Zoids: A New Beginning
Chapter 12
Disclaimer: Okay, we all know the drill by now.
Stroma watched the conclusion of the Strike Team's battle with the Blitz and X Teams. He was impressed by their success. However, his frustration mounted when the Genosaurer and Garret unexpectedly took their leave of the battle.
Stroma sighed. The Genosaurer had been a valuable asset. Pilots like Garret who knew how to bring out the Genosaurer's full potential and didn't treat it like it was a charged particle cannon with legs were rare. In addition, Garret had also taken a valuable Organoid with him. Stroma didn't pretend to understand the workings of Garret's mind better than anyone else.
The door behind him hissed open and two zoid pilots walked in. Both pilots were members of the strike team. The first was Daniel, pilot of the Dark Spiner. The second was Jeremy, pilot of the Death Stinger. Both pilots were downcast, for they had both lost more than the battle.
Daniel's Dark Spiner had been hit by a charged particle beam from the Berserk Fury. The result was that the entire rear section of the zoid was badly damaged, possibly irreparably. Jeremy had even more reason to be downcast. His Death Stinger was hit by a plasma cannon blast fired by Derrik Fay's Raptorus. The beam had melted the Stinger's chassis and the shockwave had scattered the Death Stinger's components into the wind.
Stroma was not too disappointed, he could replace both zoids; not easily but he could replace them none the less. Stroma was still much more concerned with the desertion of Garret.
"Don't worry my young friends," Stroma said reassuringly, "We shall replace your totaled zoids."
"I just want to get my hands around that traitor's neck," growled Jeremy with barely contained fury, "Just running off in the middle of a battle like that."
Daniel, as always, kept his opinions to himself. That was one thing about Daniel that Stroma admired. Outside his zoid cockpit, Daniel was known for keeping a level head.
"Don't worry," said Stroma, containing a growl that had been rising up in his throat, "We shall deal with Garret soon enough."
Far away from where Stroma and his two pilots were conversing, in a sheltered canyon, Garret sat on a flat rock. There was nowhere for him to go. Even if there was, he was not of a mind to leave Chaos and his zoid out alone in that deserted canyon.
His stomach growled. Garret looked down at his meager supply of food. How long would it be until the Organoid finished its work? Would he have enough food? A single thought worked its way through Garret's substantial doubts. The thought was about the product of the Genosaurer's evolution. Garret smiled, it would be worth the wait.
In the time since the unsanctioned battle, the Blitz and X Teams were meeting inside the greatshark. Derrik had offered his transport's repair facilities to the members of the Blitz Team to repair the Liger 0 and the Raynos.
Bit looked around at the comfortable room they were seated in. "Nice place," he remarked absentmindedly.
"Size isn't everything," a jealous Dr. Toros muttered under his breath. He did not doubt that the greatshark was a superior transport and wished that he had the financial resources to build such a magnificent transport.
After a wait, Derrik walked in. "It is time to get to the subject at hand," he said decisively.
"What's the problem?" asked Leena, who saw nothing of concern in the results of the last battle.
"Winning the battle is not always the important part of such events," said Derrik.
"Are we talking about what happened with the Genosaurer?" asked Vega.
"Partly, but that is not the entire point of this conversation," replied Derrik. He paused then went on. "One point of this worry's me. You have undoubtedly noticed the Backdraft Group's new method of taking over battles. From what I have seen, they use a microwave transmitter to overwrite a judge's programming with that of a dark judge."
"I don't see the big deal," said Brad.
"The big deal is that if they can take over a judge," said Stoler, "What would stop them from taking over a judge satellite?"
"Using a microwave antenna to take over a judge satellite!" exclaimed Jamie, "That's impossible. Why, for that to happen the transmitter alone would have to a radius of about…" he paused, doing some quick mental calculations, "one hundred yards."
"Larger actually," said Derrik, "an approximate diameter of one mile."
"Right," said Jaime, "It would be too easily spotted. The Zoid Battle Commission would find it well before construction was completed."
"Not if they had forces sufficiently powerful enough to protect it," suggested Pierce.
"No force the Backdraft Group could muster would be powerful enough to stop the Battle Commission," argued Brad. "With the turrets on the judge super satellites, they could just destroy the whole thing from orbit.
