding out on one end, open on the other…
"KETSUNOANA!" Marcus cursed realizing what the object was...
…A man-portable rocket launcher.
Expanding the field of view Scott watched as the Vodarac insurgents brought the rocket-propelled grenade launchers up to their shoulders while the driver kept the vehicle on a straight line almost directly behind the limousine. "Not in a straight line you idiot!" The former Protective Service Agent screamed out.
Shaking his head back and forth Scott turned the head of the Five-Zero-Five back over towards the limousine as Marcus and the Woman clad in white, a length of what appeared to be a scarf trailing out behind her blowing in the wind of the limo as it sped down the road, quickly shift their aim from the blue to the brown truck.
"RPG…RPG…BROWN TRUCK…SMOKE CHECK'EM!" The Master Instructor shouted over to the First Attendant.
Zooming in on the roof of the limousine, the flash from the muzzle's of both Hk-416's brilliantly visible in the electronically enhanced image of the Five-Zero-Five's HUD, unable to contact the insurgents due to the ECM Suite, not that he wanted to anyway…the religious zealots were serving their purpose well enough he thought…Scott watched as Marcus and the Woman unleashed an onslaught of full-auto mayhem on the brown pickup truck.
Quickly shifting back Scott watched as the rounds tore into the front of the truck. "Sorry for your bad luck." He whispered.
Weapon slightly canted so as not to shower Naomi with hot brass, the First Attendant on his right, the two of them letting loose with controlled burst of three to five rounds, starting at the radiator and walking the rounds towards the cabin, the sound deafening, the Hk-416 bucking and kicking in his shoulder, the Master Instructor looked through the aim-point sight at the faces of the men sitting in the cabin, their eyes wide as they screamed out to Vodarac to welcome them into the realm of the tenth dimension as the tungsten tipped bullets tore through unprotected flesh, the rear window and into the men in the back as they desperately tried to aim the rocket launchers at the speeding limousine.
A red flash arching out from end of his Hk-416 and into the front seat of the brown pick-up truck…the tracer round letting him know that he was close to the end of the thirty-round magazine…almost immediately followed by the dull thud of the buffer reverberating in the collapsible stock as the bolt locked home, the weapon empty, the front end of brown truck slowly becoming engulfed in flames as it slammed into a light pole, Marcus lifted his head up from where he had placed it on the stock exactly as he had done so many hundreds of time before..
…Exactly.
Body lurching backward from a final burst of 5.56MM rounds from Naomi's rifle, the tracer round cutting into the men like a laser beam, one of the insurgents managed to trigger one of the deadly projectiles, the rocket propelled grenade soaring up into the sky…right towards the black and silver trimmed LFO.
Index finger of his firing hand pushing the magazine release button, the empty thirty-round magazine falling between his legs and on to the floor of the limousine, left hand dropping down to retrieve another fresh magazine from the left, rear slash pocket of his khaki pants Marcus watched as the grenade shot through the air, his eyes following the white trail of smoke as it flew directly at the black LFO.
"Whoa!" Scott blurted out as he hauled back on the controls, the archetype responding to the manual input from its pilot as the machine flipped end for end, the grenade narrowly missing leaving a white contrail in its wake as it continued up into the clear, blue sky.
Smoke from the RPG round cutting directly through the center of the circular wake of trappar, the Master Instructor narrowed his eyes as the LFO straightened out. "Well now, Mr. Scott," Continuing to look up and inserting the fresh magazine he continued saying as he hit the bolt release with his left hand. "I see that your skills have improved."
"What was that Jonathan?" Naomi yelled as she stood back up next to him, the First Attendant having had to lower herself down into the limousine to retrieve a loaded magazine from Edward's weapons case. "What was that you were you saying?"
Catching the glint of something flashing in the sky high above and behind the Five-Zero-Five, the silhouette easily recognizable as it bore down on the black and silver trimmed LFO, Marcus smiled.
"I was saying that our friend up there is about to learn a new game."
"Game?" Naomi asked as she followed his gaze up.
"That's right," The Master Instructor shouted back at her. "Called…Tag."
"Tag?" The First Attendant curiously remarked turning her attention back towards the road…
…as the blue truck…
…the muzzle of the crew-served weapon swinging toward them…
"JONATHAN…DOWN!" She yelled out.
…began firing.
**********************************************
Cutting off the two LFO's in front of her, quickly getting airborne Eureka headed off in the general direction of the Tower City…
…But where to in the City…Exactly?
Furrowing her teal eyebrows together, Eureka realized that she hadn't the first clue where in the Tower City she needed to go.
Hands gripped tightly on both HOTAS, her lavender eyes cutting to the left…
…the sound of pages flipping, echoing through the stillness of her mind…
…the girl remembering the sight of the mushroomed shaped cloud as it rose high into the air…
"Marcus," She whispered.
…as she stood in the door of the Master Instructor's house.
"I...remember,"
Turning her head to the right, the Nirvash responding in similar fashion as it rode along on the trappar swell, the huge U.F Base laid out like a huge three-dimensional map underneath the TypeZERO's ref board Eureka quickly found what she was looking for.
Pushing forward on the control's, right hand coming off and down, left foot pressing the clutch firmly to the floor, the girl deftly manipulating the gear shifter, the archetype feeling the manual impulses coursing through its being, the prototype of every LFO ever created surging upward momentarily floating along on the top lip of the ethereal green energy then turning sharply executed a cut-back zooming off in the direction willed upon it by the teal haired pilot.
Cutting through the air, Eureka guided the Nirvash towards a small cluster of ranch style homes located a short distance away from the United Federation Base main gate.
"There,"
Lavender eyes wide the girl pulled back on both HOTAS. Lightly tapping the brake pedal with her right foot twice, the TypeZERO leaning back on the board came almost to a complete halt over one of the houses, the front windows of the house still covered with sheets of plywood, the result of having been blown inward by the effects of the shockwave of the terrorist attack.
Gently turning the control sticks to the right she slowly flew in a circle around the Master Instructors home locating the front door.
Remembering as she stood in the doorway watching as the mushroomed shaped cloud rose up over the Tower City, the girl began positioning the TypeZERO preparing to head off in the general direction of the town when suddenly an alarm starting going off in her wrap-around wireless headset as the Nirvash warned her of an incoming LFO high above and off to the right.
Narrowing her eyes she immediately turned the TypeZERO towards where the HUD showed as an unidentified Terminus was bearing down upon her, the heads-up-display painting the olive-drab and light grey colored LFO in yellow, giving the pilot the relative distance as the Terminus closed the distance, the numbers counting down.
Crouching down on the ref-board and crossing the TypeZERO's arms in front, metal hands reaching up grasping both of the boomerang shaped blades housed in sheaths mounted on its shoulders, slowly inhaling, her face calm, void of emotion, Eureka triggered the TypeZERO's boosters rising up to meet this new threat.
"EUREKA WAIT!" A female excitingly shouted out, her voice reverberating in the TypeZERO's cockpit as the olive-drab LFO did an "Ollie" and turning its long-board dug into the trappar wave.
Rocket boosters cutting out, hands coming off the deadly blades, arms going to its sides, the Nirvash leaned back pushing down hard on the end of the board virtually stopping its ascent.
"Hilda?"
"Hey kiddo, I need you to listen to me," Hilda quickly said her voice seemingly to come from all around the area inside the TypeZERO's cockpit. "Switch on your communications, and contact me on tac-three."
Furrowing her brows together, Eureka looked down at her console, the LCD screen blank. Cocking her head inquisitively to the side the girl touched one of the buttons opening up a com-line; Hilda's dark face immediately filling the box.
"Whew! You scared the…" Hilda started to say when all of a sudden an extremely high pitched noise flooded both of their headsets causing Eureka to bring both of her hands up covering both sides of the wrap-around headset.
"Sorry about that," Hilda said as she reached down touching a button located just outside the internal cockpits camera view. "There is that better?"
"That…was…very loud." The girl flatly replied. "What was that…noise?"
Hilda grinned. "Yeah…about that…Feedback."
"Feed…back?"
A new word.
