Cruel Intentions
By RaVen0us
Part four: Chaos draws near *note for new readers: do not read this chapter unless you read the previous part. Re-edited version! Thanks to maewglyn for the beta. Better late than never! ^^; peace! *
Thomas started to regain consciousness; but he was still woozy from the beating. He was, right now, in the interrogation room. It was lit with only a single light bulb dangling over his head, casting shadows around the rest of the room and obscuring the exit; a small table and chair in front of him. He was sitting down himself, his arms crossed; hands tightly bound behind his back. His attention suddenly averted from his grim situation he is in when he heard the door creak open, allowing a couple of figures to enter the room. One of them was wearing the standard maroon and gray colors, the uniform of the republic lieutenant, his grey hair slicked back. It's 'Blitz' he recalled; the uniform is similar to Van's except that this youth doesn't exposed his stomach and instead wears a leather covering beneath it. Another figure walked past him, his walk was regal and carried him with long even strides. The brunette hair was set in deep spikes, and his uniform was an impressive republican colonel uniform (unlike Hermann's :P -author). He has a red mark on his left jaw, and sat placidly in front of him, his dark onyx eyes probing the nervous Thomas.
"Van" Thomas exclaimed, quickly shutting up when Blitz raised his hand, a punch forming
"That's Colonel Flyheight to you, you bastard! Show some respect!" Blitz cussed, bringing his angry, pallid face to the light. Blitz started to throw the punch, but stopped mid way through as Van brought up a hand, signaling the lieutenant to stop.
"Lt. Flyheight, mind your manners during an interrogation!" Van threatened his younger 'sibling'
"But, Van---" Blitz pleaded, his amethyst eyes wide
"In this headquarters, you have to address me as your superior officer." Van scolded the lieutenant
Blitz cocked his head slightly, and with a disappointed sigh. "Yes, Colonel sir."
"Leave us. I'll just call you." Van commanded.
Blitz gave a hesitant look to Van, and then turned to Thomas, giving him an acidic glare before he left the room. A look that Thomas interpreted as, don't do anything stupid or I'll kill you
"I guess my brother would have killed you if I hadn't reasoned him. He can be an ass sometimes." Van said apologetically, then looking up to Thomas. There is a different aura about him; he didn't exude the intimidation of a senior officer, although he looked a bit stern. Thomas noticed the fact that in this messy world he got into-Van still looks like Van, nothing much has changed except probably for the clothes and the position. And when he starts to talk to him, he did so with control and diplomacy.
"You have conditionally surrendered yourself willingly, Thomas. It seems to come in a surprise for all of us."
"I didn't know what you are talking about, Va--"
"It's Colonel, Col. Flyheight."
"Yes, Colonel sir." He corrected. Then overwhelmed with all the beatings and the confusion that swarmed him these past several hours, and with Van's complacent presence in front of him, Thomas felt like telling everything--- even if it make's him sound like crazy. "Sir, I think I wouldn't have 'surrendered willingly' hasn't the Lieutenant pulverize me with all that firepower!"
"He got instructions not to kill you," Van looked at Thomas quizzically
"He wanted to kill me!" Thomas started to yell
"You are a big threat to everyone, both the Empire and the Republic. Sometimes he has that option. God knows what you will do with that Geno breaker of yours again." Van failed to calm down the high-strung Lt.
"I didn't want anything to do with that Geno breaker! Destroy it if you will! I'm not the one you wanted---it's someone else! I got here by mistake, and to prove it I had a portable com link with me that have whatsoever no link with that" he snapped, pounding both fists at the table and standing up. The spiky haired colonel blinked and stared in surprise, words seemed to escape his mouth. Thomas made quite some noise, that in the instant, the gray-haired lieutenant appeared briskly from the outside.
"I warned you." Blitz growled, standing in a loose combat stance
"That is enough Blitz" The colonel commanded calmly; he had a strange feeling that Thomas is telling the truth. It must be the desperate air of helplessness around him, Van thought. "Blitz, did you and the others found a portable com link that he is talking about?"