"On the other hand," said Bit, "They could use the threat of such a dish to lure a judge super satellite into range, thus forcing the Battle Commission to bring in zoids to fight."
"It doesn't matter," Brad persisted, "The Zoid Battle Commission would still win, hands down."
"Unless," suggested Derrik, "Unless they have a sufficiently powerful zoid to protect their interests."
Brad snickered at the remark, "There is no such zoid," he stated.
"Oh no?" inquired Derrik, "Vega pilots such a zoid. The Berserk Fury alone could keep the forces of the Zoid Battle Commission, the Helic Republic, and the Guylos Empire combined at bay."
"But the Berserk Fury's one of a kind," said Vega, "It is the only zoid with that kind of power."
"Do not be so sure Vega," said Derrik, "I remember another kind of zoid with that power. I remember from a long time ago."
"Even if such a zoid exists," scoffed Leena, "It's not like the Backdraft Group has it."
Derrik said nothing in response. He knew that the Backdraft already had the key to possessing such a powerful zoid. He only wished the others had enough experience to see the coming storm.
Garret sat his back against the hard, rough stone of the canyon wall. When his mind took a break from imagining the horrors he would perpetrate, he let his thoughts wander into the past.
Garret remembered his days with old Backdraft Group. He remembered reporting only to the Count and the Committee of Seven. He remembered listening to Altiel's futile arguments towards finding the Ultimate X. He remembered his conversation with the Count after that fateful meeting.
Garret had turned off the video screen on which he was watching Altiel's conference with the Committee of Seven. The door behind him hissed open and the Count stepped into the room.
"Well Garret," said the Count, "What is your opinion of that interesting little conversation we just had with Altiel."
"I am impressed by the man's grasp of the zoids. His knowledge is substantial," replied Garret.
"Surely you do not believe this pathetic Ultimate X nonsense," scoffed the Count.
"I would not scoff at such things if I were you Count," answered Garret. "Altiel knows what he's talking about. He will find his Ultimate X. That I know."
To his surprise, the Count actually believed him. "So, when Altiel finds this Ultimate X, should I reward him for his efforts?"
"I believe you should."
"Perhaps you would like to pilot this Ultimate X," suggested the Count.
"No, an Ultimate X chooses its pilot, not the other way around. If I were to suggest a pilot for this Ultimate X, I would suggest Vega."
"Vega Obscura." The Count considered the suggestion. "He is our finest pilot, second only to you. You believe he would be the one to pilot the Ultimate X."
"Indeed."
"So, it appears that Altiel will be in charge of this operation then."
"Altiel is to volatile to be a commander. Despite his correct belief in the fact that the Liger 0 is an Ultimate X, he has committed too many resources to its acquisition. I think we should give command of the operation to Sarah."
Count nodded, "I will place Altiel in charge of the wagers for this event," he said, "He always was good at that sort of thing."
Count went to the wall and pressed his hand against it. He took out a bottle of fine wine, and filled to glasses. "Now, let us drink to the success of the Ultimate X and to the glory of the Backdraft Group."
Garrets mind slowly came back to the present. Nothing had changed. The Genosaurer was still contained in the energy field the resembled a gigantic ruby. He smiled, "Soon, not even an Ultimate X will be able to stop me."
In one of the Backdraft Group's many underground facilities, Stroma rode an elevator down to the bottom floor of a massive hangar. Inside the hangar machinery and personnel were hard at work.
He looked up and saw several massive components being lifted into place. He looked upward and saw a gigantic arm that alone would have dwarfed a Gojulas. He smiled at the progress his men were making. He would soon have the means to do much more than take control of the Zoid Battle Commission.
Stroma smiled, even with Garret's desertion, the pieces of the plan were falling into place. He would soon control the most powerful administration on Planet Zi. The Zoid Battle Commission wielded more power than the President of the Helic Republic and the Emperor of the Guylos Empire combined
He walked into the next room and watched the continuing construction of a massive dome-like device. The device would be crucial in the overthrow of the Zoid Battle Commission. He chuckled, the Zoid Battle Commission's greatest asset was about to become their greatest enemy.