"Well I couldn't raise you on any of the normal frequencies" Hilda began. "And apparently my IFF hasn't been programmed into…"
"I…F…F?" Head cocking to the side, a puzzled expression.
Laughing at the girl's reaction the recon pilot replied. "You know."
Same look.
"Kiddo, Identification Friend or Foe, duh!"
"But…you are my friend Hilda." The girl innocently remarked.
Rolling her eyes and bringing a gloved hand up and running it through her hair the recon pilot continued. "Anyway I couldn't contact you using normal channels so I had to use my directional infrared listener to contact you." Hilda smiled. "I normally only use it to listen in on people." She winked at the girl.
Silence.
"Hilda…We have to go." The girl suddenly said her pale face disappearing as she cut the com-line.
"Huh?" Was all the Recon pilot was able to get out as the TypeZERO spun one-hundred eighty degrees and igniting its rocket boosters left the Eight-Zero-Eight enshrouded in a cloud of smoke as the girl headed off towards the Tower City.
"Hey…Hold on a second, I need to tell you…Dammit!" Triggering her own set of boosters Hilda had no choice but to fall in behind the Nirvash.
Holland's face suddenly appeared a dire look in his sky blue eyes. "Lieutenant Hollings, status?"
Flying along behind, the Eight-Zero-Eight shaking in the turbulence from the wake of the TypeZERO, the two LFO's entering the Tower City air-space, marveling at the skill of the teal haired girl at the controls, Hilda silently commented as she concentrated, trying her best to keep pace with the one born from the earth. "Damn she's fast,"
"What was that, Lieutenant?" Holland impatiently asked.
Not taking her eyes off the rear of the TypeZERO, the first of all LFO's slowly pulling away from the Eight-Zero-Eight, Hilda responded. "Nothing sir. Just trying to keep up, that's all."
"What was that…" Holland said, his voice breaking up, the words coming through the com-line broken, as a low hum barely discernable in the Recon pilot's head set began getting louder. "…could…repeat…enant…ings…"
Immediately recognizing the tell-tell sign of an active ECM signal Hilda stole a quick glance down at her center console, the image of the grey-haired S.O.F. Commander becoming distorted and out of focus. "Great, this is just great."
Reaching down, she touched a couple of buttons on the LCD screen. "This is not good," She said looking up, the TypeZERO still flying along a good distance ahead of her, the blasted remains of several buildings looming large in the distance. "Total black out…" Hilda commented. She looked back down at the console, the information gathered from the sensor arrays located in the bulbous head of the Eight-Zero-Eight painting a grim picture.
Suddenly alarms started going off as the targeting and acquisition suite locked onto the source of the interference, the camera mounted in the Eight-Zero-Eight head automatically zooming in on the target, the Targeting and Acquisition Gear giving the Recon pilot relative distance, speed and based on current data contained in the Eight-Zero-Eight's IFF, the type and call sign.
Without warning a missile of some sort arched up from the road below heading directly towards the LFO, which immediately reacted by flipping end for end and straightened back out as continued along as if nothing had happened. As the missile exploded harmlessly high in the sky above what her IFF identified as a Terminus Type Five-Zero-Five, seeing how easily the pilot of the black and silver trimmed LFO had so casually dodged what her scanners had identified as an RPG round, Hilda shook her head watching as the TypeZERO paused for a moment then shot straight up into the clear blue sky, the girl gaining altitude setting up for her combat run.
Watch yourself kiddo, this one is no joke…Hilda thought thinking about the teal-haired pilot. Turing her attention back towards the Five-Zero-Five, its pilot so intent on watching what was going on below that he was apparently oblivious of both the Eight-Zero-Eight and the TypeZERO, Hilda brought the Eight-Zero-Eight down between the buildings and using them as cover flew down the road towards the general direction that the RPG round had come from.
Glancing down to her right as she manipulated the controls, dropping the left hand of the Eight-Zero-Eight down grabbing the side of her ref-board, Hilda disengaged the magnetic locks pulling the board up, and flexing the knees of the Terminus absorbed the shock as the feet hit the uneven pavement below, the two wheels screeching as the bronze skinned pilot skated down the road towards where a black column of smoke slowly rose up between the buildings just up ahead and to the right of the road she was currently on.
Gently applying the brakes Hilda brought the Eight-Zero-Eight to a stop. Zooming up ahead to the next intersection and panning the camera left-to-right she noticed several fresh skid marks. "Looks like someone was in a hurry," Setting the 60MM rifle down Hilda brought the Eight-Zero-Eight's ref board up and grabbing it with both hands pulled it apart mounting it along both sides of the legs of the Eight-Zero-Eight.
Picking the rifle back up and checking one final time the status of the weapon, sensors in the huge pistol grip and hands of the Terminus telling her that the rifle was fully loaded and functional, Hilda began cautiously walking the Eight-Zero-Eight up towards the intersection when the unmistakable sound of a crew-served weapon firing, frighteningly loud in the tight confines of the buildings, filled her headset.
**********************************************
Black with silver trim, twin barreled beam cannon mounted high above the left shoulder, the bulge of an Electronics Countermeasure Package protruding from its right, flying along on the invisible waves just above the rooftops, its back to the TypeZERO, the Nirvash HUD identifying it as a Terminus Type Five-Zero-Five, the once blank page open in her young mind, freshly scribbled down words describing what the girl had seen on the image of the Tele-viewer, Eureka calmly said. "There you are."
Lavender eyes intently observing, the girl took note as the pilot of the LFO that had caused her to experience fear for the one that she wanted so desperately to have "smile" at her execute, at what seemed like the last possible moment, a perfect three-hundred sixty degree back flip, evading a missile launched at it from someplace on the road below.
Looking up, the red ring and pupil contracting from the brightness of the sun shining high above, the girl pulled back on the controls sending the Nirvash almost straight up.
Leveling off, the TypeZERO several hundred feet above and behind the black Five-Zero-Five, Eureka slowly started inhaling…
…in through the nose…
Her will and that of the Nirvash merging…
…out through the mouth…
Becoming one…
…deep and complete…
The girl "Switching Gears"…
…her lavender eyes void of emotion…
The Archetype responding to the will of the one born from the scab coral...
…eyes of the TypeZERO flashing red…
Reaching up, the hands of the Nirvash firmly gripped around the hafts of the boomerang shaped knifes…
…eager to impress the Master Instructor…
… Eureka triggered her boosters.
Make him…
…Smile.
**********************************************
Identification…Foe.
The staccato sound as the crew-served weapon opened up on the limousine deafening, as if Death himself was outside knocking, trying to penetrate the heavily armored skin and welcome those contained with-in in a deadly embrace, the heavy-caliber rounds slamming into the limo's side smashing the bullet-proof windows causing the thick glass to splinter, spider-web like as the bullets expended their energy, the Master Instructor shouting out as he and the First Attendant fell back into the plush leather seats, General Emerson pushing the Sage to the floor. "EDWARD…WHATEVER YOU'RE GOING TO DO…DO IT SOON!"
Looking intently into the left side mirror, an evil grin on his dark face, Edward calmly replied as a round found its mark, shattering the driver's side mirror. "I got it…just like Kurdistan…GET READY!"
"READY…HIT IT!" The Master Instructor nodded his head. Reaching up he took off his shades and quickly turned the bill of his black ball cap around. Placing the sunglasses back on his face and tightening his grip on the Hk-416 he took a deep breath mentally preparing to once again stare death in the face.
When in Kurdistan…he smiled.
Seeing him smile as the hail of bullets continued pounding the vehicle, the First Attendant leaned in close to his ear. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" She shouted.
Grinning ear to ear, looking over the top of the sunglasses, Marcus winked at her just as Edward slammed on the brakes cutting the wheel sharply to the left.
Flying along watching as the drama played out beneath the green waves, a maddening look in his eyes as he slowly succumbed to the euphoric sensation coursing through his heart, the feeling enveloping his soul, former Protective Service Agent Johann Scott bared his teeth, totally caught up in the moment-high from the feedback caused by crimson colored drive, the glow encompassing the cockpit-and as the rear end of the limousine began to swing around, having performed this very maneuver several times himself, his eyes wide, Scott began screaming obscenities towards the Insurgent driving the blue truck.
