DISCLAMIER: I only own the obvious characters and zoids.
++: Author's notes (if any).
It was a beautiful night. The stars were out and shining brilliantly. Brad was glad that he had decided to come out here. Behind him, Shadowfox loomed over him and it seemed that both pilot and zoid were watching. The season was over for now and wouldn't start again for another six months. Doc was so happy that the Blitz team had won the Royal Cup that everyone was given a vacation. And a vacation was sorely needed. Next up would be battles against other teams in Class S. That would really be difficult. Brad was just glad to be able to get away for a while. With the Shadowfox (completely repaired) with him, traveling was easier than it might have been. He had decided to do a little camping up in the mountains. Afterwards, the warrior had vague plans of visiting some old friends and doing some sight seeing. Just then, he spotted a bright shooting star falling down. He smiled and leaned back against his zoid's front legs. Lady Luck was smiling down on him.
Dana Sol slowly opened her eyes and hoped that she was alive. Fortunately she was. That meant that the designer of this damn thing was going to go on living, for now at least. She and Griftor had landed here using an experimental landing capsule. And as soon as it had hit the atmosphere, she understood why. It got unbearably hot inside and there were times that she thought that thing would tear apart from the pressure and increasing gravity. But it held together through entry and the landing, or rather crash. Dana took several deep breaths before unbuckling the safety strap that held her to her seat. She fell a little ways; the capsule had rotated a bit as it came down. The pilot cursed as she slowly stood up and took note of the condition of the rest of the interior. Opposite her bolted down chair were about ten packages tied down to the wall. The packages contained rations, supplies, and a few personal items. To the right was the front of the capsule with a shatterproof window to give her a glimpse of the outside. It didn't offer much of a view. The glass used had shattered on impact and all she could see was the ground. And to the left was her zoid, Griftor. He had been strapped in tighter than Dana had been. Mostly because he was just a little smaller in size than a White Leager. If his straps got loose, he was capable of crushing her and everything in the capsule. Everything appeared to be all right, considering. With a sigh, the pilot began to release the packages and carry them outside. The door still worked and wasn't blocked. Dana didn't pause to look around until after they were all out. The capsule had landed high up in some mountain range. The front of the capsule faced into the rocks. At the back, Dana could see a large forest and a river below. Not a bad place to land, she thought. A deep growl caught her attention and reminded her of one other thing she needed to do. "All right, all right. I'm coming to let you out, partner." She made her way back inside and unbuckled the straps holding the zoid in place. At five and a half feet tall, Dana had a little trouble reaching some of the straps higher up. Still, she managed to get them all undone. But he was still hunched down on all fours with no immediate way of getting out. Dana sat in her chair trying to think of something when her partner came up with an idea. She had a brief warning before Griftor pivoted one of his pulse cannons to the back end and blew it away. The explosion left her momentarily deaf and blind but at least the zoid could get out now. Griftor crawled out backwards and shook his body when he was clear of the capsule. The star and moonlight made him glow. It was an impressive sight. "I hope you're happy now, friend," she said. The zoid let out a mighty and relieved screech. Dana nodded, "Good, because I have to get this equipment loaded on before we can move out." He grumbled at being used as a carrier but consented. She laughed and removed her helmet. A light wind began playing with her wavy copper, shoulder-length tresses as they were freed from their confinement. Her green eyes sparkled in the fading light. Her body was trim and a bit under developed for a woman of twenty-three. She let the helmet fall from her hands and set to work. Dana prayed that no one had overheard their arrival.
