The White Vixen Nymph
Chapter Three:
The Empire Under Attack
By: fairysphinx
fairysphinx: Hello to all of my reviewers! All I have to say is THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Eh hem! Well, not much here to say! On to the disclaimer!
Disclaimer: I do NOT own Zoids, so please, if you don't mind, don't sue me!
Raven wasn't much company on the long ride back to the Empire. He growled if Rudolf said a word, and grunted at questions. It was impossible to get a strait answer from him, when he decided to talk.
A Zabat flew near them. "Base, we have an unidentified Zoid. What should I do?"
"Contact them," was the reply.
"Unidentified Zoid, do you copy?" Rudolf looked nervously at the hostile pilot.
"Well? He demanded. "Aren't you going to answer it?"
"Oh, right!" He fumbled with the controls. "Yes, we copy."
"Who are you, and what are you doing in this airspace?"
"My name is Rudolf Gerhard Zeppellin III. I am being escorted back to the Guylos Empire."
"Your-Your Highness? Is it really you? Everyone's been looking for you! I really wish I could go along with your escort, to make sure you get back safe, but I have my duties! Permission to pass!" The Zabat pulled away, giving them free airspace.
"Well, that was lovely!" Raven said, sarcastically. Rudolf sighed, and was quiet for the rest of the ride.
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"Emperor Rudolf!"
"Homaleff!" The two embraced.
"Your Highness, everyone thought you were dead! We-we found your ring with blood splattered all over it. It was your blood." He looked down, tears streaming down his cheeks. "But, you're alive! Oh, Your Highness! I'm so glad you're back! And Rosso and Viola are, too! They just have to get back." He smiled, but Rudolf became very serious.
"Homaleff. We can celebrate my safe return later. Right now, we have to focus on a danger to both the Republic and the Empire. On a little island, a group of mercenaries have gathered, and developed a plan to eliminate us. We must stop them!"
"Yes, Emperor Rudolf. We'll take care off it. But, please, you need to rest! Look at you! You're practically skin and bone! You're as pale as the faces of our moons! Please, Emperor!" Rudolf shook his head.
"I know where you're coming from, but I cannot rest until we are safe!"
"If you insist, Emperor." He sighed, and set to work.
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Rudolf was feeling tired, and feverish, but he wouldn't admit it. Not while there was so much left to do. No. He couldn't abandon his people when they needed him most! Never! But, maybe a little nap wouldn't hurt.... 'No! What am I thinking? Not until these mercenaries go down can I rest! Come on, Rudolf! Pull yourself together!' He shook his head vigorously, and set back to his planning.
The buildings shook, as incoming bullet fire ran through the palace walls. Rubble fell, hitting the occupants. Rudolf tumbled out one of the windows. He tried to hold onto the ledge, and was successful for a time, until the next missile hit, the ledge crumpling under his fingers, and he fell from the fifteenth story, down the side of the ravine.
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Van rested peacefully in the Blade Liger. He watched the smoke rising from the east. He closed his eyes for a moment, when a transmission interrupted his nap.
"Van! Get your lazy self going!"
"Huh, what? Oh, hello, Thomas. What are you talking about?"
"THERE'S AN ATTACK ON THE EMPIRE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
"Someone's attacking the Empire?!?!?! I'm on it! Zeke! Let's mobilize!" The organiod growled, and sped ahead of the Di-Bison.
Van saw destruction everywhere. Damaged Zoids, fire, destroyed houses. He was so caught up in the surroundings, that he almost didn't notice until it was too later that a helcat was attacking him. He fired, and it fell to the ground. "Phew! That was close! I guess I'll have to pay more attention!" Zeke growled in agreement.
An hour later, after the had Republicans joined the fight, all enemy Zoids were on the ground, unable to move at all. Van and Thomas looked onto the battlefield.
"You know, I would have thought Fiona would have had a cow that you had to go off to war! That's what she always did to me!" Thomas smiled.
"She's changed a lot since you left."
"Don't even start with that, Thomas. I wander where I like, doing whatever good I can." He shook his head.
"Are you sure she just hasn't gotten soft with a baby? I mean, she's probably too tired!" The two laughed.
"Wait! Van, shouldn't we be looking for injured people? I mean, sure, there's a search party, but, hey, we could help out!"
"Right, Thomas! Let's go!" They split up.
Zeke ran ahead of the young hero, making sure that there wasn't anything missed. He sniffed at a pile of rocks by the base of the palace, and practically had a heart attack when it moved. Van ran up to it, and started taking the rocks off the pile. Removing a large rock, Homaleff's head appeared. Blood was pouring from many large cuts on his face. He groaned, and opened his blood-crusted eyes. Without thinking, he opened his mouth and, in a raspy voice, said: "Please. Please, you must find the Emperor! Please find him!" Homaleff fainted, before Van could get a word in. He carefully picked up the man, and carried him back to a medical aid center.
Thomas looked up as he entered, and laid his patient on an empty bed. "Isn't that the Prime Minister Homaleff?"
"Yes. But, we don't have any time to sit around, Thomas! Rudolf is missing! Homaleff told me, before he fainted!" They were about to set off again, when Thomas hit himself on the head.
"How stupid can I be! Ugh! Beak! Scan the area for heat sources that don't match the surroundings!" Beak whistled, and set to work. Thomas transferred the information to the Blade Liger, who in turn, took the western half of the land, while the Di-Bison took the eastern half, checking the spots with unusual temperatures. More people were found, about three hundred to be exact. But, non were the Emperor Rudolf.
Thomas sat back and sighed. "We've searched everywhere, but haven't found him."
"Don't give up hope! We don't know he'd dead! He could still be alive!" The was an evil sounding chuckle.
"Well, that's an interesting way to put it!" Van narrowed his eyes.
"Raven!"
"The one and only. You're looking for your precious Emperor."
"What's it to you?"
"What if I said that I knew where he was?" Van lunged at the boy.
"What did you do to Rudolf?!?!?!?!?!?!" Raven punched him in the mouth.
"I didn't do anything to him! If I had it my way, then I wouldn't have looked for him, and you would have more than just a black eye! But, my orders were to protect the Emperor, and if I laid a finger on anyone else, I'd, well, I don't even want to think about it!" Raven looked miserable at expressing that he was controlled. "Here!" He threw Rudolf into the room, who was immediately taken into emergency care, and turned to leave.
"Wait!" Thomas called. "Can you show us where these mercenaries came from?" Raven pouted.
"Why did you have to ask?! Now I have to show you!" Van grinned.
"Let's go!"
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Mary-Anne looked anxiously at the doctor, who was pacing the floor, trying to decide his approach.
"Well?" She finally asked. He sighed.
"I didn't want to tell you." Rosso held Viola close to him, knowing somewhat what was in store for them. "But, Emperor Rudolf suffered many blows to the head, not to mention a fall from great heights. To put it simply, his brain has stopped working, but his heart, and other organs were just too stubborn to quit working. He's basically a living stick, unable to do anything but lie in bed. In a couple of days, his heart should cease beating. I'm sorry." The doctor quickly walked out of the room, while Rosso comforted Mary-Anne and Viola, not to mention himself.
END OF CHAPTER THREE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
fairysphinx: Cliffhanger! * ducks as rotten tomatoes are hurled at her head * Well! That wasn't too nice! Oh, well! It's my fault for ending with a cliffhanger. But I like cliffhangers! So sue me! LOL! See you guys later!