"YOU VODARAC PIECE OF SHI…" He stopped midsentence as his huge hands were violently jerked off of the Hands on Throttle and Stick, the Five-Zero-Five unexpectedly lurching to the right, the upper-torso turning, helmeted shaped head looking upward, targeting and acquisition gear locking onto the fast moving target, the Five-Zero-Five's HUD spitting out the call-sign.
"TypeZERO…" Scott half whispered the color momentarily draining away from his face. "YOU…HERE!" He spit out, his eyes full of rage, the feeling amplified through the Compac Drive as the dark grey form mercilessly descended upon the Five-Zero-Five.
Taking a deep breath he let loose with a primeval roar. Blood pumping, huge hands deftly manipulating sending electronic impulses flowing at the speed of light, the whine of actuators as the archetype moved in perfect time, synchronized with the will of the one at the controls, Scott twisted the Five-Zero-Five around, facing the oncoming demon eyed wraith with open arms...
…inviting…
"C'mon little girl…"
…welcoming…
"…show me what you've got!" Scott spat.
… Baiting…the first of all LFO's created into a final, fatal embrace.
Arms of the TypeZERO crossed, metal shod hands wrapped firmly around both shafts of the Nirvash's close in weapons, hands light on the controls, lavender eyes blank, pale face void of any emotion, her small body held fast in the comfort of the acceleration couch as the TypeZERO relentlessly dove towards the black and silver trimmed LFO, the numbers on the HUD down to double digits…
Pale lips parting…
...the distance between the two LFO's evaporating, armored elbows briefly rising above crimson eyes then flashing outward and down, razor sharp edges exploding out of shoulder-mounted sheaths…
"Identification…" The girl began.
…hips dropping, left hand leading, right arm going back, boomerang shaped blades eagerly awaiting their baptism…
The next word a single syllable…
…the image of the black and silver trimmed Five-Zero-Five electronically reproduced and projected on the inside of the canopy, distance now in the single digits…
The connotation final…
…pale hands twisting the right HOTAS inward, and then pushing forward simultaneously pulling the left back, the right arm of the Nirvash a blur as it swung the deadly blade.
…Eureka continued, saying.
"…Foe."
Hands a blur as he spun the steering wheel back towards the right, right foot planting the accelerator of the heavily armored limousine to the floor, rear tires smoking as the rear end slowly started swinging around; Edward gritted his teeth as the front grill of the blue pick-up truck filled the driver's side window. "Come on baby…move!" He said goading the limousine.
Completely taken off guard by the sudden maneuver the Insurgent driving the truck freaked out and panicked, his foot slamming the brake pedal against the firewall, the tires of the old pickup truck locking up, the change in momentum causing the Insurgent manning the crew served weapon to be slammed forward into the butterfly trigger assembly, gloved hands slipping off the triggers, the barrel of the heavy machine gun swinging violently upward, the heavy weapon falling silent.
Feeling the rear end of the limousine beginning to straighten out, the screaming sound of tires trying to find traction on the blasted pavement as the technical tried to avoid slamming into them, eyes hidden behind the darkened lenses cutting to the left patiently watching out the side window, waiting for just the right moment when limousine and blue truck where completely side by side the Master Instructor slowly breathed in.
Almost there…Marcus thought as the world around him began crawling forward a frame at a time, the hood of the truck even with the rear side door of the limousine…NOW!
Exhaling quickly, the Master Instructor stood up just as the right front tire of the blue pick-up drew even with top of the sunroof. Both eyes open, a part of his mind recording the surprised look on the face of the driver as he quickly "snap aimed", the barrel of the assault rifle just forward of the Insurgents side mirror; the corner of his mouth turned slightly upward, Marcus squeezed the trigger.
Unseen hands flying across the once blank pages in her mind, the girl intently focused on what the Nirvash was communicating to her: the images projected on the HUD, and more importantly…the still, quiet voice calmly speaking to her over the cacophony of pen and ink scratching across blank papyrus…her body involuntarily bracing for the "Tag", the word taught to her by the Master Instructor scrawled out in big, bold letters towards the bottom of one of the myriad of pages in her mind, Eureka watched as the blade swung towards its intended target.
Eyes wide, his senses fully engaged, amplified as they were through the brightly glowing device attached securely in its Tsurin type socket, Scott watched as the edge of the boomerang shaped blade swung inexorably towards the midsection of his Five-Zero-Five, the TypeZERO practically an arm's length away, its deadly blade cleaving through the air, the girl completely committed to the strike. Waiting until the last possible moment, when it looked as if the TypeZERO would cleave the Five-Zero-Five in two, his mouth drawn back in a misshapen rictus of a smile, the former Protective Service Agent made his move.
Feeling the recoil of the Hk-416 as it cycled through the thirty-round magazine at seven-hundred rounds per minute, shattering the front drivers side mirror stitching a path slightly upward, the 5.56MM rounds easily tearing through the thin metal skin of the truck and into the unprotected flesh of the driver and passenger, turban covered heads exploding like blood filled balloons, a part of his mind capturing in minute detail each individual bullet impact, the look of terror on the insurgents faces before being torn apart etched forever, quickly placed amid the many other faces stored away in the dark recesses of his thoughts, faces that would eventually find their way into his dreams; not resisting the muzzle recoil, the Hk-416 naturally rising under full automatic, the Master Instructor saw as the insurgent manning the crew served weapon frantically tried to swing the heavy barrel around, a determined look on the face of the young man as the truck continued along on a straight line.
Gotcha…he thought just as the truck and insurgent started coming apart in an explosion of metal and body parts, the pressure wave of an auto-cannon firing whipping up the air around him and the heavily armored limousine.
Finger coming off the trigger Marcus quickly turned looking up the street. "Son of a," He began as the immense form of an LFO stepped around the corner completely blocking the intersection, the barrel of its 60MM cannon smoking.
Pushing the controls forward, booted feet mashing both the clutch and the brake pedal to the floorboard, the Five-Zero-Five immediately responded to the former Protective Service Agent input. Armored arms extending over the helmeted shaped head, magnetic locks disengaging metal shod feet as they pushed off from the ref-board, legs extending straight out behind the Terminus jumped off its board towards the onrushing weapon.
Sharply inhaling, lavender colored eyes slightly widening as the black and silver trimmed LFO literally jumped off its refboard dodging at the last possible instant her "Tag", lithe fingers manipulating the controls specifically laid out just for her, Eureka quickly reacted.
The Five-Zero-Five momentarily hovering over its ref-board, the Terminus completely horizontal with the board, watching as the edge of the TypeZERO's blade passed seemingly just a few feet beneath the canopy window Scott subconsciously held his breath, hands at the HOTAS directing the Five-Zero-Five's arms straight down preparing to belly flop onto its long board.
Not halting the forward momentum of the initial strike, waiting until the TypeZERO's boomerang shaped blade had cleared the feet of the foe, allowing the right arm of the Nirvash to continue on a horizontal plane, not resisting the natural flow of things Eureka twisted the TypeZERO's hips violently counter-clockwise the centrifugal force transferred down to feet magnetically locked onto the ref board spinning it one-hundred eighty degrees. Then with a flick of her narrow wrist, just as the Nirvash had almost completed the pirouette; its left arm reaching up then swinging straight down, the girl struck again.
"Yeah!" Scott shouted as the metal fingers wrapped themselves around both sides of the ref-board. "GO!" Screaming out he hugged the black, angular long board to the armored chest and triggering both boosters, the cockpit shuddering as the legs of the Terminus slammed into the rear section of the board, shot almost directly straight up, the TypeZERO's blade narrowly missing cleaving the Five-Zero-Five in two.
"Whoa!" Edward managed to shout out as he slammed on the brakes, the limousine's tires protesting as they found purchase on the shattered pavement, the heavily armored vehicle skidding to a stop a few yards in front of a pair of light grey and olive drab colored feet of one of the largest LFO's the Assistant Instructor had ever seen. Turning around in his seat he started to call out a warning to his best friend, but before the words had even left his mouth, moving faster than even he could have thought humanly possible, the First Attendant shot straight up out the sun roof.
