All right! The big battle you've all been waiting for! Here it is! A Year's hello and a Minute's Goodbye!
Kyle was woken up by a brutally cold bucket of water that was thrown over his face. Snapping awake with a 'HOLY GOD IN HEAVEN!' the pilot tried to spring out of bed, but something was sitting on his chest. Blinking through the near freezing water that had been thrown on his face, he glared up at a pair of orange eyes winking at him in the darkness.

"Troden . . . you are aware that I am going to kill you." He growled, the tiny zoid finally letting him sit up. "I was having the nicest dream too!"

"About WHO?" The shadow fox replied in that I-bet-it-was-something- dirty voice that Kyle had come to know so well.

"No, you dirty-minded grease pit!" He crossed his arms and looked away, sounding indignant in his next statement. "Besides, it was more of a what then a who."

"OOOOOOH! Now we're getting somewhere!" Kyle sighed, then scowled at Troden with a look that could have frozen fire.

"No you dim-wit! I was dreaming about a 3-mile long buffet!" Troden's mood instantly soured.

"Yeah right." The fox sneered, jumping off the bed and disappearing into a heating vent. Kyle rolled his eyes, the hazel going a deep silver in his annoyance. He blinked, then shook his head, proceeding to the bathroom to clean himself up, not to mention warming himself as well.

- - - - - ---------------------------------------------- - - - - -

The hangar was buzzing with activity, the noise level almost deafening. About 50 zoids, shrunken and normal sized, were rumbling about, stocking up a Shield Liger, one Raynos, and a copy of the Liger 0 Panzer full of extra energy cells, fuel boosters, and other custom upgrades found only in the Aircraft carrier sized weapon storage facility. The other pilots stood dumbfounded to the side, never seen such a collaboration of machines before. Their zoids didn't complain, after all, they didn't have any sort of black box or AI system installed. So the more curious (and less informed) zoids would poke at the non-moving guests, trying to get them to react. It was only when Audreniliger came strolling in from the 20th floor (The Bar Room) with a box of French fries in her mouth did the bunch scatter.

"What a bunch of idiots . . ." The Liger rumbled, turning her head as the elevator opened to reveal a very determined looking Audrena. Glaring out from under the hood of her battling attire, her steely brown gaze went over everyone of the guest team, each one of them with his or her aliases. Two males, one female, and each of them scared out of their minds to being here. They had all heard of the Void team, but they had never been even near the actual pilot of the one-zoid team.

"Well! So this is the famous Audrena." One of them quipped; stepping forward boldly and getting a scorching glare from their black robed host. "Not much to look at in my opinion!"

"That's what everyone says at first," Audrena said calmly but coldly, striding slowly past him. But they quickly change their minds when they find their zoid sliced in half and the cockpit ripped from the body within 5 minutes of the starting bell." As she went by, she whispered quietly under her breath: "Don't be surprised if you find yourself under friendly fire . . ." Audreniliger chuckled, then glanced around again as the zoid's elevator hauled up the last member of the team, Fury. He had been polished to a gleaming hulk, armed with speed promoters abound and a holographic projector, complete with heat exchanger and cloaking devise. The massive Berserk Fury felt very proud of himself, and his new paint job, which had been changed to a deep silver instead of white. Kyle had ridden up as well, since it was nearing battle-time, and he looked like he had just downed 17 caffeine pills. The pilot was incredibly hyper, but that was out of nerves. It was worse then when he was to go up against Audrena the first time . . . he was also getting looks from the other pilots, whispering behind their hands . . .

"Who's he?" "What's he doing here?" "I didn't think that Audrena allowed any other humans in her home . . ." "So Audrena really does have a lover!"

He did his best to ignore it.

"A little jumpy are we?" Audrena muttered over the com-link, leading the bunch out in the Audreniliger and walking beside Fury and Kyle. Despite the fight they had, the two had become pretty good friends, much to Kyle's liking. Unlike Kyle, Audrena had no long-term plans with this friendship.

"Yeah . . . I guess so. I've just never fought as a team before. It's always been me alone."

"Ah yes. All alone . . ." Fury added, grinning stupidly while Audreniliger smacked her partner with a heavy tail, glaring at him. When the two zoids had successfully led the rest of the group out and their pilots were chatting amiably, the pair of intelligent machines began to plot.

(Is it just me or do I smell pheromones?) Audreniliger uttered, speaking in Binary code just in case either of their pilots noticed the communications. Fury tried not to look confused.

