At first, the Gorilla doesn't seem to notice the S.S.O Tiger bearing down on it. As the Tiger nears, however, it drops the spiral and wheels around with surprising agility. It delivers a mighty punch; its massive fist catching the Tiger in the stomach just as it pounces, stopping it instantly...almost. With a sickening crack, the S.S.O model splits around the fist. Its two halves slam into the Gorilla's body and drop to the ground, though its core is knocked clear back uphill. Presently, it slows, then rolls harmlessly down the slope past the enemy.
My jaw drops. I knew that the Iron Kong models were supposed to possess incredible strength...but to actually separate the core...
The Kong bellows to me, a gesture it signs by rearing up and pounding on its chest. The din that produces reassures me that its armor is likely as impenetrable as it looks. Nevertheless...I can't let it escape with the spiral, and I can't let Fritzi get involved.
Carefully, I start my descent. The Kong will easily crush me if I try any sort of prolonged melee combat and my ranged weaponry is woefully insufficient. Even so, before I can worry about hurting the thing, I need to figure out some way to hit it without getting ripped apart.
When I left Salirsth, the only available information about the Kong was in overheard conversations and engineer's bragging. Hilvara doesn't declassify detailed information about its new models. Basically, I learned that it could withstand massive punishment and dole out even more, but right now I need a weak point.
Step one: Find a point of attack. Easy enough. The Kong has a small gap between its torso and its thick arms, though it'd be impossible to fit a claw in there. Instead, I'll aim for the missile launcher fixed to its back. Being a built-in weapon, it should be very firmly attached and very immobile.
Step two: Find a method of attack. All conventional methods will be foolish, but I do have one advantage. I can build up an incredible amount of speed as I approach it, which translates into an equally ludicrous amount of force. If it hits me, I can kiss my Tiger good-bye...but if I hit it, I just might get something done. Or better yet, if I can just use the momentum to amplify my Tiger's strength...
Step three: Anticipate. The Kong seems to be out of ammunition, or perhaps just too cocky to use it. As such, its venues of attack are limited to its arms. It can't move quickly enough to dodge; at least, I want to think I can outmaneuver a clumsy ape, so it'll likely strike at me instead of avoiding my attack and trying for a grab.
When it punched the S.S.O jerk, it pulled its attacking arm back first, then used the other to support itself. I just need to change angles quickly enough that its punching arm can't reach me.
Step four: Execute. I break into a full-on run, leaning forward to jam the sliders in my cockpit as far as possible. As expected, the Kong sets one arm down to support itself and pulls the other back, waiting for its moment. I wait for mine as well...forty meters, thirty, fifteen...I cut sharply towards its supporting arm, staying low to the ground to avoid rolling over due to my high speed.
The Kong's attack arm sags as its pilot realizes he can't hit me. Instead, he shifts more weight to the supporting arm, giving him a solid pillar of defense against any attacks.
I speed on. Yanking up on my sliders, I make my Tiger leap over the Kong's shoulder. For a split second as I bullet over the enemy, I can see directly into its cockpit. I can't make out a face, but the pilot is definitely not wearing a Hilvaran uniform...so what is he doing piloting a fresh-off-the-line Hilvaran zoid? A few deft movements later and I have my fangs secured in the softer metal of the Kong's missile launcher. My Tiger is nearly vertical at this point, head clamped on while its body rotates forward around its anchor.
The missile launcher groans and bends as I use it to yank the Kong backwards, using my momentum to my advantage. Nevertheless, it doesn't break, and the Gorilla is yanked off of its feet. By the time my Tiger rotates to a position parallel to the ground, the Kong is laying on its back in mid-air.
I switch from mobility controls to precision in a heartbeat, then stretch both of my Tiger's rear legs back. We continue to revolve until my Tiger's feet hit the ground and sink in...then using them as an anchor, I lock the Kong into a collision course with the stony terrain.
It slams face first into the mountain slope, indenting itself with a powerful thud. Its armor cracks and the contents likely fare worse. Whatever the case, it doesn't move again.