Timeless
Part Ten: Shining Starr
"Sir, Schubaltz is on his way. The Berserk Fury is getting good ground coverage." O'Connell looked back at Hermann, confirming the Imperial colonel's destination. Hermann looked up as lightning flashed, Moonbay looked back at the Republican colonel for instructions. Stopping the Ultrasaurer from moving another inch, the female transporter cracked her knuckles and started humming. Fiona tracked the movements of Belle through radar, her crimson eyes staring at the green blip. "The Berserk Fury is ETA 3 minutes away and closing." "Open the hatches to let him in." Hermann nodded, looking back at the soldiers behind him. "Yessir." "Hermann!? Something's behind Colonel Schubaltz!!!" Fiona looked up at Hermann, very surprised and very frightened, she shook in fear as the color drained from her skin. "It's the Death Stinger!" "The Death Stinger will shadow the Berserk Fury until it enters the Ultrasaurer and then blast us ALL out of the water! We have to go now, sir!!!" "We can't leave Schubaltz behind!!!" Hermann barked, growling at the soldier who gave that cockamamy notion. "In fact, we're NOT leaving Schubaltz behind!" "WE CANNOT AFFORD TO LOSE THE ULTRASAURER, SIR!!!! ONE LESS IMPERIAL SOLDIER DOESN'T MAKE A DIFFERENCE!!!" That Republican soldier was grabbed and turned around to stare into the indigo eyes of Hell itself. Hoisted up into the air by his neck, the soldier shook when he learned the man who was asphyxiating him was Leon Aethelwulf, Karl's one true companion. The soldier shook in the knees, Leon's eyes were white, devoid of any pupils and/or irises and demonic. "The only reason I'm letting you all live is because Belle can't travel over the waves with her boosters and without magic or magical assistance. I'd rather that YOU lost YOUR lives than Karl lose his!" "Aethelwulf! That's enough!" Leon threw the soldier to the ground, he stood there staring at the view screen, then left. Hermann helped the soldier off the ground, they all watched Leon leave into the darkness of the elevator. "Leon!" Thomas rushed for the door, typing in the codes and then pounding on them. "He's locked us all in!!" "What!?" Irvine shouted, then typed up the code as well. "He sure did! Why'd he lock us all in!?"
Karl dodged a round of missiles from the Death Stinger, Belle slipped on some mud and went skating across the muddy shores. Her boosters kicked on, able to make a 90 degree turn and continue for the Ultrasaurer. Ah can't seem to outrun him, honey! "We got to get to the Ultrasaurer!" Ah'm tryin'!!! "Can't you go max speed?? I seen you move 340 MPH!!!" Karl shifted the controls to dodge another round of missiles. This isn't exactly desert wasteland! If ah misjudge mahself, we'll end up swimmin' with the Hammer Heads! "....understood." His green eyes narrowed, seeing the Ultrasaurer closing in at a fast rate. More missiles nailed the ground in front of them, the mud splattered on Belle. The view screen was covered in mud, Karl and Belle spun out of control. "DAUGH!!!!" Ah can't hold on!!! The Berserk Fury tumbled and rolled on the ground, one of the buster arms broke off and impaled itself in the mud. Karl cried out as one of the windows shattered and the view screen blacked out completely, leaving him in the dark. The only light in the cockpit were the control panel lights, the other buster claw was almost broken off, the third finger was bent back all the way. Belle looked up to see the Death Stinger approaching, she growled but without the cannon and with the missile launchers and guns clogged with mud and dirt, she was a sitting Fury. Hiltz smirked sadistically as he approached the mud-coated Berserk Fury, his hands against the panels of the Death Stinger's control chair. "Two fish in one barrel... I am lucky." Belle opened her jaws, the valves opened to take in particles for the beam. Hiltz laughed, mocking her attempt to buy time for help. "You think without your buster claws, the particle beam will be just as powerful? And without your pilot, your aim is way