Centering the red-dot of his aim-point sight directly where the forward most part of the canopy of the heavily armed and armored LFO standing before him mated with a metal support brace, calmly breathing out, his finger taking slack up off the Hk's trigger, waiting until he had reached his natural respiratory pause Marcus prepared to make what could possibly be the final shots of his career when, for the second time today, moving just outside his peripheral vision, he noticed a white blur, the smell of some exotic perfume overwhelming the stench of death and destruction filling his nostrils.
Lifting his head up off the stock he looked up. "Naomi, what are you doing?" He hissed as the First Attendant landed lightly on the sidewalk closest to the LFO. Placing his cheek back on the stock he re-aimed as Naomi ran towards where the brown insurgent truck had come to a stop, the front end smoking, the cab and back filled with the bodies of Vodarac believers, rocket launchers firmly held in their lifeless hands.
Pale lips a straight line, lavender eyes looking up at the trail of smoke left by the Five-Zero-Five as it shot almost straight up, the flashing red eyes of the Nirvash locked onto the black and silver trimmed Terminus as it ascended up into the clear blue sky, Eureka patiently waited…
…the girl quickly learning…
"My turn, little one!" Scott said as he cut his boosters, his Terminus hanging almost motionless in the air at the apex of his ascent.
…her hands light at the controls…
Slowly spinning back around, left arm simultaneously reaching up grasping its twin-barreled beam cannon, completing the aerial maneuver, the Five-Zero-Five took aim.
…inviting this most dangerous foe into attacking.
Crosshairs aligning as the targeting and acquisition gear locked onto the TypeZERO, his thumb already resting on top of the firing stud, waiting for the high-pitched tone confirming a positive weapons lock, Scott shook his head. "Too easy," He said just as a piercing sound filled his head-set.
…BEEEEEEE…
The former Protective Agent mashed down on the stud.
Emerald green eyes locked onto the olive-drab painted LFO as it stood dominating the intersection, her body in a semi-crouch making herself a smaller target, the First Attendant ran up to the smoking, bullet-riddled brown truck. Pausing momentarily in front of a growing pool of anti-freeze, oil and blood slowly pouring out from shattered vehicle, inhaling sharply Naomi leapt up into bed of the truck, landing amidst the bodies of the dead Vodarac insurgents.
Ignoring the smell, Naomi reached down grabbing onto one of the rocket launchers. Tugging on the weapon, the RPG still held tightly in the dead hands of one of the insurgents, the First Attendant found herself suddenly locked in a bazaar tug-of-war. "Let go already," She pleaded with the dead man, his lifeless eyes staring up into the sky.
"NAOMI!" Marcus shouted out, his voice penetrating the air.
Looking up, she saw as the LFO turned slightly, the bulbous head inclining her way, the barrel of the auto-cannon swinging up. Gritting her teeth Naomi yanked on the weapon as hard as she could.
Her mind still, unearthly eyes watching as the black and silver trimmed took aim, Eureka intently observing the metal hand of the enemy LFO as it gripped the twin-barreled cannon, a once blank page open, the words of the Assistant Instructor staring up at her…
…Now Eureka, I want you to always pay particular attention to the subjects hands, because hands, hands will kill you…
…just as the wrist of the Five-Zero-Five moved ever so slightly, metallic fingers triggering the cannon.
"Now," She said her lithe fingers moving, the girl taking advantage of the momentary opening in her foe's attack. Firmly grasping both HOTAS, twisting them in and down, feet pushing both pedals to the floor, boosters briefly flaring, armored arms extended out, knees tucking up into its chest, the TypeZERO leapt up its body length, the energy beam barely missing, singeing the bottom of the Nirvash's ref board leaving an ugly black scar in its wake, the bolt impacting through the roof of a building, the secondary explosion a blinding flash of light and smoke completely enveloping the TypeZERO.
Left hand clenched into a fist, a fiendish grin plastered on his face, Scott enthusiastically pumped his muscled arm up and down, certain that he had scored a direct hit. "YEESSS!"
Spinning out of the cloud of smoke, the late morning sun glinting off its highly polished edge, cutting through the air on the way to its intended target, one of the Nirvash's boomerang shaped blades flew out towards the black and silver trimmed LFO.
Having won the tug-of-war with the dead insurgent, Naomi stepped up on top of the cab of the truck shouldering the rocket-propelled grenade launcher. Bringing the weapon up, looking through the crude sight, she took careful aim at the Terminus targeting the midsection, where the torso met with the hip. As her finger tightened on the trigger the Olive-drab colored LFO suddenly knelt down in a crouch sitting the auto-cannon down on the street. Lowering the RPG, her head cocking curiously to the left, emerald green eyes shining she arched a finely trimmed eyebrow as the huge Terminus raised its hands up, the metal fingers spread. "Naomi, stand down!" Marcus suddenly called out to her. Turning towards the limousine the First Attendant saw the Master Instructor placing a hand up to his ear as he looked up at the LFO.
Nodding his head and lowering his rifle, Marcus looked up at the cockpit. "Nice of you to join the party, Lieutenant Hollings," He said the feedback from the infrared directional laser scope setting his teeth on edge, the limo vibrating from the narrow frequency beam emanating from the head of the Eight-Zero-Eight.
"Thank you sir," Hilda's replied, the recon pilot having to practically scream over the interference from the enemy LFO. Noticing him grimacing she added. "Sorry about the echo Major, but you didn't leave me much choice." Reaching over touching a button on the center console she put the canopy in clear mode. "But I had to do something. I really didn't want to wind up looking like what's left of our insurgent friends over there."
"I hear you Lieutenant," Marcus began as Naomi, the RPG still on her shoulder walked over to stand next to the armored limousine. Glancing down at his ex-sister-in-law then back up at the bronze skinned pilot he smiled.
"Crap!" Scott cursed as he tried to move out of the way of the spinning blade his hands and feet flying at the controls of the Five-Zero-Five, the former Protective Service Agent caught completely off guard by the unexpected move; the Nirvash's blade slamming into the upper left side exactly where the twin-barreled beam cannon was mounted to the upper chasse, the boomerang shaped weapon neatly cleaving through the mount knocking the Five-Zero-Five down to its knees and taking a good portion of the left forearm along with it.
"Glad to see you," Marcus began when suddenly, echoing with-in the tight confines of the buildings the sound of metal impacting on metal caught their attention.
"Dammit!" The Former Protective Service Agent exclaimed as overloaded control circuits exploded inside the cockpit, the left side of the helmeted shaped head and canopy immediately becoming showered with a red, viscous liquid from the wounded forearm, the blood-like substance overwhelming the optical sensors causing the canopy to revert back to clear mode.
Looking up into the sky, quickly finding the source of the sound, eyes locking onto the trailing pieces from the black and silver trimmed LFO, the twin-barreled beam cannon and what appeared to be part of the upper mount slowly spinning away, his smile fading the Master Instructor turned back towards the Eight-Zero-Eight. "So Lieutenant, got room in there for two?"
Glancing around the small cockpit, Hilda turned back looking down at the limousine and shrugging her shoulders replied. "Uh…Sure,"
As Marcus swung his legs up out of the sunroof, noticing the tone in his voice Naomi asked. "What are you doing now?"
Sliding down the side of the limo, slinging the Hk-416 across his back he ran up to the First Attendant. "You know, the thing that I do." He arched both his eyebrows. "I'll need to borrow that if you don't mind." He said gesturing towards the RPG.
Arching an eyebrow, Naomi replied a tone of mock uncertainly in her voice. "Just like Kurdistan, right."
Noticing as she cocked her head to the side, Marcus absentmindedly thought…Hmmm, you know you kind' a look just like Eureka… "Sure," He said as she handed the weapon over to him when off towards their right the unmistakable sound of a rocket motor firing caused the two to look up.
Rising out of the smoke on twin tongues of flame, left hand wrapped around the boomerang shaped blade, eyes flashing red the TypeZERO rose up towards the black and silver trimmed LFO.