Brad looked up from his dinner and listened carefully. A moment ago, he thought that he had heard an explosion of some kind, then a powerful scream. He didn't know what had made it, but he doubted that it had been human or animal. Brad couldn't hear anything now except for the usual nighttime noises: insects chirping, owls calling, and leaves rustling in the wind. Nothing unusual now. Silently he returned to his food. He tried to focus on finishing dinner and getting a good night's sleep. Yet the sounds he had heard bothered him. Then he resolved that tomorrow he would take a run in the Shadowfox and see if he couldn't find anything. It wasn't like he was on a schedule or anything. The next morning dawned beautifully. Brad rose about mid-morning, packed up the gear, and headed off in the Shadowfox. The run was good the zoid needed the exercise. But the pilot was more focused on looking for any signs that might explain what he was certain he had heard last night. The morning yielded nothing productive. At noon, Brad stopped at a lake to get some water and cool down. He was there for several minutes when he heard it. The unmistakable noise of a moving zoid. The footsteps seemed to be coming to the lake off by his left. He jumped back into his zoid and backed it into the woods. Brad wanted a good look at the stranger but was reluctant to give himself away. He didn't have long to wait. And what he saw surprised him. It was a zoid all right, a ground zoid. It looked larger than Shadowfox but smaller than the Leager Zero. The front feet looked like hands and from the design, he guessed that one of its weapons was Strike Laser Claw. On its back he could make out a pair of some kind of cannons flanked by a pair of small engines. Probably to give it an extra burst of speed, he thought. At the back near the rear, there was what seemed to be another engine, but Brad couldn't imagine what it could be used for. Attached on both sides was something, but he didn't know what. Brad thought that they might be gold colored wings, yet they folded strangely. The elbow was folded downward to the ground with the tips pointing up. A long blade seemed to run the length of the wing from the elbow to the tip. There were also blades on the head that reminded Brad of the Schneider head blades. He could see what appeared to be a retractable frill on one side of the head. He couldn't guess what it was for. The head was shaped like a bird of prey with a sharp beak and blue eyes. A long tail on the end, and gold- like armor on the legs, head and back made this zoid one of the most impressive looking zoids Brad had seen. But what kind of zoid was it? Where did it come from? Who made it, and who was the pilot? These questions whirled around in his head as he gazed on it. Then it turned its head and looked straight at him. He vaguely noticed a diamond shaped object colored a darker gold then the rest of the head nestled above the cockpit as he realized that he had been spotted. The zoid let a screech and took off running. Cursing mildly, Brad followed.
Dana was also cursing. She had thought that there wasn't anyone else in the area. Now this strange fox-like zoid was hot on her trail. Which surprised her. There weren't that many zoids capable of keeping up with her. Even a White Leager would have had trouble. But this one didn't appear to have that problem. Okay, she thought, let's see how maneuverable you are. With that she plunged into the trees where they seemed the thickest. The other zoid followed her with little difficulty and seemed to be able to clear the trees as easily as she. Impressive. Dana wondered what else this zoid was capable of.
Brad was wondering the same thing. This new zoid could maneuver as well as his Shadowfox. He definitely had to meet the pilot. A zoid like that might be a good addition to the Blitz team in the upcoming battles. Doc would probably agree. "Come on, Fox, don't let this zoid get the better of you," he said as he increased speed.
Together the two zoids ran through the woods. They seemed to be testing each other's strengths and powers without being forced to fire on each other. Neither pilot wanted an actual fight; this was more of a contest of endurance and agility. They were more curious about what the other was capable of. The chase was just the beginning.
But Dana knew that somehow she had to lose him. She didn't want him getting too close so soon. She needed time to learn more about this place and its people before she could do anything else. Griftor turned left and increased his speed. The zoid behind them fell back a little but still followed behind. There had to be a way. Then she had an idea. "Hey, Griftor, can you get a contour map of the area?"
Brad fought hard to keep up with that strange zoid ahead of him. But the Shadowfox could only go so fast. Eventually the Shadowfox would need to stop and rest. But Brad wanted to know more about that zoid first. Gradually, it got farther and farther ahead of him; until he could only make out its silhouette ahead of him. Then he burst out of the forest and into the sunlight. He was blinded for a moment and hit the brakes instinctively. When he could see clearly again, he was glad that he did. The Shadowfox had stopped at the edge of a steep cliff. There was no sign of the zoid he'd been chasing. Brad carefully looked over the cliff to try to find it again. But he couldn't see any sign of it. It was like the zoid had disappeared! But that wasn't possible. He turned to the Shadowfox's sensors to see if they picked up anything. Even if the zoid had stealth mode, Brad should be able to find it. But there wasn't a trace of it anywhere near him. He slumped back in seat to finally admit defeat. The warrior hated losing. Brad had no idea how that zoid got away from him. It certainly piqued his interest and he was determined to try to find it again. And the next time they would meet, it would not get away. Reluctantly Brad turned his zoid around and headed back the way that he came. He knew for certain that he and Shadowfox would meet that zoid and its pilot again. He could feel it.
Griftor soared through the sky, grateful that both it and Dana had managed to get away. It wasn't as if the zoid wasn't against meeting other zoids, but now was too soon. Its pilot needed to learn more about how zoids were used on this planet before she could do anything else. And Griftor wanted to know if there were others like it. Other zoids with an organoid system. Especially ones equipped as it was. It gave the mental equivalent of a sigh and looked for a suitable landing area beyond the forest. Its sensors told it that there was a town nearby; Dana might be able to gather some information there. It had been waiting this long to meet its lost kin, a few more days couldn't hurt.
"Any word yet?" "Yes sir. All of the capsules entered the planet's atmosphere without incident. Shall I give the order to descend to the planet's surface, sir?" "Yes, go ahead. I wonder what we'll find here."
Okay, I know that this ends kind of abruptly, but I really would like your take on this. Please R&R for me, I really would like to know if this is liked enough for me to continue (but I might continue anyway).
