Author's note: Long time no see, mi amigos! As usual, most characters are not mine, they're Capcom's, but I own the storyline. (Personally, I'm getting tired of the same old refrain.)

Megaman Legends: The Lariozan Connection
Chapter Twelve: Offshore Storm

"Here we are, Northern Fleet HQ, Bocanete," announced Burnley as he drove the van to a tall gate whose sentry was a squad of Marines. "After another round of checking we can go charter a boat to the island."

"Funny," Roll stated, "no ships in a vital installation. Where could they be?"

"Search me, Roll," Megaman replied. "And speaking of search, here come the guards." The squad leader approached them.

"Señor, tu-" he began, only to stutter at the sight of its passengers. "Y-y-you again! I-i-i-i don't believe it! Que barbaridad!" he exclaimed as he picked up his communicator and called for the base commander for instructions.

"He wants you in the base, now," was all the squad chief could say.

"Does he know the two of you?" Roll asked Megaman.

"He's the captain we met after defeating Tron Bonne at Yoceda," he replied. "Still shocked, I guess."

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Teisel cleared his throat twice, and then told the ensemble of rebels, servbots, and birdbots, "We now attack the naval base at Bocanete, and if we take it, we'll be able to take the ruins offshore. Remember, if you see the blue jerk, that nosy reporter or any other nut who would try to stop you, it's shoot to kill. Any questions?"

One hand went up. "Señor Teisel, that place is heavily fortified and has most of the Navy's strongest ships. How do we make sure they won't be meddling?"

"Good question. Most of the ships have left, and if we act fast, by the time they return we will be entrenched, and we can sink their ships from the facility. Don't worry, those ships won't be coming anywhere near until we take Bocanete. Any others out there?" The place was silent.

"OK then," he declared, "LET'S DO IT!"

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The reception of the base commander, a one-star commodore, had gone fine, but they were not allowed anywhere near the island. Now, as they tried to think of a way to get to the island...

KABOOM!

"SWEET LORD WHAT WAS THAT?" exclaimed Burnley as he looked onto an explosion at the ammunitions depot to their right. Draches sped from that direction to theirs. "My God they're gonna strafe us! Try firing at them, Megaman!" Machine gunfire and air defense fire was heard all throughout. The Commodore was barking commands to anyone in sight as he ran out of headquarters.

"You! Try to do something! Don't just stand there, do something!" he barked at the party of six (including Data, Tacio and Esteban).

"We're trying, but we can't shoot them down like this!" Megaman snapped. "Where in blazes do we go to?"

"Fine, you can go to Zona 10. We have only a corvette, a submarines and two coastal defense missile boats, all berthed. Do what you want with them, just do something!"

"You heard him," Burnley said to the rest, "To the quay! We can use one of them CDMB's over there! Let's bag down some reds!" They then headed to the quay nearby, boarding one of the missile boats."

"Oh no, the engine's been taken out!" Roll exclaimed. "There! That other boat looks fine!"

"Let's go for it, then," Megaman answered as they sped to the other CDMB. Megaman first got in, and checked out the place.

"The engines are fine, and there are enough refractors to get this boat on, "Megaman said to his foster sister as she went in. "I think there are enough missiles, and there's also an anti-aircraft gun up on deck. Can you steer this thing?"

"You betcha!" replied Roll. "I'll handle the land-based craft and ships, you fire on the Draches. Let's see what this old gal can do." The others boarded in as well, and Burnley checked another gun on the rear, while Tacio and Esteban manned the engines.

"It's working," he said to himself, then approached Megaman. "Looks like you're on the top. Bring 'em down, will ya?"

Without another word, the Digger nodded. The ship was going to sea.

"Looks like I'll have to use my weapons-the AA gun's down," he said over the funnel. "Hope my weapons work."

The chance to prove their worth came with two air gunships launching bombs from their nose barrels. Fortunately, these came down with a few rounds of homing missiles lobbed at them-the other gunships were tougher nuts to crack.

"Roll!" he blurted, "Their armor's tougher than expected! Try using those anti-aircraft rockets!"

"OK, I'm firing!" came the reply, followed by a volley of rockets, helping the digger blast some Draches away. "Megaman, torpedo boats starboard! We can ony be busy with one side a time!"

"Gotcha!" was heard with missile and Buster fire, obliterating the topedo boats. He could hear Burnley firing curses and rounds of machine-gun fire on the torpedos headed to the ship. Many of the torpedoes were blasted off, some missed, few didn't.

"Damnit! We've been hit! Is it still fine there, Roll?" he shouted.

"Still stable!" she replied. "We have enough energy to try sink these pirates." A volley of missiles aiming on a platoon of enemy tanks followed, wiping them out, followed by another aimed at two enemy gunboats, sinking them. Megaman, meanwhile, was still blasting away at enemy aircraft, made difficult because most of the base's aircraft were grounded by the Defense Minister's orders, among other things. His exhaustion was getting the better of him.

"They're too many! My patience and missile stocks are almost out!"

"Me too, Megaman! Just hang on while I drive this thing somewhere more comfortable!" As Roll did this, another torpedo made its mark.

"DIOS MI, SEÑOR BURNLEY, THEY'VE HIT US AGAIN!" shouted Tacio from his location. "ANOTHER ONE AND WE'RE TOSTADO!"

"Don't make me think so, Tacio!" he responded. "Because if we die, we'll take some of these bastards with us!" As he said this, a huge explosion was heard. Not from their side. Not from the base. Not from the available ships.

The frigate San Lorenzo had arrived. And unfortunately for the pirates and rebels, the frigate was too early.

"This is the frigate San Lorenzo. Do not panic," the radio blurted. "We were forced to return due to problems in the galley, despite the fact we weren't authorized to do so. Don't worry, we'll take everything from here."

"Are you sure? We're all outgunned here," announced Roll from the radio. "There aren't enough of us here, and even a single frigate won't make a difference."

"We've called an SOS for other ships to come, and they've agreed. Another two corvettes from Carriende NB are coming," the frigate wired back. "As a matter of fact, they're on the horizon."

"Yes! Did you hear that fellas, we'll be saved!" Burnley exclaimed, then later calming down. "While it's too early to tell, I can't help being confident."

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"EEEK! Master Teisel, there's a navy ship on the harbor..." a servbot cried out before being interrupted by the pirate leader.

"Of course there are navy ships on the harbor, Number 14!"

"No, sir! One of the ships has returned! We've also detected two more headed this way, and with air support!

"Impossible! Moran promised that he would hold off the ships until-"

"Four o'clock, Señor Teisel, and it's quarter past that time," replied a rebel commander. "In addition, even if we secure the base and the island by then, General-en-Jefe Moran will send in the tanks once the blue boy and his friends are dead. He called up a while ago, but we said you were too busy ordering our forces to talk to you."

Teisel looked dejected. That CDMB had bought enough time for the Northern Fleet to return. One ship was now bombarding what armor he had left, while some more ships that had come had capable air defense systems, decimating what was supposed to be the only advantage the pirates had-air superiority. And more government aircraft were coming. His moment of glory stolen, he decided to relay his final order.

"I'm going to get Moran's hide for this, I REALLY WILL!" blurted Teisel after ordering retreat.

So what now, adter the storm? Don't miss upcoming Chapter Thirteen: Isle of Awaiting Danger, headed soon! P.S. Any suggestions welcome! Send them as reviews or to ceig13@yahoo.com.