Author's note: Hi all! This is my first story on , so please bear with me while I learn the ropes. I initially wrote this story a little over a year ago, as a tribute to the three Zoids seasons (I haven't seen much of the 4th season, due to work and other time constraints). I had planned to make this a chapter story spanning a great ammount of time, but after a year and hundreds of dollars in Zoids models (XD), I've lost most of my interest in the mecha, or at least in writing about them. If people want me to keep going, I'll consider it, but for the time being see this as the beginning to a story that probably won't be. Fun notion, eh? :P
Anyways, I've seen disclaimers on other stories so here it is: the only Zoids I own are model kits. Zoids were not created by me nor anyone I know, and the only right I have to Zoids is the right of free speech to make a fanfic about them. Fin. :D

Timeline: After the conclusion of New Century/0

Explanation: Many years have passed since the conclusion of the legendary Royal Cup. Although the Western Continent remains under the jurisdiction of the Zoids Battle Comission, there still remain other political organizations controlling the Delpoi and Nyx: The United Helic Republican Nations and the Confederation of Imperial Territories, commonly still referred to as the Empire, respectively. Both nations remain on good terms, as shown by their joint venture to create the ZBC. However, strife within the governmental circles of the Empire and discontent within the military have made it a political time bomb. Additionally, despite being disbanded years earlier, a Neo-Backdraft Group surfaced several years after the Blitz Team's legendary win. Combat went from simple win/lose matches to outright war, with the ZBC recruiting its participating teams into a sort of improvised Guardian Force. Fighting reached a head when, four years after their last match, now officer Bit Cloud and Captain Vega Obscura faced each other on the field of battle. Cloud was leading the Comission's elite special forces with backup from regular army, while Obscura lead the Neo Eisen Dragoon and several divisions consisting of Geno Saurers, Elephanders, and newly re-released production Black Rhimos. The Battle of Olympus Mountain was the single bloodiest battle of the war, with casualties reaching the thousands. Through the fighting, both Cloud and Obscura attempted to reach each other for one final bout when, in the midst of the turmoil himself, Cloud was struck down by an enemy sniper. Obscura promptly executed the sniper in a rage, having been denied his one true rival. The battle, however, ended in ZBC victory, despite the Backdraft's best (?) attempts. However, the hostilities did not end there. After the capturing of NB assets, a link was found between the Group and the Empire. It appeared funding had been secretly granted to the NB for years, since before the Royal Cup. Outraged, the UHRN placed sanctions on the Empire and withdrew its ambassador, also in effect dismantling the ZBC. The Western Continent was suddenly thrust centuries into the past, with both sides declaring sole jurisdiction to the entire continent. War seemed imminent; The Eastern part of Europa remained mostly under Republican control, while the Western part was declared a colonial province of the Empire. A resurgence of revolt began to permeate the Empirical homeland, foreshadowing a massive civil war. Not only would natives of the Central Continent have to choose between the Empire or Republic, but also between rebellion and established leadership. With Cloud's death now 13 years in the past, the stage is set for our story....

Location: Somewhere in the southern Europa Desert. Below 10 degrees South latitude, neither foreign nation has recognized jurisdiction, and thus this land is disputed overseas. We begin at the Toros/Cloud family residence, where an older, more mature, yet still energetic Leena appears in the hangar. She seems rather anxious, and is looking about rather confusedly. Finally she sees what she's looking for: her 14-year old daughter, Janey Cloud, Busily scurrying about her Gun Sniper, tightening screws and generally making a mess of herself.

LEENA: (to herself) Darn girl, always poking at that thing. Last Zoid she ever gets from us, that's for damn sure. (shouting) Hey! What did I tell you about staining your good clothes?!

Janey has not heard her mother. Or so she would have Leena think. She looks back at her Gun Sniper with pride. She has kept it well maintained all on her own, and enjoys pushing it to the extreme of its (and her) ability. She has all of her father's dreaminess and skill, as well as her mother's strength and rebellious streak. Janey herself looks like a sort of hybrid of her parents, which in a sense she is. Tall, athletic blonde with natural pink hair in front, parted to both sides.

She concentrates on a particularly stubborn bolt and pulls back hard. Suddenly the wrench slips, and she tumbles backward, landing in a puddle of hydraulic fluid.

LEENA, obviously very pissed: JANEY!!! You little...

Leena has begun to stomp over to her daughter, a good football-field's distance away. Janey has picked herself up and is desperately trying to wipe off the gunk, but to no avail.

JANEY: (thinking) Geez, it's not like it's the only clothes I have. She could at least not yell at me like I'm a little kid.

LEENA: If you think I'm going to spend good money on getting you some new clothes to replace these, then you've got another thing coming, missy.

Janey hated being called "missy."

JANEY: It's no big deal, mom. These clothes are fine; I'll just toss 'em in the wash.