With a lazy nod, Blitz tossed over the piece of equipment, followed by a mumbled 'yeah.' The colonel gave him a disappointed look; the gray-haired lieutenant had a dire lack of formalities just because they were brothers. To start with, they are not REALLY brothers-but the events in their young lives made them as such. The day that his father defended an attack in the Wind Colony, one of the republican soldiers presented the boy that his father saved before he died. The boy does not have a name and just lost his parents. They decided to call him Blitz and took the family name after he suddenly tackled a dark organoid upon trying to defend his new foster home. He always disliked Zoids, and that irony is the reason why he soon followed Van's footsteps in also becoming a great Zoid pilot someday. Soon enough, he proved he can follow his 'brother', becoming very skilled for his age, rising to the ranks and won as many battles, although at times he did act out of arrogance and pure stubbornness. Unfortunately that made him quite feared even with the republicans. He tries to emulate Van and is as loyal as a true brother. He answers and only obeyed direct orders nonetheless only from him.
"No one knows where it is supposed to be, Va----I mean, colonel sir." Blitz replied, crossing his arms over his chest. "It seems not to be linked with the geno breaker, either."
The dark onyx eyes observed the gadget carefully, like an alien artifact or an explosive, and then looked at Thomas. "Tell us, what is this?"
"It's part of Beek, it's a program built in my---" Thomas paused, he was to say 'from my Dibison' but knowing pretty well no one would believe him in THIS situation.
"I think it's a new subprogram for his project SIMONE." Blitz thought out loud,
Thomas gave him a startled look, "SIMONE? I don't know what you're talking about!"
"You don't know what I'm talking about? That knock on the head must have jolted your senses then." Blitz said gracelessly, waving a hand "SIMONE, Simulation One is the damn A.I. program you created to mimic the purpose of an organoid. I do hear that its real purpose was the ability to hack in other zoids and feeding all the available pilot data to create a dreadful so called auto-pilot control mechanism."
He didn't know what this SIMONE program is, but who ever thought about this is a sheer technical genius like he is; A mad genius to that... If he is in this alternate world then---there is another Thomas out there, an evil version of him, and he could be stuck in his world! But who will believe him?
"Get me the Imperial Army Colonel! Get me Col. Karl Lichten Schubaltz!" he pleaded, "He is my brother, and he knows I'm innocent!" Maybe in this world, he wished.
Blitz swore mildly, "What fucking mind games are you getting at? There is no Colonel Karl Schubaltz in the imperial side. You say you are his brother? You must have lost your mind!"
Thomas glared at him, "I am sane, I know I have a brother!"
Van let out a deep sigh, and eyed him quizzically "Did you forget? Your brother died several years ago, he is one of the civilian casualties in a shoot out. "
Thomas felt his world crumble, words formed soundlessly from his mouth. "No."
In this strange world he got into, he is evil, despised and he's only brother is dead. What a mess he is into now---and he doesn't know how he could go back.
"No." he said again, this time louder with his tone shaken and disturbed. Bending his head he buried his hands to his face, and drew a deep painful breath before releasing a distressed mournful cry. It is so disturbingly long and loud, blended with racking sobs that it froze the two officers for several minutes, with either not knowing what to do or say.
Van is the first to speak, "You need to rest," he said tersely and give Thomas a quick reassuring pat to the shoulder. "My men will take you to your cell. So I think you'll be in your correct senses for the next interrogation tomorrow."
He nodded mutely, and was silently lead into his jail cell. As he walked the vast corridors to his confinement, his thoughts were cocooned on how to plan to escape---if there is any possible way. Even the alternate universe, he was lucky that Van is still Van even in spite of the higher rank. He seems to believe in him somehow, and didn't force him to speak more (when he cried). And the so called 'Lt. Blitz--- well, he has no difference from the bitter mercenary Raven. The only difference is he had a high respect for Van, but in any way, he is STILL skilled rouge just this time dressed in a republican uniform.
He gloomily gazed through out the corridors and the facility windows, hoping to see more familiar faces, and what kind of role they play in this world he got thrown into. In few minutes, he saw Blitz by the hangar along with the others, Irvine, Fiona and Moon bay. They all look the same, and act the same---and the only wrong thing in the picture is 'Blitz' who is smiling wide---laughing at Fiona's jokes.