"Got to go," The Master Instructor turned towards his Assistant, his words coming out in rapid-fire sequence. "Alternate route…as soon as you get a clear signal contact Bravo-Golf-Alpha on Charlie-Tac two, he should be monitoring…Have them meet you at secondary airfield for emergency extraction."
Nodding his head, Edward quickly repeated. "Got it. Alternate route. Contact Big Gay Al as soon as have signal. Secondary airfield for pick-up and dust-off." Looking up at the Nirvash, the Assistant Instructor asked, the tone in his voice grave. "Is she going to be ok, we didn't get that far into her training."
"Eureka's a quick study," The Master Instructor replied. "Knowing the way she thinks," He grinned and shrugged his shoulder. "She's probably already learned a few tricks from our friend already."
Turning, Marcus started sprinting towards the Eight-Zero-Eight. "Naomi, grab another one of those if you can and I'll see you all at the extraction point!" He yelled over his shoulder.
Leaning out the driver's window, Edward shouted out. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do!"
Pausing at the foot of the Eight-Zero-Eight, Marcus turned. "Ok mom!" He yelled. Grabbing onto a recessed hand-hold on the armored knee joint, the Master Instructor hauled himself up reaching for the outstretched hand of the pilot.
"I…will…KILL YOU!" Scott roared as he brought the Five-Zero-Five back to its feet. Bringing the right arm up in front of the cockpit he gave the right HOTAS a quick left-right jerk, the right arm following suite, the motion flipping out one of the reverse articulated blades mounted next to the Five-Zero-Five's elbow. Reaching out firmly grasping the cold steel in equally cold fingers and triggering his rocket boosters Scott dove headlong towards the TypeZERO.
Going back to the smoldering truck, Naomi wrenched another RPG out of dead hands. Quickly making her way back to the armored limousine she turned watching as Marcus was helped up the front of the olive-drab and light grey colored LFO by its female pilot. "Please be careful." Focusing on the open sunroof she jumped straight up her blood stained clothes flowing in the breeze.
As she landed onto the carpeted floor of the limousine the Female Sage harshly asked. "Where is he going. Isn't he supposed to stay with us?"
Ignoring Koda, the First Attendant laid the rocket launcher across the leather seat. "In and secure Mr. White."
Flooring the accelerator Edward lightheartedly said as he swung the heavily armored vehicle around the feet of the Eight-Zero-Eight. "Ladies and gentlemen, if you would please keep all your extremities inside the car, we'll be on our way."
As Hilda helped pull him up onto the front cowling and after a bit of rearranging some of the gear stowed behind the seat, Marcus squeezed himself behind the bronze-skinned pilot, the cone-shaped RPG round almost hitting Hilda in the head, so cramped was the space in the Eight-Zero-Eight's cockpit.
"Mind the high-explosive projectile please; I still haven't finished paying her off yet." Hilda jokingly commented as she sealed the canopy.
Looking up as the TypeZERO and the enemy Five-Zero-Five quickly closed with each other, eyes flashing crimson, both pilots intent on finishing the other off, concern for the teal-haired girl briefly entering his thoughts, his words no louder than a half-whisper Marcus said. "Hang on sweetie, I'm coming."
"What was that, Major?"
Focusing back on the task at hand, the Master Instructor leaned forward. "Nothing, just get us in the air Lieutenant."
Gloved hands at the controls, the corner of her mouth turned up, Hilda confidently remarked. "Roger that sir. You might want to hang on, it's about to get a little bumpy."
Grabbing onto the back of the seat, Marcus told the Recon Pilot. "GO!"
"YOU WANT SOME OF THIS, HUH?" Scott screamed at the canopy window, his blood pumping the sound of his heart beating ringing in his ears. "I'LL GIVE YOU ALL YOU CAN HANDLE LITTLE GIRL!"
Pushing the stump of the Five-Zero-Five's left forearm forward and bringing the right arm holding the blade back, the Former Protective Service Agent assumed a defensive stance.
Noticing the black and silver trimmed LFO's posture Eureka thought…I have seen that somewhere before.
The girl quickly flipped back several pages in her mind…
…the image of the TypeALPHA as it relentlessly came towards her, its rockets propelling it along at breakneck speed, left hand out, the right hand back, eyes flashing blood red, a boomerang shaped blade preparing to sever the child in two, the eyes flashing…
…the eyes.
Leaning slightly forward, emotionless eyes narrowing slightly, mouth a straight line, the girl prepared to finish the game, to "Tag" her foe…
…fatally.
Mirroring the Five-Zero-Five's stance as she rose straight up towards the foe Eureka directed the left arm of the Nirvash back, the boomerang blade pointing to the rear, and splaying the fingers of the right hand open brought the right arm forward.
"Here we go!" Hilda yelped. Legs slamming into the ground like a huge jackhammer, the Eight-Zero-Eight sprinted down the street directly towards a ten-story building. "You'll appreciate this Major."
Trying his best to get a good look at the technique employed by the black and silver trimmed LFO pilot, Marcus asked. "What was that, I'm sorry I didn't hear you?"
"Check this out," Hilda said the calm in her voice causing the Master Instructor to look forward out the canopy.
"Uh…Lieutenant…there is a building in the way."
"I know! Watch this!" The Recon Pilot let out a yell.
Red blood-like fluid squirting out of the Five-Zero-Five's wound filling the air between them, the droplets overwhelming both the TypeZERO's and the Five-Zero-Five's Targeting and Acquisition Gear so close were the two LFO's, the world moving around them in slow motion Eureka and the Former Protective Service Agent, both of them determined to strike the first blow, their hands moving at the controls, the TypeZERO and the black and silver trimmed Five-Zero-Five simultaneously reached out towards each other.
**********************************************
"Gotcha"
Pavement pounding under the feet of the Eight-Zero-Eight, the Terminus continued sprinting down the street. Scooting as far forward in the cockpit as she could, literally sitting on the edge of her seat, looking out over the console down at the road then back up at the building the Recon Pilot, her voice charged with excitement, glancing over her shoulder told the Master Instructor. "Almost there, get ready,"
His body shoved as far back as the cramped cockpit would allow, firmly grasping onto both sides of the rear of the acceleration couch, the building looming large outside the canopy Marcus, looking up calmly replied. "Ready,"
Glancing down one final time she pushed herself back into the seat. "Alright," She warned. "Here…we…GO!" Hilda yelled.
Pushing both HOTAS back, right hand coming off and down, left hand rotating the control stick in, right foot slamming on the break, left pushing the clutch pedal to the floor, Hilda quickly down-shifted, the Eight-Zero-Eight pausing momentarily at the base of the building, its armored knees flexing, the drive train straining, whining while inside the cockpit, firmly nestled in its socket, the Compac Drive unit glowed a bright green, the device feeding off the pilots emotions as it mediated between the archetype contained in the grey and olive-drab armor and the one at the controls, the will of the dark skinned female at the helm and that of the humanoid shaped form melding, becoming one; her foot coming off the clutch, the other off the break mashing the accelerator, the Eight-Zero-Eight's bulbous head looking almost expectantly upward towards the ledge of the abandoned building, taking a deep breath Hilda shouted out in excitement as the Terminus leapt straight up the side of the building.
Extending its left arm above its head, fingers spread the Eight-Zero-Eight clamped down hard on the edge of the structure, crushing the stone masonry. As the bricks and mortar gave way the Terminus continued pulling up hard giving the huge LFO just enough upward momentum for its feet to clear the edge. Coming down on top of the roof, large slabs of cement cracking under the weight of the Eight-Zero-Eight, massive chunks splintering under the sudden shock that it was never intended or designed to hold, the roof started caving in around the Terminus.
Flexing the legs again, right arm flinging the 60MM auto-cannon high into the air, Hilda directed the Eight-Zero-Eight to jump up and forward just before the roof caved in. Watching the cannon as it lazily spun through the air above them, her eyes intently focused on the LFO sized weapon, gloved hands manipulating the HOTAS, the Eight-Zero-Eight responding by reaching around grabbing the two half's of its Ref-board mounted along each leg.