(What does that mean?) He replied, sounding idiotic and brainless. The liger growled in annoyance. Boy, he was dumb sometimes.

(I meant with those two! Can you tell that they are starting to . . . you know.) That also took a while to click in Fury's brain, but when he did get it, he chuckled that I-know-a-dirty-little-secret chuckle.

(Oh! So that's what you mean! Well, I already knew that.)

(Really?)

(Yep. Don't tell Kyle this, but I've been spying on his dreams. Heeheeheeheehee!)

(You pervert! . . . . . . . Tell me! My conniving mind must know!)

(Ha! Who's the pervert now!)

(Shut up and tell me!) Fury sighed and sent her the recordings he had made. The normally mocking blue eyes went wide.

(Ewww . . . he's dreaming of doing . . . stuff.) The liger muttered, sickened by what she saw.

(Let's . . . stop going on that subject. I've got an idea! Let's get them together!)

(What?! That is so cruel! . . . and so good too!)

(So what do you say? Give the two a push in the right direction with a one drink apiece spiked with pheromones and let the instinct do the rest?)

(Sounds good to me! Good god we're mean!)

(I know, and it's so easy!)

Audreniliger was about to reply, but her pilot suddenly pulled her to a halt. Audrena, having suddenly felt like she was very alone, whipped the liger around to look behind her, where the rest of the group was supposed to be. There was nothing but empty desert air. Kyle paused as well, sensing a sudden spike of fear in the air.

"What is it?" He whispered, starting to feel the tension. The silence was very unnerving; there was nothing out here, and only the sound of a dust storm beating futilely against the armor plates disturbed the tense quiet.

"They're gone. The whole bunch that I recruited, they're go-" Explosions out of the blue rocked the currently shield-less Audreniliger, the relentless bombardment sending up smoke.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Audrena cried, bracing herself against the blows while typing furiously on the many buttons set into the controls. The shield went up, deflecting the rest of the missiles. Kyle had jumped away in shock, throwing up his own shield for defense, though he received none of the assault. Even with infrared, he couldn't see through the cloud of heat and smoke.

"AUDRENA! You ok?!?"

"Kyle, throw down that shield and charge your speed thrusters! It's two on six here and I'm gonna need help!" Kyle's eyes narrowed and he nodded once, feeling a little relief when he saw the Audreniliger hauling itself up, shaky but intact.

"My god, where did these guys come from?" Audrena muttered reverently. "They just appeared on the radar screen!" Kyle glanced at it, then did a double take. 6 large dots had formed a circle around them and closing fast. A sudden roar to his right made him turn his head, and an incredibly fast blue blur tackled the Audreniliger, the both of them rolling away and trying to kill each other. A high pitched whine behind him told of something really big being charged up to fire. An intense blue glow illuminated Kyle's eyes and Fury was teleported about 25 feet to the left, just as a particle cannon shot blasted by to knock an inconceivably fast Raynos out of the air with one discharge. Kyle watched all this as he punched up the shield while the CPC finished charging, thinking about his situation with a now lightning fast mind. He couldn't figure it out. Every enemy zoid out here was moving faster then the Audreniliger ever hoped to. What was going on here?!

The Audreniliger rolled onto her feet as quickly as she possibly could, narrowly avoiding a swipe from Liger 0 yager. Audrena narrowed her eyes at Bit, an old foe. "Liger, charge up the Gamma fang, we're gonna need every ounce of EMP that we got."

"Right then!" The zoid growled, the fangs beginning to glow. This had cost them precious time. Bit, under mental control of their new team owner Mara Void, pushed him liger forward, the massive machine leaping onto the unprepared Audreniliger, sinking the fangs into it's back. Audrena growled and turned on the shield and releasing a massive wave of EMP in the same instant. The human let out a happy whoop as the liger was thrown off by the sudden electrical shield, components and computer discs being fried to a crisp by the magnetic pulses.

"YES!" She shouted, pumping the air wit a fist in a tiny victory dance. It didn't last very long though. Even the EMP laced shield didn't stop the super charged Shadow Fox from barging in, long range cannons firing at point-blank.

-

Kyle wasn't faring so well. Leena was pelting him with a seemingly endless supply of missiles and other objects that sought to enter his shield. Fury began to feel the effects of the ceaseless bombardment, his shield being strained to the limit.

"Kyle . . ."

"I know."

"Kyle!"

"I know! Just hold the blast in until I say so!"

"I'll try . . ."