off!" Ah dun care, you red-headed varmit! As long as Ah give you a good spankin'!!! The particle cannon charged, Belle fired with a hope and a prayer that she hit something on the Death Stinger. A flash of light engulfed the battlefield, Hiltz looked up to see the particle beam had destroyed the Death Stinger's tail. "It can't be!!!" "What's going on!?" Karl shouted to Belle, he was fighting blind. Hold onto yer hat, honeybear! Yer in for one helluva ride!! Belle stood up on her feet and rushed for the Death Stinger. YEEEEEEE-HAAAAAAWWWWW!!!! "What!?" Belle headbutted the Death Stinger, the Sea Scorpion tumbled in the mud and rolled around until it smashed itself against the rocks. The blue and red metal plating was dented in, some of the red viewscreen was starting to flicker. "You bitch!" Hiltz cried out, firing more missiles frantically. Belle dodged with ease and tried for Round Two, but she was grabbed the the Death Stinger's claws. "That trick worked once, I won't work again!" LET GO, YOU SADISTIC SNAKE!! "You will soon die-- HUH!?" Hiltz looked at the location where the claw was holding Belle. "....the zoid is... bleeding?" He examined Belle further, then realized that the location of the dislocated buster claw was bloody and torn. "...if it can bleed..." He smirked as the other claw opened to seal Belle's fate. "...it can die." [SO CAN YOU...] Lightning nailed Belle, sending the Death Stinger flying backwards. Belle was flooded in a bluish-white light, the buster claws reformed with perfection, all dents and cuts and wounds healed perfectly and the view screen gave Karl a ringside seat of the fight. But to his surprise, a technomancer's virtual visor appeared over his green eyes, he was melding with the controls! Karl was about to panic when he heard Leon's voice in his mind, comforting and reassuring. [You'll be okay, we can do it...] "Leon..." Karl smiled, then felt Leon's arms wrap around him, guiding him and shielding him. "Okay." The Death Stinger got back up, seeing that Belle Starr was all healed up and ready for Round 2. "AMBIENT!!!" A red flash erupted as Ambient melded with the Death Stinger, the tail returned and the damage was also healed. Hiltz laughed at Belle and the tail crackled as the particles began to collect. Belle put on her pilons, the claws opened and crackled and the valves were collecting particles as well. Her jaw opened and the particle beam gun deployed. Leon's eyes closed, a sadistic smile on his own lips. "Now... it is your time, Hiltz. See you in Hell." Hiltz was about to fire when a yellow streak shined through, the tail splintered off. "WHAT!?" The Blade Liger landed and twirled in the mud, Van smiled sarcastically and crackled his knuckles. "Let's made this a fair fight." "YEAH!!!" Irvine and Thomas rushed for the Death Stinger, the DiBison gored Hiltz's zoid where it counts. "Take the bull by the horns and you'll get gored!" Thomas grinned and did the peace sign. Belle's head followed the projectory of the Death Stinger being flinged into the air. The ground shook under her, the particle beam fired, engulfing the Death Stinger in its' blue and white beam. A stone shell of what was left of the Death Stinger landed with a thud. Belle drew in all her features, the buster claws holstered at her side and she roared in triumph. But before they all could celebrate, a red light erupted from the Death Stinger and vanished on the horizon. "HILTZ IS GETTING AWAY!!!" "Damn..." Karl swore, then leaned against the chair, unknowing that he was lying right against the body of his true love, Leon Aethelwulf... until Leon's arms slung around him in a loving embrace. "Leon.... thank-you." "You're welcome, Karl." Leon whispered softly, smiling, his chin on Karl's shoulder. "I'll always be right here for you... call my name and I'll be there." They snuggled inside the cockpit of Belle Starr, the Berserk Fury, getting an escort service by Van Flyheight, Irvine and Lt. Thomas Schubaltz. The Ultrasaurer was waiting for them... ...and a new battle...
--Continued--