Quickly bringing the two halves together, throwing the long board underfoot, the dull thud of the magnetic locks securely attaching the Terminus's feet to the board reverberating up into the cockpit, timing it out perfectly, the Recon Pilot grinning ear to ear as her right hand gently rotated the right control stick clockwise guiding the Eight-Zero-Eight's right hand as it reached up pulling the 60MM cannon out of the air.
As the sensors located in the palm sent electronic impulses up the arm, the signals interpreted by the archetype and translated via the on-board computer, a small box appearing in the center console, the red outlined letters spelling out 'Auto-Cannon…Online' Hilda looked over her shoulder, a smug look on her dark face. "What do ya think about that, Major?"
"Now that's what I'm talking about!" Marcus enthusiastically shouted grabbing Hilda's shoulder as the Eight-Zero-Eight crashed down onto a wave of trappar, the invisible energy becoming visible as it foamed up around them.
"Was there ever a doubt?" Hilda matter-of-factly chortled.
Catching the upward swell of the wave, the Eight-Zero-Eight rose up towards where the TypeZERO and the enemy Five-Zero-Five were closing the distance with each other.
**********************************************
Looking out the rear-view mirror, Edward watched as the olive-drab painted Eight-Zero-Eight took off running down the street, its massive bulk quickly disappearing behind one of the abandoned buildings. Turning his attention back on the road ahead, he bit down hard twice flexing his mandible muscles, the small transmitter/receiver in his ear switching over two frequencies. "Nothing," He whispered the channel he had "Tac'd" over to still awash in interference.
"Any luck?" General Emerson asked from the back seat.
"Nothing yet Sir," Mr. White replied. "He's running a pretty strong ECM Suite. We'll have to put some more distance between ourselves and him." Glancing up into the rearview mirror then back out on the road ahead, he continued as he took a sharp left, putting them onto the alternate route to the emergency extraction site. "As soon as I get a signal I'll notify Big Gay Al."
"Big…Gay…Al?" The female Sage crossed her arms indignantly. Looking over at the General she asked. "Who, is he talking about?"
Good grief you two, which one of you thinks up these call signs…Emerson thought. Letting out a sigh he hesitantly replied. "Ah yes, Big Gay Al." Looking up at the First Attendant who was also gazing intently back at him patiently waiting for his answer the General rubbed his chin, the image of Chief Taylor prancing around, his huge arms akimbo, in the forefront of his mind.
"Well General." Koda began. "We're waiting."
Shaking his head back and forth he opened his mouth and started to try and explain, in the most politically correct way he could think of when Edward cut him off.
"We…We got a problem." The Assistant Instructor said as further up the road, stepping out into the street, bricks and shattered glass falling off its dull green elongated body from having smashed through the building, the long barrel of a anti-tank weapon crudely mounted where, normally, on most civilian models was located a loud-speaker system, the Scud-Bike turned facing the limousine.
"We got a problem," Edward repeated as he slammed on the breaks, the limo screeching to a halt, the Scud-Bike almost a full city block up the road, patiently waiting, the civilian type LFO almost daring limousine to try and pass.
Looking over his shoulder, eyes narrowing Naomi quickly sized up the situation. "Not a problem Mr. White." Smiling she looked the Assistant Instructor in the eye. "Just like Kurdistan, right?"
"Kurdistan?" Edward, feigning ignorance calmly replied as she leaned back.
"You know what I mean," She humorously quipped. Settling into the comfort of the padded leather seats she turned toward Emerson. "General, if you would," Naomi handed him Edward's Hk-416.
Taking the weapon from the Sage's bodyguard, Emerson shrugged his shoulders. "I'm afraid that's it been a while since I handled one of these."
Realizing what the First Attendant had in mind Edward humorously remarked as he gunned the engine. "It's just like riding a bike General,"
The heavily armored limo fishtailing slightly, the engine roaring as it shot down the street, Emerson dryly remarked as he pulled the charging handle back. "I seem to recall that as a child, I fell off my bike quite a bit."
**********************************************
As soon as he saw the TypeALPHA assume what was basically, a mirror image of his current stance, Scott knew that he was in for a fight.
As the proximity alarms screamed out for his attention, for the briefest of moments he wondered if maybe…
"COME ON!" The Former Protective Service Agent shouted out.
…maybe, it would be more of a fight than he bargained for.
Eyes focused, unseen fingers poised hovering above the blank page in her mind, the girl's will and that of the Nirvash merged, the eyes of the archetype flashing red, the metal fingers touched the mangled arm of the Five-Zero-Five…
The unseen hands writing…
…clamping down hard, Eureka twisted the torso of the TypeALPHA to its left…
The word in big, bold letters…
…and lifting the arm of the black and silver trimmed LFO high…
The girl speaking the word out-loud…
…then driving the captured arm down, threw the enemy LFO straight at one of the blasted buildings.
Her voice calm, cool…
…Unemotional.
"Tag."
The arms of the Five-Zero-Five flailing as the LFO spun end over end, Scott tightened his stomach muscles, his teeth clenched, as he tried to keep the blood from draining away from his brain while huge hands deftly manipulated the HOTAS as he struggled to bring his Terminus out of the forward spin.
Carried along by the momentum of the sudden throw in the opposite direction of the Five-Zero-Five, its head inclining slightly, almost humanlike, the Nirvash watched as the black and silver 'Foe' tried to right itself, while the girl at its controls, her mouth a straight line reached down finding the gear shifter, her booted foot hovering over the accelerator as she down-shifted preparing to follow her foe down, to finish him off, exactly in the same manner as the Master Instructor had similarly done to her not so long ago.
"Is this thing working?" A familiar voice echoed through the TypeZERO's cockpit, the high-pitched tone coming through the Eight-Zero-Eight's directional laser scope, the narrow beam focusing in on the cockpit causing the girl to involuntarily flinch, the page in her mind she was currently reviewing flipping forward, the hands of her mind poised above it ready to write.
"Marcus?" Eureka asked. Looking to the left and the right of the Five-Zero-Five, the black and silver LFO having righted itself, the helmeted head looking up at the Nirvash, the girl spotted the green trappar contrail left in the wake of a passing ref-board.
"She can't reply, Major," Hilda's said her voice reverberating inside the TypeZERO's cockpit. "But I'm pretty sure that she hears you."
"Marcus…I can hear you," The girl said her lavender eyes tracing the green line as it disappeared behind a group of buildings, the Nirvash's torso following suite. "Where are you?" she asked.
"She hears us," Marcus voice confidently said. "Eureka, listen to me," He quickly began.
"What are you waiting for?" Scott screamed at the low-visibility painted LFO hovering in the air high above him. Noticing the upper torso of the TypeZERO as it turned, he looked down at his console then out and down scanning the airspace around him. "Who are you looking at little girl?"
Marcus continued. "I want you to dive directly at him,"
"I can't hold us here much longer, Major," Grunted Hilda. "He's scanning for us!"
Ignoring the Recon Pilot the Master Instructor went on. "Pull up at the last second and deploy your anti-missile countermeasures; that will distract him long enough…" His voice suddenly broke up, the next few words unintelligible, the TypeZERO's cockpit suddenly deathly quiet as something interfered with the directional beam.
"Marcus!" Eureka shouted as the TypeZERO's proximity alarm started going off, the HUD painting the black and silver LFO in a red outline as it shot up directly at her.
"Not paying attention," Scott smugly said as he directed the Five-Zero-Five's right arm back then with a flick of his wrist sent the deadly blade lashing out. His target…
…the TypeZERO's exposed midsection.
"A fatal mistake," The Former Protective Service agent sinisterly began. "Time to die,"
**********************************************
"Three round burst…Four round burst…Three…" General Emerson repeated, talking to himself in-between squeezing the trigger on the Hk-416, the assault rifle bucking and kicking as he laid down covering fire as Edward drove the armored limousine directly toward where the Scud-bike stood blocking the road.
As he closed with the civilian LFO the Assistant Instructor noticed what appeared to be several fresh weld marks and raised plates around several venerable areas.
