Chapter 14
Ghost Pack Couriers picked up a lot of business right after Riton Pacer joined up with the Trazen crew, since they were now carrying new bounty information out to the hunters on top of their normal duties. Wolf loved the money coming in for the village, and Riton enjoyed helping even more after he met some of the people. Melody and Wolf still hadn't gotten a real chance at a honeymoon, but they were still happy, even though only Wolf's sisters knew. Sarah Beth was the happiest Wolf had ever seen his oldest adopted sister since she and Riton were assigned as escort and courier. Wolf even managed to talk who taught Tammy how to trip Zoids out of his younger sister; Melody taught him how to do it.
Sadly it only took a month for things to settle out again, and a fever was spreading through the small village, to the point medicines were coming up short and the crew was caught between not having enough money to buy them and no convoys running.
"I've got a few favors I can call in, I'll go back to hunting," a red haired man said as the crew sat around the large table in the communications room at alpha.
"If you can find a bounty that big inside a month Riton, please do," Razor replied with a concerned tone, "Though I guess any help would be good."
"Razor, we've got to think about calling in real help here," Wolf suggested somberly, "I hate the idea but the military can help us out, get the supplies we need, they can't ignore a whole village."
"Which military would you call Wolf? Or have you forgotten we're in a forgotten dot on the map?" the blonde haired man snapped, "The Empire sure won't help, we've tried that before!"
"Calm down little brother, he's only saying what we're all thinking," Vailen said from his place to his brother's right, "Maybe the Helic Republic will."
"Vailen it would take months for them to get that stuff here, even longer if they're busy fighting that damned war of theirs!"
"Boss, can't agree with you this time, they've called on Ghost before, they'll listen if we send him out there, and he can hurry them along," Tango said scratching a thumb through one of the red streaks in his black hair, "Even the people of Trisdale are trying to help, but it's not near enough."
"I'm not wasting my home's time on a long shot!" Razor shouted as he slammed a hand on the table, "Wolf, get your Pack ready, you're hitting a convoy coming close to the border in the morning."
"What's it carrying Razor?" Wolf asked seriously.
"A hospital's worth of medical supplies bound for one of the bases near here," Vailen replied instead, "It'll be heavily guarded, lots of fire power."
"Give us a rough number," Sarah Beth said with a worried tone.
"Looks to be between twenty to twenty five Zoids, Command Wolves, Iron Kongs and Shield Ligers," the oldest brother replied calmly, "Can't say what the splits are, but it'll be tough."
"We'll be ready as we can be, but know this Razor, if any of my sisters don't come back from this, it's your head," Wolf said with a cold tone before he walked out of the room.
"Same goes if he doesn't come back," Sarah Beth said with a serious tone, "And it won't be any of us who guts you for that," she added with a nod at Melody as she followed her husband out of the room.
Wolf and Melody walked the halls in silence, Blaze only a few paces behind, headed towards the hanger to prepare the Zoids for the coming onslaught.
"Wolf we told him about the new Guardian Force, there's no reason to keep us hidden like this anymore," Melody said quietly, "Why is he doing things this way?"
"He's used to it that's all, this is his crew, his village, his responsibility," Wolf replied with a more understanding tone, "But I think it's time we did something against orders, we can't take twenty five Zoids with our four."
"What are you thinking?" the brown haired woman asked as they entered the hanger.
"Walk up and beg as politely as possible for help," the black haired man replied with a short quiet chuckle.
"Will you give me my wedding night?"
"Tonight?"
"I am not letting you go on a mission where the odds of you coming back aren't in your favor without getting my wedding night from my husband of over three months."
"Alright then, Blaze you prep, I'll take the woman," Wolf said with a wink as he led Melody to their room.
The next morning the Ghost Pack portion of the team left the base in quiet contemplation, they all knew what happened at Guygalos with Prozen and his Deathsaurer. They also knew that when the Guardian Force finally got its legs under it, they'd no longer be needed by the village they all cared for.
"Alright folks, let's keep this peaceable I'd like to have no shooting today," Wolf said as the three fox painted Command Wolves followed his König Wolf in a diamond formation.
"We're right with you Ghost," Luna replied with a somber tone, "Let's hope they can spare some stuff."
The convoy ran a couple minutes behind schedule but stopped without opening fire when they spotted the König standing on a dune in their path.
"Unknown contact, what is your intention?" a voice boomed through his speakers, oozing authority.
"We've come to request aid, nothing more," Wolf replied calmly, "Our home has had an outbreak of some kind, high fever and breathing problems are the main symptoms."
"This is Major Stokes, I'm a Guardian Force doctor, can you tell me anything else?" a new voice asked with genuine worry in his tone, "Who is effected?"
"Not really, we're not much more than guardians, none of us has any real medical experience, but whatever it is, it's getting everyone young and old."
"Where is your home?" Stokes asked politely.
"About fifteen miles west, the boarder runs right down the main road."
"I'll have our convoy boss break off a Gustav and join you with as much as it can carry," Stokes replied seriously before a quiet click noted the end of the transmission.