He is supposed to be there,
He is supposed to be the one laughing beside Fiona, and the others.
When he noticed the blonde zoidian accidentally glanced by his direction, Thomas can no longer bear it, he called out, despite the restraint from the soldiers holding him. "Miss Fiona!"
Fiona's suddenly froze upon the sight of him, her laugh faded from her lips and her cherry red eyes filled with recognition and then fear, she shuddered and quickly averted her gaze and turned away. Blitz and the others gave Thomas a cold acid glare.
"Didn't the colonel told you people to lock him up immediately? He is dangerous!" Blitz snapped, as he held a protective arm to the blonde zoidian's shoulder.
"Y-yes lieutenant sir!"
Thomas gave one long hurting gaze, imprinting each of their faces in his memory. Then with a bowed head, he was prodded along the way to his confinement. As he was being lead away, the young republican colonel has been watching him, observing him from the higher adjacent room in the 2nd floor. Too many lives were lost because of this single person, and a lot of good men from the republican side has sacrificed their lives---especially when the SIMONE project has been utilized, many ranks have been vacant and few skilled pilots are were designated to quickly take their place. When the previous lieutenant in charge was killed while commanding an assault for the geno breaker and the sergeant that followed along with the first fleet were destroyed by SIMONE's first wave, it was then the that his step brother, who's next in line, Corporal Blitz, bravely lead a successful blitzkrieg attempt that halted further more casualties. In doing so, Blitz was severely injured and burned his palms when he nearly took a fatal hit from the charge particle beam so that the others could open fire where SIMONE is placed from within the geno breaker, doing so caused the zoid to malfunction. Van almost blamed himself upon giving permission to let Blitz take command on the field; after learning the other lieutenant in charge didn't make it out alive.
Few days later, and after a few healed battle scars, Blitz was awarded the Silver Star and was promoted to the rank of a Lieutenant, filling up the vacant ranks. Van was a lieutenant himself, but Col. Hermann was killed in action---and since there is no one with the right qualities to fill in his slot, the spiky haired pilot is the next best candidate. After few weeks, the newly designated officers and everyone resumed into heightening their offenses and defenses in case the geno breaker and its A.I. program SIMONE would penetrate once more into their system. Blitz, now a lieutenant, who's anticipating for pay back, pleaded to him to lend him a few more troops so that they can immobilize SIMONE before it strikes again.
"You know what the risks are Lieutenant, we couldn't afford losing more men, not right now!" he reprimanded him furiously, his furious gaze battling against Blitz's determined indigo look.
"I'm not going to lose to him, Van. I won't let him."
"It's Col. Flyheight, don't forget your formalities. Look lieutenant---"
"I'm not going to let anything happen to our men. I have seen enough bloodshed already, Van! If you won't stop him---then I can, and I have to. It's the least I could do for the people who saved me from the wind colony attack---" his voice wavered, and then with a quick salute, "So I'm requesting for your permission, colonel sir!"
He remembered being told every so often, that he and Blitz are anything but similar. The only few traits they share is their skills in piloting zoids--- and that none of them has the quitter's gene. It's no use stopping Blitz once he sets his mind on something, just like he was in his early lieutenant days.
"Permission granted."
After several hours, Van was surprised that one of his men contacted the base and reported the personal capture of the maker of SIMONE and the pilot of the geno breaker, Thomas. It send him a chill that the man dressed like a night assassin with pallid features and cold piercing green eyes, the man who's genius that created the A.I. console, that's enough to control/wipe out a whole zoid army---was single-handedly brought down by Blitz without putting up a fight. It scared him more deep inside when he saw that this Thomas didn't have the look in his eyes---the emotionless green glare, when he brought in for interrogation. He was disoriented, pleading and almost--- as if believable---clueless and totally unaware of the whole situation going on. It was when Thomas cried when he mentioned there is no Karl Schubaltz in the imperial army that bring him even more doubts to what he has been suspecting all along---he knew something is just very wrong with the picture. Very very wrong---
"Damn, Flyheight---have you gotten the wrong man?"