It was a beautiful night. The stars were out and shining brilliantly. Brad was glad that he had decided to come out here. Behind him, Shadowfox loomed over him and it seemed that both pilot and zoid were watching. The season was over for now and wouldn't start again for another six months. Doc was so happy that the Blitz team had won the Royal Cup that everyone was given a vacation. And a vacation was sorely needed. Next up would be battles against other teams in Class S. That would really be difficult. Brad was just glad to be able to get away for a while. With the Shadowfox (completely repaired) with him, traveling was easier than it might have been. He had decided to do a little camping up in the mountains. Afterwards, the warrior had vague plans of visiting some old friends and doing some sight seeing. Just then, he spotted a bright shooting star falling down. He smiled and leaned back against his zoid's front legs. Lady Luck was smiling down on him.
Dana Sol slowly opened her eyes and hoped that she was alive. Fortunately she was. That meant that the designer of this damn thing was going to go on living, for now at least. She and Griftor had landed here using an experimental landing capsule. And as soon as it had hit the atmosphere, she understood why. It got unbearably hot inside and there were times that she thought that thing would tear apart from the pressure and increasing gravity. But it held together through entry and the landing, or rather crash. Dana took several deep breaths before unbuckling the safety strap that held her to her seat. She fell a little ways; the capsule had rotated a bit as it came down. The pilot cursed as she slowly stood up and took note of the condition of the rest of the interior. Opposite her bolted down chair were about ten packages tied down to the wall. The packages contained rations, supplies, and a few personal items. To the right was the front of the capsule with a shatterproof window to give her a glimpse of the outside. It didn't offer much of a view. The glass used had shattered on impact and all she could see was the ground. And to the left was her zoid, Griftor. He had been strapped in tighter than Dana had been. Mostly because he was just a little smaller in size than a White Leager. If his straps got loose, he was capable of crushing her and everything in the capsule. Everything appeared to be all right, considering. With a sigh, the pilot began to release the packages and carry them outside. The door still worked and wasn't blocked. Dana didn't pause to look around until after they were all out. The capsule had landed high up in some mountain range. The front of the capsule faced into the rocks. At the back, Dana could see a large forest and a river below. Not a bad place to land, she thought. A deep growl caught her attention and reminded her of one other thing she needed to do. "All right, all right. I'm coming to let you out, partner." She made her way back inside and unbuckled the straps holding the zoid in place. At five and a half feet tall, Dana had a little trouble reaching some of the straps higher up. Still, she managed to get them all undone. But he was still hunched down on all fours with no immediate way of getting out. Dana sat in her chair trying to think of something when her partner came up with an idea. She had a brief warning before Griftor pivoted one of his pulse cannons to the back end and blew it away. The explosion left her momentarily deaf and blind but at least the zoid could get out now. Griftor crawled out backwards and shook his body when he was clear of the capsule. The star and moonlight made him glow. It was an impressive sight. "I hope you're happy now, friend," she said. The zoid let out a mighty and relieved screech. Dana nodded, "Good, because I have to get this equipment loaded on before we can move out." He grumbled at being used as a carrier but consented. She laughed and removed her helmet. A light wind began playing with her wavy copper, shoulder-length tresses as they were freed from their confinement. Her green eyes sparkled in the fading light. Her body was trim and a bit under developed for a woman of twenty-three. She let the helmet fall from her hands and set to work. Dana prayed that no one had overheard their arrival.
Brad looked up from his dinner and listened carefully. A moment ago, he thought that he had heard an explosion of some kind, then a powerful scream. He didn't know what had made it, but he doubted that it had been human or animal. Brad couldn't hear anything now except for the usual nighttime noises: insects chirping, owls calling, and leaves rustling in the wind. Nothing unusual now. Silently he returned to his food. He tried to focus on finishing dinner and getting a good night's sleep. Yet the sounds he had heard bothered him. Then he resolved that tomorrow he would take a run in the Shadowfox and see if he couldn't find anything. It wasn't like he was on a schedule or anything. The next morning dawned beautifully. Brad rose about mid-morning, packed up the gear, and headed off in the Shadowfox. The run was good the zoid needed the exercise. But the pilot was more focused on looking for any signs that might explain what he was certain he had heard last night. The morning yielded nothing productive. At noon, Brad stopped at a lake to get some water and cool down. He was there for several minutes when he heard it. The unmistakable noise of a moving zoid. The footsteps seemed to be coming to the lake off by his left. He jumped back into his zoid and backed it into the woods. Brad wanted a good look at the stranger but was reluctant to give himself away. He didn't have long to wait. And what he saw surprised him. It was a zoid all right, a ground zoid. It looked larger than Shadowfox but smaller than the Leager Zero. The front feet looked like hands and from the design, he guessed that one of its weapons was Strike Laser Claw. On its back he could make out a pair of some kind of cannons flanked by a pair of small engines. Probably to give it an extra burst of speed, he thought. At the back near the rear, there was what seemed to be another engine, but Brad couldn't imagine what it could be used for. Attached on both sides was something, but he didn't know what. Brad thought that they might be gold colored wings, yet they folded strangely. The elbow was folded downward to the ground with the tips pointing up. A long blade seemed to run the length of the wing from the elbow to the tip. There were also blades on the head that reminded Brad of the Schneider head blades. He could see what appeared to be a retractable frill on one side of the head. He couldn't guess what it was for. The head was shaped like a bird of prey with a sharp beak and blue eyes. A long tail on the end, and gold- like armor on the legs, head and back made this zoid one of the most impressive looking zoids Brad had seen. But what kind of zoid was it? Where did it come from? Who made it, and who was the pilot? These questions whirled around in his head as he gazed on it. Then it turned its head and looked straight at him. He vaguely noticed a diamond shaped object colored a darker gold then the rest of the head nestled above the cockpit as he realized that he had been spotted. The zoid let a screech and took off running. Cursing mildly, Brad followed.