It took them the rest of the day to get back to the village, thankfully no one from the convoy argued with the doctor so they were able to get moving relatively quick. Razor was absolutely livid that Wolf hadn't brought back more, and got knocked on his ass when a wild gesture put Wolf's reflexes to work.
"Razor, I did what was needed, I brought a doctor who knows what this place is sick with, and probably brought enough meds to fix it in that Gustav," Wolf said as the older blonde stared up at him from the floor, "Now I get that you feel like this is your place to guard and take care of, but you're not a medicine man and I'm not putting my sisters or myself in the line of fire because of that when I can ask nice and get what's really needed."
"Did you have to hit me to get that across?" Razor asked as he rubbed his jaw.
"Yes, cause you were too busy making an ass of yourself to hear what I had to say before I did," the black haired man replied coolly, "Do it again and I'll knock you out instead of just down," he added before spinning on his heel and leaving.
Wolf headed straight for the hanger where Melody and Blaze were waiting with his black on red König Wolf. Seeing the three of them there, Melody sitting on bench, the König laying on her belly, head on her massive crossed paws, and Blaze curled up on the ground, his eyes staring with as much open wonder as an Organoid could get as Melody told a story, made his chest grow warm and a smile spread across his lips.
He quietly sat down next to Blaze and listened, his memory filling in what he'd missed about a fight he'd been in while in Trisdale not long after joining the crew. Melody finished the story and they all went out to Trisdale for some dinner and a night away from the rest of the Trazen crew, Blaze voluntarily staying with the König despite her not having shown any nervousness there for nearly a year.
Melody's eighteenth birthday went nearly unnoticed in all the celebrations taking place over the fever being cured. The two weeks since Wolf brought Major Stokes into town had been very busy for the military doctor, but he finally nailed down the cause and people were getting back to their lives again.
*Tyrant seems to be a nice enough Organoid but I still can't bring myself to trust Razor after sending us after that convoy,* Blaze growled as they walked through the base he and Wolf had called home for just over three years.
"Blaze, we've been here for three years, they've taught both of us a lot and you know I love Melody, besides I'm almost ready to leave, I'm going to talk to her about coming with me," Wolf responded as they reached their room.
*She kinda has to Wolf, she is married to you after all,* Blaze replied with a hissed laugh that his partner couldn't help but join in.
The black haired young man had already started packing his clothes in the König Wolf, his sniper rifle was tucked firmly in it's holder in the Zoid's main hold, his pistol in the lock box under the seat, now he was simply biding time to find a way out without setting off alarm bells.
"Melody, what are you doing in here? I thought we were meeting in your room tonight," Wolf stammered as they walked in.
"Blaze, can you wait outside please?" Melody asked as she stood. Blaze nodded and left the room closing the door behind him using his tail, "Wolf, I don't want you to interrupt, just listen," the brown haired young woman said as she pushed him into a seat. "Wolf, we had our wedding night a few weeks ago, and you know I've not felt fantastic the last week, and Dr. Stokes says I might be pregnant, what I want to know is where you stand," she finished as she sat across from him.
"Melody, I'm freaking out, I don't know what I'm feeling more, joy or fear of asking what I have to now," Wolf responded causing a confused look to appear on her face, "I want to leave this place and I want you take you and the baby with me. The Guardian Force knows about this place now, they'll handle things for the village from here on."
"When did you want to leave?" Melody asked her gaze still on the floor.
"Well I was thinking a few days from now, Razor said he's going to show me those Zoids in the southern hanger in a couple days," Wolf replied, "I know what's there, but it gives us an out."
*Wolf, we've got company,* Blaze growled through the door.
Five seconds later Razor busted through the door and he didn't look happy.
"Wolf, is it true Melody is pregnant?" the older blonde asked staring him down almost looking like he would kill the younger man.
"I just found out myself, how the hell did you find out?" Melody screamed.
"Melody, Wolf, I congratulate you two, can't say I didn't see it coming though," Razor said using a much lighter tone, "The doc called up with the verification, I was the one that picked it up."
Melody nearly killed the older blonde for scaring her the way he had, she'd genuinely thought he was out for blood. Once Razor left, the sisters came in and congratulated them, Wolf informed them of his plan to join up with the Guardian Force before sending Blaze out to stand guard.
"Wolf, we'll cover for you, and get Melody out," Sarah Beth said, "But why are you leaving?"
"Razor is losing it, he sees what he wants to," Wolf said quietly, "That's dangerous for what we do, he'll send us after even more heavily armed targets than what we would have been up against in Stokes's bunch, wipe us all out."
"What's the out?" Tammy asked seriously, "And what about Riton? And Tango and Lemur?"
"Tango and Lemur have their own outs," Luna replied, "So did Hawk, but Riton can go back to hunting, he's the easy one."
"My out is the south hanger, three years I've been here, I know what's in that hanger, I've piloted what's in that hanger, but Razor hasn't figured that out yet," Wolf said with a small smirk, "You guys get to put Riton on my tail, and follow him out under the guise of finding me."
"What about us?" Melody said laying a hand over her stomach.
"Ride out with them, it'll be more convincing that way, wait about an hour, then come chasing," the black haired man replied taking her other hand in his, "Meet me at Red River base, should take about two weeks for me to get there from here."