Kyle's forehead beaded with sweat, adrenaline pumping through his veins. He had been watching Leena's firing for about 10 minutes, and there was always a small pause between the volleys, which always lasted for a certain amount of time. Seeing or rather feeling the impacts of rockets lessening, he threw down the shields as fast as he possibly could and opened fire with his own long range rifles, the aiming done courtesy of Fury. It only took 5 well-placed shots to take the Gun Sniper down, and it crumpled under it's own weight. Kyle grinned and patted the cockpit around him.

"Great aiming Fury." He said proudly. Fury grinned, but stopped quickly as he turned to face his newest foe.

"Hello cousin. Good to see you again." The com-link growled, the voice of Vega Obscura coming over the line. Kyle's eyes narrowed, and the silvery gray of his eyes flashed electric blue for a moment.

"Vega." Kyle replied curtly, nodding once. Vega's black eyes were gleaming oddly, and a very odd color as well. They were flashing a deep moss green. An alarm bell went off in the back of his mind, and his own eyes flare blue as he transmits his zoid out of the way, just in time to avoid a projected EMP stream, shot from the air. Both Fury and Kyle crane their heads up to look at this new comer, and raised an eyebrow. What was a Redler doing here?

-

Audrena glared at the words 'Incoming Message', hating the fact that Audreniliger's shield was straining to keep Brad's Shadow Fox at bay. Three down, but three more still in action. Growling at herself, she let out the com-link.

"What is it?!" She barked irritably, and was about to say something else, but was startled into silence. Her eyes then narrowed to mere slits in remembered bitterness.

"Mara." She spat, saying the word as though it made her want to puke.

"Ah yes, you remember me. Like my team?" Mara chuckled darkly, green eyes gleaming with effort of directing every one of her team that was still active and super charging their zoids as well.

"So who's the new comer? The one with the dark silver berserk Fury?" Mara inquired, grinning evilly. A plan came to her mind, a wicked thought. She's finally come to care about someone! The half-saiyan thought with malevolent delight. If she loses another loved one; I wonder how she'll react. If it's going to be more violently then when I killed our father, then this'll be a pleasure to watch! But how am I going to go about doing this without my sister noticing?

Audrena glared one last time before cutting the connection. She knew that smile, that grin that meant something horrible was about to happen . . .

"Audrena! Head's up!" Audreniliger's cry threw her back to reality. Audreniliger had taken care of the Shadow fox by herself, and now was about to be blasted to bits by an oncoming Particle Cannon shot. Gritting her teeth, Audrena turned to face this approaching energy discharge. Glancing up and seeing Mara's Redler overhead, she grinned suddenly.

"Charge forward Audreniliger, towards Vega's Berserk fury."

"ARE YOU CRAZY?!?!?!?"

" . . . Maybe I am. But if you don't move, we're going to be fried zoid anyway!" The yellow liger nodded resolutely, and charged forward.

-

Kyle watched this with disbelief.

"What in heaven and hell are you doing?! That suicide!" He shouted at her, though he knew she couldn't hear him. Fury shook his head as well.

"If she's planning something, then it had better be good."

Audrena squinted her eyes against the light as she ran to meet it head on. The timing on this had to be exact, otherwise the both of them would get a face full of Charged Particle Cannon. Fingers flying over the keyboards, numerous figures and signals appeared on the screen, including a 2-D model, showing the Audreniliger encased in a bubble. Glancing up, she saw just how close that blast was getting. Another few seconds and they'd be vapor.

"That's it." Kyle spat. "Fury! Charge the CPC! It's obvious that Audrena has lost control." Energy began gathering in Fury's mouth, and Kyle ran a hand through his dark brown hair. He didn't know what on earth Audrena was thinking, but he was going to get her out of it, nonetheless. Glancing down at the computer screen as red letters flashed across it, he smirked at the message.

'Charging Complete. Fire?'

"Sorry to do this to you cousin," He said, almost spitting the word 'cousin'. "But one has to protect their friends against their own mistakes!"

Fury roared, leaning forward and letting loose the massive amount of destructive energy. Kyle's smirk morphed to an evil grin. "He'll never see this one coming." A few moments passed, then his grin melted away into an expression of shocked horror, the color draining for his face.

"OH MY GOD! WHAT HAVE I DONE?!" He had never punched up a com-link that fast before, and into it he screamed: "AUDRENA, LOOK OUT!"