-continued-
By RaVen0us
Part four: Chaos draws near *note for new readers: do not read this chapter unless you read the previous part. Re-edited version! Thanks to maewglyn for the beta. Better late than never! ^^; peace! *
Thomas started to regain consciousness; but he was still woozy from the beating. He was, right now, in the interrogation room. It was lit with only a single light bulb dangling over his head, casting shadows around the rest of the room and obscuring the exit; a small table and chair in front of him. He was sitting down himself, his arms crossed; hands tightly bound behind his back. His attention suddenly averted from his grim situation he is in when he heard the door creak open, allowing a couple of figures to enter the room. One of them was wearing the standard maroon and gray colors, the uniform of the republic lieutenant, his grey hair slicked back. It's 'Blitz' he recalled; the uniform is similar to Van's except that this youth doesn't exposed his stomach and instead wears a leather covering beneath it. Another figure walked past him, his walk was regal and carried him with long even strides. The brunette hair was set in deep spikes, and his uniform was an impressive republican colonel uniform (unlike Hermann's :P -author). He has a red mark on his left jaw, and sat placidly in front of him, his dark onyx eyes probing the nervous Thomas.
"Van" Thomas exclaimed, quickly shutting up when Blitz raised his hand, a punch forming
"That's Colonel Flyheight to you, you bastard! Show some respect!" Blitz cussed, bringing his angry, pallid face to the light. Blitz started to throw the punch, but stopped mid way through as Van brought up a hand, signaling the lieutenant to stop.
"Lt. Flyheight, mind your manners during an interrogation!" Van threatened his younger 'sibling'
"But, Van---" Blitz pleaded, his amethyst eyes wide
"In this headquarters, you have to address me as your superior officer." Van scolded the lieutenant
Blitz cocked his head slightly, and with a disappointed sigh. "Yes, Colonel sir."
"Leave us. I'll just call you." Van commanded.
Blitz gave a hesitant look to Van, and then turned to Thomas, giving him an acidic glare before he left the room. A look that Thomas interpreted as, don't do anything stupid or I'll kill you
"I guess my brother would have killed you if I hadn't reasoned him. He can be an ass sometimes." Van said apologetically, then looking up to Thomas. There is a different aura about him; he didn't exude the intimidation of a senior officer, although he looked a bit stern. Thomas noticed the fact that in this messy world he got into-Van still looks like Van, nothing much has changed except probably for the clothes and the position. And when he starts to talk to him, he did so with control and diplomacy.
"You have conditionally surrendered yourself willingly, Thomas. It seems to come in a surprise for all of us."
"I didn't know what you are talking about, Va--"
"It's Colonel, Col. Flyheight."
"Yes, Colonel sir." He corrected. Then overwhelmed with all the beatings and the confusion that swarmed him these past several hours, and with Van's complacent presence in front of him, Thomas felt like telling everything--- even if it make's him sound like crazy. "Sir, I think I wouldn't have 'surrendered willingly' hasn't the Lieutenant pulverize me with all that firepower!"
"He got instructions not to kill you," Van looked at Thomas quizzically
"He wanted to kill me!" Thomas started to yell
"You are a big threat to everyone, both the Empire and the Republic. Sometimes he has that option. God knows what you will do with that Geno breaker of yours again." Van failed to calm down the high-strung Lt.
"I didn't want anything to do with that Geno breaker! Destroy it if you will! I'm not the one you wanted---it's someone else! I got here by mistake, and to prove it I had a portable com link with me that have whatsoever no link with that" he snapped, pounding both fists at the table and standing up. The spiky haired colonel blinked and stared in surprise, words seemed to escape his mouth. Thomas made quite some noise, that in the instant, the gray-haired lieutenant appeared briskly from the outside.
"I warned you." Blitz growled, standing in a loose combat stance
"That is enough Blitz" The colonel commanded calmly; he had a strange feeling that Thomas is telling the truth. It must be the desperate air of helplessness around him, Van thought. "Blitz, did you and the others found a portable com link that he is talking about?"