LEENA: Like all your other clothes??

Janey had foolishly failed to remember the already overflowing hamper sitting back in her room, and could only give a sheepish smile and laugh.

LEENA, showing signs of her age (33) for the first time: sighs I don't know what to do with you anymore. Grandpa said you were trying to get him to put multi-sensors and tracking equipment in the Sniper; for what reason I don't know. Then you go galavanting off when you should be doing your chores-

JANEY: Mom, I don't need this right now.

LEENA: Oh, yes you do, missy. The last thing I'll have is a disobedient, smart-ass daughter-

JANEY: You know what, mom? Maybe if you didn't have a rod so far up your ass, Dad wouldn't have left...!

Leena stopped cold. Any other day she would have slapped her daughter across the face for conceiving such a thing, but this week was the anniversary of his death, and Leena felt especially mournful.

FLASHBACK- Bit, in full Helic uniform, stands in a doorway, facing Leena who is holding a baby in her arms.

LEENA: Bit, you can't go! If you lead that charge, I know something terrible's going to happen.

BIT: Hey, come on. The worried look doesn't suit you.

LEENA: I mean it, Bit. You know I mean it. You've got a family to think about, for God's sake.

BIT, somberly: That's why I have to go do this.

LEENA, trying to hold back sobs, her voice cracking: Your father... your father did not "leave" us. He died trying to do the right thing. He...

She broke off and hurried away, tears streaming down her face. She hated getting emotional, especially in from of Janey. But she couldn't stop herself. Janey looked on with anger and contempt.

JANEY: Lousy wench...

Half a continent away, another sort of conflict is taking place....

Location: Western Europa, another similar desert landscape. The area is calm, serene. Suddenly, a flash of shimmering purple streaks across the sky. It is the after-image of a Redler. Immediately after it, a sonic boom erupts across the land. This particular Redler has been equipped with a large cannon under its head and two twin boosters on its wings, pushing its top speed beyond the Mach 3 limit it normally has. The pilot is wearing a protective uniform emblazoned with the Guylos emblem and a sensory in/output helmet. With incredible skill, he is able to fly at top speed over the land without so much as breaking a sweat.

PILOT: Hmm... tops out at Mach 3.1? I'm sure those boosters can put out more juice than that...

The pilot pushes the throttle further still, causing the craft to momentarily shudder as its engines struggle to work harder. The Zoid's outer shell begins to show signs of deterioration, but the pilot remains confident in its speed and ability. Unfortunately, he spots his destination ahead, and throttles back before he flies right past it. He is coming upon Green Hill Base, a name meant to be ironic. The base sat low amongst the surrounding dunes, windswept and barren. However, against all odds, a sort of city had risen out of the sand, with its full compliment of stores, homes, a bank, an airport, families. It had formed around the perimeter of the base, which was closed off by a thick wall of concrete and titanium. Green Hill City, as it had been dubbed, even had its own airport, although it had only one runway to speak off. This was where the Redler now aimed towards, and streaked straight into at a suicidal angle.

Ground controllers scrambled when they saw the incoming craft, believing it to be damaged and coming in for a crash landing. Then, just as suddenly as it had dipped into a fall, the craft lurched backwards, its underbelly suddenly facing the direction of the descent. The pilot kept the wings firm, knowing that the slightest fault would tear them apart and kill him. Sticking its legs out to brace for landing, the craft decreased in speed draumatically and finally touched down, needing only a few hundred feet of runway to come to a full stop.

Furling its wings up, the Redler then begins lurching forward, walking towards the city and base. Ground crews wave frantically and signal him to stop, but he pays no heed. He has a purpose here.

From a tower office within the base, an aging General watches the scene with amusement. He notices two Red Horns preparing to engage, but calls them off. He's enjoying the mayhem too much to send a couple of pilots to their death.

As the Zoid paces cooly through Main Street, many stop to gape and wonder at what a strange phenomenon this is: a flight capable machine, fully adept at quick movements and even able to run at a brisk pace on land, is carefully picking its way through town, avoiding people, animals, vehicles, and any other obstruction. It even momentarily ducked under a street lamp so as not to hit it. Finally, after what seemed an eon, and with hundreds of people following close behind, it reached the base doors. They had already been opened for its arrival, though soldiers stood ready to restrain the crowd. However, the people needed no incentive to leave the odd scene and return to their lives, and only children remained to watch as the great titanium alloy doors closed in.

Inside of his office, General Wilhilt still looked out his window even as his prized pupil stood in the doorway. Although he had been very personable with the other soldiers as he had entered, the decorated pilot stood at full attention upon entering the room. Finally, Wilhilt turned in his chair with a warm yet tired look on his face.

WILHILT: At ease Colonel.

COLONEL: Hello, sir.

WILHILT: Hello, Vega.