-

Audrena grinned evilly, the shield having been re-programmed within 10 seconds time. Looking up, the blast was almost directly in front of her. Her hands shaking, her jammed every control downward, making the zoid hit the dirt just as the energy beam went flying a few inches overhead. "Perfect." She muttered, then raised the newly calibrated shield. It did rise, but instead of round, it was angled at a 45° angle directly in front of the liger's head. Audrena watched grinning, as the energy was split in two, one arcing upwards, the other being reflected back at Vega's fury. Mara, from above, watched in horror as Vega's Fury let out a roar and toppled over.

"NO! Not again!" She screeched. She didn't even see the deflected particle blast coming. A massive explosion rocked the Redler, both wings obliterated. Only the triple armored body was left to tumble from the air, leaving a trail of smoke behind . . .

Audrena was practically jumping around in her seat in victory, having lowered the shield, when Kyle's urgent message came in. Blinking, she looked up through the cockpit glass and her deep brown eyes went wide with panic. As Vega's Fury fell, through the smoke came yet another Charged Particle shot.

"HOLY GOD!" She screamed, trying to raise the shields in time, but it was too close by the time she noticed it. It impacted the midsection like a train going through a car. Both Audrena and Audreniliger let out a screech, white light over shadowing everything . . .

-

Kyle watched with disbelief as Audrena heeded his warning and looked up to see the friendly fire about to obliterate her. It scared him, that wide- eyed look of fear that she had in her eyes. Another moment, her side of the screen shuttered, he heard her scream, and the com-link went to static. Kyle's heart sank, as did his shoulders as he stared helplessly into the smoke and blinding explosions, trying to search out his friend and romantic interest.

"Audrena . . . ?"

He didn't know what hit him when Mara's falling Redler speared Fury through the waist, nor did he care. He was still looking for her in the smog that surrounded the impact zone. Opening the cockpit, he leapt the 80 feet out, eyes glowing visibly as he slowed down and set foot on the ground roughly, in to much of a hurry to really pay attention to his landing.

Mara too emerged from her battered zoid, and saw the 25 year old running as fast as his feet could carry him to the wreckage. Her face twisted into a horrible smile, watching his carefully. She could only see his retreating back, but smirked nonetheless.

I have to admit, Audrena does have good taste, but oh well. She focused on the task at hand, and she chuckled briefly, eyes gleaming moss green. You're making this too easy, Kyle Obscura . . .

-

" . . . Ow . . . my head . . . " Audrena moaned, blinking to get her eyes to focus. The cockpit kept blurring on her for a while before her eyes switched gears and focused, eventually. The cockpit glass to her left was cracked, blood staining the razor sharp broken glass. The blue message 'Command System Freeze' was flashing on the screen, through weakly and faintly.

"Audreniliger? You there?" There was a long pause, and Audrena's hopes began to drop.

"Sort of . . . my stomach hurts . . . there goes my fries."

"You should be worrying more about your condition then your lunch."

"Oh well . . . I'm still hungry . . ."

Audrena shook her head and opened the cockpit, looking around. Her liger had sunk into a crater about 5 feet deep, the landscape looked like the moon, and Fury was lying on his side, run through with the crashed body of a Redler.

Wait a minute, where's Kyle?

"Kyle?" She called, walking forward and glancing around. "Kyle? Helloooo?" She was about to ask again, but on a glance to the ground, she did a double take. Foot prints, a rather large set too. That would be Kyle all right. He had the biggest set of feet this side of Zi, at least in her opinion. Looking around, another pair of prints came into view. A daintier set, no where near as deep. The smaller set seemed to run slightly behind and parallel to the larger ones before they intersected and disappeared completely. Brushing her golden-brown bangs out of her eyes, Audrena put two-and-two together coming up with a disturbing and oddly aggravating conclusion.

"Mara, you complete bitch! No one captures my friends and gets away with it." She spat on the small footprints before turning and running back to Audreniliger, who had hauled herself up with some difficulty.

"What's the rush?" The liger said, dipping her head for Audrena to get into the cockpit. She jumped into the seat and grinned determinedly.

"We've got a POW in the enemy's hands, and we've got a rescue to perform."

Audreniliger grinned evilly. The old Audrena was back again. Limping over to Fury, the liger grabbed the zoid's tail in her teeth and began to run back to base, dragging him behind. Her pilot though, was thinking of other matters. Her expression was pained.

God help him. If Mara's actually got him, then he's going to need divine intervention to survive this one . . .

Uh oh! Things get really ugly in Chapter 6, Charm of the Hideous. See you there!