With a lazy nod, Blitz tossed over the piece of equipment, followed by a mumbled 'yeah.' The colonel gave him a disappointed look; the gray-haired lieutenant had a dire lack of formalities just because they were brothers. To start with, they are not REALLY brothers-but the events in their young lives made them as such. The day that his father defended an attack in the Wind Colony, one of the republican soldiers presented the boy that his father saved before he died. The boy does not have a name and just lost his parents. They decided to call him Blitz and took the family name after he suddenly tackled a dark organoid upon trying to defend his new foster home. He always disliked Zoids, and that irony is the reason why he soon followed Van's footsteps in also becoming a great Zoid pilot someday. Soon enough, he proved he can follow his 'brother', becoming very skilled for his age, rising to the ranks and won as many battles, although at times he did act out of arrogance and pure stubbornness. Unfortunately that made him quite feared even with the republicans. He tries to emulate Van and is as loyal as a true brother. He answers and only obeyed direct orders nonetheless only from him.
"No one knows where it is supposed to be, Va----I mean, colonel sir." Blitz replied, crossing his arms over his chest. "It seems not to be linked with the geno breaker, either."
The dark onyx eyes observed the gadget carefully, like an alien artifact or an explosive, and then looked at Thomas. "Tell us, what is this?"
"It's part of Beek, it's a program built in my---" Thomas paused, he was to say 'from my Dibison' but knowing pretty well no one would believe him in THIS situation.
"I think it's a new subprogram for his project SIMONE." Blitz thought out loud,
Thomas gave him a startled look, "SIMONE? I don't know what you're talking about!"
"You don't know what I'm talking about? That knock on the head must have jolted your senses then." Blitz said gracelessly, waving a hand "SIMONE, Simulation One is the damn A.I. program you created to mimic the purpose of an organoid. I do hear that its real purpose was the ability to hack in other zoids and feeding all the available pilot data to create a dreadful so called auto-pilot control mechanism."
He didn't know what this SIMONE program is, but who ever thought about this is a sheer technical genius like he is; A mad genius to that... If he is in this alternate world then---there is another Thomas out there, an evil version of him, and he could be stuck in his world! But who will believe him?
"Get me the Imperial Army Colonel! Get me Col. Karl Lichten Schubaltz!" he pleaded, "He is my brother, and he knows I'm innocent!" Maybe in this world, he wished.
Blitz swore mildly, "What fucking mind games are you getting at? There is no Colonel Karl Schubaltz in the imperial side. You say you are his brother? You must have lost your mind!"
Thomas glared at him, "I am sane, I know I have a brother!"
Van let out a deep sigh, and eyed him quizzically "Did you forget? Your brother died several years ago, he is one of the civilian casualties in a shoot out. "
Thomas felt his world crumble, words formed soundlessly from his mouth. "No."
In this strange world he got into, he is evil, despised and he's only brother is dead. What a mess he is into now---and he doesn't know how he could go back.
"No." he said again, this time louder with his tone shaken and disturbed. Bending his head he buried his hands to his face, and drew a deep painful breath before releasing a distressed mournful cry. It is so disturbingly long and loud, blended with racking sobs that it froze the two officers for several minutes, with either not knowing what to do or say.
Van is the first to speak, "You need to rest," he said tersely and give Thomas a quick reassuring pat to the shoulder. "My men will take you to your cell. So I think you'll be in your correct senses for the next interrogation tomorrow."
He nodded mutely, and was silently lead into his jail cell. As he walked the vast corridors to his confinement, his thoughts were cocooned on how to plan to escape---if there is any possible way. Even the alternate universe, he was lucky that Van is still Van even in spite of the higher rank. He seems to believe in him somehow, and didn't force him to speak more (when he cried). And the so called 'Lt. Blitz--- well, he has no difference from the bitter mercenary Raven. The only difference is he had a high respect for Van, but in any way, he is STILL skilled rouge just this time dressed in a republican uniform.
He gloomily gazed through out the corridors and the facility windows, hoping to see more familiar faces, and what kind of role they play in this world he got thrown into. In few minutes, he saw Blitz by the hangar along with the others, Irvine, Fiona and Moon bay. They all look the same, and act the same---and the only wrong thing in the picture is 'Blitz' who is smiling wide---laughing at Fiona's jokes.