Bit was taking the Liger 0 for a run. Bit always felt much better when he took his beloved zoid for a run. Running the Liger 0 helped him to stay in sync with his zoid and make sure that the bond between them was strong. In addition, when he was out running, Bit had the time and solitude to do some thinking.
Bit loved the solitude of his runs with the Liger 0. Out in the open plains, away from the Toros base, away from Leena and her perpetual squabbles with him over something or other, away from the Doc and his constant pestering of them for money to buy some component or other, away from the always critical and conservative Jamie, away from Brad, who always seemed to be watching Bit through half closed lids, he could think freely.
Bit's mind kept on going back to that conversation on the greatshark and the ominous tone of those discussions. Derrik had deduced that a major event was coming. Bit knew better than to dispute that fact.
Bit stopped the Liger 0 on top of a ridge overlooking a vast plain. The nearest city was far enough away that its lights didn't blot out the stars. Bit came here nightly to look up into the night sky and think about things.
Looking up, he instinctively located a star he knew well. It was a star that every child on Planet Zi had been taught about in their earliest days of school. Around that star orbited the blue planet, Earth, the home of the human race. Bit, who had been born on planet Zi, like everyone else in his generation, had absolutely nothing about Earth beyond its location.
Bit wondered what it would be like to go to Earth someday. What were the people on Earth like? Did they have zoids too? Other questions went through Bit's mind. It was easy to relax and forget ones problems when one looked at the stars. Looking at the night sky, Bit felt a sense of peace and calm.
Bit heard the unmistakable sound of a zoid approaching. He turned his head around and saw Leena's Gunsniper approaching. "Now what?" he muttered, "I haven't stolen any of her food…yet," he added.
The Gunsniper pulled to a stop next to the Liger 0. The cockpit opened and Leena got out. She came over and sat next to Bit. "What's going on?" he asked.
"I keep thinking about what Derrik said," said Leena, "About there being a zoid powerful enough to stop the Zoid Battle Commission. I keep wondering, what makes him so sure it exists?"
"Why are you asking me? I don't know any more than you do." He turned and looked at Leena.
"I think he was talking about the Genosaurer running off," replied Leena.
Bit could only shrug helplessly. "Don't worry, I doubt that there's any zoid that could be a match for us."
"I hope you're right Bit," said Leena.
Bit continued to stare at her. This wasn't like Leena at all. He had never seen her this calm and in control. Normally, she would have decked him for disagreeing with her. He looked up at the Gunsniper, parked next to the Liger 0. Maybe runs were better than he thought. Bit shrugged again and lay back to watch the stars some more. Leena remained sitting upright, though her face was turned up towards the sky as well.
After an hour, Leena stood up and headed back to her Gunsniper and went home, leaving Bit alone, still staring up at the sky.
In the tactics room, Jamie got an unexpected call from Zanders. "What is it?" asked Jamie.
"Derrik told me I should share the data I got from the battle with you," answered Zanders. "There is some interesting information."
A graph came up next to the image of Zanders on the screen. "This is a record of the readings of the Genosaurer's zoid core. The graph was a simple line graph. Jamie watched as the reading scrolled by. Suddenly a spike passed on the graph, then another. As the graph continued to scroll by, the spikes became more frequent.
Zanders continued, "The spike represents an anomaly signal from the zoid core of the Genosaurer. As the battle progressed, the spikes became more frequent. By about the time the Genosaurer had almost defeated the Liger 0, the spikes had become constant."
"What does it mean?" asked Jamie.
"Derrik believes the anomaly to have a connection with the Organoid bonded with the Genosaurer."
Zanders stepped away from the screen and Derrik stepped in front of the screen to talk to Jamie. "That signal means that the Organoid has completely analyzed the Genosaurer. When the Genosaurer left, I realized that the Organoid must have found a way to increase its power."
"And that means?" said Jamie.
"The Genosaurer is evolving, the product of this evolution could very possibly be the destruction of Planet Zi."
Garret looked up at the energy field that surrounded his Genosaurer. It was fading. He smiled, it had taken three days and nights, but finally, the process was complete. He looked up and admired the marvelous new zoid.
Light flashed and Chaos was standing next to him. "It's time to go back and finish what we started Chaos," said Garret. He looked at his new zoid. The time was near indeed.