"What do I tell them?"
"Tell them the truth, you're my wife and are bringing the rest of the family on base. But I want you to take your time getting there, you show up two hours after me, they'll call us on it."
"How long do I need to wait?"
"Go to a place called Fire Colony, contact a young lady named Samantha White, tell her I sent you, and that I asked to hide you for a month," Wolf replied seriously, "She'll keep you fed and safe until the time comes."
"How do you know she'll be there?" Melody asked with a worried tone.
"She's dating my little brother, she'll be there," the black haired young man replied with a smile.
"We'll head for Isolina, stay in that area, if you need us, either of you, don't hesitate, call us," Sarah Beth said with a warm smile.
"Bet on it, Aunt Sarah Beth," Melody replied with a giggle.
Two days later Razor, Vailen and Wolf were all three in the southern most hanger of the base. Wolf looked awe struck at the two Zoids standing alone in the hanger.
"It's an official republican army Zoid, we took it off a convoy of three just before you became a part of our team," Razor said as a starry eyed Wolf stared at a Gojulas with super cannons on its back, "And that one over there is an Imperial Zoid taken from the same convoy," the blonde haired man added pointing to a Royal Zaber with the Empire's symbol all over it.
Blaze was ignorant of the plans Wolf and Melody had made with the Tillion sisters, but the Organoid was happy to see the look of serious disappointment flash across the black haired young man's face. Hoping reality finally set in for Wolf that the Trazens weren't the best people in the world. The Organoid had lost count of the number of fights he'd had with his partner over the years about them, a hard thing for a machine to do.
"Razor, I need to go out, I want to pay a visit to some old friends. I should be back in a week or two, is that alright?" Wolf asked as they left the hanger.
"Yeah sure, nothing is going to be in for a month, take all the time you like, I'll contact you if anything comes up before then," Razor said walking away from him.
Wolf headed to the hanger and jumped in the König, tearing out of the base as fast as he could without saying goodbye to anyone, and hoping his acting was good enough.
*Wolf, where are we going?* Blaze asked as he flew next to the Zoid.
"The closest Republican base, I'm joining up and you don't mention any of this to Daniel when we go back home," Wolf said pushing the controls a little harder.
*Wolf, what about Melody?* Blaze asked as they flew through the hanger doors.
"Blaze, I hate to say it, I don't think she was going with us, last night she said she didn't want to," Wolf responded while tightening his grip on the controls. Blaze could tell Wolf was lying so he remained silent.
"Razor, where is Wolf going?" Melody asked after spotting the Konig leaving.
"I think he isn't going to come back Melody, the look I saw on his face in the south hanger said more than he did," Razor replied in a low tone.
"He was supposed to take me with him," the brown haired young woman said turning to leave.
"Melody, I'm sorry, I know you loved him, but life doesn't always work the way we planned it," the older blonde said before leaving her to cry in the hanger.
Melody waited a few minutes to be sure Razor wasn't around then snatched the radio off her hip and started running for her room.
"Sarah Beth, he just hauled out, time to move," she said into the radio as she ran.
"We're already packed up, Riton is buttoning up, Tango and Lemur are out, but we can get them on the road," Sarah Beth replied calmly, "How long till you're good?"
"Four minutes max, my bag is packed but I couldn't lug it to the hanger until after Wolf left, I'll meet you there," Melody replied breathlessly as she closed the door to her room.
The hour and a half mark that Wolf had given his wife and sisters to get things ready passed quick, Riton was already powering up his Dibison when a massive explosion shook the inside of the hanger. Chaos reigned for a few minutes while the Tillion sisters got their Command Wolves out of the hanger and Melody ran hard through the halls while being pelted with small debris. The Zoids outside, two molgas, a Command Wolf and a Guysack, went down fast, the pilots refused to give reason for their attack, Sarah Beth's killing stroke was stayed by Riton's fast reflexes.
"Is everyone okay?" Vailen's voice played through the radios on everyone's hips.
"Tillion sisters and Riton all safe and sound," Luna replied as she let out a long breath.
"Razor here, safe and sound," the boss's voice replied with an audible shake and no other voices came through.
"Melody, are you alright? Can you hear us?" Tammy said into her sister's radio, panic edging her voice.
"Please gods no," Sarah Beth whispered as she bolted back towards the hanger on foot, the rest of the crew close on her heels.
The whole crew searched the base, Tyrant finally found her just outside the weapons locker. The brown haired young woman had been caught by a falling wall support, her legs were pinned and the large rock with blood stains on it said she'd never known what hit her. No one wanted to stop Tammy, Luna and Sarah Beth from going after the crew that attacked the base, but even the three blue haired sisters couldn't find the strength to take revenge. Tango and Lemur executed the four pilots in the village jail, they didn't care about trials, they just wanted vengeance, no one tried to stop them, even the villagers stood by and simply watched, a few of them holding Major Stokes back from stopping the two Redler pilots.
Two days later Melody was buried in the village cemetery, alpha was abandoned and delta cleared out, and the Trazen Crew was no more.
Story Continued in The Death Tiger