Dana was also cursing. She had thought that there wasn't anyone else in the area. Now this strange fox-like zoid was hot on her trail. Which surprised her. There weren't that many zoids capable of keeping up with her. Even a White Leager would have had trouble. But this one didn't appear to have that problem. Okay, she thought, let's see how maneuverable you are. With that she plunged into the trees where they seemed the thickest. The other zoid followed her with little difficulty and seemed to be able to clear the trees as easily as she. Impressive. Dana wondered what else this zoid was capable of.
Brad was wondering the same thing. This new zoid could maneuver as well as his Shadowfox. He definitely had to meet the pilot. A zoid like that might be a good addition to the Blitz team in the upcoming battles. Doc would probably agree. "Come on, Fox, don't let this zoid get the better of you," he said as he increased speed.
Together the two zoids ran through the woods. They seemed to be testing each other's strengths and powers without being forced to fire on each other. Neither pilot wanted an actual fight; this was more of a contest of endurance and agility. They were more curious about what the other was capable of. The chase was just the beginning.
But Dana knew that somehow she had to lose him. She didn't want him getting too close so soon. She needed time to learn more about this place and its people before she could do anything else. Griftor turned left and increased his speed. The zoid behind them fell back a little but still followed behind. There had to be a way. Then she had an idea. "Hey, Griftor, can you get a contour map of the area?"
Brad fought hard to keep up with that strange zoid ahead of him. But the Shadowfox could only go so fast. Eventually the Shadowfox would need to stop and rest. But Brad wanted to know more about that zoid first. Gradually, it got farther and farther ahead of him; until he could only make out its silhouette ahead of him. Then he burst out of the forest and into the sunlight. He was blinded for a moment and hit the brakes instinctively. When he could see clearly again, he was glad that he did. The Shadowfox had stopped at the edge of a steep cliff. There was no sign of the zoid he'd been chasing. Brad carefully looked over the cliff to try to find it again. But he couldn't see any sign of it. It was like the zoid had disappeared! But that wasn't possible. He turned to the Shadowfox's sensors to see if they picked up anything. Even if the zoid had stealth mode, Brad should be able to find it. But there wasn't a trace of it anywhere near him. He slumped back in seat to finally admit defeat. The warrior hated losing. Brad had no idea how that zoid got away from him. It certainly piqued his interest and he was determined to try to find it again. And the next time they would meet, it would not get away. Reluctantly Brad turned his zoid around and headed back the way that he came. He knew for certain that he and Shadowfox would meet that zoid and its pilot again. He could feel it.
Griftor soared through the sky, grateful that both it and Dana had managed to get away. It wasn't as if the zoid wasn't against meeting other zoids, but now was too soon. Its pilot needed to learn more about how zoids were used on this planet before she could do anything else. And Griftor wanted to know if there were others like it. Other zoids with an organoid system. Especially ones equipped as it was. It gave the mental equivalent of a sigh and looked for a suitable landing area beyond the forest. Its sensors told it that there was a town nearby; Dana might be able to gather some information there. It had been waiting this long to meet its lost kin, a few more days couldn't hurt.
"Any word yet?" "Yes sir. All of the capsules entered the planet's atmosphere without incident. Shall I give the order to descend to the planet's surface, sir?" "Yes, go ahead. I wonder what we'll find here."
Okay, I know that this ends kind of abruptly, but I really would like your take on this. Please R&R for me, I really would like to know if this is liked enough for me to continue (but I might continue anyway).