"Great…it's been up-armored!" Edward shouted out as the rounds from the Hk-416 sparked and ricocheted off the flat snout of the cockpit while the pilot slowly swung the barrel of the crudely mounted auto-canon in their direction. Pushing down harder on the accelerator, willing more speed out of the armored vehicle, Edward, the adrenaline flowing through his veins yelled. "Naomi, change of plans!"
"Oh?"
"Yep," He began. "We're in Uzbekistan now!"
Staring transfixed out the front of the window from behind the Assistant Instructor, Koda asked her First. "What does that mean?"
Grabbing her by the shoulder, Naomi calmly told the Female Sage as she pushed her to the floor of the limo. "That is not important now, Ma'am. Please, on the floor now Ma'am."
"I'm out!" Emerson yelled as the bolt of the Hk-416 locked to the rear.
"General…down!" Mr. White shouted out a warning just as the Scud-bike, the auto-cannon flashing, opened up.
"Whoa!" Emerson blurted out as he dropped back down through the open moon-roof.
The front window splintering as the first rounds from the Scud-bike's cannon found their mark, the bullet-proof glass exploding inward from the impact of the heavy caliber shells, grimacing as a stray shard of the tough glass hit him just above the right eyebrow, tightening his grip on the wheel as he lined up the right side of the limo with the right leg of the Scud-bike, squeezing his right eye shut as his blood flowed down into it Edward bellowed out. "Naomi, get ready…everyone else, HANG ON!"
Feeling the weight of the heavily armored vehicle as it shifted slightly, the First Attendant quickly glanced over her shoulder out the shattered front window. "Uzbekistan; got it!"
I really hope you do…Edward thought just before he slammed on the brakes while simultaneously flooring the accelerator and spinning the steering wheel hard to the left.
**********************************************
"Eureka, MOVE!" Marcus yelled out as the black and silver LFO rapidly closed in on the TypeZERO.
Startled by his sudden shout, Hilda yelled back. "She can't hear you, Major!"
"Just go!" The Master Instructor ordered. "Get in behind him, quick!"
Hilda gripped the controls of the Eight-Zero-Eight. "Roger that! Here we go!"
Boosters flaring, the Eight-Zero-Eight shot up towards the two combatants.
"Die!" Scott raged.
Staring at the deadly blade swinging her direction, her face unemotional, the girl pulled back hard on both HOTAS, than pausing for a second-reviewing the freshly written words a couple of pages back-pushed forward with all her might.
Manual impulses coursing through the bundles of nerves, the Nirvash reacted.
Crouching down slightly, the magnetic locks disengaging from the ref-board, the TypeZERO leapt straight up, the blade of the Five-Zero-Five cleaving through nothing but air.
"What the…I can't believe this!" The Former Protective Service Agent exasperated looked up, the girl mimicking his evasive move from only just moments ago, the eyes of the Nirvash gazing down at him plainly visible through the crimson illumination in his cockpit as the TypeZERO did a perfect front flip over the advancing black and silver Terminus.
"Major," Hilda blurted out as the TypeZERO landed back on its ref-board. "Did you see that?"
"Good job, sweetie," Marcus silently whispered. Reaching down next to the bronze skinned pilot he placed his hand on an oversized control knob. "Yeah I saw it."
"Hey, what are you doing?" Hilda asked just as Marcus turned the knob opening the canopy.
As the outside air roared into the open cockpit, Marcus began wiggling himself out of the small space. Sticking the snub-nosed cone of the RPG outside, he reached up grabbing onto one of the canopy support braces.
"Please tell me you're not about to do what I think you are." Hilda screamed through the on-rush of air.
The bill of his cap turned around on his head, his eyes hidden behind his shades, the Master Instructor flashed the Recon Pilot a devilish grin. "Don't worry about it; just get us in close to our friend." Smiling at Hilda's confused look, he added. "Don't worry, it'll be just like how we did it in Uzbekistan. "
"What! We? What are you talking about!" Hilda shook her head, concentrating as she drove straight in behind the TypeZERO.
Wrapping his right foot around a seatbelt strap Marcus stood up on the shoulders of the pilot's seat.
**********************************************
The force of the impact as the limousine slammed into the leg of the Scud-bike setting his teeth on edge, Edward watched as the heavily armored vehicle cut the feet right out from under the civilian LFO, the mech's arms flailing about as the pilot desperately tried to break the fall.
"Get ready Naomi," He turned yelling out to the First Attendant.
Crouched down underneath the open sunroof, Naomi took a deep breath, calming her mind as she looked up, the dull-green mass of the Scud-bike momentarily blocking out the sunlight streaming down into the limousine as it fell forward over the top of the limo.
Almost there…She thought.
The sound of the civilian LFO crashing into the pavement a cacophony of metal screaming out, the screeching of the armored limo's tires adding to the chaotic symphony, clutching the handgrip on the rocket-launcher tightly the First Attendant stood up.
**********************************************
Spinning around to face the black and silver LFO, the Nirvash paused momentarily; its arms extended out invitingly, the girl patiently waiting for the pilot of the Five-Zero-Five to regain his senses, waiting for the "foe" to focus all his attention completely on her.
"Wait, Nirvash…" Eureka whispered.
"You little bitch!" The Former Protective Service Agent screamed out, his emotions enraged so that he failed to notice the contrail of green energy as it snaked out around disappearing behind the low-viz grey colored demon facing him.
"Wait," The girl repeated.
"I hope you know what the hell you're doing, Major!" Hilda yelled out again as she lined the Eight-Zero-Eight up behind the TypeZERO.
Eureka tightened her grip on the TypeZERO's controls.
RPG held tight against his body, tears streaming out of his eyes from where the onrush of air found its way around the dark lenses of his sunglasses, Marcus gritted his teeth tightening his hold on the rocket launcher as the rear of the Nirvash quickly erupted in a flash of light and smoke as the girl triggered her boosters. "Go Hollings!" He shouted out.
"Man, this had better work," Hilda shook her head. Triggering the Eight-Zero-Eight's boosters a split second later, she dove into the thick, white smoke.
Suddenly taken aback as the TypeZERO rushed towards him, arms open wide looking as if it was about to embrace a long lost loved one Scott asked. "Are you trying to make a fool of me?" Crouching down slightly he directed the Five-Zero-Five's arm back, the archetype clutching the metal haft of its blade ever so tightly.
"Now, Nirvash!" The girl pulled back with all her might on the controls, her feet mashing both the accelerator and clutch to the floorboard as the TypeZERO, leaning back hard on the ref-board left hand grabbing the front lip of the board, green tendrils of trappar spilling out and around both the Nirvash and the Five-Zero-Five, came almost to halt just out of arms reach of the black and silver LFO.
"Huh," was all Scott was able to get out before, pulling its arms in and pushing down hard on the front of the long-board, the Nirvash shot straight up into the clear blue sky.
**********************************************
Popping up out of the sunroof, Naomi brought the launcher quickly up on her shoulder as the Scud-bike, face down sprawled out on the pavement, tried to gather its arms underneath itself.
Looking through the small reticule of the crude sight, she aimed at the junction where the flat shaped nose of the torso and cockpit joined with the hips.
As her finger tightened on the trigger mechanism, one of Marcus's quaint little phrases suddenly came to her mind, something that as the propellant ignited inside the warhead, the First Attendant thought somewhat appropriate, given the current situation.
"Chew on this." She said as the rocket shot out of the tube.
The Scud-bike's explosion as the rocket propelled grenade impacted on the exposed hip joint blotted out the sky.
**********************************************
Foot wrapped tightly around the seatbelt strap, Marcus watched as the TypeZERO suddenly exploded straight up into the clear, blue sky, the helmeted head of the black and silver Five-Zero-Five following it up.
Fighting the turbulence as Hilda kept the big bulk of the Eight-Zero-Eight steady as she flew in directly behind the girl, he brought the RPG up as something small; glinting in the sun, fell out from the rear of the rapidly ascending TypeZERO.
Here goes nothing…he thought as the Nirvash's anti-missile countermeasures started going off, the pilot reflexively bringing both arms protectively up as the explosive canisters erupted around the black and silver Terminus. "Hit him with your laser finder!"
"What!" Hilda asked.