He is supposed to be there,
He is supposed to be the one laughing beside Fiona, and the others.
When he noticed the blonde zoidian accidentally glanced by his direction, Thomas can no longer bear it, he called out, despite the restraint from the soldiers holding him. "Miss Fiona!"
Fiona's suddenly froze upon the sight of him, her laugh faded from her lips and her cherry red eyes filled with recognition and then fear, she shuddered and quickly averted her gaze and turned away. Blitz and the others gave Thomas a cold acid glare.
"Didn't the colonel told you people to lock him up immediately? He is dangerous!" Blitz snapped, as he held a protective arm to the blonde zoidian's shoulder.
"Y-yes lieutenant sir!"
Thomas gave one long hurting gaze, imprinting each of their faces in his memory. Then with a bowed head, he was prodded along the way to his confinement. As he was being lead away, the young republican colonel has been watching him, observing him from the higher adjacent room in the 2nd floor. Too many lives were lost because of this single person, and a lot of good men from the republican side has sacrificed their lives---especially when the SIMONE project has been utilized, many ranks have been vacant and few skilled pilots are were designated to quickly take their place. When the previous lieutenant in charge was killed while commanding an assault for the geno breaker and the sergeant that followed along with the first fleet were destroyed by SIMONE's first wave, it was then the that his step brother, who's next in line, Corporal Blitz, bravely lead a successful blitzkrieg attempt that halted further more casualties. In doing so, Blitz was severely injured and burned his palms when he nearly took a fatal hit from the charge particle beam so that the others could open fire where SIMONE is placed from within the geno breaker, doing so caused the zoid to malfunction. Van almost blamed himself upon giving permission to let Blitz take command on the field; after learning the other lieutenant in charge didn't make it out alive.
Few days later, and after a few healed battle scars, Blitz was awarded the Silver Star and was promoted to the rank of a Lieutenant, filling up the vacant ranks. Van was a lieutenant himself, but Col. Hermann was killed in action---and since there is no one with the right qualities to fill in his slot, the spiky haired pilot is the next best candidate. After few weeks, the newly designated officers and everyone resumed into heightening their offenses and defenses in case the geno breaker and its A.I. program SIMONE would penetrate once more into their system. Blitz, now a lieutenant, who's anticipating for pay back, pleaded to him to lend him a few more troops so that they can immobilize SIMONE before it strikes again.
"You know what the risks are Lieutenant, we couldn't afford losing more men, not right now!" he reprimanded him furiously, his furious gaze battling against Blitz's determined indigo look.
"I'm not going to lose to him, Van. I won't let him."
"It's Col. Flyheight, don't forget your formalities. Look lieutenant---"
"I'm not going to let anything happen to our men. I have seen enough bloodshed already, Van! If you won't stop him---then I can, and I have to. It's the least I could do for the people who saved me from the wind colony attack---" his voice wavered, and then with a quick salute, "So I'm requesting for your permission, colonel sir!"
He remembered being told every so often, that he and Blitz are anything but similar. The only few traits they share is their skills in piloting zoids--- and that none of them has the quitter's gene. It's no use stopping Blitz once he sets his mind on something, just like he was in his early lieutenant days.
"Permission granted."
After several hours, Van was surprised that one of his men contacted the base and reported the personal capture of the maker of SIMONE and the pilot of the geno breaker, Thomas. It send him a chill that the man dressed like a night assassin with pallid features and cold piercing green eyes, the man who's genius that created the A.I. console, that's enough to control/wipe out a whole zoid army---was single-handedly brought down by Blitz without putting up a fight. It scared him more deep inside when he saw that this Thomas didn't have the look in his eyes---the emotionless green glare, when he brought in for interrogation. He was disoriented, pleading and almost--- as if believable---clueless and totally unaware of the whole situation going on. It was when Thomas cried when he mentioned there is no Karl Schubaltz in the imperial army that bring him even more doubts to what he has been suspecting all along---he knew something is just very wrong with the picture. Very very wrong---
"Damn, Flyheight---have you gotten the wrong man?"
-continued-