"Your laser finder!" The Master Instructor boomed.
"Got it!" Hilda flipped a switch on the console just as the bulky Terminus emerged through the pinkish smoke.
Proximity alarms going off, Scott blurted out several choice curse words as he tried to retreat from the enormous form of the largest LFO type he had ever seen, its single eye on its bulbous head gazing intently, seemingly directed right at him.
Suddenly his cockpit exploded in a raucous cacophony of sound and noise. Screaming he reached up tearing his headset off, the action only increasing the severity of the sound, the electronic emissions seeming to be emanating from within the confines of the cockpit itself.
As Scott cowered in pain, his huge hands covering his head, the cockpit suddenly went quiet, the only sound from the wind outside, whistling across the canopy. Disoriented, he leaned forward and grasped the Five-Zero-Five's controls. Bringing his head up he saw something or to be more exactly, someone…standing outside the open cockpit of the olive-drab painted Terminus as it started to descend beneath him.
Shaking his head back and forth, he looked back out the canopy. "What…in…the hell?" He slowly mouthed.
"Chew on this, buddy." Marcus said as he squeezed the trigger, the rocket springing forth towards. "DIVE!"
"NO!" Scott let out a yell, hands ineffectually grasping at the controls as the warhead slammed into the side of the Five-Zero-Five, the ECM Suite exploding in a brilliant flash of light and smoke.
Pushing the controls down hard, the Eight-Zero-Eight going almost vertical as it dove underneath the black long-board of the stricken Five-Zero-Five, the Recon Pilot looked up.
"Good shot Ma…" She started to say when something slapped her solidly across the face.
Yelping in surprise Hilda reached out grabbing onto her assailant, only to let go of it as she realized what it was that had hit her in the face.
Her body held fast in the comfort of the custom designed pilots seat, Eureka turned her head around just in time to see the olive-drab colored Eight-Zero-Eight fly out of the smoke screen created by the combination of her having fired the TypeZERO's boosters and deploying missile countermeasures directly in the face of the enemy Five-Zero-Five. Twisting the TypeZERO's she saw as the Master Instructor let fly with the rocket launcher, Hilda having gotten in so close that the pilot of the enemy Terminus had no chance to avoid the missile, the short trail of smoke terminating into the side of the black and silver LFO, the resulting explosion eliciting a gasp from the girl, the electronic noise ending abruptly, immediately followed by Hilda panicked shout.
"MAJOR!"
Lavender eyes widening, the girl noticed that at first what she thought was debris from the enemy LFO...
"Marcus," The girl began.
Wrapped around his foot only seconds before, caught in the turbulence of the onrush of air, the seatbelt strap flapped around in the open cockpit of the Eight-Zero-Eight.
Eureka ignited the Nirvash's boosters.
**********************************************
Come on baby, hold it together just a little longer…Edward thought as he sat in the back of the battered limousine as it lumbered down the road, the damaged vehicle enroute to the extraction site via the alternate route that he and Marcus had discussed in what had seemed eons ago, but was in fact really only a few hours ago.
Leaving the burned out hulk of the Scud-bike behind, the four of them proceeded to make their way out of the blasted ruin of the area around where the terrorist bomb had gone off and onto smoother pavement.
Looking over her shoulder as she wrestled with the steering wheel, Naomi asked him. "Any luck with the communications?"
After the First Attendant had dispatched the unfortunate insurgent piloting the Scud-bike, the female Sage, noticing the small wound caused by the flying shards of bullet-proof glass, the blood flowing freely down the side of his face and into his eyes, had insisted, practically demanded actually, that Mr. White relinquish his role of chauffer and allow her the pleasure, as Koda had succinctly put it, to render proper aid.
"After all," Koda had purred. "You did risk life and limb for me."
Edward had resisted, but in the end…
"Hold on a sec," Mr. White told the Kunoichi as the Sage gingerly applied a dab of ointment to the small cut. "Ow!" Edward exclaimed. "Watch it, I'm very sensitive."
General Emerson stifled a chuckle. "What's the matter, Mr. White? Do you need me to hold your hand?"
"Funny, Funny,"
Koda huffed. "Hold still, you don't want a nasty scar to spoil your handsome face now do you?"
As Emerson and Naomi tried to keep from laughing, unsuccessfully, at the antics of the two Edward, a downturned grin on his face reached up adjusting the ear-bud of the portable transmitter/receiver as Koda began to wrap a sterile bandage around the wound.
Wincing slightly as she tightened the gauze around his head, the clenching of his teeth involuntarily causing the mandible muscle to flex, the small transmitter/receiver switching back over to the primary frequency, the buzz caused by the electronic counter measures gone.
Suddenly a voice he didn't recognize shouted out over the net. "Catch him, Eureka!" Then more excitingly the voice, clearly female, continued saying. "His foot… it just…it just slipped out of the seatbelt."
"What the…" Cupping his hand over his ear Edward heard the voice of the girl as she calmly replied.
"Roger. Nirvash lets catch him, hurry."
Foot slipping out of the seatbelt…Catch him…the Assistant Instructor mulled over the communications...Catch him, Nirvash?
"Well," Emerson crossed his arms as Koda slightly inclined her head, a sly smile crossing her thin lips.
"Mr. White, I'm waiting," The Sage whispered into Edwards's ear.
"Well," Edward paused as he looked between the General and the Sage. Shrugging his shoulders he began. "Well…We got a signal."
**********************************************
Pulling the Eight-Zero-Eight out of the steep dive, Hilda could only watch as the black and silver trimmed LFO-lavender colored smoke trailing out from where the RPG round had destroyed the Electronic Counter Measures Pod-the fingers of its good hand splayed open dove headlong after the falling form of the Master Instructor.
Flinging the empty rocket-launcher out away from his body reaching back pulling the Hk-416 slung across his back to his front, Marcus quickly estimated how much time he had left before he wiley-coyote'ed either into the blasted pavement below, or onto the roof of one of the buildings rising up to meet him.
Sensing something coming up behind him, the Master Instructor twisted his body around.
"Whoa!" Marcus shouted out as the armored hand of the Five-Zero-Five menacingly descended upon him.
Teeth clinched, one hand firmly wrapped around the right HOTAS, his left clutching tightly the deep cut in his bicep caused by the resulting internal explosion from the impact of the RPG round, Former Protective Service Agent Scott harshly rattled out. "I'm going to crush you like a grape!"
Smash into the ground, or squished like a bug…The Master Instructor brought the barrel of the Hk-416 up…Might as well go out with a bang.
His finger tightened on the trigger, when a quiet, still voice, coming through the ear bud of the portable transmitter/receiver, whispered into his ear.
"Gotcha."
"What!" Scott managed to get out as the TypeZERO, moving at a speed he didn't think possible, swept in, plucking the Master Instructor right out from under the grasp of the Five-Zero-Five, and catching the front of a wave of trappar shot straight up into the air.
"All clear Hilda."
"Copy," Hilda acknowledged the girl, her gloved hand pressing down the firing stud on the Eight-Zero-Eight's right HOTAS, the black and silver LFO centered in the crosshairs.
…WARNING…WEAPONS LOCK…WARNING… The words in big yellow letters flashed across the center console of the Five-Zero-Five.
Scott shook his head back and forth. "Can you believe this…CRAP!" He spat out the last word, putting as much hatred into it as he could possibly muster.
…WARNING…WEAPONS LOCK…WARNING…
It was time to punch out…
…WARNING…WEAPONS LOCK…WARNING…
…punch out...
…WARNING…
…or die.
"Till next time,"
…WEAPONS LOCK…
The Former Protective Service Agent reached down between his muscled legs pulling up on a yellow ring, the canopy instantly exploding outward in a flash of light and sound.
Glancing over to her right, the electronically reproduced image of the Master Instructor projected onto the canopy window; his face red from the onrush of air, Marcus smiled weakly, gave the girl a thumb up, and then promptly passed out.
Eureka furrowed her teal brows together.
The Eight-Zero-Eight's 60MM Cannon rhythmically pounded out its song of death into the clear, crisp midmorning air.
**********************************************
To be continued…